Sometime had passed on since Jaden had taken on the King of Games, the outcome of the match known only to the HERO Duelist, who had other things on his mind, namely the upcoming Duel Monsters World Championship, a tournament held by Seto Kaiba himself as to determine who would become the new King of Games, a title Kaiba knew he could claim himself, though he wanted to make sure that there were no other Duelists out there capable of besting him.
Heading through Domino City, Jaden decided to pay a small visit to Yugi, knowing the retired King of Games would be at his grandfather's game shop, but felt a chill run through him, sensing he was being watched.
Jaden: I know you're there so you might show yourself.
Emerging from the shadows of a nearby ally, a pale-skinned figure emerged, baring the Millennium symbol on their bald forehead.
?: How did you pick up on my presence?
Jaden, looking to his side to give a small smile as he stared at Yubel.
Jaden: I have my ways, but now I want to know what do you want
?: I want the power of the Pharaoh's host. Even though he no longer resides within Yugi, I can still sense the faintest of his power. With it, I will grow stronger. (Drawing out the Cards from his Deck, Jaden is left astonished as the mysterious figure displays Slifer the Sky Dragon.)
Jaden: There's no way. Slifer and the other Gods were sealed away years ago. That has to be a fake.
?: I can assure you that this God Card is most real, and just an extent of the power I already hold. (Activates Duel Disc) I had set my servant's sights on Yugi, but destroying and taking your dark powers will be even better Jaden.
Jaden: (Activates Duel Disc) I don't know how you know my name, but that won't happen, so Get your game on! (Draws) I'll start off. I Summon Elemental HERO Bubbleman! (DEF: 1200) Next up, I activate his effect. When he's all alone on the field, I get to Draw two more cards. (draws) I set one card face down end my turn.
Jaden: So tell me, how are you? From what I read, Yugi faced some opponents who were being controlled, and I can tell that this guy is no different.
?: You will learn of my true identity in due time, but you may call my Dueling puppet Stings.
Strings: It's my move, but with the power of a God Card, you will never learn who pulls these strings. (Draws) I Summon a Monster known as Jam Defender. (ATK: 1500) And you'll soon learn that this Monster cannot be stopped, but before that, I play a Spell known as Slime Base. With this, I am allowed to Summon another Monster, so long as it has 'Slime' in its name, so I Summon Multiple Slime. (ATK: 1500)
Upon the call, two spheres of blue and yellow ooze appear before Strings, which take form, Revival Jam taking on somewhat of a humanoid build, though Multiple Slime seemed less evolved, taking more of a beastly, almost wolf-like stance.
Strings: Revival Jam, wipe out Bubbleman!
(Following the command to Attack, Revival Jam stretches its body out as it heads for Jaden's Monster, Destroying Bubbleman with a swift punch.)
Strings: Now that your Field is empty, Multiple Slime, direct Attack!
(Sharing the elasticity of Revival Jam, Multiple Slime stretches out, slamming itself into Jaden, dealing 1500 Points of Damage and lowering his Life Points down to 6500.)
Strings: I play one Card face-down and end my turn, but If the Duel keeps up at this pace, I won't even need to use Slifer's power. (Through Strings, his controller laughs at Jaden.)
Jaden: I'm not scared. I've Dueled against God Cards before. (Draws) And I'll start off by playing Polymerization. It's Fusion time! I fuse Wildheart and Bladedge to summon elemental HERO Wildedge! (ATK: 2600)
Strings: Since you brought out such a powerful Monster, I can play my Trap: Slime Ball!
As String's Trap is revealed, a blob of green ooze emerges.
Strings: With Slime Ball in effect, not only can I Destroy your feeble HERO, but its Attack will be added to my Life Points.
With his Trap active, the slime shoots at Wildedge, however, Jaden counterattacks with his face-down.
Jaden: I activate my face down: Seven Tools of the Bandit! By paying 1000 Life Points, this Trap puts an end to Slime Ball's power, leaving you the only slime ball around.
Lowering his Life Points to 5500, Strings flinches to see his Trap slime then rendered useless against Jaden.
Jaden: Wildedge, now that you have nothing to worry about, Attack his Jam Defender!
Reacting to Jaden's call, Wildedge lunges at Jam Defender, cutting through the plasma Monster with his bladed arm, dealing 1100 Damage to Strings. However, his expression doesn't seem to mind in the slightest.
And while confused at first, Jaden is left stunned as he sees the remains of what was Jam Defender start to reform, watching as the Monster pulls itself together and returns.
Strings: Confused? Well, allow me to fill you in. With its very special ability, Jam Defender can withstand almost anything thrown at it. No matter how powerful an Attack, it will always reform itself.
Jaden: You might have Revival Jam back, but thanks to Wildedge's own ability, he can Attack all your monsters, so that means Multiple Slime is going down!
Diverting himself from the newly created Revival Jam, Wildedge cuts down Multiple Slime, bringing a confident smile to Jaden as he watches the Monster fall apart while seeing String's Life Points lower by another 1100, leaving him on 5800
Jaden: From the looks of things, I'm betting Multiple Slime doesn't share such an ability.
Strings: You are right about that, but Multiple Slime has its own power. When it's Destroyed, it breaks into three Slime Tokens.
The remains of Multiple Slime split and appear around Strings. And though each only support 500 Attack Points, Jaden was certain as to what was coming.
Jaden: I throw down two face-down and end my turn.
Strings: And it will be your last. (Draws) I activate my Share the Pain Spell Card, which Destroys Revival Jam, but in exchange, I get to take down one of your Monsters with it, so say goodbye to Wildedge!
As Revival Jam shakes around and splits apart, a dark energy envelops Wildedge, Destroying him as he shatters to bits. However, just as with the Attack against it, Revival Jam comes back.
Strings: Now that Revival Jam has made a successful return, I can play this: Card of Safe Return. This Spell allows me to draw three more Cards each time any Monster is brought back from the Graveyard. (Draws 3, making his total 4 Cards.)
Strings: Excellent. With the Card I just drew, your fate is sealed, but before I play it, I activate another Spell: Infected Mail. With this Spell, I can Destroy my Revival Jam, then retract its Attack Points out of your Life Points.
With the Spell taking effect, Revival Jam's blue hue gains a dark purple as it is infected and Destroyed by Sting's Spell, before the infected remains of Revival Jam shoot and bombard Jaden, taking out another 1500 of his Life Points and leaving him on 4000.
Strings: Now my combo takes effect. Not only does Revival Jam return, but three more Cards are added to my hand. (Draws 3, doubling his hand to 6)
Strings: I now offer up my three Slime Tokens in order to Summon the creature of your destruction Come forth, Slifer the Sky Dragon!
Offering up the Slime Tokens, the three blobs are drawn into the Card Strings holds high into the sky, causing the sky to blacken and pour with thunder as the Egyptian God is called upon, where Jaden then sees the immense sized Monster descend down and give a great and terrifying roar.
(As the God Card was Summoned, within the game shop, Yugi was with his friends, all helping his Grandfather, restocking the inventory, before the sound of his friend's voices caught his attention.)
Joey: Hey, Yug, you might want to check this out.
Pointing towards the window, Yugi follows the gaze and is left in shock to see the familiar red coils of the Divine Beast Monster.
Yugi: That's Slifer. But it can't be.
Joey: I thought the Pharaoh took the God Cards with him after returning to the afterlife.
Yugi: I thought the same thing. Something's wrong. We have to find out what brought back Slifer and stop it before it's too late.
(Back to the Duel, Jaden was surprised to find himself facing Slifer the second time, seeing the Egyptian God face to face.)
Strings: With Slifer, you are all but defeated. You see his Attack power is equal to the amount of Cards I hold. (Displaying his hand) And with six, Slifer's Attack raises to 6000!
Slifer roars with fury with his power increase. (ATK: 0 → 6000)
Jaden: I'm still in this Duel. And I activate a Trap: Call of the Haunted. Now I can bring back wildedge.
Through the power of Call of the Haunted, Wildedge returns before Jaden.
Jaden: Now give me your best shot!
Strings: I'll do more than that. Not only do I get to draw three more Cards with your Monster's return, but Summoning your useless Monster activated Slifer's other ability.
It's Attack now on 9000, Slifer closed its lower jaw and opened the top mouth, where a sphere of dark purple flame began to gather and form.
Strings: With Slifer's second set of jaws, it will automatically Attack any Monsters you Summon, wiping out 2000 Points from whatever mode they're in. (Strings points to Wildede) Do it!
Unable to disobey, Slifer releases the orb at Wildedge, but Jaden shows his continued calmness in the face of danger.
Jaden: I activate my second face-down. It's a Trap known as Lost Wind. And with this Trap, not only can I negate the effects of a Monster, but it loses half its Attack Points.
Strings watches in disbelief, not only to see the power of Jaden's Trap repel Slifer's power but for his God Card to then endure as a powerful gust tears through it, finding that without its power, Slifer's Attack drops to 0.
Strings: No! This can't be happening!
Jaden: As powerful as Slifer is, there's always a way to stop any Card. You need to learn that one single Monster cannot win you the Duel, bro.
Strings: You might have outsmarted me with that Trap Card, but I can assure you I have other ways to dispose of you. First, I'll switch Revival Jam to Defence Mode. (DEF: 500) Then I'll place three Cards face-down.
Strings: With Slifer practically worthless, I don't have to hold back my other Cards. Now make your move.
Though being used against him, Jaden couldn't help but feel sorry for Slifer, seeing it being misused after being put to rest alongside Obelisk and Ra, leaving Jaden to think: Just hold on Slifer, this will be over very soon.
And agreeing with him, Yubel appeared by Jaden's side, giving him a confident smile as he drew his Card and made his move.
Jaden: it time to end first i active my spell card of Sanctity, which allows us both to draw until we each hold six Cards.
Reacting to the Spell, Strings cannot draw, his hand already at the maximum.
Jaden draws five, smiling at what now lies in his hand.
Jaden: Next up, I play Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards. (Draws 2.)
Strings: Draw as many Cards as you like. Nothing can stop me.
Jaden: Don't be so sure about that because I activate my Spell: Miracle Contact. And with this, I can fuse Elemental HERO Neos with any Neo Spacians from my hand or Graveyard.
Displaying his Neos and Grand Molde Cards, Jaden wastes no time to show his power.
Jaden: I fuse Neos with Neo Spacian Grand Mole to summon Elemental HERO Grand Neos! (ATK: 2500) With Grand Neos out, I can use his ability to send one of your Monsters back to your hand, and I choose your Revival Jam!
Strings is somewhat confused by this choice, but he retaliates.
Strings: Fool! Did you think my face-downs were just for show? I play my a Trap: Solemn Judgement! By paying half my Life Points, this Trap renders the effects of your Monster useless and all but Destroys him!
Lowering his Life Points to 2450, a powerful light erupts from the Solemn Judgement Trap, repelling and wiping out Grand Neos.
However, despite losing his Monster, Jaden grins.
Jaden: Since you took down Grand Mole, I can win this Duel, and I'll show you how by playing my Spell: Contact Out. This lets me bring back the Monsters I originally used to Summon Grand Neos. So let's give a warm welcome to Elemental HERO Neos (ATK: 2500) and Neo Spacian Grand Mole! (ATK: 900)
As Neos and Grand Mole come back to the Field, Card of Safe Return forces Strings to draw 6 more Cards. His hand now a total of 12, though Slifer remains unable to receive such power.
Jaden: Neos, Grand Mole, its time to bring back Grand Neos through a little Contact Fusion!
Reacting to Jaden's call, Neos and Grand Mole each give a small nod, before leaping into the air, clearing away the darkness as they combine their forces and once again return to their Grand Neos form.
Jaden: And with Grand Neos back and ready for action, you better say your goodbyes to your Revival Jam!
Bringing up its drill arm, Gran Neos plunges it into Revival Jam, reducing the plasma Monster back to mere blobs, only the remains don't regenerate, but are instead sucked back into String's hand. And through Strings, his puppeteer is in a continued shock, where they think. Impossible! Without Revival Jam, I cannot use my Jam Defender. And with two Monsters now facing Slifer, Jelly Cannon won't do me any good either.
Jaden: Sorry to do this to you, Slifer. I can tell that like your Summoner, you are just being manipulated, but it'll be over now. Wildedge Attack Slifer the Sky Dragon and end this Duel with Scimitar Slash!
Jumping at Slifer, Wildedge runs its bladed arm along the Sacred Beast, delivering a powerful cut along Slifer's face, causing the God Card to give a final cry as it is Destroyed.
And with Slifer's destruction, the force generated from the God Card throws Strings back, crashing along the ground like a ragdoll as his Life Points hit 0, ending the Duel.
With the Duel over and the thunderous skies now clear, Jaden started to walk towards Strings, finding that amongst the defeated puppet and his sprawled out Cards, Slifer the Sky Dragon rested in his right hand.
And knowing he cannot leave such a powerful Card just lying around, Jaden takes it, picking up the God Card and looking upon it.
Jaden: You're safe now, Slifer. The only question now is what do I do with you?
Unsure how Jaden could return Slifer to its proper resting place, let alone find it, the brunette breaks from his thoughts when his ears picked up on a light applause, the sound causing Jaden to turn and saw none other than the King of Games softly clapping.
Yugi: That was a fine Duel. Though I have to admit I'd never imagine Slifer could be taken down in such a way.
Looking upon the retired King of Games, Jaden sees Yugi has grown up more than he remembered, seeing Yugi now being around his own height, as well as having a more muscular build.
Jaden: Wow, Yugi Moto. It's been a while. I don't know if you remember me, but we Dueled a few years back.
Yugi: How could I forget?
Though glad to see his idol, Jaden gained a more serious expression as he held out the God Card, offering it to Yugi.
Jaden: Here's Slifer the Sky Dragon. I don't know how that guy got it, but I think it'd be smart if you took it. the card from you
Though smiling at Jaden's responsibility, Yugi lightly presses his hand against the Card, pushing it toward Jaden.
Yugi: You hold onto it. I can tell that a Duelist like you will use Slifer's power for the greater good.
Joey: Just don't go running around and playing Slifer against every Duelist you come across.
Though appreciate of Yugi's clear trust within him, Jaden found he just had to ask.
Jaden: Are you sure about this, Yugi?
Yugi: More than sure. I can see you hold a bond with your Cards, a bond that will make Slifer fit right in.
Jaden: And trust, Joey, you don't need to worry about me misusing Slifer. Slifer's safe with me.
After placing Slifer within his Deck, from curiosity, Joey had a question on his mind.
Joey: So I take it you're not just in Domino City for the sights. You're planning on taking a place in Kaiba's tournament, right?
Jaden: You bet. I'm going to enter and I'm going to be the next King of Games.
Yugi: Just be careful. Remember, you'll be facing some of the best Duelists from all over the world, including Kaiba himself.
Joey: And you better believe yours truly is going to take a shot at the title. So no hard feelings if we wind up facing off.
Though Jaden gave a smile and nod to Joey's words, his expression turned serious as he focused back on Strings, seeing him still on the ground and motionless.
Jaden: There's one thing I want to know. I thought Yugi beat Strings back during the Battle City Tournament.
Yugi: After Marik finally bested his darkness, he freed all those he imprisoned from the Shadow Realm. However, a shady character such as Strings was bound to fall in with the wrong group again.
Jaden: But why did he have the Millennium symbol on his forehead?
Yugi: It seems another dark power, one capable of controlling the Egyptian Gods has awoken.
Joey: So does that mean someone has the other two God cards?