Yubel wasn't sure how much time had passed.
For a long period, time meant nothing to her. She faced nothing but darkness, an endless and despair-inducing darkness. Pain and despair constantly threatened to devour her, the dual torment of body and soul enough to break even the most steadfast of Guardians.
She didn't know how she did it, but eventually, she persevered. Though battered and scarred, though her mind twisted into the semblance of a monster, though left with only one hand, she survived.
Because she remembered her mission, the one thing more important than her own life, the one person she was willing to sacrifice everything to protect.
Her memories became chaotic; she couldn't distinguish dream from reality, nor past from future. Suddenly, it felt as though light had pierced the centuries-long darkness.
And the voices of conversation.
"Do you think it's over like this? Do you think you've already won?"
"No. I remember you now, boy. It's soon, my day of revival is near. Once my seal is broken and I return to the world, you will be the first I seek."
"Then you and your Elf will once again return to the darkness..."
It was a raspy, sinister voice, seemingly growing more distant.
Then came the voice of a boy, full of vitality, like a burning flame, as if the darkest darkness would be consumed by that flame.
"Alright, I'll be waiting," the boy said, "No matter how many times you come back, it will be the same. Because, Yubel... she is my most important partner."
Yubel's heart fluttered. That voice echoed in her mind, and a scene of a prince calling her name from long ago appeared before her eyes. The darkness and gloom in her heart seemed to be largely dispelled, and her mind suddenly became clear.
"Judai... Yes, Judai!"
Yubel abruptly opened her eyes.
And she saw, in front of her, the boy sitting with a smile. Behind him was a sky as clear as a gemstone, freshly rinsed by retreating storm clouds, shy sunlight breaking through the clouds' barriers, a colorful rainbow beautiful enough to seem like a dream.
Yubel stared blankly at him. This was a scene she had witnessed countless times in her dreams, and yet she found it hard to believe it was real.
"Yo," Judai greeted her with a smile, "Welcome back."
Another few moments of stupefaction passed before Yubel's heart trembled. She finally realized that this was not an illusion. Tears instantly welled up and she could no longer contain her emotions, suddenly embracing Judai tightly.
"..."
Through this battle, Yubel finally emerged from all negative influences, undergoing a complete transformation and cleansing.
The Evil God Eraser's violent possession was merely taking advantage of Yubel's weakened state; it was a common possession technique with nothing special, easily dispelled by a duel, not too difficult.
The main difficulty lay within the Light of Destruction that had rooted in her body. It was a force she encountered after being sent into the Cosmos ten years ago, which had firmly taken root over the long years.
Yubel had always carried a malevolent aura. She was once the Guardian of the Overlord, and through countless battles alongside him, friends had died before her endlessly, and her hands were long stained with blood. Though she traversed this world with Judai, after countless reincarnations, she came to regard human life as trivial.
During Judai's childhood, she put every duelist who defeated Judai into an unconscious state. Considering her crimes, Judai's sentence of banishing her to the Cosmos for ten years was not unjust.
During this period, the darkness in her heart grew, exploited by the Light of Destruction, taking root within her. Over the years, it had grown nearly inseparable from her. Even with Yugen's current strength, defeating her in a duel could only destroy her along with the Light of Destruction, making separation extremely difficult.
However, with the assistance of the Overlord and the use of the Super Fusion that embraced Ultimate Power, Judai succeeded.
Now restored in his hands was the true Yubel, untainted and pure.
"By the way, thanks."
Judai spoke inwardly to another part of himself.
"I couldn't have done it this time without you, thank you."
But there was no response.
Judai furrowed his brow slightly.
Given the Overlord's personality, prideful silence seemed typical. But for some reason, Judai felt that this time it wasn't the case.
"Hello? Are you there?"
"My other self?"
"...Lord Overlord?"
"..."
Judai closed his eyes.
He tried to recall the feeling from the duel, to connect with the other soul within himself, to communicate with him.
In a world of darkness within consciousness, the voice finally echoed.
"Annoying..."
It was still that cold voice, now frail, as if it might disappear at any moment.
Sensing the other's state, Judai was shocked.
"You... what's happening to you? Why..."
"Nothing, just fading away."
The Overlord still maintained that icy tone.
"Don't make a fuss."
Though said with tranquility, it only heightened Judai's alarm. He couldn't help but ask, "Why? How... you were just...!?"
But just as he spoke, Judai seemed to realize something immediately.
"Super Fusion? Is it that card?" Judai asked, "Is it the card's consequence that you're..."
He should have realized it sooner.
Upon its activation, he noticed that the card named "Super Fusion" possessed extraordinary power, unlike any card Judai had ever used. Even among Elves, he had never witnessed one with such power.
With great power comes great sacrifice.
And the price of Super Fusion was likely...
"Yes." The Overlord's voice was unwavering, "Super Fusion is a card that demands a soul's sacrifice to be created. Power comes with a price, it's only natural."
In the original tale, the birth of Super Fusion sacrificed countless beings in the Other Dimension and required Judai's Overlord personality to forge this ultimate card.
During the process, even the Duel Academy companions who went with Judai to the Other Dimension, including Asuka and Chazz, were sacrificed to the Dark Realm Elves' "Evil Heart Scripture," inflicting great trauma on Judai, expanding his inner darkness, providing essential energy for Super Fusion's birth.
Super Fusion required a massive sacrifice of inner darkness to be born. At the moment of its activation, the immense darkness within the Twelfth Dimension served as the sacrifice for this ultimate card's creation.
And that was the Overlord himself.