We had 362 Duelists enter the UDS Winter Invitational, but only the Top 16 remain! From here on it’s single elimination. Esala Wathuthantrige is here from Los Angeles, and is the only Duelist left playing the Danger! Zombie strategy. He’s up against Andrew Fredella from Miami, using Sky Strikers. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Fredella won the dice roll and chose to play first. He played Terraforming to get Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero. Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! came next, searching for Sky Striker Mecha – Eagle Booster. He activated Area Zero and Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole, then Set Eagle Booster. He used Area Zero’s effect on Eagle Booster, adding another Area Zero to his hand. He used Multirole on Area Zero, which Special Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye. He used that for Sky Striker Ace – Kagari and returned Engage, then used it to search for Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon and draw a card. He played Upstart Goblin, then used Kagari to play Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku. He Set three cards in his back row. In the End Phase, Multirole Set Area Zero and Eagle Booster on the field. Then Shizuku searched out Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor.

Wathuthantrige had a hand of two Mezuki, Armageddon Knight, Gozuki, and Orcust Cymbal Skeleton. He drew Reinforcement of the Army. He started with Armageddon Knight, and Fredella flipped Infinite Impermanence. Wathuthantrige played Reinforcement of the Army to search for Dark Grepher and passed the turn.

Fredella flipped Area Zero and used it on Shizuku. He added Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones to his hand and sent Shizuku to the Graveyard. He played Hornet Drones and used the token to play Kagari, getting Engage in his hand. He played it to search for Widow Anchor and draw a card. He flipped up another Widow Anchor and used it to take control of Armageddon Knight. He attacked with it and Kagari, then used Multirole to send Armageddon Knight to the Graveyard. He used Kagari to play another Shizuku. He Set one card in his back row, then used Multirole to Set Widow Anchor from his Graveyard. Shizuku added Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! to his hand.

Wathuthantrige drew Mare Mare. He knew he wouldn’t be able to play through all Fredella’s Quick-Play Spells and conceded the first Duel!

Duel 2

Wathuthantrige began with Dark Grepher, Armageddon Knight, Orcust Harp Horror, Foolish Burial, and Zombie World. He played Dark Grepher, discarding Harp Horror to send Uni-Zombie to the Graveyard. He played Foolish Burial next, sending Mezuki to the Graveyard, and he used it to Special Summon Uni-Zombie. Uni-Zombie boosted its Level by 1 by sending another Mezuki to the Graveyard. He activated Zombie World, then used Harp Horror to Special Summon Orcust Cymbal Skeleton. He used Uni-Zombie’s other effect, discarding Armageddon Knight to boost Uni-Zombie’s Level again. He then used Mezuki to Special Summon Armageddon Knight. Fredella used Infinite Impermanence to negate Armageddon Knight’s effect. Wathuthantrige used Armageddon Knight and Cymbal Skeleton to play Galatea, the Orcust Automaton, then used that and Dark Grepher to play Summon Sorceress. He had Summon Sorceress bring Doomking Balerdroch to the field in Defense Position. He used Cymbal Skeleton to bring Galatea to the field again, then combined it with Balerdroch for The Phantom Knights of Rusty Bardiche! Rusty Bardiche put The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine on the field and sent The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to the Graveyard. He banished Ancient Cloak to add The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots to his hand. He Special Summoned Silent Boots, then flipped Shade Brigandine. He used Brigandine and Summon Sorceress to play Vampire Sucker, then used Uni-Zombie and Silent Boots to Synchro Summon Borreload Savage Dragon! The Dragon equipped Summon Sorceress from the Graveyard, gaining 1200 ATK and 3 Borrel Counters. He used Silent Boots to get The Phantom Knights’ Rank-Up-Magic Launch to his hand, and passed the turn.

In the Standby Phase, Wathuthantrige activated Balerdroch’s effect in the Graveyard. Fredella Chained Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon, but Wathuthantrige negated that with Borreload Savage Dragon and Balerdroch hit the field. Fredella used Foolish Burial Goods to send Metalfoes Fusion to the Graveyard. He used its effect to draw a new card but couldn’t find an answer to Wathuthantrige’s incredible opening!

Duel 3

Fredella began this final Duel. He played Area Zero and Raye, and Chained Raye’s effect to play Hayate. Area Zero resolved and added Multirole to his hand. He used Hayate to play Shizuku. He activated Multirole and Set a back row card. In the End Phase, Shizuku searched for Widow Anchor. Still in the End Phase, he activated it targting his own Shizuku. That allowed him to directly Set it with Multirole.

Wathuthantrige had Gozuki, Cymbal Skeleton, Reinforcement of the Army, Mare Mare, and Dinowrestler Pankratops. He drew Danger! Chupacabra!. He Special Summoned Pankratops, Set Reinforcement of the Army, then activated Chupacabra. Unfortunately he discarded the Chupacabra, getting nothing from the effect. He shrugged and let out a sigh. He flipped up Reinforcement of the Army to search his Deck for Armageddon Knight. He Tributed Pankratops to destroy the freshly Set Widow Anchor, then played Armageddon Knight – Fredella had Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Wathuthantrige passed.

Fredella used Area Zero on Shizuku, sending it to the Graveyard and adding Engage to his hand. He played another Area Zero (getting an extra Spell Card in the Graveyard this way), then used Multirole on it. Area Zero went to the Graveyard and Special Summoned Raye. He used it to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kaina. He played Engage to search for Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners!, and Kaina gave him some Life Points. Afterburners destroyed Armageddon Knight, then he used Kaina to play Kagari and get back Engage. Now with three spells in the Graveyard, he activated Engage to search for Widow Anchor and draw a card. Kagari attacked directly, then was used to play Shizuku. In the End Phase, Shizuku searched for Shark Cannon, and he activated it to banish Armageddon Knight. Then, Multirole Set Shark Cannon and Engage on the field.

Wathuthantrige drew The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak. He thought for a bit to see if he could play through Fredella’s spells, and offered the handshake!

Andrew Fredella is heading to the Top 8 with Sky Strikers!