Only 8 Duelists remain in YCS Houston, and each of them is just 3 Match victories away from becoming a YCS champion! In this Top 8 Feature Match, Nathaniel Vasquez from New Orleans, Louisiana is facing off against Manuel Kalin from Switzerland. Both Duelists are using Ryzeal strategies, but Vasquez also incorporated the Fiendsmith cards into his Deck. He’s hoping that will give him the edge in this Match. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Kalin started off Duel 1 Special Summoning Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard.

He used the effect of Ext to add Sword Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand, prompting Vasquez to activate the effect of Droll & Lock Bird. Next, Kalin Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal and used its effect to Special Summon Node Ryzeal from his Deck. He used Ext and Ice to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller and activated its effect by detaching Ext. Next, he used Node’s effect by sending a Mulcharmy Purulia from his hand to his Graveyard and Special Summoned the Ext that he detached from his Dweller. He combined Ext with Node to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and used Detonator’s effect to attach the Eclipse Twins from his Graveyard to his Detonator as an Xyz Material. He Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Vasquez drew Effect Veiler and added it to his hand of Metaltronus, Fiendsmith’s Tract, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Infinite Impermanence. He activated the Metaltronus in his Draw Phase targeting Abyss Dweller, and Kalin Chained the effect of Detonator, targeting the Dweller. Next, Kalin Chained the Dweller’s effect. Dweller’s effect resolved, and then Detonator’s effect resolved to destroy the Dweller. Vasquez activated Fiendsmith’s Tract next, adding Lacrima the Crimson Tears from his Deck to his hand and discarding Effect Veiler. Kalin activated his own Droll & Lock Bird! Vasquez Normal Summoned Lacrima and used it as a Link Material to Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem. Next, he Tributed the Requiem to Special Summon a Fiendsmith Engraver from his Deck. He activated the effect of Requiem in his Graveyard to try to equip the Requiem to his Engraver, but Kalin Chained the effect of his Detonator to destroy the Engraver. Vasquez ended his turn with no cards on his field.

Kalin Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his hand and activated its effect, but lost out to Vasquez’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Kalin Chained his Detonator’s effect to target his own Detonator for destruction, and Vasquez Chained the effect of the Lacrima in his Graveyard to Special Summon Requiem from his Graveyard. Kalin used the effect of Eclipse Twins once Detonator was destroyed, and Vasquez activated his Requiem’s effect by Tributing it. Kalin Special Summoned Detonator with Abyss Dweller attached as an Xyz Material due to the effect of Eclipse Twins, and Vasquez Special Summoned Lacrima with Requiem’s effect. Kalin activated his Detonator’s effect to let it gain an Xyz Material, and Vasquez Chained his Lacrima’s effect to send Fiendsmith in Paradise from his Deck to his Graveyard. Kalin attached Eclipse Twins to his Detonator as an Xyz Material. Sword attacked and destroyed Lacrima, and then Detonator attacked directly.

Vasquez drew Ice Ryzeal! He Special Summoned Engraver from his Graveyard by returning Requiem to his Extra Deck and then sent Engraver to the Graveyard to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem. He Tributed the Requiem to Special Summon Engraver from his Deck and then attacked Sword Ryzeal to destroy it with Engraver. In Main Phase 2, Vasquez Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal and activated its effect. Kalin Chained Detonator’s effect to destroy Engraver, then Chained Infinite Impermanence to negate Ice Ryzeal’s effect. Vasquez Set Infinite Impermanence and then ended his turn.

Kalin drew Bonfire and activated it to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and activated its effect. Vasquez Chained Infinite Impermanence to try to negate Ice’s effect, but Kalin Chained Detonator’s effect to destroy Ice so that its effect would resolve. Kalin Special Summoned Sword and used Sword’s effect to add Ext Ryzeal to his hand. He Special Summoned it by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. He used the effect of Ext as Chain Link 1, and Eclipse Twins as Chain Link 2 targeting his other Eclipse Twins and his Abyss Dweller in his Graveyard. Vasquez Chained the effect of Fiendsmith in Paradise by banishing it from his Graveyard as Chain Link 3, and then Chained the effect of the Lacrima in his Graveyard as Chain Link 4. Vasquez Special Summoned Requiem to the field and then sent Fiendsmith’s Desirae from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. Abyss Dweller was Special Summoned with the Twins attached as an Xyz Material, and then the effect of Ext resolved to add Sword Ryzeal from Kalin’s Deck to his hand. Vasquez used his Desirae’s effect by returning Engraver from his Graveyard to his Deck and sent Ryzeal Detonator from Kalin’s field to his Graveyard. Next, Kalin combined Ext with Sword to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive. He attached Ice to his Duo Drive with Duo Drive’s effect and then activated Duo Drive’s other effect to add 2 Ryzeal cards from his Deck to his hand. Vasquez conceded, realizing that he couldn’t stop Duo Drive’s effect, and was certain to lose once it resolved.

Manuel Kalin takes the first victory of the Match with his Ryzeal Deck and is just one win away from the Top 4!

Duel Two

Vasquez opened up Duel 2 with Sword Ryzeal, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, Ext Ryzeal, Mulcharmy Purulia, and Ryzeal Cross.

In his Draw Phase, Kalin activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia. Rather than Summon from his hand, Vasquez chose to pass his turn.

Kalin drew a card and then Vasquez activated the effect of his own Purulia in Kalin’s Draw Phase. Vasquez Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal, allowing Vasquez to draw a card from Purulia’s effect, and activated its effect to Special Summon Node Ryzeal from his Deck. He Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his hand next, allowing Vasquez to draw Bonfire, and used Sword’s effect to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. Kalin combined Sword with Ice to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and activated its effect to try to get cards from his Deck; but Vasquez Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy the Duo Drive and stop its effect from resolving! Next, Kalin used his Node’s effect to Special Summon Sword by sending an Ice from his hand to the Graveyard. He Xyz Summoned Ryzeal Detonator next and used its effect to attach an Ice Ryzeal from his Graveyard to his Detonator as an Xyz Material. He entered his Battle Phase and attacked directly with Detonator to drop Vasquez down to 5000 Life Points.

Vasquez drew an Ice Ryzeal and then Special Summoned Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Mereologic Aggregator from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. He activated the effects of Ext and Aggregator (targeting the Detonator with the Aggregator’s effect) as Chain Links 1 and 2 respectively, and Kalin Chained Detonator’s effect to target and destroy the Detonator. Vasquez added Node Ryzeal to his hand with the effect of Ext. Vasquez Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his hand and used its effect to add Ice Ryzeal to his hand. With a clear field, Kalin activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos. Vasquez continued his turn by using Sword and Ext as Xyz Materials to Summon Ryzeal Detonator. Kalin drew a card thanks to Fuwalos’s effect and Detonator’s effect attached Aggregator from his Graveyard to his Detonator as an Xyz Material. Vasquez activated Ryzeal Cross next and then Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal. He chose not to use its effect, and then activated Bonfire to add Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned Node Ryzeal from his hand in Attack Position next, and then sent an Ice from his field to the Graveyard to Special Summon an Ice from his hand. He combined two monsters to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller, allowing Kalin to draw a card, then activated Dweller’s effect by detaching an Xyz Material from it. He used Cross’s effect to return 2 Ryzeal cards in his Graveyard to his Deck and draw Fiendsmith’s Tract. He attacked directly with Detonator and Dweller, dropping Kalin down to 3300 Life Points.

Kalin drew a card and Vasquez activated the effect of Abyss Dweller in his Draw Phase. Kalin continued his turn by activating Infinite Impermanence targeting Ryzeal Detonator in the Main Phase. Next, he activated Lightning Storm to destroy the Detonator and Dweller, leaving Vasquez with no monsters on his field! Kalin Special Summoned Ext from his hand by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and Vasquez conceded, realizing he would be defeated that turn.

Manuel Kalin is moving on to the Top 4!