"I'll take the lead!" HellKing shouted. "I Normal Summon Crimson Resonator (800/300). Since I control a Tuner monster, I can Special Summon Wandering King Wildwind (1700/1300) from my hand. Now, Synchro Summon! (Level 2 + Level 4 = 6). Rise, Red Rising Dragon (2100/1600)! Red Rising's effect activates: I Special Summon a 'Resonator' from my Graveyard. Return, Crimson Resonator!"
The arena began to heat up as HellKing continued his relentless combo. "Crimson Resonator's second effect! Since I control a DARK Dragon Synchro monster, I can Special Summon two 'Resonator' monsters from my deck! Come forth, Red Resonator (600/200) and Mirror Resonator (0/0)! When Red Resonator is Special Summoned, I can target one monster on the field and gain Life Points equal to its Attack. I choose Red Rising Dragon!" (HellKing: 4000 → 6100 LP).
"And now, another Synchro Summon! Crimson Resonator tunes Level 6 Red Rising Dragon! Great soul that shakes the heavens, manifest in your true form! Appear, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend (3000/2500)!"
HellKing wasn't finished. "Since I control a Synchro monster, I can Special Summon Synkron Resonator (100/100) and Creation Resonator (800/600) from my hand!"
"He has five monsters on the field!" Alex cried out in disbelief. "In his very first turn... what is he planning?"
"This isn't good. This isn't good at all!" Leo shouted, his voice laced with worry. "Why Scarlight? Why isn't it the original Red Dragon Archfiend?"
"I told you," HellKing sneered. "Power and Destruction have no use for loyalty. Scarlight is superior to that pathetic dragon you're so obsessed with. You might have tricked me into losing earlier, but this time, I'm coming at you with everything. I activate Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's effect! Once per turn, he destroys every other Special Summoned Effect Monster on the field with Attack points less than or equal to his own—and for each one, you take 500 damage! I have four Special Summoned Resonators. Take 2000 points of damage!" (Leo: 4000 → 2000 LP).
"2000 damage on the first turn!?" Alex and Luna were horrified.
"Since Synkron Resonator was sent to the GY, I can add a 'Resonator' from my Graveyard back to my hand. I choose Crimson Resonator. I set one card and end my turn."
"My move! Draw!" Leo's eyes burned with determination. "I won't let you insult my friend. Red Dragon Archfiend is stronger than every card in your Extra Deck combined! Polymerization! I fuse Avian and Burstinatrix to summon Elemental HERO Flame Wingman (2100/1600)! Next, I activate the Equip Spell Favorite HERO and equip it to Flame Wingman!"
"Have you lost your mind?" HellKing laughed. "You're just going to destroy yourself!"
"Favorite HERO activates at the start of the Battle Phase!" Leo countered. "I can activate a Field Spell directly from my deck. I choose Skyscraper! Now, for its second effect: while a Field Spell is active, the equipped monster gains Attack points equal to its original Defense! Flame Wingman gains 1600 ATK!" (Flame Wingman: 2100 → 3700 ATK). "Go, Flame Wingman! Skyscraper Strike! Infernal Fire! Burn!"
"I activate my Trap: Defense Draw!" HellKing shouted. "Battle damage is reduced to zero, and I draw one card!"
"Damage might be zero, but Scarlight is still destroyed!" Leo yelled. "And Flame Wingman's effect triggers! When he destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to that monster's Attack points!" (HellKing: 6100 → 3100 LP). "I set one card and end my turn."
"My move! Draw! Since I control no monsters, I can Special Summon Crimson Resonator! Now, Monster Reborn! Return to the field, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!"
"Leo's safe for now," Luna whispered, her eyes wide. "Now I see why he didn't use the third effect of Favorite HERO."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"Favorite HERO has a third effect—by sending the card to the GY, the monster can attack again. But Leo anticipated that HellKing would bring Scarlight back. Since Flame Wingman still has 3700 ATK, he won't be destroyed by Scarlight's effect!"
"Whoa," Alex breathed. "I didn't expect that kind of foresight from him."
"It still won't save him!" HellKing cackled. "I don't need to destroy that monster to win. Crimson Resonator's effect: I Special Summon Double Resonator (0/0) and Chain Resonator (100/100) from my deck! Then, I banish Wandering King Wildwind from my Graveyard to add another Creation Resonator to my hand, which I then Special Summon!"
"This is bad!" Alex shouted. "He has four Special Summoned monsters again! That's another 2000 damage! Leo's going to lose!"
"Someone finally caught on!" HellKing laughed. "It's over! Go, Scarlight! Molten Red Flare!"