Hey everyone. Glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter. When naming this chapter, I thought about calling it something silly, hehe. I was going to name it after a flash video I saw called Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny. After thinking about it though, I didn't want to be that silly, so I just named it differently. But anyways, thanks everyone for the comments. I'm glad everyone has enjoyed this story so far. Hopefully all will like the end, but that is a ways off yet. Till then, enjoy yourselves. Now, time to get down to answering some reviews.

Ultimate Legendary Master: Yeah, much like Yami Marik, Gozaburo can't play without causing some kind of pain. Cool that you're leaving for vacation soon. My family is leaving this weekend as well. Lol, they're leaving for a week, so I'll be home alone, which is good I guess. But yeah, don't worry about it. I hope you have a good vacation.

Ryon Nakura: LOL! You should have used your one phone call to call me. Maybe I'd come get you out of jail.

Berry Kisses: Very romantic indeed.

Fire Princess: Smacks Ryou in head with a metal pole to make him stop cackling. Why are you all looking at me like that? He was annoying me, lol. Chased by crazy fangirls. CINDY, HELP ME! Sees her sitting on the side and shaking her head.

Strawberry Cake: I'd come visit the hospital, but I'm a bit busy at the moment. Leaps to the top of a building so girls can't follow. Ha! Try and attack me now! Doesn't see Cindy behind him. She proceeds to knock me back over the side. NO!

Brianna Ishtar: Lol, but he loves you. Uh, yeah, he's a bit disturbed, without Marik's help, hehe.

sweetxokissesxo: Slashes supposed zombie in half with claws. Oops, it's a fangirl instead. Oh well, same difference, other than one can make halfway decent conversation, sometimes…

pink-kiss-candy: Lol, you should know better than to read that book. After all, it's things even I care not to see, so that tells you something, lol.

Metal Overlord 2.0: Thanks, lol. I thought I'd make this Shadow Game a bit different from others. Yep, someone has to go if Illidan loses a single point. Lol, a groupie sounds about right, hehe. Indeed, it is going out with a bang.

Tomb Robber Vicky: Yeah, he's mental, lol. This Shadow Game was an interesting one to write. I think it turned out pretty good, overall.

Well, that's it guys. I hope you all enjoy. I'll make sure to have more posted tomorrow. Till then, enjoy this chapter. Later.

Chapter 130

While Illidan stood there lost in thought, Gozaburo began his turn. "Now I draw. Hmm, not a bad card, if do say so myself. I'll even show you Illidan. I play the magic card Painful Choice! This card allows me to pick any 5 cards from my deck and show them to you. Then you decide which one I get to move to my hand, while the rest go to the Graveyard. And I think I'll choose these five cards!"

Illidan only stood there, still lost to what was going on. "How could he even dare to put Marie in this position? Doesn't he realize she could possibly be sent to the Shadow Realm?"

Illidan was torn from his thoughts by Gozaburo saying "Choose from these five cards Illidan. The five are Left Leg of the Forbidden One, Right Leg of the Forbidden One, Left Arm of the Forbidden One, Right Arm of the Forbidden One, and Exodia the Forbidden One!" All five cards were shown visible on Gozaburo's field, making Illidan decide.

Up on the wall, Seto silently thought to himself "This is the same move Gozaburo made against me when I dueled him last time. That means he's trying to summon Exodia Necross. I only hope Illidan can figure that one out before it's too late."

Back on the field, Illidan examined all five cards. He knew this was how Gozaburo was most likely going to summon his Exodia Necross. After a moment of thought, Illidan said "Keep the Right Arm of the Forbidden One."

Gozaburo chuckled and said "Good, good. Now I send the other four pieces of Exodia to the Graveyard. Next I set one monster. That shall end my turn." (Gozaburo 8000, Illidan 8100)

Illidan slowly drew his card and looked at it. It was his Monster Gate. He now had Reasoning, Sinister Serpent, Metalmorph, Dark Renewal, Draining Shield, and Monster Gate in his hand. "Not a great hand to start with. But what do I do? If I attack Gozaburo directly, Marie will get hurt. I can't do that, even though I know I have to attack sometime."

Slowly, his thoughts became very troublesome to him. "If I don't attack and let Gozaburo win, Marie will be safe, but the others… The others will be sent to the Shadow Realm, the world will be plunged into darkness, and Gozaburo shall be the most powerful man in this world! I can't let that happen. But if I attack, I'll be hurting Marie and send her into the Shadow Realm. I don't want that though! Grr, darn Gozaburo! He left me with a decision that is impossible to make!" He put his head in his hands, trying hard to come up with a decision.

Along the wall, Tristan said "What is Illidan waiting for? Why doesn't he attack Gozaburo and do some damage?"

Joey softly said "Because he can't. He's in a position where he is stuck."

Tristan only turned to Joey and said "Huh? If he don't attack and win this duel, we'll all be heading to the Shadow Realm!"

Joey then turned to Tristan and said "But if he does attack, he'll be hurting Marie. You don't understand man. He loves her with all his heart. Have you ever seen a love that was so strong that one of the two couldn't ever bring themselves to hurt the other?"

Tristan slowly replied "No, but he has to do it in order to save everyone. If he doesn't, we and the world are going to be gone forever!"

Mai then said "But if he attacks, the one person he loves so dearly will be gone. I sympathize with Illidan's torment, but he has to do what he knows is right."

Yami then said to Yugi "He can't do it I think."

Yugi turned to Yami and said "You mean attack Gozaburo?"

Yami nodded and replied with "He loves her so deeply that he could never bring himself to make that kind of decision. But he knows the cost, and I think in the end, that will force him to do what he knows deep down in his heart that he has to do."

On the field, Illidan still struggled to decide. "There is no way around it. I have to beat Gozaburo, some how. But I can't do it without hurting Marie! Darn him!" Suddenly, something came to him. "Maybe he'd do this one."

"Gozaburo! Let Marie go and switch the game to punish me instead of her. That way when I attack you, I'll be attacking myself! Then you would get what you want when I would beat you." called out Illidan.

Gozaburo only began one of his maniacal laughter's. Slowly, Gozaburo calmed down and said "That is up to Marie. How about my dear?"

Marie only grinned and burst out loud laughing. "You think you can bribe my faith now Illidan? If you love me so much, then let me be with Gozaburo! He truly loves me, unlike you! You used me in ancient times, and I won't let you use me again in these times!" she cried out.

This struck Illidan hard. He had never once used her for anything in the past or the present.

"Marie," he began, "please, let me save you. There is no need for you to be put through the pain of this Shadow Game. Please, I'm pleading with you, if not begging you, try and break free and let me take your place!" Illidan's brown eyes were already showing signs of tears in the corners. The last thing he wanted to do was put her in a dangerous position, but Gozaburo didn't seem to care what he wanted.

Marie only grinned at Illidan and said "No, I'll stand behind the man that truly loves me! So your offer is dejected!"

Illidan felt as if his heart was being shattered by those words. He knew this wasn't really Marie talking, but to see her saying it, it hurt. Gozaburo then joined in her laughter as Illidan seemed to lose all hope of saving her. He stood there, thinking of how he could even attempt to duel when the woman he truly loved with all his heart and soul was in danger. "I can't do it! If I fight, I lose Marie. If I don't fight, I lose everyone else I care about."

Suddenly, something flashed in Illidan's mind. It was when he had been talking to her about the visions about this final duel. She had told him then, no matter what, he had to win. "No matter what Illidan, know I love you, and I want you to win, even if that means sacrificing me or someone else. They would understand, as would I."

At the time, Illidan had tried to convince her that he would never be able to do that, but she then told him something.

"Illidan, if you're to save the world, you have to go in and do whatever it takes to win. Once you've won, you can correct everything with the power of your Millennium Key, and even the power of the Millennium Crown. You must be strong. Don't hold back due that I'm in danger. I always promise to love you, and respect what you have to do to save us all."

With this in mind, Illidan realized she may have known how this duel would go. She may have even known that she would be in danger. With this in mind, Illidan decided he had to do the one thing he hated to do. He had to fight with everything he had, even if that meant losing Marie. He would be able to bring her back if he won, so with that in mind, his confidence grew. He then looked up at Gozaburo with new confidence. Gozaburo looked curiously at Illidan, pondering why this young man suddenly had a new look of confidence on his face.

"Alright, I'll start by summoning my Sinister Serpent (300/250) in defense mode." A small green snake with wings appeared on the field in a coiled up position. It flicked its tongue in and out at Gozaburo slightly, kind of teasing him.

Gozaburo only began to laugh and said "So, you couldn't do it, could you Illidan? I didn't figure you…"

"I'm not done yet though! Now I play the magic card known as Monster Gate!" called out Illidan. Suddenly, a portal opened up on the field. The portal shimmered with a slight blue light.

"Now I can sacrifice my Sinister Serpent to Monster Gate!" Illidan said with confidence. The small serpent was then sucked in, causing the gate to shimmer brighter.

"Next, I can now draw from my deck till I pick up a monster. Any magic or trap cards are automatically discarded to my Graveyard. Also, when I pick up a monster, I can special summon it to the field, unless it has requirements about being special summoned. Now, here goes!"

Illidan then drew his next card and smiled at it. "And the monster I special summon now is here compliments of Bandit Keith! Come through the gate Perfect Machine King (2700/1500)!" The portal glowed brighter as the large robot slowly climbed out of the gate. The large red and white robot then slightly moaned as his missiles on his back shined brightly. The portal then closed once the machine monster had climbed out.

"I'm not done yet Gozaburo. Now I play the magic card known as Reasoning! This magic card allows you to guess one monster level. Then I draw from my deck till I find a monster. Any magic and trap cards are automatically discarded. Also, if you guess the monster's level that I draw right, that monster is automatically discarded. But, if you guess wrong, that monster is special summoned as long as it has requirements to be special summoned. Now, let's get down to business, so guess a monster level!"

Gozaburo immediately blurted out "I'll guess level 4, since it's the best average monster level for all decks."

Illidan only smiled and drew. His grin grew wider at the card he saw. "You guessed wrong, and here is the proof. I now play a monster that I won from one of the best rivals I've ever had. I special summon Joey's Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000)!" Suddenly, the powerful black dragon appeared. It spread its wings and opened up its red eyes. Then it let loose a mighty screech.

Joey was shocked to see his Red-Eyes out already. "Oh yeah, Gozaburo is in for a butt kicking now guys!" he yelled.

Smiling at Joey's comment, Illidan then called out "Now for that monster you set. Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack it with Inferno Fire Blast!" With a quick beat of his wings, the dragon was in the air and then opened its jaws. A sphere of red energy began to form within its mouth. Finally, the dragon spat the blast at the face down monster. Easily, the card image was shattered and an arm with a chain on the end of it appeared. It was easily destroyed by the blast as well.

Gozaburo began to chuckle, saying "Thanks to your attack Illidan, you sent the Right Arm of the Forbidden One (200/300) to the Graveyard! Now hurry up and finish your turn!"

Illidan then said "Who said I was done?"

Gozaburo stared at him in shock. "You wouldn't dare direct attack me, seeing how you know what will happen. I'm not buying into your bluff, for I know you. You love Marie too much to attack and hurt her."

Illidan then lowered his face to where his eyes were covered in the shadow of his hair. "You don't know me well enough Gozaburo. She wouldn't want to be your shield, and would want me to do whatever it takes to save this world. That's why I have to do this!" Illidan said in a sad, yet calm voice.

Gozaburo looked in horror, knowing what Illidan was saying. "You're bluffing! I know it!" he yelled.

"Let's find out. Thanks to Red-Eyes destroying a monster, my Deck Master allows him to attack again. Red-Eyes Black Dragon, direct attack Gozaburo with Inferno Fire Blast!" The black dragon then let loose yet another blast of red energy, this one direct at Gozaburo directly.

Tears lightly fell from Illidan's eyes as he had made that command. As the blast traveled across the field, he yelled out "Forgive me Marie, I'm sorry!"

The blast struck Gozaburo hard, making him slide back slightly. He groaned at the slight pain, but that was nothing. Marie then screamed out in pain as part of her body slowly disappeared into the Shadow Realm. Once the pain had ended, she glared at Illidan, saying "WHY ARE YOU HURTING ME? I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!"

It hurt to hear that from Marie, but Illidan only stared at Gozaburo. "Perfect Machine King, attack Gozaburo directly with Missile Decimation!" called out Illidan. The huge machine then aimed its two arms at Gozaburo and launched the missiles on its arms and back. A storm of missiles rained down on Gozaburo, making him scream in pain as he sank to one knee.

Then Marie cried out in pain as yet more of her body disappeared. All that was left when the Shadows were finished were her hands, her head, part of her chest, one leg, and a foot. She then glared at Illidan again, this time with extreme anger in her eyes. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! JUST GO DIE!" she screamed at Illidan.

This hurt Illidan deeply. Tears began to fall from his eyes at those words being said to him by Marie. Three words Illidan had never expected to hear from Marie were those words. The words "I hate you" was something he never wanted to hear from her of all people. His tears softly fell down his cheeks. He then said "Marie, I'm sorry you feel that way, but I love you. But you yourself told me, we can't let him win this duel. For the sake of the world, I have to do what I don't want to. I'll set you free before this duel is over, I promise. Now I'll set one card face down and end my turn." (Gozaburo 2900, Illidan 8100)

On the wall, everyone was kind of shocked that Illidan had just wiped out over half of Gozaburo's life points. What was even more shocking was that Marie had said those three words to Illidan.

"My heart goes out to Illidan. It has to be heartbreaking to attack Gozaburo, knowing full well that he's hurting Marie as well." Shadi said.

Most of the others agreed. "Illidan is so close to winning this duel though. Soon we'll be free and be able to get a shower. Don't take this the wrong way, but some of you stink!" Tea said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Yami only stared on. Yugi looked over to see that hard stare that said everything. "It's not over, is it Yami?" asked Yugi.

"No, I'd say it's far from over Yugi. It's only just begun." replied Yami.