Yesterday we showed you Honorable Michael Smith-Grant’s Mini-Monkey Samurai in a Deck Profile, and then we saw his Deck in action in a Round 2 Feature Match. Grant’s undefeated streak carried him all the way to Round 6, and now he’s here in Round 10 with a 7-2 record, packing a Samurai Deck teched with Shien’s Squire and Reinforce Truth. His opponent is Carlos Medrano, an X-Saber Duelist from Irving Texas. Would Shien’s Squire triumph? Or was this the end for the simian Samurai? We were about to find out!

Grant opened the Day with a hand of Double-Edged Sword Technique, Reinforcement of the Army, Solemn Warning, and 3 Legendary Six Samurai – Kizans Reinforcement got him Shien’s Squire from his Deck – pulling out the monkey good and early. He Normal Summoned Kizan, Set Warning and Double-Edged.

Medrano activated Pot of Duality, revealing Monster Reborn, XX-Saber Darksoul, and Torrential Tribute from his Deck: he chose to add Darksoul to his hand, shuffling the rest back. He Set a monster, then Set 4 cards to his back row.

Grant drew his other copy of Shien’s Squire! It was a weird set of draws so far. He Normal Summoned another Kizan, and Medrano blasted it with Bottomless Trap Hole. The first Kizan attacked; destroyed Darksoul, and Medrano got XX-Saber Emmersblade in the End Phase.

Medrano Set another monster.

Grant drew Book of Moon and tried to Summon his third Kizan: Medrano negated the Summon with Solemn Warning. Kizan attacked; Medrano responded with Mystical Space Typhoon; and it destroyed Grant’s Solemn Warning! Kizan hit Emmersblade, and Medrano got another Darksoul from his Deck in Defense Position. Grant Set Book of Moon.

Medrano Normal Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight; activated its effect; and Special Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. Grant turned Fulhelmknight face-down with Book of Moon, but Medrano Special Summoned XX-Saber Faultroll to Special Summon back Emmersblade. He attacked with Boggart Knight and the attack was deflected by Shien’s Squire. Emmersblade attacked into Kizan; Medrano Special Summoned another Fulhelmknight; and in Main Phase 2 Medrano Tuned Fulhelmknight to Faultroll to Synchro Summon XX-Saber Gottoms! He Tributed Darksoul for Gottoms’ effect, forcing Grant to discard his second Shien’s Squire, and got another Emmersblade from his Deck in the End Phase.

Grant drew Six Samurai United. He attacked Fulhelmknight with Kizan, destroying it.

Medrano attacked with Boggart Knight and Gottoms, destroying Kizan. In Main Phase 2 he Tributed Boggart Knight to force Grant to discard United, and Set a monster.

Grant drew X-Saber Pashuul and Set it.

Medrano Flip Summoned Emmersblade, and attacked into Pashuul with Gottoms.

Grant drew Kagemusha of the Six Samurai and passed.

Medrano drew for his turn, and Grant took 1000 damage. Medrano Set a monster, then Set a Spell or Trap.

Grant drew Monster Reborn, and activated it to target Shien’s Squire!

“This thing?” asked Medrano, taking it for a moment to read its effect.

Grant laughed. “Yeah! It’s monkey business!” Medrano let it go and Grant Special Summoned Squire, then flipped Double-Edged Sword Technique to target his 2 Kizan. Medrano negated the Summon with another Solemn Warning, shutting Grant down entirely!

Medrano drew, Grant took another 1000 damage, and Medrano Tributed Emmersblade to force Grant to discard Kagemusha. Medrano then Flip Summoned Super-Nimble Mega Hamster; Special Summoned XX-Saber Darksoul from his Deck; and attacked to destroy Shien’s Squire.

Grant drew Reinforce Truth and Set it.

Medrano drew; Grant dropped to 1800 Life Points; and Medrano activated Giant Trunade. Grant Chained Truth to Special Summon a Kagemusha from his Deck, and Medrano Flip Summoned Darksoul. When Medrano Special Summoned Faultroll, Grant conceded.

An awkward hand and a perhaps overzealous Reinforcement of the Army spells ruin for Honorable Michael Smith-Grant’s monkeyshines, and Carlos Medrano makes short work of the first Duel! Both competitors went straight for their Side Decks.

Grant opened the second Duel with Reinforce Truth, Rivalry of Warlords, X-Saber Pashuul, Maxx “C”, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Double-Edged Sword Technique. He Set Pashuul, Reinforce Truth, Rivalry, and Typhoon.

Medrano Set a monster, then Set 3 cards to his back row. Grant destroyed his Solemn Judgment with Mystical Space Typhoon in his End Phase.

Grant drew Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan, then Flip Summoned Pashuul. He Tuned them together for Naturia Barkion, and Medrano negated the Summon with Solemn Warning. Grant Set Double-Edged Sword Technique.

Medrano Flip Summoned Emmersblade; attacked; and Grant flipped Reinforce Truth to Special Summon Kagemusha of the Six Samurai in Defense Position. Medrano Set 2 more cards to his back row and ended.

Grant drew Six Samurai United and passed.

Medrano activated Giant Trunade to clear both Spell and Trap Card Zones, then Normal Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh. Thunder King destroyed Kagemusha, and Emmersblade made a direct attack. Medrano Set 2 cards to his back row.

Grant drew Book of Moon. He Set everything but United and Maxx “C”.

On Medrano’s turn, Grant flipped Rivalry of Warlords to get Thunder King off the field. Emmersblade made a direct attack and Medrano Set another Spell or Trap.

Grant activated Six Samurai United, but his Double-Edged Sword Technique was shut down with another Solemn Warning!

Medrano attacked with Emmersblade for a direct shot.

Grant drew and Summoned Hand of the Six Samurai, and Medrano flipped Gozen Match in response.  Hand attacked Emmersblade, and Medrano flipped it face-down with Book of Moon.

Medrano attacked with Emmersblade, and Grant blocked with Book of Moon.

Grant drew Grandmaster of the Six Samurai! He Flip Summoned Hand, attacked, and responded with Maxx “C”: Emmersblade was destroyed; Medrano Special Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight; and Grant drew another Rivalry of Warlords. In Main Phase 2, Grant couldn’t Tribute Summon Grandmaster because of Gozen Match. He pitched his United to draw Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki and Set it.

Boggart Knight ran over Hand of the Six Samurai.

Grant drew another Maxx “C” and passed.

Medrano Summoned another Boggart Knight, playing around the Rivalry. Boggart Knight attacked into Kageki.

Grant drew Shien’s Smoke Signal and passed.

Medrano Set a monster.

Grant Drew Solemn Warning, and activated Smoke Signal to get another Kageki from his Deck. He Set that too, then Set Warning.

Medrano passed.

Grant drew Royal Oppression and passed back.

Medrano activated Trap Stun, then Flip Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight: Grant responded by discarding Maxx “C” for its effect. Medrano Normal summoned an Emmersblade, then discarded Puppet Plant to take control of Kageki. He Tuned it to Emmersblade and Fulhelmknight to Synchro Summon Mist Wurm (Grant drew Mystical Space Typhoon), and bounced away 2 of Grant’s Set Spell or Trap cards plus his remaining Kageki. Monster Reborn got him Grant’s Pashuul; Hyunlei; and Grant drew 2 more cards with Maxx “C”. Grant had a fistful of cards, but no way to stop the onslaught – Medrano’s horde of X-Saber’s ended the Match!

X-Sabers defeat Samurai, as Carlos Medrano moves on to the final Swiss Round with an 8-2 record!