Alex Cheruvelil is a 22 year-old student of the University of Houston, and is playing a Gladiator Beast build developed in conjunction with Evan Vargas. Though Vargas was 2-1 heading into this round, Cheruvelil is undefeated. He’s playing to represent 3rd Coast Cards, a game store in Katy Texas.
But now he’s up against one of the greatest players of this format — Hugo Adame! After a Top 16 showing in Orlando Adame is in his element, packing an all-new strategy in a wide open metagame. He’s bringing Demise Dark Armed Dragon to the table this weekend, and so far it’s brought him to some spectacular finishes and a 3-0 record. As always, Adame is representing California’s legendary store, Comic Odyssey.
Adame won the roll and opened with a set spell or trap card. “Go ahead.” Alex activated Cold Wave and Adame borrowed it for a moment to give it a read. He followed it up with Gladiator Beast Bestiari, attacked for 1500 damage, and traded Bestiari back to his deck for Hoplomus in defense mode. Dang. Octavius would’ve been pretty sweet, but he wasn’t playing it. “Your turn.”
Sonic Bird came down for Adame, searching out Advanced Ritual Art. He couldn’t play it because of Cold Wave’s lasting effect. Alex made a note that Ritual Art had been searched, and Adame passed. Ladies and gentlemen, possibly the first person to use the note taking system to its full potential in a Shonen Jump Championship!
Next turn he activated Gladiator Beast’s Battle Manica and attached it to Hoplomus. He turned Hoplomus to attack mode and rammed the Sonic Bird, knowing Manica would keep it safe and allow him to pull another Gladiator Beast! He took 700 damage, tagged Hoplomus back to the deck, and returned Manica to his hand. He then special summoned Bestiari, targeting Adame’s back row card: Enemy Controller. Adame chained it to turn Bestiari to defense mode and Alex ended his turn with one set spell or trap.
Mystical Space Typhoon targeted Alex’s set Waboku, which he chained. Adame summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, grabbed Demise, King of Armageddon from his deck, and set one spell or trap card. He ended his turn, unable to press due to the Waboku. “Go ahead.”
Alex was up, and he turned Bestiari to attack: Adame shut him down with Threatening Roar before he could move to his battle phase. Alex set two cards to his back row and ended. Adame drew for his draw phase: “Any effects?” Alex replied that he did not have any plays, and Adame moved to main phase 1.
Once there he activated Giant Trunade, placing it on the table and looking Alex in the eye. Alex flipped Solemn Judgment, saving his one set card but dropping to 3650 life points. Adame hesitated a moment, then activated Advanced Ritual Art! He sent two copies of Archfiend Soldier to his graveyard, summoned Demise, King of Armageddon and passed priority. He had three cards remaining in his hand, and he was reading Alex as having Torrential Tribute — he was right, and Alex had to think before committing to activating it. Adame still had the threat of three cards in his hand though. Did he have enough to deal 3650 damage this turn?
He looked through his graveyard and decided he did not, setting one card to his back row and then drumming his fingers on the table for a moment before ending. He had to have been disappointed.
Alex activated Premature Burial next turn, targeting Gladiator Beast Bestiari. Adame borrowed it for a moment to read it, and then stated he had no response. Alex was holding Solemn Judgment, Battle Manica, and Hoplomus. If he swung here he could make a slight push, but if he didn’t, he could set Hoplomus, activate Battle Manica on Bestiari, and set Solemn for a more conservative play.
He pressed anyway, and sure enough Bestiari hit home! The duel stood at 5000 to 2850 with Adame still leading, and Alex special summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari with Bestiari’s effect. He set Hoplomus, set Solemn, but didn’t activate the Manica. Losing Laquari at this point would set him up for a big play with Darius next turn, a play that was currently impossible because he didn’t have a Gladiator Beast in his graveyard. It would also encourage Adame to act, and Alex knew Adame had three Dark monsters in his graveyard. Smart.
Sure enough, Adame summoned Dark Armed Dragon next turn, but Alex activated Solemn Judgment! Laquari had been the perfect bait! Adame set a second card to his back row and ended. Alex tried to attack with Laquari next turn, but was denied by another Threatening Roar. Adame was running out of cards and soon those Gladiator Beasts would start costing him dearly. Alex set a spell or trap to end.
Premature Burial hit the field for Adame, who dropped to 4200 life points to try and bring back Demise, King of Armageddon. Alex only had 1425 life points left, and Adame could afford to pay for its effect! Demise hit the field.
“Priority?” asked Alex.
“No,” replied Adame, after looking at his graveyard. He entered battle and went after Laquari — Alex responded with Waboku! At the end of the battle phase Laquari was traded for Murmillo, and it destroyed Demise before Adame could activate its effect in main phase 2! Adame had made a terrible slipup! He had one card left on the field and one card in his hand, and was forced to end his turn.
Alex had no choice and had to attack with Murmillo. It hit directly, and then turned into a defense mode Gladiator Beast Bestiari! Bestiari destroyed Adame’s face-down Advanced Ritual Art and Alex attached Gladiator Beast’s Battle Manica to Bestiari to end his turn! He had one card in hand, Hoplomus set, and the Manica-strapped Bestiari on the field.
Adame summoned Sonic Bird and searched another copy of Advanced Ritual Art. He started talking through his plays and running some numbers . . . “If I attack, you get the Fish, and destroy Sonic Bird . . . I have to let you go.” Adame shook his head and Alex was back up.
He flip summoned Hoplomus and turned Bestiari to attack mode! He summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and his only remaining in-hand card was Test Tiger. This was it. Alex tributed Test Tiger to tag out Hoplomus for a 2100 ATK Laquari. Bestiari attacked over Sonic Bird, and then the remaining Gladiator Beasts hit Adame’s life points!
Alex Cheruvelil takes a long, hard-fought game 1 over Hugo Adame’s new Dark Armed Dragon Demise build! Both duelists spent the maximum amount of time allowed siding, and Adame began game 2. Twelve minutes remained in the round.
Adame wished his opponent good luck and then opened the second duel, starting with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to get Demise from his deck. He set one card to his back row and ended. “Go.” Adame folded his arms and placed his hand on the table.
Alex summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and walked right into Torrential Tribute. He set a card to his back row, activated Swords of Revealing Light, and ended. Adame activated Advanced Ritual Art and Alex thought long and hard about his set Solemn Judgment. After some brief deliberation Alex flipped it, dropping to 4000 life points. Adame searched out another copy after summoning Sonic Bird though, and sent Cosmo Queen from his deck to the graveyard to bring out Demise, King of Armageddon! He blew the field for 2000 life points, then activated Premature Burial to bring Cosmo Queen out of the graveyard! Demise attacked directly, and Cosmo Queen attacked for game!
Wow. I never thought I’d write that in a Shonen Jump Championship feature match! Cosmo Queen? Word? I can’t help but notice this metagame is way more fun than an endless string of Perfect Circle mirror matches. Both duelists sided, shuffled, and settled in for the last few minutes of the match.
Alex opened up the third and final duel by setting Torrential Tribute and Rescue Cat. If Adame didn’t attack he’d be in trouble. Sure enough, Adame did not — he set two cards to his back row and ended instead.
He flipped Trap Dustshoot though, revealing Alex’s hand of Shrink, Premature Burial, Rescue Cat, Bestiari, and Secutor. Wow. The obvious pick was Rescue Cat, but Adame didn’t know Alex already had one set! Premature Burial would let Alex bring out up to three Test Tiger and Test Ape regardless of what Adame chose, and it was unclear whether or not Alex would even need that much firepower. Adame sent back Bestiari.
Alex flip summoned Rescue Cat and tributed it with priority! He brought out two copies of Test Tiger, and time was called as Adame considered flipping his set spell or trap card. He opted not to. That left Alex to summon Gladiator Beast Secutor, and he tributed one Tiger to send Secutor back to his deck.
Bestiari hit the field in its place, targeting Hugo’s set Dust Tornado which he chained to destroy Alex’s set Torrential Tribute. The next Tiger traded away Bestiari, and Alex brought out Secutor! This was over! Secutor attacked directly, brought out Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, and all three were traded back to the deck for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! Alex had three cards remaining in his hand, likely enough to negate anything Adame could throw at him. Everything rested on Heraklinos’ shoulders.
Play was to Adame, who had only two turns to work himself out of this hole. Since Alex hadn’t activated Premature Burial, Adame was down in life points, 7600 to 8000, and set a card to each zone before ending his turn. He sure as heck wasn’t going to win that way, but he needed to buy himself time. If he was going to act, he had to do it on the final turn of the duel.
Alex drew a fourth card, a possible fourth negation, and passed, wanting to keep that negation option open. He was gambling that Adame would have no monster card that could best Heraklinos. He’d find out whether or not he was right immediately.
“How many cards do you have?” asked Adame.
“Four. I can negate four spells or traps.” Adame shuffled his hand and ran some numbers — he only had four cards in his hand, though he did have one spell or trap set to his back row. This was the last turn of the game.
He summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to seek out Advanced Ritual Art. He flipped his set Enemy Controller, tributed his face-down Archfiend Soldier, and Alex responded by negating it with Heraklinos. Adame re-evaluated his hand, thought a moment, and then extended the handshake.
Alex Cheruvelil scores the upset, and moves on undefeated with Gladiator Beasts!