"Are you sure we'll find him here?" Alex asked, looking visibly shaken.
"Yes," Luna replied, scanning the Academy's campus park. "Every attack happened right here. And Leo's refusal to come with us only makes it more suspicious."
"It definitely supports the theory that he's HellKing," Alex added.
Suddenly, a cry rang out. The two rushed toward the sound, arriving just in time to see another top-tier student collapse unconscious before the masked duelist.
"Weak!" the man muttered, looking down at his victim.
"Stop right there!" Luna shouted.
The masked duelist turned to face her. "Back for a rematch?"
"You can count on it," Luna said, snapping her Duel Disk into place.
"Actually," Alex intervened, "we came to unmask you!"
HellKing began to laugh—a cold, hollow sound. After a moment, he stopped and tapped the side of his mask with a finger. "This mask cannot be removed in the presence of others unless I am defeated. Such is the curse of the Mask of Power."
"You think I care about your curses?" Luna said firmly. "I'm here to win and tear that mask off myself. It's the only way to see if you're really Leo or not."
"An interesting theory," HellKing remarked. "If that's all you have to say, then let us begin. I'll grant you the first move."
With that, he reached into his Duel Disk and pulled out his Extra Deck. He took only Red Dragon Archfiend and placed the other fourteen cards into a deck box at his belt.
"DUEL!"
(Luna: 4000 LP | HellKing: 4000 LP)
Luna took a deep breath. She had to be precise this time. One mistake and it would all be over.
"My turn!" she announced. "I activate the effect of Zeradias, Herald of Heaven to add The Sanctuary in the Sky to my hand, and I activate it! Now, come forth, Warrior of Zera (1600/1600)!"
"Making the same mistake again? Archlord Zerato won't save you this time."
"Last time, I misunderstood the story," Luna countered. "Zera earned the title of Archlord, but I gave it to him from the start without letting him prove his worth. While the Sanctuary is on the field, I Special Summon The Agent of Entropy - Uranus (2200/1200)! Uranus's effect lets me send The Agent of Wisdom - Mercury to the GY to change its Level from 5 to 4. Now, Synchro Summon! Witness Zera's first evolution: Angel of Zera (2800/2300)!"
"The story?" the masked man mused. "It seems you've gained a new perspective. But how will it save you?"
"You'll see. I set two cards and end my turn!"
"My move. Draw! It's time for you to face the fury of the flame. I activate Crimson Gaia!"
"Not so fast! I activate my Quick-Play Spell: Mystical Space Typhoon! I destroy Crimson Gaia!" A violent vortex tore the card apart. Luna looked satisfied. "That stops your infernal combo before it even starts."
"Just because you destroyed my Spell doesn't mean my dragon won't appear," HellKing said calmly.
"What?"
"I Normal Summon Red Resonator (600/200). Next, I trigger the effect of Red Warg in my hand! Since I Normal Summoned a 'Resonator' monster, I can Special Summon this card by halving its Attack!" (Red Warg: 1400 → 700 ATK). "Now, I tune Level 6 Red Warg with Level 2 Red Resonator! Synchro Summon! Rise, Red Dragon Archfiend! Attack that angel! Absolute Powerforce! Burn in the flames of hell!"
"I don't think so! The effect of The Sanctuary in the Sky prevents any battle damage to the controller of a Fairy-type monster!" (Luna: 4000 LP).
"Even so, your Angel of Zera is destroyed. I set two cards and end my turn."
"My move! Draw! I banish The Agent of Wisdom - Mercury from my Graveyard to Special Summon... Master Hyperion (2700/2100)! Next, Hyperion's effect! By banishing Angel of Zera from my GY, I can destroy one card you control. I choose Red Dragon Archfiend!"
"I activate my Trap: Red Cocoon!" HellKing shouted. "I equip it to Red Dragon Archfiend. If it would be destroyed, this card is destroyed instead!"
"Hyperion's effect can be used twice per turn as long as The Sanctuary in the Sky is on the field! I destroy your dragon again!" The dragon shattered into pieces. "Now, Hyperion, direct attack!" (HellKing: 4000 → 1300 LP).
I only have one card left in my hand, and so does he, Luna thought. This is it. "I end my turn!"
"The effect of Red Cocoon activates in the Graveyard," HellKing said, a dark aura radiating from him. "During the End Phase of the turn it was sent there, if I have a 'Red Dragon Archfiend' in my GY, I can Special Summon it! Return to me, Red Dragon Archfiend!"
The dragon returned with a roar that shook the arena. Alex watched in horror—after all that effort to destroy it, the beast returned as if it were nothing.