One of the cool things about Remote Duel events is how they open up competition to competitors from all around the world. Ths Round, we’ll see the UK’s Jake Quinsee take his Vanquish Soul Deck against Germany’s Felix Pfeiffer, piloting Live Twin Runick Spright. The Vanquish Soul theme hit the ground running soon after its release in Wild Survivors, but this is the first time we’re seeing it in YCS action, and now we’ll get to see what a competitor like Quinsee can do with it.

Quinsee opened the Match with Reinforcement of the Army, searching his Deck for Vanquish Soul Razen. He Normal Summoned it, and used its effect to search Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius from his Deck. He activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger from his hand, targeting Razen, and tagged Razen out to Special Summon Borger. Quinsee revealed Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love to draw with Borger’s effect. Quinsee continued, sending Borger away to Link Summon Rock of the Vanquisher. He activated Vanquish Soul – Continue? to target Borger, paid 500 Life Points, and brought it back in defense mode. He Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Pfeiffer was up. He activated Runick Destruction, targeted Quinsee’s backrow, and Quinsee took the opportunity to Chain Borger’s effect for another draw. Quinsee lost his Set card: Vanquish Soul Dust Devil. He also lost Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Kashtira Riseheart, There Can Be Only One and Stake your Soul! as they were all banished from his Deck. 

Pfeiffer took a moment to consider his next move, then went to his Standby Phase, then Main Phase, and activated Dark Hole. Quinsee lost his Borger. Pfeiffer activated Runick Fountain, then Runick Dispellingto Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings. He made Hugin’s effect Chain Link 1, discarding another Destruction, then made his Fountain’s effect Chain Link 2: he drew 3 cards and searched another Fountain from his Deck. He Summoned Live Twin Lil-la and used it with Hugin to Link Summon Gigantic Spright, activated his second Fountain, and used Runick Flashing Fire to Summon Geri the Runick Fangs. He used its effect to get back the first Fountain from the Graveyard. Pfeiffer played Runick Tip to search Runick Slumber, then activated it to banish Quinsee’s Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, Triple Tactics Talent, and Vanquish Soul Razen. He activated Fountain to draw another 3 cards. 

Pfeiffer activated Gigantic Spright’s effect to detach Live Twin Lil-la and brought out Live Twin Ki-sikil Frost. He Link Summoned Evil Twin Ki-sikil next, used it to bring back Lil-la, and made Evil Twin Lil-la. He drew and activated Live Twin Sunny’s Snitch to get another Lil-La. He Set a card to his back row, and Linked both Link Monsters for Muckraker From the Underworld. He discarded Evenly Matched to Special Summon Evil Twin Lil-la and ended.

Play was back to Quinsee. He Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir, taking 200 damage from Sunny’s Snitch while his opponent gained 200 LP. Pfeiffer responded with Runick Tip to search his Deck, and Quinsee countered with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Pfeiffer responded with Runick Fountain to draw a card. Quinsee used Fenrir’s effect to go get another copy, and Pfeiffer banished Frost to draw another card. He chained Evil Twin Lil-la to Summon Evil Twin Ki-sikil. Quinsee used Fenrir to target Evil Twin Ki-sikil, Pfeiffer Chained to draw a card, and Evil Twin Ki-sikil was banished.

Quinsee Summoned Vanquish Soul Razen. He used Borger’s effect, targeting Razen, and Special Summoned Borger swapping Razen out. He used its effect, revealing Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love to draw, and Linked away Borger for Rock of the Vanquisher. He used it to Summon Razen from his hand, then activated Razen’s effect revealing a FIRE and a DARK to threaten Pfeiffer’s monster. Pfeiffer fired back with Runick Slumber. Quinsee banished Kurikara Divincarnate, There Can Be Only One, and another Fenrir. Pfeiffer lost his Evil Twin Lil-la to Razen’s effect. Quinsee used the effect of Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, targeting Razen, and Special Summoned the Valius. He revealed 3 monsters for its effect and destroyed Pfeiffer’s Runick Fountain.

“So I Normal’d the Razen out…” Quinsee debated his next move, before settling on Triple Tactics Talent. He activated it to take control of his opponent’s Gigantic Spright, moved to the Battle Phase, and swung Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius over the Muckraker. It hammered 2000 damage home, dropping Pfeiffer to 6600 Life Points, and he attacked with Fenrir next to bring him to 4200. One more attack with Gigantic Spright took Pfeiffer to 1000. When Quinsee tried to move to Main Phase 2, Pfeiffer hit him with Evenly Matched! Quinsee kept his Rock of the Vanquisher and Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius and lost everything else, ending his turn.

Pfeiffer drew for his turn and Normal Summoned Live Twin Ki-sikil Frost. Quinsee used Rock of the Vanquisher’s effect to get back his Heavy Borger. He activated its effect, targeted Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius, and revealed for Borger’s effect to burn Pfeiffer for 1500 damage! Pfeiffer had no way out, and the damage from Valius finished the Duel!

Both Duelists draw an absolute boatload of cards in Game 1, and while Felix Pfeiffer launches a crushing Evenly Matched, Jake Quinsee manages to play for damage and clinch the first Duel on his opponent’s turn! Vanquish Soul’s treating Quinsee pretty well so far; let’s see how it goes for him in Game 2.

“Did you play this Deck at your Nationals?” asked Quinsee.

“No, I actually played Floowandereeze!”

“You’re crazy… Over this?” Quinsee joked, “Man, you’re crazy!”

“It actually has a great matchup with both this deck and Kashtira,” remarked Pfeiffer. “I think I just didn’t play it well enough.”

“That’s fair,” replied Quinsee, as both Duelists continued making small talk while Side Decking.

Pfeiffer opened the second Duel with Live Twin Lil-la, using its effect to search out Live Twin Ki-sikil Frost. He Special Summoned Spright Red, Special Summoned Hugin the Runick Wings with Runick Destruction, and discarded another Destruction… to walk into Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Pfeiffer Chained the effect of Spright Red to Tribute Hugin, forcing through his search to get Runick Fountain. He overlaid Lil-la and Red to Xyz Summon Gigantic Spright, Special Summoned Spright Blue, and used it to bring out Spright Jet, searching Spright Starter. He Link Summoned I:P Masquerena, and Linked Frost and Gigantic for Evil Twin Ki-sikil. Quinsee activated Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion on Ki-sikil, leaving Pfeiffer to move on and activate Fountain. He followed up with Spright Starter, brought out Spright Carrot, lost 1000 Life Points and ended.

Quinsee used Bystial Magnamhut in his Draw Phase, banishing Live Twin Lil-la, and moved to his Standy Phase, then Main Phase, and then tried to move to his Battle Phase. Pfeiffer Linked I:P Masquerena and Carrot to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn. He discarded Ash Blossom for Unicorn’s effect, targeted Bystial Magnamhut, sent it back to Quinsee’s Deck and drew for Unicorn’s Co-Linked effect. Quinsee fired off Triple Tactics Talent to draw 2 cards himself, and on resolution Ki-sikil Frost got Pfeiffer another card. 

“How much time do we have?” asked Quinsee. The Feature Judge informed him 14:30 remained in the Match. “Alright, I’ll concede.” Quinsee scooped his cards.

“No monsters at all?” asked Pfeiffer.

“No. My hand was crazy as well.” Quinsee flew to his Side Deck as time ran down.

Jake Quinsee sees he’s playing a losing game in the second Duel, and wisely decides to bet it all on Game 3! Felix Pfeiffer takes the second Duel to even the Match score 1-1, taking us to one more Duel.

“I’ll go first, good luck.” Quinsee opened with Kashtira Fenrir, Special Summoning it. He revealed Kurikara Divincarnate for Stake your Soul!, but lost out to Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He used Fenrir’s effect to go get another Fenrir. Quinsee passed! That could put Pfeiffer in the driver’s seat for the rest of the Match.

Pfeiffer activated Runick Tip to search his Deck for Runick Flashing Fire, and Quinsee lost a Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius from his Deck. Pfeiffer used Flashing Fire to destroy Fenrir. He Normal Summoned Live Twin Ki-sikil, brought out Live Twin Lil-la, and used Runick Slumber to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings. He discarded another Ki-sikil for Hugin’s effect, made Gigantic Spright and activated its ability, detaching Lil-la.  Quinsee fired back with Bystial Druiswurm, banishing his opponent’s Ki-sikil from the Graveyard. Pfeiffer Summoned Spright Blue, used its effect, got Spright Red, Special Summoned it, and Linked off Ki-sikil and Gigantic for Evil Twin Ki-sikil. He used it to Summon little Lil-la, then Link Summoned Evil Twin Lil-la, brought back Evil Twin Ki-sikil, and activated Runick Fountain to draw. He Link Summoned Muckraker next, brought back Evil Twin Lil-la, and used it to try and destroy Druiswurm. Quinsee Chained its effect to target Spright Red, Pfeiffer Chained it, Tributed his Ki-sikil, and passed turn. Five minutes remained in the Match.

Quinsee Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir, and Pfeiffer blew it away with Spright Red, Tributing Muckraker to destroy Fenrir. Quinsee shuffled his hand at light speed, thinking hard about his next move. He Special Summoned Kurikara Divincarnate, tried to move to the Battle Phase, and Pfeiffer used Lil-la to Summon back Ki-sikil. The Kurikara Divincarnate attacked Evil Twin Ki-sikil to deal 1900 damage, and Quinsee moved to Main Phase 2. He Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, moved to his End Phase, and used Kurikara to Special Summon  Pfeiffer’s Evil Twin Ki-sikil to his side of the field. 

Play was back to Pfeiffer as time ticked down! He used Lil-la’s effect to Summon Ki-sikil, Link Summoned another Ki-sikil, brought back Evil Twin Lil-la, and used its effect to destroy Kurikara Divincarnate. He Link Summoned Evil Twin’s Trouble Sunny and ended his turn.

Quinsee was up and there was 1:45 left on the clock. He Normal Summoned Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Linked away Evil Twin Ki-sikil with it, Summonng Knightmare Unicorn. He moved to the Battle Phase, then Main Phase 2, and ended.

Pfeiffer moved to his Main Phase next turn. He attacked with Evil Twin’s Trouble Sunny over the Unicorn for 900 damage, then used Sunny’s effect to tag out and Summon Evil Twin Ki-sikil and Evil Twin Lil-la. He attacked to drop Quinsee to 4900 Life Points, moved to Main Phase 2, and time was called. With an advantage in Life Points that meant Pfeiffer was the winner. 

Felix Pfeiffer takes the win in the last seconds of the final Duel, as Jake Quinsee plays at a fair pace, even under the pressure of impending time! Quinsee demonstrates a true competitive spirit, but Pfeiffer moves on with another win, one step closer to Day 2.