We’re almost done! It’s the ninth and final round of Day 1 here at the NAWCQ, and players are eager to find out if they’ll be able to make it to Day 2. Even for those that have already secured their spots, there will still be 3 rounds tomorrow morning before the Top 64, so they’ll want to win as many Duels as possible to give them the best possible chance. For this Round 9 Feature Match, we have a Tenpai Dragon mirror match, where we’ll certainly see some fast-paced gameplay. Who will improve to 8-1 and who will fall to 7-2? Let’s find out!

Duel One

Merkley won the dice roll and chose to go second! His opening hand consisted of Nibiru the Primal Being, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Mulcharmy Purulia, Infinite Impermanence, and Tenpai Dragon Fadra. 

During Price’s Draw Phase, Merkley activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia from his hand. However, Price proceeded straight to the End Phase without performing any actions. 

Merkley drew Bystial Magnamhut for turn. During the Draw Phase, Price activated his own Purulia! Merkley Set a single card to his backrow, and then ended his turn. 

Back to Price! He Normal Summoned Tenpai Dragon Chundra and then proceeded to the Battle Phase, where Merkley activated Infinite Impermanence to negate Chundra’s effect. Price tried to activate Sangen Kaimen, but Merkley responded with Ash Blossom! Price proceeded to the End Phase. 

Merkley drew Dimension Shifter. He Set Tenpai Dragon Fadra and ended his turn. 

Price started his turn and proceeded directly to the Battle Phase! He declared an attack with Chundra on Merkley’s Set monster, activated Chundra’s effect to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Paidra from his Deck, and activated Paidra’s effect to add another Sangen Kaimen to his hand. He activated the Kaimen, Special Summoning Tenpai Dragon Fadra from his Deck. He attacked with Paidra, and then activated Fadra’s effect to Synchro Summon, using Paidra and Chundra to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion. He activated Bident’s effect to Special Summon back Paidra, attacked Fadra with Bident, then activated Paidra’s effect to Synchro Summon, using Paidra and Bident Dragion to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion! He activated Transcendent’s effect to switch Merkley’s Fadra to Attack Position, and attacked Fadra with Transcendent. He activated the effect of Bident in his Graveyard, and was able to win the first Duel with a field full of Dragons!

Duel Two

Merkley chose to go second again, meaning Price would go first! During the Draw Phase, Price activated Sangen Kaimen, adding Tenpai Dragon Paidra to his hand. During the Main Phase, he Normal Summoned Paidra and Set Sangen Summoning to his field. He activated Summoning, adding Tenpai Dragon Genroku to his hand and discarding Cosmic Cyclone. He activated Genroku’s effect to Special Summon it, then used Genroku and Paidra to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion. He activated Bident’s effect, Special Summoning back Genroku, then used Genroku’s effect to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Fadra. He used Fadra’s effect to Special Summon Genroku, then used Bident and Genroku to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion. He Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Merkley’s hand contained Tenpai Dragon Paidra, Bystial Magnamhut, Forbidden Droplet, Lightning Storm, and Pot of Prosperity. He drew Droll & Lock Bird for turn. He activated Lightning Storm to destroy Price’s Spell/Trap Cards, and Chained Forbidden Droplet, sending Lightning Storm and Magnamhut to the Graveyard to negate the effects of Price’s Transcendent and Fadra. Merkley then activated Prosperity, adding Genroku to his hand, then activated Genroku’s effect to Special Summon it. He Normal Summoned Paidra, adding Sangen Summoning to his hand, then activated Summoning to add Tenpai Dragon Chundra from his Deck to his hand and discarding Droll & Lock Bird. Next, he Special Summoned Chundra, then used Paidra and Genroku to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion. He activated Bident’s effect to Special Summon back Genroku, then activated Genroku’s effect to Special Summon Fadra. He activated Fadra’s effect to Special Summon Paidra, and used Paidra and Bident to make Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion, using its effects to change Price’s monsters to Attack Position. With Price’s dragons’ effects negated and staring down Merkley’s field, Price conceded and Merkley wins the second Duel. On to the third Duel!

Duel Three

Price chose to make Merkley go first! Merkley’s opening hand consisted of Infinite Impermanence, Tenpai Dragon Genroku, Sangen Kaimen, Pot of Prosperity, and Tenpai Dragon Paidra. During the Draw Phase, Price activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia. Merkley started off by activating Pot of Prosperity, adding Tenpai Dragon Genroku to his hand. He Special Summoned Genroku, then activated its effect, Tributing it to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Fadra from his Deck. He activated Fadra’s effect, attempting to Special Summon back Genroku, but Price responded with Effect Veiler. Merkley then Normal Summoned Tenpai Dragon Paidra, adding Sangen Kaimen from his Deck to his hand. Merkley Set two cards to his backrow, used Paidra and Fadra to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres, then ended his turn. 

Price began his turn by Normal Summoning his own Paidra. Merkley attempted to negate Paidra’s effect with Infinite Impermanence, but Price responded with Crossout Designator, calling Infinite Impermanence. Merkley Chained his Hieratic Seal, Price Chained Cosmic Cyclone, and Merkley chained his Set Sangen Kaimen to Special Summon Genroku from his hand. Hieratic Seal returned Paidra to Price’s hand, while Paidra resolved to Set Sangen Summoning from the Deck. In a separate Chain, Merkley attempted to activate Hieratic Spheres’ effect to Special Summon a Dragon-type monster from his Deck, but Price responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Merkley activated the effect of Genroku, Tributing it to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Fadra from his Deck, then activated Fadra’s effect to Special Summon back Paidra, and used Paidra’s effect to add Sangen Summoning to his hand. Price activated the effect of Sangen Summoning, adding Genroku to his hand and discarding Tenpai Dragon Fadra. He activated Genroku’s effect, Special Summoning it, then proceeded to the Battle Phase. He attacked Fadra with Genroku, then activated Genroku’s effect, Tributing it to Special Summon Chundra. He attacked with Chundra and activated its effect to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Paidra from the Deck. He activated Paidra’s effect to Synchro Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion, used Bident’s effect to Special Summon back Fadra, and used Fadra’s effect to Special Summon Paidra. He attacked Merkley’s Fadra with his own Fadra, then activated Fadra’s effect to Synchro Summon with Bident for Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion, which turned Merkley’s Paidra and Fadra to Attack Position. Price activated the effect of his Bident in the Graveyard to Special Summon itself, then used Paidra’s effect to Synchro Summon Trident Dragion! He activated Trident’s effect, destroying Sangen Summoning and Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion and allowing it to attack three times. He activated the effect of the destroyed Sangen Summoning to double the Attack Points of Trident, and then Special Summoned Transcendent back out of the Graveyard and destroyed Merkley’s Fadra. 

Staring down a huge Trident Dragion on the field that can declare three attacks, Merkley conceded the Duel. Price wins and his record improves to 8-1!