Kagemaru chuckles and says he'd like to put an end to Judai this turn, but Uria can't attack if it's just been revived by its special ability and he has another monster on the field. So it'll have to wait until next turn. Judai grits his teeth and considers the situation carefully. Kagemaru's got two Legendary Demons on the field, and Judai doesn't have any monsters summoned at all. If he doesn't draw something useful this turn, it looks like he can't win.

It is now his turn. He draws. Looking at his hand, he summons Friendog [Wroughtweiler ~ Friendog 3/800/1200: If this Monster is sent to the Cemetery, you can return 1 Polymerization and 1 Monster with Elemental Hero in its name into your hand] in defense mode, and plays one card face down, then ends his turn. Kagemaru laughs at the thought of a small-fry monster like Friendog stopping Uria and Hamon. This turn, he's going to win, and the Legendary Demons will seize the world!

Kagemaru draws, then draws two more cards according to The Lost Paradise's effect. Hamon attacks, and Friendog is destroyed, dropping Judai's life to 600 (1600-1000) by Hamon's special effect; when this monster can destroy a monster in battle, do 1000 damage to the opponent directly. Judai is blown backwards by the thunder bolt, bouncing painfully off the ground, but he gets to his feet quickly and activates Friendog's special ability, retrieving Polymerization and Bubbleman from his graveyard.

Kagemaru is contemptuous. He asks if Judai is really continuing to fight even in such a terrible position. "Of course. Until the life points go to zero, nobody knows how the battle will end..." Judai says. Kagemaru points out that Judai's life points are indeed about to be wiped out, so next will be the end. He then commands Uria to attack by Hyber Blaze. People become very worried whether this may be the end of Judai. At this moment, Judai activates his face-down magic card [Kuriboh Calling Flute ~ Kuriboh O Yobu Fue - Instant Magic: Retrieve a Kuriboh or a Hane Kuriboh from your deck into your hand. At that time, special summon it]. Hane Kuriboh appears in the path of the Hyper Blaze and is instantly destroyed, but saves Judai's life points in the process.

"You saved me, partner." Hane Kuriboh, in spirit form, appears next to Judai's head and 'kuri's at him urgently, waving a paw at Judai's deck. As Judai looks down, the Duel Disk automatically extends a card from his deck. Judai looks at it in confusion. It's the card he found in Daitokuji-sensei's Emerald Tablet. He glares at Kagemaru. "Daitokuji-sensei was worried about you to the very end!". Kagemaru dismisses the idea arrogantly. Daitokuji was just a means to an end for him -- and so is Judai. If Judai's got a problem with that, he can say so -- provided he can beat Kagemaru first. Needless to say, Judai's planning on that.

Metamorphosis Magic Card

Judai's turn. He draws, then plays Bubbleman [E-Hero Bubbleman - 4/800/1200: If this card is the only card in your hand, you can Special Summon it in attack mode. When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or Reverse Summoned when it is the only card on your Field, draw 2 cards from your deck] in attack mode. He uses Bubbleman's effect to draw two more cards, then plays the magic card [Metamorphosis - Magic: Sacrifice 1 of your Monsters on the Field. Special Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck with a level equal to the sacrificed Monster] to transform Bubbleman into Bubbleman Neo [E-Hero Bubbleman Neo - 4/800/1200: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by sending 1 "Elemental Hero Bubbleman" from your side of the Field and 1 "Metamorphosis" from your hand to the Graveyard. While face-up on the Field, this card's name is treated as "Elemental Hero Bubbleman". Destroy a Monster that battles this card at the end of the Damage Step]. Kagemaru is not impressed by this 'new small-fry monster.' Judai goes on to equip Bubbleman Neo with [Bubble Shot - Equipment Magic: This card can only be equipped to a Elemental Hero Bubbleman on the Field. Increase the Equipped Monster's attack strength by 800. Destroy this card in order to prevent the equipped Monster from being destroyed, and taking any damage], and then attacks Hamon. Kagemaru says that's foolishness -- that weakling's attack is far too low. Hamon counterattacks with a breath of lightning -- and the jet of bubbles fights through it. Hamon explodes.

While Kagemaru is getting surprised, Judai explains what just happened. By Bubbleman Neo's effect, any monster that battles it is destroyed. Kagemaru agrues that Judai still has to get the damages anyway. And by Bubble Shot's effect, the weapon is destroyed but Judai takes no damage. Sho is very impressed by Bubbleman combo of Judai. As his friends take heart, he sets one card face down and ends his turn.

Hero's Rule 1 Five Freedoms Trap Card

Kagemaru draws, then uses the field effect, The Lost Paradise, to draw two more cards. Uria attacks by Hyper Blaze, but Judai activates his face-down card, [Bubble Illusion - Instant Magic: You can only activate this card if you have a E-HERO Bubbleman face-up on your Field. You can activate 1 Trap card from your hand]. This lets him play a trap card from his hand when Bubbleman is attacked, and he activates a new card, [Hero's Rule 1 Five Freedoms - Trap: Remove 5 cards in total in your and your opponent's graveyards from play]. Judai gets to remove five cards in total from either graveyard from play -- and Judai chooses the five traps that are powering Uria.

Sacrifice of Revival Magic Card

People talk about the smart play of Judai. Urima's attack points are based on the trap cards in the graveyard. The current attack points of Urima is 5000. If 5 trap cards are removed from the cemetery, its attack points go down to 0. Uria's flame breath dies out, and Bubbleman Neo fires a jet of water that destroys Uria completely. Kagemaru drops to 2100 life (2900-800). Kagemaru is enraged that a weakling with 800 attack power could defeat a Legendary Demon. He plays a magic card, [Sacrifice of Revival ~ Fukkatsu No Ikenie - Magic: When 1 of your Monsters is destroyed as a result of battle, the controller can activate this card in the same turn it was destroyed. Destroy 1 Monster your opponent's Field and Special Summon a Monster from your Cemetery in defense mode], which lets him destroy one monster on the enemy's field to revive a monster from his graveyard. Bubbleman Neo is vaporized, and Hamon appears in a blaze of thunder, in defense mode. Next, Kagemaru discards a trap card, [Cemetery Bomb - Trap: Do 100 points of damage to your opponent times the number of cards in his or her Cemetery], to revive Uria. Uria is down to 1000 attack power now (There is only one trap card, Cemetery Bomb, in the cemetery to increase its attack points by 1000), but it's still quite imposing as it bursts forth in an eruption of fire.

Martyr of the Phantom Demons Magic Card

Judai and Asuka' re getting very worried by that they turn back again. Kagemaru's next card is [Martyrs of the Phantom Demons ~ Genma No Jyunkyousha - Magic: When God Flame Emperor Uria and Descending Thunder Emperor Hamon are on the Field, you can discard 2 cards from your hand and Special Summon 3 Martyr of the Phantom Demons (Dark/Demon/1/0/0) in attack mode]. When Hamon and Uria are on the field, he can play this card to summon three Martyr of the Phantom Demon Tokens by discarding two cards -- in this case, a monster [The Creator] and a trap [Divine Wrath] -- from his hand. The tokens -- skeletal black chitinous figures with elongated heads and bat-wing ears -- manifest in front of him. And, since Divine Wrath is a trap card, Uria gains 1000 more attack power, 2000 (1000+1000) in total now.

Phantom Demon Emperor Ravel Monster Card

Kagemaru announces he won't forgive Judai for subjecting the Legendary Demons to such indignities. He sacrifices the three tokens to summon the final Legendary Demon. Lightning crashes through the sky, and then a blue column of light descends from the clouds, tearing up the earth where it hits. "The strongest Legendary Demon -- Phantom Demon Emperor Ravel!" [Phantom Demon Emperor Ravel ~ Genmaou Ravel - ?/4000: Sacrifice 3 Monsters on your Field in order to Normal Summon this Monster. When your opponent Summons or Special Summons a Monster, Special Summon 1 Phantom Demon Token (1000/1000) to your Field {in defense mode?} Sacrifice 2 Monsters on your Field in order to increase this Monster's attack strength by the attack strength of the sacrificed Monster for the remainder of the turn]. And Ravel with 4000 attack points, resembling a twisted, demonic version of Obelisk, rises up from the ground. Judai looks very amazed by the appearance of the third legendary demon. Everyone looks up in awe at the three demons towering over them. The demons begin to glow gold, and motes of energy flow into them from all around...

In a certain game store, two kids are looking at a case with Duel Monsters cards laid out for display. But as they watch, motes of light evaporate off of them. We see Chaos Soldier -- Envoy of the Beginning and Kaiser Seahorse turn into skeletons in their card art, and by the glow from the other cards, it looks like it's happening to them, too. The kids begin crying, and a certain stocky figure in green overalls comes over to see what's wrong. Apparently, he looks like Mutou Sugoroku and the store may be Yugi's game store. And, elsewhere, Chousaku and Shoji, Manjoume's older brothers, look in horror at their briefcase of Parallel Rare cards. Those monsters, too, are dying.

And Manjoume himself is looking at his deck in shock. Ojama Yellow is looking withered, almost mummified, and then he fades into a skeleton. Kagemaru exults as a faint blue glow surrounds him. The power is filling him. Sameshima finally understands. Kagemaru is stealing the energy of duel monsters and using it to make himself younger. Kagemaru confirms that -- when he has added Judai's ability to harness spirits to his own, then the Legendary Demons will be able to drain the spirits of every duel monster there is, and he will be granted eternal life! And Jun and Ryou realize that this would mean the end of duel monsters -- the game and the spirit creatures...

Judai says that he feels so sorry to Kagemaru. Even if he can control some strong monsters, there will be no monsters left because of him. Then, nobody else would ever find a partner like he did. Judai asks whether Kagemaru doesn't think that the life like that is too lonely. Without good friends by his side, things just aren't as fun. Kagemaru exclaims that he doesn't need friends or any such nonsense. All he needs is the power. Judai raises his Duel Disk. For doing such horrible things to the Duel Monsters, his friends, he won't forgive Kagemaru! Kagemaru is amused by Judai's boldness. Judai has no monsters, while Kagemaru has all three Legendary Demons on the field. Winning would be impossible!

Judai's turn. He draws, and plays[Dark Factory of Mass Production - Magic: Place 2 Normal Monsters from your Cemetery into your hand] to return Burst Lady and Featherman to his hand. Next, he plays Polymerization to fuse them into Flame Wingman [E-Hero Flame Wingman - 8/2100/1800: This monster can be summoned only by fusion. When this Monster destroys a Monster as a result of Battle, do direct damage to your opponent equal to the attack points of the destroyed monster]. Kagemaru takes that moment to reveal one of Ravel's special abilities -- when his opponent summons a monster, Kagemaru can summon a Phantom Demon Token (1000/1000) in defense mode. (The token appears as a miniature, simplified Ravel.)

Judai thinks about the situation. Flame Wingman could destroy Uria just fine, but next turn, Ravel and Hamon would defeat Judai and end the duel. Is this the end?

"Meooooooow..."

'Judai-kun... Judai-kun!'

Judai looks off to the side, and the mote of light that was Daitokuji floats through the barrier into the duel area, followed by Pharaoh, who's leaping wildly at the mote, trying his hardest to catch it. 'Now is the time to use the card I left in the Emerald Tablet,' Daitokuji's soul says. Judai takes The Philosopher's Stone -- Sabatier from his hand and looks at it. Daitokuji says that the card can only be used by the greatest of alchemists. He guides him to think of his desire cards in his deck. Then, The Philosopher's Stone Sabatier will resonate with his imagination, and three wishes may make miracles come true. He's cut off as Pharaoh jumps up and gulps his soul down again. The cat immediately runs off, jumping past the barrier and out of view behind the holograms. Judai looks at the card, then closes his eyes and thinks. The card he really needs now. And with a glow rippling across it, Sabatier changes. Judai is now holding Fusion Recovery, even as his life drops to 300 (600/2); he has to pay a half of his LP to play The Philosopher's Stone -- Sabatier for each wish. He feels hope running through him again -- with this, he's got a chance to strike back!

Daitokuji teacher	Judai-Kun! Judai Kun!
Judai	This sound is...Daitokuji teacher?
Daitokuji teacher	Now, it's time to use the card from Emerald Tablet.
Judai	Emerald Tablet?
Daitokuji teacher	That card can be used only by the ultimate alchemist. Think of the cards in your deck by your heart. Then, this card will resonate your imagination, by 3 times, grant your wishes, and create the miracle. If you play that cards, ...
Judai	(Imagine the cards that I desire? Now, the card that is neccessary to me is...! The card changes into another card!? At this point, I have the chance to reverse the game)

Shining Flare Wingman Monster Card

He plays [Fusion Recovery - Magic: Place 1 Fusion Material Monster used in a Fusion and 1 Polymerization Magic card from your Cemetery into your hand]. Manjyome can't believe he's doing this -- there's still no chance he'll win. But Asuka says that even now, he's not throwing the duel away. Judai returns Polymerization and Sparkman to his hand, and immediately uses them to fusion summon Shining Flare Wingman [E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman - 8/2500/2100: Increase this Monster's attack strength by 300 for each Monster with E-HERO in their name in your Cemetery. If this Monster destroys a Monster as a result of battle, do damage to your opponent equal to the attack strength of that Monster]. Kagemaru matches that by summoning another Phantom Demon Token. Judai explains that Shining Flare Wingman gets an extra 300 attack power for each Elemental Hero in his graveyard, and we see them -- seven heroes, Featherman, Flame Wingman, Tempester, Bubbleman Neo, Bubbleman, Burst Lady, and Sparkman -- standing behind Judai. Shining Flare Wingman's attack raises to 4600 (2500+7*300). And, he explains, when Shining Flare Wingman destroys a monster, its controller takes the monster's attack power in damage.

Shining Flare Wingman leaps forward, and hovers in front of Hamon, gathering green energy into its hands. "Shining Shoot!" A blast of green, and Hamon is blown to pieces, which rain down around Kagemaru. Shining Flare Wingman then descends, glowing brightly, to do the final damage to Kagemaru. But Kagemaru laughs. The shattered remnants of Hamon have interposed themselves between him and Shining Flare Wingman. It seems that when Hamon is destroyed in defense mode, its controller takes no damage for the rest of the turn. Judai looks at him and frowns, then looks down at Sabatier. 'My second wish,' he thinks, and the card glows again, dropping his life to 150 (300/2) to play Sabatier. Judai sets one card face down and ends his turn.

Kagemaru draws, and then draws two more cards due to his field. He then switches Uria from defense mode to attack mode, and activates Ravel's special ability. By sacrificing two monsters, he can increase Raviel's attack power by the total of their attack strengths until the end of the turn. He sacrifices the two Phantom Demon tokens, and Raviel's attack strength raises to 6000 (4000+1000*2). He commands Raviel to attack Shining Flare Wingman, and Ravel raises a mighty claw. Judai activates his face-down card, the second card his heart reached out to [De-Fusion ~ Yuugou Kaijyou - Instant Magic: Return 1 Fusion Monster Card on the Field to its' owner's Fusion Deck. If all the Fusion-Material Monsters for the returned Fusion Monster Card are in the Graveyard, they can be Special Summoned to the Field at this time]. Ravel's claw plunges at Shining Flare Wingman, but Sparkman and Flame Wingman jump aside in opposite directions, leaving Ravel to strike only the ground. Both of the Elemental Heroes land in defense mode, and Raviel's special effect summons two more Phantom Demon Tokens. But Raviel attacks Flame Wingman, and Uria attacks Sparkman, destroying them both. Judai once again is defenseless.

Judai's turn. He draws, then summons [E-Hero Clayman - 4/800/2000] in attack mode, creating another token on Kagemaru's side. Judai looks down at Sabatier again, and makes his last third wish. Thus, his LP drops to 75 (150/2) to play it. He plays the card it has become -- [Miracle Fusion - Magic: Remove the Monsters determined by a Fusion Monster from your Field and/or Cemetery from the game, and Special Summon that Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck with E-HERO in its name. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon)]. Bubbleman, Featherman, and Burst Lady rise from the graveyard to fuse with Clayman on the field and become Elixier [E-Hero Elixier - 2900/2600: All of your opponent's cards removed from the game are returned to the opponent's deck].

The Philosopher's Stone Sabatier Magic Card

'When the three wishes are made, its real power is revealed," Judai thinks. He equips Sabatier to Elixier, multiplying Elixier's attack strength by the number of monsters on Kagemaru's field [The Philosopher's Stone Sabatier ~ Genjya No Ishi Sabatier - Magic: When a Hane Kuribo is sent to the Cemetery, place this card from your deck into your hand. Pay half of your Life Points in order to play the effect of this card as the effect of a card in your deck and then place that card in the Cemetery. This card returns to your hand. This effect can only be used 3 times?} You can equip this to 1 Monster on your Field in order to increase the attack strength of the Equipped Monster times the number of Monsters on the opponent's Field]. And Kagemaru has five monsters, Ravel, Uria, and three Phantom Demon Tokens. Kagemaru is stunned by 14500 (2900*5) attack points of Elixier.

"This is the end! Ultimate Sword Sabatier!" Elixier leaps forward, and cleaves Ravel in half from head to toe. The blue demon is destroyed in a mighty explosion, and Kagemaru's life points drop to 0 (2100-14500). Uria dissolves into golden light, and the hologram of the blasted field vanishes. Under a blue sky, Kagemaru collapses and glows blue. Sparks of golden light shoot off from his back and streak off into the distance.

In the game store, the two kids are amazed and pleased to see the monsters returning to their cards, and elsewhere, Chousaku and Shoji are similarly relieved to see their Parallel Rares recovering. Ojama Yellow's skeleton fades into his fully-fleshed form, and he springs to his feet, grinning and wiggling. Jun actually sounds relieved to see him back -- though that's tempered a bit when Yellow jumps out of the card, wiggles around on Jun's shoulder, and thanks him for worrying so much. And, in Judai's hand, the Philosopher's Stone dissolves away into nothing. "Thank you, Daitokuji-sensei..."

Kagemaru screams, and Judai rushes over to him. When the glow finally fades, Kagemaru has reverted to the withered, ancient figure with long white hair and beard that he was while inside the tank. "This is... my true form," he says weakly. He was envious of the young whenever he saw them, thinking how much he longed for his youth back. He grabs onto Judai. "Without the power of the Legendary Demons, I can't even stand!".

"What are you talking about? You're still in good shape, gramps. Just give it a try on your own power. You don't need to rely on demons or anything like that. Just try your best. Stand on your own two feet."

Kagemaru, a little confused, pulls himself up against Judai and tries to stand -- and, indeed, he manages to balance, though a little weakly. Kagemaru, overwhelmed, says that dueling Judai must have restored his spirit and willpower, and totters towards Judai. Judai grabs him in a big, cheerful hug. And does some painful damage to Kagemaru's spine by accident. Later, a helicopter is airlifting Kagemaru out in a dangling emergency rescue cradle. They all watch him go, with Manjoume still snarking about all the trouble he's caused them. The pedestal then rises up behind them, and Sameshima places the Demon cards atop it again. The pedestal recedes, lowering back into the earth, and the seven obelisks do likewise.

Judai	Thank you very much, Daitokuji teacher. Kagemaru!?
Samechima Principle	Chairman!
Kagemaru	This is my true form. I wanted to become younger especially when I looked at young people like you guys. Once more, that reminds me of my youth time.
Judai	Old guy~
Kagemaru	Without the power of the legendary demons, I can't even stand.
Judai	What are you talking about? Old guy still looks strong. Don't say that you are too weak to stand. Just give a try on your own power!
Kagemaru	By the power of my own?
Judai	Try your best, old guy ~ raise up by your own feet. Don't depend on the legendary demons but your own power!
Kagemaru	My feet...I can stand... I battled against you, perhaps, that can recover my enthusiasm and spirit.
Judai	Old guy!

"The struggle for the Three Legendary Demons is finally over," Ryou says.

"Now," Chronos says, "there's just the final exams next week."

Judai's in shock. "Final exams?!? I totally forgot!" The others look down at him with mixed expressions of amusement and exasperation, as appropriate to each. And with his friends chuckling about how like Judai that is, we fade to the sunset.

to be continued...

[ Judai's deck list]
New cards played | Philosopher's Stone Sabatier (S), Hero's Rule 1 Five Freedoms (T)

[ Kagemaru's deck list]
New cards played | Illusion Demon Emperor Ravel (M), The Creator (M), Cemetery Bomb (T), Divine Wrath (T), Sacrifice of Revival (S), Martyr of the Phantom Demons (S)

M=monster, S=Spell, T=Trap