Top 16: Juan Flores vs. Justin Duren
Juan Flores from Austin, Texas ended the Swiss Rounds with a 10-1 record using his Inzektor Deck. Justin Duren from Wichita Falls, Texas piloted his Gemini HERO Deck to a 9-2 finish by the end of the Swiss Rounds. Gemini HERO Decks typically have a strong matchup against Inzektors because of cards like Skill Drain, Hero Blast, and Gemini Spark that can stop Inzektor effects or destroy Inzektors before their effects can resolve. But if Flores gets a fast start, he may be able to beat Duren before Duren can pin him down with his cards.
Duren opened up with Pot of Duality to reveal Elemental HERO Stratos, Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Torrential Tribute from the top of his Deck, and added the Stratos to his hand. Then he Summoned it to the field and used its effect; but Flores tossed Effect Veiler to negate the effect. Duren Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.
Flores started his first turn with Pot of Duality as well, revealing Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber, Solemn Judgment, and Inzektor Hopper from the top of his Deck, and added the Hopper to his hand. Then he Set 1 of his 3 Spirit Reapers along with a Solemn Warning.
Duren Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and Flores negated its Summon with Solemn Warning by giving up 2000 Life Points. Then Stratos attacked Flores’s face-down Spirit Reaper to flip it face-up. Duren Set another card to his back row in Main Phase 2.
Flores drew Pot of Duality next turn and activated it to reveal Inzektor Centipede, Solemn Warning, and Effect Veiler from the top of his Deck. He added the Centipede to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. He Summoned Inzektor Centipede, but Duren flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to banish it.
Duren activated Hero Blast! He destroyed Spirit Reaper and returned Elemental HERO Neos Alius to his hand. Then he Summoned Neos Alius and attacked directly with Stratos and Neos Alius to drop Flores down to 2300 Life Points.
Flores drew Inzektor Hornet next turn. He Set his second Spirit Reaper and ended his turn. In his End Phase, Duren activated Gemini Spark and Tributed Elemental HERO Neos Alius to destroy Spirit Reaper and draw a card.
On his next turn, Duren activated Miracle Fusion and Flores conceded!
Juan Flores opened up with 3 copies of Spirit Reaper, but couldn’t stay in the Duel long enough to pull off the effects of his Inzektors! Flores will be going first in Duel 2!
Flores opened up Duel 2 with Inzektor Centipede and then used its effect to equip it with the Inzektor Hopper in his hand. He used his Hopper’s effect and sent it to the Graveyard in order to trigger Centipede’s effect and add an Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Pot of Duality, revealing another Zektkaliber, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Meklord Emperor Wisel from the top of his Deck. He added Wisel to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Flores equipped his Centipede with Zektkaliber before ending his turn.
Duren opened up with Elemental HERO Neos Alius and Set 3 cards to his back row.
Flores drew Inzektor Hornet next turn! He activated his Centipede’s effect, but Duren flipped Skill Drain and paid 1000 Life Points to negate the effects of all monsters! Next, Flores attacked Neos Alius with Centipede, and Duren flipped Gemini Spark. He Tributed Neos Alius to destroy Inzektor Sword and draw a card. Flores returned an Inzektor Hopper from his Graveyard to his hand with the effect of his Sword, and then Centipede attacked directly.
Duren Set a card to his back row and ended his turn.
Flores drew Royal Decree next turn. He attacked with his Centipede and Duren dropped down to 3800 Life Points. Flores Summoned Inzektor Hornet in Main Phase 2 and Duren flipped Torrential Tribute to destroy Centipede and Hornet! Flores Set Royal Decree before ending his turn.
Duren Set 2 cards to his back row and passed. Flores flipped Royal Decree in the End Phase.
Flores drew Inzektor Hornet next turn, and Duren flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Royal Decree. He Summoned Hopper, and Duren flipped Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon.
Duren Set a card to his back row and passed.
Flores drew Inzektor Hopper and Summoned it. He attacked, but Duren activated Hero Blast! Duren destroyed Hopper and returned Neos Alius to his hand, and Flores Special Summoned Wisel; but Duren flipped Torrential Tribute to destroy Wisel!
Duren Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and attacked directly with it. He Set a card to his back row before passing.
Flores drew Bottomless Trap Hole next turn. He Special Summoned Cyber Dragon and then Normal Summoned Inzektor Hornet. Cyber Dragon attacked and destroyed Neos Alius and then Hornet attacked directly. Flores Set Bottomless Trap Hole before ending his turn.
Duren flipped his face-down Dark Hole, destroying Cyber Dragon and Hornet. Then he activated E – Emergency Call and searched his Deck for Elemental HERO Neos Alius. He Summoned it, but lost his monster to Flores’s Bottomless Trap Hole. Duren Set a card to his back row before passing to Flores.
Flores Summoned Inzektor Dragonfly and equipped it with Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber. He tried attacking with his Dragonfly to wipe out the last 1100 Life Points that Duren had, but Duren flipped Hero Blast to destroy the Dragonfly and return Neos Alius to his hand! Flores added Inzektor Centipede from his Graveyard to his hand with his Inzektor Sword.
Duren Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius next turn and attacked directly with it, dropping Flores down to 4200 Life Points. He Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.
Flores drew Royal Decree! He Set it along with a Ryko and passed.
Duren attacked the face-down Ryko with Neos Alius and Flores flipped Royal Decree to negate Skill Drain! Ryko destroyed Neos Alius and sent Effect Veiler, Pot of Duality, and Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning from the top of Flores’s Deck to his Graveyard. Next, Duren Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Stratos and used its effect to add Neos Alius from his Deck to his hand.
Flores drew Dimensional Prison. He Summoned a Centipede and activated its effect, but Duren pitched Effect Veiler to negate it! Flores Set Dimensional Prison before ending.
Duren Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and then activated Miracle Fusion by banishing Effect Veiler and Elemental HERO Neos Alius from his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Elemental HERO The Shining! The Shining attacked and destroyed Inzektor Centipede, dropping Flores down to 2600 Life Points, and then direct attacks from Stratos and Neos Alius finished Flores off!
Justin Duren defeats Juan Flores’s Inzektor Deck 2-0 with his Gemini HERO Deck! Justin Duren is moving on to the Top 8!
