While the finals are playing out, there’s one more Super Rare Anotherverse Solaria on the line! Even more importantly, the glory of a 3^rd place finish! Hailing from Plano, TX, Aditya Dharap is last year’s WCQ winner and the last Maliss Duelist in the tournament! He’s facing Jim Mayorga, from Trentron, NJ, using a pure Mitsurugi Deck! Both of these strategies got a ton of new cards in Alliance Insight, and the Duelists will be using every advantage to get this win.

Duel 1

Mayorga won the dice roll and began with a hand of Triple Tactics Talent, Pot of Extravagance, Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, and two copies of Mitsurugi Prayers. He played Prayers in the Draw Phase, adding Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi to his hand. The Tributed Murakumo let him get Mitsurugi Ritual in the hand as well. He played Extravagance next, banishing six cards from his Extra Deck to draw Pre-Preparation of Rites and Mulcharmy Meowls. He activated the effect of Habakiri to Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Tribute it, and Dharap had Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate Saji. Mayorga played Triple Tactics Talent, revealing Dharap’s hand: Maliss in Underground, Dominus Impulse, and his second and third copies of Ash Blossom! Mayorga sent the Underground back into Dharap’s Deck. He played Mitsurugi Ritual, and Dharap negated that with Dominus Impulse. Mayorga played Pre-Preparation, adding Mitsurugi Mirror and Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi to his hand. He played Mirror, Tributing Habakiri to Ritual Summon the Murakumo in his Graveyard. His Tributed Habakiri put Mitsurugi Great Purification in his hand. He Set Prayers and Great Purification.

Dharap drew, now with two Ash Blossoms and a mystery card. He passed, and in the End Phase, Mayorga flipped Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Murakumo. Dharap negated Prayers with Ash Blossom. The Tributed Murakumo let Mayorga find another Prayers, and the Ritual Monster returned to the field. This also let Mayorga put Mitsurugi Mirror back in his Deck.

Mayorga drew Triple Tactics Thrust. He played Prayers, Tributing Futsu from his hand. That let him add Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa to his hand and revive Saji. With Futsu and Saji he added a Murakumo and Mirror to his hand. He played Mirror, Tributing the Murakumo in his hand to Ritual Summon Futsu from his Graveyard. He Normal Summoned Aramasa, and that was enough to move us into the next Duel!

Duel 2

Dharap began with Gold Sarcophagus, banishing Maliss <P> Dormouse from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon Dormouse, and used its effect to banish Maliss <P> White Rabbit. He Special Summoned that as well, and Mayorga responded with Mulcharmy Fuwalos. White Rabbit put Maliss <C> GWC-06 on the field. Dharap Normal Summoned Droll & Lock Bird, and used all his monsters to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom. Mayorga drew a card with his Fuwalos effect, and Red Ransom put Maliss in the Mirror in Dharap’s hand. He Set a card in his back row to finish.

Mayorga started his first turn with Mitsurugi Ritual, Aramasa, Habakiri, and two copies of Prayers, drawing Mulcharmy Meowls for the turn. In his Draw Phase, he played Prayers and Tributed Aramasa. That let him put Saji in his hand, and he chose not to Special Summon. Aramasa then put Murakumo in his hand. He activated the effect of Habakiri to Special Summon Mitsurugi no Miko, Wousu, and Tributed it. He activated Wousu’s effect, discarding Meowls to put Wousu in his hand. He Tributed the Saji in his hand and Dharap’s Red Ransom to Special Summon Wousu, and activated Saji’s effect to put Mitsurugi Mirror in his hand. He activated Mitsurugi Ritual to Ritual Summon from his hand, and Dharap activated Dominus Impulse from his hand to negate it. Mayorga played Mitsurugi Mirror next, Tributing Habakiri from his hand to Ritual Summon Murakumo. Habakiri put Mitsurugi Magatama in his hand. He moved to the Battle Phase, sending Wousu and Murakumo to attack and drop Dharap to 2200 Life Points. In the End Phase, Dharap flipped GWC-06, and Mayorga activated Murakumo in response. Dharap discarded a Droll & Lock Bird for Murakumo, then his Trap Card let him Special Summon Red Ransom. It put Maliss in Underground in his hand. Then, Dharap flipped Maliss in the Mirror, banishing Red Ransom to negate Murakumo. He paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Red Ransom and banish White Rabbit from his Deck. He paid another 300 Life Points to Special Summon White Rabbit, which Set Maliss <C> MTP-07 on the field. He flipped MTP-07 by banishing the White Rabbit, adding Dormouse to his hand and banishing Murakumo. Mayorga had no disruptions left, and knew Dharap could combo off on his own turn – he conceded!

Duel 3

Mayorga played first for the final Duel, with a hand of Artifact Lancea, Habakiri, Pre-Preparation, Aramasa, and Extravagance. He played Extravagance, banishing six cards from his Extra Deck to draw Mitsurugi Ritual and Mitsurugi Mirror. He activated Habakiri’s effect to Special Summon Saji and Tribute it. Saji put Mitsurugi Prayers in his hand. He Normal Summoned Aramasa, and Dharap negated it with Infinite Impermanence. Mayorga played Mitsurugi Ritual to Ritual Summon from his Deck, and Dharap had Dominus Impulse for that. Mayorga played Prayers, Tributing Habakiri. That let him put Murakumo in his hand and Special Summon Saji from his Graveyard. The Tributed Habakiri put Mitsurugi Ritual in his hand. He played it to Ritual Summon from the hand. He Tributed Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi from the Deck to play Murakumo, and Futsu put Prayers in his hand. He played Mirror, Tributing Murakumo to bring Futsu from the Graveyard. Murakumo put Mitsurugi Great Purification in his hand, and returned to the field. He Set Prayers and Great Purification, then stacked Saji and Aramasa for Evilswarm Nightmare.

Dharap drew his card, and Mayorga didn’t hesitate to activate Artifact Lancea. Dharap thought a moment, and Chained Infinite Impermanence to negate Evilswarm Nightmare. He Normal Summoned Maliss <P> Chessy Cat, then Link Summoned Linguriboh. He Special Summoned Backup @Ignister from his hand, and then activated its effect on the field. Mayorga Chained Murakumo’s effect, and Dharap discarded Called by the Grave to make his effect go through. He’d chosen not to simply negate the Lancea with Called by the Grave, meaning he probably didn’t have another Maliss card to go with Chessy Cat. Backup’s effect put Wizard @Ignister in his hand, and he discarded it. Mayorga flipped Prayers, Tributing Murakumo to find and Special Summon Kusanagi. Kusanagi put Prayers in the hand, and Murakumo returned to the field to destroy Dharap’s monsters! Dharap had nothing left!

Jim Mayorga claims Anotherverse Solaria with Mitsurugi!