2007 was an amazing year for Vittorio Wiktor. After making Top 8 at three German National Championships he did it one more time, capturing the German title for 2007. He also won two Pharaoh Tour Stops in Hamburg and Vienna last year, bringing his total number of PT wins up to a whopping three after his 2005 victory in Leipzig.
“But don’t Germans suck?” asked Perovic with a grin. “I’m just kidding. I have a huge amount of respect for these guys.” Wiktor made a comment about his opponent’s deck anyway: it wasn’t exactly fit for publishing on a family-friendly site.
Kris Perovic has yet to score a Shonen Jump Championship win, but has made it to Day 2 a whopping seven times. Renowned as the best Diamond Dude Turbo player in North America, he was now taking his signature deck against Wiktor’s Six Samurai build. Regardless of who won and who lost, this match was going to be short.
Wiktor won the roll, activated Reasoning and Perovic called Level 7 to try and keep Great Shogun Shien off the table — Wiktor discarded Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and special summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai instead! He normal summoned Spirit of the Six Samurai, special summoned Great Shogun Shien, attached Spirit to Grandmaster and set one back row card! With that Shogun on the field life would be exceptionally difficult for Perovic. Vittorio was holding Monster Reborn and The Six Samurai – Zanji.
Perovic tried to take control of Grandmaster with Brain Control, but Vittorio flipped Solemn Judgment! Perovic passed with an open field. Vittorio summoned Zanji, attacked with all three of his monsters, and Perovic dropped to 300 life points. “Your turn.”
There was nothing Perovic could do: he was holding stuff like Allure of Darkness, two Destiny Draw, and E – Emergency Call, all of which were useless in the face of Shogun Shien. He conceded the first duel in moments.
Germany’s Vittorio Wiktor takes the first duel with authority! If he could get Great Shogun Shien down one more time, he’d likely capture his first win here today. Both duelists went to their side decks, and Perovic rubbed his eyes a moment as he made his choices.
Perovic opened with Elemental Hero Stratos, adding Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude to his hand of Monster Gate, two Dark Armed Dragon, Lightning Vortex, and a second Diamond Dude. He activated Monster Gate to tribute Stratos, and after going through almost ten spells plus Destiny Hero - Plasma he hit Dark Magician of Chaos! He took back Dimension Fusion. “Go.”
Wiktor activated Six Samurai United, summoned Spirit of the Six Samurai, and activated Lightning Vortex, discarding Premature Burial. He attacked with the Spirit, set a back row card and ended. “Your turn.”
Perovic activated Destiny Draw, discarded Diamond Dude, and then discarded his second Diamond Dude for Lightning Vortex! Combined with the Plasma he’d have the three Darks needed to bring out both Dark Armed Dragons, but Wiktor only needed to see one to concede. The match swiftly moved to a third duel.
Wiktor opened by setting three cards to his back row, a rather unorthodox play. Perovic drew for his turn and activated Heavy Storm! Wiktor was forced to activate Solemn Judgment and dropped to 4000 life points. Perovic followed up with Reinforcement of the Army, searched for Stratos, summoned him, and searched out Diamond Dude.
He tributed Stratos for Monster Gate, sent two Plasma and a few spells to his graveyard, and then special summoned Diamond Dude. He activated Diamond Dude, and hit Monster Reborn! He had Dark Armed Dragon in hand, and now had two Darks in his graveyard.
Allure of Darkness let him remove Dark Magician of Chaos from his hand, and he had Dimension Fusion, Brain Control, Dark Armed, and another Diamond Dude at his disposal. The previously-cool Wiktor’s hands were shaking ever so slightly, but Perovic’s shook a little too.
He activated Dimension Fusion, brought out Dark Magician of Chaos, took back Heavy Storm and activated it! Wiktor lost his set Mystical Space Typhoon and Mirror Force, and immediately revealed his hand: two Shogun and basically nothing else. He would have no recourse against Diamond Dude and the Magician.
Perovic comes back from a huge game 1 loss to overcome one of Germany’s best, moving on with a 9-2 record!