And then there were eight. This Top 8 Feature Match pits Andrew Fredella’s Mermails against Willian Fernandes’s Fire Fists. We saw Fernandes’s Deck in action in an earlier Feature Match: He’s using Magic Planter along with a ton of Continuous Traps like Call of the Haunted, Fiendish Chain, and Fire Formation – Tenken. These two Duelists are actually sharing a hotel room together to attend this event! They’ve played each other a bunch of times, and Fredella was convinced he was about to lose as he usually does to Fernandes. We’ll find out soon enough!

Duel 1

Fredella started off with two back row cards.

Fernandes had Call of the Haunted, Fire Formation – Tensu, Monster Reborn, Dark Hole, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Rescue Rabbit. He played Rabbit and banished it, getting 2 Gene-Warped Warwolves. He stacked them for Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Tiger King, which Set Tenki face-down. He activated it, but Fredella destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon before it could resolve. Tiger King attacked directly, and Fernandes Set Call of the Haunted. Fredella tried to use Abyss-sphere, but Fernandes destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon.

Fredella discarded Atlantean Marksman for Mermail Abyssteus. Marksman destroyed Call of the Haunted, and Abyssteus searched out Mermail Abysslinde. He Summoned that too, and crashed it into Tiger King. That let him Special Summon Mermail Abyssleed, which destroyed Tiger King. Abyssteus attacked directly. In Main Phase 2, Abyssleed Tributed Abyssteus to rob Fernandes of Monster Reborn! Fredella Set a back row card.

Fernandes drew Magic Planter. He played Dark Hole, then Set Magic Planter and Tensu.

Fredella Normal Summoned Mermail Abysspike, discarding Marksman for its effect. Marksman destroyed Tensu, and Abysspike searched out Mermail Abyssgunde. Abysspike attacked directly.

Fernandes drew and Set Fire Formation – Tensen.

Abysspike attacked directly again.

Fernandes drew Fire Formation – Tenki. He searched out Bear with it, and Fredella used Torrential Tribute when Bear was Summoned. Fernandes Chained Tensen, then pitched it with Magic Planter to draw Call of the Haunted and Forbidden Lance. He Set both.

Fredella discarded Mermail Abyssmegalo and Mermail Abyssgunde for another Abyssmegalo in his hand. Abyssgunde’s effect revived Abysslinde, and he put Abyss-sphere in his hand with Abyssmegalo’s effect. Abysslinde attacked, and Fernandes used Call of the Haunted to revive Bear in her way. Abyssmegalo attacked next, and Fernandes used Forbidden Lance on Abyssmegalo. Thanks to Lance and Tenki, Bear won the battle! Bear’s effect put another Tenki face-down.

Fernandes drew Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Gorilla, then flipped his Tenki for a new Bear. He sent Tenki to the Graveyard for Bear to destroy Abysslinde, and Fredella Special Summoned Abyssteus in defense position. He Normal Summoned Gorilla next, and had it use the other Tenki to destroy Abyss-sphere (Fredella didn’t Chain it, since he’d already used an Abysslinde’s effect this turn.). Fernandes Xyz Summoned Number 50: Blackship of Corn, and its effect dealt with Abyssteus.

Fredella drew his card, and flipped Abyss-squall! Fernandes knew he was done for, and we were moving to our second Duel!

Duel 2

Fernandes had Soul Drain, Solemn Judgment, Call of the Haunted, Heavy Storm, Gorilla, and Warwolf. He Summoned Warwolf, then Set Soul Drain, Solemn Judgment, and Call.

Fredella used Heavy Storm, and Fernandes paid 4000 Life Points with Judgment to save his other cards. Fredella Set two back row cards.

Fernandes drew Banisher of the Radiance, and Normal Summoned Warwolf. Gorilla and Warwolf attacked, then he Xyz Summoned Tiger King. Its effect put Tenki on the field, and he played it to get a Bear. Before the turn’s end, Fredella used Abyss-sphere. He Special Summoned Mermail Abysslinde, and Fernandes used Soul Drain. Fernandes simply destroyed that with Dust Tornado, and got Mermail Abysspike with Abysslinde in the End Phase. He discarded Atlantean Heavy Infantry to search out Marksman, and destroyed Tiger King with Heavy Infantry.

Fredella discarded Marksman and Heavy Infantry for Abyssmegalo, targeting Fernandes’s Tenki and Call. Fernandes Chained the Call to revive Tiger King, but Tenki was destroyed. Abyssmegalo Tributed Abysspike so it could attack twice. After having paid 5000 Life Points for his card effects, Fernandes wouldn’t be able to take two hits!

Andrew Fredella is going to the Top 4 with Mermails!