Yu-Gi-Oh! - Duel 343

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"The Journey of the King"
Title page
Names
EnglishThe Journey of the King
Japanese name
Japanese遊戯 王
RōmajiYūgi Ō
TranslatedGame King
Serialization
SeriesYu-Gi-Oh!
Number343
SubseriesYu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World
Subseries number65
Japanese magazineWeekly Shōnen Jump 2004 #15
English magazineShonen Jump 2007 #12
Tankōbon volume38: "Through The Last Door"
Bunkoban volumeVolume 22
Release dates
JapaneseMarch 8, 2004 [1]
Chronology
Yu-Gi-Oh! chapters
Previous"The Last Gamble!!"
Next"TRANSCEND GAME (part 1)"

"The Journey of the King", titled "Game King" (遊戯 王 Yūgi Ō) in the Japanese version, is the 343rd and final chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. In its first English printing, it was numbered as the 65th chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World. In the 3-in-1 edition, its number was changed to match the original Japanese printing.

Yugi and Atem conclude their Duel, determining whether or not Atem can pass on to the afterlife.

Summary[edit]

Atem has just Summoned the God reborn with "Monster Reborn", "Slifer the Sky Dragon". But Yugi thinks that he knew if he were Atem, he'd also have Summoned a God, and in a quiet voice he breaks the seal on the "Gold Sarcophagus", and Atem recognizes the card it contains in shock - "Monster Reborn". Because that was the card that Yugi put in the "Gold Sarcophagus", neither player is allowed to use it, and therefore the counterattack of "Slifer" will be negated. Atem's "Monster Reborn" fades, and Jonouchi and Honda gasp that "Slifer" is fading away. Atem closes his eyes, thinking that his partner has predicted his last card and surpassed him. Jonouchi notes that "Monster Reborn" could have helped Yugi, but he sealed it away, Honda agreeing that Yugi could have used "Slifer" for himself. But Ishizu knows that this is Yugi's message to the Pharaoh: the souls of the dead must not linger in the world of the living. At last the king must travel to the afterworld. Yugi's trump card was also his way of saying goodbye.

The score stands with Yugi on 1000 Life Points and Atem on 2500, and only Yugi controls a monster, the 3500 ATK "Silent Magician". Yugi grits his teeth as Atem watches, as does Sugoroku, and Otogi notes that the other Yugi has no defense monsters, Bakura agreeing that the Duel will be over if the "Silent Magician" attacks Atem. Anzu thinks Yugi's name to herself as he continues to grit his teeth and his eyes glisten, and Atem mentally urges his partner and friend to strike the final blow. With tears in his eyes, Yugi orders "Silent Magician" to attack directly with "Silent Burning", filling the Shrine of the Underworld with light. Anzu closes her eyes, while Jonouchi, Honda, Otogi, Sugoroku, Bakura, Ishizu, Marik and Rishid all watch, Yugi's name echoing in their minds as Atem takes the attack, his Life Points falling to zero.

Yugi falls to his knees in tears and Atem walks over to him, removing his Duel Disk. He tells his partner that he's done it, he's won, and kneels beside the sobbing Yugi, urging him to stand up, for the winner shouldn't be on his knees and he wouldn't cry if he were Yugi. Yugi laments that he's too weak, and Atem was his hero and his goal. He just wanted to be strong like Atem. But Atem reassures Yugi that he isn't weak and has always had a power no-one else could beat; the power of kindness, and that's what Atem has learned from Yugi. Yugi stops crying and they both stand up as Atem's illusory Duel Disk fades away, Atem telling Yugi that the courage he showed by fighting Atem has shown Atem himself the path he must take. Yugi calls Atem his "other self", but Atem tells Yugi - calling him by name - that he isn't his other self anymore, and Yugi is no-one else but Yugi; the only Yugi Mutou in the world, and Yugi agrees.

A rumble begins and the Eye of Wadjet on the door begins to shine. Ishizu explains that it guards the door to the afterlife, and though the Rite of the Duel it has seen the truth of the Pharaoh's soul. After 3000 years of being lost in the world of the living, the time has come for the Pharaoh's soul to be welcomed into the next world. Jonouchi, Honda and Anzu all gasp, and Ishizu tells the soul of the Pharaoh to say his name to the Eye of Wadjet. Atem utters his name, and the door before them begins to open, light shining on Atem's face.

But as he prepares to step through, his friends call Yugi's name and he hesitates. Honda sobs, asking if he's really going to go, does he really have to go to the afterlife? He begs Atem not to leave them, while Jonouchi and Anzu have their eyes closed. Bakura whispers Yugi's name as Yugi, Anzu and Jonouchi all begin to cry again. Anzu addresses Atem as "other Yugi" before calling him by his true name, admitting she knows he needs to go to the other side of that light, but he'll be unable to return once he does, and she asks why. She doesn't understand why he has to leave when they've been friends for so long. Jonouchi tells Anzu that she doesn't need t get it, only accept it and burn these memories into her brain. She has to burn the time he's spent with him and the feelings she felt so she'll never forget. Jonouchi suggests they see Atem off to his future, and Atem thinks Anzu and Jonouchi's names. Anzu vows to herself that she won't forget anything about Atem. Then Jonouchi calls Yugi's name, telling Atem that he's still Yugi even if he is a king, and they'll always be friends even if a thousand years pass. Atem opens his eyes and silently agrees, Yugi silently vowing they'll never forget him.

With a final thumbs-up, Atem walks into the light, and everyone watches him go. Garbed in his Pharaoh's robes once more, Atem thanks his partner and his friends before joining the souls of Seto, Mahado, Akhenamkhanen, Akhenaden, Siamun, Shada, Kalim and Isis in the afterlife.

The door closes behind Atem, and then the ground begins to shake, much to Jonouchi's shock. Honda spots something happening to the Millennium Stone, cracks appearing in its surface, and then it shatters and begins to fall. Otogi gasps that the stone slab is falling into the depths of the earth and Bakura urges them to leave. As the Millennium Items begin to fall, Yugi cries their name, but Jonouchi tells him to come on, and Yugi does, bidding the Millennium Puzzle farewell - and the spirit of Shadi watches them leave.

Outside, wisps of smoke emerge from the Shrine to the Underworld and Ishizu explains that the role of the Millennium Items ended after the Pharaoh's soul was delivered, closing the door to the afterlife forever. Everyone looks out over the sand as Yugi takes off his Duel Disk, and Honda muses that this was it and Atem is gone. As the sun rises high over the Egyptian desert, Seto and Mokuba Kaiba, the latter carrying his brother's briefcase, are seen in the distance, and Yugi reflects that this isn't the story of a great Pharaoh. Everyone has a story of their own, and that story ends in light. And for Yugi, his story has just begun.

Featured Duel: Yugi Mutou vs. Atem[edit]

Duel continues from the previous chapter

Turn 14: Yugi
Atem has just activated his Set Spell Card "Monster Reborn" to Special Summon "Slifer the Sky Dragon" from his Graveyard. Yugi reveals that he placed his own copy of "Monster Reborn" in "Gold Sarcophagus", so the effect of Atem's "Monster Reborn" is negated, and "Slifer" is not Special Summoned. The attack of "Silent Magician" continues (Atem 2500 → 0).

Featured cards[edit]

The following cards appeared in this chapter.

Title pages[edit]

References[edit]

  1. "Oda's Deep Thoughts". thegrandline.com. (release date for Weekly Shōnen Jump 2004 #15)