Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 057 The Millennium Enemy, Part 8

The more little tidbits of information I get about Yuugi and Yami's connection, the more excited I become about figuring out what it actually is. I mean, I do think there's plenty of support to suggest that they're not separate souls at all, but just two interdependent parts, given my limited research on the ancient Egyptian concept of the soul. But who knows if I'm on the right track? There's still SO much left to learn, if the three-hundred some chapters left ahead of me are any indication, and so little that has actually been revealed.

Even if I'm dead on, and Yami is an intimate part of Yuugi and vice-versa, how does the puzzle factor in here? What IS this necklace even?

At least, if the History Channel managed to write this manga, it would be.

OOOOOH, is someone getting upset about how they can't kill a bunch of kids as easily as they wanted to? Why don't you go take a nap, Asshole Bakura.

Instead of taking my suggestion, he fumes about how he was nice enough to let everyone play in his cool murder-world and they're repaying him by not letting him murder them. Someone call the WAAAAAAAAHmbulance. He was GOING TO let Yuugi and pals live as the pieces in his game, but now he's saying fuck it, he wants to kill them all and vows to bury them.

But he notices that his left hand is typing again, and looks down to see another message from Ryou, who says he's not going to let an asshole control him anymore. Ryou is going to do all he can to help Yuugi and the rest of his friends. Asshole Bakura is frustrated that his hand is moving on its own again, never acknowledging that the hand is actually that of his kickass host. He DOES manage to acknowledge that the letter is from Ryou, though, and reiterates how Zork's left hand being shot off by Honda released his control of it, and consequently Ryou's hand too. But he wonders what Ryou will be able to do with just one hand.

Well, I can think of something, but then this manga would go in a decidedly DIFFERENT direction.

Asshole Bakura slides the laptop far to the right of the table, where his rebelling left hand can't get to it. He laughs as Yami stares across the table at him. Yami thinks Asshole Bakura's expression changed drastically when he looked at the stats on his computer, and wonders what's happening over there. All he knows is that Asshole Bakura has probably made a pretty bad boo-boo on his end, and thinks that it may be a way to defeat Zork.

Asshole Bakura continues with the game as though everything's just fine. He narrates out the perfect hit Jonouchi's piece got in, gouging out Zork's eye, but also says that Zork's hit points only lower a tiny fraction. The pieces aren't as optimistic as Yami, because from where they're standing, their criticals aren't dealing any real damage because of their severe difference in XP and levels. They wonder how they can come out of this with a win.

Yeah, you guys sure are looking the worse for wear. Anzu prays that her turn comes next so she can heal them all with her spell "Healing Magic of Luona." What the fuck difference does it make what this attack is called? Do I actually need to know this?

She also exposits that her level is too low for her to know the spell for raising the dead, so if anyone dies, they're gone for good. Asshole Bakura states that according to the initiative scores on his laptop, Anzu goes next, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief over how they're saved. Asshole Bakura, being the asshole he is, of course, tells them immediately after this that Anzu and Zork are tied in their scores, so they both have to go at the same time. The players are indignant as Asshole Bakura continues on by saying that a dice roll is required to figure out who goes first in this case, asking if that's fair enough to Yami. Yami glares, while Asshole Bakura explains that whichever of them rolls closest to 00 launches their attack first. If Asshole Bakura wins, Zork will wipe them out, but if Yami wins, Anzu will be able to save the players with her magic.

Yami is still glaring, not saying a word. Asshole Bakura thinks silence is enough of a yes and laughs as he says that it's settled.

Shit, they should have taken those cheaty brainwashed dice away from Asshole Bakura first. Asshole Bakura is convinced he's going to win, because those dice contain the soul of one of his former players, and they always role criticals. Yami watches the dice, anxious because everything rides on this one roll. All the pieces watch with bated breath as well, trying hard to believe in Yami's roll. One of Asshole Bakura's dice is still spinning on the table when he shouts that he got a super critical roll and it's his win.

Yami looks shocked as Anzu points out Yami's roll, which is 09. Asshole Bakura laughs and declares the game is over, starting to narrate Zork's devastating attack, but halts when he sees Yami chuckling. Asshole Bakura's smile collapses and he asks what's so funny. Yami asks if this asshole is blind, because his dice aren't showing what he thinks they are.

Guess those dice weren't as brainwashed as you thought, eh Asshole Bakura?

Yami reminds him of his own saying that the dice don't lie, and Anzu casts her incredibly specific healing magic spell. Everyone feels great, and they all congratulate Anzu on a spell well cast. Meanwhile, Asshole Bakura is peering at the dice he rolled, wondering why they didn't roll a critical like they were supposed to. On closer inspection, he realizes that they're just ordinary dice, and wonders where his magical ones are. He closes his fingers around the boring regular dice and his fist clenches in rage as he thinks that his opponents were so close to death but managed to pull a reprieve from nowhere.

He's jovial once more, though, when he admits that they're healed, but reminds them that they're practically microscopic compared to Zork, and that they'll be blown away by his next attack even at their maximum hit points. Asshole Bakura tells them to get ready, and one of the pieces tells everyone to look out for the next attack too. Asshole Bakura announces that Zork's attack hits on a roll of 80 or less, and if it does, then they'll all be in a world of hurt. He prepares to go, but before he can release the dice on his own, they're already thrown on the board. It turned out that his left hand threw another pair of dice without command.

So, that's where the brainwashed dice went. Words of defiance accompany the tumbling dice, Ryou's words saying that he won't be controlled anymore, as Asshole Bakura is still shocked by how his left hand was hiding those dice. The dice land on a double nine; a fumble.

Uh-oh, Asshole Bakura, your crazy is showing.

REALLY showing, along with the fact that you're not actually Regular Bakura. That "durable poly-resin" probably feels like getting stabbed by a slasher villain with mommy-issues.

Asshole Bakura laughs maniacally at his self-mutilation as Anzu marvels at his deranged expression. Jonouchi says that he's almost sorry about hitting him in the face, which must be a reference to the stab to Zork's eye, because I can't think of any other point at which he hit either Bakura or Zork. It's a weird thing to say here, though, because he shouldn't really be aware that any of his attacks affect Asshole Bakura yet. Unless he drew some conclusions off-panel, of course.

Yuugi's piece wonders how this person could be the same smiling, polite boy they'd met at school the previous day, and decides it can't POSSIBLY be him. Honda agrees with Yuugi's apparent thoughts, because I can't get over the fact that it's not clear anymore which bubbles mean speech and which mean thinking, saying that whoever Asshole Bakura is, he's not Regular Cool Bakura. Jonouchi says that they remember the real Bakura was a good guy, and he couldn't have been lying to them about being their friend, because if that were the case, it would mean Jonouchi is a TERRIBLE judge of character! We all know THAT can't be true!!

Holding onto his bleeding left hand, Asshole Bakura informs Yami that it's Yuugi's turn on the board. Yami clutches the dice while he asserts that their low levels don't reflect their real power to believe in their friends. Jonouchi agrees, again with another thought bubble. Yami then shouts at Asshole Bakura that Yuugi will attempt to brainwash Zork with his magic beast-taming hands. Asshole Bakura is taken aback by this plan, reminding them that Yuugi's power works to make enemy monsters to switch sides and asking if they REALLY think it'll work on Zork. The pieces think they've figured out that their real friend is trapped within Zork, and their plan is to free him. Asshole Bakura giggles at them, saying it's impossible for Zork to become their ally, even in the event of an apocalypse. One, supposedly "impossible" things have been happening all damn day, considering how many things Asshole Bakura has labeled as such. Two, this very scenario would be my ideal fanfiction, and I need to start writing the story of how the zombie apocalypse forces Zork to team up with Yuugi and Pals. That would be SO DOPE.

After a pause in which Yuugi and his friends face Zork silently, Yami rolls the dice with the declaration that he's giving it a go anyway. Not much else to do with Yuugi's character anyway. Does he even have any other moves? The dice show a critical 05, and Yuugi's monster training hand appears. Zork just calls him a fool, because he'll have to raise his level one million times just to even think about making him into an ally. However, the stump of his left arm begins smoking as he stares at it in disbelief. Anzu encourages everyone else to stare too, because she's so rude, and Asshole Bakura is wondering how this can possibly be happening right now.

That demon thing just gave birth through its severed hand!!! AWESOME!!!

Regular Bakura looks up and thanks everyone for saving him. He introduces himself as Gandalf the White White Wizard Bakura, who's a level 13 NPC created by Ryou Bakura, and he wants to join their party! Of course everyone is super stoked to have a new party member that they can defeat Zork together with, everyone except for Asshole Bakura, anyway. He's grinding his teeth at the audacity of his host to create an NPC behind his back.

Still, he's committed to playing this game all the way out, and says that it's still Yami's party's turn, specifically the attack of the magic gunman. Yami rolls the dice so that Honda's piece can take its shot, pun intended. Yami rolls a fifteen, and Honda fires his gun, hopefully aiming for the FACE this time. It goes through his abdomen, but practically tears it apart too. Yuugi is impressed while Jonouchi wonders exactly how it hurt Zork so much more than the previous shot. The White Wizard Bakura explains that he obeys the will of Regular Bakura, so he he lowered Zork's hit points with his magic to help. Yami grins, and Asshole Bakura is beside himself growling.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This one came down to the stark visuals for me, which were really cool. Other Bakura stabbing the hand that was rebelling against him, and Zork's arm birthing a new piece were just so striking and visceral that the fun of the chapter was mostly just looking at them and being in awe. It was a treat seeing all of these points depicted so beautifully.

I, of course, also really loved the continuation of the rebellion of Ryou Bakura against his possession. He was pulling some really great moves, what with stealing the magical dice and creating an NPC to help Yuugi and company. The latter is a great throwback to the fact that while Other Bakura was gaping at Yami and his great rolls, Ryou was typing up a storm on the laptop. He was fucking around with MULTIPLE things in the game, and managed to gain a greater level of agency through the RULES of the game. It was clever enough that I didn't see it coming, and I was genuinely surprised.

The game is obviously winding down, though, because this chapter didn't contain much adversity for the heroes. From what I can see, there are two more chapters in this arc, so we'll see if Zork and Asshole Bakura get in a few more blows before the end.