Both Duelists here have already secured themselves a Super Rare copy of Anotherverse Dragon! With each victory, they’re one step closer to the World Championship in August. Clifton Land has made it this far utilizing his Branded Despia Deck, a popular choice. Michael Sirot is piloting Dragon Link, so it’s sure to be an intense match.

Duel 1

Sirot started Game 1 by activating Quick Launch, Summoning Rokket Tracer and using it to Link Summon Striker Dragon, which added Boot Sector Launch. It was activated and Sirot used its effect to Summon a second Tracer, which he used along with Striker Dragon to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres. He Set 2 back row, and Land was up!

Land had a hand of Gimmick Puppet Nightmare, Dark Magician, Nadir Servant, Despian Tragedy, Branded Banishment, and Branded Retribution. He activated Nadir Servant, sending Despian Luluwalilith to add Guiding Quem, the Virtuous to his hand. He Summoned Quem, whose effect sent Fallen of Albaz to the Graveyard from the Deck. He attacked Hieratic Spheres with Quem, and Sirot returned Quem to hand, then Hieratic Spheres Summoned Bystial Magnamhut, whose effect would allow him to add a Dragon Monster to hand in the End Phase. Land Set 2, and in Main Phase 2 Sirot activated Branded Beast to destroy the Set Branded Banishment. In the End phase, Land activated Luluwalilith to Summon Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous, and Sirot added The Bystial Lubellion to his hand.

Sirot discarded The Bystial Lubellion in his Main Phase, and Land Chained Blazing Cartestia, the Virtuous only to be shut down by Sirot’s Infinite Impermanence. Sirot added Bystial Magnamhut to hand with his Lubellion, then activated Boot Sector Launch to Summoned Rokket Tracer from the Graveyard. Then, he activated the recently added Magnamhut to banish his in-Graveyard copy of Magnamhut and Summon it to the field. After a moment, he activated Rokket Tracer to Destroy Boot Sector Launch and Summon Rokket Caliber from his Deck! Magnamhut and Rokket Tracer were used to Synchro Summon Bystial Dis Pater, which Sirot used to Summon his Banished Bystial Magnamhut. He Tributed Magnamhut for The Bystial Lubellion, then placed Branded Regained on the field from his Deck. Rokket Caliber and Lubellion were used to Link Summon Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy and Sirot activated Dragon Raivine. He discarded Infinite Impermanence to send Absorouter Dragon to the Graveyard with Dragon Ravine, then added Rokket Recharger to his hand thanks to Absorouter Dragon. Dharc Summoned Fallen of Albaz from Land’s Graveyard and was used to Link Summon Guardragon Pisty. Then he Summoned Rokket Recharger and used it and his Dharc to Link Summon Triple Burst Dragon. He activated Pisty to Summon Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres. After that, he used Branded Beast to Tribute Spheres and destroy Land’s Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous. That allowed Sirot to Summon Starliege Seyfert with Hieratic Seal’s effect since it was Tributed, and he used Seyfert, Pisty, and Triple Burst Dragon to Link Summon Borrelend Dragon, then banished Seyfert to add The Bystial Lubellion to hand, and triggered Branded Regained to put Seyfert to the bottom of Deck and draw a card. He attacked with Bystial Dis Pater and Borrelend Dragon for 7000 damage, then he activated Borrelend Dragon to negate his own Dis Pater, so he could Summon back his Rokket Tracer and attack for game.

Duel 2

Land started Duel 2 and had Bystial Saronir, Gimmick Puppet Nightmare, Guiding Quem, the Virtuous, Branded in Red, and There Can Be Only One. He Summoned Quem, sending Tri-Brigade Mercourier to the Graveyard. Then, he Summoned Bystial Saronir by banishing the Mercourier, which he activated to add Albion the Shrouded Dragon to hand. He activated it to send Fallen of Albaz to the Graveyard and draw Fusion Deployment! On resolution, Sirot activated his own Bystial Magnamhut, targeting Land’s Fallen of Albaz, and Land Chained Branded in Red, but Sirot had Bystial Druiswurm as well! Land’s Albaz was banished, and Druiswurm hit the field. Land activated Fusion Deployment to Summon Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous from his Deck. He took a moment to ponder his options, before ultimately deciding to activate Blazing Cartesia, using itself and Saronir to Summon Granguignol the Dusk Dragon. A new Chain was formed, with Granguignol as Chain Link 1, Calming Quem as Chain Link 2, and Saronir as Chain Link 3 which sent Branded Retribution to the Graveyard. Blazing Cartesia was Summoned by Guiding Quem and Titaniklad the Ash Dragon was sent to the Graveyard by Granguignol. Land Set 2 back row, and in the End Phase he Summoned Fallen of Albaz from the Deck.

In his turn, Sirot activated The Bystial Lubellion, adding Bystial Baldrake to his hand, then Tributed Bystial Druiswurm to Summon Lubellion. He activated Druiswurm, targeting Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous but Land Chained its effect and Fusion Summoned using Fallen of Albaz and Granguignol for Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon! In a new Chain, Guiding Quem, the Virtuous Summoned Fallen of Albaz from Land’s Graveyard, and he activated Fallen of Albaz discarding Gimmick Puppet Nightmare and Fusion Summoning Albion the Branded Dragon. Albion banished Fallen of Albaz and Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous from the Graveyard to Summon Albion the Sanctifire Dragon! Sirot moved to his Battle Phase, and Land had to pause, knowing his field was potentially in danger. He activated Albion the Sanctifire Dragon, targeting Saronir and Gimmick Puppet in his Graveyard to Summon both, and Sirot activated Bystial Magnamhut to banish the Puppet and Summon his Dragon. After activating Magnamhut’s effect to add a Dragon in the End Phase (which was missed in the End Phase by both players, so there would be no Dragon added to hand), he attacked Mirrorjade with Magnamhut, taking 500 damage. At the end of the Battle Phase, Sirot activated Evenly Matched! On the Evenly Matched Top Cut Game Mat no Less. Land banished everything but his Mirrorjade, and Sirot moved to Main Phase 2.

He activated Quick Launch to Summon Rokket Tracer from his Deck, which he used to Link Summon Striker Dragon and add Boot Sector Launch to his hand. Striker Dragon destroyed itself and Sirot added Rokket Tracer to hand from the Graveyard before he activated Dragon Ravine. He discarded Boot Sector Launch with Dragon Ravine to send Starleige Seyfert from his Deck to his Graveyard, and Normal Summoned Rokket Tracer. He activated Bystial Baldrake, banishing Land’s Granguignol, the Dusk Dragon forcing Land to activate Mirrorjade the Ice Blade Dragon which sent Albion the Branded Dragon from the Extra Deck to the Graveyard, and Sirot Chained his Rokket Tracer to Destroy his Dragon Ravine to Summon Rokket Recharger. Mirrorjade resolved, banishing Sirot’s Rokket Tracer.

Sirot activated Starliege Seyfert in the Graveyard to add The Bystial Lubellion back to his hand, and Land added Branded Opening to his hand with Albion the Branded Dragon’s effect.

He drew Dark Magician for turn, ouch. Yugi’s most trusted monster was not Land’s friend today.

After a moment, Land decided to simply attack Bystial Baldrake with Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon before activating Branded Opening, discarding the Dark Magician, and adding Aluber the Jester of Despia to his hand. He Summoned it and added Branded Banishment to his hand, Set it, and passed.

Sirot activated The Bystial Lubellion to add Bystial Magnamhut to his hand. He took a moment to peruse Land’s Graveyard, and banished Land’s Dark Magician to Summon his Magnamhut, activating to add another Dragon in the End Phase. Rokket Recharger and Magnamhut were sent to the Graveyard to Synchro Summon Chaos Angel, since they equal 10, despite not having a Tuner! On its Summon, Sirot tried to banish Land’s Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon, and Land Chained Mirrorade sending Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon to the Graveyard to banish Sirot’s Chaos Angel, and Land lost his MIrrorjade. Sirot added Bystial Saronir to his hand thanks to his Magnamhut in his End Phase, and play was to Land.

Land drew Fusion Deployment and attacked with Aluber the Jester of Despia. He Set the Deployment and passed.

Sirot activated The Bystial Lubellion to add Bystial Magnamhut to hand, then banished Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon to Summon Magnamhut and activated it to add another Dragon in the End Phase. He Summoned Lubellion by Tributing Magnamhut and placed Branded Regained on the field. Next, he Normal Summoned Starliege Seyfert and Tributed Lubellion to add Chaos Dragon Levianeer to his hand. He banished 3 monsters to Summon Levianeer and destroyed Land’s 2 face down cards, wiping him completely out of resources. Then he Summoned Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres using Seeyfert and Levianeer. He activated Seyfert to banish itself from the Graveyard to add Chaos Dragon Levianeer back to his hand, then drew a card with the effect of Branded Regained by placing his Seyfert on the bottom of the Deck. He quickly Summoned White Dragon Wyverburster, Link Summoning Triple Burst Dragon and adding Black Dragon Collapserpent to his hand. Black Dragon was Summoned by banishing White Dragon, and he sent Triple Burst and Black Dragon to the Graveyard to Summon Accesscode Talker, activating its effect to gain 3000 attack. With that, Land conceded, knowing that Chaos Dragon Levianeer would be Summoned again, and his monster would be destroyed by Accesscode Talker for game!

Michael Sirot is now just 2 wins away from securing his spot at the 2023 World Championship!