We’re almost at the end here on Day 1 of the North America WCQ! Duelists are hoping that they will make it to Day 2, where they will be able to earn additional prizes. For our Round 8 Feature Match, we have two Duelists that each have 6 wins and 1 loss. Derek Nguyen is from Toronto, Ontario, piloting the Mitsurugi Deck with a small Ryzeal engine. Trent Buras is from San Diego, California, and is playing the Vanquish Soul Deck, one that he has been playing ever since the theme debuted in Wild Survivors. Each Duelist needs the win  for the best possible chance to make it to Day 2, but only one will get the victory. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Nguyen’s opening hand consisted of Pre-Preparation of Rites, Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, Nibiru, the Primal Being, and two copies of Mitsurugi Prayers.

Buras won the die roll and chose to go first! He started by activating Pot of Extravagance, banishing 6 random cards from his Extra Deck and drawing 2 cards from his Deck. He then Normal Summoned Vanquish Soul Razen and searched for Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, then activated Reinforcements of the Army, searching for another copy of Razen. He Special Summoned Hollie Sue, activated its effect to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love from the Deck, and searched for Vanquish Soul, Start! He activated Start’s effect, targeting Razen and adding Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius to his hand. During the End Phase, he used Start’s effect to Set Vanquish Soul Snow Devil from his Deck, then ended his turn. 

Nguyen drew Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi for turn. In the Draw Phase, he activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his hand, allowing him to search for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Special Summon it. He used Aramasa and Murakumo’s effects to search for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Mitsurugi Ritual, respectively. In Main Phase 1, Nguyen activated the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then searching for Mitsurugi Magatama. He activated Pre-Preparation of Rites, adding Mitsurugi Mirror and another Habakiri to hand. Next, Nguyen activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Tributing the Habakiri in his hand to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck! In response, Buras responded with Vanquish Soul Snow Devil, and Nguyen activated the effect of Murakumo as Chain Link 4. On resolution, Buras discarded Mulcharmy Purulia so that his Vanquish Soul Snow Devil could resolve, and Snow Devil inflicted 1800 damage to Nguyen’s Life Points and prevented his monsters from being destroyed by Murakumo’s effect. Finally, Nguyen resolved the Habakiri’s effect to search for another copy of Mitsurugi Ritual.  

To follow up, Nguyen activated Mitsurugi Ritual again, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Night Sword Serpent from his Deck to Ritual Summon Futsu from hand. He added Aramasa back to hand and Special Summoned Night Sword Serpent, as Buras Chained the effect of Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, returning Razen to hand. He Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, then used Aramasa and Night Sword Serpent to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive! Here, Buras activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue to Special Summon another Vanquish Soul Razen from the Deck, and returned Hollie Sue to his hand to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius from hand. Nguyen activated Futsu’s effect, targeting the Saji in his Graveyard, but Buras activated Razen’s effect as Chain Link 2, searching for Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger, as well as D.D. Crow as Chain Link 3, banishing Saji! Nguyen attempted to activate the effect of Duo Drive, but Buras Chained the effect of Caesar to destroy Duo Drive and prevent it from resolving. He then activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Tributing Futsu to Ritual Summon Habakiri from the Graveyard. He attempted to activate the effect of the Tributed Futsu, but Buras responded with D.D. Crow, banishing it. Nguyen resolved Futsu as much as possible, searching for another copy of Mitsurugi Prayers, then entered the Battle Phase. He attacked Caesar with Habakiri, but Buras used the effect of Start to protect his monster from destruction. Finally, Nguyen Set 3 cards to his backrow. Buras Special Summoned Borger by returning Mad Love to hand, and in the End Phase, activated Borger’s effect to draw an additional card.

Buras started his turn by activating the effect of Caesar Valius, and Nguyen Chained Mitsurugi Magatama, Tributing Habakiri and destroying Vanquish Soul, Start! On resolution, Buras destroyed one of Nguyen’s face-down Mitsurugi Prayers. Nguyen shuffled Mitsurugi Mirror back into the Deck, then added it back to his hand and Special Summoned back Habakiri. Buras then Normal Summoned Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, choosing to not activate its effect, and Nguyen responded with Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing his Habakiri, searching for Mitsurugi Prayers, and Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from the Graveyard, as Buras activated Borger’s effect to inflict 1500 damage to Nguyen’s Life Points. Nguyen activated Murakumo’s effect, and Buras Chained the effect of Mad Love to return one of his monsters to hand. He also used the effect of Razen to prevent it from being destroyed. Finally, Buras Special Summoned Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue from hand. Staring down a field full of Vanquish Soul monsters, Nguyen conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Nguyen opened with Mitsurugi Ritual, Triple Tactics Talent, Night Sword Serpent, Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi, and Mitsurugi Great Purification. He started by activating Mitsurugi Ritual, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from his Deck to Special Summon Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi from hand. He used Aramasa and Saji to search for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Mitsurugi Prayers, respectively. Next, he activated the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Tributing Futsu. Nguyen attempted to add back Ritual with Kusanagi and search with Habakiri, but Buras Chained the effect of D.D. Crow, targeting Kusanagi. Nguyen responded with Mitsurugi Prayers as Chain Link 4, but Buras had a second D.D. Crow to activate as Chain Link 5, targeting Mitsurugi Ritual! When the Chain resolved, Nguyen added another copy of Mitsurugi RItual to his hand. He then activated Triple Tactics Talent, attempting to look at his opponent’s hand. However, Buras did not want to reveal a certain card that he had sided into his Deck, and chose to concede before revealing, and so we’re moving on to game three! 

Duel 3

Buras chose to go first in the final Duel. Nguyen’s opening hand contained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Ext Ryzeal. Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, Ice Ryzeal, and Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi. 

Buras started by activating the effect of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, Special Summoning it, then activated its other effect to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love. He activated Mad Love’s effect, but it was met with the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Next, Buras Normal Summoned Vanquish Soul Razen and searched for Vanquish Soul Jiaolong. He activated Razen’s effect to protect it, Special Summoned Jiaolong since a card was revealed, and revealed two more Fire Monsters in hand to use Jiaolong’s effect to search for Vanquish Soul, Start! He activated Start and used its effect to search for Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, Set Vanquish Soul Snow Devil to his backrow during the End Phase, and ended his turn. 

Nguyen drew Mitsurugi Magatama for turn! During the Draw Phase, Buras activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Jiaolong, searching for Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger. Nguyen entered the Main Phase, and began his turn by sending Mereologic Aggregator to the Graveyard to Special Summon Ext Ryzeal. He negated the effect of Vanquish Soul, Start! and searched for Sword Ryzeal, then Special Summoned Sword, though he didn’t activate its effect to search. Here, Buras activated Vanquish Soul Snow Devil, destroying Sword and Ext. To follow up, Nguyen Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal and Special Summoned another Ext from his Deck. On resolution, Buras activated the effect of Razen, attempting to destroy the Ice Ryzeal that was in its column. However, Nguyen Chained Mitsurugi Magatama, Tributing the Ice and Ext to Ritual Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi! However, Nguyen’s Vanquish Soul monsters could not be destroyed by card effects thanks to Snow Devil, and so Nguyen conceded the match. 

Buras wins the round and moves on with a 7-1 record! He is now one step closer to making it to Day 2 here at the North America WCQ!