Stephen Mercier from Alabama is Dueling against Chicago’s Derrick Bender in this Round 4 Feature Match! Both Duelists are using vastly different strategies with one thing in common – both of them are using the new Artifact cards from Primal Origin in their Decks.

 

Stephen Mercier is using a Wind-Up Deck featuring a bunch of Artifact cards, while Derrick Bender is using a Constellar Deck that also features several Artifacts. While powerful Artifact cards like Artifact Sanctum and Artifact Moralltach may be key in this Match, the different styles of these two Duelists’ Decks is likely to be even more influential on the outcome. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

 

Bender started off Duel 1 by activating Reinforcement of the Army to add Silver Sentinel from his Deck to his hand. He Set 3 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

 

 

Mercier opened up with Black Horn of Heaven, Artifact Moralltach, Double Cyclone, Wind-Up Rabbit, Wind-Up Warrior, and Torrential Tribute. He Summoned his Rabbit and then attacked directly, dropping Bender down to 6600 Life Points. He Set Black Horn of Heaven, Artifact Moralltach, Double Cyclone, and Torrential Tribute to his back row before ending his turn.

 

Bender Summoned Constellar Pollux and then attacked Wind-Up Rabbit; but Mercier banished his Rabbit and took a direct attack instead!

 

Mercier drew Wind-Up Magician next turn and then returned his Rabbit to the field. He Normal Summoned his Magician and then activated his Rabbit’s effect to have it banish itself until his next Standby Phase. Next, he activated the effect of his Wind-Up Magician; but Bender discarded Effect Veiler to negate the Magician’s effect!

 

Bender attacked Wind-Up Magician with Pollux to destroy it and then Set a card to his back row. In his End Phase, Mercier flipped Double Cyclone! He destroyed his own Artifact Moralltach along with Bender’s newly Set Mystical Space Typhoon, and then Special Summoned Moralltach and destroyed Pollux with his Moralltach’s effect.

 

Mercier drew Artifact Sanctum and then attacked with Moralltach. Moralltach was banished by Bender’s Dimensional Prison, and then Rabbit attacked directly.

 

Bender activated Dimensional Fissure and then Summoned Pollux. Mercier flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field, and banished his Rabbit with its effect to protect it until his next Standby Phase. Bender Summoned Constellar Kaus next and tried to attack with it, but Mercier flipped Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Moralltach from his Deck and destroyed Kaus with Moralltach’s effect.

 

Mercier returned Wind-Up Rabbit to his field in his Standby Phase and then Summoned Wind-Up Warrior. He activated his Warrior’s effect to increase its ATK and its Level, and then he attacked directly with his Warrior, Moralltach, and Rabbit to drop Bender’s Life Points to 0!

 

 

Stephen Mercier wins the first Duel with his Artifact and Wind-Up Monsters! Derrick Bender will be going first in Duel 2!

 

Duel Two

 

Bender started off Duel 2 by Setting 3 cards to his back row and Setting a monster.

 

Mercier opened up Duel 2 with Wind-Up Rabbit, Dimensional Prison, Mind Control, Artifact Sanctum, and 2 copies of Wind-Up Shark. He Summoned Wind-Up Shark and then activated Mind Control to take control of Bender’s face-down monster; but Bender Chained Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Artifact Moralltach from his Deck! Moralltach destroyed Wind-Up Shark with its effect, and Mercier took control of Bender’s face-down Fire Hand. He Flip Summoned it, Set Dimensional Prison and Artifact Sanctum to his back row, and then ended his turn, returning Fire Hand to Bender.

 

 

Bender Summoned Star Drawing and then combined it with Moralltach to Xyz Summon Artifact Durendal. He drew a card with the effect of Star Drawing and then attacked directly with Fire Hand; but Mercier flipped Dimensional Prison to banish Fire Hand! Next, Durendal attacked directly, dropping Mercier down to 5600 Life Points.

 

Mercier drew Double Cyclone next turn. He Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit and then Set his Double Cyclone.

 

Bender Summoned Ice Hand. Mercier activated Double Cyclone to target his own Sanctum and Bender’s face-down Artifact Caduceus, and then Chained his Sanctum; but Bender Chained the effect of Durendal to force Sanctum to destroy a face-down Artifact Failnaught instead of applying its original effect. Bender attacked, and Mercier banished his Rabbit to protect it and take direct attacks instead. Bender Set a card to his back row before passing his turn.

 

Mercier drew Wind-Up Factory and then returned Rabbit to his field in his Standby Phase. He activated the Factory and then activated his Rabbit’s effect to banish it from the Duel until his next Standby Phase. He used Wind-Up Factory’s effect to add Wind-Up Rat from his Deck to his hand; but when he tried to Normal Summon Wind-Up Rat, Bender activated Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Mercier immediately conceded.

 

 

Derrick Bender ties up the Match! Stephen Mercier will be going first in Duel 3!

 

Duel Three

 

Mercier opened up Duel 3 with Torrential Tribute, Wind-Up Factory, Wind-Up Magician, Wind-Up Warrior, Fiendish Chain, and Artifact Beagalltach. He activated Factory and then Summoned Wind-Up Warrior. He activated his Warrior’s effect and then used the effect of his Wind-Up Factory add Wind-Up Shark from his Deck to his hand. Mercier Set Torrential Tribute and Fiendish Chain to his back row before ending his turn.

 

Bender activated Fire Formation – Tenki to add Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear from his Deck to his hand and then Summoned it to the field. He attacked Wind-Up Warrior with Bear, destroying the Warrior and dealing 500 points of damage to Mercier. Next, he activated Bear’s effect to Set Fire Formation – Tenki from his Deck. Bender Set 3 more cards to his back row before ending his turn.

 

Mercier drew Wind-Up Rat next turn and then Summoned Wind-Up Magician. He revealed Wind-Up Shark from his hand to Special Summon it in Defense Position, and then activated the effects of his Magician and his Factory. He added Wind-Up Shark from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Wind-Up Factory and then Special Summoned Wind-Up Rat from his Deck with the effect of Wind-Up Magician. After Wind-Up Rat was Summoned to the field, Mercier Special Summoned another Wind-Up Shark from his hand! He combined Wind-Up Shark with Wind-Up Warrior next, in order to Xyz Summon Photon Papilloperative. He activated its effect by detaching an Xyz Material, and Bender Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy his own face-down Artifact Moralltach. Wind-Up Rat switched into Attack Position, and then Bender Special Summoned Moralltach; but when he activated Moralltach’s effect, Mercier flipped Fiendish Chain to negate it! Next, Mercier activated his Rat’s effect by switching it into Defense Position, and Special Summoned Wind-Up Shark from his Graveyard to his field. He reduced his Shark’s Level to 3 with its effect and then combined it with Wind-Up Rat to Xyz Summon M-X-Saber Invoker in Attack Position; but he immediately realized that there was nothing left in his Deck to Special Summon with M-X-Saber Invoker’s effect! Mercier attacked Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear with Photon Papilloperative, and Bender flipped Dimensional Prison to banish Photon Papilloperative.

 

Bender activated the effect of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear to send Tenki to the Graveyard and destroy M-X-Saber Invoker. Next, he Tributed Bear to Summon Artifact Beagalltach, and Mercier flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field! Bender Set a card before passing his turn.

 

Mercier drew Wind-Up Rabbit next turn. He Summoned Wind-Up Rat and then activated its effect to switch it into Defense Position and Special Summon Wind-Up Shark from his Graveyard. He activated his Shark’s effect to reduce it to Level 3 and then Xyz Summon Ghostrick Alucard by combining his Shark with his Rat. He activated Alucard’s effect to destroy Bender’s face-down Tenki and then attacked directly with Alucard to drop Bender down to 5700 Life Points.

 

Bender Summoned Fire Hand and then attacked Alucard. Bender lost 200 Life Points and Fire Hand was destroyed; but its effect activated to destroy Alucard and Special Summon Ice Hand from Bender’s Deck in Attack Position. Ice Hand attacked Mercier directly.

 

Mercier Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit to the field and then Set Beagalltachand Double Cyclone to his back row.

 

Bender Summoned Ice Hand and attacked Wind-Up Rabbit with Ice Hand; but Mercier banished his Rabbit from the Duel with its effect. He used his Factory’s effect to add Wind-Up Rat from his Deck to his hand. Next, Ice Hand attacked directly, and Mercier flipped Double Cyclone. He destroyed Bender’s face-down Artifact Scythe and his own Artifact Beagalltach and Special Summoned Beagalltach in Defense Position to defend himself against Bender’s Ice Hands. In Main Phase 2, Bender combined both Ice Hands to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Exciton Knight and activated its effect to clear the field!

 

Mercier returned Wind-Up Rabbit to his field in his Standby Phase and then Summoned Wind-Up Rat. He activated its effect to Wind-Up Warrior from his Graveyard and then activated his Rabbit’s effect to banish his Rat from the Duel. Next, he activated his Warrior’s effect to increase his Rabbit’s Level by 1. He combined his Rabbit with his Warrior to Xyz Summon Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and then attacked Evilswarm Exciton Knight with Number 101 to destroy the Evilswarm Exciton Knight. He Set Dimensional Prison before ending his turn.

 

Bender Set a card to his back row and passed.

 

Mercier returned Wind-Up Rat to his field in his Standby Phase and activated its effect to Special Summon Wind-Up Shark from his Graveyard. He reduced his Shark’s Level to 3 and then combined it with his Rat to Xyz Summon Leviair the Sea Dragon. He attacked directly with Leviair and Number 101: Silent Honor ARK, dropping Bender down to 1400 Life Points. Mercier Set Pot of Duality before ending his turn.

 

Bender Set a card to his back row and passed.

 

Mercier drew Solemn Warning and then attacked directly with Number 101: Silent Honor ARK; but Bender flipped Artifact Sanctum! He Special Summoned Artifact Caduceus in Defense Position to protect himself. In Main Phase 2, Bender flipped Pot of Duality, revealing Artifact Sanctum, Dimensional Prison, and Artifact Ignition from the top of his Deck. He added Sanctum to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. He Set Sanctum and Solemn Warning before ending his turn.

 

Bender Set a card to his back row and passed; but in his End Phase, Mercier flipped Artifact Sanctum to Special Summon Moralltach from his Deck. He used Moralltach’s effect to destroy Bender’s Artifact Caduceus.

 

Mercier drew Wind-Up Shark next turn! He Summoned it and then increased its Level to 5 with its effect. Next, he combined Wind-Up Shark with Artifact Moralltach to Xyz Summon Artifact Durendal. Direct attacks from Durendal, Leviair, and Number 101: Silent Honor ARK finished Bender off!

 

 

Stephen Mercier defeats Derrick Bender 2-1 with his Artifact Wind-Up Deck!