11 different Decks made it into the Top 16, including a lone Gladiator Beast Deck piloted by Brad Pironciak. Pironciak is using an original build that includes Gladiator Beast Samnite and Horn of the Phantom Beast. Now, he’ll be pitting his new creation against Brad Pironciak’s Karakuri Geargia Deck! Only one of these Duelists can advance to the Top 8!

Duel One

LeBlanc started off Duel 1 by Setting 4 cards to his back row and Setting a monster.

Pironciak opened up with Gladiator Beast Murmillo, Bottomless Trap Hole, 2 copies of Horn of the Phantom Beast, and 2 copies of Gladiator Beast War Chariot.

He Summoned Murmillo and attacked LeBlanc’s face-down Geargiarmor. He lost 1100 Life Points in battle and LeBlanc searched his Deck for a Geargiaccelerator to add to his hand with Geargiarmor’s effect. At the end of the Battle Phase, Pironciak tagged out Murmillo to Special Summon Gladiator Beast Bestiari from his Deck, and activated its effect to target and destroy LeBlanc’s face-down Mystical Space Typhoon. LeBlanc Chained Bottomless Trap Hole to banish Bestiari. Pironciak Set Bottomless Trap Hole, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, and Horn of the Phantom Beast before ending his turn.

LeBlanc used Geargiarmor’s effect to put it face-down and then Normal Summoned Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi”. He used its effect to put Geargiarmor face-up in Attack Position and then used Geargiarmor’s effect to add another Geargiaccelerator from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it in Defense Position and then Tuned Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi” with Geargiaccelerator to Summon Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”. LeBlanc activated its effect and Pironciak Chained Bottomless Trap Hole to banish Burei. LeBlanc Special Summoned Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” from his Deck with Burei’s effect and then Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator from his hand. He Tuned Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” with Geargiarmor to Summon Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido” and then used its effect to Special Summon another Watchdog from his Deck. He combined his Watchdog with Geargiaccelerator to Xyz Summon Gear Gigant X and then detached Geargiaccelerator to activate its effect and add Geargiano Mk-II to his hand. Direct attacks from Bureido and Gear Gigant X dropped Pironciak down to 1800 Life Points.

Pironciak drew Gladiator Proving Ground next turn. He activated it to add Gladiator Beast Laquari from his Deck to his hand and then Summoned Laquari to the field. He attacked Gear Gigant X and activated Horn of the Phantom Beast in the Damage Step to add 800 ATK to Laquari. He destroyed Gear Gigant X in battle and drew Dark Hole thanks to his Horn of the Phantom Beast. Pironciak Set Gladiator Beast War Chariot and Horn of the Phantom Beast before ending his turn.

LeBlanc Summoned Geargiano Mk-II and activated its effect, but lost out to Pironciak’s Gladiator Beast War Chariot. He attacked Laquari with Bureido and used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Horn of the Phantom Beast before proceeding to the damage step. Laquari was destroyed and Pironciak lost 1000 Life Points.

Pironciak drew Gladiator Beast Darius and Summoned it, but lost it to Torrential Tribute.

LeBlanc Summoned Geargiarsenal next turn and attacked directly to finish the Duel!

Brad Pironciak almost makes a comeback with his pair of Horn of the Phantom Beasts, but a well-timed Mystical Space Typhoon allows Christopher LeBlanc to destroy Laquari and seal the victory. Brad Pironciak will be going first in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Pironciak opened up with Dimensional Prison, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Gladiator Beast Equeste, Gladiator Beast Laquari, and 2 copies of Bottomless Trap Hole.

He Summoned Laquari and Set Bottomless Trap Hole and Gladiator Beast War Chariot.

LeBlanc Set 3 back rows and a monster.

Pironciak drew Mystical Space Typhoon and activated it to destroy LeBlanc’s face-down Solemn Warning. He attacked LeBlanc’s face-down Geargiarmor with Laquari and LeBlanc activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Pironciak’s face-down Bottomless Trap Hole. Geargiarmor flipped from the attack and LeBlanc added Geargiaccelerator from his Deck to his hand with the effect Geargiarmor. At the end of the Battle Phase, Pironciak tagged out Laquari to Summon Gladiator Beast Bestiari from his Deck and target LeBlanc’s Bottomless Trap Hole for destruction with Bestiari’s effect. LeBlanc Chained it to banish Bestiari from the Duel. In Main Phase 2, Pironciak Summoned Equeste and Set Bottomless Trap Hole and Dimensional Prison.

LeBlanc activated Heavy Storm to destroy Bottomless Trap Hole, Dimensional Prison, and Gladiator Beast War Chariot! He put his Geargiarmor face-down with its effect and then Flip Summoned Geargiarmor to add a Geargiaccelerator from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned 2 copies of Geargiaccelerator in Defense Position and then Normal Summoned Geargiarsenal. He combined his Geargiarsenal with Geargiarmor to Xyz Summon Gear Gigant X! He detached an Xyz Material from Gear Gigant X to add Genex Ally Birdman from his Deck to his hand. Next, he returned Geargiaccelerator to his hand to Special Summon Genex Ally Birdman, and Tuned Genex Ally Birdman with Geargiaccelerator to Summon Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”. He Special Summoned Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” from his Deck with Burei’s effect and then Tuned Watchdog with Geargiaccelerator to Summon Stardust Dragon! Stardust Dragon attacked and destroyed Equeste, and then direct attacks from Gear Gigant X and Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei” dropped Pironciak down to 2400 Life Points.

LeBlanc drew Horn of the Phantom Beast and conceded, with no other cards in his hand or on his field.

Brad Pironciak and his Gladiator Beast Deck are eliminated, and Christopher LeBlanc is moving on to the Top 8!