Yugioh: The Hope of Six

Chapter 45: Kaiser Arc - Part 17

Everyone stood in total, terrible shock. Sho Marufuji lay on the arena floor, eyes closed, and unmoving.

"No..." Ryo said shakily.

"Sho... Please no." Rei muttered with her hands covering her mouth, her eyes watering.

"I can't believe the bastard just did that." Fubuki said, very pissed by that underhanded act.

Serena was trembling. Although her bracelet was blinking and felt it trying to tell her something, the girl barely registered it. All her attention was on the young man that was struck down. She stumbled over to Sho and dropped to her knees. She put her ear to his chest, hoping to hear a faint heartbeat. She wanted some sign that Sho was still alive somehow. She felt nothing. Absolutely nothing. Shining tears now ran down her face. "Sho... no. No." Serena then shut her eyes and wept.

Judai stood frozen in place. His body would not respond, nor could his eyes look away. He refused to believe what had just happened. Sho Marufuji, his best friend... dead?! 'It... It can't be. It just can't be! Not Sho!' The cruel laughter that followed caught his and the others' attention.

"How about that? I may have lost the battle and Ryo's soul, but I still won the war! At long last, Sho Marufuji has paid for his greatest mistake... with his very life!" The evil demonic being continued to laugh.

Judai clinched his fists and clinched his teeth. He had enough. Once more, he drew out the great Supreme King power within him and brought it up to the surface. Covered by his aura, Judai turned his now dark golden eyes at the beast that struck down his best friend. His face was filled with terrible fury. "You... you ruthless... heartless... BASTARD!" He held out a hand toward Devil Kaiser, forming the same aura around him and started causing him great pain. "I'M NOT LETTING THIS PLACE CLAIM YOUR LIFE LIKE THE OTHERS! INSTEAD, YOUR END WILL COME AT THE HAND OF THE SUPREME KING!"

Devil Kaiser couldn't move. His life was draining out of him while the stolen body he inhabited felt like it was being compressed. It would seem to Devil Kaiser that he was being forced out of his body. He had no idea Judai's power was capable of this. Any minute he would cease to exist, whether it was by the will of the Domain of Destruction or Judai himself. Either way, it didn't appear he would survive.

Strangely, this did not bother Devil Kaiser. He was actually willing to accept death, knowing he killed Sho. True, he would never be given the chance to become a "god" via Lightning's master plan, but he actually considered it only a bonus. Taking the life of the younger Marufuji was his one true purpose. 'With Sho dead, I have no further use in this world. And besides, no one here will return to Earth anyway...' Devil Kaiser thought, knowing he would still ultimately succeed in his given assignment.

The evil being then screamed as he was consumed by a flash of light... then he was gone. All that was left was a pile of ash that was his physical body and tattered black clothes.

The whole group was so stunned by Judai's retaliation that they were rendered speechless. No one had ever seen him lose it like that. But then again, he did just watch his best friend being brought down by a malevolent spirit in the body of one of his greatest rivals. "Judai..." Asuka said, hands over her heart.

Judai, breathing heavily, let his power subside and his eyes returned to normal. He too fell to his knees, exhausted by the execution. "Our Ryo's soul... is safe. He wasn't trapped inside Devil Kaiser when he turned to dust. I believe he's in a safe place for the moment..." Judai said no more after that.

Grief stricken, Serena barely registered his words. Rather by instinct than by will, she glanced at her bracelet, still blinking. The teen girl saw a face within it: Ryo's face. 'It's him, Sho's brother. We saved him. But... we failed his brother...' Serena then resumed crying over Sho. 'Why?! Why did this happen?! It's not fair!'