We had 231 Duelists test their skills in the Ultimate Time Wizard Tournament here at YCS Providence, but only two remain! These Duelists are playing with the April 2010 format, an era of Synchro Monsters and often slower, more Trap Card heavy Decks like the ones we have here today. Hailing from Connecticut, we have Jonathan Gleason playing a Volcanic Black Garden Deck. He’s facing Anthony Valenti, a Gladiator Beast Duelist from Long Island. Let’s find out who will claim the GIANT Jinzo prize!

Duel 1

Gleason won the dice roll, starting with Thunder Dragon, Karma Cut, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, Gravekeeper’s Descendant, and Bottomless Trap Hole. He drew Card Destruction, and started by activating Thunder Dragon for two more copies of Thunder Dragon. He Set Dekoichi and Bottomless, then played Card Destruction. He drew Volcanic Shell, Torrential Tribute, Card Trooper, and Volcanic Rocket. Valenti discarded his hand as well, including his sole copy of Gladiator Beast Secutor.

Valenti played Reinforcement of the Army, adding Elemental HERO Stratos to his hand. He Normal Summoned it, and Gleason Chained Bottomless Trap Hole to banish it. Stratos’s effect put Elemental HERO Prisma in Valenti’s hand, and he Set one back row card.

Gleason drew Pot of Avarice, and flipped Dekoichi to draw Gravekeeper’s Spy. He Normal Summoned Card Trooper, sending Black Garden, Spy, and Starlight Road to the Graveyard. That was exactly enough to play Pot of Avarice, shuffling his monsters back to draw Blaze Accelerator and Bottomless Trap Hole. Dekoichi and Card Trooper attacked directly, dropping Valenti to 4700 Life Points. Gleason Set Bottomless to finish.

Valenti Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Darius, right into Gleason’s Bottomless Trap Hole.

Gleason drew Thunder Dragon and activated it, finding two more copies. Card Trooper sent Gold Sarcophagus, Avarice, and Solemn Judgment to the Graveyard. Gleason Normal Summoned Volcanic Rocket, adding another Blaze Accelerator to his hand. He attacked directly with Dekoichi, Card Trooper, and Volcanic Rocket to end the first Duel!

Valenti couldn’t get any footing due Gleason’s traps, but he’s got another chance after Side Decks are brought into the mix. He’ll be playing first in the second Duel.

Duel 2

Valenti Set a monster and a back row card.

Gleason started with Black Garden, two copies of Thunder Dragon, Raigeki Break, and Breaker the Magical Warrior, and he drew Pot of Avarice. He Normal Summoned Breaker, and it broke Valenti’s Trap Stun. He discarded Thunder Dragon to add his third copy to the hand. He activated Black Garden, then sent Breaker to attack over Valenti’s Gladiator Beast Bestiari. Gleason Set Raigeki Break to finish.

Valenti Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari and Special Summoned Test Tiger, triggering Black Garden each time. He used Test Tiger’s effect targeting Laquari, and Gleason Chained Raigeki Break, discarding a Thunder Dragon to destroy Laquari in response. Valenti Set one back row card.

Gleason drew Torrential Tribute. He attacked with Breaker and the Rose Tokens, then Set Torrential Tribute.

Valenti Normal Summoned Laquari, and Black Garden activated once more. He sent Laquari to attack a Rose Token, destroying it. He tagged Laquari out for Gladiator Beast Darius, which targeted Bestiari while triggering Black Garden. Bestiari hit the field with its effect negated, and Gleason filled his last Monster Zone with a Rose Token. Valenti used Darius and Bestiari to bring forth Gladiator Beast Gyzarus! Black Garden’s effect activated, but Gyzarus destroyed it before it could resolve – he did not target a second card, playing around the threat of Starlight Road.

Gleason drew Mirror Force. He Set it and switched all his monsters to Defense Position.

Valenti sent Gyzarus to attack Breaker, but lost it to Mirror Force. In Main Phase 2, he Normal Summoned Prisma. He activated its effect, revealing Gyzarus to send Bestiari to the Graveyard.

Gleason drew Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind. He sent one Rose Token to attack Prisma, clearing a space for him to then Normal Summon Gale. He used Gale’s effect to halve Prisma’s ATK, but Valenti Chained Torrential Tribute! The field was cleared, and Gleason passed.

Valenti Normal Summoned Rescue Cat, and used it to Special Summon Gladiator Beast Samnite and Test Tiger, but lost them to Gleason’s Torrential Tribute.

Gleason drew Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer! It attacked directly, banishing Bestiari and Gyzarus from the Graveyard!

Valenti had an empty hand, but drew and Special Summoned Cyber Dragon! It destroyed Kycoo in battle.

Gleason drew Bottomless. He Set it, then played Pot of Avarice to shuffle back his monsters, drawing Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and Thunder Dragon. He activated Thunder Dragon, adding one more to his hand. He Set Wind Blast, but in the End Phase, Valenti’s Dust Tornado destroyed it.

Valenti attacked directly with Cyber Dragon.

Gleason drew Card Destruction, replacing his two copies of Thunder Dragon with Volcanic Rocket and Solemn Judgment, while Valenti discarded a Test Tiger. He passed.

Valenti Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo, and attacked with both his monsters. He tagged out Murmillo for Gladiator Beast Equeste, which returned Samnite to his hand. He Set one back row card.

Gleason drew Black Garden. He Normal Summoned Volcanic Rocket, and it fell into Valenti’s Bottomless Trap Hole. Rocket’s effect put Blaze Accelerator in Gleason’s hand. He Set Solemn Judgment and Blaze Accelerator.

Valenti Normal Summoned Samnite, and Gleason flipped Bottomless Trap Hole. However, Valenti’s remaining monsters were enough to even the Match score!

Duel 3

Gleason played first this time, starting with Avarice, The Transmigration Prophecy, Breaker, Thunder Dragon, and Raigeki Break, drawing Mirror Force for the turn. He started with Thunder Dragon’s effect to get two more copies. He Normal Summoned Breaker, giving it a Spell Counter, and Set Raigeki Break.

Valenti Special Summoned Cyber Dragon. He sent it to attack, and Gleason used Raigeki Break, discarding a Thunder Dragon. Valenti Normal Summoned Prisma and activated its effect, revealing Gladiator Beast Heraklinos and sending Laquari to the Graveyard. He Set three back row cards.

Gleason drew Bottomless, and Valenti immediately flipped Book of Moon to turn Breaker face-down, removing the Spell Counter. Gleason Set Mirror Force, Bottomless, and Transmigration.

Valenti activated Prisma again, revealing Gyzarus to send Bestiari to the Graveyard. He Normal Summoned Samnite, and Gleason flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, but Valenti had My Body as a Shield! He used Prisma (borrowing Bestiari’s name) and Samnite for a Contact Fusion into Gyzarus! It targeted The Transmigration Prophecy, and Gleason Chained it to return Bestiari and Laquari from Valenti’s Graveyard to the Deck. Gyzarus attacked into Mirror Force. However, Valenti had Call of the Haunted! It revived Gyzarus, and its effect destroyed Breaker. Gyzarus attacked directly, then tagged out for Laquari in Attack Position and Secutor in Defense Position.

Gleason drew Mystical Space Typhoon. He Set it.

Valenti switched Secutor to Attack Position, and attacked directly. Laquari attacked next, dropping Gleason to 3100 Life Points. At the end of the Battle Phase, Secutor brought Bestiari and Gladiator Beast Retiari to the field. Retiari banished a Thunder Dragon, and Bestiari destroyed the Set Mystical Space Typhoon. Gleason Chained it, destroying Valenti’s Bottomless. Valenti used Retiari, Secutor, and Laquari to bring forth Gladiator Beast Heraklinos, with one card in his hand as fuel.

Gleason drew Volcanic Shell. He had Shell, Thunder Dragon, and Pot of Avarice, all the cards used to refuel his effects but with nothing to spend them on. He offered the handshake!

Anthony Valenti is your Ultimate Time Wizard winner, with Gladiator Beasts!