Josh Kavalauskas has made Top 8 yet again, and he's here representing Team Ownage. He'll be playing a Techbox deck today. Standing in his way to the Championship is John Jensen. Trying to amass a whopping third Shonen Jump Championship win, he'll be playing for Team NeXus.
Josh won the die roll, both players wished each other luck and the game was under way. "This is good," said Josh, and he set one monster and passed. "This is better," quipped Jensen, who playing Reinforcement of the Army for Mystic Swordsman LV2. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned the Mystic Swordsman, and attacked the face down Treeborn Frog. Cyber connected for 2100, and Jensen played Confiscation main phase 2. Josh revealed Pot of Avarice, Mystic Swordsman LV2, Spirit Reaper, Mystic Tomato and Exiled Force. Jensen chose Exiled Force and passed.
Josh brought back the Treeborn Frog on his turn and summoned Mystic Tomato. Tomato attacked Jensen's Swordsman, and Josh passed. Both players were looking at all-monster hands right now. Jensen set a face down monster, Sangan, before passing. Josh made the read though, and attacked the facedown with Mystic Tomato (instead of his in-hand Swordsman). Jensen searched Cyber-Stein, and Josh set a monster and a face down spell or trap.
Jensen attacked Treeborn Frog, which Josh allowed, and set a monster before passing. Josh summoned Mystic Swordsman LV2 and destroyed the Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive Jensen had bluffed with. Josh passed without making another move, and Jensen attacked the Swordsman with Cyber Dragon on his turn. The life were now Josh — 4700, Jensen — 6500. Jensen finally set a back row card and passed to Josh.
Josh played Reinforcement of the Army for Exiled Force, and used it to destroy Cyber Dragon. Mystic Tomato attacked, dropping Jensen to 5100 life points. Josh passed without making another move. Jensen top decked Cyber Dragon and played it. He then tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, which destroyed Mystic Tomato with its effect and attacked into Spirit Reaper.
Josh was up next. He played Pot of Avarice from his hand and returned five monsters to his deck, including the Treeborn Frog. He played Mystical Space Typhoon on Jensen's face down Book of Moon, which wasn't chained. Josh summoned Mystic Swordsman LV2, played a Book of Moon of his own on the Zaborg, and attacked with Swordsman and Spirit Reaper. He pulled Zaborg from Jensen's hand.
On Jensen's turn, he played Exiled Force and attacked Swordsman LV2. He then used its effect on Spirit Reaper. "Nasty!" exclaimed Josh after he drew. He played Don Zaloog and took Cyber-Stein from Jensen's hand. Jensen wasn't out of tricks though. He played Mystic Tomato and attacked into Don. He brought out Spirit Reaper and attacked "Scapegoats?" he asked. He had made the correct read. Josh flipped Scapegoat and filled his field with fuzzy tokens. "Keep ‘em all, right?" asked Josh. Jensen hit one instead. Exiled Force attacked Spirit Reaper before using its effect to take it out. Jensen set one of each, and Josh played Graceful Charity. He pitched two Cyber Dragons and set one monster before passing. At 2700 life points to his opponent's 4600, Jensen went into the think-tank before making a move. He flipped Magician of Faith for Reinforcement of the Army ,which pulled D. D. Warrior Lady from his deck. The Warrior Lady was summoned. Magician of Faith took out a Sheep Token, and D. D. Warrior Lady took Sangan for a walk to the removed from game pile.
On his turn, Josh simply set a spell or trap before passing. Jensen attacked another Sheep with Magician and passed back. Josh summoned D. D. Assailant and attacked the Magician. Jensen used Mirror Force, but Josh had the Confiscation. He chose Cyber Dragon over Sakuretsu Armor, and Jensen went on the defense. Jensen set one to each zone, and Josh flipped Heavy Storm. "Knew it!" said Jensen, "It was obvious." Josh passed after setting another card.
Jensen flipped Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and examined the situation. He attacked the last token, and set a third monster. Josh set another backfield card, and Jensen pressed with Dekoichi. "You know you want to Mirror Force," Jensen suggested. Josh took the attack and dropped to 2200 life points. Josh was regretting dumping both Cyber Dragons, but he did use Nobleman of Crossout on Jensen's fourth monster, another Dekoichi, before passing. Dekoichi dropped Josh to 800 life points, and Josh set a monster on his turn.
Jensen attacked the face down with Dekoichi, but Josh used Sakuretsu Armor. Josh tributed Cyber-Stein for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying Don Zaloog. He attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. Jensen used Premature Burial on Sangan, and Josh triggered Torrential Tribute. The face down was Treeborn Frog, and Jensen searched out Mystic Tomato. The Tomato attacked Josh, who used Enemy Controller to put it to defense mode. Josh topdecked Zaborg though, and next turn Tomato attacked for game.
Both players talked over the game while they side decked. "I had to Avarice," claimed Josh, "I had to pre-counter Stein." The judge reminded both players they only had a minute left to side deck, and both players made a few swaps.
Josh opened the second game with a shake of his head. He played Graceful Charity, discarding Mystic Swordsman LV2 and D. D. Assailant. He set one to each zone and passed. Jensen dropped Cyber Dragon, played Nobleman of Crossout on Sangan and attacked into Scapegoat. Jensen hit one Sheep Token, set another monster, and passed. Josh played Enemy Controller, trading a Sheep for Cyber Dragon. He tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying D. D. Warrior Lady, and attacked for 2400. Exiled Force took out a Sheep and Zaborg, and Jensen set a spell or trap face down. It was Torrential Tribute, and Josh found out when summoning Breaker the Magical Warrior. Josh passed with no field, and Jensen played Spirit Reaper, hitting Exiled Force from Josh’s hand.
He played his topdecked Confiscation and chose Cyber Dragon over Mystic Tomato, which attacked Spirit Reaper. Reaper went to defense and passed. Josh set a second card to his back row and passed. Josh played Ring of Destruction on the end phase and hit Reaper with its effect. Tomato attacked into a Ring of Destruction of Jensen's and that was the turn. Jensen top decked Graceful Charity! He pitched his dead Stein and Cyber Dragon. Banisher of the Radiance was summoned, and it attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. Jensen set one to his back row, and Josh summoned Exiled Force and attacked. Jensen used Mirror Force.
Jensen summoned Swordsman LV2 and attacked and set his last card to his back row. Josh passed, and Jensen attacked again with the Swordsman. Jensen set a monster and on his turn Josh special summoned Cyber Dragon. Cyber Dragon attacked Swordsman LV2 for 1200 damage, which Jensen allowed after a long period of thought. Jensen was at 600 now, to Josh's 4200.
Jensen set his topdecked monster, and Josh attacked the face down Dekoichi. He set another back row card, and Jensen used Mystical Space Typhoon on it in the end phase. Jensen set a spell or trap and passed with Banisher of the Radiance in hand. Josh used Premature Burial on Exiled Force, and Cyber Dragon attacked for game.
Jensen smoke screened his side decking, while Josh visibly switched a couple. Jensen opted to open the second game, and did so with a Confiscation. Josh revealed Breaker the Magical Warrior, Mirror Force, D. D. Assailant, Mystic Tomato, and Cyber Dragon. He chose Cyber Dragon, set one to each zone and passed. "Force Torrential?" said Jensen. "Force Torrential," said Josh. He summoned Breaker and Jensen used Ring of Destruction. Josh used Last Will and went in to the tank.
He was trying to get a read off of Jensen by asking him what the face down was. Josh still seemed to be putting the face down on Sangan, despite the trap not being Torrential. Jensen's poker face was stone cold, however. He wasn't making a sound. Josh took Cyber-Stein and Jensen looked thoroughly disappointed. "Sangan face down?" asked Josh. "Nope," was the reply. "Faith then?" "Yeah . . ." said Jensen.
Josh paid 5000 for Cyber Twin Dragon and attacked the face down with Cyber-Stein. It was Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Josh had made the wrong read. Cyber Twin Dragon connected for 5600, but it was a moot point. Knowing exactly what Josh had in hand, Jensen finished it next turn. He used Mystical Space Typhoon on the face down Mirror Force, summoned Banisher of the Radiance, and took Cyber Twin Dragon with Enemy Controller and attacked for game. He had finished Josh without using his in-hand Graceful Charity.
John Jensen moves on to the finals with hopes to collect his third SJC Championship.