Welcome to Round 1 of the North America World Championship Qualifier! This weekend, more than 2800 Duelists are competing, looking to earn their invitation to the World Championship. In the first feature match of the day, we have Jesse Swynar, from Vancouver, British Columbia, piloting his Mitsurugi Ryzeal Deck, playing against Eric Trahan of Lafayette, Louisiana, piloting the Maliss Deck. These two themes debuted in Crossover Breakers and have consistently performed well since the set’s release, so it should be no surprise that these two players brought these powerhouse decks to the North America WCQ. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Trahan won the die roll and chose to go first! Swynar’s opening hand consisted of Node Ryzeal, two copies of Droll & Lock Bird, Infinite Impermanence, and Mulcharmy Fuwalos. 

Trahan started his turn off by Normal Summoning Maliss <P> White Rabbit, Setting Maliss <C> MTP-07 from his Deck. He used White Rabbit to Link Summon Link Disciple, then activated Backup @Ignister’s effect in hand, Special Summoning it, but when he activated its effect, Swynar responded with Infinite Impermanence! On resolution, Swynar activated the effect of Fuwalos. Trahan followed up by Special Summoning Maliss <P> March Hare, banishing the White Rabbit from his Graveyard and then Special Summoning it back to the field. He used White Rabbit, Backup, and March Hare to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom and search for Maliss in the Mirror, as Swynar drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He activated Disciple’s effect to Tribute Red Ransom and draw a card, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Swynar drew Seventh Tachyon for turn! He began by activating it, revealing Number 104: Masquerade to search for Ice Ryzeal, then returned Droll & Lock Bird to the top of his Deck. He Normal Summoned Ice, but when he activated its effect, Trahan Chained Maliss in the Mirror, banishing Maliss <P> Dormouse from his hand to negate Ice’s effect. Trahan then activated Dormouse’s effect, Special Summoning it back to his side of the field. Swynar entered the Battle Phase and used Ice to attack Dormouse, then proceeded to the End Phase. During the End Phase, Trahan activated the effect of Bystial Druiswurm in hand, banishing the Red Ransom in his Graveyard, then activated Red Ransom’s effect, Special Summoning it back and banishing Maliss <P> Chessy Cat from his Deck. Finally, he Special Summoned back the Chessy Cat from his banishment. 

Trahan started his turn by activating the effect of Chessy Cat, banishing March Hare from hand to draw 2 cards, then activated March Hare’s effect to add it back to his hand. He then activated March Hare’s other effect, Special Summoning it by banishing Maliss in the Mirror from his Graveyard. Next, he used Mirror’s effect, banishing Dormouse from his Graveyard to search for another March Hare, then Special Summoned back Dormouse. He used Disciple, Chessy Cat, and March Hare to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter, then entered the Battle Phase. In the Battle Phase, Trahan activated Maliss <C> MTP-07, but Swynar Chained the effect of Ash Blossom! He attacked Ice with Druiswurm, then attacked directly with Dormouse, Red Ransom, and Crypter. Finally, he activated Crypter’s effect, returning the banished Maliss in the Mirror to his Deck to banish itself, then Special Summoned back the Crypter with 5000 Attack Points. Trahan attacked directly to reduce Swynar’s Life Points to zero and win the first Duel!

Duel 2

Swynar chose to go first in the second Duel! His opening hand consisted of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, Crossout Designator, Ice Ryzeal, Ryzeal Cross, and Mitsurugi Great Purification. 

During the Draw Phase, Trahan activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia, meaning that he’ll be drawing a card whenever Swynar Normal Summons or Special Summons a monster from his hand. Swynar started his turn by Normal Summoning Ice Ryzeal. He Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal from his Deck and added Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He then Special Summoned Ext by sending Mereologic Aggregator from his Extra Deck to the Graveyard, searched for Node Ryzeal, then used Ice, Sword, and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and attach Aggregator to it. He activated Ryzeal Cross, then activated the effect of Habakiri from his hand! He Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, activating Saji’s effect. Trahan responded with Ash Blossom, but on resolution, Swynar chose to negate Ash’s effect with Ryzeal Cross, detaching a material from Detonator and allowing him to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. 

Swynar activated Mitsurugi Ritual, attempting to Special Summon from his Deck to avoid allowing Trahan to draw from the effect of Purulia, but Trahan responded with Dominus Impulse! Next, Swynar Special Summoned Node Ryzeal, then sent Great Purification from his hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon back Ext. He used Node and Ext to Xyz Summon Gallant Granite, then activated Granite’s effect to search for Nibiru, the Primal Being. Finally, he Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Trahan started his turn by activating Infinite Impermanence, targeting Swynar’s Detonator, but Swynar Chained Crossout Designator, banishing his own Infinite Impermanence from his Deck to prevent his Detonator’s effect from being negated! Realizing that he wasn’t able to play through Swynar’s board, he conceded the second Duel, and we’re on to the all-important game three! 

Duel 3

Swynar’s opening hand consisted of Sword Ryzeal, Ice Ryzeal, Ext Ryzeal, Mitsurugi Prayers, and D.D. Crow. 

Trahan started his turn by Normal Summoning Maliss <P> Dormouse, banishing Maliss <P> Chessy Cat from his Deck and Special Summoning it back to the field. He activated its effect, banishing Maliss <P> White Rabbit from hand to draw 2 cards, then Special Summoned back the White Rabbit and Set Maliss <C> GWC-06. He used White Rabbit, Dormouse, and Chessy Cat to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom and search for Maliss in the Mirror. Next, he activated Maliss in Underground, banishing Maliss <P> March Hare from his Deck, then activated its effect to add it back to his hand. He then activated March Hare’s other effect, banishing Dormouse from his Graveyard to Special Summon it, then Special Summoned back Dormouse, as well. He used Dormouse and Red Ransom to Link Summon Splash Mage, activated its effect to Special Summon back Dormouse, then used the two to Link Summon Maliss <Q> White Binder! He activated its effect to banish Red Ransom and Chessy Cat, then Special Summoned back Red Ransom, and used White Binder’s effect to Set Maliss <C> MTP-07. 

Trahan then activated Cynet Mining, discarding Maliss in the Mirror to search for Wizard @Ignister. He used March Hare and White Binder to Link Summon Cyberse Wicckid, then activated Wizard’s effect, Special Summoning it and March Hare while banishing White Binder from the Graveyard. He activated Wicckid’s effect to search for Backup @Ignister, and he Special Summoned back White Binder and drew a card. He used Wicckid, March Hare, and Wizard to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter, then Special Summoned Backup @Ignister, activating its effect to search for another Maliss <P> March Hare and discarding Droll & Lock Bird. Finally, he used Red Ransom, White Binder, and Backup to Link Summon Allied Code Talker @Ignister, Special Summoning Red Ransom and White Binder back from the Graveyard. He Set one more card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Swynar drew Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi for turn. In the Draw Phase, he activated Mitsurugi Prayers, searching for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. He proceeded to the Main Phase and Special Summoned Ext Ryzeal by sending Mereologic Aggregator to the Graveyard, using Aggregator’s effect to negate the effect of Allied Code Talker. He searched for Node Ryzeal, and on resolution, Trahan activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird, and Chained Maliss <C> MTP-07, adding Maliss <P> Chessy Cat to his hand and banishing Ext. Next, Swynar Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal, but when he activated its effect, Trahan responded with Infinite Impermanence! Swynar Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal, and here, Trahan responded with the effect of Crypter, returning a banished Maliss monster to the Deck to banish Swynar’s Sword Ryzeal, trying to prevent Swynar from accessing any Rank 4 monsters. Swynar Special Summoned Node Ryzeal, then used Ice and Node to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator. He activated its effect to attach a material to it from the Graveyard; Trahan responded with the effect of Bystial Druiswurm, as well as GWC to Special Summon back White Binder from the Graveyard, but this allowed Swynar to activate Detonator’s effect to destroy multiple cards, and got monsters into the Graveyard so that he could attach another material to Detonator. Swynar entered the Battle Phase and attacked White Binder with Detonator. However, since Trahan had activated Droll & Lock Bird, Swynar wasn’t able to make any other plays, and ended his turn. 

Trahan started off his turn by activating the effect of March Hare, banishing White Binder, then Special Summoning back the White Binder and drawing a card. Next, he activated White Binder’s effect, banishing Crypter from his Graveyard, then Special Summoned it back as well. He used Crypter to attack Detonator, then attacked Swynar’s Life Points directly with his other monsters and reduced them to zero. 

With that, Trahan secures a victory in Round 1, and starts off the North America WCQ with a victory!