Over 3200 Duelists have been reduced to just the Top 8. This is the only remaining non-Kashtira matchup in the Top 8. Jesse Flores, from Dallas, TX, is representing Runick Naturia. He’s up against Hisam Jawhari, from Louisiana, playing Tri-Brigade Sprights. It’s been a long road for these Duelists, but only one can move on from here!

Duel 1

Flores won the dice roll and opted to play first. He had a hand of Runick Destruction, Runick Fountain, Naturia Sacred Tree, Runick Golden Droplet, and Runick Slumber. During his Draw Phase, used Destruction to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings, discarding Sacred Tree for Hugin’s effect. Jawhari negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Sacred Tree’s effect let him get Naturia Mole Cricket to his hand. In the Main Phase, he Normal Summoned Mole Cricket and used its effect, but Jawhari had PSY-Framegear Gamma! Jawhari Special Summoned Gamma and PSY-Frame Driver. Flores played Runick Fountain, then Runick Slumber targeting Hugin, and Jawhari banished three cards from his Deck. He used Fountain’s effect, drawing Naturia Blessing and Runick Tip. He played Tip to get Runick Freezing Curses, banishing another card. He set Naturia Blessing and Freezing Curses. In the End Phase, Gamma and Driver were banished.

Jawhari Normal Summoned Spright Jet. Flores flipped Naturia Blessing to Special Summon Mole Cricket. He then used Mole Cricket’s effect to Special Summon Naturia Camellia and Naturia Sunflower. Camellia sent Sacred Tree to the Graveyard. Sacred Tree then added a new Blessing to Flores’s hand. Jawhari sent Spright Jet to attack Sunflower. In Main Phase 2, he Special Summoned another Jet, and Flores Chained Camellia and Freezing Curses. Jet was negated, and Jawhari now had two copies of Nimble Beaver banished, shutting off his Nimble Angler play. Camellia resolved and returned Sunflower to the field. Jawhari wasn’t going to be able to play through the multiple negations Flores had on the field, and conceded!

Duel 2

Jawhari started with Nimble Beaver, which Special Summoned Nimble Angler. He Special Summoned Spright Jet, which added Spright Starter to his hand. He used the Nimbles to play Spright Sprind, which sent another Angler to the Graveyard. Angler’s effect Special Summoned two more Beavers. He used Sprind and a Beaver to Xyz Summon Gigantic Spright. It detached Beaver to Special Summon Tri-Brigade Kitt. He used Gigantic and Jet to play I:P Masquerena. Kitt’s effect banished the Beavers to play Tri-Brigade Bearbrumm the Rampant Rampager. Then, he used Kitt and the last Beaver to Link Summon Tri-Brigade Ferrijit the Barren Blossom. Kitt’s effect sent Tri-Brigade Nervall to the Graveyard, which then added Tri-Brigade Kerass. He used both his Tri-Brigade Link Monsters to play Pitknight Earlie. Ferrijit and Bearbrumm activated – he drew a card and returned one, then searched for Tri-Brigade Revolt and returned another card. He Set two in his back row.

Flores had a hand of Runick Tip, Naturia Sacred Tree, Foolish Burial Goods, Runick Flashing Fire, and Naturia Blessing. He drew another Sacred Tree. In the Draw Phase, he played Flashing Fire to Special Summon Hugin, and discarded a Sacred Tree for its effect to add Runick Fountain to his hand. Sacred Tree then added Mole Cricket to his hand. In his Main Phase, he played Mole Cricket and used its effect, and Jawhari hit it with Ash Blossom. Flores played Fountain, then Tip. He searched for Freezing Curses. He tried to draw with Fountain, but Jawhari banished it in response with Cosmic Cyclone! Flores played Foolish Burial Goods next, sending Sacred Tree to the Graveyard, which added Camellia to his hand. He played Blessing, and Jawhari had Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! He Set Sacred Tree and Freezing Curses In the End Phase, Jawhari flipped Revolt. He Special Summoned Nerval, Ferrijit, and Beaver, then used them to play Tri-Brigade Shuraig the Ominous Omen! Nervall searched Kitt, Ferrijit let him cycle a card from his hand, and Shuraig banished Freezing Curses.

Jawhari Normal Summoned Kitt, with its effect banishing Nervall and Ferrjit to Special Summon Ancient Warriors Oath – Double Dragon Lords. He attacked Hugin with Masquerena, then attacked with everything else to drop Flores to 1200 Life Points. He played Spright Starter to Special Summon Spright Jet, which attacked to finish the Duel and even the score!

Duel 3

The Duelists gave a hearty handshake before the final Duel.

Flores began the final Duel with Camellia, Naturia Blessing, Runick Smiting Storm, Slumber, and Freezing Curses. He used Smiting Storm to Special Summon Hugin, discarding Camellia to get Fountain. He played Blessing to revive Camellia, which sent Sacred Tree to the Graveyard. Tree put Mole Cricket in his hand. He Normal Summoned it and sent two cards from his Deck, via Camellia, to use Mole Cricket’s effect. He Special Summoned Sunflower. He used Hugin and Camellia to Synchro Summon Coral Dragon. He played Fountain, then used Flashing Fire to Special Summon Geri the Runick Fangs. Fountain’s effect recycled three cards, and he drew Blessing, Golden Droplet, and Dimensional Barrier. He used Geri and Coral Dragon to play Baronne de Fleur! Coral Dragon let him draw Runick Tip. He used Naturia Blessing to get Camellia back, and tuned it to Mole Cricket for Naturia Beast! Mole Cricket’s effect activated to Special Summon itself. He played Runick Tip to get Flashing Fire and banish a Cosmic Cyclone from Jawhari’s Deck. He Set Dimensional Barrier.

Jawhari started with Dark Ruler No More! He Normal Summoned Kitt, then Special Summoned Spright Jet. Flores negated Jet with Freezing Curses. Flores tried using Fountain, but Jawhari negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Jawhari stacked Kitt and Jet for Number 2: Ninja Shadow Mosquito, and it attacked Sunflower. On the attack declaration, Flores used Dimensional Barrier declaring Xyz Monster, negating Mosquito and preventing the expected Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder. Jawhari had played through his options valiantly, but with Dark Ruler No More wearing off at the end of the turn, he knew it was all over – he offered the handshake!

Jesse Flores is moving on to the Top 4 with Runick Naturia!