We’re almost at the end! It’s Round 11 here at the North America WCQ, and Duelists are hopeful to make it into the Top 64. However, the job isn’t done yet; the Duelists that made it to Day 2 will have to continue winning in order to secure their spot. In this round’s Feature Match, we have Israel Santos from Puerto Rico playing the Vanquish Soul Deck, facing off against DaVinci Sukienik from Knoxville, Tennessee, playing the Mitsurugi Ryzeal Deck. Each of these Duelists have an 8-2 record going into this round, so they will each need to win their two remaining rounds in order to have a chance of making it into the Top Cut. It’s time to Duel! 

Duel 1

Sukienik won the die roll and chose to go first! His opening hand contained of Dodododo Warrior, Triple Tactics Talent, Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, and Archnemeses Protos. He began by activating the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then activating Saji’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. On resolution, Santos activated the effect of Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue, Special Summoning it from hand by revealing Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love. Santos then activated Hollie Sue’s effect, Special Summoning Vanquish Soul Razen from the Deck, and activated Razen’s effect to search for Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius. Sukienik then activated Triple Tactics Talent; Santos revealed Droll & Lock Bird, Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, D.D. Crow, and Vanquish Soul Caesar Valius in hand, and Sukienik chose to have Santos return Caesar to the Deck. Next, Sukienik activated Mitsurugi RItual, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Night Sword Serpent from the Deck to Ritual Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. He Special Summoned Night Sword Serpent back to the field, then Normal Summoned Kusanagi, but when he attempted to add Mitsurugi Ritual back to hand, Santos Chained the effect of D.D. Crow, banishing it! 

Next, Sukienik used Night Sword Serpent and Kusanagi to Xyz Summon Light Dragon @Ignister and activated its effect, destroying Santos’ Hollie Sue. He then used Light Dragon and Habakiri to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, and banished Santos’ Razen. Sukienik activated the effect of Dodododo Warrior, sending Dodododwarf Gogogoglove to the Graveyard to Special Summon it, then Special Summoned Gogogoglove from the Graveyard. He used the two to Xyz Summon Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir, and ended his turn. 

Santos started his turn by activating Stake Your Soul!, revealing Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring in hand to Special Summon Vanquish Soul Razen from the Deck. He used Razen to Link Summon Rock of the Vanquisher, then activated Rock’s effect to add Vanquish Soul Hollie Sue from his Graveyard back to his hand; Sukienik Chained the effect of S:P Little Knight, banishing both S:P and Rock until the End Phase. Santos Special Summoned Hollie Sue and Normal Summoned Vanquish Soul Dr. Mad Love, then used the two to Link Summon Codebreaker Virus Swordsman! He entered the Battle Phase and attacked Bagooska, destroying it. In Main Phase 2, he used Virus Swordsman to Xyz Summon Super Starslayer TY-PHON – Sky Crisis, and in the End Phase, S:P and Rock returned to their respective sides of the field. 

Sukienik drew Nemeses Flag for turn! In the Main Phase, Santos activated the effect of Rock of the Vanquisher, adding Vanquish Soul Razen back to hand, as Sukienik Chained the effect of S:P, banishing both S:P and TY-PHON. Sukienik then banished Light Dragon, Night Sword Serpent, and Dododo Warrior to Special Summon Archnemeses Protos from hand. He activated its effect, calling DARK monsters and destroying Rock of the Vanquisher. In the End Phase, S:P and TY-PHON returned to the field. 

Santos started his turn by proceeding straight to the Battle Phase, and attacked S:P with TY-PHON. In Main Phase 2, he Normal Summoned Vanquish Soul Razen and searched for Vanquish Soul Jiaolong. He Special Summoned Jiaolong, then activated Jiaolong’s effect to search for Vanquish Soul, Start! Next, he activated Start’s effect, adding another Hollie Sue to hand. Finally, he went to the End Phase, and used the effect of Start to Set Vanquish Soul Snow Devil to his backrow. 

Sukienik drew Node Ryzeal for turn. During the Draw Phase, Santos activated the effect of Jiaolong again, adding Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger to hand. In the Main Phase, Sukienik activated the effect of Protos, calling FIRE and attempting to destroy Razen and Jiaolong, but Sukienik used the effect of Vanquish Soul, Start!, revealing a Vanquish Soul monster in hand to save his monsters from being destroyed. Without any more ways to push through Santos’ field, Sukienik conceded the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Sukienik chose to go first, and opened with Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Ice Ryzeal, and two copies of Droll & Lock Bird. He started by Normal Summoning Ice Ryzeal, Special Summoning Ext Ryzeal from the Deck and searching for Sword Ryzeal. He used Ext and Ice to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and attempted to activate its effect, but Santos responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Next, Sukienik Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal and searched for another Ext Ryzeal, then Special Summoned Ext by sending Eclipse Twins to the Graveyard. He used Sword and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator, but when he attempted to attach Eclipse Twins to it as Xyz Material, Santos Chained the effect of Bystial Druiswurm, banishing the only monster in Sukienik’s Graveyard! Sukienik then ended his turn. 

Santos began his turn by Tributing Bystial Druiswurm to Tribute Summon Vanquish Soul Jiaolong, then activated Druiswurm’s effect to send Detonator to the Graveyard. Sukienik Chained the effect of Detonator, attempting to destroy Jiaolong; Santos Chained the effect of Vanquish Soul Heavy Borger, but Sukienik Chained the effect of Detonator again, destroying Jiaolong! Detonator was sent to the Graveyard, but Sukienik’s Duo Drive still had two Xyz Materials attached to it, and Santos knew that he was unable to stop it from resolving the following turn. With Santos unable to make any further plays, he conceded the second Duel. We’re going to game three! 

Duel 3

Santos chose to go first! Sukienik opened with Mitsurugi Prayers, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Dodododo Warrior, Mulcharmy Purulia, and Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi. 

During Santos’ Standby Phase, Sukienik activated the effect of Purulia. However, Santos passed turn without making any plays. 

Sukienik drew Crossout Designator for turn! He started by activating the effect of Habakiri, Special Summoning and Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and searching for Mitsurugi Ritual. He activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Ritual Summoning Habakiri by sending Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi to the Graveyard; however, Santos activated the effects of two copies of D.D. Crow, banishing both Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi Ritual. Next, Sukienik entered the Battle Phase and attacked Santos’ Life Points directly with Habakiri. In Main Phase 2, he Special Summoned Dodododo Warrior by sending Dodododwarf Gogogoglove to the Graveyard, but when he attempted to Special Summon back the Dodododwarf, Santos activated the effect of his third copy of D.D. Crow! Next, Sukienik activated Prayers, Tributing Habakiri as cost, but Santos negated its effect with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. Sukienik used Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and summoned back the Habakiri, then Normal Summoned Aramasa and searched for Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi. He used Dodododwarf and Aramasa to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive, then activated Duo Drive’s effect to search for Sword Ryzeal and Ryzeal Cross. He activated Cross, then Special Summoned Sword and searched for Ext Ryzeal. He Special Summoned Ext by sending Eclipse Twins to the Graveyard, then used Sword and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and attach Eclipse Twins to it as Xyz Material. He Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Santos Normal Summoned Droll & Lock Bird. He used Droll to Xyz Summon Super Starslayer TY-PHON – Sky Crisis in Defense Position, then ended his turn. 

Sukienik started his turn by using Duo Drive and Habakiri to Link Summon Dyna Mondo! He activated its effect, returning the Habakiri in his Graveyard and Santos’ TY-PHON to the Deck and Extra Deck, respectively. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked Santos’ Life Points directly with Detonator and Dyna Mondo, then ended his turn. 

On Santos’ turn, he activated the effect of Bystial Magnamhut, banishing Sukienik’s Kusanagi from the Graveyard. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked Dyna Mundo with Magnamhut, then ended his turn. 

Santos only had 400 Life Points left! Sukienik simply entered the Battle Phase and attacked Magnamhut with Detonator, eliminating the rest of Santos’ Life Points. 

With that, Sukienik wins the third Duel and is the winner of the match. He moves on with a 9-2 record, and is one step closer to making it to the Top 64 cut here at the North America WCQ!