We’re down to the Top 8! We’ve got Jose Lagunes, from Vera Cruz, who finished in first place in the Swiss rounds. Can be the one to take down Alejandro Navarro’s SPYRALs? We saw Navarro crush his opponent in his last Feature Match, and Lagunes is even playing the same Deck Navarro beat in that Match. Can Lagunes stay in first place, or will we be seeing SPYRALs in the Top 4?

Duel 1

Navarro had SPYRAL Mission – Assault, SPYRAL GEAR – Big Red, Glow-Up Bulb, SPYRAL GEAR – Fully Armed, and Twin Twisters. He Set Twisters and Bulb.

Lagunes played Wisdom-Eye Magician and Oafdragon Magician in his Pendulum Zone, and Navarro flipped Twin Twisters, discarding Assault, but Lagunes had Wavering Eyes! He destroyed his own Pendulums to deal 500 damage and add Astrograph Sorcerer to his hand. He activated the Sorcerer’s effect, Special Summoning it and searching for a new Wisdom-Eye. He played Purple Poison Magician and Wisdom-Eye in his Pendulum Zones, and used Wisdom-Eye to get Double Iris Magician on the field. Lagunes Pendulum Summoned Wisdom-Eye from the Extra Deck, and Double Iris and Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer from his hand! Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer’s effect destroyed the Double Iris in his Pendulum Zone, letting him add Performapal Skullcrobat Joker and Time Pendulumgraph to his hand. He Normal Summoned Skullcrobat Joker and searched for a Purple Poison. He stacked Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and Wisdom-Eye for Number 39: Utopia, followed by Number S39: Utopia the Lightning! He played Purple Poison in his Pendulum Zone and moved to the Battle Phase. Utopia detached Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and blasted the Set Glow-Up Bulb. His other Spellcasters attacked, and his two Purple Poisons in the Pendulum Zone used their effects to deal enough damage, ending this Duel on turn one!

A weak opening hand for Navarro is an invitation to victory for Lagunes! Once he played through Twin Twisters with Wavering Eyes, it was all over! Navarro chose to play first in the next Duel.

Duel 2

Navarro began this time with SPYRAL Resort, Machine Duplication, Pendulum Hole, and two Terraforming. He played a Terraforming, and Lagunes used Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Navarro simply played his next copy, getting a Resort, and activating it to get SPYRAL Quik-Fix. He Normal Summoned it to search for SPYRAL GEAR – Big Red, then used Machine Duplication! He got two more copies of Quik-Fix, and Lagunes probably wished he held onto Ash Blossom. Navarro used his monsters to get SPYRAL GEAR – Drone and SPYRAL GEAR – Last Resort to his hand. He Link Summoned Missus Radiant in the left Extra Monster Zone, then played Big Red to bring back Quik-Fix and get SPYRAL Gear – Utility Wire. He stacked his Quik-Fix pair for Sylvan Princessprite, which sent Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow to the Graveyard. He played his spare copy of Resort to add SPYRAL Sleeper to his hand, and Special Summoned it (banishing Resort, a Quik-Fix, and Big Red). He equipped Sleeper with Last Resort, and Set Pendulum Hole and Utility Wire to finish his turn.

Lagunes played Oafdragon Magician and Wisdom-Eye Magician in his Pendulum Zones, and used Wisdom-Eye to put Double Iris on the field. He Pendulum Summoned Wisdom-Eye along with a Purple Poison from his hand. When Navarro flipped Pendulum Hole, Lagunes conceded!

Navarro evens the score! He’s just one win away from making the Top 4 of YCS Guadalajara with SPYRALs! Lagunes didn’t come this far for nothing, though – he immediately dove for his Side Deck to find an answer to Navarro’s unexpected Deck. Lagunes will play first in this final Duel.

Duel 3

Lagunes began with Pot of Desires, then Performapal Skullcrobat Joker to get Wisdom-Eye Magician. He played Double Iris and Wisdom-Eye in the Pendulum Zone, using Wisdom-Eye to put Oafdragon Magician in the Pendulum Zone. Lagunes then activated Astrograph Sorcerer from his hand, and got another Wisdom-Eye. He Pendulum Summoned Wisdom-Eye from the Extra Deck, and stacked it with Joker for Tornado Dragon in Defense Position. He used it to destroy his Double Iris, adding Time Pendulumgraph to his hand. He played another Wisdom-Eye and used it to place Purple Poison Magician in the Pendulum Zone. He Set one card in his back row to finish his turn.

Navarro had Machine Duplication, SPYRAL GEAR – Fully Armed, SPYRAL Super Agent, SPYRAL Master Plan, Twin Twisters, and SPYRAL Gear – Utility Wire. He used Twin Twisters first, discarding Master Plan to take out Purple Poison and the Lagunes’s Set Time Pendulumgraph. He activated Super Agent, declaring Monster, and Lagunes responded with Maxx “C”! Super Agent revealed a Skullcrobat Joker, and was Special Summoned, destroying Oafdragon Magician! Navarro equipped Super Agent with Fully Armed, and Lagunes used Tornado Dragon to destroy Fully Armed. Navarro Set Utility Wire and Machine Duplication to finish his turn.

Lagunes played Skullcrobat Joker to add Black Fang Magician to his hand. He played it and Wisdom-Eye in his Pendulum Zone, using Wisdom-Eye to put a second Black Fang in its place. Lagunes used the new Black Fang to halve the ATK of Super Agent, and he Special Summoned another Joker from the Graveyard. He played a Purple Poison in the Pendulum Zone, and switched Tornado Dragon to Attack Position. Tornado Dragon attacked Super Agent, and Navarro used Utility Wire to put Astrograph Sorcerer on top of the Deck. The Agent went down, and Navarro took 3600 direct damage from the Jokers.

Navarro had nothing but Machine Duplication. He drew his card… Big Red! He played it to bring SPYRAL Master Plan to the field, in Defense Position! Its effect let him get SPYRAL MISSION – Rescue, and he Set it.

Lagunes used Black Fang to halve the ATK of Master Plan, and when Black Fang was destroyed his Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer from his hand. He sent Joker to attack Master Plan, and Navarro flipped Rescue to get Super Agent to his hand. Joker continued its attack, and Purple Poison’s Pendulum effect boosted Joker. Master Plan could not be destroyed by battle, but now Purple Poison’s effect activated when it was destroyed, taking Master Plan down with it! Now with nothing to defend himself, Navarro fell to Lagunes’s monsters!

Jose Lagunes is moving on, with Pendulum Magicians!