"|ू･･`) Huh? So she's not a corrupted magical girl type? What a disappointment…" Akasha sighed dejectedly.
"I can understand how Ruby feels too~" said Ruby, whose Mystic Code had transformed into its Testament Form, its color shifting from red to black. "It's obviously the kind of setting that gets people excited, but Illya just refuses to cooperate."
"W-What do you mean cooperate?!" Illya blushed furiously as she twisted Ruby into a shape that should have been physically impossible. "There's no such thing!"
"Aaaah, it hurts, it hurts! A corrupted magical girl! It's got that feeling now! Ruby is getting excited!"
"Stop fooling around, Ruby. Let's finish this duel already. I'm a little worried about Aibo."
Because of Harr's Barrier effect, Hoshino had fallen asleep and entered a state where she could no longer be contacted, leaving Hoshino Alter somewhat concerned.
"The effect of Magical Girl – Illya Testament Form activates!"
[You can only use either Effect ① or ② of this card once per turn. This effect can also be activated during your opponent's turn. ①: Send 1 "Alter" monster from your Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard; until the End Phase, this card gains ATK equal to that monster's ATK.]
A card was ejected from the AR Duel Disk and sent to the Graveyard. The Mystic Code in Illya's hands instantly underwent a limited deployment, transforming into an Alter-form weapon.
"I send Heroic Spirit – Cú Chulainn Alter from my Deck to the Graveyard! Illya Testament Form gains ATK equal to Cú Chulainn's 2800 ATK!"
[Illya Testament Form ATK: 1000 → 3800]
"— Noble Phantasm Deployment! Gáe Bolg!"
Raising both arms high and wielding Cú Chulainn's crimson spear covered in vicious barbs, Illya in her Testament Form locked onto her opponent with the corrupted gaze that came naturally with her spirit dress — the very same eyes as the Supreme King.
"Battle! Illya and X Alter, attack Jaden directly!"
Having waited for Hoshino Alter's command, the lightsaber and black spear roared forth simultaneously, slamming into the fieldless Supreme King Jaden.
[Supreme King Jaden LP 21900 → 15100]
"Such a trivial attack."
Under normal circumstances, 6800 points of battle damage would have sent any duelist flying without mercy. Yet Supreme King Jaden, standing within the barrier, simply allowed the shockwaves to wash over him as though nothing had happened.
"Jaden — no, this Supreme King guy — is he just doing whatever he wants because of his Life Points now?" Minazuki complained indignantly.
"Supreme King… Jaden-sama?" Blair stared blankly at him and murmured softly, "He feels so cool… Supreme King Jaden-sama."
"Right? Right?" For once, Akasha actually agreed with Blair's assessment. "Compared to the usual airheaded Jaden, this version definitely gives off a cold and serious impression."
"But I still prefer him the way he normally is…" Syrus muttered weakly.
"Of course I prefer the normal Jaden too," Akasha added. "I just think that if he showed a bit more of this cool, stern side in everyday life, he'd probably be more popular. I mean, Jaden's face isn't bad-looking at all, right~?"
"P-Popular?!! As expected, Senpai Akasha is Blair's rival in love! It's completely exposed now!"
Blair suddenly sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, glaring at Akasha as though facing a mortal enemy.
"Don't get so worked up. The 'like' I meant is probably the same kind of 'like' that Syrus was talking about."
"The same kind of 'like' that I meant…" Syrus scratched his cheek awkwardly, a light blush on his face.
"(╯°Д°)╯ Why the hell are you blushing?!"
"I can't believe even Senpai Syrus is one of Blair's rivals in love!"
"— I set 2 cards and end my turn!"
As Hoshino Alter's turn ended, the Noble Phantasm of Cú Chulainn concluded, and Testament Form Illya's ATK returned to normal.
[Illya Testament Form ATK: 3800 → 1000]
[Hoshino Alter: 2 Hand Cards | 2 Set Cards]
"My turn. Draw!"
The turn changed. Drawing a card from his Duel Disk, the Supreme King glanced at the cards Jaden had held in hand from the previous turn.
"I activate the Spell Card — Convert Contact!"
He threw the Spell Card into the Duel Disk. This was clearly one of the additional cards Jaden had acquired through Neos's effect during the previous turn.
"When I control no monsters, I send one Neo-Spacian monster from my hand and one from my Deck to the Graveyard, then draw 1 card. After that, I draw additional cards equal to the number of cards on my opponent's field!"
"Then I activate the Spell Card Graceful Charity!"
The Neo Space cards Jaden used apparently held little value in the Supreme King's eyes.
After rapidly replenishing his hand with five fresh cards, the Supreme King activated another Spell Card, filtering his hand even further and converting all cards representing the Light of the New Universe into the Darkness of the Evil Heroes.
"Hmph. With these heroes stained black by darkness, I shall deliver defeat to Hoshino Chiyuki!"
He placed the Spell Card Fusion into the Duel Disk. Twin beams of dark fusion energy burst up from the ground before the Supreme King and merged into one.
"I activate the effect of Dark Fusion! I fuse Elemental HERO Avian and Elemental HERO Burstinatrix from my hand!"
"Avian and Burstinatrix? Isn't that the recipe for the overworked Flame Wingman?" Hoshino Alter raised an eyebrow as she tried to recall.
"Witness it, Hoshino Chiyuki! The dark side of the Elemental Heroes that can only be awakened through Dark Fusion… There is no justice in this world. Even heroes will fall into the abyss!"
Slamming the Fusion Monster onto the Duel Disk in Attack Position, the Supreme King declared:
"— Dark Fusion Summon! Evil HERO Infernal Wing!"
[Evil HERO Infernal Wing ★★★★★★ (Level 6)][FIRE][Fiend/Fusion/Effect][ATK 2100/DEF 1200]
["Elemental HERO Avian" + "Elemental HERO Burstinatrix"]
Spreading a pair of magnificent black wings, Evil HERO Infernal Wing made its appearance. Unlike Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, whose Fusion form possessed a distinctly male physique, Infernal Wing was clearly more feminine in appearance, having inherited more traits from Burstinatrix.
"Now's the time! The effect of Illya Testament Form activates!"
[You can only use either Effect ① or ② of this card once per turn. This effect can also be activated during your opponent's turn. ②: Return 1 "Alter" monster from your Graveyard to your hand, then destroy 1 monster on the field.]
"I return Heroic Spirit – Cú Chulainn Alter, which I sent to the Graveyard with Illya's effect last turn, to my hand — and destroy your Dark Fusion Summoned Evil HERO Infernal Wing!"
Gathering the power of Alter's darkness once more, translucent black energy wings spread out behind Illya Testament Form.
"— Take this! The explosion of dark elements! Quintet Fire Saturation Bombardment!!"
A destructive surge of energy erupted from the black Ruby in Illya's hands and rushed toward the Evil HERO Infernal Wing summoned through the Supreme King's Dark Fusion.
"Too naive, Hoshino Chiyuki! An attack of that level cannot affect a Hero of Darkness!"
With a wave of his hand, Supreme King Jaden ordered Infernal Wing to counterattack. A storm of wind and fire erupted, canceling out Illya Testament Form's Quintet Fire Saturation Bombardment.
"Monsters summoned by Dark Fusion cannot be destroyed by your card effects this turn. Now I continue!"
After extinguishing Illya's attack, Supreme King Jaden threw down another Spell Card and opened the hidden Field Zone of his Duel Disk.
"— I activate the Spell Card Terraforming!"
[Effect: Add 1 Field Spell from your Deck to your hand.]
"I add the Field Spell Supreme King's Castle to my hand and activate it immediately! Rise, Castle of Dark Destruction!"
Raising his Duel Disk containing the Field Spell, a horrifying, grotesque fortress of darkness erupted from the ground behind the Supreme King.
"At the same time, I activate the effect of Evil HERO Sinister Necrom, which was sent to the Graveyard by Graceful Charity!"
[You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 "Evil HERO" monster from your hand or Deck, except "Evil HERO Sinister Necrom".]
"Descend! I Special Summon Evil HERO Hell Gainer from my Deck, then banish it as a sacrifice, turning it into dark power to infuse Evil HERO Infernal Wing!"
[Evil HERO Hell Gainer ★★★★ (Level 4)][EARTH][Fiend/Effect][ATK 1600/DEF 0]
[During your Main Phase, you can banish this face-up card on the field, then target 1 Fiend monster you control. That monster can attack twice during the same Battle Phase.]
Hell Gainer flashed across the Supreme King's field, leaving only a black afterimage that overlapped with Infernal Wing.
"This turn, my Evil HERO Infernal Wing can attack twice! Burn, flames of dark vengeance!"
With the enhanced Infernal Wing entering the Battle Phase, Jaden locked onto Hoshino Alter's Illya — with its 1000 ATK — as his first target.
And because Illya had already used Effect ② to destroy a card this turn, Effect ① — sending an Alter monster from the Deck to the Graveyard to gain ATK — could no longer be activated.
"Be annihilated by the power of this dark hero! — Infernal Flames!"
"The moment it becomes an attack target, Magical Girl – Illya Testament Form activates its effect!"
[When this card becomes the target of an opponent's effect or attack, target 1 "Alter" monster you control other than this card. The correct target is changed to that monster.]
"I use Illya's effect to redirect Evil HERO Infernal Wing's attack to Heroic Spirit – Mysterious Heroine X Alter!"
[Mysterious Heroine X Alter ATK: 3000]
"X Alter's 3000 ATK is higher than Infernal Wing's 2100 ATK!"
"Heh. Since I used Hell Gainer's effect this turn to grant Infernal Wing two attacks, I naturally have no intention of letting even one of your monsters escape!"
A cold smile crossed Supreme King Jaden's face as he activated the effect of the Field Spell Supreme King's Castle, spreading terrifying darkness across the battlefield.
[Supreme King's Castle Effect: Once per turn, when your Fiend monster battles an opponent's monster, you can send 1 "Evil HERO" monster from your Deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard during damage calculation. That monster gains ATK equal to the sent monster's Level × 200 until the end of the turn.]
"I activate Supreme King's Castle and send the Level 7 Evil HERO Malicious Edge from my Deck to the Graveyard, increasing Evil HERO Infernal Wing's ATK by 1400!"
[Evil HERO Infernal Wing ATK: 2100 → 3500]
Having absorbed Hell Gainer's power and overlaid the phantom image of Malicious Edge's weapon onto its wings, Infernal Wing evolved into its complete form and came crashing toward White Star's field.
"That ATK increase still isn't enough, Supreme King Jaden!"
Hoshino Alter immediately activated X Alter's effect. The crimson lightsaber met Infernal Wing's charge head-on, carving dazzling arcs through the flames.
"When Heroic Spirit – Mysterious Heroine X Alter battles a monster with a lower Level than itself, this card's ATK doubles!"
[Mysterious Heroine X Alter ATK: 3000 → 6000]
"Counterattack, X Alter!!"
"Roar, HERO!!"
At the instant White Star declared her counterattack, Supreme King Jaden revealed a second card in his Graveyard — Makyura the Destructor — allowing him to activate a Trap Card directly from his hand.
"— I activate the Trap Card Prideful Roar!!"
[Effect: During damage calculation, if your monster battles an opponent's monster with a higher ATK: Pay LP equal to the difference in ATK; your monster gains ATK equal to that difference +300, during damage calculation only.]
"The difference between Infernal Wing and Mysterious Heroine X Alter is 2500 ATK! I'll pay that amount with my Life Points! AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
[Supreme King Jaden LP 15100 → 12600]
[Evil HERO Infernal Wing ATK: 3500 → 6300]
Combining the powers of Hell Gainer, Malicious Edge, and Supreme King Jaden's own life force, the ultimate four-in-one Evil HERO Infernal Wing was born — its jet-black wings like those of a firebird risen from the abyss itself, setting the entire battlefield ablaze.