It’s Round 3, and Christopher Hughes is undefeated so far with Dark World. 

If you’re not familiar with what Dark World is doing these days, fresh off the release of Structure Deck: Dark World, check out our recap from earlier in today’s coverage. While Dark World’s now very good at fielding big attackers and making Xyz and Link Summons, the deadliest part of the Deck is its ability to loop Ceruli, Guru of Dark World and Sillva, Warlord of Dark World to demolish your opponent’s hand on Turn 1. 

It’s no secret, Tearlaments is the dominant Deck-to-beat in this format, and that’s exactly what Brett Angel is piloting here this weekend. Bolstered by the new Ishizu Fairy cards from Magnificent Mavens, this Deck won YCS Pasadena, YCS Dortmund, and YCS San Jose, all in the last 5 weeks. Massively flexible and often making more plays on the opponent’s turn than its own, this Deck is crazy powerful and easily outmuscles most other Decks today.

So far Hughes has been pretty successful with his Dark Worlds in the first two rounds of this tournament. But can he keep it up? Let’s find out.

Hughes opened the Match with Genta, Gateman of Dark World, discarding it to search The Gates of Dark World from his Deck. He activated The Gates, banishing Genta to discard Snoww, Unlight of Dark World. He made Snoww Chain Link 1 and Genta Chain Link 2, Special Summoning Genta and searching his Deck for Ceruli, Guru of Dark World. He played Charge Into a Dark World targeting Snoww, Special Summoned it, and discarded Ceruli. That trigger Ceruli’s effect and it was Special Summoned Ceruli to Angel’s side of the field. Hughes placed it in the Monster Zone below the Extra Monster Zone.

Ceruli’s discard effect then activated, allowing Hughes to discard and Special Summon Sillva, Warlord of Dark World. That meant Angel had to put 2 cards from his hand to the bottom of his Deck. Hughes overlaid Genta and Snoww to Xyz Summon Number 60: Dugares the Timeless, and he detached materials to draw 2 cards (at the penalty of skipping his next Draw Phase). He discarded Genta to search another copy of the Gates, then activated it. He banished Genta for The Gates, discarded Broww, Huntsman of Dark World, and drew a total of 2 cards to go to 4 cards in hand. 

“I’m going to activate Danger! Nessie!,” said Hughes. One die roll later, he was discarding Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, and Special Summoned the Nessie for a draw. He bumped his Sillva back to his hand to Special Summon Grapha from the Graveyard, then activated the effect of Danger!? Tsuchinoko? next. This time he discarded the Sillva, Special Summoning Danger!? Tsuchinoko?, drawing, and bringing back the Sillva. Not exactly what he was aiming for – Hughes almost certainly wanted that Sillva in hand to discard it for Ceruli again, but he was nowhere near finished with his turn.

Hughes Linked Danger!? Tsuchinoko? and Grapha to Link Summon Muckraker from the Underworld. That put Grapha back in the Graveyard, letting him bounce Sillva again to Special Summon Grapha. With Sillva in hand, Hughes Linked Grapha and Dugares for Security Dragon, and activated the Dragon’s effect to take back his Ceruli from Angel’s side of the field! 

Hughes now had the Sillva and Ceruli, ready to go again. He Linked Security Dragon and Nessie for Tri-Gate Wizard and used Muckraker’s effect revive Snoww. He discarded another copy of Snoww from his hand and searched his Deck for Dark World Accession.

“That’s the Fusion Spell?” asked Angel.

“Yes,” confirmed Hughes.

He Normal Summoned Armageddon Knight to send Reign-Beaux, Overking of Dark World to his Graveyard, then returned his Snoww to his hand to Special Summon back Grapha. Dark World Accession let him Banish Grapha and discard Ceruli from his hand, Fusion Summoning Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World and triggering Ceruli’s effect! The Ceruli came up on Angel’s side of the field, Hughes discarded Sillva again, and Angel lost 2 more cards from his hand. 

Hughes bounced Sillva back to his hand to Special Summon Reign-Beaux, Overking of Dark World, then Linked it off for Knightmare Cerberus, destroying Ceruli and drawing a card since Cerberus was co-linked. Hughes used the effect of Accession in the Graveyard, discarding Sillva to get Accession back, and Special Summoned Sillva. He returned it to his hand to Special Summon Reign-Beaux and played his third Gates of Dark World! 

He banished Ceruli to discard Snoww, drew a card, and then searched his Deck for Dark World Archives. Hughes activated that next, using it to discard Sillva and boost the ATK of his Dark World monsters. He Special Summoned Sillva, then discarded an additional card with Archives to draw 2 cards. The card he discarded was Danger! Nessie!, letting him search for Danger!? Jackalope?. Hughes Link Summoned Knightmare Phoenix, Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and passed. What a turn.

Angel drew to 2 cards in hand. He took a moment to verify that the effect of Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World could turn one of his own effects into a discard, and confirmed that Tri-Gate Wizard’s negation effect was live. It was, since Tri-Gate was co-linked with 3 monsters, and with that Angel conceded, eager to move to Game 2.

Christopher Hughes demonstrates the newfound hand-wrecking power of Dark World, keeping Brett Angel’s Tearlaments totally off the table in Game 1! Could he pull it off again? Angel would have the advantage, playing first in the second Duel.

Angel shuffled his hand a moment, then Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Hughes drew for turn, moved to his Main Phase 1 and activated Card Destruction: he discarded Infinite Impermanence , The Gates of Dark World, Danger! Chupacabra!, Dark World Accession, and Sillva, Warlord of Dark World. Angel discarded Keldo the Sacred Protector, Bystial Druiswurm, Tearlaments Havnis, and Triple Tactics Talent. Both Duelists drew their cards to complete Card Destruction’s effect.

Play moved on. Hughes activated Sillva’s effect as Chain Link 1, and Angel made Havnis Chain Link 2. For Chain Link 3 he banished Keldo, and targeted Dark World Accession, Sillva, and Chupacabra, sending them all back to Hughes’s Deck. Angel resolved Havnis next, shuffling away Havnis and Druiswurm to fuse for Mudragon of the Swamp. 

Hughes activated another Danger! Chupacabra! from his hand, discarding Lava Golem for its effect. He Special Summoned Chupacabra to draw a card, then followed up with Danger!? Tsuchinoko?, discarding Snoww, Unlight of Dark World. He Summoned Tsuchinoko and searched his Deck for Genta, Gateman of Dark World. He pitched it to try and search his Deck for The Gates of Dark World, but Angel stopped him with Herald of Orange Light and another copy of Keldo. 

Hughes pressed on with Charge Into a Dark World, Special Summoning Snoww. He used Reign-Beaux’s effect to search Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, and revealed Grapha and Zalamander Catalyzer! He Special Summoned Zalamander with its effect and discarded Grapha, targeting Angel’s Tearlaments Sulliek for destruction with Grapha’s ability (Hughes couldn’t target Mudragon of the Swamp). That let Angel search his Deck for another Havnis. Hughes returned Snoww to his hand to bring back Grapha, and he overlaid Chupacabra and Zalamander to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller. He Linked Grapha and Tsuchinoko to Link Summon Muckraker from the Underworld, and used its effect to target Genta in his Graveyard. Angel chained Havnis’s effect, and Hughes responded with Abyss Dweller on the Chain. 

Angel sent Instant Fusion, Druiswurm, and Primeval Planet Perlereino to his Graveyard.  Hughes brought up Genta with Muckraker, discarded Snoww, and this time he searched out Dark World Accession. Angel used Mudragon’s effect, declaring DARK. Hughes bounced his Genta to Special Summon Reign-Beaux, and he discarded Genta to search The Gates of Dark World. He activated it, followed up with Accession, and banished Grapha and Genta from the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World. He Special Summoned Genta with its own effect as a result of banishing it. 

Hughes now controlled Genta, Reign-Beaux, Dweller, Grapha Dragon Overlord, and Muckraker. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked over Havnis with Abyss Dweller for 100 damage and  took down Mudragon with Reign-Beaux punching home 1400 more damage. He attacked with Muckraker for 1300 next, then Grapha, Dragon Overlord for 3500. Angel was down to 1700 Life Points, but he was getting another turn… Thought it would be under Abyss Dweller.

Angel drew for his turn, and Hughes activated the Dweller’s effect immediately. Hughes didn’t have any cards in hand, so the Fusion Grapha’s effect wouldn’t be able to change one of Angel’s card effects into a discard, which Angel confirmed before making his plays. 

He activated Primeval Planet Perlereino to search his Deck for Tearlaments Scheiren. Angel Normal Summoned it, attacked Muckraker, and Hughes Tributed Genta to keep Muckraker alive. Angel followed up with the effect of Bystial Magnamhut to banish Snoww, then activated Magnamhut’s effect to set up a Bystial search in the End Phase. He attacked the Muckraker again for 1200 damage, and this time Hughes let it hit the Graveyard. Angel tried to use his Keldo effect, still in the Battle Phase… and was reminded that he couldn’t, since he was under Abyss Dweller’s effect. Angel proceeded to his End Phase and searched Bystial Druiswurm to finish out.

Hughes drew for his turn, moved to Main Phase 1, and used The Gates of Dark World to banish Genta, discarding Danger! Chupacabra! to draw a card. He made Chupacabra’s effect Chain Link 1 targeting Danger!? Tsuchinoko?, then used Genta’s effect as Chain Link 2. Angel fired off that Keldo he couldn’t use last turn, and shuffled away Hughes’s Tsuchinoko and Dark World Accession, as well as his own Havnis.  Hughes Special Summoned Genta, and Angel used Primeval Planet Perlereino’s effect to destroy Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World. Hughes used its effect to Special Summon the OG Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World from his banished pile, and both players discarded: Angel discarded Tearlaments Heartbeat, while Hughes discarded Infinite Impermanence. Angel got his Sulliek back with Heartbeat.

Hughes started running the numbers. He had Abyss Dweller, Original Grapha, New Reign-Beaux, and Genta on the field, and headed straight for the Battle Phase. He sent Reign-Beaux over Bystial Magnamhut for 800 damage, Angel dropped to 900 Life Points, and then Grapha attacked over Scheiren. It was game moments later as Angel took the rest of the attacks!

Christopher Hughes shows us exactly what the new Dark World Deck’s all about, looping Brett Angel’s hand in Game 1 and controlling Game 2 from the get-go. Losing his hand in the first Duel and stuck with a rough draw in the second, there wasn’t really anything Angel could do to stop it. 

Hughes moves on with a 3-0 record!