"My turn."
Atticus slid a Spell Card into his Duel Disk, "I Activate the Normal Spell, Cards of the Red Stone. According to this card's effect, I can discard a Level 7 'Red-Eyes' monster to the Graveyard, then draw two cards."
"I discard Red-Eyes Black Dragon and draw two cards."
Once possessed by DarkNess, Atticus was arguably the person in the world who held the most 'black dragons.'
"After that effect resolves, I can send another Level 7 'Red-Eyes' monster from my Deck to the Graveyard. I send my last Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
"Activate Pot of Avarice.
"Return five monsters from my Graveyard to the Deck, then draw two cards.
"I return two Red-Eyes Black Dragons, Black Dragon's Chick, Meteor Dragon, and Gem-Knight Prismaura.
"Draw two."
"Why draw so many cards?" Kujakujaku readied his defense.
"Probably fishing for something more important," Hundred Dragon guessed.
Kujakujaku eyed his Set card and nodded inwardly.
'If that guy dares to use Inferno Fire Blast again, he'll regret it!'
"Then, activate Set card!"
"Red-Eyes Fusion!"
He flipped over the Spell Card Hikaru had left him.
"It's a Fusion Spell!"
"A real Fusion card!"
"Wow!"
A chorus of Spirits chirped excitedly.
"Red-Eyes Fusion?" Hundred Dragon looked at the card. "Sounds like a Fusion Spell just for Black Dragons. Do you have a Red-Eyes Fusion Monster too?"
Kujakujaku glanced at Hikaru's Extra Deck. "The Extra Decks aren't shared. In a Tag Duel, once the Fusion user brought back the materials using De-Fusion, the Fusion Monster went back to the Extra Deck, right?"
"Ahahaha~~" Atticus laughed as always, brushing his hair aside. "Don't judge me by my looks; I care deeply for my juniors!"
"Before coming here, I prepared my Deck carefully." He smiled. "Red-Eyes Fusion is a dedicated Fusion Spell for 'Red-Eyes'!
"During the turn I activate this card, I can't Summon or Special Summon no longer by any other effect!"
"That's a harsh restriction."
"That bad?!"
"Now for Red-Eyes Fusion's effect!
"I send monsters listed as Fusion Materials from my hand, field, or Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon a monster that lists 'Red-Eyes' as material!
"I send Summoned Skull and Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon!
"Black Skull Dragon!"
The creature that appeared was a massive black dragon formed from blood and bone.
[Black Skull Dragon] Level 9│DARK│Dragon│3200 ATK
"You have Summoned Skull too, senpai?"
Atticus tapped his temple with a chuckle. "Got it during an expedition with Zane. Didn't think I'd use it, though—"
He turned and continued explaining. "A monster Fusion Summoned with Red-Eyes Fusion is treated as 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon' in name."
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon?!" Kujakujaku glared at him.
"Which means he can use Inferno Fire Blast too!" Hundred Dragon nodded. "If you have it right now, we lose. Gonna play it?"
Their LP was just 2400.
If he activates Inferno Fire Blast now and it resolves, they're done!
"Nonono~" Atticus wagged his finger. "As your senpai, how could I steal victory from such a cute kouhai during his big moment?"
"Activate Spell Card."
He grinned. "Offerings to the Doomed! Target one face-up monster on the field. Destroy it!
Skip my next Draw Phase!"
"What?!"
"Are you crazy? Your 'next Draw Phase' belongs to your teammate!"
In a Tag Duel, 'your next Draw Phase' refers to your teammate's turn. To them, it looked like Atticus was sabotaging the team!
He said nothing. He activated the Spell and shouted, "Destroy, Dark Simorgh!"
The dark bird-beast was wiped from the field.
"Then, Battle! Black Skull Dragon, Attack Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand!"
The dark dragon, fused from demon and dragon power, swung its massive claws at the radiant dragon. However, Felgrand couldn't absorb the light this time and fell behind in the clash, ultimately shattering.
[Guardians of the Mountain, LP: 2400 → 2000]
"Now, only Red-Eyes Black Dragon remains on your field!"
"I set one card and end my turn!"
Hikaru glanced at the card he set. His pupils shrank.
'That card?!'
He shot a look at Atticus, who flashed a gleaming smile and gave him a big thumbs-up.
"Still resisting? Don't you humans have any shame?! Wasting your partner's Draw Phase like that?!"
"Shame?" Atticus held his final card. Some nearby Spirits saw it, Inferno Fire Blast!
They exchanged glances, not understanding his play.
He gently wiped the card and said, "C'mon now, no need to get so fired up."
Then he snapped his head up at Kujakujaku. "You think you're the only ones who care that much?"
"?"
"Once, I was consumed by darkness. Brainwashed, turned into a Shadow Duelist, made to attack students and steal keys."
"!!?"
The two opponents fell silent.
"I'm not saying 'woe is me.' That doesn't matter, what matters is, the one who beat me and pulled me out of it was the Duelist beside me now, Amagi Hikaru!" He extended his hand toward Hikaru.
"Huh?"
"Wha—?"
The surrounding Spirits looked confused.
"That power left an unerasable mark on me. Even now, no matter what Deck I use, it transforms into this burning black dragon form in a Duel."
Though this Deck was far stronger than his original, he still wished he could use that old "Fabulous Stage" Deck full of fun.
"Until today!" He focused on the Black Skull Dragon. "Until today!"
'That really happened?'
Hikaru cast a glance at Atticus's Deck.
No wonder he hadn't dueled much after that. In canon, he had such fun with Chazz and the others.
"Don't think you're the only ones protecting the young!" The playful grin vanished from Atticus's face. He turned solemn and sincere. "If my kouhai wants to prove himself, if he's searching for Spirits who recognize him, then as his senpai, I'll support him till the end!
"I never specialized in Fusion. I'm not into club activities either. But if it helps him, I'll back these adorable juniors! That's who I am!"
"Your turn, Kujakujaku. Show us your resolve!"
Kujakujaku was stunned, then startled as his name was called.
Spirits began whispering and murmuring among themselves.
'He might be intense, but maybe we can't blame him? And honestly, he's kinda cool.'
"Hmph, this human isn't half-bad." Even Tierra gave a rare nod.
After a moment, Kujakujaku stared at Atticus and finally understood why he'd disliked him from the start.
Mutual repulsion!
"Warriors from another world, I underestimated you."
"Still, we won't lose that easily!"
"Draw! Quick-Play Spell, Order to Charge!"
"This isn't some wasteful spell like skipping a Draw Phase. I Tribute a Normal Monster on my field to destroy one of your monsters!"
"I tribute Red-Eyes Black Dragon and destroy your Black Skull Dragon!"
Flames erupted from the two dragons, the primal one roaring and charging.
The field was wiped clean again.
"But we're not done! Dark Simorgh never dies! Like us guardians, it will never fall!
"I banish Black Dragon Collapserpent and myself- Kujakujaku- from my hand to revive it from the Graveyard!"
"Dark Simorgh!"
Even in death three times, the divine bird returns!
"Attack! Dark Simorgh, direct attack!"
Atticus shielded himself from the incoming feathers.
[Duel Academy Students LP: 5300 → 2600]
"End of turn." He faced Hikaru. "Well, Hikaru the Fusionist, with no Draw Phase, and only your leftover Spells, can you survive this turn?"
"Survive?" Hikaru shook his head. "No—
"We settle this turn!"
"Final Turn!"