TEAM YCS Las Vegas is about to begin! For this Round 1 Feature Match, we have Anthony Strebel of Team Magical Scientists, facing off against Christopher Lastarria of Team Bludhaven Boys. Lastarria will be piloting the popular Branded Dracotail strategy, while Strebel will be playing with his trusted Sky Striker Deck! Each of these Duelists is hoping to help their team secure a Round 1 victory. It’s time to Duel! 

Duel 1

Strebel won the die roll and chose to go first! He opened with Upstart Goblin, Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage!, Sky Striker Ace – Raye, Mulcharmy Fuwalos, and Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones. He began by activating Upstart Goblin and drawing a copy of The Fallen & The Virtuous. Next, he Normal Summoned Raye and activated its effect, Tributing it to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero from his Extra Deck, as Lastarria Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! However, when he activated Zero’s effect, Lastarria Chained the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. Strebel Set 3 cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Lastarria started his turn by activating Branded Fusion, sending Fallen of the White Dragon and Dracotail Phryxul to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Albion the Sanctifire Dragon! He activated Phryxul’s effect to Set Ketu Dracotail to his backrow, activated it to search for Dracotail Lukias, then used Lukias and Dracotail Urgula to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He used Gulamel’s effect to destroy Strebel’s face-down Linkage, used Urgula’s effect to Set Rahu Dracotail to his backrow and destroy Strebel’s The Fallen & The Virtuous, then Set Dracotail Horn to his backrow. He followed up by activating Rahu Dracotail, using Dracotail Faimena from hand and Dracotail Mululu from Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion. Strebel Chained the effect of Zero, Tributing it to Special Summon Raye and Sky Striker Ace – Roze from his Deck and destroying Lastarria’s face-down Horn, as Lastarria added Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion back to hand, Set Dracotail Sting and Dracotail Flame to his backrow, and negated Raye’s effect. 

Next, Lastarria added Faimena from his Graveyard back to his hand by returning Urgula to the bottom of his Deck, then entered the Battle Phase. He used Dracotail Arthalion  and Dracotail Gulamel to destroy Raye and Roze in battle, then attacked Strebel’s Life Points directly with Albion. Finally, he Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Strebel drew Forbidden Droplet for turn! He activated Hornet Drones, Special Summoning a Sky Striker Ace Token to his side of the field, but before he could do anything with it, Lastarria activated The Fallen & The Virtuous, sending Albion the Branded Dragon to the Graveyard to destroy the Token. Without any other ways to try and push through Lastarria’s board, Strebel conceded. 

Duel 2

Strebel chose to go first once again, this time opening with Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor, Triple Tactics Thrust, Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage!, and two copies of Radiant Typhoon Vision. To start his turn, Strebel activated Vision in the Draw Phase, drawing two cards and discarding Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor. He then activated a second copy of Vision, this time using its other effect to search for Mystical Space Typhoon. Next, he entered the Main Phase, Set a card to his backrow, then activated Linkage, as Lastarria activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Lastarria drew a card as Strebel sent Thrust to the Graveyard to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero and search for Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! He activated Engage, searching for Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon and drawing a card, then Set 4 cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Lastarria began his turn by activating Harpie’s Feather Duster! Strebel Chained Forbidden Crown, applying its effects to his own Zero, as all of the other cards in his backrow were destroyed. Lastarria then activated Branded Fusion, sending Fallen of the White Dragon and Dracotail Phryxul from his Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Albion the Sanctifire Dragon. He activated Phryxul’s effect to Set Ketu Dracotail to his backrow. He then activated Ketu to search for Dracotail Lukias, then used Lukias and White Dragon from his hand to Fusion Summon Secreterion Dragon, and activated Lukias’ effect to Set Rahu Dracotail to his backrow. Next, Lastarria activated Rahu, using Dracotail Urgula from hand and Dracotail Faimena from his Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion, adding Lukias back to hand and Setting Dracotail Sting and another Rahu to his backrow. He activated Urgula’s effect in the Graveyard, adding Faimena back to hand, then Normal Summoned Lukias and searched for Dracotail Mululu. Lastarria entered the Battle Phase and attacked Zero with Arthalion, Albion, and Secreterion, inflicting 3000 damage to Strebel’s Life Points, then proceeded to Main Phase 2. He activated Secreterion Dragon’s effect, returning Phryxul to his Deck and Special Summoning Fallen of the White Dragon. Finally, he used White Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous from his Deck, then Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Strebel drew The Fallen & The Virtuous for turn! He Normal Summoned Roze, and Lastarria activated Dracotail Horn, attempting to return Strebel’s Roze back to hand; Strebel Chained The Fallen & The Virtuous, attempting to destroy his own Roze, but Lastarria followed up with Dracotail Flame, negating The Fallen & The Virtuous! Lastarria then activated the effect of Ecclesia, Tributing it to Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from Deck, then discarded Lightning Storm to use Albaz and Zero to Fusion Summon Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon! Strebel ended his turn without any cards on the field!

Lastarria drew for turn, then switched all of his monsters to Attack Position. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked Strebel’s Life Points directly, reducing them to zero! 

Lastarria won his match in this round. However, as this is a team event, the team needs to win 2 of the 3 matches played in order to be declared the winner. Since neither team was able to secure two match wins, neither team was declared the winner this round.