Wyatt Brannock traveled here this weekend from Northern Arizona, and he’s sitting at the top tables with a Deck we haven’t seen much of this format: Drytron. His opponent is Christian Paul Gregorio Pascua from Las Vegas, piloting the number one matchup Brannock, and everybody else here is expecting: Kashtira.

Can Brannock’s rogue run continue? Or was Arise-Heart about to claim another victim? Let’s find out…

Brannock opened Game 1 with a hand of Pot of Prosperity, Meteonis Drytron, and three copies of Drytron Alpha Thuban. Not… Not great. He activated Prosperity to banish six cards from his Extra Deck and reveal… nothing, as Pascua blasted him with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Brannock activated the effect of an Alpha to Special Summon it, pitching another Alpha. That got him Cyber Angel Benten from his Deck, and that ended his turn.

Pascua played Pressured Planet Wraitsoth to search his Deck for Kashtira Unicorn. He Special Summoned it, used its effect to search Kashtira Birth and activated Scareclaw Kashtira banishing Kashtira Ogre for the Special Summon. He brought the Ogre back with Birth moments later, and that got him Kashtira Preparations from his Deck. 

He entered battle, attacked Alpha with Unicorn and banished Brannock’s Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder from his Extra Deck. He made a direct attack with Scareclaw, then another with the Ogre. In Main Phase 2 Pascua overlaid everything for Kashtira Arise-Heart, setting three cards to his backrow to finish out.

Brannock drew and activated Preparation of Rites, getting Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended. On resolution, Pascua made Arise-Heart’s attach effect Chain Link 1, and Kashtira Birth Chain Link 2, banishing everything in Brannock’s Graveyard. Brannock pitched Benten to Special Summon Alpha, searched his deck briefly, and realized he just didn’t have any outs. Brannock conceded, eager to move to Game 2.

Wyatt Brannock opens with an improbable hand of not one, not two, but three copies of Drytron Alpha Thuban! Christian Paul Gregorio Pascua makes short work of the first Duel, moving himself one game closer to another Match win.

Flash forward to Game 2 and Brannock had Vanity’s Fiend, Cyber Angel Benten, Cyber Emergency, Drytron Zeta Aldhibah, and Diviner of the Herald. He used Emergency to go get Drytron Gamma Eltanin, and activated the effect of Zeta Tributing Benten. That got him Meteonis Drytron and another Benten from his Deck. He Linked away Zeta for Linkuriboh, sent his second Benten to the Graveyard to bring Zeta back, and Pascua fended it off with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. Brannock got Artifact Lancea with Benten, then used Meteonis to bring up Cyber Angel Benten. He Tribute Summoned Vanity’s Fiend, and used Benten’s effect again to search Herald of Orange Light. 

Brannock passed, and hit Pascua with Artifact Lancea in Pascua’s Draw Phase. Pascua moved to his Main Phase, Set one card and ended. 

Brannock drew Drytron Delta Altais. He activated the effect of Gamma in his Graveyard , discarded Delta, and Special Summoned both. He took back Meteonis Drytron, overlaid his two Drytrons for Drytron Beta Rastaban and searched his Deck for Drytron Alpha Thuban to send it to the Graveyard. Brannock followed through with Meteonis Drytron, detached Delta as the Ritual Tribute and brought back Cyber Angel Benten. He used Alpha’s effect in the Graveyard to Tribute Benten and brought Alpha back, landing himself another Benten and Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended. He used Zeta in the Grveyard next, Tributing Benten and getting another Meteonis Drytron, then searching Cyber Angel Natasha with the Benten effect. 

Another Meteonis Drytron Tributed Gamma to bring Benten back to the field, and Brannock Tributed it for the effect of Delta to revive the Drytron; he revealed Sauravis to draw a card, finding Foolish Burial. But he had nothing left to search for Benten. He Linked everything but Vanity’s Fiend and Summoned Borrelsword Dragon, leading Pascua to concede!

Wyatt Brannock evens the score, locking things down with Vanity’s Fiend and following up with a string of explosive plays to take the second Duel! This matchup was fresh territory, and it certainly seemed like the final Duel could be anybody’s game. Both Duelists wished each other good luck before beginning.

Pascua started the Duel with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, searching Kashtira Fenrir. He Special Summoned Kashtira Unicorn, activated its effect, and Brannock blew it away with Herald of Orange Light, discarding Cyber Angel Natasha. Pascua Special Summoned Fenrir next, searched Kashtira Riseheart, and activated its effect to Special Summon it. He activated Triple Tactics Thrust next, searched his Deck and added Appointer of the Red Lotus to his backrow. 

He activated Kashtira Birth, then Pot of Prosperity, banishing six cards from his Extra Deck to get Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Pascua used Riseheart to banish the top three cards off Brannock’s Deck, then used Birth to Special Summon Kashtira Ogre, getting Kashtira Preparations. He overlaid all three of his monsters for Kashtira Arise-Heart in attack mode, Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Pascua flipped Appointer the moment Brannock drew for his turn, revealing Brannock’s hand of Volcanic Queen, Foolish Burial, Magician of Black Chaos MAX, and Drytron Alpha Thuban. He banished the Volcanic Queen for the turn, and attached a fourth material to Arise-Heart. Brannock passed and took back his Volcanic Queen. 

Pascua drew for turn and used Birth to Special Summon back his Unicorn to search Kashtiratheosis. He activated it, targeting Kashtira Arise-Heart to Special Summon Scareclaw Kashtira. Arise-Heart got a fifth material and Pascua attacked with everything for game! 

Christian Paul Gregorio Pascua wins a quick back-and-forth Match against Drytron, and moves on in the tournament with one more win under his belt! There was just one round left here in Day 1, and Pascua would surely benefit from the momentum of another win.