“My turn first!
I’ll show you what comes of looking down on me!” Kujo barked.
With the Draw Phase over, Kujo glanced over the cards in his hand, the corner of his mouth curving into a confident arc.
He drew a card from his hand and revealed it with a wide sweep.
“I activate the effect of [Crimson Resonator] in my hand!
When I have no cards on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!” “Come forth, Crimson Resonator!” Along with a low resonant hum, a small demon with a deep-red halo surrounding its body emerged from the light, gripping a precise mechanical tool, dropping to one knee, quietly awaiting command.
[Crimson Resonator] [Level 2 / DARK / Fiend / Tuner / Effect] [ATK: 800] “Next!
I activate the effect of [Wandering King Wildwind] in my hand!” Kujo didn’t pause, his second card already flung onto the Duel Disk.
“When there is a DARK Fiend-Type Tuner monster on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!” As the words landed, a violent gust of air whirled up across the field, and a fiendish king clad in rugged armor, bearing a massive greatsword, descended with a sharp, fierce presence.
[Wandering King Wildwind] [Level 4 / DARK / Fiend / Effect] [ATK: 1700] In the crowd, watching the familiar play, Nate raised an eyebrow.
“[Crimson Resonator] plus a Level 4 non-Tuner…
what comes out next should be [Red Rising Dragon].” Rio Kastle was standing right beside him, and hearing this, she couldn’t help being momentarily stunned.
She was about to ask when the pillar of light on the field suddenly burst open.
“I tune the Level 2 Tuner monster [Crimson Resonator] with the Level 4 [Wandering King Wildwind]!” Kujo raised his right arm high, two beams of light turning into spinning starlight that rose into the air.
Crimson Resonator leapt up, its body turning into two burning crimson star-rings, while Wildwind became four dark stars.
The six points of starlight wove together in midair into a scorching, enormous star.
“Crimson dragon, bare your fangs at this moment!
Synchro Summon, Level 6, [Red Rising Dragon]!” The star-rings burst apart.
A massive dragon, crimson from head to tail, descended from the exploding flames.
[Red Rising Dragon] [Level 6 / DARK / Dragon / Synchro / Effect] [ATK: 2100] “It really is Red Rising Dragon…” Rio Kastle turned to Nate in surprise.
“How did you know he was going to Summon this card?” Nate gave a faint smile, hands stuck in his pockets, his tone offhand.
“That’s just the standard play of a Crimson Dragon Deck.
The core is [Red Rising Dragon], and it relies on it to spread out.
If you’re dueling this Deck, find a way to negate [Red Rising Dragon]’s effect, and the Deck basically can’t get rolling.” Rio Kastle blinked, the curiosity in her eyes growing thicker.
“How do you know all this so clearly?” Nate opened his mouth to answer, then suddenly stopped.
He’d been about to say “isn’t that common knowledge”…
but as the words reached his lips, he abruptly realized something.
He was a transmigrator.
Although he was very familiar with this world, it wasn’t his original world after all.
The operating logic of a Crimson Dragon Deck was something any card nerd back home could rattle off a couple of points about.
But in this world, the students’ understanding of Decks was nowhere near as mature and systematic as in his era.
What was common knowledge to him wasn’t necessarily so for others.
“Ahem.” Nate gave a dry cough and changed his answer without batting an eye.
“I happened to watch someone duel with this Deck before, so I remembered it.” Rio Kastle stared suspiciously into his eyes for a couple of seconds, but seeing he wouldn’t say more, she didn’t press further.
On the field, Kujo’s play continued.
“When [Red Rising Dragon] is Synchro Summoned successfully, I activate its effect!” He swept his hand wide, a crimson pillar of light shooting to the heavens from the Graveyard.
“I target one Resonator monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it!
Revive, [Crimson Resonator]!” The Crimson Resonator coalesced out of the void once more, descending at Red Rising Dragon’s feet.
[Crimson Resonator, ATK: 800] The corner of Kujo’s mouth curved up, his gaze landing on the Crimson Resonator that had just appeared.
“[Crimson Resonator]’s second effect activates!” He quickly pulled two cards from his Deck and placed them onto the Duel Disk.
“When this card is Special Summoned while a Synchro Monster is on the field, I Special Summon up to two Resonator monsters other than [Crimson Resonator] from my Deck!
Come forth, [Red Resonator], [Soul Resonator]!” Two pillars of light surged forth one after another, and two Resonators appeared on the field.
[Red Resonator] [Level 2 / DARK / Fiend / Tuner / Effect] [ATK: 600] [Soul Resonator] [Level 3 / DARK / Fiend / Tuner / Effect] [ATK: 500] “[Soul Resonator]’s effect activates!” Kujo’s hand moved swiftly as a card slid out of his Deck into his palm.
“When this card is Normal or Special Summoned successfully, I add one Resonator monster from my Deck to my hand.
I choose [Synkron Resonator]!” He took the card into his hand, a brilliant gleam blooming in his eyes.
“Alright, now all the materials are gathered!” He drew a deep breath and suddenly barked.
“Now, let me show you my double tuning!” Hearing this, the surrounding Class 5 students instantly went into an uproar.
“Here it comes!
The vice president’s double tuning!” “2+2+6, looks like a Level 10 behemoth’s coming out!” Kujo was thoroughly pleased with the flattery around him, the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth nearly impossible to suppress.
He swept his hand wide and barked.
“[Red Rising Dragon]’s effect activates!
During the Synchro Summon of a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster, it can be treated as a Tuner monster!
I tune the Level 6 [Red Rising Dragon] — now treated as a Tuner — with the Level 2 non-Tuner [Crimson Resonator] and the Level 2 non-Tuner [Red Resonator]!” “King of the crimson demons, crush all with absolute power!
Synchro Summon, roar, [Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend]!” Boom!
Three beams of starlight shot to the heavens.
Red Rising Dragon leapt into the center of the star-ring, its massive body turning into six of the brightest crimson stars.
Crimson Resonator and Red Resonator followed close behind, each turning into two small stars.
The ten points of starlight spun rapidly in midair, colliding and fusing with one another, finally coalescing into a thick crimson pillar of thunder that, carrying overwhelming force, struck hard into the center of the field.
A massive, violent dragon, its whole body formed of crimson and lava, stood proudly on the field, its wings spread so wide they nearly blotted out the entire dome of the stone chamber.
Its dragon-cry was deafening, and everywhere it passed, the very air seemed scorched away.
[Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend] [Level 10 / DARK / Dragon / Synchro / Effect] [ATK: 3500]