15-year-old Jeffrey Strain from Delaware held a 9-2 record at the end of the Swiss Rounds to earn his spot in the Top 32. But Japan’s Satoshi Kato won’t make advancement to the Top 16 easy for him; Kato secured a 10-1 record at the end of the Swiss Rounds and is now competing in his second United States YCS Top 32! Kato is competing in the tournament this weekend with an Infernity Deck newly empowered by Lavalval Chain from Hidden Arsenal 7: Knight of Stars!  His opponent, Jeffrey Strain, is hoping that his Mermail Deck will be able to defeat Kato before Kato can pull off his Infernity combos. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Strain Set 2 back rows and a monster.

Kato opened up with Stygian Street Patrol, Infernity Break, Solemn Warning, Instant Fusion, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Night Beam. He activated Night Beam to destroy Abyss-sphere and activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Strain’s face-down Mystical Space Typhoon. Next, Kato gave up 1000 Life Points to activate Instant Fusion and Special Summon Darkfire Dragon from his Extra Deck. He Summoned Stygian Street Patrol next, and Xyz Summoned Lavalval Chain by combining his 2 monsters. He detached Stygian Street Patrol to activate his Chain’s effect and send Infernity Archfiend to the top of his Deck. He Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn, leaving himself handless.

Strain Normal Summoned Deep Sea Diva and activated its effect to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman from his Deck. Next, he Flip Summoned Mermail Abysslinde. He attacked Lavalval Chain with Atlantean Marksman and then, in the Battle Step, he activated Enemy Controller from his hand to Tribute Deep Sea Diva and take control of Lavalval Chain. Atlantean Marksman attacked Kato directly to drop him down to 6600 Life Points and Kato flipped Solemn Warning when Marksman’s effect activated, giving up 2000 Life Points to negate its effect and destroy it. Next, Lavalval Chain and Mermail Abysslinde attacked Kato directly, dropping Kato down to 300 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Strain detached an Xyz Material from Lavalval Chain to send Mermail Abyssleed from his Deck to his Graveyard. He ended his turn, and play passed to Kato.

Kato drew Infernity Archfiend and activated its effect to Special Summon it and add another Infernity Archfiend from his Deck to his hand. He banished Stygian Street Patrol from his Graveyard to Special Summon the Archfiend from his hand and then activated the Archfiend’s effect to add Infernity Necromancer from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Infernity Necromancer, switching it into Defense Position, and then combined his Archfiends to Summon Abyss Dweller. Next, he detached an Archfiend from his Dweller to activate its effect and used the effect of his Infernity Necromancer to Special Summon the Archfiend back from the Graveyard in Attack Position. He added Infernity Barrier from his Deck to his hand with the effect of the newly Summoned Archfiend. Next, Kato attacked and destroyed Mermail Abysslinde with Infernity Archfiend, and attacked directly with Abyss Dweller and Lavalval Chain, dropping Strain down to 4200 Life Points.

Strain activated Salvage and Kato negated it with Infernity Barrier; but then Strain activated another Salvage to get Deep Sea Diva and Atlantean Marksman from his Graveyard. He Summoned Diva and used its effect to Special Summon Atlantean Heavy Infantry from his Deck in Attack Position, and then used the effect of his Infantry to Normal Summon Atlantean Marksman. Kato activated Infernity Break by banishing Infernity Barrier from his Graveyard and destroyed Strain’s Deep Sea Diva.

Kato drew Stygian Street Patrol next turn. He Normal Summoned it and then attacked Atlantean Heavy Infantry with Lavalval Chain to drop Strain down to 2400 Life Points. Abyss Dweller attacked over Atlantean Marksman next, and direct attacks from Stygian Street Patrol and Infernity Archfiend finished Strain off!

Satoshi Kato uses Lavalval Chain to start a string of remarkable plays that allow him to seal the first Duel! Jeffrey Strain will be going first in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Strain started off Duel 2 by discarding Mermail Abysslinde and Atlantean Dragoons to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo from his hand. He added Abyss-sphere from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Abyssmegalo and added Deep Sea Diva to his hand with the effect of Atlantean Dragoons. Strain Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Kato opened up Night Beam, Mystical Space Typhoon, Soul Drain, Bottomless Trap Hole, and 2 copies of Summoner Monk.

He activated Night Beam to destroy Strain’s Abyss-sphere and then Set a Summoner Monk along with 2 back rows. Strain activated Mystical Space Typhoon in Kato’s End Phase to destroy Kato’s face-down Bottomless Trap Hole.

Strain Summoned Deep Sea Diva and activated its effect to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman from his Deck. He Tributed Marksman to activate Abyssmegalo’s effect and then used Marksman’s effect to destroy Kato’s face-down Soul Drain. Next, Strain activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman from his Graveyard. He attacked Summoner Monk with Abyssmegalo to destroy it and then attacked with Atlantean Marksman, Special Summoning an Atlantean Dragoons from his Deck. Direct attacks from Deep Sea Diva, Atlantean Dragoons, and Mermail Abyssmegalo dropped Kato down to 1800 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Strain Tuned Atlantean Dragoons with Deep Sea Diva to Synchro Summon Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier. He returned Mermail Abyssmegalo and Marksman to his hand to activate Dewloren’s effect.

Kato Set a card to his back row and Summoned Summoner Monk. He discarded Mystical Space Typhoon to activate its effect and Strain Chained Maxx “C”. Kato Special Summoned Infernity Archfiend from his Deck, and Strain drew a card off of Maxx “C”. Kato added Infernity Break to his hand with the effect of his Archfiend. Next, Kato combined his Monk with his Archfiend to Xyz Summon Maestroke, giving Strain another card. Kato used Maestroke’s effect to put Dewloren face-down and destroy it in battle. He Set Infernity Break before ending his turn.

Strain activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Kato’s face-down Infernity Break and then Summoned Mermail Abysspike. He discarded Atlantean Marksman from his hand to activate its effect and add Mermail Abyssgunde to his hand. Marksman’s effect took down Kato’s other face-down Infernity Break. Next, Strain discarded Mermail Abyssgunde and Mermail Abyssmegalo to Special Summon another Abyssmegalo from his hand, prompting Kato to concede.

Jeffrey Strain takes a quick win in Duel 2 to defeat him before his Deck can take off! Satoshi Kato will be going first in Duel 3!

Duel Three

Kato opened up Duel 3 with Pot of Duality, Call of the Haunted, Infernity Necromancer, Infernity Archfiend, Dark Hole, and Soul Drain. He activated Pot of Duality to reveal Summoner Monk, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Infernity Necromancer from the top of his Deck, and added the Bottomless Trap Hole to his hand. He shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Next, Kato Set Infernity Archfiend along with Bottomless Trap Hole, Call of the Haunted, and Soul Drain.

Strain Summoned Atlantean Heavy Infantry and activated its effect to Normal Summon Deep Sea Diva. He activated Diva’s effect to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman from his Deck and then Tuned his Diva with Marksman and Atlantean Heavy Infantry to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon! Strain used the effect of Black Rose Dragon to destroy all cards on the field, and Kato banished Black Rose Dragon with Bottomless Trap Hole!

Kato drew Infernity Barrier next turn. He Set it along with Dark Hole and then Summoned Infernity Necromancer, switching it into Defense Position. He used Necromancer’s effect, and Strain Chained Maxx “C” to draw a card when Kato Special Summoned Archfiend. Kato used his Archfiend’s effect to add a Barrier to his hand and then Set it before ending his turn without attacking.

Strain activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy one of Kato’s Infernity Barriers and then Summoned Mermail Abysslinde. He attacked Archfiend with his Mermail Abysslinde and Kato negated its effect with Infernity Barrier.

Kato drew Stygian Street Patrol next turn and Summoned it, prompting Strain to discard Maxx “C”.

Kato attacked directly with Stygian Street Patrol and Infernity Archfiend to drop Strain down to 4300 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, he combined his Stygian Street Patrol with his Infernity Archfiend to Xyz Summon Lavalval Chain and detached Infernity Archfiend to activate his Chain’s effect and send Stygian Street Patrol from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he activated the effect of his Infernity Necromancer to Special Summon Archfiend from his Graveyard in Attack Position, and used his Archfiend’s effect to add Infernity Break from his Deck to his hand. Strain drew a card each time Kato Special Summoned a monster. Kato Set Infernity Break before ending his turn.

Strain Set 3 cards to his back row and then passed his turn.

Kato drew Infernity Archfiend next turn! He Special Summoned it in his Draw Phase and activated its effect to add Infernity Break from his Deck to his hand. In Kato’s Standby Phase, Strain activated Abyss-sphere to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde from his Deck, and then activated Torrential Tribute to clear the field! He Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike from his Deck with the effect of Mermail Abysslinde. He discarded Atlantean Dragoons to activate his Abysspike’s effect and added Mermail Abyssgunde to his hand with his Abysspike’s effect. Next, he used the effect of his Dragoons to add Mermail Abyssmegalo to his hand. Kato Set Infernity Break and then activated Dark Hole to destroy Abysspike.

Strain Normal Summoned Deep Sea Diva and activated its effect to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman from his Deck. He attacked with the Marksman, but Kato activated Infernity Break and banished Infernity Barrier from his Graveyard to destroy the Marksman. Deep Sea Diva attacked directly. Strain Set a card to his back row and passed.

Kato drew Night Beam and used it to destroy Strain’s face-down Torrential Tribute.

Strain activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike from his Graveyard and then activated its effect by discarding Mermail Abyssgunde. He added Atlantean Marksman to his hand and then used the effect of Mermail Abyssgunde to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde from his Graveyard. Direct attacks from Deep Sea Diva, Mermail Abysspike, and Mermail Abysslinde dropped Kato down to 4500 Life Points.

Kato drew Infernity Launcher! He activated it and sent it to the Graveyard to target Infernity Archfiend and Infernity Necromancer in his Graveyard and then Chained Infernity Break, banishing an Infernity card from his Graveyard to destroy Strain’s face-down Enemy Controller. He Special Summoned the Archfiend and Necromancer after Enemy Controller was destroyed, and then used the Archfiend’s effect to add Infernity Necromancer from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned it and switched it into Defense Position and then used the Necromancer’s effect to Special Summon another Archfiend from his Graveyard. He used the new Archfiend’s effect to add Infernity Necromancer from his Deck to his hand. He combined both of his Archfiends to Xyz Summon Number 50: Blackship of Corn and then detached an Xyz Material from Number 50: Blackship of Corn to send Mermail Abysslinde to the Graveyard and deal 1000 points of damage to Strain. Next, Kato banished Stygian Street Patrol from his Graveyard to Special Summon Infernity Necromancer and used its effect to Special Summon Archfiend. He used his Archfiend’s effect to add another Archfiend to his hand and then combined 2 Necromancers to Xyz Summon Leviair the Sea Dragon. He detached an Xyz Material from Leviair to Special Summon Stygian Street Patrol from his Banished Zone. He combined Stygian Street Patrol and Archfiend to Xyz Summon Diamond Dire Wolf. He destroyed the Wolf along with Mermail Abysspike and then banished Stygian Street Patrol again to Special Summon Infernity Archfiend from his hand. Next, he used Necromancer’s effect to Summon another Archfiend. Kato attacked Deep Sea Diva with his Archfiend to destroy it, and then direct attacks from his other Archfiend plus Leviair the Sea Dragon allowed Kato to finish Strain off!

Satoshi Kato is moving on to the Top 16 with Infernities!