We’re at Round 6 here at YCS Pittsburgh, and the competition is fierce! Duelists are hoping to make it to Day 2, and eventually into the Top 8; in order to make it there, they will need to win as many rounds as possible here on Day 1. Connor James Norton and William Bak each have a 4-1 record thus far – impressive, but they’ll have to continue winning to give themselves the best possible chance. Norton is playing the pure Mitsurugi Deck, while Bak is playing pure Dracotail. Let’s see which of these Duelists will secure the victory in Round 6 at YCS Pittsburgh!

Duel 1

Norton won the die roll and chose to go first! His opening hand contained Mulcharmy Fuwalos, Pre-Preparation of Rites, Dominus Impulse, Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, and Mitsurugi Ritual. 

He started his turn by activating Pre-Preparation of Rites, but Bak responded with the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! Next, Norton activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from his Deck, then searching for Mitsurugi Prayers and adding Ritual back to hand. Next, he activated Ritual again; Bak Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos, and Norton Chained the effect of Murakumo! Bak discarded Dracotail Lukias so that he could resolve the effect of Fuwalos, and Norton Tributed Murakumo to Special Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from the Deck. He activated Murakumo’s effect, Special Summoning it back to the field and searching for Mitsurugi Mirror, then activated Mitsurugi Prayers, searching for Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi. He activated Mirror, Tributing Habakiri to Special Summon Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi, then activated Habakiri’s effect to Special Summon it back and search for Mitsurugi Great Purification. Norton used Habakiri and Murakumo to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and Set two cards to his backrow. Here, however, Bak activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being, Tributing all monsters on the field! Norton activated the effect of Futsu, attempting to Special Summon it back, but Bak Chained the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, so Norton ended his turn. 

Bak started things off by activating Ketu Dracotail, but Norton responded with Dominus Impulse! Next, Bak Normal Summoned Dracotail Lukias and searched for Dracotail Faimena. He activated Faimena’s effect, using Lukias on the field and Dracotail Mululu from his hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion, then Set Rahu Dracotail and Dracotail Flame to his backrow and added Faimena back to hand. Bak then activated Rahu, using the Faimena in his hand and Dracotail Urgula from his Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel! He used Gulamel’s effect to destroy the Primal Being Token while Setting Dracotail Horn and Dracotail Sting to his backrow and destroying Norton’s face-down Great Purification. Finally, Bak entered the Battle Phase and attacked with all of his monsters to reduce Norton’s Life Points to zero! 

Duel 2

Norton’s opening hand contained Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi, Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, Mitsurugi Mirror, and two copies of Pre-Preparation of Rites. He started by activating Mitsurugi Mirror, Tributing Futsu to Special Summon Murakumo. He activated the effect of the Tributed Futsu, searching for Mitsurugi Prayers, then activated the Prayers, Tributing Murakumo. However, Bak responded with the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, negating Prayers! Norton was still able to activate Murakumo’s effect, Special Summoning it out and searching for Mitsurugi Ritual, and returned Mitsurugi Mirror to the Deck. This allowed him to activate Pre-Preparation of Rites, but it was met by Bak’s Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! To follow up, Norton activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Tributing Murakumo to Special Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from the Deck, but he had forgotten he already used Murakumo’s effect this turn! He Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Bak’s only action was to Set two cards to his backrow before ending his turn.

Norton had another chance! He started by activating his second copy of Pre-Preparation of Rites, searching for Mitsurugi Mirror and another copy of Murakumo. He then activated Mirror, Tributing Habakiri from the Field to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his hand. Next, he activated Habakiri’s effect, Special Summoning it back to the field and searching for Mitsurugi Ritual. He then Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and added Mitsurugi Prayers to his hand, and proceeded to the Battle Phase. At the start of the Battle Phase, Bak activated Super Polymerization! He discarded Pan and used Norton’s Murakumo and Habakiri to Fusion Summon Garura, Wings of Resonant Life! Norton activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Saji to search for Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from the Graveyard, destroying Garura. In Main Phase 2, Norton activated Mitsurugi Ritual, Special Summoning Habakiri from hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from the Deck, then searched for another Habakiri and added Mitsurugi Prayers back to hand. He used Murakumo and Habakiri to Link Summon Dyna Mondo, but when he activated its effect and targeted Bak’s face-down card, Bak Chained Dracotail Horn, returning Dyna Mondo to the Extra Deck. Finally, Norton Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Bak drew a card, but ended his turn without making any plays. 

Norton drew Dominus Impulse for turn! He began by activating Mitsurugi Prayers, but Bak responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Next, Norton activated the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, and Bak Chained the effects of two copies of Mulcharmy Fuwalos. Norton Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then searched for Prayers, but this allowed Bak to draw two cards! Norton Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

On Bak’s turn, he Normal Summoned Dracotail Lukias, searching for Dracotail Faimena. He then activated Faimena’s effect, but Norton Chained Dominus Impulse! Afterwards, Norton activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Habakiri from hand, searching for Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, and Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from the Graveyard. Norton activated Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Great Purification, as Bak Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Norton started his turn by Normal Summoning Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa, then proceeded to the Battle Phase and attacked Bak’s Life Points directly with Murakumo and Aramasa. He Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Bak began his turn by activating Rahu Dracotail, but Norton responded with Purification! Norton Tributed Murakumo and searched for Mitsurugi Magatama, but Bak Chained Dracotail Flame to allow him to draw a card. Next, Bak activated Ketu Dracotail, and Norton Chained the effect of Murakumo; Bak discarded Droll & Lock Bird so that his Ketu could resolve and search for Dracotail Lukias. He Normal Summoned the Dracotail Lukias and searched for Dracotail Mululu, then entered the Battle Phase and attacked Norton’s Aramasa with Lukias. Bak then ended his turn. 

On Norton’s turn, he went straight to the Battle Phase and attacked Lukias with Murakumo. He then Set two more cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Bak Normal Summoned Dracotail Mululu and attempted to activate its effect; however, Norton Chained the effect of Murakumo. Unable to resolve Mululu’s effect after discarding a card, Bak was left with no further plays, and conceded the second Duel.

Duel 3

Norton opened the third Duel with Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Evenly Matched, and two copies of Super Polymerization. 

Bak began his turn by activating Ketu Dracotail, but Norton Chained the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Bak ended his turn without making any further plays.

Norton drew Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji for turn! He Normal Summoned Saji and searched for Mitsurugi Ritual; on resolution, Bak activated the effect of Droll & Lock Bird. Norton entered the Battle Phase and attacked Bak’s Life Points directly, Set two cards to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Bak drew for turn, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Norton drew Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi for turn! He began his turn by activating Mitsurugi RItual, Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from Deck, then searched for Mitsurugi Prayers and added Mitsurugi Ritual back to hand. Next, Norton activated Ritual again; Bak Chained Dracotail Horn, targeting Norton’s Murakumo, but Norton responded with Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing the Murakumo! Norton resolved Prayers to search for Habakiri and Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, then Special Summoned Futsu by Tributing Habakiri from his hand. In the following chain, Bak activated the effect of Bystial Magnamhut, banishing Norton’s Murakumo, but Norton was still able to resolve Habakiri’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Mirror, as well as Murakumo’s effect to search for another Habakiri. Norton then activated Mirror, Tributing Futsu to Special Summon Habakiri, then used Futsu’s effect to Special Summon it back and search for another copy of Mitsurugi Prayers. Norton attacked Magnamhut with Habakiri, then attacked Bak’s Life Points directly with Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi. In Main Phase 2, Norton used Habakiri and Kusanagi to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. During the End Phase, Bak resolved Magnamhut’s effect and searched for Dracotail Mululu. 

Bak started off by Special Summoning Kashtira Fenrir! Here, Norton activated Futsu’s effect, Special Summoning Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from the Graveyard. Bak attempted to activate Fenrir’s effect to banish Futsu, but Norton activated I:P’s effect to Link Summon Dyna Mondo, returning Kashtira Fenrir back to Bak’s Deck. Next, Bak Normal Summoned Dracotail Mululu and activated its effect, and in response, Norton activated Dyna Mondo’s effect to bring back Futsu. Bak resolved Mululu’s effect, using Mululu and two copies of Dracotail Urgula in hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion! Here, Norton used Futsu’s effect to Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, as Bak added Dracotail Urgula and Bystial Magnamhut back to hand. Bak also Set Rahu Dracotail and Ketu Dracotail to his backrow, used Mululu to negate the effect of Futsu, and destroyed Norton’s face-down Super Polymerization, as Norton used Saji’s effect to search for Mitsurugi Ritual. 

Next, Bak activated Ketu, searching for Dracotail Faimena. On resolution, Norton activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi to search for another copy of Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi. Norton activated Futsu’s effect, searching for Mitsurugi Magatama; Bak tried to banish it by activating the effect of Bystial Magnamhut, but Norton Chained the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion! Bak then activated Rahu, using Dracotail Faimena from his hand and Dracotail Pan from his Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. Here, Norton activated Super Polymerization, using Bak’s Gulamel and Arthalion to Fusion Summon Secreterion Dragon, though Bak was still able to resolve his Dracotail effects to Set Dracotail Sting and Dracotail Flame to his backrow, as well as destroy Secreterion Dragon. Finally, Bak activated the effect of the Dracotail Urgula in his Graveyard, returning it to the Deck to add Faimena back to hand. 

Norton drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring for turn. He used Kusanagi and Saji to Xyz Summon Tornado Dragon! He immediately activated its effect, destroying Dracotail Flame, then activated Mitsurugi RItual, Special Summoning Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from hand by Tributing two copies of Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from the Deck. He searched for another copy of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi, then Norton entered the Battle Phase; Bak activated Dracotail Sting, hoping to draw into something that he could use, but it was met by Norton’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Bak activated the effect of Magnamhut once again, Special Summoning it, but it’s not enough to protect his Life Points. Bak attacked the Magnamhut, and then attacked directly with his remaining monsters to win the third Duel. 

With the victory, Norton improves to a 5-1 record and is one step closer to making it to Day 2 here at YCS Pittsburgh!