The Final Battle– Original Joker

As the group stepped out of the twisted Forest of Laughter, they were met with a chaotic sight—Jay, the Emperor tarot card user, was already locked in battle with the Original Joker.

The battlefield was a mess of warped reality—floating playing cards spun in the air, and the ground twisted beneath them like a shifting checkerboard. Joker laughed wildly, his coat flaring as he dodged one of Jay's powerful strikes.

"Finally! You all took your sweet time!" Jay shouted, barely sparing the others a glance as he blocked an incoming attack from Joker's cane, which cracked the air like a whip.

"Oh, Jay, Jay, Jay... the Emperor who tries to rule a broken world!" Joker taunted, spinning his cane. "But tell me, what's a ruler without his kingdom? A fool in disguise!"

Jay's eyes narrowed, his golden aura flaring as he swung his sword, cutting through the illusions Joker kept throwing at him.

"You talk too much," Jay growled. "Let's see if you can still laugh when I'm done with you."

The group watched as Jay and Joker clashed, each strike shaking the warped battlefield. The final battle had begun.

The battlefield trembled as the Tarot Alliance charged forward.

Ryuta, at the front, called out with a calm yet commanding voice—

"Return to Life."

A white glowing aura burst forth, and his sword materialized in his grip, shining like a beacon in the chaos.

Behind him, Alexia summoned her Empress tarot card. A giant image of the Empress appeared at her back, radiating authority and grace. Her body glowed with divine energy, ready to strike.

Skyler laughed, the sound defiant and wild. His Fool card manifested behind him, a massive, golden tarot card that pulsed with an unpredictable energy.

Parker and Zhen followed suit, their Sun and Temperance tarot cards appearing behind them, illuminating them with golden and balanced energy.

Yami's Devil tarot card burned red, its immense presence looming like a shadow over him. His dark aura surged, his red sword gleaming with chaotic energy.

Cain smirked, his confidence unshaken. His Strength tarot card materialized, and his body pulsed with raw power.

Roy stood still. He had no powers. No grand tarot card appeared behind him, no aura of divine energy surged through his veins. He was just a man with strong adaptability.

And then—

A voice echoed through the battlefield.

A voice beyond the world.

The True Deity called his name.

"Roy."

A brilliant light engulfed him. His body shimmered, and in his hand appeared a small, simple wooden stick.

Roy's eyes widened. "What… is this?"

The voice of the True Deity spoke again.

"This weapon allows you to change form—to adapt, as you always have. Wield it well."

Roy clenched the stick. A smirk crossed his face.

"Well then… let's see what I can do with this."

With renewed determination, he dashed forward, joining the battle against the Original Joker.

The Original Joker stood at the center of the battlefield, his wide grin stretching unnaturally as if he could barely contain his amusement. His clown-like attire shimmered, shifting in colors and patterns, as if his very existence was unstable. He spun a deck of chaotic cards in his hands, each one glowing with a different hue.

"Ah, what a grand entrance! The whole circus has arrived!" Joker cackled, tossing a card into the air. It twisted and transformed into a rain of sharp, golden playing cards, slicing toward the Tarot Alliance.

Jay, the Emperor, was the first to react.

With a strong step forward, he raised his hand, and a massive golden shield formed, blocking the attack. His Emperor tarot card glowed behind him, signifying his unshakable will.

"Your games end here, Joker."

Joker tilted his head, feigning disappointment. "Oh? But I was just getting started!"

He clapped his hands—

A wave of purple energy burst outward, throwing everyone back.

But Ryuta didn't flinch.

His sword, Return to Life, gleamed as he dashed forward, swinging at Joker with deadly precision. Joker dodged at the last second, his body bending in unnatural ways as if he had no bones.

Skyler rushed in next, spinning in the air, flipping toward Joker with a wide grin.

"Try laughing at this!" Skyler shouted, slamming his Fool-powered fist toward Joker's head.

Joker caught it with two fingers.

"Oh, you little jester—you're just like me, aren't you?" Joker whispered. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he sent Skyler flying into Cain.

Cain, undeterred, caught Skyler mid-air and roared, his Strength tarot card burning bright.

"You're not funny, and I'm not losing!"

Cain charged, his fists crackling with power. He swung, but Joker vanished, reappearing behind him with a wicked laugh.

"Too slow!"

Alexia clapped her hands, and rose vines erupted from the ground, trying to ensnare Joker.

Joker twisted his body, evading with impossible flexibility, but Parker and Zhen were already moving.

Parker thrust his hand forward, summoning a miniature sun that blasted toward Joker.

Zhen, with perfect balance, formed two orbs—one of white, one of black—colliding them together to send a force wave at Joker from the opposite direction.

Joker smirked.

He caught both attacks.

And with a snap of his fingers, he crushed them.

BOOM!

An explosion of chaotic energy sent Parker and Zhen sprawling.

Joker twirled in place. "Tsk, tsk. You all hit so hard, but none of you hit the heart!"

Roy stepped forward.

His stick transformed into a sleek silver blade.

"Then let me try."

Roy dashed, faster than before, his blade clashing against Joker's spinning cards. The two locked into a rapid exchange, Joker laughing all the while.

But Roy kept up.

His adaptability kicked in.

Each time Joker shifted his attack patterns, Roy countered, his movements becoming sharper, faster.

Joker's grin faltered.

For the first time, he was being outmatched.

"Heh… well, well."

Joker suddenly jumped back, landing on an invisible platform above the ground.

"This is getting interesting."

He snapped his fingers.

The entire sky turned black and red, warping into a nightmarish carnival. Massive marionettes dropped from the sky, their eyes glowing with chaotic energy. The ground twisted, turning into a spiraling circus floor.

"Round two!" Joker declared. "Let's see if you can still smile after this!"

Roy dashes towards joker with his adaptability stick, and was caught. Joker summons a card on his hand with name gravity on it– he drop the card with a smirk on his face— and then the gravity felt heavier and it feels the world is pressing on them. The tarot Alliance tried to stand up but the gravity card was too much for them. Suddenly they went for a quick faint.

The battlefield was in ruins. The warped circus floor cracked and twisted beneath them, the massive marionettes frozen in midair, their strings frayed. The sky remained a chaotic swirl of black and red, but the once-booming laughter had faded into a deathly silence.

Everyone lay defeated.

Alexia, Parker, Zhen, Skyler, Cain, Roy, Yami, Merlin—all of them were sprawled across the ground, their bodies battered, breathing heavy. Their tarot cards flickered, their once-glowing energy nearly gone.

Joker stood tall, grinning, twirling a single golden card between his fingers. His clothes were torn, but he barely looked fazed.

"Hah... was that it?" Joker sighed, shaking his head. "I really thought you'd entertain me a little longer."

Ryuta could barely move. His vision blurred as he stared at the cracked ground beneath him. His body screamed in pain, but this feeling—this exact moment—felt painfully familiar.

A flashback struck him.

The village.

The night the Magician attacked.

The same feeling of helplessness.

The same feeling of loss.

He clenched his fists.

"No."

Not again.

His breathing slowed.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

Ryuta forced himself up, standing tall even as blood dripped from his forehead. His legs shook, his arms barely able to stay steady—but he refused to fall.

Joker raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? Still got some fight in you?"

Ryuta didn't answer.

Instead, he did something insane—

He struck himself in the chest.

BAM!

A shockwave burst out from him.

His entire body trembled as energy surged through his veins, threatening to tear him apart.

"Return to Life!"

His voice echoed like a divine command.

A blinding light exploded from his body.

His hair turned completely white. His eyes lost their pupils, glowing pure white. His clothes transformed into a flowing white attire, almost like an ethereal warrior.

And in his hands—

The sword changed.

"Return to Life" became something beyond mortal comprehension. The blade shone with a radiance so intense that the very air trembled. It hummed with raw, unfiltered power, as if carrying the very essence of existence itself.

Joker's grin faded.

A chill ran down his spine.

For the first time—he felt fear.

Joker stumbled back slightly, gripping his golden card tighter. His laughter faltered.

"...I see."

He looked down at his own hands. His fingers trembled.

"...So this is it."

Joker smiled, but it wasn't his usual insane grin. It was soft. A quiet, knowing smile.

He understood.

This wasn't just a battle anymore.

This was the final act.

Ryuta raised his sword high. The entire battlefield trembled as a massive white energy slash formed, growing larger than the sky itself.

Joker stood there, motionless.

He didn't try to run.

He didn't try to block.

He just stared at Ryuta, watching as the final attack approached.

"...Looks like my jokes are finally being paid."

The massive white slash tore through the battlefield, engulfing everything in pure radiance.

And then—

Silence.