While the other Top 4 Match was a competition between Floowandereeze and Naturia Runick, this Match would see Shunping Xu and Paulie Aronson square off in a Kashtira mirror match. While Aronson’s Deck is a pretty typical build, Xu’s playing a Runick variant, setting his Deck apart and drawing a defining line in this Match.

The winner here would go to the Finals. The loser would go to the 3rd/4th playoff Match, where only one Duelist will claim a YCS Prize Card, Anotherverse Dragon. The pressure was palpable.

Xu opened with a hand of Runick Flashing Fire, Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, Kashtiratheosis, Runick Slumber and Kashtira Fenrir. He activated Wraitsoth to search Kashtira Unicorn, Special Summoned it and used its effect to get Kashtira Birth. He played Kashtiratheosis, and activated Flashing Fire as Chain Link 2; he Special Summoned Hugin the Runick Wings, then Kashtira Fenrir to pitch his other Fenrir with Hugin, getting Runick Fountain; and Kashtira Riseheart with Fenrir. He Summoned Riseheart, stacked Fenrir and Unicorn for Kashtira Shangri-Ira, and used Riseheart to banish Tearlaments Kashtira from his Deck; he banished three cards from Aronson’s Deck as well. 

Xu used Shangri-Ira’s effect to block Aronson’s center Monster Zone, activated Kashtira Birth and Special Summoned back Tearlaments Kashtira. He sent three cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard – Kashtiratheosis, Runick Tip, and another Unicorn – then used Slumber to banish three cards from Aronson’s Deck. That gave him a third Runick spell in his Graveyard and he returned all three to his Deck with Runick Fountain to draw three cards. 

Kashtira Shangri-Ira became Kashtira Arise-Heart, and Xu Xyz Summoned Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker with Tearlaments Kashtira and Kashtira Riseheart as material. He detached for its effect, peeked at Aronson’s Extra Deck and banished Aronson’s Number 11: Big Eye. He banished four more cards from Aronson’s Deck, then took Aronson’s Big Eye to attach it to Arise-Heart. (He’d attached Tearlaments Kashtira previously.) He used Terraforming to search another Wraitsoth, Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Aronson was up. He used Infinite Impermanence to target Arise-Heart, Xu chained its effect and he banished the Impermanence face-down. Arise-Heart’s effect was negated and Aronson lost another chunk of his Deck. Aronson activated Pot of Prosperity, banished six of his Extra Deck cards and got Triple Tactics Talent. He used it to look at Xu’s hand, revealing the Flashing Fire and Wraitsoth, and he shuffled back the Flashing Fire into Xu’s Deck. 

He Special Summoned Kashtira Unicorn next, activated its effect and searched his Deck for Kashtiratheosis, activated Kashtira Birth and Normal Summoned Fenrir. Aronson activated Kashtiratheosis, targeting Fenrir to Special Summon another Unicorn, running low on cards in his Deck. He overlaid both Unicorns to Xyz Summon Dark Armed, the Dragon of Annihlation. He detached to target Xu’s one Set backrow with Dark Armed’s effect, and Xu lost his Evenly Matched. Aronson pressed on: he Special Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira banishing Kashtiratheosis, got back his banished Unicorn, and detached to use Dark Armed’s effect again, targeting Hugin. Xu ducked it back to the Extra Deck. 

Aronson activated Wraitsoth, opted not to search, and stacked Scareclaw and Unicorn for Number 11: Big Eye. He used it to take Xu’s Arise-Heart, entered the Battle Phase, and attacked with Arise-Heart over Diablosis the Mind Hacker for 400 damage. He attacked with Fenrir next to banish Xu’s Birth, then moved to Main Phase 2. He Summoned Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder using Big Eye as material and ended. 

Xu drew for his turn and got Runick Flashing Fire. He activated it in the Draw Phase targeting his own Arise-Heart, and Aronson Chained to banish Xu’s Runick Fountain. Xu activated Wraitsoth, and Xu searched his Deck for Unicorn. Aronson banished three with Kashtira Birth, Xu Special Summoned Unicorn, and Aronson cleared the field with Zeus. The Duel stood at 6500 to 8000 LP, and Xu went through his Phases before passing.

Aronson drew to two cards in hand still controlling Zeus. He attacked with it and passed.

Xu was in Topdecking mode: he ripped Pot of Desires! He banished 10 cards and drew two: Slumber and Scareclaw Kashtira! He Set the Slumber and passed.

Aronson attacked with Zeus again. Xu dropped to 500 LP. Aronson set a card to his back row.

Xu ripped Kashtira Fenrir! He Special Summoned it, Aronson responded with Book of Moon, and Xu had no choice but to let Fenrir go face-down! “Go ahead.”

Aronson activated Kashtira Birth! He Normal Summoned Unicorn, used Birth’s effect to Special Summon Fenrir, activated Wraitsoth without searching, and entered the Battle Phase, attacking with Zeus to destroy Xu’s Set Fenrir. Aronson attacked with Unicorn next and Xu flipped Slumber, Special Summoning Geri the Runick Fangs. Aronson Birthed away three more cards, and the Duel was sealed with two final attacks!

Paulie Aronson carefully navigates a Duel filled with pitfalls, digging deep into his Extra Deck to find the win! Shunping Xu was now under all the pressure a planet could muster, forced to win two games back-to-back to make it to the Finals!

Xu started Game 2 with Kashtira Big Bang, Runick Tip, Kashtira Riseheart and two copies of Kashtira Birth. He Normal Summoned Kashtira Riseheart, banished Kashtira Unicorn from his Deck to banish three cards from Aronson’s Deck, then activated Birth to Special Summon the Unicorn. Aronson negated the search with Impermanence. Xu played Tip to search his Deck for Runick Freezing Curses, made Shangri-Ira, Set two of his last three cards to his back row and ended.

Aronson started his turn, Xu Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir with Shangri-Ira, and Aronson moved to his Main Phase to activate Wraitsoth, searching Unicorn. He Special Summoned it, searched his Deck for Kashtira Birth, and activated Enemy Controller to Tribute Unicorn and target Fenrir! Xu flipped Kashtira Big Bang, he banished his Fenrir on the Chain, and Birthed away Aronson’s Graveyard. Shangri-Ira locked one of Aronson’s Monster Zones, and Aronson Special Summoned Fenrir. “Unfortunate,” remarked Xu with a long, but very calm sigh.

Aronson got Kashtira Riseheart with the Fenrir’s effect, Special Summoned it, and used Riseheart’s effect to banish his own Kashtiratheosis, as well as three of Xu’s face-down cards from his Deck. Aronson got back Tearlaments Kashtira with the Kashtiratheosis’s effect, and Aronson Summoned it to send three cards off the top of his Deck to the Graveyard: Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Fenrir, and Unicorn. 

Aronson Xyz Summoned Number 11: Big Eye, used its effect to target Shangri-Ira, and Xu negated it with Freezing Curses. Aronson activated to Special Summon Scareclaw Kashtira, banished Fenrir from his Graveyard, then Tributed Big Eye for another Enemy Controller! That got him the Kashtira Shangri-Ira, he turned it into Kashtira Arise-Heart and that was enough damage for game!

Paulie Aronson sweeps the Match 2-0 thanks to double Enemy Controllers, and moves onto the Finals where he’ll face Floowandereeze or Naturia Runick for the Championship!