"The era of the gods is over."
Jaden lay on a fragment of land the size of an island, staring into the pitch-black void above him, letting out a helpless sigh.
He didn't know how many gods had died in the explosion of the Gods' Paradise.
But most of them probably hadn't survived.
From the fragments of thoughts he had heard through Observation Haki during his final exchange with Odin, that old god never believed he would live through it either.
Which meant-
Odin was likely dead as well.
With that thought, Jaden slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
At this moment, his body was covered in wounds of every kind.
Yet he could still move.
However-
-His Armament Haki was completely depleted.
The explosion of the Gods' Paradise had been overwhelming. Jaden had fought using Armament Haki, blocked Zeus's ultimate move with it, and then immediately used it again to withstand the detonation of the Gods' Paradise itself.
After all of that...
Even his Armament Haki was exhausted.
Just as Jaden steadied himself, his gaze abruptly locked onto the endless void ahead.
A beam of light pierced through the darkness and shot straight toward him!
The power contained within it exceeded even Zeus's ultimate attack.
Jaden's pupils tightened slightly.
He was standing on a massive fragment of land-part of the shattered Gods' Paradise. That was the only reason there was air, the only reason he could still survive here.
If he dodged this attack, the land beneath his feet wouldn't.
If the fragment shattered, then whether there was air in the void, and whether he could even move within it, would become unknown variables.
If he still had Armament Haki, blocking it would be simple.
But now-
"It doesn't matter."
The contraction in Jaden's eyes vanished.
He smiled.
He clenched his fists.
And decided to block it head-on.
That was all there was to it.
Jaden fixed his gaze on the incoming streak of light.
With the Gods' Paradise destroyed, time no longer existed in this void. His Observation Haki couldn't predict the future here.
Just as he prepared to face the attack directly-
A strange piece of text surfaced in his mind.
It felt as though something was speaking directly into his consciousness, urging him to recite it.
Before Jaden could react-
The card box hanging from his neck, the one Yugi had given him, suddenly lit up.
"Hm?"
In the next instant, the beam of light arrived.
Jaden was about to act-
When a small, furry creature burst out of the card box, spread its arms, and flew straight into the path of the attack.
It blocked the beam.
This was the first time Jaden had ever seen it in person.
But he recognized it immediately.
"Kuriboh?"
The beam collided with Kuriboh.
An invisible barrier appeared before its tiny body. The light struck the shield and gradually dispersed.
After it ended, Kuriboh turned around, squeaked at Jaden with narrowed eyes, and slipped back into the card.
At the same time-
The voice in Jaden's mind vanished.
Jaden picked up the card box, stared at it for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"So that voice... and Kuriboh... those must've been the contingencies Old man left behind."
"Worried something might happen."
"...I was actually being protected."
He paused.
Then added quietly,
"Being protected by family feels pretty good."
Jaden placed the card box back around his neck.
Then he lifted his gaze once more toward the void.
Toward the source of that light.
Even though Observation Haki couldn't predict the future here, it was still functioning.
And he could feel it.
A familiar presence was approaching.
Boom!
A figure wielding a battle spear descended and slammed onto the land fragment.
"You really are alive."
Zeus stood there, looking at Jaden.
"Even an attack condensed from the reflected explosion of the Gods' Paradise-one that shattered Athena's Shield-still couldn't kill you..."
Zeus sighed, emotion flickering briefly in his eyes.
Before him stood Jaden.
Covered in wounds.
Clearly weakened.
Yet his aura-
Unchanged.
Zeus now possessed only a slightly deformed helmet, Ares's Spear, and Gaia's Armor.
But he still raised the spear and pointed it directly at Jaden.
"The explosion wasn't planned by me. Aside from myself, the other gods likely all died in it."
"Because of that explosion, you're much weaker than before."
"While I only lost two Divine Artifacts."
"I'm otherwise unharmed."
Then-
Zeus smiled.
"I won't hold back."
He charged.
Even without Hermes's Boots, his speed was still terrifying.
Without Athena's Shield, he gripped Ares's Spear with both hands as lightning surged across his body once more.
Jaden watched Zeus rush toward him.
Despite the wounds.
Despite his depleted Armament Haki.
Despite Third Gear being practically unusable, since Observation Haki could no longer predict the future-
He smiled.
A familiar memory surfaced.
One inherited from Garp's panel.
The battle that forged the Marine Hero.
In that memory-
Garp had exhausted his Armament Haki.
His body was broken.
Blood-soaked.
Yet he still stood back up.
And faced an unharmed Rocks.
Rocks had said something similar.
That he wouldn't underestimate Garp.
Then he charged.
And Garp's choice back then-
Bang!
Ares's Spear pierced straight through Jaden's left arm.
A deep gash tore open as blood sprayed instantly.
But in the next moment-
Jaden's clenched right fist smashed into Zeus's face.
Without Armament Haki, Jaden's attack power had dropped drastically.
Yet the force still halted Zeus's charge.
And sent him flying backward.
It was then that Zeus realized-
That terrifying body-hardening ability was gone.
But-
Before he could feel relief, he saw Jaden's expression.
Not fear.
Not madness.
But confidence.
A smile.
Overflowing with certainty.
In that instant, Zeus understood.
Even now-
Jaden didn't believe he would lose.
As Zeus was pushed back, he yanked his spear free and thrust again.
Any joy he felt vanished completely.
Yes.
Jaden's strength had never come from a single ability.
He himself was strong.
From the moment he dared to face countless gods alone.
From the mindset that never acknowledged himself as the weaker side-
-This man was a true powerhouse.
So-
There was no room for hesitation.
No room for relaxation.
This was the strongest enemy Zeus had ever faced.
And he had to give everything.
Zeus roared.
The spear thrust again.
Jaden laughed.
He closed the distance, fists clenched, striking Zeus's body repeatedly.
Both of them understood one thing now.
The battle wasn't over.
Not because of injuries.
Not because of exhaustion.
It wouldn't end-
Until one of them admitted defeat.
And neither of them would.
So-
Only one survives here today.