Diego Eduardo Ballestgeros Higareda was undefeated until the last Round with his Subterror Deck, and now only a draw is blemishing his record. His opponent is Erick Villanueva Priego, who we featured yesterday in our WQP Playoff. He was the top earner across all of Central America this season, and has brought Danger! Orcust for the Main Event.

With only three Rounds left, the winner here can rest easy knowing they only have to win one Round tomorrow to guarantee a Top Cut finish.

Villanueva won the roll and chose to go first.

Duel One:

Villanueva started with one Set monster and three Set back row to end his first turn.

Ballesteros began with Terraforming to add a copy of The Hidden City to his hand, then played it to add Subterror Guru to his hand. He Set the Subterror Guru, then Flipped it up with The Hidden City to get Subterror Final Battle. He Set the trap along with Solemn Strike as well as Crackdown and tried to end his turn, but Villanueva had Twin Twisters! Ballesteros tried to stop it with Subterror Fiendess but Villanueva had Called by the Grave!

Villanueva drew and banished the Orcust Harp Horror he discarded with Twin Twisters to Special Summon Orcust Knightmare, then Normal Summoned Orcust Harp Horror. Ballesteros responded with Subterror Final Battle, so that he could activate the effect of his Subterror Guru and Flip the Orcust Knightmare face-down. Villanueva pressed on with Danger! Jackalope, discarding it via its own effect because it was the only card in his hand to Special Summon Danger! Nessie. He used both monsters to Link Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton, then used it to shuffle back Orcust Harp Horror to Set Orcustrated Babel. He overlayed Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star next and sent Subterror Guru to the Graveyard before making a direct attack and ending his turn

Ballesteros started with another copy of The Hidden City, this time grabbing Subterror Fiendess. He Normal Summoned it and Flipped it down to Special Summon Subterror Guru. He then Flipped the Subterror Guru up with The Hidden City so he can activate its effect and add Subterror Fiendess. He activated Subterror Guru to Flip itself and Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star down, before Setting a card to his back row and moving to End Phase. During the End Phase, Villanueva banished Orcust Harp Horror to Special Summon Orcust Cymbal Skeleton from his Deck.

Villanueva drew and Ballesteros Flipped up Subterror Final Battle again, flipping up his Subterror Guru and adding Subterror Behemoth Umastryx. Villanueva Flip Summoned his Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star and then used it and Orcust Cymbal Skeleton to Link Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton. In response to the summon, Ballesteros Flipped his Set Crackdown, but Villanueva’s last Set card was Orcust Crescendo! He Flip Summoned his Orcust Knightmare next and used it along with Galatea, the Orcust Automaton to Link Summon Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator. He followed that up with the effect of Orcust Knightmare, banishing it from his Graveyard to send World Legacy – “World Wand” from his Deck to the Graveyard. He then banished Orcust Cymbal Skeleton to activate its effect, prompting Ballesteros to use his Subterror Fiendess, which Villanueva responded to with Longirsu, the Orcust Orchestrator to get rid of the Subterror Guru so that the Subterror Fiendess wouldn’t resolve! He brought back Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star with Orcust Cymbal Skeleton next, using its effect to get rid of the Set Subterror Fiendess, then activated Terraforming to grab Trickstar Light Stage. He used it immediately, adding Trickstar Candina to his hand and Normal Summoned it to add Trickstar Corobane. As soon as he banished World Legacy – “World Wand” to Special Summon Orcust Cymbal Skeleton, Ballesteros conceded!

After a huge Twin Twisters and some back and forth, Villanueva manages to pull ahead in the first Duel! Can Ballesteros fight back the next two games?

Ballesteros chose to go first!

Duel Two:

The Duel began with Pot of Extravagance from Ballesteros, banishing 6 random cards from his Extra Deck to draw two fresh cards. He activated Pot of Duality next, and grabbed Subterror Fiendess from the top of his Deck. He Set three cards to his back row and Normal Summoned Subterror Nemesis Archer before ending his turn.

Villanueva drew and activated Twin Twisters! He discarded Danger! Nessie and while Ballesteros tried to use Subterror Fiendess to stop it, Villanueva had Called by the Grave! Danger! Nessie was stopped by Ballesteros’s own Called by the Grave, but Villanueva pressed on and activated Danger! Jackalope, discarding Danger! Nessie, to Special Summon itself and draw a card. He Normal Summoned Orcust Harp Horror next and used both monsters to Link Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton, but when he tried to banish the Orcust Harp Horror, Ballesteros negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Villanueva used Galatea, the Orcust Automaton next, shuffling back the Orcust Harp Horror to Set Orcust Crescendo. Then he Xyz Summoned Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star to destroy the Subterror Nemesis Archer, leaving Ballesteros with no cards! He declared a direct attack and ended his turn.

Ballesteros drew a card, Set it to his back row, and passed.

Villanueva drew and declared an attack before Setting a card to his back row.

Ballesteros drew another card and was forced to pass again!

Villanueva drew, declared another attack, and Set another back row.

Ballesteros drew Pot of Extravagance! He used it to find two fresh cards, then Set a monster before ending his turn.

Villanueva drew and Flipped his Set Twin Twisters to destroy Ballesteros’s only back row! He Normal Summoned The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak next, using both of his monsters to Link Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton before he overlayed Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star on top of it! After destroying the Set monster, Ballesteros offered the handshake!

Impressive luck and masterful play on the side of Erick Villanueva Priego allows him to claim victory over Subterrors and advance to Day 2 with a 7-0-1 record!