Welcome to Round 11! The two decks at Table 4 are unique, but one is more so than the other. Mitchell Martin has Lunalights but also includes an amount of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist cards alongside a compact Zoodiac engine which can turn a spent Fire Formation – Tenki into a Zoodiac Thoroughblade that can extend plays. His opponent, Ken McRae, however, has a Deck that is very much the opposite of a combo Deck: Mystic Mine burn. The objective of this Deck is to protect Mystic Mine and then slowly burn the opponent with the effect of Cauldron of the Old Man. It’s taken McRae this far, let’s see what happens in the penultimate round of Swiss! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Martin won the roll and elected to go first. He started with Fire Formation – Tenki and used its effect to add Lunalight Kaleido Chick which was Normal Summoned and its effect sent Lunalight Yellow Marten. He then activated Zoodiac Barrage and used it effect, destroying Fire Formation – Tenki to Special Summon Zoodiac Thoroughblade from the Deck. Both monsters went to the Graveyard to Link Summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist –  Eagle. Eagle’s effect returned the Fire Formation – Tenki in his Graveyard back to the Deck to dump Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Buffalo which was Special Summoned from the Graveyard. Magicians’ Soul was next, sending Apprentice Illusion Magician form the Deck to the Graveyard to Special Summon Souls from Martin’s hand. Soul’s effect sent Fire Formation – Tenki from hand and Barrage from the field to draw 2 cards. He then activated Luna Light Perfume to Special Summon Lunalight Kaleido Chick from the Graveyard whose effect sent Lunalight Emerald Bird from the Deck to the Graveyard. Luna Light Perfume was banished from the Graveyard, discarding Lunalight Yellow Marten to add Lunalight Tiger form Martin’s Deck to his hand which was activated and used to Special Summon Lunalight Emerald Bird from the Graveyard. The Lunalights were sent to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Lunalight Yellow Marten’s Graveyard effect bounced Tiger back to Martin’s hand to Special Summon Yellow Marten, then Tiger was replayed. Lunalight Yellow Marten and Lunalight Emerald Bird were used to Xyz Summon Tornado Dragon. Eagle, Souls and Lunalight Kaleido Chick were sent to the Graveyard to Link Summon Unchained Abomination.

McRae drew. He activated One Day of Peace, making both players drawing a card. Martin activated Droll & Lock Bird after the Spell resolved. He Set Heavy Storm Duster but Martin used Unchained Abomination’s effect to destroy it.

Martin brought back Lunalight Kaleido Chick with Tiger, then bounced Tiger with Yellow Marten’s Graveyard effect. He used both Lunalights to Xyz Summon Number 60: Dugares the Timeless, using the Xyz Monster’s draw effect, drawing 2 cards and discarding Lunalight Kaleido Chick and skipping his next Draw Phase. He then activated Fire Formation – Tenki to find another Lunalight Tiger. He the Normal Summoned Magicians’ Soul, sending Fire Formation – Tenki on the field and the Foolish Burial Goods in his hand to draw 2 cards.

McRae drew, no longer protected by One Day of Peace. He activated Pot of Duality, revealing Prohibition, Cauldron of the Old Man and Heavy Storm Duster. He picked up Cauldron and sent the other two back to the Deck. He Normal Summoned Inspector Boarder. McRae tried to go into the Battle Phase but Martin used I:P Masquerena’s effect, sending I:P Masquerena and Number 60: Dugares the Timeless to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn. Unicorn’s effect let Martin discard Nibiru, the Primal Being to spin McRae’s Inspector Boarder. McRae activated Cauldron of the Old Man. He used the effect go gain 500 LP. He Set 4 cards. In the End Phase, Martin activated Tornado Dragon to destroy Martin’s Metaverse, which triggered Unchained Abomination to destroy McRae’s Set Field Barrier, and McRae scooped up before Unchained Abomination could destroy another card.

Duel 2

McRae elected to go first. He started with a hand of Mystic Mine, Demise of the Land, Pot of Extravagance, Solemn Judgment, and Cauldron of the Old Man. He activated Pot of Extravagance, banishing 6 cards from the Extra Deck to draw another Pot of Extravagance and Field Barrier. He Set Solemn Judgment, then activated Cauldron, then Mystic Mine then Field Barrier. During the End Phase, even though both players controlled the same number of monsters, Mystic Mine wasn’t destroyed by its own effect thanks to Field Barrier.

Martin Set cards to the back and passed.

McRae activated Pot of Extravagance, banishing another 6 cards to draw 2 cards. He activated Pot of Pot of Duality, adding Goddess Skuld’s Oracle to his hand. Cauldron of the Old Man’s effect burned Martin for 600. McRae activated Goddess Skuld’s Oracle, looking at the top 3 cards of Martin’s Deck and rearranged them. He Set a second Solemn Judgment and passed.

Martin activated Lightning Storm, trying to destroy McRae’s full backrow of Spells and Traps, McRae chained Solemn Judgment, Martin chained his own Solemn Judgment and McRae chained his second Solemn Judgment!

McRae activated Pot of Extravagance, banishing the last 3 cards in his Extra Deck to draw a card, then used Cauldron to burn for 900.

Martin drew and conceded. We’re going to a third and final Duel!

Duel 3

Martin elected for McRae to go first. McRae started with a hand of Dimension Shifter, Demise of the Land, Solemn Judgment, Jar of Avarice and Pot of Duality. He Set Demise of the Land, Solemn Judgment, and Jar of Avarice before passing.

Martin tried to go into the Battle Phase, but McRae activated Dimension Shifter from his hand. At the end of the Battle Phase, Martin activated Evenly Matched but McRae chained Solemn Judgment, paying 4000 LP to keep both Set cards on the field. Martin passed.

McRae activated Pot of Duality, revealing Pot of Extravagance and 2 copies of Dark Bribe, with him taking one of the counter traps. He Set it and passed.

Martin activated Lightning Storm to bait out the Dark Bribe, with Martin drawing a card. Martin Set 2 to the back, Set a monster and passed.

McRae activated the Set Pot of Duality, revealing Cauldron of the Old Man, Demise of the Land and Draw of Fate. He picked Draw of Fate. He Set a card and Set Draw of Fate.

Martin activated Galaxy Cyclone, destroying McRae’s Set Demise of the Land. Martin Normal Summoned Zoodiac Thoroughblade and Flip Summoned Lunalight Yellow Marten. Both Monsters were stacked to Xyz Summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Tiger King. Its effect Set Fire Formation – Tenki from the Deck which was activated and pet Martin add Lunalight Tiger from his Deck to his hand. He then activated Magicians’ Soul, sending Apprentice Illusion Magician from the Deck to the Graveyard to Special Summon Souls. Tiger King’s effect was next, detaching a material to negate all other monsters on the field (which was just Martin’s Magicians’ Soul). Lunalight Tiger was activated, bringing back Lunalight Yellow Marten from the Graveyard. Both monsters turned into Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Eagle. Lunalight Yellow Marten’s Graveyard effect bounced back Lunalight Tiger to Special Summon Lunalight Yellow Marten. Eagle attacked for 1800, leaving McRae at 2200 LP to Martin’s 8000 LP. Lunalight Yellow Marten and Magicians’ Soul turned into I:P Masquerena.

McRae activated Pot of Extravagance, banishing 6 cards, but Martin negated it with Ultimate Fire Formation – Sinto. After the chain resolved, I:P Masquerena’s effect turned it and Eagle into Knightmare Unicorn which spun McRae’s Set Draw of Fate. McRae then activated his last Set card, Jar of Avarice, shuffling back 5 cards from the Graveyard to draw Mystic Mine, which is the card he was looking for, but Martin already had the answer with the Galaxy Cyclone in his Graveyard. McRae activated Mystic Mine anyway but on the next turn, Martin banished Galaxy Cyclone from his Graveyard to destroy Mystic Mine and the following attacks were enough to end the match!

Mitchell Martin takes the match, defeating Mystic Mine burn with Lunalight / Zoodiac / Fire Fist!