For Round 11, we’ve got another World Championship competitor: Tej Trivedi! Trivedi has gotten this far with just one loss thanks to his Nekroz Deck. He’s facing off against Miguel Soto, who’s had all wins and one draw, thanks to his Ritual Beast Deck! The winner here will have a fantastic shot at the Top 64.

Duel 1

Trivedi won the die roll and chose to play first. He played Nekroz Mirror, Tributing Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. Shurit searched out Nekroz of Brionac, and Trivedi discarded it to search for Nekroz of Trishula. Preparation of Rites was next, adding Nekroz of Unicore and Nekroz Mirror to Trivedi’s hand. He activated Valkyrus, Tributing the Trishula from his hand to draw a new card.

Soto’s opening hand was 2 Ritual Beast Tamer Elder, Mystical Space Typhoon, Dimensional Fissure, Raigeki, and Ritual Beast Tamer Wen. He Set Elder.

Trivedi played Senju of the Thousand Hands to get Nekroz of Clausolas, which in turn got Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He played it to Ritual Summon Unicore, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard, and that let him add Nekroz Cycle to his hand. Unicore attacked the Elder, then Senju and Valkyrus attacked directly to put Soto on 3700 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Trivedi Xyz Summoned Lavalval Chain, sending Djinn Releaser of Rituals to the Graveyard. He played Nekroz Cycle, banishing Djinn to Ritual Summon Clausolas from the Graveyard.

Soto drew Spiritual Beast Cannahawk. He played Dimensional Fissure, and Trivedi Chained Maxx “C” before it would end up stuck in his hand. Soto used Raigeki next, banishing Trivedi’s Ritual Monsters! Soto Normal Summoned Elder and Cannahawk, which banished Spiritual Beast Apelio from the Deck. He contact fused Elder and Cannahawk (which were banished by Dimensional Fissure) into Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk in Defense Position. He used its effect, putting Wen and Elder into the Graveyard to add Ritual Beast Ambush to his hand. He Set it and Mystical Space Typhoon.

Trivedi banished Kaleidoscope and Brionac from his Graveyard to get another Kaleidoscope to his hand, then banished Cycle and Unicore to get another Cycle. He played Senju, searching out Brionac, and discarded that to get Shurit. He played Nekroz Cycle, Tributing Shurit to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Trishula from the Graveyard! Soto Chained to Trishula’s effect with Ritual Beast Ambush. He Special Summoned Cannahawk and Elder in Defense Position, then Trishula banished Raigeki from the Graveyard, Dimensional Fissure from the field, and Wen from the hand. Finally, Shurit resolved and put Clausolas into Trivedi’s hand.

Trivedi continued, sending Trishula to attack Ulti-Cannahawk. Soto used its effect first, and Special Summoned Wen and Apelio in its place in Defense Position. Trishula instead attacked Apelio, and Soto responded with its effect, banishing Elder from the Graveyard. Senju destroyed Cannahawk in battle, then Trivedi Set two to his back row.

Soto drew Emergency Teleport. He switched Wen to Attack Position and sent it after Senju, finally dealing some damage to Trivedi. He Set Emergency Teleport and passed.

Trivedi flipped up Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit from his Graveyard to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. He activated its effect, Tributing Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Droll & Lock Bird from his hand to draw two new cards, and Farfa’s effect temporarily banished Elder. Valkyrus attacked Wen. Trishula tried to deal the finishing blow, but Soto knew this was an emergency, and used Emergency Teleport! He Special Summoned Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit in Defense Position! Trishula destroyed it, and Trivedi Set a second card to his back row. In the End Phase, Elder returned to the field.

Soto drew Ritual Beast’s Bond. He had no way to make a comeback, but flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Trivedi’s Fiend Griefing, gaining a little knowledge for the next Duel before he conceded.

Duel 2

Soto decided to have Trivedi play first. Trivedi discarded Clausolas to get Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and played it to send Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard, bringing down Unicore. Herald’s effect added Brionac to his hand, and he swapped that for Valkyrus. He Set one to his back row.

Soto’s hand was Ritual Beast Tamer Zeframpilica, Ritual Beast Tamer Elder, Debunk, Ritual Beast Steeds, Spiritual Beast Cannahawk, and Spiritual Beast Rampengu. He played Elder and Cannahawk, and used Cannahawk’s effect to banish Ritual Beast Tamer Lara. As he did that, Trivedi flipped Vanity’s Emptiness! Soto couldn’t do anything but Set Debunk and Steeds.

Trivedi played Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to get Brionac. He moved to the Battle Phase, and Soto used Ritual Beast Steeds to destroy Unicore. In Main Phase 2, Trivedi discarded Brionac, and Soto negated it with Debunk. Vanity’s Emptiness destroyed itself, and Trivedi passed.

Soto drew Spiritual Beast Apelio. He used Cannahawk’s effect to banish Rampengu from his Deck, then contact fused for Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk! Trivedi knew the Duel was over, but the round timer was counting down. He decided to concede now, rather than let Soto make a long combo-laden turn and end up with a Match Draw.

Duel 3

Trivedi decided to play first, with Senju of the Thousand Hands searching for Nekroz of Clausolas. He discarded discarded that to get Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and played it to bring out Nekroz of Unicore by sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard. Herald searched out Nekroz Cycle. Trivedi Xyz Summoned Lavalval Chain and put Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz on top of his Deck. He played Nekroz Cycle next, Tributing Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his hand to bring Nekroz of Clausolas from the Graveyard! He Set a back row card to finish.

Soto’s hand for the final Duel was Debunk, Spiritual Beast Pettlephin, Ritual Beast Ambush, Raigeki, Mystical Space Typhoon, and drew Maxx “C” for the turn. If he’d had it in his opening hand, this Duel may have been much different! As the round time ended, Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Trivedi’s face-down Vanity’s Emptiness, then Raigeki wiped Trivedi’s field. Soto Set Pettlephin, Debunk, and Ritual Beast Ambush.

Trivedi banished Cycle and Unicore from his Graveyard, searching for a new Cycle. He banished Kaleidoscope and Clausolas to get Nekroz Mirror next. He Set a monster and activated Cycle, and Soto Chained Maxx “C”! Trivedi Tributed the face-down Shurit for Nekroz of Decisive Armor, and Soto drew Ritual Beast Tamer Elder. Soto negated Shurit’s effect with Debunk. Decisive Armor’s effect banished Pettlephin, and it attacked directly. Trivedi Set a card to his back row.

Soto drew Rampengu. He played Elder, then Rampengu, which activated its effect. It banished Ritual Beast Ulti-Gaiapelio, then sent Ritual Beast Tamer Lara to the Graveyard. He contact fused Elder and Rampengu for Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk, and its effect targetd Ulti-Gaiapelio and Pettlephin. Then, he Chained with Cannahawk’s other effect, swapping it out for Pettlephin and Elder. Ulti-Gaiapelio went to the Graveyard, and Soto put Wen into his hand. Pettlephin banished Wen to bounce away Decisive Armor, and Soto contact fused again for Ulti-Cannahawk! Its effect targeted Elder and Wen, then it tagged out for Wen and Rampengu! They hit the field, and Elder went to the Graveyard so Soto could add Ritual Beast Steeds to his hand. Rampengu’s effect banished Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio to put the regular Apelio in the Graveyard. Soto contact fused Rampengu and Wen for Ulti-Cannahawk one more time. It attacked directly, then used its effect to put Ulti-Apelio and Rampengu in the Graveyard and search out Ritual Beast Steeds. He Set both of his copies of Steeds. The Life Points stood at 6600 for Trivedi to 4700 for Soto.

Trivedi Set one card to his back row. In the End Phase, Soto swapped Cannahawk for Pettlephin and Wen, then used Ritual Beast Ambush to bring out Wen and Lara! He used Apelio’s effect, banishing Rampengu.

Soto drew Maxx “C”. He had Apelio banish Elder for its effect, and contact fused all of his monsters for Ritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin in Defense Position and Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk in Attack Position. Ulti-Cannahawk targeted Pettlephin and Rampengu, and Chained to swap Ulti-Cannahawk with Pettlephin and Lara. Rampengu went to the Graveyard, and Soto searched out Spiritual Beast Cannahawk to his hand. Pettlephin banished Cannahawk to bounce away one of the back row cards. Soto contact fused Pettlephin and Lara for Ulti-Cannahawk and used its effect yet again, targeting Pettlephin and Apelio, then defused it into Apelio and Elder. He searched for Ritual Beast Tamer Zeframpilica. Apelio’s effect banished Pettlephin for the second ATK boost this turn. Soto contact fused for Ulti-Cannahawk, targeting Elder and Wen, and defused into Cannahawk and Wen. Soto searched for Ritual Beast’s Bond, then used Cannahawk to banish Elder from his Deck. Finally, he contact fused Cannahawk, Wen, and Ulti-Pettlephin into Ritual Beast Ulti-Gaiapelio! With its two boosts from Apelio, it attacked and put Soto ahead in Life Points! Trivedi had one more turn left, but there was no way for him to get past Ulti-Gaiapelio!

Miguel Soto is your victor, with Ritual Beasts!