"Lastly—Chain Link 1!" the Starborn declared. "I activate Formula Synchron's effect! During the opponent's Main Phase, I can use it and other monsters I control to perform a Synchro Summon!"
The space around him cracked open like a rift in reality. A burst of light and force erupted from within as hyperspeed energy spiraled through a synchro-time corridor.
"I tune Formula Synchron, Level 2, with Stardust Spark Dragon, Level 8—total Level 10!"
"Will forged from stardust shall rise as a newborn star, becoming the path that shines with endless brilliance—"
"Accel Synchro—Ascend! Satellite Warrior!!"
— Satellite Warrior —Level: 10ATK: 2500
A satellite burst through the clouds, rocketing into the stratosphere. Once it broke through the upper atmosphere, it deployed twin stabilizer fins and transformed midair into a humanoid mecha draped in cosmic armor—its back bearing a radiant celestial cross.
"Upon being Synchro Summoned—Satellite Warrior's effect activates!" the Starborn shouted. "It destroys cards on your field equal to the number of Synchros in my Graveyard, and it gains 1000 ATK per card destroyed!"
"You've only got one monster—Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon. I target it for destruction!"
Li You's eyes glinted sharply. With a snap of the wrist, he slapped a card from his hand onto his duel disk.
"Not so fast! I activate the Trap Card—Spacetime Galaxy Spiral! Since I control Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, I can activate this card directly from my hand!"
"This turn, my Tachyon Dragon is unaffected by other card effects!"
Satellite Warrior's bombardment flopped.
From beneath the golden ziggurat, one of the observing tribespeople—a mop-haired man in ceremonial feathers—let out a baffled roar: "He activated a trap… FROM HIS HAND?! That's cheating!"
The Starborn's voice turned quiet and somber. "He even prepared for this… With no cards destroyed, Satellite Warrior can't gain any ATK."
Because the field state had changed—Tachyon remained unharmed—the turn rolled back to Main Phase 1.
Li You smiled faintly. "Out of tricks now, aren't you? In that case… I declare Battle Phase. Again."
This time, there was nothing left the Starborn could do.
Li You's eyes flashed. He pulled a material from beneath his dragon.
"At the start of the Battle Phase, I activate Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon's effect! By detaching one material—"
"All face-up cards on the field have their effects negated!"
"What? All of them?!" The Starborn gasped.
But he reacted fast.
"Chain! I activate Celestial Spark Dragon – Chronicle's first effect. By banishing Accel Synchro Stardust Dragon from my Graveyard, I protect Chronicle from all other card effects this turn!"
But Li You wasn't done.
"Chain Link 3! I activate another trap from my hand—Spacetime Galaxy Dominator!"
"Since I control Tachyon Dragon, I can detach one of its materials to activate this card from my hand!"
"I return ALL monsters Special Summoned this turn by my opponent to the Extra Deck!"
"Behold—the tyranny of the Tachyon Sovereign!"
Tachyon Dragon let out a world-shaking roar. Its body folded back into its original dark-gold inverted pyramid, time-space around it collapsing into distortion. The battlefield began to… rewind.
The Starborn's form flickered, distorted by the spiritual feedback slamming into him.
"You… You activated another trap FROM YOUR HAND?!"
Li You's gaze turned glacial. "Reverse chain resolution: Spacetime Galaxy Dominator resolves first. Your Satellite Warrior and Chronicle—both summoned this turn—return to the Extra Deck."
The Starborn's once-formidable field—so crowded with celestial power—was now barren.
He clenched his fists.
Both Satellite Warrior and Chronicle had "last breath" effects—they could bring back monsters from Grave or banished zones. But only when destroyed.
Returned to the Extra Deck? Nothing triggered.
And Li You wasn't done yet.
"As Tachyon Dragon's effect resolves—I also detached Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon as its material!"
"When Afterglow Dragon is detached during the Battle Phase, its effect activates!"
"From my Deck—I Special Summon one Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon! And then—my No. monster's ATK doubles!!"
— Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon: LV 8, ATK 3000— Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon: LV 8, ATK 3000
ROOOOOAR!!
Twin dragons bathed in the light of galaxies erupted onto the battlefield. They flanked Tachyon Dragon like divine sentinels of judgment.
— Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: ATK 6000
In an instant—the heavens turned over.
The Starborn had lost two of his strongest dragons, while Li You gained a third—AND pushed Tachyon to an absurd power level that made his enemy tremble.
The Starborn had only Stardust Warrior left. It still had a single shield of destruction immunity.
But… the tides had turned.
"Let's finish this!" Li You roared. "Tachyon Dragon, attack Stardust Warrior!"
"Obliteration Spiral of Spacetime!!"
But the Starborn hadn't given up just yet.
He tossed his last card down with defiance. "During the Damage Step—I activate the hand effect of Rush Warrior! My Stardust Warrior's ATK doubles to match yours—6000!"
"And don't forget—thanks to Stardust Spark, it can't be destroyed by battle this turn! So in the end, your dragon will fall!"
Stardust Warrior blazed with renewed energy, fueled by one last burst of allied support.
But Li You didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled.
"So you did have a hand trap hidden away."
"Now… take another look. What's my Tachyon Dragon's ATK at?"
The Starborn glanced up—and froze.
Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: ATK 7000
"What?! How?!"
Li You laughed. "Oops. Guess I 'forgot' to mention a little detail."
"Besides negating every card on the field, Tachyon Dragon has another effect—"
"During the Battle Phase, each time your opponent activates a card effect—Tachyon gains 1000 ATK… and an extra attack!"
The Starborn trembled, his entire body pulsing with shock.
You forgot to mention something THAT important?!