Top 4 Feature Match: Adrian Sean Shakir Versus Michael Stibbins
Four Duelists were left in this tournament, and while Sorosh Saberian and Norberto Leon played a Mermail mirror match, Adrian Sean Shakir and Michael Stibbins were about to pit Wind-Ups against Inzektors. A win here meant a trip to the Finals and a guaranteed copy of the Championship Prize Card Digvorzhak, King of Heavy Industry!
Shakir started the Match by Summoning Thunder King Rai-Oh and protecting it with a single Set Spell or Trap.
Stibbins had a hand of Compulsory Evacuation Device; Threatening Roar; Inzektor Dragonfly; Sangan; Dark Hole; and Forbidden Lance. He destroyed Thunder King with Dark Hole and attacked with Sangan for 1000 Battle Damage. He Set Roar and Compulsory.
Shakir Set a monster and a Spell or Trap Card.
Stibbins drew Inzektor Ladybug. He Summoned Dragonfly; tried to equip it with Ladybug; and when Shakir attempted to stop him with Fiendish Chain, Stibbins fired back with Forbidden Lance. He sent Ladybug to the Graveyard and Special Summoned Inzektor Centipede from his Deck, equipping Ladybug to it.
He sent Ladybug to the Graveyard again to boost Centipede to Level 5, searching his Deck for Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber. He equipped it to Centipede and attacked, destroying Shakir’s face-down Sangan. Sharki searched out Wind-Up Magician, then took direct attacks from Sangan and Inzektor Dragonfly. He went to 5800 Life Points.
Shakir drew to six cards in hand and Summoned the Magician. He Special Summoned Wind-Up Shark, triggering Magician’s effect and Special Summoning another Magician from his Deck. In response to the Summon, Stibbins flipped Compulsory Evacuation Device to boot the fresh Magician back to Shakir’s hand. He overlaid Shark and Magician for Maestroke the Symphony Djinn, and turned Centipede face-down, destroying Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber. Its effect got Stibbins back his Inzektor Ladybug. Shakir Special Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh with Monster Reborn, but when he tried to enter his Battle Phase Stibbins flipped the all-important Threatening Roar! Shakir gave a sigh as he saw his problems mounting by one more turn, and several free cards for Stibbins.
Stibbins drew Spirit Reaper. He Flip Summoned Centipede to equip it with Ladybug from his hand, then attacked over Thunder King Rai-Oh for 200 Battle Damage. He suicided Sangan into Maestroke to search out Inzektor Hornet. Shakir sighed again. In Main Phase 2 Stibbins sent Ladybug to the Graveyard to boost Centipede to Level 5, getting another Centipede from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned it so he could equip it with Hornet, then yarded Hornet to destroy Fiendish Chain and get an Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber. With Dragonfly now freed of Fiendish Chain, Stibbins used it to Hornet an Xyz Material off of Maestroke and Special Summon his third Centipede! He equipped another Centipede with Hornet to destroy Maestroke, then got Inzektor Giga-Mantis from his Deck with Centipede’s ability.
Stibbins stacked the two Level 3 Centipedes to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Zenmaines, then equipped the Level 5 Centipede with Inzektor Sword.
Shakir drew to five cards and seemed to see an opportunity. He took a quick look through Stibbin’s Graveyard, then Normal Summoned Wind-Up Rat to Special Summon Wind-Up Shark. He made it a Level 3 to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, then Special Summoned another Rat to bring Shark back again. He made Shark a Level 3 once more, this time Xyz Summoning Temtempo the Percussion Djinn to strip an Xyz Material from Wind-Up Zenmaines. He turned Centipede face-down with Book of Moon, blowing away Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber and letting Stibbins take back his Centipede. He sent Temtempo and Zenmaity to attack and destroy Centipede and Dragonfly respectively.
Stibbins drew Pot of Duality and Normal Summoned Centipede, equipping it with Hornet and Giga-Mantis. He used Hornet to destroy Giga-Mantis, Special Summoning back Inzektor Dragonfly. He equipped Dragonfly with Hornet, destroying Temtempo, but not before Shakir Chained its effect to strip the last Xyz Material from Zenmaines. Stibbins used Dragonfly’s effect to Special Summon Inzektor Ladybug from his Deck and equipped it with Giga-Mantis. He turned Zenmaity to Attack Position and swung with Ladybug over Zenmaity. Dragonfly, Centipede, and Zenmaines all made direct attacks to reduce Shakir to 600 Life Points. Shakir drew for his next turn and threw in the towel.
Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber lets Michael Stibbins run through all of his Inzektor Centipedes and then reuse them again anyways, bringing Adrian Shakir to a hard-fought concession twenty-eight minutes into the Match! Twenty-two minutes remained. Stibbins was one win away from a seat in the Finals.
Shakir Normal Summoned Wind-Up Magician; activated the effect of Special Summoning Wind-Up Shark; and Stibbins hit him with Maxx “C”! Shakir Set two cards to his back row.
Stibbins had Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber; Inzektor Dragonfly; Mystical Space Typhoon; Solemn Warning; Forbidden Lance; and Inzektor Giga-Mantis. He played Typhoon to destroy Shakir’s Set Warning, then Summoned Inzektor Dragonfly and equipped it with Sword. He spent a moment considering his next move, then attacked Wind-Up Magician to destroy it: Shakir’s Set card in his Spell and Trap Card Zone couldn’t save it. Stibbins equipped Dragonfly with Giga-Mantis in Main Phase 2, then Set Warning and Forbidden Lance. Shakir destroyed Lance with his Set Typhoon in the End Phase.
Shakir drew to three cards with Wind-Up Shark on the field. Another Typhoon let him destroy Stibbins’ Solemn Warning! He Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and turned Dragonfly down with Book of Moon, leading Stibbins to take back his Giga-Mantis with Inzektor Sword. Thunder king attacked to destroy Dragonfly, and Shark made a direct attack.
Stibbins drew Inzektor Ladybug! He Normal Summoned it and equipped it with Giga-Mantis, attacking over Wind-Up Shark. Neither player had a hand left.
Shakir ripped Wind-Up Rat! He Summoned it to bring back Shark, then Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity! That got him another Rat from his Deck, which Special Summoned Shark to Xyz Summon Number 17: Leviathan Dragon. He boosted it to 2500 ATK and attacked over Ladybug, then made direct attacks with Zenmaity and Thunder King to lower Stibbins to 3000 Life Points!
Stibbins drew Monster Reborn! He activated it to Special Summon back Inzektor Dragonfly, then equipped it with Ladybug. He sent Ladybug to the Graveyard to boost Dragonfly to Level 5, Special Summoning Inzektor Centipede with Dragonfly’s ability. Stibbins equipped Centipede with Ladybug to attack over Thunder King Rai-Oh, then yarded Ladybug in Main Phase 2 to make Centipede a Level 5 and search another Centipede from his Deck. He Normal Summoned it to equip Ladybug again; boosted it to Level 5; and got Inzektor Sword – Zektkaliber from his Deck.
Stibbins overlaid Dragonfly and Centipede for Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon, detaching Dragonfly to destroy Zenmaity. He finished his turn by equipping Centipede with Inzektor Sword.
It all hung on Shakir’s draw. He plucked a card off the top of his deck, examined it, and screwed up his face, looking perturbed but thinking things through. He took a moment to look through Stibbin’s Graveyard, carefully checking for something. He seemed to be trying to figure out what would happen if he destroyed Inzektor Sword. He boosted Number 17: Leviathan Dragon to 3000 ATK and attacked to destroy Adreus.
Stibbins drew Maxx “C”. He riffled through his Graveyard a bit, then equipped Inzektor Centipede with Giga-Mantis to take down Leviathan Dragon!
“Come on… topdeck… Reborn, something!” Shakir verbalized his hopes as he drew his next card. He Summoned a Wind-Up Rabbit and ended. He had 5500 Life Points.
Stibbins drew Mystical Space Typhoon! He activated it to destroy his Giga-Mantis, getting Inzektor Hornet to his hand from his Deck and Special Summoning back Inzektor Dragonfly! He equipped Hornet to Dragonfly and Shakir gave Stibbins the handshake!
Michael Stibbins is taking Inzektors to the Finals, where he’ll face the winner of Sorosh Saberian versus Norberto Leon!
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