The Chaos Phantasm-Armityle-was a grotesque, humanoid monstrosity.
Its upper body followed a human outline: torso, neck, head, and arms.
Its lower half, however, was a massive serpentine tail, reminiscent of Slifer the Sky Dragon. And even that "human" upper body was only human in structure.
Its head looked like two monstrous faces forcibly fused together. From its back extended another pair of arms connected to bat-like wings. Its right arm resembled a distorted human limb, but its left arm was something far worse-
It was the head of Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, one of the Three Phantasm Gods.
Coiled atop a dark throne within this sealed sub-world, Armityle appeared as though it had been waiting.
"So you're the one Atem and the others found to duel me," Armityle said.
Its voice did not originate from a single throat, but from many overlapping sources-layered, reverberating, and deeply unsettling.
"Heh. I thought they would at least find someone special. But it's still just a human."
Jaden stepped forward calmly, eyes fixed on the towering figure.
"I am human," he said evenly. "If that disappoints you, that's unfortunate. But I won't allow you to refuse this fight."
Armityle rose from its throne.
"There's no need to refuse," it replied, tone dripping with contempt.
"Crushing a human like you is easier than swatting a fly."
Its fist descended.
A blow meant to end everything in a single strike.
But-
Jaden crossed his arms and met it head-on.
Soru activated.
Tekkai hardened his body.
Armament Haki flared to life.
The impact detonated through the air.
Armityle pushed harder-yet the human before it did not move an inch.
...What?
Armityle snarled and opened the dragon-maw of its left arm. Flames erupted, surging down its right arm, igniting its fist mid-strike.
Jaden felt the heat rise and reacted instantly.
He dropped his center of gravity, leaned back, and launched a rising kick that struck directly beneath Armityle's wrist.
The massive arm was kicked skyward.
The flames tore harmlessly into the air.
Armityle froze.
For the first time-
It became serious.
And in that instant, Jaden vanished.
When Armityle's eyes widened again, Jaden was already in front of its face.
He seized the horn-like protrusions on its head. His toes slammed into its chin. His knee smashed into its nose.
Then he leapt-landing atop the dragon-head left arm.
Stomping down on its upper jaw, he used it as a foothold and unleashed two Rankyaku slashes midair.
The blades of compressed air struck the dragon head's eyes.
Yet Armityle didn't even stagger.
Instead, its body compressed downward.
Red and blue light flashed across its form.
Muscles swelled violently.
Flames roared.
The dragon-head arm reshaped-becoming a second humanoid arm.
Two massive fists rose-
And slammed down.
Jaden raised his arms.
Armament Haki deepened, darkening to black-red.
The impact shook the entire world.
White energy erupted around Jaden's body.
For the first time since awakening his Saiyan bloodline-
He entered a powered state.
Armityle's strike stopped dead.
Not even a step back.
"...Impossible," Armityle muttered, disbelief tearing through its voice.
"How is this possible?"
It had expected resistance.
It had not expected suppression.
Even after igniting dark power-
Even after cheating-
It was still being held back.
This was a Shadow Game.
There was no surrender.
Only annihilation.
Armityle knew it had one option left.
Cheat.
Not outwardly.
Not in a way Atem could interfere with.
No-
It forced its dark power directly into Jaden's body.
Corruption.
Invasion.
Jaden felt it immediately.
Rage surged. Violence screamed through his veins.
He frowned.
His hand moved toward the replica Obelisk card-
But before he could act, ancient text surfaced in his mind.
This time, Kuriboh did not appear.
Jaden read the words.
And spoke them aloud.
Golden light erupted from the card box on his chest.
Flame and divinity ignited together.
The injected dark power was incinerated instantly.
Behind Jaden-
A colossal figure emerged.
Wings spread wide.
A god of blazing radiance.
The Winged Dragon of Ra.
Armityle froze.
Atem froze.
Kaiba froze.
Because the God Card that was supposed to be protecting Yugi-
Was here.
Behind Jaden.
Atem turned, staring at Slifer shielding him from the dark power.
"...Partner..."
At Yugi's location, there was no God Card left.
Darkness consumed him.
Burned him.
But he smiled.
Weakly.
He pulled out three replica cards of the Phantasm Gods.
"It worked," Yugi murmured.
"Jaden... I'm sorry. I probably won't be able to apologize in person."
"The replicas and my body will finish suppressing the dark power."
"And my role..."
"...is finally over."