Deon Patterson is the only Blackwing Duelist in the Top 16. He’s running a single copy of “Legendary Jujitsu Master” along with a full Blackwing line-up. His opponent, Chris Bowlds, is running a pure Lightsworn Deck, without “Chaos Sorcerer,” “Dark Armed Dragon,” or “Tragoedia” in it. Blacking Decks have gradually lost popularity throughout the format, but are widely expected to be solid contenders to rule the roost starting March 1. Will they be able to make it to the Top 8 in this last SHONEN JUMP Championship of the current F&L list?

Patterson won the dice roll and chose to go first. He opened up with “Blackwing – Bora the Spear,” “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North,” “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” “Heavy Storm,” and “Royal Oppression.” He Set “Royal Oppression,” Summoned Bora, and ended his turn.

Bowlds activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next turn by sending another Charge, “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” and “Judgment Dragon” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Patterson chained “Royal Oppression” and Bowlds searched his Deck for “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” to add to his hand. Bowlds Summoned Lyla and switched it to Defense Position to destroy Patterson’s “Royal Oppression.” Then he Set a card in his back row and sent 3 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard: “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” “Necro Gardna,” and “Beckoning Light.” Wulf was Special Summoned in Attack Position.

Patterson drew “Mystical Space Typhoon” next turn. He activated it to destroy Bowlds’ Set “Torrential Tribute” and then attacked the Defense Position Lyla with Bora. Bowlds negated the attack by removing “Necro Gardna” from his Graveyard. Patterson ended his turn and Bowlds was up.

Bowlds started his next turn off by drawing a card and then attacking Bora with his Wulf. Patterson discarded Kalut from his hand to pump Bora to 3100 ATK. Wulf was destroyed in battle and Bowlds lost 1000 Life Points. Bowlds Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” in Main Phase 2 and discarded “Necro Gardna” from his hand to Special Summon Wulf with its effect. Then he Set a back row and ended his turn.

In his End Phase, he sent 2 copies of “Solar Recharge,” “Necro Gardna,” “Honest,” Lyla, and Wulf from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Wulf was Special Summoned to the field in Attack Position.

Patterson drew “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” next turn! He activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy Bowlds’ Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” and then Summoned Gale to the field. He activated its effect to halve the ATK and DEF of a Wulf and then Tuned his Gale to his Bora to Synchro Summon “Black Rose Dragon”! He activated its effect to destroy everything on the field! Bowlds lost Lyla, Lumina, and 2 copies of Wulf. Patterson only lost his “Black Rose Dragon.” Patterson ended his turn.

Bowlds Set a monster next turn and passed right back to Patterson who drew a second Sirocco and Summoned it. He attacked with it, but had his attack negated by “Necro Gardna.” On his next turn, Bowlds flipped up “Plaguespreader Zombie” and Normal Summoned “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid.” He Tuned them together to Synchro Summon “Magical Android” and attacked Sirocco. Sirocco was destroyed and Patterson dropped to 7600 Life Points. Bowlds ended his turn and gained 600 Life Points for the effect of his “Magical Android” in his End Phase.

Patterson was up. He drew “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor” and Set it, ending his turn immediately afterwards.

Bowlds attacked the Set Vayu with “Magical Android” and it was destroyed. Then he ended his turn, gaining more Life Points and boosting himself to 8200.

Patterson drew a “Legendary Jujitsu Master” and Set it next turn. Bowlds drew “Gold Sarcophagus” and activated it on his next turn, removing “Honest” from his Deck. Then he attacked with “Magical Android” and hit the “Legendary Jujitsu Master”! “Magical Android” was returned to his Extra Deck!

Patterson drew “Allure of Darkness” next turn and activated it to draw Bora and “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He removed Sirocco from his hand for the effect of Allure. Then he Normal Summoned Bora and removed Vayu and Sirocco from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Blackwing Armed Wing” from his Extra Deck. Bora and Armed Wing both attacked directly and Bowlds fell to 4200 Life Points. Patterson Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” and ended his turn.

Bowlds Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon” next turn and cleared the field! Patterson chained “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove “Judgment Dragon” from the game. Bowlds had 3 cards in his hand. He activated “Monster Reincarnation” by discarding Celestia and returned “Judgment Dragon” to his hand. He Special Summoned it and attacked directly, dropping Patterson 4600 Life Points. In his End Phase, he sent Lumina, Garoth, “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard with the effect of “Judgment Dragon.”

Patterson drew “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame” next turn. He Normal Summoned Blizzard and Special Summoned Kalut with its effect. He Tuned them together for “Ally of Justice Catastor” and tried to attack “Judgment Dragon,” but Bowlds negated the attack with “Necro Gardna”! Patterson ended his turn.

Bowlds paid 1000 Life Points next turn to destroy Catastor and then Normal Summoned “Honest” from his hand. He Set a card on top of his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie” from the Graveyard and then Tuned it to “Honest” to Synchro Summon “Goyo Guardian.” “Judgment Dragon” attacked directly, dropping Patterson to 1600 and then “Goyo Guardian” finished the Duel!

Both players Side Decked and Patterson chose to begin Duel 2. He opened up with “Book of Moon,” “Brain Control,” “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” “Tragoedia,” and “Heavy Storm.” He ended his turn without making a play.

Bowlds activated “Solar Recharge” by discarding Aurkus and sent “Honest” and Lumina from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard after drawing 2 cards. Then he Normal Summoned Lumina and discarded “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his hand to Special Summon Aurkus from the Graveyard. Lumina attacked for 1000 points of damage and Patterson Special Summoned “Tragoedia” to the field in Defense Position. Aurkus attacked Tragoedia and Bowlds pitched an “Honest” from his hand to make it strong enough to destroy “Tragoedia.”

Bowlds Set a back row card and ended his turn, sending Ryko, “Solar Recharge,” “Monster Reincarnation,” “Bottomless Trap Hole” and Garoth from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard in his End Phase.

Patterson drew Gale next turn and activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy Bowlds’s Set “Royal Decree.” Then he Normal Summoned Sirocco and Special Summoned Gale. He Tuned them together and Synchro Summoned “Colossal Fighter” from his Extra Deck with 2900 ATK. “Colossal Fighter” attacked Lumina and she was destroyed. Bowlds dropped to 6100 Life Points. Patterson Set “Book of Moon” and ended his turn.

Bowlds activated “Lightning Vortex” next turn by discarding “Beckoning Light” and Patterson saved his “Colossal Fighter” by chaining “Book of Moon” to turn it face-down. Bowlds sent a “Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard in the End Phase for the effect of Aurkus.

Patterson drew “Bottomless Trap Hole” and flipped “Colossal Fighter” next turn. He attacked Aurkus, dropping Bowlds to 4400 Life Points. Then he Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” in his Spell and Trap Card Zone before passing to Bowlds.

Bowlds ended his next turn without making a play.

Patterson drew “Icarus Attack” next turn and attacked directly, dropping Bowlds to 1500 Life Points.

On his next turn, Bowlds drew a card and then put a card from his hand on top of his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his Graveyard. Then he Normal Summoned “Honest” and tuned it to the “Plaguespreader Zombie” to Synchro Summon “Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.” He discarded his last in-hand card, Wulf, to return “Colossal Fighter” to Patterson’s Extra Deck. Patterson chained “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove Brionac from play. Bowlds ended his turn.

Patterson drew “Allure of Darkness” next turn to draw “Legendary Jujitsu Master” and “Trap Dustshoot.” He removed Gorz from his hand and then Summoned “Legendary Jujitsu Master.” “Legendary Jujitsu Master” attacked and Bowlds dropped to 200 Life Points. Bowlds knew his next card wouldn’t help him since he put it on top of his Deck with “Plaguespreader Zombie,” so he conceded.

Bowlds will be going first in Duel 3! Both players went back into their Side Decks and play began shortly after.

Bowlds started off the Duel by activating “Solar Recharge.” He discarded Wulf to draw 2 cards and send Wulf and “Plaguespreader Zombie” from the top of his to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Wulf in Attack Position. He was off to a great start. Bowlds Summoned Lumina to the field next and discarded Lyla from his hand to Special Summon Wulf from the Graveyard. Then he Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended his turn by sending “Judgment Dragon,” “Necro Gardna,” and “Royal Decree” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with Lumina’s effect.

Patterson opened up with “Mirror Force,” “Torrential Tribute,” Sirocco, Kalut, “Book of Moon,” and Bora. He Summoned Sirocco and attacked Lumina with it. Bowlds removed “Necro Gardna” from his Graveyard to protect Lumina. Patterson Set “Torrential Tribute” and “Book of Moon” before ending his turn. In his End Phase, Bowlds flipped Royal Decree and chained “Beckoning Light.” He discarded “Heavy Storm” and Ryko to return “Judgment Dragon” and Lyla to his Graveyard. Unable to use “Mirror Force” or “Torrential Tribute,” Patterson was in trouble.

On his next turn, Bowlds activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” by sending “Honest,” “Breaker the Magical Warrior,” and Lumina from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He added Garoth from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Charge. Then he Normal Summoned Garoth and attacked Sirocco with Wulf. Patterson sent Kalut from his hand to his Graveyard during Damage Calculation to boost Sirocco to 3400 ATK. Bowlds lost 1300 Life Points and his Wulf. In the End Phase, Patterson activated “Book of Moon” on Lumina so Bowlds couldn’t send any more cards from his Deck to his Graveyard.

Patterson drew “Heavy Storm” next turn and Special Summoned Bora to the field. Sirocco attacked Garoth and Bowlds let it get destroyed. Then Bora attacked the face-down Lumina. Bowlds lost 700 Life Points and dropped down to 5850 Life Points. Time was called in the round. In no more than 4 turns, the Duel would be over. Patterson ended his turn.

Bowlds drew a card and then Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon” from his hand. He activated its effect by paying 1000 Life Points to clear the field. “Torrential Tribute,” Bora, and Sirocco were destroyed, along with his own “Royal Decree.” Then he activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” by sending “Necro Gardna,” “Ehren, Lightsworn Monk,” and “Honest” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard and searched his Deck for “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin” to add to his hand. He Summoned Lyla to the field and attacked with both Lyla and “Judgment Dragon.” Patterson fell to 3300 Life Points. Bowlds ended his turn by sending “Honest,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Shiny Black “C”,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” Gorz, and 2 copies of “Solar Recharge” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard.

Patterson drew “Legendary Jujitsu Master” next turn and Bowlds removed “Necro Gardna” in his Draw Phase to stop Patterson’s first attack. Patterson conceded, with only 3300 Life Points and no way to deal with Bowlds’s “Judgment Dragon.”

Lightsworns triumph over Blackwings and Chris Bowlds moves on to the Top 8!