We’ve seen Titto Maret’s Sky Striker Deck earlier in the tournament, and he’s made it to the Top 16! He ended Swiss in 26^th place and he’s against Maximillian Reynolds who placed 10^th with his Sky Striker Trickstar Deck. Which Duelist will advance into the Top 8?  It’s time to Duel.

Duel 1

Reynolds won the roll and elected to go first. He started with Upstart Goblin, drawing a card and giving Maret 1000 LP. He then activated Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones and Special Summoned a Token which was used to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari whose effect let Reynolds add Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones back to his hand. He then used Sky Striker Ace – Kagari to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. He Set a card to the back and in the End Phase he used Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku’s effect to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from his Deck to his hand.

Maret started off with his own Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! adding Sky Striker Ace – Raye from his Deck to his hand. He then activated Sky Striker Maneuver – Jamming Waves! targeting Reynolds’s Set Scapegoat which he Chained. He then activated another Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to add Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! from his Deck to his hand. His Graveyard now has 3 Spells so all of his Sky Striker cards will have their bonus effects active. He used Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! to destroy Reynolds’s Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. Then he Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye then attacked with Sky Striker Ace – Raye into a Token. In the Battle Phase, he activated Sky Striker Ace – Raye’s effect to swap into Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. Chain Link 1 was the Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair in his hand, then Chain Link 2 was Sky Striker Ace – Kagari to add back Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and Reynolds Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy Kagari. In a new Chain, Sky Striker Ace – Raye came out of the Graveyard. Maret attacked with both monsters to clear Reynolds’s field. In Main Phase 2, Sky Striker Ace – Kagari was sent to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. He then used Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair’s effect, Tributing itself to have Reynolds put a card in his hand on the top of his Deck. Maret then used Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to add Sky Striker Maneuver – Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand and draw a card. He then activated Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole. He Set 2 to the back and in the End Phase he used Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku’s effect to add Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones from his Deck to his hand.

Reynolds drew the card he put on top of his Deck on the previous turn. He used the last Sheep Token to Link Summon Linkuriboh. He then activated Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones to Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace Token, then used the Token and Linkuriboh to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix. He used Phoenix’s effect, discarding Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit and targeting Maret’s Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole, but Maret Chained the Set Sky Striker Maneuver – Widow Maker negating Knightmare Phoenix’s effect and taking control of it. Reynolds then activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and added Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones from his Deck to his hand. He activated Hornet Drones to Summon a Token which was used to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari which added back Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! which was then  activated to add Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! from his Deck to his hand and draw a card. He activated Afterburners, targeting Maret’s Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku, destroying it and destroying Maret’s Set Twin Twisters. After the Chain resolved, Maret’s Sky Striker Ace – Raye came out of the Graveyard to replace Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. Reynolds then activated Terraforming to add Trickstar Light Stage from his Deck to his hand, then that was activated to add Trickstar Candina to his hand. Candina was Normal Summoned to add Trickstar Reincarnation from his Deck to his hand with its effect. He entered the Battle Phase, using Knightmare Phoenix to attack Sky Striker Ace – Raye; but Maret activated her effect, Tributing her to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari from the Extra Deck. He had Sky Striker Ace – Kagari’s effect add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from his Graveyard to his hand and also Special Summoned the Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair from his Graveyard. Reynolds redirected the attack to destroy Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. Reynolds then swapped Trickstar Lycoris for Trickstar Candina. He Set 2 cards to the back and in the End Phase, Reynolds got his Knightmare Phoenix back from Maret and Maret used Multirole to Set Afterburners from his Graveyard back to his field.

Maret drew a card and took 400 points of damage. Reynolds activated Trickstar Reincarnation, making Maret banish 4 cards from his hand to draw 4 more while taking another 1000 points of damage. Maret Set a card, then activated Multirole’s effect, destroying his Set Metalfoes Fusion so his Spell Cards can’t be responded to this turn. He then activated Terraforming to add Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero from his Deck to his hand! He activated the Field Spell and tried to use the effect but didn’t reveal a Sky Striker card to add. He then Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye which attacked into the Defense Position Trickstar Lycoris and Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair attacked into Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. In the Battle Phase, Sky Striker Ace – Raye tagged out for his own Sky Striker Ace – Kagari whose effect added Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! back from the Graveyard. He destroyed Reynolds’s Knightmare Phoenix. In Main Phase 2, Maret activated Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair’s effect forcing Reynolds to place the last card in his hand on top of his Deck. After the Chain resolved, Reynolds activated his Set Scapegoat. Maret used his Set Afterburners to destroy one of Reynolds’s Sheep Tokens. Maret then used Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries, revealing Knightmare Phoenix with Reynolds banishing 1 copy and giving Maret a look at the Extra Deck. Maret then used Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to add another Spell to his hand and draw a card. Sky Striker Ace – Kagari went to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. In the End Phase, Maret Set 2 Spells from his Graveyard with Multirole’s effect and added another Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from his Deck to his hand with Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku’s effect.

Reynolds drew for turn and conceded the game with about 10 minutes left in the round.

Duel 2

Reynolds elected to go first. he started with Terraforming to add Trickstar Light Stage which was activated to add Trickstar Lycoris to his hand. He then activated a second Terraforming to add the second Trickstar Light Stage which added another Trickstar card to his hand. He then activated Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones to Summon a Token then Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari to pick up Hornet Drones from his Graveyard. He swapped Sky Striker Ace – Kagari for Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku, Normal Summoned Trickstar Candina to add Trickstar Reincarnation to his hand, swapped in 2 Trickstar Lycoris for the Trickstar Candina, Set 2 cards to the back row, and passed.

Maret drew a card and took 800 damage from the Trickstars. He then activated Reinforcement of the Army, Reynolds Chained Shared Ride and Maret Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate Shared Ride. Reinforcement of the Army resolved to add Sky Striker Ace – Raye to his hand, taking another 800 damage. He Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye. He Set 2 cards, then Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku using Sky Striker Ace – Raye. Maret elected to concede the game before time was called so they had the opportunity to Side Deck.

Duel 3

Time was called during Side Decking. As per end of match procedures, they will continue Side Decking, then they’ll determine via random method who gets the choice to go first. The third Duel will last 4 turns with Life Points being checked at the end of the fourth turn. Whoever has the most Life Points will win this Duel and the Match and move on to the Top 8. Maret won the roll and elected to go second.

Reynolds started off with Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards to draw 2 more. He activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to add Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! from his Deck to his hand. He then activated Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones to Special Summon a Token then used it to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari whose effect added Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones back to his hand. He Set a card and passed.

Maret started off with Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! but Reynolds Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to try and negate it; but Maret Chained Called by the Grave to negate Reynolds’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! The Chain resolved and Maret added Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole from his Deck to his hand. He Set a card then activated Multirole, then Set another card, then activated Multirole’s effect; but Reynolds Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy the Spell and prevent it from resolving. He Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye and used her to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. Maret used the effect to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from his Graveyard back to his hand. He then flipped the Set Foolish Burial Goods to send Metalfoes Fusion from his Deck to the Graveyard. He then activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to add Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor and drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He then attacked with his Sky Striker Ace – Kagari into Reynolds’s Kagari. Reynolds activated his Set Sky Striker – Mecha Hornet Drones putting another Spell in the Graveyard to lessen the damage. In Main Phase 2, Sky Striker Ace – Kagari went to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. He Set a card then used Metalfoes Fusion’s in-Graveyard effect to shuffle it back to draw a card. He drew Upstart Goblin – not a good card to draw in end of Match procedures. He Set 2 more and used Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku’s effect to add Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand.

Reynolds drew for turn. He used his Token to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari and used its effect; but Maret Chained his Set Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor to negate Sky Striker Ace – Kagari’s effect and take control of it. He activated Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! which destroyed the stolen Sky Striker Ace – Kagari and Maret’s Set Metalfoes Fusion. He then activated Trickstar Light Stage and added Trickstar Candina from his Deck to his hand. He then used Light Stage to freeze Maret’s last face-down card. Trickstar Candina was Normal Summoned and Reynolds activated the effect; but Maret Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. Reynolds then activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards to draw 2 more. The draws were no good and Reynolds extended the handshake!

Maret moves on to the Top 8!