The Finals: Rodrigo Togores versus Herman Herrera
Rodrigo Togores traveled from Europe this weekend with his sights set on leaving Orlando as SHONEN JUMP Championship winner! Packing a Blackwing Deck with two copies of “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor,” Togores chose not to run “Burial From a Different Dimension,” a popular card for many other Blackwing Duelists that played in this tournament. “Black Whirlwind” has paid off hugely for Togores all weekend long, and now he’s just two wins away from capturing the Championship.
But his opponent is Herman Herrera, bringing the tournament’s most successful Vayu Turbo Deck to the Finals! A lot of Duelists doubted the power of this “Armageddon Knight” / “Dark Grepher” Blackwing Deck, but Herrera has delivered on the hype, and smashed opponent after opponent to claim his place in the finals!
Not only will these Duelists have to worry about their normal game plans, but they’ll have to contend with situations unique to the Blackwing mirror match. “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn” will be an even bigger factor than usual, since it can gain the ATK of the opponent’s Blackwings in addition to your own, and while Togores’ Deck is better at drawing extra cards, Herrera’s Deck may prove to be faster. Which Deck would win the day? We’d know in a matter of minutes.
Togores started the match with a handshake, and a hand of “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” “Torrential Tribute,” “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North,” “Plaguespreader Zombie,” “Black Whirlwind,” and “Call of the Haunted.” He activated Whirlwind, Summoned Shura, and searched his Deck for “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow.” 
Herrera Normal Summoned “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” activated its effect to take Shura’s ATK, and attacked Shura for 2000 Battle Damage! He Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone and play was back to Togores. Togores Summoned “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North,” Special Summoned Shura, but lost out on his “Black Whirlwind” search when Herrera Chained “Mystical Space Typhoon” to destroy Whirlwind.
Togores Tuned Blackwing – Blizzard to Shura, Synchro Summoned “Goyo Guardian,” and Herrera responded with “Bottomless Trap Hole”! Togores Set two cards to his back row and Herrera threw down “Heavy Storm,” destroying “Call of the Haunted” and “Torrential Tribute”! He Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” attacked for 3700 damage, and Togores was down to 2300 Life Points. A Set Spell or Trap and three cards hitting the Graveyard due to Lyla’s ability ended the turn.
Togores Summoned another Blackwing – Blizzard! He Special Summoned Shura again, Tuned Blizzard to it to Synchro summon “Blackwing Armed Wing,” and attacked over Sirocco. He Set “Icarus Attack,” holding Blackwing – Kalut and “Plaguespreader Zombie.”
Herrera activated Lyla’s effect, destroyed “Icarus Attack,” and then sent “Burial From a Different Dimension,” another Lyla, and “Dimensional Alchemist” to his Graveyard with the first Lyla’s effect. Togores was up.
He drew “Book of Moon” and Normal Sumoned “Plaguespreader Zombie.” Plaguespreader attacked Lyla to destroy her, and Armed Wing made a direct attack. He Tuned his two monsters together to Synchro Summon “Stardust Dragon” in Main Phase 2, then Set “Book of Moon” to finish his turn.
Togores flipped and activated “Pot of Avarice” to send “Dimensional Alchemist,” Blackwing – Sirocco, Blackwing – Gale, and two copies of Lyla back to his Deck from his Graveyard. He drew two cards, now holding five cards total with nothing on the field. He Summoned “Dark Grepher,” discarded “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor” for Grepher’s effect with priority, and sent “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his Deck to his Graveyard. He sent a card from his hand back to his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Togores responded with “Book of Moon,” turning Grepher face-down so it couldn’t be used as a Synchro Material!
Herrera ended, and Togores Summoned Blackwing – Bora to attack through “Plaguespreader Zombie” and remove it from the game. Stardust attacked Grepher and things weren’t looking quite so bleak for Togores anymore!
Herrera contemplated Setting a monster, but eventually decided to Summon “Dimensional Alchemist.” He activated its effect, removed “Card Trooper” from the game, and attacked Bora. Togores activated the effect of Blackwing – Kalut from his hand, “Dimensional Alchemist” was destroyed, and Herrera got his “Card Trooper” back. It was over! Herrera was holding “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” but a direct attack from “Stardust Dragon” ended it next turn! Herrera only had 2200 Life Points remaining, and Togores selected the right monster to attack with first.
Rodrigo Togores captures the first Duel, now just one win away from victory in this SHONEN JUMP Championship! 
Herrera opened Duel 2 with a Set Monster and a Set Spell or Trap. Togores had an incredible hand: two “Black Whirlwind,” two “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” “Heavy Storm,” and “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame”! It doesn’t get much better than that!
He activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy his opponent’s “Royal Oppression,” played both copies of “Black Whirlwind,” Normal Summoned Blackwing – Sirocco, and searched his Deck for “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” and “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow”! He Special Summoned Blackwing – Gale, Tuned it to Sirocco, and Synchro Summoned “Dark End Dragon!” He activated its effect, sent his opponent’s “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” to the Graveyard, and attacked for 2100 Battle Damage! Herrera was up.
He Summoned “Card Trooper” and activated its effect to send “Legendary Jujitsu Master,” “Call of the Haunted,” and Blackwing – Sirocco to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned “Chaos Sorcerer,” removed “Dark End Dragon” from the game, and attacked for 1900 damage with “Card Trooper.” A Set card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone ended the turn.
Togores Summoned Blackwing – Shura and searched his Deck two more times, this time picking “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North” and another Blackwing – Kalut to add to his hand. He had two Whirlwinds and Shura on the field, with five cards in-hand. He attacked “Chaos Sorcerer” with Shura, threw down Kalut to boost Shura’s ATK, and then Special Summoned “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor.” Vayu then attacked over “Card Trooper,” doing even more damage to Herrera.
In Main Phase 2, Togores Synchro Summoned “Magical Android,” Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and moved to his End Phase to gain 600 Life Points with the Android’s effect.
Herrera needed to make a big move, but all he could do was Summon “Dimensional Alchemist” and remove “Legendary Jujitsu Master” for the Alchemist’s effect. Togores Summoned “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North,” Special Summoned “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” with its effect, and searched his Deck for another card with “Black Whirlwind,” choosing another Vayu. He was out of stuff to search for with the second Whirlwind.
He halved Alchemist’s ATK and DEF with Gale’s effect, then Tuned Gale to Android to Synchro Summon “Stardust Dragon”! Stardust attacked “Dimensional Alchemist,” and Togores finished the game by attacking with Blackwing – Blizzard and boosting it up with “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow”!
Spain’s Rodrigo Togores is now a SHONEN JUMP Championship winner!
