It’s Round 2! We’ve got two Duelists looking to stay undefeated! First up is Octavio Santiago, from New York, using a Shaddoll Traptrix Deck! He’s up against Cody Reyna, from Columbus, OH, who’s hoping to take a win here with Nekroz.

Duel 1

Reyna won the dice roll, and chose to play second.

Santiago had a hand of Shaddoll Fusion, Maxx “C”, Breakthrough Skill, Effect Veiler, and Shaddoll Hedgehog. He Set Hedgehog and Breakthrough Skill.

Reyna gave Santiago 1000 Life Points with Upstart Goblin. He mirrored Santiago’s play with a Set monster and back row card.

Santiago drew Traptrix Myrmeleo, and it let him put Bottomless Trap Hole in his hand. He flipped Hedgehog next, and it gave him El Shaddoll Fusion. He moved to the Battle Phase, and Myrmeleo attacked, bouncing off Reyna’s Djinn Releaser of Rituals’s 2000 DEF! In Main Phase 2, Santiago Set Bottomless Trap Hole and El Shaddoll Fusion.

Reyna passed, and in the End Phase, Santiago flipped El Shaddoll Fusion, and Reyna Chained Maxx “C”. Santiago combined Hedgehog and Effect Veiler, and Fusion Summoned El Shaddoll Construct, and Reyna got to draw a card. Hedgehog and Construct activated – Hedgehog searched out Shaddoll Squamata, and Construct sent Shaddoll Dragon to the Graveyard. Dragon targeted Reyna’s Set card, and he Chained it – Book of Moon, flipping Construct face-down.

Santiago drew Sinister Shadow Games. He played Shaddoll Fusion, combining Construct and Squamata for a new Construct. All three cards activated, and Santiago added El Shaddoll Fusion back to his hand, then sent Shaddoll Hedgehog and Shaddoll Beast to the Graveyard. Those two each activated as well, letting Santiago search for Shaddoll Falco and draw another El Shaddoll Fusion. He Normal Summoned Falco and moved to the Battle Phase. Construct took out Djinn, then Myrmeleo and Falco attacked directly. Still in the Battle Phase, Santiago played El Shaddoll Fusion to fuse Falco and Construct into a third Construct! Each of those cards activated their effects, allowing Santiago to send Shadoll Core to the Graveyard, add Shaddoll Fusion to his hand, and have Falco revive himself face-down.

Reyna Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands, and Santiago negated it with Breakthrough Skill. Reyna Set a card to the back row. In the End Phase, Santiago flipped Sinister Shadow Games! He sent Shaddoll Beast to the Graveyard, and Falco was flipped up. Falco revived Shaddoll Dragon face-down, and Beast gave Santiago Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare. Then, he used El Shaddoll Fusion to fuse Dragon and Myrmeleo for El Shaddoll Shekhinaga! Dragon destroyed the Set Nekroz Mirror.

Santiago drew Shaddoll Falco. He sent Construct, Falco, and Shekhinaga to finish Reyna off, and there was no stopping him!

Santiago takes a commanding first game, with a string of El Shaddoll Construct Fusion Summons to keep things going before Reyna could ever Ritual Summon! Reyna will need to take two games in a row now. Both Duelists moved for their Side Decks, and the second Duel was quickly underway.

Duel 2

Reyna started with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, adding Nekroz of Gungnir to his hand. He used Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Unicore, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard, and he added Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand. He stacked Unicore and Manju for Lavalval Chain, which sent Djinn Releaser of Rituals to the Graveyard. He pitched Nekroz of Clausolas next, adding Nekroz Cycle to his hand. He played it, bringing back Clausolas by banishing Djinn. Finally, he Set a card to his back row.

Santiago began with Void Trap Hole, Breakthrough Skill, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, Mistake, Shaddoll Hedgehog, and Mind Crush. He Set his Trap Cards and Hedgehog.

Reyna used Lavalval Chain’s effect to put Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands on top of his Deck. He passed without attacking.

Santiago drew Shaddoll Dragon and Set it.

In Reyna’s Draw Phase, Santiago flipped Mind Crush to try hitting Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, but Reyna activated Royal Decree! Reyna played Manju and added Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. He sent Lavalval Chain to attack Shaddoll Hedgehog, and it added Shaddoll Fusion to Santiago’s hand.

Santiago drew Mind Crush. He Flip Summoned Shaddoll Dragon, trying to get rid of Clausolas, but Reyna used Nekroz of Trishula from his hand to negate the effect! Santiago had Shaddoll Dragon destroy Manju in battle, dealing the first damage of the Duel.

Reyna discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He put Lavalval Chain in Defense Position.

Santiago drew Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare. He still couldn’t use traps due to Royal Decree, and he couldn’t Special Summon due to the Clausolas Summoned with Djinn Releaser of Rituals. Santiago Set Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare.

Reyna discarded Unicore to add Trishula to his hand. He Set a monster and a back row card.

Santiago drew Effect Veiler. He attacked with Shaddoll Dragon, and Reyna flipped a second Royal Decree. Shaddoll Dragon’s attack went through, destroying Reyna’s Fire Hand! Fire Hand destroyed Shaddoll Dragon in return, and Reyna Special Summoned Ice Hand. When Shaddoll Dragon went down, it destroyed one Royal Decree.

Reyna Normal Summoned another Ice Hand and moved Lavalval Chain to Attack Position. He attacked directly with both Ice Hands and Chain, leaving Santiago with 3400 Life Points. Reyna had a comfortable 7500 Life Points, and the round timer was running out.

Santiago drew Shaddoll Falco and Set it.

Reyna put both of the Ice Hands in Defense Position.

Santiago drew Shaddoll Squamata and Set it.

Reyna played Nekroz Mirror, using Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz from his hand to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Trishula, and Santiago negated it with Effect Veiler! Shurit’s effect still let Reyna search for Nekroz of Brionac. He used Reinforcement of the Army next, getting another Shurit to his hand, then used Brionac to add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand. As he did that, the round timer ended! There would be five turns after this.

Santiago drew El Shaddoll Fusion. He flipped up Squamata, targeting Clausolas for destruction, and Reyna discarded Nekroz of Gungnir to save it! Santiago Set El Shaddoll Fusion.

Reyna put the Ice Hands to Attack Position. Ice Hand crashed into Squamata, dealing 400 damage to Reyna, and its effect destroyed the Set El Shaddoll Fusion. Fire Hand came to the field. The second Ice Hand made the same move, destroying Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare but not Summoning a Fire Hand. The remaining Fire Hand on the field attacked, was destroyed, and its effect destroyed the Set Shaddoll Falco. A third Ice Hand came to the field and attacked, and took out Mistake. Finally, Trishula attacked, destroying Squamata. Lavalval Chain attacked directly. Reyna Set a card to his back row.

Santiago drew Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set it and Mind Crush as bluffs. When Reyna attacked, Santiago offered the handshake! Since the round had ended with each player having won a Duel, the Match was a Draw!

Santiago and Reyna have proven to be evenly matched!