“I’ve upped my game overall,” was the explanation Craig Edwards gave for why he suddenly had back-to-back $10K Top 8s in the last month, after previously having zero to go along with his runner-up finish at Pro Circuit number one. Anthony Justice is now competing in his third $10K Top 8, and though both players have enjoyed successful Vs. System careers thus far, neither player has a title to his name. Yet.

Both players kept their opening hands and recruited 2-drops—Jack T. Chance for Edwards and Weaponers of Qward for Justice. The Weaponers got their beat on, drawing the first blood of the quarterfinals. Edwards hit one of the two 3-drops in his deck in Manhunter Engineer on turn 4, while Justice brought forth Yokal, The Atrocious and moved him out of the hidden area to trade with Jack T. Chance. The Engineer went straight to Justice’s face, and Edwards used Chopping Block to get rid of Yokal.

Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern of the Universe was the drop for Justice on turn 4, while Edwards went squirrly with Dr. Ub’x. Kyle attacked the Engineer, but Edwards used Locked in Combat to pump his Engineer and trade with Kyle, and then teamed up Manhunters and Green Lantern, reinforcing. Lantern’s Light then shut down a return attack from Dr. Ub’x and moved him to the visible area.

Manhunter Giant marked the hefty turn 5 recruit for Edwards, squaring off against Power Ring for Justice—a hot one on the offense, but not the best defender in the world. Fortunately for Justice, he had Pest Control, as well, blunting some of the ferocity of Craig’s attack, though the YMG member cleared the board of everything except the 5-drops and made the endurance totals 27–21 in favor of Justice.

Sadly for Craig, Justice had more bombs in store on his turn, flipping up Oa and using Thunderous Onslaught to let his Power Ring maul Grayven while St’nlli stunned the Manhunter Giant at no cost to himself. When Edwards whiffed on his 7-drop and Justice flashed a Krona of his own, Craig admitted defeat and it was on to game 2.

We pick up game 2 already in progress, and Craig Edwards is clearly frustrated at Anthony Justice’s ability to find useful plot twists when he needs them. Nero Unleashed let Arisia trade with Manhunter Soldier, while Justice’s own Manhunter 3-drop (Manhunter Guardsman) was able to come back over the top and pummel a Chopping Block wielding Jack T. Chance for free. To make matters worse for the New Englander, Justice hit his 4-drop right on time, while Craig under-dropped with a 3-cost and then drew his 4-drops on turn 5 (which he would have drawn into with Book of Oa if only Jack had willpower 2 instead of 1).

Just when things started to look up for Edwards and Justice recruited Kiman on turn 4, the yeti socialite again had a Pest Control to stymie Craig’s initiative. When Justice hit his 6-drop and attacked correctly, there was nothing Edwards could do to pull things out. “I got crushed.”

Justice 2 – Edwards 0