Over 2800 Duelists entered the 2025 North America World Championship Qualifier, but only 64 remain! Now, Xinyu Jiang and MingRui Cai are facing off in this Top 64 Feature Match! Jiang is using a Mitsurugi Fiendsmith Ryzeal Deck, while Cai is using a Mitsurugi Orcust strategy. One Duelist will advance to the Top 32. The other will be eliminated. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Cai won the dice roll and chose to go first! His opening hand consisted of Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight, Orcust Harp Horror, Orcust Cymbal Skeleton, Mulcharmy Fuwalos, and Dominus Impulse. He started by Normal Summoning Girsu and activating its effect, sending Orcust Knightmare to the Graveyard. Next, he activated Girsu’s other effect, Special Summoning a World Legacy Token to each player’s side of the field. He used his Token to Link Summon Galatea-I, the Orcust Automaton, then activated its effect, discarding Harp Horror to search for Orcustrated Babel. On resolution, Jiang activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird! Cai activated Babel, then used Galatea-I and Girsu to Link Summon Galatea, the Orcust Automaton. He activated the effect of Orcust Knightmare, banishing it to send World Legacy – World Wand to the Graveyard, then activated Galatea’s effect to return Orcust Knightmare to the Deck and Set Orcust Crescendo to his backrow. He then activated Harp Horror’s effect, banishing it from his Graveyard to Special Summon another Girsu, then used Galatea to Xyz Summon Dingirsu, the Orcust of the Evening Star and attach it with the banished Harp Horror. Cai banished Girsu from his Graveyard to Special Summon Galatea-I, then used Galatea-I and Dingirsu to Link Summon Barricadeborg Blocker and discard Orcust Cymbal Skeleton. He banished Cymbal to Special Summon Galatea from the Graveyard, then used Galatea and Barricadeborg to Link Summon Enlilgirsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight! He activated Enlilgirsu’s effect, adding Cymbal Skeleton to his hand and returning Fuwalos to the Deck to take control of Jiang’s World Legacy Token, then used Girsu and the Token to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and ended his turn. 

During Jiang’s Draw Phase, Cai Special Summoned Galatea-I by banishing Girsu, then discarded Orcust Cymbal Skeleton to add World Wand back to his hand. Jiang started his turn by Special Summoning Ext Ryzeal, sending Vallon, the Super Psy Skyblaster to the Graveyard. He used Vallon’s effect to destroy Cai’s face-down Crescendo, while using Ext’s effect to search for Sword Ryzeal. On resolution, Cai activated the effect of Enlilgirsu, adding his banished Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight back to hand, then returned a card from his hand back to the Deck and took control of Jiang’s Ext. Next, Jiang Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and searched for a copy of Mitsurugi Ritual. Jiang then activated Mitsurugi Prayers, adding Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi to his hand. Jiang activated Mitsurugi Ritual, but Cai Chained Dominus Impulse from his hand, negating Mitsurugi Ritual! Cai still had multiple ways to interrupt Jiang’s plays with Cymbal Skeleton and Dingirsu in the Graveyard, as well as I:P Masquerena on the field, so Jiang chose to concede the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Cai’s opening hand consisted of Mulcharmy Meowls, Girsu, the Orcust Mekk-Knight, Orcustrated Babel, Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, and Pre-Preparation of Rites. 

Jiang started by Normal Summoning Ice Ryzeal, Special Summoning Ext Ryzeal and searching for Sword Ryzeal. He used Ice and Ext to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, used Moon to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, then used Requiem’s effect to Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears and send Fiendsmith Engraver to the Graveyard. He returned Moon to the Deck to Special Summon back Engraver, and here, Cai activated the effect of Mulcharmy Meowls, but Jiang Chained Called by the Grave! Jiang then equipped Requiem to Lacrima, sent them to the Graveyard to Special Summon Necroquip Princess, then used Necroquip and Engraver to Xyz Summon D/D/D Wave High King Caesar!

Next, Jiang activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from his hand to search for Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, then Special Summon Saji from the Graveyard. In a new Chain, Jiang activated the effect of Saji to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. Jiang then activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Murakumo from his hand by Tributing Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from the Deck, then activated Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Great Purification. He Special Summoned Sword Ryzeal, searching for another Ext Ryzeal, then used Sword and Saji to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and attach Sword Ryzeal to it. He activated Duo Drive’s effect, searching for Node Ryzeal and Ryzeal Cross. At this point, Cai realized he couldn’t play through Jiang’s board with the cards he had in hand, and he conceded. We’re moving on to game three!

Duel 3

Cai opened up Duel 3 with Kusanagi, Mitsurugi Ritual, Orcustrated Babel, Girsu, and Droll & Lock Bird. He activated the Babel and then Normal Summoned Girsu and activated its effect. Jiang activated the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. After Ash Blossom resolved, Jiang activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos. Cai used his Girsu’s effect to Special Summon a World Legacy Token to each player’s field and then passed his turn.

Jiang activated the effect Habakiri in his hand by revealing it. He Special Summoned Saji from his Deck and Tributed the Token. He added Mitsurugi Ritual from his Deck to his hand and Cai activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird in his hand. Jiang Chained Mitsurugi Prayers by Tributing Saji. He added Kusanagi from his Deck to his hand and then Special Summoned it. He used Kusanagi’s effect to return Prayers from his Graveyard to his hand and then activated the Ritual to Special Summon Murakumo from his Deck by Tributing Habakiri in his hand. He used Murakumo’s effect to destroy both monsters on Cai’s field and then sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven. He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Requiem and then Tributed Requiem to Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears. He used Lacrima’s effect to send Engraver to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Engraver in Attack Position by returning Moon from his Graveyard to his Extra Deck. He then equipped Lacrima with the Requiem in his Graveyard, and sent Lacrima and Requiem to the Graveyard to Special Summon Necroquip Princess in Attack Position. Direct attacks from Engraver and Necroquip Princess dropped Cai down to 4200 Life Points. Next, Jiang used his Engraver and Necroquip as Xyz Materials to Xyz Summon D/D/D Wave High King Caesar. He Set a card to his back row and passed.

Cai drew Dominus Impulse and then Set Mitsurugi Ritual before passing his turn. In the End Phase, Jiang Special Summoned Requiem from his Graveyard to his field by using Lacrima’s effect and shuffling Lacrima from his Graveyard into his Deck.

Jiang Tributed Requiem in the Main Phase and Special Summoned Lacrima the Crimson Tears from his Deck. Next, he Normal Summoned Node Ryzeal. He entered his Battle Phase and then direct attacks from Node, Lacrima, and Wave High King Caesar wiped out all of Cai’s Life Points!

Xinyu Jiang is moving on to the Top 32!