Justin Delhon managed to slip by us the majority of the tournament because he was in the VIP area, but he has managed to make the Top Cut using a unique Shaddoll list incorporating a full Set of Imperial Iron Wall to hedge against Nekroz, Infernoid, and Kozmo strategies that rely heavily on banishing cards. His opponent is Alexander Juneja, a Duelist we featured earlier using a Burning Abyss Deck with a ton of sweet tech like Horn of Heaven and Anti-Spell Fragrance. Who will come out on top between these Spellcasters and Fiends?

Juneja won the roll and chose to go first.

Duel One:

Juneja studied his opening hand for a moment before he chose to Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Normal Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Set two to his back row and ended.

Delhon started with a hand of Shaddoll Beast, Shaddoll Fusion, El Shaddoll Fusion, Foolish Burial, Instant Fusion, and Performage Damage Juggler. He started off with Shaddoll Fusion using Performage Damage Juggler and Shaddoll Beast to Special Summon El Shaddoll Construct. He used its effect t osend Shaddoll Hedgehog to the Graveyard and drew a second copy of Instant Fusion off of Shaddoll Beast. The Shaddoll Hedgehog triggered next which let him add Shaddoll Squamata to his hand. He followed that up with a Foolish Burial, sending Shaddoll Dragon to the Graveyard to blow away Juneja’s Set Horn of Heaven. He declared an attack with El Shaddoll Construct over Juneja’s Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to deal 1200 points of Battle Damage, then in Main Phase 2 slammed down Instant Fusion to Special Summon Elder Entity Norden! He used its effect to Special Summon Shaddoll Dragon and then banished Performage Damage Juggler to search Performage Trick Clown. He overlayed the Performage Trick Clown along with Elder Entity Norden to Xyz Summon Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer. Juneja thought for a moment considering a response to the Xyz, and ultimately chose to use a Horn of Heaven to tribute his Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and negate its Summon. Delhon triggered the Performage Trick Clown that hi the Graveyard an overlayed it with Shaddoll Dragon for Abyss Dweller. He activated the effect of the Xyz and Set El Shaddoll Fusion before he ended his turn.

Junejadrew to a mere two cards and Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before he Normal Summoned Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He overlayed them for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, and then used its effect to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Bottomless Trap Hole to the Graveyard by detaching Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Delhon responded with Abyss Dweller so none of the Malebranches triggered, and also brought back Performage Trick Clown via its own effect because he detached it as a material. When Juneja moved to Battle Phase to try to attack over the Performage Trick Clown, Delhon activated El Shaddoll Fusion to fuse away the Performage along with his El Shaddoll Construct for a second copy of El Shaddoll Construct. He triggered the effect of both Constructs, sending Shaddoll Beast and adding back Shaddoll Fusion to his hand. Juneja looked at the Field for a moment but realized he couldn’t do anything and would lose next turn!

A strong opener from Delhon completely shuts down Juneja. Can he win the next two games while playing around the power of Shaddoll Fusion? Or will Delhon continue to dominate?

Juneja chose to go first again.

Duel Two:

Juneja started with the Special Summon of Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and the Normal Summon of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then detached the Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to send Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss , Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and The Traveler and the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. He triggered both Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck and Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss back from his Graveyard. He overlayed those two for a second copy of Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and then detached just Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to mill Anti-Spell Fragrance. During the End Phase he added Tour Guide from the Underworld to his hand thanks to the Scarm.

Delhon opened with Shaddoll Hedgehog, Shaddoll Squamata, Raigeki, Breakthrough Skill, and Charge of the Light Brigade before he drew Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn, but during the Draw Phase Juneja looked him in the eye and said, “Can you smell that?” Juneja Flipped his Set Anti-Spell Fragrance and completely locked down Delhon’s hand! He Set Shaddoll Hedgehog along with all of his Spells and Traps and ended.

Juneja drew for his turn and detached Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for the effect of Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, but before he could even mill Delhon realized he could not win and conceded!

After an insane started back up by Anti-Spell Fragrance, Juneja completely crushed Delhon in the second game. One of these Duelists is advancing to Top 16 and the other is out of the tournament, which will it be?

Delhon chose for Juneja to go first.

Duel Three:

Juneja started with Foolish Burial to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and triggered it to Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He tributed away the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for Majesty’s Fiend and Set a card to his back row before he ended.

Delhon had a hand of Maxx “C”, Mystical Space Typhoon, Shaddoll Fusion, and two copies of Shaddoll Squamata before he drew a second copy of Shaddoll Fusion. Delhon activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the Set Fiend Griefing which Juneja chose not to Chain. He pressed forward and activated Shaddoll Fusion sending Shaddoll Squamata and Maxx “C” from his hand to Special Summon El Shaddoll Shekhinaga and run over the Majesty’s Fiend before he ended his turn.

Juneja drew for turn and a bit of playful banter was exchanged between the players. “A rock and a hard place.” Juneja stated considering the current game state. He Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Normal Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before he stacked them to Xyz Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He detached the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss , and Tour Guide from the Underworld for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. The Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered and he Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He declared an attack with Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss into El Shaddoll Shekhinaga in order to play around Shaddoll Fusion, and then when Dante fell he triggered its effect to add back Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss and then the effect of Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Special Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He Set Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss and ended his turn.

Delhon drew Instant Fusion for turn and attempted to declare an attack on Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, but Juneja activated Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss to destroy it. El Shaddoll Shekhinaga triggered to add back Shaddoll Fusion and Juneja triggered both Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to add back Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss and Special Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss respectively. Delhon activated Instant Fusion and Special Summoned Elder Entity Norden using its effect to Special Summon Shaddoll Squamata. He overlayed both for Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer and used it to spin away the Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss before he ended.

Juneja drew and Set a Monster along with two back row before he passed.

Delhon drew a copy of Shaddoll Fusion. He declared an attack with Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer over Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss which triggered to Special Summon Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Set Mystical Space Typhoon and ended.

Juneja drew and simply Set another card to his back row.

Delhon drew Shaddoll Falco and then Flipped his Set Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Juneja’s Set The Traveler and the Burning Abyss. He then activated Shaddoll Fusion and fused Shaddoll Falco and Shaddoll Squamata to Special Summon El Shaddoll Winda. He triggered Shaddoll Squamata to send Shaddoll Dragon to blow away Skill Drain and he triggered Shaddoll Falco to Special Summon itself facedown. He attacked over Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss which got Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and he destroyed that as well. During the End Phase Juneja added Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand.

Juneja drew and Set another back row for the second turn in a row.

Delhon drew Shaddoll Squamata for turn and Normal Summoned it. He Flipped his Set Shaddoll Falco to Special Summon Shaddoll Dragon facedown. He declared an attack over Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss with Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer and Juneja triggered Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Special Summon Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He ran over that with El Shaddoll Winda and Juneja chose to banish away Shaddoll Squamata to save himself some Life Points.

Juneja drew and made a bit of a show as if lamenting what he drew. He Set it and ended.

Delhon drew and made the precise read that Juneja was bluffing; he activated Shaddoll Fusion and sent Shaddoll Falco and Shaddoll Dragon from the Field to Special Summon El Shaddoll Winda. He triggered the effect of Shaddoll Dragon to blow away the new card which was Storming Mirror Force! With the coast clear, he moved to Battle Phase and swung in for game!

In the classic matchup of Burning Abyss against Shaddoll, the latter remains supreme as Justin Delhon knocks Alexander Juneja out of the tournament and moves on to Top 16!