Pasquale Crociata just defeated Michael Green in the Semi-Finals, but now he was up against John Fox – the Duelist who dealt him his only loss during the Swiss Rounds!  Fox managed to construct what’s basically a viable Machine Deck from his Sealed pool, complete with Machina Fortress and about half a dozen supporting Machine-Types.  But Crociata plays a defensive strategy with multiple Monarch monsters.  This Match will pit two very different Decks against each other, and anything could happen!

Crociata Set a Spell or Trap, then Set a monster.

Fox had an amazing hand of Dark Ruler Ha Des; Raigeki; Cyber Valley; Gorz; Premature Burial; and Pot of Greed!  Pot got him Magic Cylinder and Drillroid, which he Summoned, attacking to destroy Crociata’s Shine Knight!  Fox Set Cylinder.

Crociata destroyed it with Bait Doll!  He Set a second Spell or Trap, then activated Swords of Revealing Light and Set a monster.  Did he have Morphing Jar?

Fox drew Breaker the Magical Warrior and Summoned it, but Crociata punted it back to his hand with Compulsory Evacuation Device.

Crociata Flip Summoned Morphing Jar!  Fox lost his Incredible Hand Of Awesomeness™, but got five new cards: Hedge Guard; Mysterious Guard; Magic Drain; Blue Thunder T-45; and Botanical Lion.  It was definitely a step down from the insane hand he had before.  Crociata Summoned Yaksha, and attacked over Drillroid. Morphing Jar made a direct attack.

Fox drew The Calculator and Set Botanical Lion and Magic Drain as he waited out the Swords.

Crociata Set a monster and turned Morphing Jar to Defense Position.

Fox drew and Set Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.

Crociata Tributed Witch of the Black Forest for Zaborg The Thunder Monarch, destroying Botanical Lion and searching out Caius the Shadow Monarch!  Zaborg ran into Ryko, and Fox destroyed it, sending Cybernetic Magician; Mad Dog of Darkness; and Spell Shield Type-8 to the Graveyard.

Fox drew Divine Wrath.  He Summoned Blue Thunder T-45; attacked Morphing Jar; and Special Summoned a Thunder Option Token for a quick 1500 Battle Damage!  He Set Wrath.

Crociata Set another monster, then activated Pot of Duality, revealing Naturia Strawberry, Gorz, and Skill Successor: he took Gorz.  He Set a Spell or Trap.

Fox drew Creature Swap!  He attacked into Grave Protector with Blue Thunder T-45, bouncing off the Protector’s 2000 DEF.  Fox Set Mysterious Guard.

Crociata Summoned Yaksha, kicking away Divine Wrath, and then running over Blue Thunder.  Crociata added it back to his hand.

Fox drew Fissure, and activated it to destroy Protector.  He Summoned The Calculator, and turned his Thunder Option Token to Attack Position.  Calculator attacked; Crociata flipped Scapegoat; and Fox shut it down with Magic Drain!  Calculator and the Token made direct attacks.

Crociata Set another Spell or Trap, then activated Harpie’s Feather Duster, destroying Fox’s Divine Wrath.  Premature Burial let Crociata Special Summon Witch of the Black Forest, Tributing it for Caius the Shadow Monarch, banishing Mysterious Guard, and then got Breaker the Magical Warrior with Witch’s effect.  Caius attacked Calculator, but Fox pitched Hedge Guard to keep his monster alive.

Fox ripped Fissure, and blew away Caius!  “Attack for 1500?”  Thunder Option Token attacked, and hit.  “Attack for game?”  The Calculator made a direct shot for the win!

Morphing Jar robs John Fox of an amazing opening hand; he never sees Machina Fortress; and some well-played Monarch moves from Crociata put Fox under the gun.  But  Fissure turns everything around, letting Fox leverage his aggressive field presence into a surprise win!  Crociata was up.

Duel Two

He summoned Toon Gemini Elf and Set a Spell or Trap.

Fox had Fissure; United We Stand; Power Giant; Creature Swap; Spell Shield Type-8; and Luster Dragon.  Fissure destroyed the Elf, and Luster Dragon made a direct attack.  Fox Set a Spell or Trap.

Crociata Summoned Zombyra the Dark and swung over Luster Dragon.

Fox drew Cybernetic Magician and passed.

Crociata Summoned Hyper Hammerhead and attacked for 1500 Battle Damage.

Fox drew Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and discarded it to Special Summon Power Giant.  The Giant attacked Zombyra, but Crociata responded with Blast With Chain, boosting Zombyra’s ATK above the Giant’s: the Giant went down!

Crociata attacked with Hammerhead again for another 1500 Battle Damage.

Fox drew and Set Magic Cylinder.

Hammerhead nailed him again.  Crociata Set a monster.

Fox drew Drillroid and Summoned it, attacking Crociata’s Set monster, which turned out to be a fellow Drillroid.  Fox equipped Drillroid with United We Stand.

Crociata sent his Zombyra to attack Drillroid, and Fox responded with Magic Cylinder.  But Crociata pressed on, attacking with Hammerhead and boosting it with Skill Successor: Drillroid was sent back to Fox’s hand, but United We Stand was eliminated.

Fox drew Pot of Duality, and activated it revealing Magic Drain; Premature Burial; and Botanical Lion.  He took Premature.  Fox Set a monster, and Set a backrow card.

Crociata Set a back row card, then Summoned Beast King Barbaros and attacked over Fox’s Set Drillroid with Zombyra.  Barbaros made a direct attack, knocking Fox down to 1200 Life Points.

Fox activated Premature Burial, and Special Summoned Power Giant from the Graveyard.  It attacked Barbaros, but Crociata ended it all with Prideful Roar!

Pasquale Crociata plays an aggressive Duel, knocking John Fox off balance and claiming his first Duel win against Fox in this tournament!  Just one Duel remained: the winner would walk away with all twenty Starfoil Prize Cards.

Duel Three

Fox had a hand of Jinzo; Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive; Muka Muka; Power Giant; Fissure; and perhaps the most important card in his Deck, Machina Fortress!  He Set Dekoichi.

Crociata played Pot of Duality, taking Drillroid over Bait Doll and Mirror Force.  Drillroid attacked, destroying Dekoichi, and Fox got Botanical Lion.

Fox drew Shield Warrior and discarded Shield Warrior to Special Summon Power Giant. He Normal Summoned Botanical Lion, and attacked over Drillroid with the Giant.  The Lion made a direct attack, dropping Crociata to 5500 Life Points.

Crociata Summoned Makyura the Destructor, and equipped it with Horn of the Unicorn. Makyura attacked over Power Giant, and Crociata Set a Spell or Trap.

Fox drew Blast With Chain, and Crociata bounced away Botanical Lion with Compulsory Evacuation Device.  Fox discarded Jinzo and Machina Fortress to Special Summon Machina Fortress, then Normal Summoned back Botanical Lion!  Fox destroyed Makyura with Fissure, sending Horn of the Unicorn back to the top of Crociata’s Deck (this time, it was supposed to go there!), and made direct attacks with both Fortress and Lion!  Crociata was down to just 1100 Life Points!

Crociata Set two cards to his back row, and Set a monster.

Fox drew Luster Dragon.  He attacked with Fortress destroying Stealth Bird; Crociata brought it back with Miracle’s Wake; and Lion ran it over again.

Crociata Set another Spell or Trap.

Fox drew Creature Swap, attacked into Scapegoat, and attacked two of the Sheep Tokens.

Crociata drew to two cards in hand, with one Set in his back row.  “I don’t know what to do… So, just for giggles…” He Summoned Twin-Barrel Dragon, and targeted Machina Fortress: he hit heads… Then tails!  It was all over: Fortress’ effect robbed Crociata of his last in-hand card, and Fox ended it with Muka Muka next turn!

John Fox wins the first-ever Battle Pack: Epic Dawn Sealed Pack Ultimate Challenge, and is now the proud owner of every single Starfoil Prize Card currently printed!  John Fox ladies and gentlemen, your Ultimate Challenge Champion!