Out of over 600, only 16 Duelists remain in the tournament! Collin Reardon is here from Virginia, packing a Monarch Deck. Like many Monarch Duelists, he’s been successful with Brilliant Fusion, which enables of variety of plays with Gem-Knight Seraphinite. He’s facing Johan Burke, out of Delaware, using a Magician Pendulum Deck. It has a variety of monsters that have great synergy together, and can Pendulum Summon Mist Valley Apex Avian and Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin over and over harass his opponent.

Duel 1

Burke won the dice roll and chose to play first. He put Magical Abductor in the Pendulum Zone, then played Pendulum Call. He discarded Nobledragon Magician, and put Dragonpit Magician and Dragonpulse Magician in his hand. He played Igknight Reload, putting Dragonpulse back to draw two cards. He played Dragonpit in the Pendulum Zone, and used his Magical Abductor’s effect to add Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku to his hand. He Normal Summoned it, and that put Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin in his hand. He Pendulum Summoned Kirin in Defense Position, and Oafdragon Magician in Attack Position. With Oafdragon’s effect, he added Nobledragon back to his hand, and Set one card to his back row.

Reardon had a hand of Tenacity of the Monarchs, 2 Erebus the Underworld Monarch, Ehther the Heavenly Monarch, Super Quantum Red Layer, and Domain of the True Monarchs. He Special Summoned Red Layer, and played Domain. He reduced the level of his Erebus and Tribute Summoned it. He activated its effect, and Burke Chained with Kirin’s effect. Kirin and Erebus went back to the hands, then Erebus’s effect put Dragonpit back in the Deck, sending Pantheism of the Monarchs and The Prime Monarch to the Graveyard. He banished Pantheism to get a The Monarchs Stormforth to his hand. He played Tenacity next, and got a new Pantheism to his hand. He banished Tenacity from the Graveyard to Special Summon The Prime Monarch in Defense Position. Finally, he Set Stormforth.

Burke played Sky Iris. He used it to destroy his Bunbuku, and searched out Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn. He activated it in his Pendulum Zone, then used Magical Abductor to search for Performapal Skullcrobat Joker. He Normal Summoned it, and got Dragonpulse Magician. At this point, Reardon decided to flip The Monarchs Stormforth. Burke used Igknight Reload, putting Nobledragon Magician and Archfiend Eccentrick back in the Deck to draw three cards. Reardon decided to use his Ehther from his hand, Tributing Burke’s Skullcrobat Joker and his Prime Monarch to Tribute Summon Ehther. It sent Pantheism and The Prime Monarch to the Graveyard, and Special Summoned Kuraz the Light Monarch from the Deck. Kuraz destroyed itself and Domain, giving Reardon Brilliant Fusion and Tenacity of the Monarchs. Burke Pendulum Summoned, bringing out Dragonpulse, 2 Kirin, and Skullcrobat Joker! All of that was in addition to the Oafdragon Magician he already controlled. Burke stacked Dragonpulse and Joker for Abyss Dweller. Next, he stacked Oafdragon and Dragonpulse for Number 39: Utopia Beyond! Its effect reduced Ehther’s ATK to 0, and Utopia Beyond destroyed it in battle! Reardon Special Summoned The Prime Monarch, and Burke used Kirin to bounce itself and The Prime Monarch to the hand. Dweller attacked directly.

Reardon drew Edea the Heavenly Squire. Burke used Abyss Dweller in the Draw Phase to keep Reardon from being able to use the Pantheism in his Graveyard. Reardon Chained the effect of The Prime Monarch, banishing Pantheism to Special Summon it. He played Brilliant Fusion, sending Edea and Jack’s Knight to the Graveyard to bring forth Gem-Knight Seraphinite. He stacked Seraphinite and The Prime Monarch for Number 61: Volcasaurus! It wiped out Utopia Beyond with its effect and dealt 3000 damage! Then, Volcasaurus upgraded into Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger! Reardon Normal Summoned Edea to Special Summon Eidos the Underworld Squire. He used his extra Summon from Eidos to Tribute Summon Erebus! With two huge monsters, plus the damage from Volcasaurus, Reardon attacked to take the first Duel!

Duel 2

Burke played first. He put Oafdragon Magician and Dragonpit Magician in his Pendulum Zones, and Pendulum Summoned Dragonpulse Magician and Archfiend Eccentrick. Next, he Tribute Summoned Fog King, using both monsters to put it at 2600 ATK!

Reardon had a hand of 2 The Monarchs Stormforth, Eidos the Underworld Squire, Super Quantum Red Layer, Pantheism of the Monarchs, and Tenacity of the Monarchs. Pantheism discarded a Stormforth, and Reardon drew Maxx “C” and another Red Layer. He banished Pantheism to reveal Pantheism and 2 The Prime Monarch from his Deck. Burke let him take a Prime Monarch. He Special Summoned Red Layer in Defense Position and passed.

During Burke’s Standby Phase, Reardon used Maxx “C”. Burke Normal Summoned Dragonpulse Magician. It destroyed Red Layer, and Fog King attacked directly.

Reardon drew Return of the Monarchs. He Special Summoned Red Layer, which returned the previous one to his hand. It attacked over Dragonpulse. Reardon Set Eidos to finish.

Burke discarded Performapal Monkeyboard for Pendulum Call. He added Oafdragon Magician and Wisdom-Eye Magician to his hand. He Pendulum Summoned both of them, along with Dragonpit and Archfiend Eccentrick. Next, he stacked Wisdom-Eye with Dragonpit for Number 39: Utopia, then upgraded that into Number S39: Utopia the Lightning! It attacked, and its effect sent its ATK skyrocketing to 5000! Burke’s other monsters attacked, and took the second Duel!

Burke evens up the score! It all comes down to this final Duel. One of these Duelists is moving on to the Top 8. For the other, their road will have ended.

Duel 3

Reardon chose to play first. He began with Brilliant Fusion, 2 Mystical Space Typhoon, The Prime Monarch, and Gem-Knight Lazuli. He Set both Typhoons and Lazuli.

Burke played Sky Iris. He activated Performapal Monkeyboard to his Pendulum Zone, and Reardon responded with Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Sky Iris. Monkeyboard activated its effect, but was destroyed by the second Mystical Space Typhoon! Burke continued, playing Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku to add Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin to his hand. Bunbuku destroyed Lazuli in battle. Burke played Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to his Pendulum Zone, and used its effect in the End Phase. It destroyed itself, and Burke got Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn to his hand.

Reardon drew Super Quantum Red Layer. He Special Summoned it, and destroyed Bunbuku in battle. Reardon Set Brilliant Fusion.

Burke played Archfiend Eccentrick to his Pendulum Zone, and it destroyed the face-down Brilliant Fusion. Next, Burke played both of his unicorns to his Pendulum Zone: Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin and Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn! He Pendulum Summoned Monkeyboard, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Eccentrick, and Bunbuku from the Extra Deck, along with Mist Valley Apex Avian from his hand! Eccentrick destroyed Red Layer with its effect, then Tributed Bunbuku to play a Kirin from his hand! With Reardon’s field open, Burke sent his multitude of monsters to finish him off!

Johan Burke is moving on to the Top 8 with his Magician Pendulum Deck!