Aaron Chase Furman is a YCS winner, a UDS Champion, and a frequent commentator on the official livestream at YCS events! But today he’s back at the tables, competing in the main event of the 250^th YCS here in Los Angeles piloting Dark World. His opponent is Michael Zhen, a Spright Duelist armed with some surprise tech for match-ups just like these. 

Can Furman demolish his opponent’s hand with Sillva? Or will Zhen cut him off at the pass? Both competitors hold 4-1 records in the tournament so far, so a win here is pretty important. Let’s see what happens.

Furman won the roll and opened with Danger! Bigfoot!, Danger! Nessie!, Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, Danger! Mothman! and Genta, Gateman of Dark World. He pitched Genta to try and search his Deck for The Gates Of Dark World, but Zhen shut it down with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Furman activated Bigfoot, and when Zhen rolled to select the random discard, the Bigfoot went to the Graveyard! Furman activated Mothman next and Zhen discarded that too. Both competitors drew and discarded: Furman drew Allure of Darkness and discarded Nessie, while Zhen drew an unknown card and discardedPot of Prosperity. 

Nessie’s effect got Furman Danger!? Jackalope?, and he activated Allure to draw another Mothman and Sillva, Warlord of Dark World. He banished Mothman to complete the effect, then activated the Jackalope, discarding it and getting another Nessie from his Deck. “Pass to you.”

Zhen drew for his turn and activated Rite of Aramesir, Special Summoning an Adventurer Token and searching his Deck for Fateful Adventure. He placed it on the field, Normal Summoned Nimble Beaver, and searched Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon from his Deck with Fateful. He searched Wandering Gryphon Rider, attached Dracoback to his Token and Special Summoned Gryphon Rider. He followed up with Spright Jet to get Spright Starter, then Special Summoned Spright Red. Zhen Linked for Spright Sprind, and Furman didn’t want to waste anymore time: he conceded and immediately moved to Side Decking.

Michael Zhen knocks Aaron Chase Furman off balance with Ash Blossom on his Genta, and some rough luck blunts Furman’s chance at a comeback. Zhen plays the follow-up like it came out of a textbook and takes Game 1 like clockwork. 

Furman opened Game 2 with Snoww, Unlight of Dark World, Genta, Gateman of Dark World, Danger! Mothman! and two copies of Allure of Darkness. He activated Allure to draw Sillva, Warlord of Dark World and another Mothman, banished the Mothman, and this time his Genta went through! “Search Gates…Activate Gates…” Furman used its effect to banish Genta and discard Snoww, drawing Dark World Dealings and searching Reign-Beaux, Overking of Dark World. 

He activated another Allure to get Danger! Nessie! and Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World; he banished his second Mothman. He Set Dealings and activated Nessie’s effect, and this time Zhen hit Sillva. Furman Special Summoned Nessie, drew another Genta, and Special Summoned the Warlord. He used the second Genta to get another Gates, activated it, and banished Genta from the Graveyard to discard Reign-Beaux. That got Furman another Grapha. He returned Genta to his hand to Special Summon Reign-Beaux, used it to get his third Gates and activated it. Furman banished Genta to discard Grapha and draw Skill Drain. He returned Sillva to his hand to Special Summon Grapha, then flipped Dark World Dealings to draw Danger! Bigfoot! and discard his second Grapha. Zhen drew, and discarded PSY-Frame Driver. 

Furman Special Summoned back the second Grapha, played another Dealings, and drew Called by the Grave. He discarded Reign-Beaux. Zhen drew a card, then discarded Spright Jet. Furman Linked Grapha and Nessie to Summon Muckraker From the Underworld, and activated its effect to discard Sillva and Special Summon Snoww. He Special Summoned Sillva as well, returned Snoww to his hand to Special Summon Reign-Beaux, and bounced Sillva to his hand to revive his second Grapha (again). He Set Called By, Set Skill Drain, and ended his turn.

Play was to Zhen. He drew for his turn, activated Pot of Prosperity and banished six cards from his Extra Deck to reveal six cards from his Main Deck: Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Spright Blue, another Pot of Prosperity, Spright Red, Book of Moon, and Spright Starter. He took Ash Blossom. He played Rite of Aramesir, Special Summoned his Adventurer Token, searched Fateful Adventure, placed it on the field and used it to search Wandering Gryphon Rider. He discarded Nimble Angler to complete the effect and Furman responded with Called by the Grave to banish Angler and stop its effect! 

Zhen Special Summoned Gryphon Rider and Furman flipped Skill Drain, leaving Zhen to search Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon. He activated it to bounce away Furman’s Skill Drain, Normal Summoned Nimble Beaver, Special Summoned Spright Jet, got Starter, and Linked away Spright Jet and Beaver for Spright Sprind. 

And then he hit a snag. Zhen sent another Nimble Angler to the Graveyard, forgetting about Furman’s Called by the Grave from earlier in the Duel! Furman caught the misplay immediately and politely reminded him, leaving Zhen to continue his plays. He activated Starter to bring out Spright Blue, searched his Deck for Spright Carrot, and Special Summoned it so he could overlay Carrot and Blue for Onibimaru Soul Sweeper. Zhen used Sprind’s effect to bounce Reign-Beaux, and he banished one of the Graphas with Onibimaru. Zhen moved to the Battle Phase and sent Gryphon Rider to attack over Muckraker. In Main Phase 2 Zhen Set one more card, then ended his turn.

Furman drew Danger! Nessie! and considered his hand. He banished Muckraker for Gates, and Zhen dropped Ash Blossom to stop Furman from drawing. Furman Set a card to his backrow, then activated Bigfoot’s effect. Zhen made him discard Reign-Beaux, Furman Special Summoned Bigfoot, and he got Danger!? Jackalope? off the draw. Furman used Jackalope’s effect next and Zhen had a lightning-quick answer, but Furman pressed on, activating Nessie and discarding Snoww. Furman Special Summoned Nessie, drew Mothman, and searched his Deck for Dark World Accession! He activated it, banishing Grapha form the field and using his Sillva from hand to unleash the Fusion Monster Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World! He 

Furman revived Sillva, used it to Summon Reign-Beaux and activated Mothman, which Zhen discarded. Furman drew, and when Zhen saw his opponent’s full field – and that Furman wasn’t finished yet – he conceded.

Nineteen minutes remain in the Match, as Aaron Chase Furman makes his comeback in Game 2! Furman couldn’t find the hand loop with Ceruli, Guru of Dark World, but the sheer bodyweight of his monsters was enough to clinch the game as Zhen makes a critical error forgetting Furman’s Called by the Grave. The Match was still well within his reach, but he couldn’t afford another mistake.

Zhen opened with Fateful Adventure, Normal Summoning Nimble Beaver to search Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon and Special Summoning Nimble Angler. He overlaid to Xyz Summon Gigantic Spright, detached Angler, and searched his Deck for Spright Blue, Special Summoning it to get Spright Red. He Special Summoned that next, Special Summoned Spright Jet a moment later, and searched Spright Double Cross. He Linked Blue and Jet for Spright Sprind, used its effect to search Nimble Angler and send it to the Graveyard, and Special Summoned two Nimble Beavers. 

Zhen searched Water Enchantress of the Temple and banished it to search Rite of Aramesir. He Linked the Beavers for I:P Masquerena, and in the End Phase he used Melffy Catty’s effect from his hand to Special Summon it. Furman took a moment to read Catty’s text.

Furman’s hand was Snoww, Unlight of Dark World, Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World, Sillva, Warlord of Dark World, Danger! Nessie! and two copies of The Gates of Dark World. He led with Gates, then activated Nessie’s effect discarding Snoww! He Summoned Nessie, drew Dark World Dealings and tried to use Snoww to search his Deck. Zhen activated the effect of his Spright Red as Chain Link 2, and Melffy Catty as Chain Link 3! Zhen searched his Deck For Melffy Pinny, then used its effect to Tune it with Catty and Synchro Summon Herald of the Arc Light! That cut Furman off from sending monsters to his Graveyard, which would prove to be a huge problem.

Furman continued, Tributing Nessie to Tribute Summon Sillva. He needed to get that Herald off the field. He tried to move to the Battle Phase, but Zhen used Masquerena’s effect to Link Summon Mekk-Knight Crusadia Avramax. “Still in Main Phase…” Furman activated Dealings, drawing Reign-Beaux and discarding it, finding zero help while Zhen drew a card and discarded Triple Tactics Thrust. Furman activated the effect of Gates, drew Dark Ruler No More at the cost of his in-hand Grapha, and activated it. He attacked Herald of the Arc Light to destroy t with Sillva, moved to Main Phase 2 and passed.

Zhen was unfazed! He activated Rite of Aramesir and Furman saw he had no way out, swiftly offering the handshake.

Michael Zhen takes the win 2-1, finishing the final Duel with a clever set of Melffy plays to control the game with Herald of the Arc Light! He moves on to Round 7 with a 5-1 record, still very alive in this tournament.