Jovanny Castillo and Matias Berrones both made it into the Top 32 with Dragon Ruler Decks – the most popular Deck here in the Top 32. Now they’re Dueling against one another in the most common mirror-match of the tournament. Berrones’s Dragon Ruler Deck is a bit different than most others present in the Top 32. He’s using more EARTH monsters (including Dandylion and Swift Scarecrow) than most other Dragon Ruler Decks, to use with Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders. Nevertheless, only a single Dragon Ruler Deck can reign at the end of this Match. One Dragon Ruler Duelist will rise to the Top 16. The other will be eliminated. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Castillo opened up with Dragon Ravine, Cards of Consonance, Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders, Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos, Vanity’s Emptiness, and Card Trooper. He activated Dragon Ravine and discarded Redox to add Dragunity Corsesca from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Cards of Consonance by discarding Corsesca to draw Waboku and another Cards of Consonance. He Summoned Card Trooper next, and sent Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls, Enemy Controller, and Debris Dragon from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to activate Card Trooper’s effect. Castillo Set Vanity’s Emptiness and Waboku before ending his turn.

Berrones Set 2 cards to his back row and passed.

Castillo drew Raigeki Break next turn. He activated the effect of Card Trooper by sending Sacred Sword of Seven Stars and 2 copies of Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he banished Tempest and Debris Dragon from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tidal from his Graveyard. He used the effect of his banished Tempest to add Dragunity Corsesca from his Deck to his hand. Castillo attacked directly with Card Trooper and Tidal next, dropping Berrones down to 3500 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Castillo Summoned Dragunity Corsesca and Tuned it with Tidal to Synchro Summon Scrap Dragon. He used Scrap Dragon’s effect to destroy his own Card Trooper and Berrones’s face-down D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation. Castillo drew Tempest from his Deck with the effect of Card Trooper. Next, Castillo Set Raigeki Break and ended his turn.

Berrones drew a card and passed.

Castillo drew another Raigeki Break next turn. He activated the effect of Dragon Ravine by discarding Cards of Consonance to send Blaster from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he used Scrap Dragon to try to destroy his own Ravine along with Berrones’s face-down Mystical Space Typhoon, and Berrones Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Castillo’s face-down Raigeki Break. Castillo banished Blaster and Dragunity Corsesca from his Graveyard next, and Special Summoned Tidal from his Graveyard. He added a Blaster from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Blaster. Castillo tried attacking with Tidal and Scrap Dragon to win the Duel, but was stopped by Swift Scarecrow! Castillo banished Corsesca and Card Trooper from his Graveyard to Special Summon Redox from his Graveyard in Main Phase 2, and then combined Reedox with Tidal to Xyz Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack! He detached an Xyz Material from Dracossack to Special Summon 2 Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens to the field and then Set Raigeki Break before ending his turn.

Berrones Summoned Card Trooper and activated its effect by sending Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, Tempest, and Book of Moon from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he banished Tidal from his hand and Tempest from his Graveyard to try to Special Summon Blaster; but Castillo flipped Vanity’s Emptiness to stop the Summon! Berrones added Tidal and Tempest from his Deck to his hand with the effects of his banished monsters. Berrones activated Dark Hole to destroy all monsters on the field except for Dracossack, and then drew a card with the effect of Card Trooper. He Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Castillo drew Dragon Ravine and then detached an Xyz Material from Dracossack to try to Special Summon 2 Tokens to the field; but Berrones discarded Effect Veiler to negate Dracossack’s effect. Next, Castillo discarded 2 Blasters from his hand to destroy Berrones’s back row with Blaster’s effect, and Berrones conceded, about to be defeated by Dracossack’s attack.

Jovanny Castillo wins the first Duel against Matias Berrones! Berrones will be going first in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Berrones started off Duel 2 by Setting 2 cards to his back row.

Castillo opened up Duel 2 with Dragunity Cosesca, Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls, Maxx “C”, Raigeki Break, Vanity’s Emptiness, and Flamvell Guard. He Set Vanity’s Emptiness and Raigeki Break and then passed his turn.

Berrones Summoned Dragunity Corsesca and attacked directly with it, dropping Castillo down to 7200 Life Points. Berrones Set another card to his back row before passing his turn.

Castillo drew Debris Dragon next turn and passed.

Berrones attacked directly once more with Corsesca before ending his turn.

Castillo drew Sacred Sword of Seven Stars! He activated it by banishing Tidal from his hand to draw Blaster and Tempest from his Deck. Then, he used the effect of his banished Tidal to add another Tidal from his Deck to his hand. Castillo banished Blaster and Debris Dragon from his hand next, in order to try to Special Summon Tempest; but Berrones flipped Vanity’s Emptiness to leave Tempest in Castillo’s hand. Castillo added Blaster to his hand with the effect of his banished Blaster.

Berrones attacked directly once more with Dragunity Corsesca, dropping Castillo down to 5600 Life Points. He Set a monster before ending his turn.

Castillo drew another Tempest next turn. He activated Raigeki Break by discarding Tempest, targeting Berrones’s face-down Trap Stun. Berrones Chained his Trap Stun, leaving Vanity’s Emptiness face-up on his field and negated for the turn. Next, Castillo banished Tempest and Blaster from his hand to Special Summon Tidal from his hand. He added another Blaster and Tempest from his Deck to his hand with the effects of his banished Blaster and Tempest. Next, Castillo Normal Summoned Dragunity Corsesca. He Tuned Corsesca with Tidal to Synchro Summon Crimson Blader and then attacked Dragunity Corsesca with Crimson Blader to destroy it in battle, drop Berrones down to 6000 Life Points, and stop Berrones from Special Summoning Level 5 or higher monsters on his next turn.

Berrones passed his turn without making a play.

Castillo drew Dragunity Corsesca next turn and then discarded Flamvell Guard and Blaster from his hand to target Berrones’s Mystical Space Typhoon for destruction. Berrones Chained it to destroy Castillo’s face-down Vanity’s Emptiness. When Mystical Space Typhoon hit Berrones’s Graveyard, his Vanity’s Emptiness was destroyed. Castillo banished Corsesca and Flamvell Guard from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tempest from his hand. Then he Normal Summoned Dragunity Corsesca. He Tuned Tempest with Corsesca to Synchro Summon Colossal Fighter. Crimson Blader attacked and destroyed Berrones’s face-down Dandylion, allowing him to Special Summon 2 Fluff Tokens, and then Colossal Fighter destroyed one of the Fluff Tokens in battle.

Berrones discarded Flamvell Guard and Blaster from his hand to destroy Colossal Fighter with Blaster’s effect.

Castillo drew Phoenix Wing Wind Blast next turn. He banished Corsesca and Tempest from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tidal from his Graveyard, and then used Tempest’s effect to add Debris Dragon from his Deck to his hand. Next, he Normal Summoned Debris Dragon. He Tuned Debris Dragon with Tidal to Synchro Summon Star Eater and then banished Tempest and Debris Dragon to Special Summon Blaster from his Graveyard. Blaster attacked and destroyed the Fluff Token. Star Eater attacked directly to drop Berrones down to 2800 Life Points; and then Crimson Blader attacked directly, but Berrones discarded Swift Scarecrow to stop the attack and end the Battle Phase! Castillo Set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast before ending his turn.

Berrones activated Dragon Ravine and discarded Tidal to send Tempest from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he banished Tempest and Tidal from his Graveyard to try to Special Summon Blaster from his Graveyard. Castillo Chained Maxx “C” to Blaster’s effect, allowing him to draw a card when it was Special Summoned. Berrones added Debris Dragon and Tidal from his Deck to his hand with the effects of his banished Tempest and Tidal. Next, Berrones Summoned Debris Dragon. He used its effect to Special Summon Flamvell Guard from his Graveyard, allowing Castillo to draw another card. Berrones Tuned Flamvell Guard with Blaster next, in order to Synchro Summon Colossal Fighter. Castillo drew another card thanks to his Maxx “C”. Next, Berrones discarded Electric Virus to take control of Castillo’s Blaster. He Tuned Blaster with Debris Dragon to Synchro Summon Star Eater, allowing Castillo to draw another card from the effect of Maxx “C”. Castillo activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast by discarding Redox, sending Colossal Fighter back to Berrones’s Extra Deck. Berrones attacked Castillo’s Crimson Blader with Star Eater to destroy it. In Main Phase 2, he banished Swift Scarecrow and Dragunity Corsesca from his Graveyard to Special Summon Redox in Defense Position.

Castillo banished Card Trooper from his hand and Maxx “C” from his Graveyard to Special Summon Redox from his Graveyard. Next, he banished Tidal and Crimson Blader to Special Summon Blaster from his Graveyard. He used the effect of his banished Tidal to add another Tidal from his Deck to his hand. He combined Blaster with Redox to Xyz Summon Number 11: Big Eye, and Berrones instantly conceded, realizing that Castillo would take control of his Star Eater and finish him off that turn.

Jovanny Castillo is advancing to the Top 16!