Two relative unknowns had battled their way to Table 1, and both were locals from Texas!

 “I’m representing Team Hypnotic,” announced Anderson as he took his seat. “The real one, from Texas, not the ones that copied our name.” Duly noted!

Ryan Spicer is a native of Arlington and plays for Team Asakura. This was his first Shonen Jump Championship, but it wasn’t the first time he’d sat down across the table from Anderson.

“This is the third time!” said Anderson in friendly exasperation, greeting Spicer to the table. “I beat you once, you beat me once.” The two of them have dueled before in two Regionals in the past. The stakes were a lot higher for this, their rubber match.

Anderson opened the first duel with Confiscation, revealing Snatch Steal, Cyber Dragon, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Return from the Different Dimension. He discarded Cyber Dragon, set a spell or trap, and passed. Spicer set a spell or trap and passed, Anderson passed, Spicer passed, and Anderson passed back. Spicer passed back and Anderson asset a spell or trap. Spicer summoned Reaper and attacked, but lost the Reaper to Sakuretsu Armor. Anderson set a card to each zone, Spicer removed his monster from play with Nobleman of Crossout, hitting Magician of Faith off the field and removing both copies from both player’s fields and deck. He then set a back row card and ended his turn.

A set spell or trap to match Spicer’s was Anderson’s only move. Spicer set a monster, ended, and Anderson activated his set Mystical Space Typhoon: he hit Scapegoat, which Spicer chained. Anderson special summoned Cyber Dragon, lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole, and set a monster before passing.

Spicer flip summoned Dekoichi, tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, used its effect to destroy Anderson’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and attacked with Zaborg. He set a spell or trap card and concluded his turn.

Anderson set a monster, and Zaborg attacked it. Anderson’s set monster was Mystic Tomato, and he used its effect to special summon Sangan. He tributed it on the following turn for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroyed Spicer’s Zaborg with its effect, and used Sangan to fetch Spirit Reaper before attacking a Sheep token. “I’ll pass, go ahead.” The duel was moving at a lightning pace.

Spicer flipped his set Heavy Storm, then special summoned Chaos Sorcerer. He then activated Snatch Steal, taking control of Anderson’s Zaborg, and attacked with both monsters for game! He gave a little smile before shuffling his deck and methodically resetting his calculator for the next game. The kid’s basically a machine. Both duelists side decked, and Spicer counted out his 15-card side deck on reflex when he had finished.

The second duel began with Anderson setting a card to each zone. Spicer activated Graceful Charity, discarded Spirit Reaper and Sangan, and special summoned Cyber Dragon. He normal summoned Spirit Reaper, but Cyber Dragon’s attack flipped Anderson’s Reaper. His attack was cut short, by the activated Smashing Ground to destroy his opponent’s Spirit Reaper. He set a spell or trap and passed.

Anderson activated Graceful Charity and discarded Treeborn Frog.

“Nice. Did you rip it?” asked Spicer.

“Yup.” Anderson discarded Banisher of the Radiance next. He flipped Heavy Storm, special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and wiped Spicer’s field. He set a spell or trap and passed.

Spicer set a monster and ended. Anderson summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked Spicer’s set monster with it, Magician of Faith, and hit directly with Zaborg. Spicer set a card to each zone and passed.

Banisher attacked into D. D. Warrior Lady, and Cyber Dragon attacked it next, but both were removed. Anderson set a monster, Spicer set a monster, and Anderson flipped his set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. He then summoned Asura Priest, but lost everything to Torrential Tribute! He set a spell or trap and passed.

Spicer tried to attack with Mystic Tomato, but ran into Anderson’s Torrential Tribute! Anderson brought back his Treeborn Frog, summoned a Tomato of his own, and attacked. Spicer took it, and on his turn destroyed Tomato with Smashing Ground. He set a back row card and passed. Anderson set a monster, Spicer set a monster, and play passed to Anderson.

Anderson flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and brought back Banisher with Call of the Haunted. Banisher attacked, but was denied by Sakuretsu Armor. It was all over two turns later: Spicer had drawn nothing but dead cards like Nobleman of Crossout, and Anderson punished him for it with aggressive, unforgiving play. The match moved to a second duel.

Spicer was shuffling his hand even faster than before as he opened game three with a set card to each zone. Anderson special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Zaborg to destroy Mystic Tomato, but attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. Next turn, he got nailed by Spirit Reaper, having no back row, and lost his own Reaper. Spicer passed, also with no back row. Anderson special summoned Cyber Dragon, then Chaos Sorcerer, then normal summoned Spirit Reaper. He used the Sorcerer to remove Anderson’s Spirit Reaper, then attacked with Cyber Dragon and Reaper. It dished out 2400 damage and cost Spicer Smashing Ground in the process.

But a turn later Spicer brought out his own Dragon and rammed it into Anderson’s, destroying both and giving himself the Light he needed to special summon Chaos Sorcerer! He did so, removed Anderson’s Reaper, and cleared away his last monster, Chaos Sorcerer, with Smashing Ground. To give you an idea of how fast this game was moving, this turn and the previous took less than 25 seconds. Crazy stuff.

Anderson summoned Magician of Faith, used Creature Swap to trade it for Spicer’s Sorcerer, and attacked the Magician to dish out some big damage before passing. Spicer set a spell or trap, and next turn he used Mirror Force to destroy Anderson’s Sorcerer. But Anderson had another Sorcerer, and attacked on his next turn.

Spicer retaliated though, summoning Breaker the Magical Warrior to destroy Anderson’s set spell or trap, Nobleman of Crossout. He then activated Creature Swap to swap away the spent Breaker for Anderson’s Sorcerer. It attacked, and over the next two turns Spicer kept up the pressure with Sorcerer.

Anderson set two back row cards, leaving him with nothing in his hand. Spicer flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, drew a card, turn Sorcerer to defense, and attacked with Dekoichi before setting a monster. Anderson sighed in disappointment, seeming to telegraph that he had a set Mirror Force.

He drew and shook his head. He had topdecked Breaker the Magical Warrior, which he was forced to summon. It ran over Dekoichi, and was then Creature Swapped for Asura Priest! He passed with the Priest and one spell or trap card set.

Spicer, armed with the Swapped Breaker and its token, broke Anderson’s back row card. He then tributed Breaker for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, turned Sorcerer to attack position, and attacked with both to win the match!

Ryan Spicer, playing at an incredible pace with an unmatched intensity, takes the win!