Round 9: Das Anuraag vs. Steven Arias
Das Anuraag and Steven Arias both currently have 6-1-1 records in the tournament, and both of them are using interesting Decks that aren’t widespread in the current field of competitors. Das Anuraag is using a Rescue HERO Deck that can Special Summon Elemental HERO Sparkman from his Deck with Rescue Rabbit in order to make Blade Armor Ninja. Steven Arias is using the newest Dragons from the Dragons Collide Structure Deck, Lightpulsar Dragon and Darkflare Dragon, in a Deck that fills the Graveyard through the effects of Lightsworn monsters in order to make it easier to Summon those Dragons. One of these Duelists will advance to Day 2 with an impressive 7-1-1 record.
Arias started off Duel 1 by Setting a card to each zone.
Anuraag opened up with Torrential Tribute, Miracle Fusion, Reinforcement of the Army, Pot of Avarice, Fusion Gate, and Forbidden Lance. He activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Elemental HERO Stratos from his Deck to his hand. Then he Summoned Stratos to the field and used its effect to add Elemental HERO Neos Alius from his Deck to his hand. Stratos attacked Arias’s face-down Magical Merchant, and its effect sent Effect Veiler from the top of Arias’s Deck to his Graveyard before giving him a Charge of the Light Brigade. Anuraag Set Torrential Tribute and Forbidden Lance before ending his turn, and lost Forbidden Lance to Arias’s Mystical Space Typhoon in his End Phase.
Arias activated Charge of the Light Brigade by sending Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, and Darkflare Dragon from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard, and added Lyla from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Charge. Next, Arias Summoned Lyla and used its effect to destroy Anuraag’s face-down Torrential Tribute. Arias banished Darkflare Dragon and Magical Merchant from his Graveyard to Special Summon Lightpulsar Dragon, and then attacked Stratos with Lightpulsar to destroy it in battle and deal 700 points of damage to Anuraag. Arias sent Dark Armed Dragon, Honest, and Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with Lyla’s effect in the End Phase.
Anuraag drew Kabazauls next turn. He Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and attacked Lyla with it to destroy her in battle. He ended his turn without a back row.
Arias attacked Neos Alius with Lightpulsar Dragon next turn to destroy it. He Set a monster before passing.
Anuraag drew Tour Guide From the Underworld! He Summoned it to the field and activated its effect to Special Summon Sangan from his Deck. Next, he attacked Arias’s face-down Ryko with Tour Guide, and Ryko’s effect destroyed Tour Guide. Ryko sent Effect Veiler, Tragoedia, and Eclipse Wyvern from the top of Arias’s Deck to the Graveyard, and Wyvern’s effect banished Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. Next, Anuraag activated Miracle Fusion, banishing his Stratos and Alius in order to Summon Elemental HERO The Shining with 3200 ATK!
Arias Normal Summoned Phantom of Chaos and used its effect to banish Dark Armed Dragon from his Graveyard and imitate its effect. Then he Special Summoned Judgment Dragon and activated his Phantom of Chaos’s effect (mimicking Dark Armed Dragon) to banish Tragoedia and destroy Elemental HERO The Shining. The Shining’s effect activated to add Elemental HERO Stratos and Elemental HERO Neos Alius to Anuraag’s hand. Arias attacked Sangan with Phantom of Chaos to destroy it, and Arias added Effect Veiler from his Deck to his hand with Sangan’s effect. Next, Lightpulsar Dragon and Judgment Dragon attacked directly, dropping Anuraag down to 1200 Life Points. In Arias’s End Phase, he sent Darkflare Dragon, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, Monster Reborn, and Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with the effect of Judgment Dragon.
Anuraag drew Heavy Storm next turn. He Summoned Elemental HERO Stratos and used its effect to add Elemental HERO Ice Edge to his hand. Next, he activated Fusion Gate! He fused his in-hand Ice Edge and Kabazauls to Summon Elemental HERO Absolute Zero, and then fused his on-field Stratos with his in-hand Neos Alius to Summon Elemental HERO The Shining! Next, he attacked Lightpulsar Dragon with Elemental HERO Absolute Zero! Both monsters were destroyed, and Arias Special Summoned Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from his Graveyard with the effect of Lightpulsar Dragon. Then Elemental HERO Absolute Zero wiped Arias’s field clear with its effect! Fearing Gorz, Anuraag chose not to attack directly with The Shining.
Arias ended his turn without making a play.
Anuraag drew Miracle Fusion next turn! He activated Miracle Fusion to banish Elemental HERO The Shining and Elemental HERO Absolute Zero from his Graveyard and Special Summon Elemental HERO Absolute Zero. Next, he attacked directly with Absolute Zero to drop Arias down to 5500 Life Points. Then Elemental HERO The Shining attacked directly for 4100 points of damage, and Arias Special Summoned Tragoedia.
Arias activated Dark Hole to clear the field, and Anuraag returned Elemental HERO Stratos and Elemental HERO Absolute Zero to his hand and Extra Deck with the effect of The Shining. But the Duel was over moments later! Arias dropped Ehren, Lightsworn Monk and Plaguespreader Zombie from his hand to Special Summon Lightpulsar Dragon from his Graveyard, and a direct attack from Lightpulsar Dragon finished Anuraag off!
Steven Arias wins the first Duel with his Dragon Lightsworn Deck! Anuraag Das will be going first in Duel 2!
Anuraag opened up Duel 2 with Monster Reborn, D.D. Crow, Solemn Warning, Tour Guide From the Underworld, and 2 copies of Kabazauls. He Set a Kabazauls and Solemn Warning before ending his turn.
Arias Set a card to each zone and passed.
Anuraag drew another Solemn Warning next turn. Then he Flip Summoned Kabazauls and Normal Summoned a second copy. Next, he combined his 2 Kabazauls to Summon Evolzar Dolkka. Dolkka attacked and destroyed Arias’s face-down Plaguespreader Zombie. Anuraag Set his second Solemn Warning before ending his turn.
Arias activated Royal Decree and then used Dark Hole to destroy Dolkka. Next, he Normal Summoned Spirit Reaper and attacked directly to drop Anuraag down to 7700 Life Points and discard Tour Guide From the Underworld from his hand. Arias Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.
Anuraag drew Effect Veiler next turn. He activated Monster Reborn to revive Kabazauls and then attacked Spirit Reaper to deal 1400 points of damage to Arias.
Arias activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon Evolzar Dolkka from Anuraag’s Graveyard. Anuraag used Effect Veiler to negate Spirit Reaper’s effect, and then Dolkka attacked and destroyed Kabazauls. Arias switched Spirit Reaper to Defense Position and Set a monster in Main Phase 2.
Anuraag drew Torrential Tribute and Set it. In his End Phase, he lost the Torrential Tribute to Arias’s Mystical Space Typhoon.
Arias switched Spirit Reaper to Attack Position and then attacked with Spirit Reaper. Anuraag pitched his last in-hand card, D.D. Crow, to banish Arias’s Plaguespreader Zombie. After Spirit Reaper scored 300 points of damage, Evolzar Dolkka made a direct hit.
Anuraag drew and Set Elemental HERO Sparkman next turn.
Arias Flip Summoned Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. He used its effect to destroy Sparkman, and then attacked directly with Ryko, Spirit Reaper, and Dolkka.
Anuraag drew Super Polymerization and Set it.
Arias attacked directly with Evolzar Dolkka on his next turn to wipe out Anuraag’s last 1700 Life Points and win the Match!
[After the Match, Arias said that he Sided out all of his Spell and Trap Card destruction because he saw that Arias wasn’t using any Trap Cards. He said that he regretted this decision because he should’ve known that Arias would Side Deck in Decrees, and he needed a way to destroy them.]
Steven Arias is moving on to Day 2 with a 7-1-1 record using his Dragon Lightsworn Deck!