“How it starts is how it ends,” noted Luna in an uncharacteristically philosophical tone. Yesterday these two duelists faced off in a feature match in round 1. Now they were fighting it out in yet another feature match, the final one of the weekend. Jerry Wang had won the first feature yesterday, but Luna wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

A lot was at stake here. Wang has been a star player for Team Overdose for years, but has never captured a Shonen Jump Championship. For Fili, a win here would mean a third Championship title and a second San Mateo win. It was this very venue two years ago where Fili Luna, underdog and dark horse competitor, won his first taste of title gold.

Wang won the roll. “Let’s play dirty!” He activated Reinforcement of the Army, grabbed Elemental Hero Stratos, summoned him, and got Destiny Hero – Disk Commander from his deck. He set a spell or trap and ended: “End my turn.”

Fili activated Destiny Draw, dropped Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, and set a card to each zone, a far more passive opening than his opponent’s. Stratos attacked next turn, colliding with Fili’s Spirit Reaper, and Wang set a monster. Fili activated another Destiny Draw next turn, discarding another Fear Monger! He was holding a fistful of monsters, and set Mask of Darkness. Was his set spell or trap Crush Card Virus?

Stratos was tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Wang targeted the set Mask of Darkness with its effect, spinning it to the top of Fili’s deck. Fili set it again, passed, and play was back to Wang.

He tributed his Raiza for another Raiza, bounced the Mask of Darkness, and attacked — he responded to his own attack with Enemy Controller to try and destroy the Reaper, but Fili chained Crush Card Virus! Wang lost two Light and Darkness Dragons from his hand; both were destroyed and both were activated! He tried to special summon Stratos and Disk Commander, but didn’t know he wouldn’t get Stratos’ optional effect. He drew two cards for Disk Commander, lost Cyber Dragon, ended, and Fili set a monster.

Wang passed and Fili set a second monster. Wang passed, Fili flip summoned Mask of Darkness and brought back his Crush Card Virus! He set it, set another monster, and attacked Wang’s Disk Commander with the Mask. Wang set a card to each zone and play was back to Fili.

He summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, broke the Mirror Force he’d seen due to Crush Card Virus, and flip summoned Snipe Hunter. He discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious to destroy Wang’s set Marshmallon with Snipe Hunter, discarded another Malicious for Destiny Draw, and then attacked with Breaker, Mask, and Snipe Hunter to reduce Wang to 4000 life points!

Wang drew: “Not Crushing yet?” Fili shook his head. Wang activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Fear Monger and activated Destiny Draw to discard him. Fili considered flipping Crush Card Virus, and, after a moment’s thought, did: it destroyed Wang’s in-hand Raiza. Wang activated Premature Burial though, summoned Stratos, and searched out Destiny Hero – Malicious. Again, Malicious let him activate Destiny Draw, and the Crush Card Virus cost him nothing. “All my big monsters are gone! I can D-Draw all day!” Wang grinned. Stratos attacked Snipe Hunter and Wang set a spell or trap to end.

Fili activated Mystical Space Typhoon to target Wang’s Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, which he chained, discarding Treeborn Frog and shipping Fili’s set monster back to his deck. Fili activated Foolish Burial and grabbed the top card off his deck, flipping it to his graveyard — Wang had spun away Treeborn Frog. “I knew it!” exclaimed Wang with a fist pump. Fili summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched out Disk Commander, and eliminated Wang’s Stratos at the cost of his own. Breaker attacked directly.

Wang’s Treeborn Frog came back to his field in the standby phase, and he activated Destiny Hero - Malicious to bring another from his deck: “Wow, it was the next card in the deck,” noted Wang. Fortuitous timing from the Overdose star. He ended his turn with his two monsters in defense mode, but next turn Fili brought back his Treeborn, revealed Raiza the Storm Monarch and Wang scooped!

Fili Luna was one duel away from becoming a three-time Shonen Jump Champion! Both duelists began side decking.

The second duel began with Wang setting a card to each zone. Fili activated Foolish Burial, dumped Treeborn Frog to his graveyard, and elicited a flinch from his opponent. Fili then echoed Wang’s field with a set card to each zone and ended.

Wang activated Reinforcement of the Army to get, you guessed it, Elemental Hero Stratos: Fili responded with Crush Card Virus (tributing Fear Monger) and Wang lost his Stratos while revealing his set monster and his hand. Fili summoned Stratos himself, searching out Destiny Hero – Malicious, and Wang activated Crush Card Virus too! He tributed Disk Commander and Fili lost Stratos and Raiza. Wang drew, lost Raiza, passed, and Fili passed back. Wang drew and lost another Raiza. Fili lost Cyber Dragon. Wang drew Destiny Draw next turn, activated it to discard Destiny Hero – Malicious, and then activated Pot of Avarice! He shuffled back Disk Commander, Malicious, Stratos, and two Raiza the Storm Monarch.

Wang maligned the situation, rather awe-struck. “In the first game he Crush’d me twice. Now he Crush’d me again.” It was two feature match firsts: the first double Crush and the first two-way simultaneous Crush, and neither landmarks were working out in Wang’s favor. He set a card to each zone and ended.

Fili passed, Wang passed, Fili passed, and play was back to Wang. He special summoned Spell Striker, removed Reinforcement of the Army to do so, and then attacked Fili’s Treeborn Frog. He activated Foolish Burial in main phase 2 and sent Disk Commander to the graveyard. Fili activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast in his opponent’s end phase, discarding Malicious to spin away Wang’s set monster, and freed up his field for Treeborn Frog!

Frog activated next turn, but Wang chained D.D. Crow! The Frog was removed. Fili summoned Sangan, attacked Spell Striker, and destroyed him. Wang set a monster, Sangan attacked, and Wang’s face down was revealed to be Treeborn Frog. It was destroyed, and another face down monster took its place next turn. Fili set a spell or trap in case Wang had set Morphing Jar, then attacked with Sangan . . . into Wang’s Sangan. It let him get D.D. Crow from his deck, and Fili ended. Wang drew for his draw phase and Fili blasted his set Torrential Tribute with Mystical Space Typhoon.

“Activate,” announced Wang, taking his Treeborn Frog to the field. He set a spell or trap to back it up and ended. Sangan attacked Treeborn Frog again and play was to Wang.

“Go.” Wang passed his turn. Fili used Reinforcement of the Army to retrieve Disk Commander from his deck, and then discarded him for Destiny Draw. Sangan attacked directly and Wang dropped to 7000 life points.

He activated Reinforcement of the Army next turn, grabbing Stratos, but once it hit his hand Fili activated Trap Dustshoot! It revealed Light and Darkness Dragon, Malicious, Mirror Force, D.D. Crow, Destiny Hero - Plasma, Heavy Storm, and Elemental Hero Stratos. Stratos was shuffled back. Fili summoned Spirit Reaper next turn, attacked, and made Wang discard Mirror Force! Sangan struck directly.

Mystical Space Typhoon flipped from Wang’s back row, but its target was The Transmigration Prophecy, and Fili chained it to shuffle back Wang’s Treeborn Frog and his own Malicious. Wang activated Destiny Draw, discarded his Malicious, drew two, and tried to activate Premature Burial for Disk Commander, but Fili chained D.D. Crow to remove him! Wang ended his turn by setting two back row cards.

Fili summoned Snipe Hunter and Wang had no response. Sangan attacked Wang’s Malicious and destroyed him. Spirit Reaper attacked directly and Wang lost D.D. Crow! Snipe Hunter then attacked for 1500 damage. In main phase 2 Snipe Hunter destroyed Wang’s Heavy Storm with Morphing Jar, and Fili activated Premature Burial to target Disk Commander. Phoenix Wing Wind Blast bounced Premature before it could resolve, at the cost of Light and Darkness Dragon.

Still, there was nothing Wang could do! He drew for his next turn and gave Fili the handshake.

Fili Luna is a three time Shonen Jump Champion, and the undisputed champ here in San Mateo!