Round 2 Feature Match: Aaron Furman versus Zach Altimus
Aaron Furman is no stranger to the Feature Match Area, and neither is his choice of Deck this weekend: Nekroz. With the addition of Instant Fusion and Elder Entity Norden, many Duelists have chosen to add ways to Synchro Summon Herald of the Arc Light so that they can Special Summon it back with Elder Entity Norden so that they can get additional searches when the Herald of the Arc Light is sent to the Graveyard. Furman has chosen to do this with Mathematician and Glow-Up Bulb, a blast from the past in terms of Nekroz tools. His opponent, Zach Altimus, has made his way from Louisiana this weekend Dueling with a Trap heavy Burning Abyss Deck very similar to the one we saw win YCS Toronto. Will the Rituals manage to defeat the darkness? Or will flames of the abyss be too much for it to handle?
Furman won the roll and chose for Altimus to go first.
Duel One:
Altimus started off with the Special Summon of Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss which prompted Furman to use Maxx “C”, letting him draw Senju of the Thousand Hands. Altimus chose to Set two to his back row and end.
Furman had a hand of Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, Senju of the Thousand Hands, Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, Nekroz of Valkyrus, Nekroz Kaleidoscope and drew Mathematician for turn. He tried to Normal Summon Senju of the Thousand Hands but lost out to Altimus’s Skill Drain. Furman moved on by using Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus, tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz in the process, and ultimately used the Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to add Nekroz of Brionac. He used Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Trishula for added protection before he went to Battle Phase. He declared an attack with Nekroz of Valkyrus over Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, but when he went to attack with Senju of the Thousand Hands Altimus responded with Raigeki Break discarding Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to destroy it! The Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered, Special Summoning Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Furman chose to end his turn.
Altimus drew and Set a card to his back row before he Special Summoned Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and overlayed it along with Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction. He declared an attack over Nekroz of Valkyrus and sat back in his chair protected by Skill Drain.
Furman drew another Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands for turn. He banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope along with Nekroz of Valkyrus to add Nekroz Mirror to his hand before he Set Mathematician and ended his turn.
Altimus drew and declared an attack over Mathematician, drawing him another Nekroz Mirror, before he Set a back row and ended.
Furman drew Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz for turn, Set Senju of the Thousand Hands and gave a hard sigh.
Altimus drew, declared another attack over Furman’s Set Monster, and added another card to his back row before ending.
Furman drew Maxx “C” for turn and thought for a while. He tried to resolve Nekroz Mirror but Altimus had Vanity’s Emptiness to stop it! Furman could only Set the Maxx “C” before ending.
Altimus drew and declared another attack with Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction, sending the Maxx “C” to the Graveyard, and ended his turn.
Furman drew Instant Fusion for turn and banished Nekroz Mirror along with Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to add Nekroz Cycle. He chose not to Set Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands or Senju of the Thousand Hands in hopes of finding an out.
Altimus drew and declared a direct attack before ending his turn again.
Furman drew Nekroz of Decisive Armor and couldn’t do much as he Set Senju of the Thousand Hands along with Nekroz Cycle.
Altimus declared an attack over the Set Senju of the Thousand Hands, still in a commanding position.
Furman drew Raigeki! He slammed it down and Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction along with Vanity’s Emptiness both hit the Graveyard. He followed it up with Instant Fusion to Special Summon Elder Entity Norden, but its effect was still negated by Skill Drain. He Normal Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands next which prompted Altimus to Flip his Set Torrential Tribute, but this caused the Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to resolve through the Skill Drain because it would be in the Graveyard! Furman added Nekroz of Unicore off of the Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands search, and then pressed forward with Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore. He sent Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to feed the Ritual Spell, which let him add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. Furman tried to activate Nekroz of Unicore to add back Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, but Altimus had Fiend Griefing to not only shuffle the targeted Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz back, but also send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard which triggered and Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Now stifled, Furman looked over his Graveyard to try to figure out the optimal line of play. He chose to declare an attack over the Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, allowing Altimus to Special Summon Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Furman tried to end his turn, but during the End Phase Altimus had The Traveler and the Burning Abyss which was enough for Furman to concede the game!
Devastated by Skill Drain and Vanity’s Emptiness in the first Duel, Furman could not manage to push through having been stifled for so long allowing Altimus to take the Duel on the back of Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction and The Traveler and the Burning Abyss.
Furman chose to go second.
Duel Two:
Altimus drew and Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss which he immediately tributed for Majesty’s Fiend. He Set two to his back row and ended.
Furman started with a hand of Breakthrough Skill, Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, Nekroz Mirror, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and Reinforcement of the Army before he drew Nekroz of Unicore. He Set the Breakthrough Skill and ended.
Altimus drew and declared a direct attack with Majesty’s Fiend. He Set a third card to his back row and ended.
Furman drew and announced his phases; he Flipped Breakthrough Skill to stop the Majesty’s Fiend so he could try to Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands but Altimus had Skill Drain lying in wait! Furman tried to press through, using Reinforcement of the Army to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Decisive Armor by tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. The Shurit triggered, adding Nekroz of Trishula to his hand. He moved to Battle Phase and declared an attack with Nekroz of Decisive Armor over Majesty’s Fiend, but Altimus tried to use Phoenix Wing Wind Blast ditching Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to stop it not realizing that Furman could ditch the Nekroz of Trishula he just searched to protect it! The Majesty’s Fiend went down and Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered getting Altimus a Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. In Main Phase 2, Furman ditched Nekroz of Unicore to add back Nekroz of Trishula before he ended.
Altimus drew and overlayed Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss along with a freshly Normal Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Xyz Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He Flipped his Set Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy his own Skill Drain, then used Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to sending three cards from the Deck to the Graveyard, detaching Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, including a Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. The Cir triggered getting back the Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; Altimus declared an attack over Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and added Tour Guide from the Underworld to his hand during the End Phase from the effect of Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.
Furman drew Preparation of Rites for turn! He slammed it down adding Nekroz of Unicore to his hand along with Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and then proceeded to use the latter in order to Summon the former and send Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard. The Herald of the Arc Light triggered adding Nekroz of Brionac to his hand, which he then ditched to add Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz. He Normal Summoned the Great Sorcerer, overlaying it with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands for Abyss Dweller. He finally activated Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz from his Graveyard, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Trishula which prompted Altimus to concede!
Furman manages to successfully push through Skill Drain in the second Duel showcasing the power of Nekroz. Will he be able to have as strong of play in the final Duel? Or will Altimus manage to ride his Traps to victory?
Altimus chose to go second.
Duel Three
Furman opened a hand of Senju of the Thousand Hands, Reinforcement of the Army, Breakthrough Skill, and two copies of Nekroz of Unicore. He Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands and used its effect to add Nekroz of Clausolas, which he then ditched to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. He activated the freshly added Ritual Spell, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to Summon Nekroz of Unicore. The Herald of the Arc Light triggered adding Nekroz Cycle to his hand, and then Reinforcement of the Army hit the table to let him add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. He activated Nekroz Cycle, tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, to Special Summon Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard and add Nekroz of Trishula to his hand via the effect of Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. He Set Breakthrough Skill and ended his turn.
Altimus drew and immediately threw Mystical Space Typhoon down to blow away the Set Breakthrough Skill. He took a moment to read over all of the Nekroz effects, then chose to Set two to his back row.
Furman drew Denko Sekka for turn. He announced his phases, and then slammed down Denko Sekka to stop Altimus from being able to use his back row! He then activated Nekroz of Unicore to add back Nekroz of Brionac, using Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Clausolas, which he then used to add Nekroz Mirror. He activated the Ritual Spell to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula and finish the match!
An absurdly strong opening hand followed by a Denko Sekka to shut off the only defense that Altimus could muster allows Aaron Furman to move on with a 2-0 record!