With the Spell Card now on the field, Nate raised his hand and played the next card.
“I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card…
Emergency Teleport.” “This card’s effect lets me Special Summon one Level 3 or lower Psychic-Type monster from my deck.
That monster is banished during the End Phase.” His fingers found the card with precision and slid it into the monster zone.
“Come out…
Psychic Reflector.” As the words landed, a pale blue pillar of light rose from the ground, and within it a slender humanoid monster slowly took shape, its whole body wreathed in a faint blue glow of psychic energy.
[Psychic Reflector / Level 1 / EARTH / Psychic / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 400] “I activate the effect of Psychic Reflector!” Nate called out.
“When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, add one Burst Mode, or a card that lists that card’s name, from my deck to my hand.” His fingers flicked through the deck and drew a card, holding it up between his fingertips.
“I add Burst Beast, which lists the card name Burst Mode, to my hand!” Having added the searched card, he turned it face up at once.
“The effect of Burst Beast activates.” He sent the Burst Beast he had just searched straight to the Graveyard.
“I discard this card from my hand, and add one Burst Mode from my deck to my hand.” A card sprang out of the deck and dropped into Nate’s fingers.
“Next, the effect of Psychic Reflector!” Nate raised the Burst Mode between his fingers and turned back to the Reflector.
“By showing one Burst Mode in my hand to my opponent, I can target one monster in my Graveyard, other than Psychic Reflector, whose name lists Burst Mode.
I Special Summon that monster, and raise its Level by up to 4!” He gave the Burst Mode a brief flash in Grapha’s direction.
“So by this effect, I show you the Burst Mode in my hand, raise the Burst Beast in my Graveyard by 3 Levels, and Special Summon it to the field!” The Graveyard slot flared, and a dark gold pillar of light burst up from the ground.
Within it, a beast-shaped monster slowly formed, a frame of steel, a burning mane, the star-shaped marks along its spine lighting up one by one, climbing from its original Level 4, point by point, all the way to Level 7.
[Burst Beast / Level 7 / Machine / Effect / ATK: 1600] The instant Burst Beast appeared, Nate raised his hand.
Psychic Reflector’s mechanical body began to break apart into a ring of stars, and Burst Beast dissolved into seven silver points of light.
“I tune the Level 1 Tuner monster Psychic Reflector with the Level 7 Burst Beast!” Eight stars spun and gathered in midair, silver and crimson light weaving together into one enormous pillar.
“The roar of a king shakes heaven and earth.
Crimson flame, burn the heavens in this very moment…
Synchro Summon!
Roar, Red Dragon Archfiend!” The fire pillar blew apart in the next second.
A colossal form rose slowly out of the blaze.
Its crimson scale-armor burned bright in the firelight, and the instant its wings spread, a wave of heat swept across the chamber, the students in the front row instinctively throwing up their arms to shield their faces.
[Red Dragon Archfiend / Level 8 / DARK / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 3000] The moment the monster appeared, Nate called out.
“At this moment the effect of Miracle of the Coming Light activates.” “When a Synchro Monster is Special Summoned, choose one of the following effects…” “Draw one card from the deck, or Special Summon one Tuner from the hand!” “I choose to draw one card from the deck!” Having drawn, he immediately turned it face up.
“When this card is drawn, I show it to my opponent and Special Summon it from my hand.
And if I control a Level 8 or higher Dragon-Type Synchro Monster, I can then Special Summon one more Level 1 Dragon-Type monster from my deck.” As the words fell, a thin but distinct pillar of light rose from the monster zone, and a small dragon-shaped monster settled onto the field, starlight drifting across its body.
[Spirit-Gathering Dragon / Level 1 / Dragon / Effect / ATK: 400] “The follow-up to Spirit-Gathering Dragon’s effect.” Nate spoke.
He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the Red Dragon Archfiend towering on the field.
“A Level 8 or higher Dragon Synchro Monster is on the field, so the condition is met.
I Special Summon the Level 1 Dragon-Type monster Guardian Dragon Prominesis from my deck!” A card sprang out of the deck.
In the next moment, another pillar of light rose, and an equally small dragon-shaped monster settled onto the field, its whole body giving off a faint golden glow, standing side by side with Spirit-Gathering Dragon.
[Guardian Dragon Prominesis / Level 1 / Dragon / Effect / ATK: 400] “One plus one plus two.
Is it coming, Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend?” “The Tyrant needs two Tuners.
There’s only one Tuner on the field right now.
How could it be the Tyrant?” “Could it be…
Yan Dragon, Crimson Lotus Demon of Burial?” Impossible.
Hearing the murmuring around him, Kujo frowned slightly.
The monsters on Nate’s field didn’t meet the conditions for any of the Level 10 Red Dragon Archfiend Extra Deck monsters.
What exactly are you trying to summon?
At that moment, Grapha’s gaze, too, turned to Nate, a trace of amusement surfacing in its eyes.
“One plus one plus two, and still only one Tuner.
You wouldn’t happen to be trying to summon a certain monster, would you?” There was a hint of amusement in Grapha’s voice.
Nate lifted his eyes and glanced at it.
“As expected of a being that’s crossed blades with the Signers.” He said it lightly.
“I imagine you’ve already guessed what I’m about to summon.” At that, Grapha narrowed its eyes slightly.
“That monster is indeed powerful.” Its voice dropped a notch.
“But once the Synchro Summon succeeds, it’s forced back to the Extra Deck during the End Phase.
You’re aware of that, aren’t you?” “I am.” Nate’s reply came without the slightest pause.
“But what if I told you…” the corner of his mouth curved up slightly, “…this monster won’t be going back?” Grapha gave a slight start.
The students around exchanged blank looks.
“What monster?” “What’s this about returning to the Extra Deck?” “What are they even talking about…” Amid the crowd’s confusion, Nate’s voice rang out again.
“Spirit-Gathering Dragon’s first effect.
While this card is on the field or in the Graveyard, its name is treated as Savior Dragon.” His gaze swept over the three monsters on his field, his voice steady.
“I use the Level 8 Red Dragon Archfiend, the Level 1 Savior Dragon, and the Level 1 Guardian Dragon Prominesis on my field as Synchro Material, and tune!” The instant the words landed, all three monsters began to break apart at once.
Spirit-Gathering Dragon was the first to beat its wings and rise, its body dissolving into a single golden star.
Prominesis followed close behind, dissolving into a silver-white star.
Red Dragon Archfiend lifted its head and let out an ear-splitting roar, its enormous body dissolving into eight burning crimson star-rings that spread out across the midair.
“Light of solitude, honed to its utmost, become the true overlord and shine upon the earth…” Nate’s arm swept down hard.
“Descend, great soul…
Savior Demon Dragon!” Boom.
The vault split open!
A pillar of crimson-gold light fell from above, piercing through the darkness of the entire tomb.
Within it, a dragon ablaze with raging crimson hellfire shot out, its body so vast it blotted out the sky, draping the whole tomb in its shadow.
Every scale gave off a destructive red light, its eyes like two blazing stars, holding power enough to burn all things to ash!
The terrible draconic pressure bore down as if made of solid weight, leaving everyone present trembling head to toe, struggling to breathe, as though they faced not a monster but an ancient Dragon God that held dominion over destruction itself.
[Savior Demon Dragon / Level 10 / DARK / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 4000]