Things are starting to heat up here at YCS Columbus! We’re in Round 7, and Duelists are hoping to make it to Day 2, where they’ll compete for a spot in the Top 8. Giuseppi Gaetano Iuni and Michael Louis Volpe each have 5-1 records, so a win here will go a long way in helping them make it to Day 2. Iuni is playing the Mitsurugi Deck, a popular Deck that players are able to use the newly released Dominus Spark in. Meanwhile, Volpe is playing the Kewl Tune strategy, one that has had a consistently strong presence at the top tables all weekend long. However, only one of these Duelists will be walking away with a victory!

Duel 1

Iuni won the die roll and chose to go first! He began by activating Pot of Extravagance, banishing 6 cards from his Extra Deck and drawing 2 cards. He Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and activated its effect to search for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. He then activated Habakiri’s effect, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then used Saji’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Prayers. Next, he activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Habakiri from hand by Tributing Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi from his Deck, then activated Futsu’s effect to search for another Mitsurugi Ritual. He activated Ritual once again, Tributing Habakiri from the field to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, and activated the effect of the Tributed Habakiri to search for Mitsurugi Mirror. Iuni then activated Mirror, Tributing Murakumo to bring back Futsu, then Special Summoned back Murakumo and searched for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi. From here, Iuni activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from hand to search for another Aramasa and Special Summon back Kusanagi. He added Prayers back to hand, then used Murakumo and Saji to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Finally, he Set 4 cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Volpe opened with Kewl Tune Mix, Kewl Tune Cue, Fydraulis Harmonia, and two copies of Kewl Tune Rotary, then drew JJ “Kewl Tune” for turn! He activated the effect of Kewl Tune Rotary in hand, revealing Kewl Tune Mix, then Normal Summoned Mix and activated its effect; however, it was met by Iuni’s Infinite Impermanence! Here, Iuni activated the effect of I:P Masquerena, but Volpe Chained the effect of Fydraulis Harmonia! Volpe Special Summoned Harmonia, destroyed I:P, and sent Golden Cloud Beast – Malong to the Graveyard. Afterwards, Volpe activated Malong’s effect to return Futsu to Iuni’s hand, as Iuni used Futsu’s effect to Special Summon back Murakumo from the Graveyard and destroy all monsters on Volpe’s side of the field! 

Next, Volpe activated JJ “Kewl Tune”! Volpe used his additional Normal Summon to bring out Rotary, then used Rotary on the field and Kewl Tune Cue from hand to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune Track Maker! He used Cue to banish Mitsurugi Ritual and return Forbidden Droplet to the bottom of Iuni’s Deck, looked at Iuni’s hand, then searched for Kewl Tune Synchro and another copy of Kewl Tune Cue. Volpe used Cue from hand and Track Maker on the field to Synchro Summon Zalen the Shackled Dragon, then activated Track Maker’s effect to return Iuni’s Murakumo to the hand. From here, Volpe activated Kewl Tune Synchro, but Iuni Chained Mitsurugi Great Purification; Volpe tried to negate Purification with the effect of Zalen, but Iuni activated Forbidden Droplet as Chain Link 4, negating Zalen’s effect! Realizing that he wasn’t able to build a strong enough board to withstand Iuni’s upcoming swarm of Mitsurugi monsters, Volpe conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Volpe opened with Kewl Tune Mix, Kewl Tune Synchro, Kewl Tune Rotary, Infinite Impermanence, and PSY-Frame Driver. He started off in the Draw Phase by activating Synchro and searching for Kewl Tune Cue! In the Main Phase, he activated the effect of Kewl Tune Rotary, revealing Cue, Normal Summoned Rotary, then used Rotary and Cue to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune Track Maker. He banished Iuni’s Called by the Grave and returned Fydraulis Harmonia to the bottom of Iuni’s Deck, then looked at Iuni’s hand of Pot of Extravagance, Forbidden Droplet, Mitsurugi Ritual, Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, and Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi before searching for JJ “Kewl Tune” and another copy of Kewl Tune Synchro. 

Volpe activated JJ, then Normal Summoned Kewl Tune Mix and added Cue from his Graveyard back to hand. He then Normal Summoned the Cue and Special Summoned Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from his Deck! He activated the effect of JJ, Tributing Ash Blossom to Special Summon Kewl Tune Reco and search for Kewl Tune Clip, then used Track Maker and Reco to Synchro Summon Zalen the Shackled Dragon, as well as Mix and Cue to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune Remix. Finally, he Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

During Iuni’s Draw Phase, Volpe activated the effect of Remix. Iuni Chained the effect of Dimension Shifter, but Volpe Chained the effect of Zalen to negate Shifter’s effect! Volpe added Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring back to hand, Special Summoned Cue from the Graveyard, then used Cue and Zalen to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune B2B. Iuni activated Pot of Extravagance, but it was met by Volpe’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Next, Iuni activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from Deck. Iuni activated the effects of Murakumo, Saji, and Kusanagi, as Volpe activated the effect of B2B, then Chained Infinite Impermanence. However, Iuni activated Forbidden Droplet as Chain Link 6, sending Murakumo to the Graveyard and negating B2B’s effect! Iuni resolved Saji’s and Kusanagi’s effects to search for Mitsurugi Prayers and add Mitsurugi Ritual back to hand, respectively. 

Next, Iuni Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and activated its effect to search for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. On resolution, Volpe activated Kewl Tune Synchro, searching for Kewl Tune Reco, then activated the effect of Kewl Tune Clip in hand! He Special Summoned Clip, then used Clip and Reco to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune RS! Iuni activated Mitsurugi Ritual, attempting to Special Summon a monster from the Deck, but Volpe Chained the effect of RS, negating Ritual. Iuni then activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Habakiri from his hand to search for Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi and Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from the Graveyard, then used Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Mirror. Iuni activated Mirror, Tributing Futsu from hand to Special Summon back Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, then used Saji and Kusanagi to Link Summon Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy and Special Summon Zalen from Volpe’s Graveyard! He used Zalen and Dharc to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, then used S:P and Murakumo to LInk Summon Dyna Mondo and return both JJ and Habakiri to their respective decks. 

Volpe drew Droll & Lock Bird for turn! He passed without making any plays.  

Iuni drew a card for turn, attacked Volpe’s Life Points directly with Dyna Mondo, then ended his turn. 

Volpe drew Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! He passed once again. 

Iuni couldn’t get anything going either! He attacked Volpe’s Life Points directly once again with Dyna Mondo and ended his turn. 

Volpe drew Kewl Tune Cue for turn! He Normal Summoned it and activated its effect, Special Summoning Kewl Tune Track Maker from the Graveyard and activating its effect. Here, Iuni activated the effect of Dyna Mondo, but Volpe Chained the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. With no way to stop Volpe from building a board full of Kewl Tune monsters, Iuni conceded. We’re moving on to game 3!

Duel 3

Iuni chose to go first in the third Duel! Volpe opened with Kewl Tune Reco, Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Infinite Impermanence, Psy-Framegear Gamma, and Kewl Tune Cue! Iuni started by activating Dimensional Fissure! He then activated the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi in hand; Volpe Chained the effect of Psy-Framegear Gamma, but Iuni responded with Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing the Habakiri. Iuni searched for and Special Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, then searched for Mitsurugi Ritual and added Habakiri back to hand. Next, Iuni activated Triple Tactics Talent and chose to return Ghost Belle to Volpe’s Deck! Iuni then activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Habakiri from hand by Tributing  Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from Deck. He activated their effects to search for another Mitsurugi Ritual and Futsu, then activated the second Ritual, Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from Deck by Tributing Futsu. He activated Futsu’s effect to search for another copy of Prayers. Finally, he used Habakiri and Kusanagi to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Volpe drew Kewl Tune Clip for turn! He began his turn by Normal Summoning Kewl Tune Cue and activating its effect to Special Summon Kewl Tune Reco from Deck, then used Reco’s effect to search for Kewl Tune Mix. On resolution, Iuni activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi to search for and Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa. He searched for another copy of Murakumo and Prayers, then Special Summoned back Murakumo and destroyed Volpe’s Cue and Reco. Volpe Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Iuni started his turn by activating Mitsurugi Prayers once again, Tributing Murakumo to search for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, then used Murakumo’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Great Purification and Special Summon Murakumo back to the field. Next, he activated Mitsurugi Mirror, Tributing two copies of Aramasa to Ritual Summon another Murakumo! Here, Volpe activated Infinite Impermanence, targeting Iuni’s S:P; since it was activated in the same column as Dimensional Fissure, Fissure was negated, as well! Afterwards, Volpe activated the effect of the Clip in his hand. Iuni Chained the effect of Murakumo, but Volpe discarded Mix so that his Clip could resolve, and so Volpe used Clip and Reco to Synchro Summon Kewl Tune RS! Volpe used Reco’s effect to destroy Dimensional Fissure, as well as Clip’s effect to banish Wind Pegasus @Ignister from Iuni’s Extra Deck. However, with only 3 Tuner monsters in the Graveyard, Volpe’s RS only had 2600 Attack Points! Iuni destroyed RS in battle, attacked directly with S:P and the other Murakumo, then used Murakumo and S:P to Link Summon Dyna Mondo. Finally, he Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Volpe drew a card for turn, but knew that it wasn’t enough to push through Iuni’s board full of monsters, and conceded. 

With the victory, Iuni’s record improves to 6-1, and he is one step closer to making it to Day 2 here at YCS Columbus!