The Finals might be going on, but the stakes are just as high right here, for the 3^rd and 4^th place playoff of the Dragon Duel North American WCQ! The winner here will qualify to play in the World Championship! It’s Ian Parish, from Arnold, MO, up against Connor Perrotta from Lee, NY. Both Dragon Duelists are using Burning Abyss Decks. Parish is using the most common variant lately, packed with Phantom Knights. Perrotta decided to forego the Phantom Knights, giving him more space to use cards like Fiendish Rhino Warrior, Horn of Heaven, and Mask Change II.

Duel One

Perrotta won the dice roll and chose to play second. Parish led off by Special Summoning Speedroid Terrortop, and got Speedroid Taketomborg to his hand. He Special Summoned Taketomborg and made Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, sending Solemn Strike, Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade to the Graveyard. He played Foolish Burial to send The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to the Graveyard. He used Fog Blade to Special Summon Ancient Cloak, and Special Summoned The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots. He made another Dante, and detached Silent Boots to send Effect Veiler, Twin Twisters, and another Ancient Cloak to the Graveyard. He discarded Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Xyz Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal, and Graff Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and it self-destructed. He banished Silent Boots from the Graveyard to add a Fog Blade to his hand. He Set one to his back row to finish.

Perrotta had Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Speedroid Terrortop, Horn of Heaven, two Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Tour Guide From the Underworld. He Special Summoned Terrortop, and it was hit by Fog Blade. Perrotta Normal Summoned Tour Guide next, and Special Summoned Graff. Parish responded with Beatrice’s effect, detaching Dante to send Farfa to the Graveyard. Dante put Graff in Parish’s hand, and Farfa banished Perrotta’s Graff. Perrotta stacked Tour Guide and Terrortop for Dante, and used it to send Terrortop, Horn of Heaven, and Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Libic and Scarm from his hand, and Xyz Summoned another Dante! He detached Libic to send Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Quaking Mirror Force, and Fiendish Rhino Warrior to the Graveyard. Rhino Warrior’s effect sent Cir to the Graveyard, and Cir brought out Alich. He discarded Scarm to Xyz Summon Beatrice, and Alich self-destructed. He Set Horn of Heaven to finish.

In the Draw Phase, Perrotta used Beatrice’s effect. He detached Dante to send Cir to the Graveyard. Dante put Graff in the hand, and Cir revived Dante! Parish used his own Dante, sending Anti-Spell Fragrance, Twin Twisters, and Effect Veiler to the Graveyard. He used Beatrice next, detaching Ancient Cloak to send Farfa to the Graveyard. Farfa banished Perrotta’s Beatrice for the turn. Parish discarded Libic to Xyz Summon another Beatrice, and Libic Special Summoned Graff from his hand with its effect negated. He used Ancient Cloak from the Graveyard to search for The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves. He Normal Summoned Ragged Gloves, and stacked Gloves with Graff for The Phantom Knights of Break Sword! It used its effect on itself and Perrotta’s Dante. Parish’s Graff and Break Sword activated, and Perrotta’s Dante activated. Perrotta added Cir to his hand, then Parish Special Summoned Ancient Cloak, Ragged Gloves, and Calcab with his two effects. Calcab self-destructed, and it bounced away Horn of Heaven! Parish used Gloves and Cloak for Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, powered up by Ragged Gloves! He then used two Beatrice for Number F0: Utopic Future! Dark Rebellion sapped the power of Perrotta’s Beatrice, then Utopic Future attacked and took control of Perrotta’s remaining Dante. He decided, however, not to destroy Beatrice with Dark Rebellion yet, so Dante returned to Perrotta’s side. Parish used Ragged Gloves to send Silent Boots to the Graveyard, and Boots was used to get Fog Blade. He Set a card to finish. In the End Phase, Perrotta used a Scarm effect (it was attached to the destroyed Dante earlier) to add Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand.

Perrotta drew Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He discarded Cir to upgrade his Dante into Beatrice. Cir revived Calcab, and it self-destructed. It targeted Parish’s Set card, but he Chained the targeted Fog Blade, putting it on Beatrice. Perrotta combined his two Beatrice for his own Utopic Future! The Dante that was an Xyz Material went to the Graveyard, and it added Scarm to Perrotta’s hand. He Set Graff and Horn of Heaven. He attacked with his Utopic Future into Parish’s Utopic Future… and they changed control with each other! They switched back at the end of the Battle Phase, and Perrotta ended the turn.

Parish Normal Summoned Cir and it self-destructed to revive Dante. He discarded Farfa to upgrade into Beatrice, and Farfa banished Perrotta’s Utopic Future. Parish attacked with his Utopic Future, into the Set Graff. He took control of it, and it self-destructed. Graff activated, and Special Summoned Libic to Perrotta’s side. Parish had Beatrice destroy Libic, which Special Summoned Scarm. Dark Rebellion destroyed Scarm. In the End Phase, Scarm’s effect searched out Farfa.

Perrotta drew Scarm. He Normal Summoned Farfa, it destroyed itself, and it banished Parish’s Utopic Future. Perrotta’s Utopic Future attacked and took control of Dark Rebellion, which destroyed Beatrice. Beatrice Special Summoned Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss, and the Dante Xyz Material added Farfa to Parish’s hand.

Parish Normal Summoned Farfa and it destroyed itself, banishing Perrotta’s Utopic Future. Now, with Perrotta’s field finally clear, he sent Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon to deal the finishing blow!

The Duelists deftly play around each other’s Utopic Futures, but Parish came out ahead! With one more Duel, Parish might be on his way to the World Championship!

Duel Two

Perrotta chose to play second for this Duel. Parish started with Allure of Darkness, banishing Silent Boots. He Set a monster and two back row cards.

Perrotta’s hand was Stygian Dirge, Barbar, Quaking Mirror Force, two copies of Mask Change II, and Calcab. He Special Summoned Barbar, and Parish responded with Maxx “C”! Perrotta Normal Summoned Calcab, and played Mask Change II! He discarded the spare copy of Mask Change II, but the whole thing was stopped by Solemn Warning! Perrotta Xyz Summoned Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, and it sent Quaking Mirror Force and two Cir to the Graveyard. Calcab targeted a back row card, and Parish Chained the targeted Fog Blade on Dante. Cir’s effect revived Calcab in Defense Position. Perrotta Set Stygian Dirge and Quaking Mirror Force to finish.

Perrotta flipped Sygian Dirge at the start of the turn. Parish only Set a monster.

Perrotta drew Alich, and Normal Summoned it. Parish responded, with Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries! He banished all of Perrotta’s remaining copies of Dante! Perrotta used his on-field Dante’s effect, detaching Barbar to send Tour Guide, Terrortop, and Libic to the Graveyard. Barbar’s effect banished Libic and Cir to dish out 600 damage. Perrotta stacked Alich and Calcab for Number 47: Nightmare Shark, and it attacked directly with its effect.

Parish Set a monster, still stuck behind Stygian Dirge.

Perrotta drew Allure of Darkness, and played it with no other cards in his hand. He luckily drew Rubic and Farfa, and banished Rubic. He used Nightmare Shark to attack directly once again, leaving Parish with only 1400 Life Points remaining.

Parish Set a fourth monster.

Perrotta drew Libic. He Normal Summoned Farfa, which destroyed itself and banished a Set monster. Nightmare Shark attacked and destroyed a Set Cir, which didn’t use its effect.

Parish Set another monster.

Perrotta drew The Traveler and the Burning Abyss. Nightmare Shark destroyed Parish’s Set Graff, which Special Summoned Scarm, and it destroyed itself with its effect.

Parish Set a back row card and a monster.

Perrotta drew Terrortop. He played it, and it was negated by Fog Blade. Nightmare Shark attacked and destroyed a Silent Boots.

Parish passed.

Perrotta drew Quaking Mirror Force. Nightmare Shark destroyed Ragged Gloves. Perrotta Set his second Quaking Mirror Force to finish.

Parish Set a monster.

Perrotta drew Speedroid Taketomborg, and Normal Summoned it. Parish used Maxx “C”, and Perrotta continued with his play despite it. He stacked Taketomborg and Terrortop for Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction. Acid Golem and Nightmare Shark destroyed Parish’s Scarm and Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries. Scarm’s effect searched out Farfa in the End Phase.

Parish played Twin Twisters! He discarded Farfa, finally destroying Stygian Dirge as well as Quaking Mirror Force. Farfa banished Acid Golem for the turn. He used Gloves in the Graveyard to send Fog Blade to the Graveyard. Fog Blade revived Boots, and he flipped up Cloak. Cloak and Boots made Dante, and he sent a Cloak, Boots, and Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries to the Graveyard. He Normal Summoned Tour Guide, and Special Summoned Cir. He stacked Tour Guide and Cir for The Phantom Knights of Break Sword, and had it destroy itself and Perrotta’s Dante. Break Sword Special Summoned Cloak and Boots, and Dante put Barbar in Perrotta’s hand. Parish used his Phantom Knights for Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, and it sapped the power of Nightmare Shark! It attacked and destroyed Nightmare Shark, and Dante attacked directly. The Life Points now stood at 1400 to 3000, with Perrotta still leading. Acid Golem returned to the field, now with no Xyz Materials!

Perrotta drew Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries. He used it to banish all of Parish’s copies of Beatrice. In the Standby Phase, Acid Golem blasted him with 2000 damage! With just 1000 Life Points and Acid Golem locking him out of all Special Summons, he had no way to fight back!

Ian Parish is the victor, and is going to the World Championship!