Arturo Maruri Jr. hails from Greensboro North Carolina, and this weekend he’s playing Tearlaments, a popular Deck among competitors here in Day 1. Aubrey Richardson, from Baltimore Maryland, is playing Heroes. Both of these Duelists are eager to start the Match!

We’re in Round 2 of 9 Swiss Rounds today, and it’s time to Duel!

Maruri started the first Duel with Tearlaments Reinoheart, Tearlaments Merrli, Unchained Soul of Shyama, Destiny HERO – Malicious, and Keldo the Sacred Protector. He started by Normal Summoning Reinoheart, sending Tearlaments Havnis to the Graveyard with its effect. Maruri returned Havnis and Malicious to the Deck to Summon Destiny HERO – Dangerous, activated Dangerous’ effect, discarded Unchained Soul of Shyvama and sent another Malicious to the Graveyard from the Deck.

That Malicious was banished next, Maruri Summoned a second copy from the Deck, and he used his 2 Level 6 monsters to Xyz Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal. Maruri detached Malicious and sent Trivikarma to the Graveyard, which he banished to add Primeval Planet Perlereino to his hand from his Deck. He quickly activated Perlerino’s effect, searching Tearlaments Scheiren.

Maruri activated Tearlaments Scheiren, discarding Tearlaments Merrli and sending Shaddoll Beast to the graveyard. He activated another Primeval Planet Perlereino, and another Tearlaments Reinoheart hit the Graveyard! He activated both Merrli and Shaddoll Beast’s effects, which drew him Tearlaments Scream, and Merrli returned the Deck alongside Beast as Maruri Summoned Mudragon of the Swamp. He activated Tearlaments Scream, then overlaid Mudragon and Tearlaments Reinoheart to Xyz Summon Bahamut Shark, which brought out Toadally Awesome. On the Summon of his Toad, Maruri activated Scream to send Tearlaments Sulliek and Destiny HERO – Denier to the Graveyard from his Deck. Sulliek added Maruri Tearlaments Kashtira, before he Linked Bahamut Shark with his Scheiren to Summon S:P Little Knight, passing after a massive Turn 1.

Richardson contemplated his turn for a moment, reading S:P Little Knight for a moment before he Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Stratos. In response to Stratos’ effect, Maruri chained his S:P Little Knight attempting to banish itself and Stratos, but he was met by Richardson’s Forbidden Droplet! Richardson sent Destiny HERO – Denier and the Stratos to the Graveyard, negating Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal and S:P Little Knight, then added Vision HERO Faris to hand. Richardson activated Faris’ ability, discarding Destiny HERO – Malicious. When Richardson activated Faris’ on-field effect, Maruri chained Toadally Awesome but lost out to Called by the Grave banishing the Toad, negating it.

On resolution of that chain, Maruri activated Tearlaments Kashtira, and Maruri used it alongside his Scream to send 6 cards to the Graveyard, including Tearlaments Havnis, Agido the Ancient Sentinel, and Shaddoll Beast. Maruri used his 3 effects and Agido sent another fistful of Tearlaments cards to the Graveyard before he Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Kaliedo-Heart. After a massive Chain, Richardson activated the effect of his Vision HERO Increase to Special Summon Vision HERO Vyon from his Deck, which sent Elemental HERO Shadow Mist to Graveyard, which searched Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier to his hand.

Richardson banished Vision HERO Faris with his Vyon’s effect to get Polymerization to his hand, then banished Destiny HERO – Malicious to Summon another copy from his Deck. He used Malicious and Increase to Link Summon Xtra HERO Cross Crusader. He used Crusader to Summon Denier from the Graveyard, which activated to place the banished Destiny HERO – Malicious back on top of Deck, and he Tributed Denier for Cross Crusader’s effect to get another Elemental HERO Stratos to his hand.

He continued his turn, Link Summoning Xtra HERO Wonder Driver, then activating Polymerization, combining Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier and Elemental HERO Stratos to Summon Elemental HERO Flame Wingman – Infernal Rage! He Tributed it with its effect to Summon Elemental HERO Sunrise. Richardson used the effects of Xtra HERO Wonder Driver and Elemental HERO Sunrise, Setting Polymerization from the Graveyard and searching Miracle Fusion from his Deck. He activated Destiny HERO – Malicious again to summon another copy, and played Polymerization to Fusion Summon Elemental HERO Escuridao using Malicious and Wonder Driver.

Richardson activated Miracle Fusion to banish 14 HERO monsters, all to Summon Wake Up Your Elemental HERO with 6700 Attack Points! Since Wake Up Your Elemental HERO could attack all of Maruri’s monsters and do damage equal to their Attack Points, that was far more than enough to end the first Duel!

After a fantastic opening by Maruri, Richardson manages to fight back and finish the Duel in style!

Maruri’s started Duel 2 with a hand of 2 Super Polymerization, a Tearlaments Havnis, Primeval Planet Perlerieno, and Destiny HERO – Denier. He started his turn by activating his Planet to add Tearlaments Scheiren to his hand, and activated its effect only to be shut down by Richardson’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He Set a monster and Set Super Polymerization to end his turn.

Richardson activated Reinforcement of the Army to get Elemental HERO Stratos and swiftly Summoned it. In response to its effect, Maruri activated Tearlaments Havnis, sending Tearlaments Reinoheart, Danger! Mothman!, and Diviner of the Herald to the Graveyard. Stratos got Richardson Vision HERO Faris, and Maruri activated Tearlaments Reinoheart, discarding Tearlaments Scherien. The Reinoheart sent Tearlaments Kashtira to his Graveyard, and he sent Scheiren back to the Deck with Tearlaments Havnis to Fusion Summon Garura, Wings of Resonant Life. Tearlmants Kashtira sent 2 cards to the Graveyard from Maruri’s Deck, and he managed to hit Tearlaments Sulliek, getting him another Tearlaments Kashtira to hand from the Deck.

Richardson continued by activating Vision HERO Faris, discarding Destiny HERO – Denier, then placing Vision HERO Increase in his Spell and Trap Zone. It wasn’t there long, as Richardson Tributed Faris for Increase to Summon Increase from the Spell Zone, and Vision HERO Vyon from the Deck. In Response to Vyon’s effect, Maruri carefully considered his Set Super Polymerization before deciding to wait. Richardson sent Destiny HERO – Malicious to the Graveyard with Vyon’s effect, then banished Faris to add Polymerization from his Deck with Vyon’s second effect.

After a brief pause, Richardson Summoned Xtra HERO Infernal Divicer by using Vision HERO Vyon and Vision HERO Increase, then added Elemental HERO Neos to his hand by revealing Elemental HERO Shining Neos Wingman. He activated Polymerization Fusing Elemental HERO Stratos and Neos to Summon Elemental HERO Flame Wingman – Infernal Rage, which got Favorite Contact to his hand. Richardson banished Destiny HERO – Malicious, Summoned his second copy from his Deck before Link Summoning Xtra HERO Cross Crusader, and that let him Summon Destiny HERO – Denier, which placed Malicious into the Deck again from his banished pile.

Richardson Tributed Denier for Cross Crusader’s effect to get Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier, and activated Denier to Summon it from his Graveyard, then used Denier and Cross Crusader to Link Summon Xtra HERO Wonder Driver. He Tributed Elemental HERO Flame Wingman – Infernal Rage with its effect, and Summoned Elemental HERO Sunrise. That let him Set Polymerization from the Graveyard while adding Miracle Fusion to his hand thanks to Sunrise and Wonder Driver’s effects. After that, he activated Triple Tactics Talent to place Maruri’s Tearlaments Kashtira back into Maruri’s Deck from his hand. 

Richardson banished Destiny HERO – Malicious again, Summoning another from his Deck before activating that Set Polymerization to Summon Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Maruri fired back with Super Polymerization! That let Maruri Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia using his Garura, Wings of Resonant Life and Richardson’s Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer: Garura drew Maruri a card, Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard; and Richardson activated Miracle Fusion, then chained Forbidden Droplet to negate the Dragostapelia.

And then it was all over once again! Richardson activated Miracle Fusion to banish 11 HERO monsters and Summon Wake Up Your Elemental HERO with 5800 Attack Points! He sent it to attack over Predaplant Dragostapelia, then attacked Maruri’s defense mode monsters for game thanks to Wake up Your Elemental HERO’s burn damage effect!

Despite a valiant effort by Arturo Maruri Jr., Aubrey Richardson advances with a 2-0 record, all thanks to a pair of absolutely massive HERO Fusions!