"Are you absolutely sure you want to fight this guy?" Leo asked, pushing himself up from the ground after his fifth consecutive defeat.
"From how you described him, he sounds dangerous," Alex added, watching from the sidelines with a worried look.
"Exactly!" Luna snapped. "I've done some digging. A lot of students have ended up unconscious, and the story is always the same: a masked duelist."
"Well, then... good luck!" Leo said with a wide yawn. "I'm going to sleep."
"Unbelievable!" Luna muttered, watching him walk away. She turned to Alex. "You're coming with me."
Alex swallowed hard, but he didn't refuse.
In the evening light, Luna and Alex trekked through the campus park. Suddenly, from behind a massive oak tree, the masked duelist emerged.
"It's you!" Luna cried, snapping her Duel Disk into its active position. "Who are you, and why are you attacking the students here?"
"I am merely searching for someone strong enough to defeat me," the masked man replied coldly. "You may call me HellKing."
"Then I'll be the one to stop you!" Luna declared with confidence.
HellKing glanced at her Duel Disk. "I see you've filled the void in your deck. But will it be enough to save you?"
With a swift motion, he activated his own Duel Disk. It was a bizarre, sleek model, stretching the full length of his forearm, colored in stark white and crimson.
"DUEL!"
(Luna: 4000 LP | HellKing: 4000 LP)
Alex scrambled back, terrified yet mesmerized. He wasn't about to miss the chance to see the legendary Red Dragon Archfiend in action.
"I'll take the first move," HellKing announced. "I activate the Continuous Spell, Crimson Gaia! Its effect allows me to add Soul Resonator from my deck to my hand. Come forth, Soul Resonator (500/200)! When it's Normal Summoned, I can add a Level 4 or lower Fiend monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Bone Archfiend (1800/0)."
He slotted another card. "I discard Red Reign to Special Summon Bone Archfiend. Next, to increase its Level by 1, I send Vision Resonator from my deck to the Graveyard." (Bone Archfiend: Level 4 → 5). "At this moment, Vision Resonator's effect triggers in the GY, letting me add Red Zone to my hand. And now... Synchro Summon!"
The field erupted in flames. "Soul Resonator, tune Level 5 Bone Archfiend! (Level 3 + Level 5 = 8). Great soul of the inferno, manifest upon this field! Rise, Red Dragon Archfiend (3000/2000)!"
The massive dragon roared, shaking the very ground.
"Since I performed a Synchro Summon, Red Reign returns from my Graveyard to my hand," HellKing continued. "I set three cards and end my turn. During the End Phase, Red Dragon Archfiend's effect would normally destroy my other monsters that didn't attack, but since he stands alone, nothing happens."
"Is that... Red Dragon Archfiend?" Alex stammered, paralyzed by the sight of the titan in the center of the field.
"No time for staring!" Luna shouted. "It's my turn! Draw! I activate the effect of Zeradias, Herald of Heaven. By discarding it to the Graveyard, I add the Field Spell The Sanctuary in the Sky from my deck to my hand, and I activate it! Now, I Normal Summon Warrior of Zera (1600/1600) in Attack Position!"
"Warrior of Zera," HellKing mused. "An interesting choice to complete your deck. But will it suffice?"
"Zera evolves when the Sanctuary is on the field!" Luna countered. "I Tribute Warrior of Zera to Special Summon Archlord Zerato! And now, Zerato's effect! By discarding one LIGHT monster from my hand, I can destroy all monsters on your side of the field! I discard The Agent of Mystery - Earth! Obliterate Red Dragon Archfiend!"
A blinding bolt of holy lightning struck the dragon. It vanished in an explosion of light, leaving HellKing's field wide open.
"Remarkable," HellKing said, his voice remaining eerily calm. "However, it is not enough. The second effect of Crimson Gaia triggers. When a monster is destroyed, I can Special Summon one 'Red Dragon Archfiend' from my Graveyard. Rise from the ashes like a phoenix! Return and dominate the field! Hell Resurrection!"
The dragon reappeared with a deafening roar that forced Luna to take a step back. She hadn't expected him to bring it back so easily.
"I... I set three cards and end my turn," she said, swallowing hard as she stared into the glowing eyes of the Archfiend.