We’re finally there! We’re in the Top 8 of YCS Anaheim, extremely close to finding out who will be named the winner of YCS Anaheim! In our Top 8 Feature Match, we have Kamal Crooks playing the Mitsurugi Yummy Deck facing off against Kamal Crooks playing the Crystron K9 Deck. Who will move on to the Top 4? Let’s find out! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Juneja won the die roll and chose to go first! His opening hand contained Pre-Preparation of Rites, Lollipo☆Yummy, Cupsy☆Yummy, Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, and Yummy☆Surprise. He started by activating the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, and Crooks Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Juneja Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then activated Saji’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. He then activated Ritual, sending Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa to the Graveyard to Special Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from hand. Here, Juneja activated Aramasa as Chain Link 1 and Kusanagi as Chain Link 2, but Crooks responded with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion as Chain Link 3, negating Kusanagi’s effect! Juneja resolved Aramasa’s effect to search for Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, then activated Pre-Preparation of Rites to search for Mitsurugi Mirror and Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi. He activated Mirror, Tributing Habakiri from the Field to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from hand, then activated Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Prayers and Special Summon itself back. 

Next, Juneja Normal Summoned Cupsy☆Yummy and searched for Cooky☆Yummy, then used Cupsy to Link Summon Yummy☆Snatchy and place Yummyusment☆Mignon to the Field Spell Zone. He Special Summoned Cooky from hand, then used it and Habakiri to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Finally, he activated Mignon’s effect, Special Summoning Cupsy from the Graveyard, Set two cards to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Crooks started his turn by Normal Summoning K9-04 Noroi, activating its effect to Special Summon K9-66a Jokul from the Deck. Here, Juneja activated the effect of Snatchy, using Snatchy and Cooky to Synchro Summon Cooky☆Yummy Way! He activated Cooky’s effect, attempting to flip Jokul and Noroi face-down, but Crooks responded with Forbidden Droplet, sending Cooky from the field, as well as another copy of Droplet from his hand, to the Graveyard to negate the effects of Juneja’s Cooky☆Yummy Way and I:P Masquerena! Afterwards, Crooks activated Jokul’s effect, searching for another copy of K9-04 Noroi. He then activated the effect of K9-66b Lantern in hand, Special Summoning it and Noroi from the Graveyard; Juneja responded with the effect of Murakumo, but Crooks discarded Noroi from hand so that his Lantern’s effect could resolve. In response to the summon, Juneja activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Murakumo, but Crooks Chained Called by the Grave, banishing Murakumo! Juneja resolved Prayers, searching for another copy of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from the Deck and Special Summoning Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from the Graveyard, then activated Kusanagi’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual from the Graveyard back to hand, as well as return Mitsurugi Mirror to the Deck. 

On resolution, Crooks activated the effect of K9-66b Lantern, searching for “A Case for K9”. He used Jokul and Lantern to Xyz Summon K9-17 “Ripper”, then activated Ripper’s effect to search for another copy of Jokul. He activated the effect of Jokul from hand to Special Summon it and Crystron Sulfador, activating Sulfador’s effect to send Crystron Smiger and Crystron Sulfefnir to the Graveyard. He banished Smiger to search for Crystron Inclusion, then used Sulfador and Jokul to make Artifact Dagda. He activated Case, searching for K9-17 Izuna and Setting Artifact Mjollnir from the Deck. He then activated Noroi’s effect, sending Case to the Graveyard to look at Juneja’s hand. From here, Crooks activated the effect of Crystron Sulfefnir, Special Summoning it, discarding Crystron Inclusion, and destroying Mjollnir, then used Sulfefnir and Noroi to Xyz Summon Imperial Princess Quinquery! He activated Quinquery’s effect, Special Summoning Artifact Mjollnir to the opponent’s side of the field, and only allowing Juneja to Special Summon Artifact monsters until the end of Juneja’s next turn! He banished Inclusion from the Graveyard to Special Summon Crystron Sulfefnir, then Special Summoned Crystron Sulfador by destroying Sulfefnir and Special Summoning Crystron Tristaros from the Deck. He used Tristaros and Sulfador to Synchro Summon Crystron Eleskeletus, banished Tristaros from the Graveyard to Special Summon two more copies of Sulfador from the Deck, and Special Summoned Eleskeletus back from the Graveyard. Finally, Crooks entered the Battle Phase and attacked all of Juneja’s monsters, then attacked his Life Points directly to win the first Duel! 

Duel 2

Juneja opened with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Mitsurugi Prayers, Pre-Preparation of Rites, and two copies of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He started off by activating Mitsurugi Prayers in the Draw Phase, searching for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. In the Main Phase, he activated the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then activated Saji’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. Juneja then activated Ritual, sending Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from the Deck to the Graveyard to Special Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from hand! He added Mitsurugi Ritual back to hand and searched for Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi. He activated Ritual again, this time Tributing Habakiri from the field to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from the Deck, then activated Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Great Purification and Special Summon back Habakiri from the Graveyard. Next, Juneja activated Pre-Preparation of Rites, searching his Deck for Mitsurugi Mirror and another copy of Habakiri. He activated Mirror, Tributing Murakumo to Special Summon Futsu from hand, then activated Habakiri’s effect to search for Prayers and Special Summon Murakumo back to the field! 

Up next, Juneja used Futsu and Habakiri to Xyz Summon The Zombie Vampire! He activated its effect, and both players sent the top 4 cards from their Deck to the Graveyard, and Juneja chose to Special Summon Cupsy☆Yummy and search for Yummy☆Surprise! Juneja then used the Vampire to Link Summon Gravity Controller, and used COntroller and Cupsy to Synchro Summon Cupsy☆Yummy Way, searching for Cooky☆Yummy and Marshmao☆Yummy, then discarding an extra copy of Habakiri. Juneja Special Summoned Cooky, used Cupsy☆Yummy Way to Link Summon Yummy☆Snatchy and place Yummyusment☆Mignon to the field, then used Snatchy and Cooky to Synchro Summon Lollipo☆Yummy Way. Lollipo☆Yummy Way Special Summoned back Cupsy☆Yummy Way and Cooky☆Yummy from the Graveyard. Juneka used Cupsy☆Yummy Way and Cupsy☆Yummy to Synchro Summon Martial Metal Marcher and Special Summon Cupsy☆Yummy Way, used Cupsy☆Yummy Way to make yet another Yummy☆Snatchy, then activated Mignon’s effect to Special Summon back Cupsy☆Yummy. Finally, he used Cupsy and Marcher to Synchro Summon Herald of the Arc Light, Normal Summoned Marshmao☆Yummy and used it to make his final Yummy☆Snatchy, then activated Yummy☆Surprise to Special Summon Marshmao☆Yummy and add Surprise back to hand. Juneja Set 3 cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Crooks started his turn by activating Chaotic Elements, and Juneja responded by activating the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! Crooks realized he would not be able to push through Juneja’s board, and chose to concede. 

Duel 3

Juneja opened with Cooky☆Yummy, Yummy☆Surprise, Cupsy☆Yummy, and two copies of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. 

Crooks started his turn by activating “A Case for K9” and searching for K9-66a Jokul. He activated Jokul’s effect, Special Summoning it and Artifact Mjollnir from hand, then activated Jokul’s effect to search for K9-04 Noroi. He then Normal Summoned Noroi and activated its effect to Special Summon K9-ØØ Lupis from his Deck! He activated Noroi’s effect, sending Case to the Graveyard to look at Juneja’s hand, then used Lupis and Noroi to Xyz Summon K9-17 “Ripper”. He activated Ripper’s effect, searching for K9-66b Lantern, then activated its effect to Special Summon it from hand and Noroi from the Graveyard. He activated Lantern’s effect to search for another “A Case for K9”, then used Jokul and Lantern to Xyz Summon Infinitrack River Stormer and search for Scrap Recycler! He used Noroi and River Stormer to Link Summon Platinum Gadget, then activated Gadget’s effect to Special Summon Scrap Recycler from hand and send Crystron Sulfefnir from his Deck to the Graveyard. 

Up next, Crooks activated Sulfefnir’s effect, discarding Crystron Smiger, Special Summoning Sulfefnir, and destroying Platinum Gadget. He banished Smiger to search for Crystron Inclusion, then used Artifact Mjollnir and Sulfefnir to Xyz Summon Imperial Princess Quinquery! He activated Quinquery’s effect, attempting to Special Summon Mjollnir to Juneja’s side of the field; Juneja attempted to negate the effect with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, but Crooks Chained K9-17 “Ripper”’s effect to allow Artifact Mjollnir to be summoned to Juneja’s side of the field! From there, Crooks used Recycler to Link Summon Clockwork Knight and search for Clockwork Night. He activated Night, then used Quinquery and Clockwork to Link Summon S:P Little Knight! Crooks Special Summoned K9-17 Izuna from hand and K9-ØØ Lupis from the Graveyard, then used the two to Xyz Summon Chronomaly Vimana. After a flurry of Special Summons of various Crystron monsters, Crooks was also able to Special Summon Cyber Dragon Infinity and attach Artifact Mjollnir to it as Xyz Material! He also Special Summoned Crystron Tristaros and Set Crystron Inclusion to the backrow, and ended his turn. 

Juneja drew another Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion for turn! Juneja knew that he could not break through Crooks’ board without the ability to Special Summon monsters, and conceded. 

Crooks wins the Top 8 Match and is moving on to the Top 4 here at YCS Anaheim!