Nicolas Ortiz from Tampa, Florida took third place at YCS Fort Worth in 2019 and has been trying to break his personal record ever since. Now, he’s here at YCS Pittsburgh with his Sky Striker Deck, looking for a YCS trophy. His opponent, Logan Johnson from Seattle, Washington took second place a few years ago at YCS Indianapolis, and like Ortiz, he’s trying to do better than he ever has before. Johnson is using a Branded Dracotail Deck featuring The Fallen & The Virtuous, which was just released in THE CHRONICLES DECK: The Fallen & The Virtuous (All-Foil Edition). Ortiz and Johnson both have 4-0 records and are now paired against one another in this Round 5 Feature Match! It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Johnson started off Duel 1 by Setting 2 cards to his back row and ending his turn.

Ortiz opened up Duel 1 with Called by the Grave, Reinforcement of the Army, Triple Tactics Talent, The Black Goat Laughs, and Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon. He drew Forbidden Droplet for his turn and then activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Sky Striker Ace – Raye from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and then sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Hayate. He entered his Battle Phase and then Johnson flipped The Fallen & The Virtuous, targeting Hayate by sending Albion the Branded Dragon from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. He destroyed Hayate, and Johnson activated Raye’s effect to try to Special Summon it. Johnson Chained Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion’s effect from his hand, but Ortiz Chained Called by the Grave to banish the Ghost Belle and negate its effect! Ortiz Special Summoned the Raye and attacked directly, then used Raye’s effect to Tribute it and Special Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero to the Extra Monster Zone. He used its effect to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to his hand and then attacked directly with Zero. In Main Phase 2 he activated Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon to banish Albion. Next, he activated Engage to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage! from his Deck to his hand and draw another Droplet. He activated Linkage and Johnson Chained Dracotail Horn to return Zero to the Extra Deck, causing Linkage to resolve without effect. Next, Ortiz activated Thrust to Set an Engage from his Deck to his back row. He Set The Black Goat Laughs and Forbidden Droplet and then ended his turn.

Johnson drew a card and conceded, disappointed by the cards he had drawn in the first Duel.

Nicolas Ortiz easily wins the first Duel of the Match with his Sky Striker Deck! Johnson chose to go second in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Ortiz opened up Duel 2 with Mystical Space Typhoon, Sky Striker Ace – Roze, Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones, Triple Tactics Talent, and Sky Striker Mecha – Eagle Booster.

He activated Hornet Drones in the Draw Phase to Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace Token and then activated the effect of Roze in his hand to Special Summon the Roze. Johnson activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos while still in the Draw Phase, and then Ortiz entered his Main Phase. He used his 2 monsters to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero and used its effect to add an Engage from his Deck to his hand. He activated it to add a Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand and then Set the Eagle Booster, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Widow Anchor. He tried to leave his Main Phase, but Johnson activated the effect of Dracotail Faimena in his hand to fuse together Dracotail Mululu and Dracotail Pan and Summon Dracotail Arthalion. He used Arthalion’s effect to add Mululu and Faimena from his Graveyard to his hand; used Pan’s effect to Set Dracotail Flame from his Deck and destroy Zero; and used Mululu’s effect to Set Rahu Dracotail from his Deck. Ortiz activated Triple Tactics Talent to draw Forbidden Droplet and Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero next. He activated Area Zero and then used its effect by targeting his face-down Eagle Booster. He added a Shark Cannon from the top of his Deck to his hand and sent the Eagle Booster from his field to the Graveyard. He Set the Shark Cannon and Droplet before ending his turn.

Johnson drew a card and then Ortiz flipped Mystical Space Typhoon in the Standby Phase to destroy the face-down Rahu Dracotail. But Johnson activated another copy from his hand! He added Dracotail Urgula to his hand and fused it with Mululu to Summon another Arthalion. He used Arthalion’s effect to try to return Pan from his Graveyard to his hand and Chained the effects of Mululu and Urgula. Ortiz Chained Widow Anchor to try to negate the effect of the newly Summoned Arthalion. Johnson Chained Dracotail Flame to try to negate the Widow Anchor, but Ortiz flipped Forbidden Droplet by sending Widow Anchor to the Graveyard so that the Widow Anchor wouldn’t be negated. Next, Ortiz Chained Shark Cannon to the Droplet, targeting Urgula, and Johnson Chained the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion to negate the Shark Cannon. As the Chain resolved, Droplet negated the effect of one Arthalion and halved its ATK; Widow Anchor negated the effect of the newly Summoned Arthalion and took control of it; and Johnson Set Ketu Dracotail and Dracotail Sting from his Deck with the effects of Mululu and Urgula. Next, Johnson flipped Ketu Dracotail to add Dracotail Lukias to his hand and fused it with a Mululu in his hand to Summon Secreterion Dragon. He used Lukias’s effect to Set Dracotail Horn from his Deck and then used Secreterion Dragon’s effect to return a Mululu from his Graveyard to his Deck and Special Summon Lukias. He used Lukias’s effect to add a Pan from his Deck to his hand. He activated the effect of Dracotail Faimena in his hand next, fusing Lukias from his field with Pan from his hand. He Summoned Dracotail Gulamel and used Pan’s effect to Set Ketu Dracotail from his Deck and destroy the Arthalion on Ortiz’s field. Next, he used Urgula’s effect in the Graveyard to return Urgula to his Deck and return Faimena from his Graveyard to his hand. Direct attacks from Arthalion, Gulamel, and Secreterion Dragon dropped Ortiz down to 700 Life Points.

Ortiz drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Set it. Next, he activated Area Zero’s effect targeting the face-down Ash Blossom. Johnson Chained Sting followed by Gulamel’s effect destroying the face-down Ash Blossom. Area Zero’s effect still resolved, but when Ortiz excavated The Black Goat Laughs and 2 copies of Triple Tactics Thrust from the top of his Deck with its effect, he immediately conceded.

The Match is going to a third and final Duel, and Ortiz chose to go first!

Duel Three

Ortiz opened up Duel 3 with The Black Goat Laughs, Sky Striker Ace – Raye, Radiant Typhoon Vision, Called by the Grave, and Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor. He activated Radiant Typhoon Vision in the Draw Phase to draw Forbidden Droplet and Spiritual Water Art – Aoi and discard Widow Anchor. He Normal Summoned Raye next and activated Raye’s effect to Special Summon Zero from his Extra Deck. He activated Zero’s effect to add an Engage from his Deck to his hand and then activated Engage to add Linkage from his Deck to his hand. He activated Linkage to send Zero to the Graveyard and Special Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. He used Kagari’s effect to return Engage from his Graveyard to his hand and activate it. He added a Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand and drew another Engage from his Deck! He immediately activated the Engage to add Linkage from his Deck to his hand and draw Sky Striker Ace – Roze from his Deck. He sent Kagari to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku and then Set Spiritual Water Art, The Black Goat Laughs, Linkage, and Widow Anchor. He tried to leave his Main Phase, and when Johnson activated the effect of Faimena, Ortiz Chained Called by the Grave to banish Faimena and negate its effect! In the End Phase, Ortiz added Sky Striker Special Maneuver – Lemnisgate! from his Deck to his hand with Shizuku’s effect. He activated it to send the 2 Link Monsters in his Graveyard and 2 of the Spells in his Graveyard back to the Deck.

Johnson drew a card and Ortiz flipped Spiritual Water Art by Tributing Shizuku. He looked at Johnson’s hand of Faimena, Ash Blossom, Lukias, and 2 copies of Rahu Dracotail and sent the Lukias to the Graveyard. In the Main Phase, Johnson activated Rahu Dracotail and Ortiz Chained The Black Goat Laughs, declaring Dracotail Arthalion. Johnson added Dracotail Urgula to his hand and fused it with the Faimena in his hand to Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He activated Urgula’s effect in a new Chain, and Ortiz Chained his face-down Linkage, followed by Widow Anchor targeting Gulamel. As the Chain resolved, he took control of Gulamel and then sent it to the Graveyard with Linkage to Summon Kagari. Johnson Set Ketu Dracotail from his Deck with Urgula’s effect and Ortiz activated the effects of Kagari and the Roze in his Graveyard as Chain Links 1 and 2 respectively. He Special Summoned Roze and returned an Engage from his Graveyard to his hand with Kagari’s effect. Next, he banished Lemnisgate from his Graveyard to activate its effect. He sent Kagari and Roze to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero and then activated Zero’s effect by Tributing it; but Johnson negated the effect with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Johnson activated Ketu Dracotail next. He added Lukias from his Deck to his hand and then Normal Summoned it. He used Lukias’s effect to add Urgula from his Deck to his hand. Next, he used the effect of the Urgula in his Graveyard to return it to his Deck and bring Faimena back to his hand from the Graveyard. He attacked directly with Lukias and then ended his turn.

Ortiz drew Reinforcement of the Army and then activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Raye from his Deck to his hand. He activated Engage next. He added a Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand and then drew Area Zero from his Deck. He Normal Summoned Raye and then activated Area Zero. He used Area Zero’s effect by targeting Raye and then Chained Raye’s effect to Special Summon Zero from his Extra Deck. He excavated 3 cards that weren’t Sky Striker cards with Area Zero’s effect and then used Zero’s effect to add another Engage from his Deck to his hand. He activated it to add Linkage from his Deck to his hand and then draw Triple Tactics Talent from his Deck. He entered his Battle Phase and attacked Lukias with Zero to destroy it. Next, he activated Linkage to send Zero the Graveyard and Special Summon Kagari. He used Kagari’s effect to return Engage from his Graveyard to his hand and attacked directly with Kagari to drop Johnson down to 4500 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, he activated Engage to add a Shark Cannon from his Deck to his hand and draw a Widow Anchor. He Set 4 cards to his back row and then ended his turn.

Johnson activated Rahu Dracotail and Ortiz Chained the effect of The Black Goat Laughs in his Graveyard by banishing it and declaring Dracotail Arthalion, preventing Johnson from using the effect of Arthalion. Johnson fused Urgula with Mululu and activated their effects in Chain after Arthalion was Summoned. He Chained Gulamel’s effect to try to Special Summon it also, but lost out when Ortiz Chained Shark Cannon to banish Gulamel. Johnson Set Flame and Ketu with the effects of Urgula and Mululu and destroyed a face-down Widow Anchor. Next, he flipped Ketu to add Pan to his hand and fused Pan with Faimena to Summon Secreterion Dragon. He used the effects of Pan and Faimena to Set Horn and Ketu from his Deck. Next, he used his Secreterion Dragon’s effect, but lost out to Ortiz’s Widow Anchor that negated it and took control of Secreterion Dragon. Johnson returned Urgula from his Graveyard to his Deck to add Lukias from his Graveyard to his hand and then Normal Summoned it. He activated its effect, but lost out to Forbidden Droplet, which sent Secreterion to the Graveyard to negate its effect. Johnson Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Ortiz drew Upstart Goblin and Set it. He targeted it with Area Zero’s effect, but lost out on Area Zero’s effect to Dracotail Flame. Ortiz flipped the Upstart to draw a card and give Johnson 1000 Life Points, and Johnson activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird. Ortiz activated Triple Tactics Talent to take control of Arthalion and then entered his Battle Phase. Johnson used Horn to return Arthalion to the Extra Deck and then Kagari attacked and destroyed Lukias. In Main Phase 2, Ortiz Link Summoned Hayate, followed by another Kagari, and used Kagari’s effect to add a Widow Anchor from his Graveyard to his hand. He activated Triple Tactics Thrust next, setting Different Dimension Ground from his Deck to his field.

Johnson activated Ketu Dracotail and Ortiz Chained Different Dimension Ground. Johnson added Urgula from his Deck to his hand and fused it with an Ash Blossom in his hand to Summon Arthalion. He activated Arthalion’s effect by targeting a Lukias and an Ash Blossom in his Graveyard and Ortiz Chained Widow Anchor to negate Arthalion’s effect and take control of it. Next, Johnson activated Branded Fusion and fused together Fallen of Albaz and Phryxul in his Deck to Summon Albion the Branded Dragon. He activated its effect to Special Summon Khaos Starsource Dragon and used the Dragon’s effect to destroy Kagari and Arthalion, allowing Raye to return to the field with its effect. Johnson’s monsters attacked, and Raye was banished after it was destroyed in battle. After a flurry of back-and-forth plays, time in the round was called. With neither Duelist taking the win in the third Duel, both players received a loss for the round.

An unfortunate ending in Round 5 for both Nicolas Ortiz and Logan Johnson knocks them both down to 4-1 records.