We’ve reached Round 6 here at the North America WCQ, and the competition is fierce! Duelists have been playing all day, each with the hope of making it to Day 2 and beyond. In this round’s Feature Match, we have two Decks that have consistently performed well all weekend long. Both of these Duelists have perfect 5-0 records, but only one of them will remain perfect after this round. We have Brian Serio piloting the Vanquish Soul Deck, a strategy that just received additional support in Duelist’s Advance, and we have Ivy Detemple playing the Mitsurugi Ogdoadic Deck, a unique strategy that takes advantage of the most powerful Reptile-type cards and support in the game. Let’s find out who will secure victory in the next round! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Serio opened with Vanquish Soul Razen, Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger, and two copies of D.D. Crow. 

Detemple won the die roll and chose to go first! She started by activating Pre-Preparation of Rites, searching for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Mitsurugi Ritual. Next, she activated the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then searched for Mitsurugi Ritual. She activated Ritual, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Night Sword Serpent from the Deck to Ritual Summon Habakiri, then activated the effect of Aramasa to search for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, but when she tried to add Mitsurugi Ritual back to hand, Serio banished it with the effect of D.D. Crow! Detemple then used Night Sword Serpent and Kusanagi to Xyz Summon King of the Feral Imps, and activated its effect to search for Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant. She discarded Nauya to send Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light to the Graveyard, then Tributed Habakiri to Special Summon Keurse. She Special Summoned back the Habakiri and searched for Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, but when she attempted to Special Summon back Nauya with the effect of Keurse, Selio used his second D.D. Crow to banish Nauya.  

Detemple then used Habakiri and King to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven. She used Moon to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then activated Requiem’s effect to Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears and send Fiendsmith Engraver to the Graveyard. She equipped Requiem to Lacrima, then sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon Necroquip Princess. She then activated the effect of Fiendsmith Engraver from her hand, discarding it to search for Fiendsmith’s Tract, then drew a card off of Necroquip’s effect. She Special Summoned Engraver by returning Moon to the Extra Deck. She used Engraver and Lurrie to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose, and banished Night Sword Serpent from her Graveyard to draw a card. She then activated Snake Rain, discarding Psy-Framegear Delta to send Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant, Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant, Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, and Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi from her Deck to the Graveyard. She used Murakumo, LIzardose, and Necroquip to Link Summon A Bao A Qu, the Lightless Shadow, then activated A Bao’s effect, discarding another Delta to Special Summon Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant! She activated Nauya’s effect to search for Ogdoadic Daybreak, activated Daybreak and Tributed the Nauya to Special Summon two Ogdoadic Tokens, then used the two tokens to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. During the End Phase, A Bao returned to Detemple’s side of the field. 

Serio started by Normal Summoning Vanquish Soul Razen, but when he activated its effect, Detemple responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Here, Detemple activated Lacrima’s effect, attempting to Special Summon Requiem from the Graveyard. In response, Serio activated the effect of Borger, attempting to return Razen to his hand. Detemple activated the effect of A Bao as Chain Link 3, discard Ash Blossom to try and destroy a card on Serio’s side of the field, and Serio activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius as Chain Link 4! The Chain resolved with Detemple using the effect of A Bao to destroy Caesar and Requiem being summoned to the field. Detemple activated Requiem’s effect, Special Summoning back the Lacrima the Crimson Tears and sending Fiendsmith in Paradise to the Graveyard. Without any more ways to play through Detemple’s field, Serio conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Serio’s opening hand consisted of two copies of Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger, Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He started by Normal Summoning Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, but when he activated its effect, Detemple responded with Psy-Framegear Gamma! Serio activated the effect of Borger as Chain Link 3, Special Summoning Borger and returning Mad Love to hand, though Mad Love’s effect was negated, and Detemple Special Summoned both Psy-Framegear Gamma and Psy-Frame Driver from her hand. Next, Serio Special Summoned Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, then activated Hollie Sue’s effect to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Razen and search for Vanquish Soul Jiaolong. He used Razen to Link Summon Rock of the Vanquisher, activated Rock’s effect to add Razen back to hand, then used Borger’s effect to draw a card. This allowed him to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Jiaolong and search for Vanquish Soul Snow Devil. Finally, he Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

During Detemple’s Standby Phase, Serio activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Jiaolong, adding Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius to hand. Detemple activated Pre-Preparation of Rites, searching for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Mitsurugi Ritual. She activated the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, but when she activated its effect, Serio responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Detemple Normal Summoned Lacrima the Crimson Tears, sending Fiendsmith Engraver to the Graveyard. On resolution, Serio activated the effect of Hollie Sue, taking control of Detemple’s Lacrima! She followed up by activating Snake Rain, discarding Bystial Magnamhut, but Serio negated it with Solemn Judgment! Unable to make any more pushes, Detemple conceded the second Duel. We’re on to game three! 

Duel 3

Serio’s opening hand contained Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger, Vanquish Soul Snow Devil, Droll & Lock Bird, and two copies of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue. 

Detemple started her turn by activating Fiendsmith’s Tract, searching for and discarding Fabled Lurrie. She Special Summoned Lurrie from the Graveyard, as Serio Chained Droll & Lock Bird. Serio also activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, Special Summoning it, then activated its effect to take control of Lurrie. Detemple then activated Triple Tactics Talent, returning Serio’s Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger to the Deck. Next, she activated Snake Rain, discarding Fiendsmith Engraver and sending Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant, Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light, Night Sword Serpent, and Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant to the Graveyard. She Special Summoned Night Sword Serpent, then Special Summoned Keurse by Tributing Night Sword Serpent. She activated Keurse’s effect to Special Summon Nauya, as Serio Special Summoned Droll & Lock Bird. She then used Nauya and keurse to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, made Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then Special Summoned Lacrima the Crimson Tears from the Deck and sent Fiendsmith Engraver to the Graveyard. She Special Summoned back Engraver by returning the other copy of Engraver. Next, Detemple equipped Requiem to Engraver, then used Engraver to send Requiem and Droll & Lock Bird to the Graveyard. She used Lacrima and Engraver to Synchro Summon Chaos Angel and banish Hollie Sue, and in the End Phase, control of Fabled Lurrie was returned to Detemple. 

Serio drew D.D. Crow for turn! He Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. During the End Phase, Detemple activated the effect of Lacrima the Crimson Tears, returning it to the Deck, but Serio used the effect of D.D. Crow to banish Requiem!

Detemple started her turn by Tributing Fabled Lurrie to Special Summon Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light. She activated Keurse’s effect to Special Summon Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant, as Serio Special Summoned D.D. Crow. Detemple then Special Summoned Fiendsmith Engraver by returning Lurrie to the Deck, then used Engraver, Keurse, and Nunu to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn! She discarded Mitsurugi Mirror to try and return Serio’s backrow to the Deck, but Serio Chained the Vanquish Soul Snow Devil to inflict a small amount of damage to Detemple’s Life Points. She entered the Battle Phase, used Unicorn to attack D.D. Crow, and attacked directly with Chaos Angel. In Main Phase 2, she used Chaos Angel and Unicorn to Link Summon A Bao A Qu, the Lightless Shadow and ended her turn. 

Unfortunately, Serio drew another D.D. Crow for turn! He passed turn without making any plays. 

Detemple started off her turn by Special Summoning Bystial Baldrake. She entered the Battle Phase and attacked Selio’s Life Points directly with Baldrake and Chaos Angel, reducing them to zero. 

With that, Detemple takes the round, and moves on with a 5-0 record!