{{Infobox/Yu-Gi-Oh!/Chapter | series = Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelistchapter | image name = Duelist177.jpg | image size = | image caption = | english en_name = The Dark God is Born! | kanji ja_name = 暗黒の神生誕！！ | romaji romaji_name = Ankoku no Kami Seitan!! | japanese translated ja_trans_name = Birth of the Dark God!! | alternate series = Yu-Gi-Oh! | english number = 236| ja_magazine = 177Weekly Shōnen Jump | japanese number ja_issue = | volume = 27| bunkoban_volume = 16| sjr_volume = 236| ja_release_date = September 22, 2001| en_release_date =

"'''The Dark God is Born!'''", also known as titled "'''"Birth of the Dark God!!'''"(暗黒の神生誕！！ ''Ankoku no Kami Seitan!!'' ) in the Japanese version , is the 177th 236th chapter of the [[Yu-Gi-Oh! (manga)|''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist]]'' manga in the ]]. In its first English version and printing, it was numbered as the 236th 177th chapter of ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! (manga)|Duelist]]''. In the [[Yu-Gi-Oh!(3-in-1 edition)|3-in-1 edition]]'' in , its number was changed to match the original Japanese versionprinting.

{{Chapter summary|As [[Seto Kaiba (manga)|Kaiba]] deciphers the second power of "[[The Winged Dragon of Ra (original)|The Sun Dragon Ra]]," [[Dark Marik (manga)|Dark Marik]] demonstrates the horrifying "[[Point-to-Point Transfer|One-Turn Kill]]" in question against [[Dark Bakura (manga)|Dark Bakura]].}}

[[Dark Bakura (manga)|Dark Bakura]] is shocked to hear that "[[The Winged Sun Dragon of Ra (original)|Ra]]" has more than one special power. [[Dark Marik (manga)|Dark Marik]] confirms it, telling Bakura that this is when he dies. Dark Bakura growls in frustration as Dark Marik tells him to take a good look at "Ra's" special ability.

Kaiba muses on the [[Egyptian God|three God cards]]. His "God of the Obelisk," [[Yugi Mutou (manga)|Yugi's]] "[[Slifer the Sky Dragon (Originalmanga)|Slifer the Sky Dragon]]," and Marik's "The Sun Dragon Ra." They one thing they have in common is that they are Summoned to the field with three sacrifices, and most [[Trap Card]]s have no effect on them, while [[Spell Card]]s played on a God are only effective for one turn. But there is one ability that "Ra" has and the other Gods don't, and that is the [[Instant Attack|power of quickness]]. [[Special Summon]]ing is an unusual way of getting a monster on the field; for example, if a God is Summoned from the [[Graveyard]] by the card "[[Monster Reborn (manga)|Monster Reborn]]. Since Spell cards only affect a God for a single turn, whether the cards are yours or your enemy's, the effects of "Monster Reborn" would expire after just one turn, and God would once again return to the grave. Normally in the case of a Special Summon, you must wait for your next turn to attack, meaning that "Monster Reborn" is useless on a God. But "Ra" has the power to attack on the same turn. It gets worse: "Ra's" total [[ATK]] and [[DEF]] are determined by the total respective points of the sacrificial monsters. If it is Summoned using "Monster Reborn," there ''are'' no sacrifices, so its ATK and DEF should be zero. But with "Ra's" special hidden ability, it can destroy its enemies in an instant. Kaiba growls, thinking that if "Ra" goes to the Graveyard and Marik has "Monster Reborn," the One-Turn Kill is complete.

And sure enough, on the Duel Field, Marik has fulfilled both conditions; "Ra" is in his Graveyard, and "Monster Reborn" is in his hand. Dark Bakura repeats "One-Turn Kill" in his head, as Dark Marik asks if Dark Bakura is ready. Because Dark Marik is. He plays a Spell Card, "Monster Reborn," and of course, the monster he Summons is "The Sun Dragon Ra." The gigantic golden dragon appears, hovering above the field. [[Marik Ishtar (manga)|Marik]] protests that because it wasn't a [[Tribute Summon|Sacrifice Summon]], "Ra's" ATK and DEF should be zero. Plus, "Monster Reborn" only lasts for one turn on "Ra." If they can survive this turn, it'll disappear. Dark Marik laughs, claiming that they'll see about that. They don't understand the true power of God.

Crossing his arms, Dark Marik begins chanting a spell in Hieratic Egyptian. He laughs to himself, thinking that his other self never received the full revelation of the [[Millennium Rod (manga)|Millennium Rod]]. Only Dark Marik can decipher "Ra's" ability. "Ra" begins to glow, and Dark Bakura starts - Dark Marik's body begins to disappear as Dark Bakura's has been. Dark Marik explains "Ra's" special power: as written on the card in hieratic Egyptian, "he who chants the third litany may keep one Life Point and transfer the remainder unto "Ra's" attack points for one turn!" Dark Bakura his horrified, realizing that Dark Marik's Life Points will become "Ra's" ATK and DEF. Dark Marik confirms it as the left half of his face is eaten away, and it doesn't take anytime at all. He comments that it's been a fun little Duel. This is the last time Dark Bakura will see him, but once Dark Bakura disappears into darkness, Dark Marik's body will go back to normal. "Ra" hovers above the field, smoke gathering at the gem embedded in its forehead as its ATK and DEF both become 3999. Dark Marik appears, wreathed in smoke, his legs embedded in "Ra's" gem confirming that this is the true form of the power - he and "Ra" become one! Only his right eye and left hand remain on the field, with a single Life Point, while Dark Bakura has 1900. Dark Marik orders "Ra's" "[[attack names|God Blaze Cannon]], and "Ra" attacks, blasting Dark Bakura's entire side of the fire with a massive cannon-blast of fire. It destroys all of Dark Bakura's monsters, including "[[Dark Necrofear(manga)|allDark Necrofear]] " "[[GerniaGelnia (manga)|ofGelnia]] " "[[Puppet Master|Dark, Controller of the Dead]] " and "[[Headless Knight|Bakura's]] " monsters and then kills the player. With his monsters burnt to ashes, both Dark Bakura and Marik are struck by the flames, and Dark Marik yells at his residual thoughts to die. Marik's image is burnt away, and what's left of Dark Bakura begins to fade too.

Looking at Dark Marik, Dark Bakura tells him that he'll will let Dark Marik win this time as Dark Marik's irises dilate and his eyes vein. Dark Bakura, the left side of his face gone, warns Dark Marik to remember that Dark Bakura will be resurrected to kill Dark Marik. With only his right eye remaining Dark Bakura says "Because...I ''am'' the darkness!" He disappears with a final laugh as the [[Millennium Ring (manga)|Millennium Ring]] falls to the floor at the same time as his Life Points hit zero. Dark Marik, his body back to normal, picks up the Ring, commenting that in that case, he'll enjoy taming the darkness.

<u>'''Turn 6: Dark Marik'''</u><br />[[Dark Marik (manga)|Dark Marik]] [[activate]]s [[Spell Card]], "[[Monster Reborn (manga)|Monster Reborn]]"," [[Special Summon]]ing "[[The Winged Dragon of Ra (original)|The Sun Dragon Ra]]" from his [[Graveyard]]. (0/0) Since it was Special Summoned from the Graveyard, the effect of "Ra" states that not only does "Ra" not have to wait a turn to attack as any other Special Summoned monster would, but Dark Marik can also pay all but 1 of his [[Life Points]], and "Ra's" [[ATK]] and [[DEF]] will increase by the same amount. (Dark Marik: 1), ("The Sun Dragon Ra": 3999/3999) Also, since this effect was activated, "Ra" can attack all monsters [[Dark Bakura (manga)|Dark Bakura]] controls and then attack Dark Bakura directly. "Ra" attacks and destroys "[[Dark Necrofear (manga)|Dark Necrofear]]"," "[[GerniaGelnia (manga)|Gelnia]]"," "[[Headless Knight (manga)|Headless Knight]]," and "[[Puppet Master, Controller of the Dead]]"," then attacks Dark Bakura directly. (Bakura: 0).

* [[Puppet Master (manga)|Puppet Master, Controller of the Dead]]

==Production History==This chapter was first printed in Japanese in the ''[[Weekly Shōnen Jump]]'' magazine. It was reprinted in [[Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist - Volume 020|volume 20]] of ''Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist''. {{Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist chapters}}