Dark Fusion, activate!
Supreme King: "Fuse for a Fiend-type Fusion Monster by using the monsters in my hand and on my field as Fusion Materials."
Dark Fusion, the Supreme King's exclusive key card for his corrupted HERO series—the "Evil HEROes," symbol of darkened fall. It's the specialized Fusion card used when Jaden's Elemental HEROes have fallen to darkness.
Most monsters Fusion Summoned with this card are the corrupted versions of the original Elemental HERO Fusions. With the same materials, they generally have the same ATK/DEF stats, but become Fiend-type and have stronger effects.
"I'll Dark Fusion the 'Elemental HERO Wildheart' and 'Elemental HERO Avian' in my hand!" the Supreme King declared. "Wings of the wilderness, become a storm of darkness—
—Evil HERO Wild Cyclone, appear!"
Wildheart and Avian, two classic HERO figures from Jaden's hand—even these HEROes looked a little more sinister when projected onto the field.
A vortex of darkness formed in midair. The two HEROes turned into streams of dark energy and plunged into it. The vortex erupted; black feathers scattered through the air as a wicked HERO descended with arms folded.
[Evil HERO Wild Cyclone, ATK 1900]
Clearly, this is the darkened counterpart to Wild Wingman, the Fusion of Avian and Wildheart. It also has 1900 ATK.
"Evil HERO Wild Cyclone attacks," the Supreme King ordered coldly. "Cyclone Slash!"
The dark HERO's wings scythed, and a storm, like slicing wind, cut straight toward Kira.
Kira remained calm: "Then I activate—"
"Pointless," the Supreme King cut in. "Wild Cyclone's effect: when this card attacks, until the end of the Damage Step, your Spell/Trap Cards cannot be activated."
He paused, then added indifferently:
"You didn't summon a monster, hoping to bait an attack and counter with a trap to seize tempo. Such a crude tactic is already laid bare before me. It won't work against Wild Cyclone.
Also, when Wild Cyclone inflicts battle damage, it destroys all set Spell/Trap Cards you control."
It was obvious the Supreme King didn't pick this Evil HERO at random; it was perfectly suited for the current board. With this strike, Kira's backrow might as well have been decoration—he wouldn't even get the chance to activate anything before this Evil HERO wiped it all out.
However—
"Who said I was going to use a trap?" Kira said.
"What?"
"What I said was, I'm activating this card in the Graveyard."
Kira swept his arm, and a beam of golden light flew from the Graveyard, coalescing midair into a round, adorable little creature.
"Clear Kuriboh!
When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, you can banish this card from your Graveyard; draw 1 card. If it's a monster, Special Summon it, then change the attack target to that monster."
"Draw one card," the Supreme King said, voice flat. "The top card of your Deck—"
He naturally remembered the Spellbook Organization Kira used last turn.
"Indeed. I've already arranged the top of my deck. So the top card is, of course, a monster."
Kira drew, slapped the card onto the Duel Disk without even looking.
"Clear Kuriboh's effect—Special Summon 'Chaos Command Magician'!"
A magician in ornate robes descended onto his field. He leapt forward; his staff gathered an emerald-black sphere of mana and, with a flicker, he intercepted Wild Cyclone, staff swinging to block.
[Chaos Command Magician, ATK 2400]
"Normally, when a new monster appears, the battle rewinds. But Clear Kuriboh's effect forces Wild Cyclone's attack to switch to the newly Summoned monster and continue."
Kira explained.
"Therefore Wild Cyclone is forced to battle Chaos Command Magician."
Wild Cyclone's wings beat; transparent cyclones sliced forth. But the sorcerer handled them with ease—his staff twirled lightly, catching the black feathers, and the dark HERO's storm was shattered head-on as the mana sphere plowed on.
The Evil HERO's face changed; he hurriedly crossed his wings like shields, but it was too late. The shield was pierced through with a clean hole, and Wild Cyclone exploded into fragments.
[Supreme King, LP 4000 → 3500]
"Looks like the Supreme King's training isn't quite enough." Kira chuckled. "We've got plenty of duel lines over here."
It was a decent setback to open with, but the Supreme King's expression didn't change.
"Then Elemental HERO Stratos won't attack. Turn end."
"My turn. Draw." Kira drew, then revealed a card in hand. "The 'Silent Magician' in my hand cannot be Normal Summoned. It can only be Special Summoned by Tributing a Spellcaster-type monster on my field.
I Tribute the Spellcaster 'Chaos Command Magician.'
Wings of silence that carry our hopes, magician of light—now appear—
—Silent Magician, Summon!"
Chaos Command Magician dissolved into white light as a magic barrier unfolded on the ground.
The school-uniformed girl who had been standing by Kira stepped onto the field and into the barrier. Swathed in radiance, her attire transformed into a sacred robe; her silver hair streamed in the light.
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000]
The Supreme King glanced at the Silent Magician, who had walked in from "off-field" to start her shift.
"A spirit, hm," he said coolly.
"Silent's ATK increases by 500 times the number of cards in my hand," Kira said. "I have four, so ATK increases by 2000."
[Silent Magician, ATK 1000 → 3000]
"Silent attacks 'Elemental HERO Stratos,'" Kira declared. "Silent Burning!"
The white magic circle opened again, rotating slowly as white light gathered on the tip of her raised staff, forming a milky white orb that blasted Stratos to pieces.
[Supreme King, LP 3500 → 2300]
"Then it's my turn. Draw."
The Supreme King drew, then immediately revealed the card.
"I activate the Spell Card 'Hero's Legacy.' If there are at least two Level 4 'HERO' monsters in my Graveyard, draw three cards." (Manga card)
"You HEROes sure do have a violent draw engine. Straight up trying to draw three?" Kira said. "Silent Magician—activate effect.
Once per turn, negate the activation of an opponent's Spell!"
"NANI?"
"Negate the activation of 'Hero's Legacy.'"
A blast of mana shot from Silent Magician's staff. The Spell Card in front of the Supreme King dimmed and shattered into pieces.