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YCS Niagara Falls Dragon Duel Championship: Gregory vs. Ben

October 13th, 2024

The YCS Main Event isn’t the only tournament awarding the title of Champion! Every YCS weekend hosts not one, but two Dragon Duel tournaments: one on Saturday and another on Sunday – a showcase for up-and-coming Duelists in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG’s youth division! Then, on Sunday afternoon, the winner from each tournament go head-to-head in one last Match, to decide a Dragon Duel Champion!

This weekend we’ll see Saturday’s winner Gregory, playing his Yubel Deck, square off Sunday’s winner Ben, piloting Swordsoul! And the victor in this match won’t just win the title of Champion: they’ll also take home a stunning crystal trophy, and a complete set of the Darklord Prize Cards! Both of our competitors are ready, so it’s time to Duel!

Ben won the roll and opted to go first in Game 1, but Gregory was ready, activating the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia in Ben’s Standby Phase. Ben Normal Summon Swordsoul of Mo Ye, Gregory drew for Purulia, and Ben Set a card to his backrow to end his turn.

Gregory’s hand was Triple Tactics Talent, Yubel, Samsara D Lotus, and two copies of Dark Beckoning Beast. He moved to his Main Phase, contact fused Yubel and Dark Beckoning Beast to Summon Phantom of Yubel, then Summoned his second Beckoning Beast to search his Deck for Opening of the Spirit Gates. He played it, searched his Deck for a third Dark Beckoning Beast, and Normal Summoned Samsara D Lotus with the extra Summon from Beckoning Beast.  Ben flipped Forbidden Droplet, sending Swordsoul of Mo Ye from his field and another card from his hand, negating the effects of Gregory’s Samsara and Phantom.

But play continued: Gregory Linked Samsara and Phantom of Yubel to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, brought back Samsara with Spirit Gates, and used Samsara to Special Summon Spirit of Yubel. He Set and flipped Nightmare Pain, destroyed Spirit, and Special Summoned Gruesome Grave Squirmer. Spirit of Yubel’s effect let him Special Summon Yubel. He summoned Gruesome Grave Squirmer, destroyed Yubel and Special Summoned Yubel – Terror Incarnate.

Gregory contact fused with Yubel and Dark Beckoning Beast from the Graveyard to bring out another Phantom of Yubel, then Link Summoned Fiendsmith’s Requiem. He tributed it to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver in defense mode, Linked Gruesome Grave Squirmer and Terror Incarnate to Link Summon Unchained Soul Lord of Yama, used it to search Unchained Soul of Sharvara from his Deck, and Linked Yama with Fiendsmith Engraver for Unchained Soul of Rage. He used Sharvara’s effect to destroy Soul of Rage, and when the Chain resolved he Special Summoned Sharvara and got back hisFiendsmith Engraver.

Gregory used the Engraver’s Effect to get Fiendsmith’s Tract, used it to search Fabled Lurrie, and discarded Lurrie to Special Summon it. He Link Summoned Fiendsmith’s Sequence, used Fiendsmith Engraver’s Graveyard effect, shuffled back Lurrie, Special Summoned Engraver, and Linked it with Dark Beckoning Beast to Link Summon Muckraker From the Underworld. He used Requiem to shuffle back Closed Heaven, Engraver, and Requiem, to Fusion Summon Fiendsmith’s Desirae! Gregory Link Summoned Closed Heaven again, attached Sequence to Desirae, attacked with everything to drop Ben to 3000 Life Points! “I’ll pass.”

Ben was up! He drew to three cards in hand and Special Summoned Dogmatika Ecclesia, the Virtuous, used her effect, and Gregory Chained Phantom of Yubel’s ability to change that effect and destroy a Spirit of Yubel in his Deck instead. That triggered Spirit’s effect to Special Summon Yubel from his Deck and Ben Set a monster to end his turn.

Gregory Linked away Closed Heaven for Fiendsmith’s Requiem, Tributed it to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver, attached Requiem to Engraver, and blew away Gregory’s face-down monster, Swordsoul of Mo Ye. Ben sent his monsters to attack and it was all over!

Mulcharmy Purulia gives Gregory an early advantage, letting him flood the field with Summons to take an assertive win! Now it was on Ben to battle back with his Swordsoul monsters, to try and take this Match to a third Duel.

Ben chose to let Gregory go first, and Gregory had a hand of Spirit of Yubel, Terraforming, and three copies of Samsara D Lotus! He searched Nightmare Throne with Terraforming, Summoned Samsara D Lotus, and Tributed it to Special Summon Spirit of Yubel. He Set Nightmare Pain from his Deck, activated it, destroyed the Spirit, searched Gruesome Grave Squirmer, and when he tried to use Spirit’s effect Gregory stopped him with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring.

That left Gregory free to play Nightmare Throne, searching his Deck for Yubel, destroying it. That let him Special Summon Terror Incarnate from his Deck. He contact fused Yubel and Spirit of Yubel to Special Summon Phantom of Yubel, Special Summoned Gruesome Grave Squirmer, Linked it to Terror Incarnate for Moon of the Closed Heaven, Link Summoned Requiem, Tributed it, and Special Summoned Lacrima the Crimson Tears.  He activated her effect, sent Engraver, shuffled back Closed Heaven, and Linked Engraver and Lacrima to Link Summon Unchained Soul Lord of Yama.

Gregory searched Unchained Soul Sharvara, banished Gruesome Grave Squirmer to Special Summon Spirit of Yubel, and Link Summoned Soul of Rage. He Special Summoned Sharvara with its effect, popped Soul of Rage, got his Engraver back, pitched it, and searched his Deck for Fiendsmith’s Tract, using it to search Fabled Lurrie. Gregory discarded it, Special Summoned it, and Linked with Sharvara to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence. Gregory sent Lurrie, Engraver, and Requiem back to their Decks and Fusion Summoned Fiendsmith’s Desirae. He Link Summoned Muckraker From the Underworld, attached Requiem to Desirae and passed.

Play was back to Ben! He drew to five cards in hand, activated Forbidden Droplet, discarding Swordsoul Emergence, and Desirae negated it. Ben Special Summoned Dogmatika Ecclesia, the Virtuous, used her effect to search his Deck for Swordsoul of Taia, and used Taia’s effect banishing Emergence. Gregory Chained Phantom of Yubel’s effect, tributing it to destroy Yubel in his Deck to Summon Terror Incarnate. Ben activated Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan, sending Taia to grave from his hand, and Special Summoned a Swordsoul Token.

Ben Tuned Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan to the Token for Swordsoul Sinister Sovereign – Qixing Longyuan, and activated its effect to burn Gregory for 1000 damage. Gregory tried to pass, but was reminded of Nightmare Pain! He was forced to send his monsters straight into Yubel – Terror Incarnate for double, and by the time the attacks were over he was out of Life Points!

Gregory claims the win, and earns the title of YCS Niagara Falls Dragon Duel Champion!