As the Playoff field gets smaller and smaller, we’re welcoming Chile’s Marck Antonio Caceres Gajardo back to the Feature Match table, as he continues his rampage with Mermails!  His opponent this round is Peru’s Arnold Nadaban Zanabria, playing Burning Abyss Phantom Knights.  Was this the end of the Mermail dream, or would Caceres pull off another stunning win on his way to the Finals?

Zanabria won the roll and opted to go first, Special Summoning Speedroid Terrortop to search Speedroid Taketomborg.  He counted out some options briefly, tapping the table to work through his thoughts, and Normal Summoned The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves to overlay with Terrortop for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss.  He detached Gloves to send The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak, and Allure of Darkness to his Graveyard, powering up Dante.  He banished Cloak to search another Boots, then banished Gloves to yard Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade.  

Zanabria banished it to Special Summon Boots, then Normal Summoned the Boots he’d searched, and overlaid for another Dante.  He detached a Boots to send Effect Veiler, Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade, and The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to his graveyard.  He banished Boots to search Fog Blade, then discarded Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to turn one Dante into Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal.  He Set Fog Blade and searched Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss with Scarm’s effect – a huge opening!

Caceres had Mermail Abyssteus; Mermail Abyssleed; Abyss-sphere; Atlantean Heavy Infantry; Twin Twisters; and Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju.  Knowing his opponent had that Fog Blade Set, he had to be careful.  He opened up with Gameciel, attempting to Tribute away Beatrice to give Zanabria the Kaiju.  But he hadn’t declared that he was moving to Main Phase 1, so Zanabria backed things up, and detached Dante from Beatrice to send Cir to the graveyard, reviving the detached Dante, then got back the Cir with Dante’s ability.  Beatrice hit the Graveyard for Gameciel moments later.  

Caceres then sent Abyssleed to the Graveyard to Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus, and Zanabria negated its effect with Fog Blade.  Caceres had Abyss-sphere, Twin Twisters, and Atlantean Heavy Infantry left.  He Chained Twin Twisters, discarding Atlantean Heavy Infantry to interrupt Fog Blade, and used Abyssteus’ effect to search his Deck for Mermail Abyssgunde.  Caceres was brutally out-carded at this point with no clear path to a win; he Set Abyss-sphere, and in the End Phase Zanabria revived his The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak by banishing Fog Blade.

Zanabria sent three cards to the Graveyard with Dante, then ditched Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to power up a Dante into Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal.  Caceres Chained Calcab’s target, Abyss-sphere, to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde.  Zanabria banished another Fog Blade to bring back The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, overlaid it with Cloak, and Xyz Summoned The Phantom Knights of Break Sword.  He detached Boots to… make Caceres concede, apparently!  That was enough for Caceres.

We were headed to Game 2.

The element of surprise in Game 1 does nothing to help Marck Antonio Caceres Gajardo overcome a tremendous opening from Burning Abyss Phantom Knights, and Arnold Nadaban Zanabria takes the first Duel with ease!  Now Caceres would have to try and win two games against a Side Decked opponent, potentially much more difficult.  Caceres opted to go second.

Zanabria opened with Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Special Summoning it into Caceres’ Maxx “C”.  He Normal Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, then Set one card to his backrow.

Caceres had One for One; Mermail Abysspike; Mermail Abyssteus; Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju; Mermail Abyssgunde; and Atlantean Heavy Infantry.  He Normal Summoned Abysspike and pitched Atlantean Heavy Infantry for its effect, drawing out Zanabria’s Set Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade.  Caceres blew away Calcab with Infantry’s effect, discarded Gameciel for One for One, and Zanabria activated Maxx “C”!  Caceres Special Summoned Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince, sending Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard, and Zanabria responded with Effect Veiler on the Neptabyss.  Dragoons fetched Mermail Abyssmegalo for Cacera, and he discarded Mermail Abyssgunde and Mermail Abyssteus to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo!  

That got him Abyss-scale of the Mizuchi from his Deck, and Abyssgunde revived the Mermail Abyssteus.  He fed Neptabyss to Mermail Abyssmegalo, Special Summoning Atlantean Dragoons, and activated Mizuchi.  With Mermail Abyssmegalo double attacking, that was more than enough to bring Zanabria down!

Caceres battles back, pressuring Zanabria into a slower first turn with Maxx “C”, powering through Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade and Effect Veiler, and using all the cards at his disposal to make a First Turn KO!  Suddenly the Match was even once again.  Zanabria decided to play first in the final Duel.  They started with a heartfelt handshake and got down to business.

Zanabria opened with Speedroid Terrortop, searching his Deck for Speedroid Taketomborg.  He Special Summoned it and Caceres activated the effect of Flying “C” to cut him off from his intended Xyz Summon!  Zanabria Set one card to his backrow.

Caceres had Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince; Mermail Abyssgunde; Twin Twisters; Maxx “C”; and Mermail Abyssteus.  He activated Twin Twisters, giving up Mermail Abyssgunde to destroy Zanabria’s Solemn Warning.  He Summoned Neptabyss to send Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard, searching his Deck for another Atlantean Dragoons and resolving the first to search Mermail Abyssmegalo.  He Special Summoned Mermail Abyssteus next, sending his second Dragoons to the Graveyard, and Zanabria dropped Maxx “C”.

Caceres took a moment to consider, then another, searching for a way to make things work.  He fetched another Abyssgunde from his Deck, then Mermail Abyssleed.  He Special Summoned Abyssmegalo, sending Abyssgunde and Abyssleed to the Graveyard; he searched his Deck for Abyss-scale of the Mizuchi with Abyssmegalo’s effect, and revived the Abyssleed with Abyssgunde.  He fed Neptabyss to Abyssmegalo to make it attack twice, and Special Summoned back his Dragoons.  He activated Mizuchi on Mermail Abyssmegalo and set to attacking.

Mermail Abyssteus took out Speedroid Taketomborg; Atlantean Dragoons took down Speedroid Terrortop; Abyssleed destroyed Flying “C”; and Caceres attacked with Abyssmegalo for two direct shots.  He left Zanabria at 1600 Life Points and overlaid Abyssleed and Mermail Abyssteus for Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon!  

Zanabria was in a pickle: Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon’s effect would deal 500 damage to him every time he activated a card or an effect, so he could kill himself in four moves.  He’d need to stick with monsters.  He also had to deal with Abyss-scale of the Mizuchi, which would negate the first spell he played this turn.  We’ve never seen a situation like this in a Feature Match before.

Zanabria Special Summoned Speedroid Terrortop, didn’t activate its effect so he could avoid damage, and Caceres activated the effect of Maxx “C”, which was the last card in his hand.  Zanabria Normal Summoned The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak next, overlaid it with Speedroid Terrortop, and Xyz Summoned Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss.  He couldn’t use its effect either.  He sent Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard to upgrade Dante into Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal, and attacked Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon!  

That destroyed Beatrice, and dealt 300 damage to Zanabria.  He Special Summoned Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss with Beatrice’s effect, and resolved Dante’s effect as well, dropping to 300 Life Points.  Pilgrim ripped Atlantean Heavy Infantry from Caceres’ hand, which was at the time up to three cards thanks to that Maxx “C”.

Zanabria banished his The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to search The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, taking him to six cards in hand.  He activated Allure of Darkness and lost it to Abyss-scale of the Mizuchi.  He Special Summoned Scarm and Calcab giving Caceres two more cards.  He overlaid them for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, giving Caceres another draw, and sent Effect Veiler, Solemn Strike, and Fog Blade to the Graveyard.  

But Zanabria saw no way out!  After struggling at 300 Life Points, searching for some sort of solution, he swiftly gave Caceres a decisive handshake.

Marco Antonio Caceres Gajardo moves onto the Top 8, proudly wielding Mermails for Chile!  Three more wins and Caceres would be taking home the title.