Out of North America’s best Dragon Duelists, only four remain! We have Georgia’s Adrian Galbraith up against Ohio’s Austin Colling in a Nekroz mirror match. Galbraith is using a slightly different version of the Deck compared to most – it packs Mathematician, Glow-Up Bulb, Summoner Monk, and other unique cards. Colling’s Deck is more or less standard, but has a few personal choices such as Effect Veiler. The winner of this Match is moving on to the Finals, and will also be taking a trip to the World Championship in Japan!

Duel 1

The Duelists had a tied die roll, then Colling won the next roll. He chose to play second, so Galbraith Set a card to his back row, then discarded Nekroz of Brionac to put Nekroz of Valkyrus in his hand.

Colling had a hand of Effect Veiler, Nekroz of Trishula, Mystical Space Typhoon, Reinforcement of the Army, and 2 Nekroz Mirror. Typhoon destroyed Galbraith’s Book of Eclipse, then Reinforcement of the Army added Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to his hand. He played Mirror, Tributing Shurit to Special Summon Trishula, and Shurit added Brionac to Colling’s hand (Trishula couldn’t activate with nothing to banish on the field). Colling discarded Brionac to put Nekroz of Valkyrus in his hand, and Trishula attacked directly for the first damage of the Duel.

Galbraith played Upstart Goblin for a new card, then used Reinforcement of the Army to put Nekroz of Clausolas into his hand. He traded that for Nekroz Kaleidoscope and activated it. Herald of the Arc Light went to the Graveyard, and he Ritual Summoned Nekroz of Unicore. Herald’s effect gave him Brionac, and that gave him Trishula. He Normal Summoned Mathematician, sending Glow-Up Bulb to the Graveyard. He sent an Upstart Goblin from his Deck to the Graveyard to bring Glow-Up Bulb back, then tuned it to Mathematician for Herald of the Arc Light, and stacked Herald and Unicore for Abyss Dweller! Galbraith activated its effect, detaching Herald, and Herald’s effect put Nekroz Mirror into his hand. He played it, banishing Brionac and Clausolas from the Graveyard for Trishula! It activated its effect, Colling used Effect Veiler, and Galbraith Chained Book of Eclipse! Trishula’s effect banished Nekroz Mirror from Colling’s Graveyard, the opposing Trishula from his field, and Valkyrus from his hand!

Colling drew Mystical Space Typhoon, adding it to the Nekroz Mirror in his hand. He couldn’t do much, but he Set Typhoon and passed.

Galbraith Flip Summoned Abyss Dweller and Trishula, with each attacking directly to put Colling down to 3600 Life Points.

Colling drew Bull Blader. He attacked Abyss Dweller and activated its effect, destroying both monsters. Colling Set his Nekroz Mirror.

Galbraith Summoned Manju, sending it and Trishula to take the first Duel!

Duel 2

Galbraith would start this Duel, with Senju of the Thousand Hands. It gave him Nekroz of Valkyrus, then he discarded Nekroz of Brionac to put Clausolas in his hand. He swapped that for Nekroz Kaleidoscope and activated it to send Five-Headed Dragon to the Graveyard! Kaleidoscope Ritual Summoned Nekroz of Unicore and Nekroz of Valkyrus together, then Galbraith stacked Unicore and Senju for Lavalval Chain. He searched his Deck for Shurit using Reinforcement of the Army, then Lavalval Chain put Summoner Monk on top of his Deck. Valkyrus Tributed itself and Lavalval Chain to give Galbraith two new cards. Then, he banished Kaleidoscope and Unicore from the Graveyard to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand. He discarded a Unicore from his hand to add Valkyrus back to his hand. He Set one card to his back row to finish the turn.

Colling’s hand was Mystical Space Typhoon, Nekroz of Clausolas, Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, and Nekroz Cycle. Typhoon came down to hit Galbraith’s Solemn Scolding, then Manju searched out Valkyrus. He Summoned Valkyrus with Cycle, Tributing Shurit so he could search out Brionac. He discarded Brionac to get Unicore to his hand. Kaleidoscope Summoned Unicore with Herald of the Arc Light, and Colling searched out another Unicore. Valkyrus attacked directly, and was blocked by Galbraith’s own Valkyrus’s effect. In Main Phase 2, Colling Xyz Summoned Number 80: Rhapsody in Berserk, which banished Brionac and Valkyrus from Galbraith’s Graveyard. Then he used his Valkyrus to Tribute itself and Number 80 to draw two copies of Nekroz of Clausolas. He discarded one to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand, then banished Kaleidoscope and Unicore from his Graveyard to put a Kaleidoscope in his hand. He passed with an open field.

Galbraith played Nekroz Cycle, Tributing Shurit to bring Unicore from the Graveyard. Shurit’s effect put Brionac into his hand, and he discarded it to get Clausolas, then discarded that to get Nekroz Mirror. He Normal Summoned Summoner Monk, having it discard Mirror to Special Summon Bull Blader from the Deck. Unicore attacked directly, and Colling blocked the attack with Valkyrus from his hand. In Main Phase 2, Galbraith stacked Monk and Bull Blader for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK. He Set one to his back row.

Colling drew Mystical Space Typhoon and used it to destroy Vanity’s Emptiness! He played Nekroz Cycle, Tributing the Clausolas in his hand to bring back the Clausolas from his Graveyard in Defense Position. He Set Kaleidoscope and Mirror.

Galbraith played Mathematician to load his Graveyard with Glow-Up Bulb, then revived it by sending a Nekroz Cycle from his Deck to the Graveyard. He tuned it to Mathematician for Herald of the Arc Light, then stacked Herald and Unicore for Abyss Dweller. Colling used Clausolas’s effect on Silent Honor ARK, and Galbraith passed.

Colling drew Senju of the Thousand Hands! He played it to get Unicore, then flipped Kaleidoscope to Ritual Summon it. Galbraith Chained with Abyss Dweller, detaching Herald, and Colling negated Abyss Dweller with Clausolas. Kaleidoscope resolved and sent Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to bring out Unicore. Both players’ Heralds activated: Galbraith got Valkyrus, and Colling got Trishula. Colling played Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit from the Graveyard for Trishula! Trishula’s effect hit Galbraith’s Silent Honor ARK from the field, Shurit from the Graveyard, and the only card in his hand was Valkyrus. With only Abyss Dweller to his possession, Galbraith couldn’t survive the onslaught of Colling’s monsters!

Duel 3

Galbraith decided to have Colling begin the final Duel. Colling opened with Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Nekroz Mirror, Mystical Space Typhoon, Nekroz of Valkyrus, and Nekroz of Unicore. Kaleidoscope Summoned Unicore using Herald of the Arc Light, and Colling searched for Nekroz of Brionac. He pitched that for Nekroz of Gungnir. He Set Mirror and Typhoon.

Galbriath played Senju of the Thousand Hands to get Brionac, and swapped that for Unicore. He played Kaleidoscope with Herald of the Arc Light to play Unicore, and added Clausolas to his hand as the round timer ended. There would only be three more turns after this one – whoever had higher Life Points would win. Galbraith discarded Clausolas to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand. Galbraith attacked Colling’s Unicore with his own Unicore, and both players used Gungnir from their hand to save their monsters!

In Main Phase 2, Galbraith stacked Senju and Unicore for Tellarknight Ptolemaeus, then upgraded it into Stellarknight Constellar Diamond!

Colling drew Effect Veiler. He passed.

Galbraith drew for his final turn of the End of Match procedures. He played Manju to search out Nekroz Mirror. Diamond attacked Unicore, and it was blocked by Valkyrus’s effect. In Main Phase 2 Galbraith used Nekroz Cycle to Tribute Shurit and revived Gungnir from the Graveyard. Shurit’s effect searched out Brionac, and that gave him Trishula. He played Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit to Summon Trishula, and Colling responded with Effect Veiler from his hand on Gungnir! That left him with no cards in his hand, so Trishula couldn’t resolve!

Colling drew Nekroz of Valkyrus. He attacked Manju with Unicore, putting himself ahead in Life Points!

Austin Colling is going to the World Championship!