It is Round 12, and both of our featured Duelists are 8-3 and need to win their last few rounds to have a chance at making it into the Top 8. 

Marshall Marengo is from Los Angeles, California, and is just excited to be at his first YCS! Jeremy Glassman is from Seattle, Washington, and earlier this year got 2nd place at the TEAM YCS. He’s eager to get to the finals of this YCS, and he still has a shot at it!

Glassman is using a pure Mitsurugi Deck like so many other Duelists this weekend. Marengo, on the other hand, is mixing Mitsurugi with Ogdoadic Monsters! With slightly different Mitsurugi strategies, both Duelists have one common end goal: winning.

Duel 1:

Glassman won the dice roll and chose to start the match.

Glassman activated Pre-Preparation of Rights, and Marengo Chained Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! Glassman used Mitsurugi Prayers and added Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. He used Habakiri’s effect, Marengo Chained Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Glassman Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji. He used its effect and added Mitsurugi Ritual, then used it to Ritual Summon Habakiri from his hand. He sent Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from his Deck as the Ritual Materials. Glassman activated both Serpent and Kusanagi’s effects in the Graveyard, Special Summoning the Serpent and adding back his Ritual Spell.

Glassman activated Mitsurugi Ritual again to Ritual Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck by Tributing Habakiri. He used Habakiri’s effect and added Mitsurugi Great Purification. He then Set 2 cards and ended his turn.

Marengo had Mitsurugi Mirror; Nibiru, the Primal Being; Nephilabyss, the Ogdoadic Overlord; Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands; and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa in his hand. He drew Mitsurugi Ritual at the start of his turn

Marengo Normal Summoned Manju and tried to use its effect. Glassman Chained Murakumo’s effect, Marengo chose to send Nibiru from his hand to the Graveyard so that he could add Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi to his hand with Manju’s effect. He then activated Mitsurugi Ritual and was stopped by Glassman’s Dominus Impulse! Marengo activated Habakiri’s effect but it was stopped when Glassman Chained his Great Purification and Tributed his Habakiri. Glassman activated Habakiri’s effect and Special Summoned it while adding Mitsurugi Prayers to his hand.

Marengo activated Mitsurugi Mirror and Tributed Nephilabyss for Habakiri. He used Habakiri and Manju to Link Summon Reptillianne Echidna, he activated Echidna’s effect and targeted the Murakumo, Glassman Chained Mitsurugi Magatama and Tributed his Murakumo.

Knowing what was about to happen, Marengo chose to save time and conceded the first Duel.

Duel 2:

Marengo opted to go first in the second Duel. His opening hand was Mitsurugi Mirror; Mitsuguri no Miko, Wousu; Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant; Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa; and Droll & Lock Bird.

Marengo Normal Summoned Aramasa and used its effect to add Habakiri, he then activated Habakiri. With Habakiri’s effect, Marengo Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji. He activated Saji’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual. Marengo activated it and Ritual Summoned Habakiri from his hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant from his Deck. He used Kusanagi’s effect to add back his Ritual Spell, then used it to Ritual Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck by Tributing the Habakiri. He activated Habakiri’s effect to add Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi and Special Summon itself back. Marengo then activated Mitsurugi Mirror and Tributed Murakumo to Ritual Summon Futsu in Defense Position. He used Murakumo’s effect and added Mitsurugi Prayers and Special Summoned Murakumo back to the field. 

Marengo activated the effect of Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant, and sent Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light from his Deck to the Graveyard. He used Habakiri and Aramasa to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose, used Lizardose’s effect, and banished Aramasa to target itself and draw an Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Marengo then used Keurse’s effect and Tributed Futsu to Special Summon itself back to the field. He activated Futsu’s effect and Chained Keurse’s effect to target the Nauya in his Graveyard. He Special Summoned both monsters to his field and added Mitsurugi Great Purification from his Deck to his hand. Marengo then activated Nauya’s effect and added Ogdoadic Daybreak. He activated Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant’s effect, and Special Summoned it from the Graveyard before using it and Nauya to Link Summon Alien Shocktrooper M-Frame under his Lizardose!

Then, Marengo used Lizardose and Murakumo to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn in the opposite Extra Monster Zone. He activated Daybreak and Tributed Keurse to Special Summon 3 Ogdoadic Tokens. Marengo used a Token and Unicorn to Link Summon A Bao A Qu, the Lightless Shadow, then used 2 more Tokens to Link Summon I:P Masquerena! He banished Daybreak to put Nunu back in his Deck and sent Nephilabyss, the Ogdoadic Overlord from his Deck to the Graveyard. He activated A Bao A Qu’s effect and banished it to bring back Nephilabyss, then used Nephilabyss’ effect to Special Summon back his Haggard Lizardose. Marengo used Nephilabyss and Lizardose to Link Summon Cosmic Slicer Zer’oll, and he activated its effect to add Planet Pollutant Virus!

Marengo proceeded to Set 3 cards and ended his turn; he brought back his A Bao A Qu in the End Phase.

Glassman drew for turn and activated Dark Ruler No More! Marengo Chained Great Purification and Tributed Futsu; he used Futsu’s effect and Chained Mitsurugi Mirror. He returned the Mirror to the Deck, and Futsu came back to the field and added Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa to his hand.

Glassman activated Pot of Prosperity and banished 6 cards. He revealed and added Habakiri. Marengo activated Droll & Lock Bird. Unable to play through without additional searches, Glassman picked up his cards and started siding for the final Duel!

Duel 3:

Both Duelists joked around while shuffling that they would hope their opponent had the best possible opening hand for the final Duel of the match.

Glassman chose to start things off. He activated Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi’s effect, Marengo Chained Mulcharmy Fuwalos! He Special Summoned and Tributed his Saji, then used Saji’s effect to get Mitsurugi Ritual! Marengo activated Droll and Lock Bird! Glassman Chained Mitsurugi Prayers and added Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi to his hand!

Glassman activated Ritual to bring out Murakumo from his hand. From his Deck, he Tributed Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, and he activated both of their effects. Night Sword Serpent hit the field in Defense Position, and Kusanagi’s effect added back Prayers. He then used Serpent and Murakumo to Link Summon Dyna Mondo. Glassman Set 2 cards and ended his turn.

Marengo started his turn with Nephilabyss, the Ogdoadic Overlord; Crossout Designator; Mitsurugi Prayers; and Nunu, the Ogdoadic Remnant. He drew and activated Snake Rain to start his turn! Marengo discarded Nephilabyss to send Keurse, the Ogdoadic Light and 3 copies of Nauya, the Ogdoadic Remnant from his Deck to the Graveyard. He then activated Nunu’s effect and sent Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from his Deck to the Graveyard. Marengo activated the effect of his Nephilabyss and Special Summoned it back to the field. Glassman activated Dyna Mondo’s effect to Special Summon his Murakumo, but Marengo Chained Crossout Designator and declared Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi! While Glassman Special Summoned his Murakumo, Marengo banished his. 

Marengo activated Nunu’s effect and then activated Nephilabyss’ effect and tried to bring back his Aramasa. Glassman Chained Mitsurugi Prayers and Tributed his Habakiri. Marengo Chained his own Prayers and added Habakiri. Glassman added Aramasa and Special Summoned back Kusanagi while losing 800 LP. In a new Chain, Marengo activated Aramasa, Glassman Chained Kusanagi to add back his Prayers, then he Chained Droll & Lock Bird (since Glassman had just added his own Aramasa to the hand).

Marengo activated Keurse and Tributed his Nunu to Special Summon it from the Graveyard, and Glassman Chained his Set Dominus Impulse! He paused for a moment while thinking over his next play, then had Nephiliabyss attack Kusanagi. In his Main Phase 2, Marengo Link Summoned Alien Shocktrooper M-Frame using Nephiliabyss and Aramasa. Then he passed his turn!

Glassman drew to start his turn and activated Mitsurugi Mirror! He Tributed Murakumo for Habakiri and activated Murakumo’s effect. Glassman added Mitsurugi Ritual and Special Summoned Murakumo. Murakumo’s effect was activated to destroy Shocktrooper. 

Glassman activated his Ritual and Ritual Summoned Murakumo from his Deck by Tributing Habakiri. He used Habakiri’s effect, brought it back to the field, and Marengo conceded!

Jeremy Glassman wins in Round 12 with his Mitsurugi Deck!