Billy Brake had continued to carry on to a 7-1 record with Beasts, a feat matched by Jeff Jones. He was up against returning Comic Odyssey star and former SJC Top 8’er Juan Cardenas, who has been away from the Shonen Jump circuit for nearly two years. Both competitors were just one win away from making Day 2.

“I didn’t think I was gonna do this good,” confessed Cardenas, as the judges deck-checked both decks. After a twelve-minute time extension and a ton of thorough shuffling, play began.

Cardenas won the opening roll and got things started with Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero - Malicious. He activated another, discarding Destiny Hero - Fear Monger, set Sangan, then set two cards to his back row. Brake set a spell or trap, set a monster and ended. He lost Scapegoat to Mystical Space Typhoon in his end phase. Cardenas summoned Card Trooper, ditching Jinzo, Brain Control, and Destiny Hero - Disc Commander from the top of his deck to the graveyard to power it up. He flip summoned Sangan, activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove Card Trooper from Brake’s field and attacked for 2900 damage. A second spell or trap hit his back row yet again.

Brake set a monster, and Cardenas removed Malicious from play in his graveyard to special summon another in defense position. He tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bouncing away his opponent’s set monster to the top of his deck. Three more cards juiced up Trooper, and Brake was ready to concede.

Flawless draws and the skill to use them lead Cardenas to a quick game 1 victory!

Brake opened game 2 with a set monster and two set spell or trap cards. He flipped Trap Dustshoot next turn, revealing Gravekeeper’s Spy, Torrential Tribute, Heavy Storm, Destiny Hero - Malicious, Brain Control, and Snipe Hunter, the latter being sent back to Cardenas’s deck. Cardenas set a spell or trap and ended. Brake flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, brought out another in defense position and attacked for 1200 damage with the first.

A set monster was Cardenas’s first move next turn, followed by the setting of another spell or trap card. Brake turned his first Spy to defense mode and passed. Cardenas passed back, and Brake set a second spell or trap card. Cardenas passed again.

Gravekeeper’s Spy was tributed for Cyber Dragon, and Brake sent it to attack Cardenas’s face-down monster: also Gravekeeper’s Spy. It was destroyed, but not before it could special summon another Spy from Cardenas’s deck. A third spell or trap hit Brake’s field and he ended.

Cardenas set a monster and that was it: “go.” Cyber Dragon attacked Gravekeeper’s Spy next turn, and Brake’s other Gravekeeper’s Spy was tributed for a face-down monster. Cardenas flip summoned Card Trooper but refused priority, and lost the Trooper to Ring of Destruction. Brain Control let him assume control of Cyber Dragon though, and he tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch to bounce away a card. Raiza swung in on Mirror Force, and was promptly destroyed.

Brake summoned Card Trooper, then activated Machine Duplication! He special summoned two more copies from his deck, tossed nine cards from the top of his deck to the graveyard, and attacked into Mirror Force. It was a desperate play from Cardenas and Brake got three cards for his trouble, but it still cleared the field. Pot of Avarice in main phase 2 let him return Raiza, Snipe Hunter, and all three copies of Card Trooper to his deck, and Brake drew two cards as a result. He pitched Jinzo in the end phase to reduce his hand to a size of six.

Cardenas played a face-down monster, then set two cards to his back row. Brake special summoned Jinzo with Call of the Haunted, then activated Mystical Space Typhoon to target Torrential Tribute! He summoned Card Trooper, then used another Machine Duplication! Two more copies of Card Trooper hit the field! Unbelievable.

Brake sent nine cards to the graveyard for the Troopers, attacked with Jinzo to destroy Cardenas’s face-down Destiny Hero - Disc Commander, then attacked with all three Troopers for the win!

Not one, but two uses of Machine Duplication let Brake bring down the great Juan Cardenas! One duel remained in the match, and the winner would have a guaranteed spot in Day 2! Were Beasts on their way to the Top 16 tables, or was Juan Cardenas’s comeback trail leading him to a Day 2 finish? We were about to find out.

Cardenas opened the duel with two cards set to his back row. Brake drew and attacked with Sangan, dishing out a fast 1000 damage. He set three back-row cards and passed, and Trap Dustshoot revealed two copies of Card Trooper, Brain Control, Metamorphosis, and Jinzo. Jinzo was sent back to Cardenas’s deck, and Mind Crush followed up to discard both copies of Card Trooper! Cardenas had nothing left but Brain Control, Metamorphosis, and his two face-downs. He passed, and Sangan swung for another 1000 damage. Brake set a card to each zone, but lost his Mystical Space Typhoon to his opponent’s Typhoon in the end phase.

A set monster was Cardenas’s only move. Brake tributed Sangan for Jinzo, searched his deck for Snipe Hunter with Sangan’s effect, then attacked with Jinzo to destroy Cardenas’s set Disc Commander. Cardenas activated Brain Control, took Jinzo, and attacked to hit Brake’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy: another took its place. Metamorphosis tributed Jinzo in main phase 2, and Cardenas traded it for Ryu Senshi.

Brake activated Premature Burial to bring Jinzo back to the field, then summoned Snipe Hunter. Jinzo attacked Ryu Senshi and Snipe Hunter attacked directly. Cardenas took Jinzo with Snatch Steal next turn, attacking Snipe Hunter! “I guess I set myself up for that,” admitted Brake. But next turn he activated Brain Control, took back Jinzo, and attacked directly for game! “I sacked that,” he admitted with a grin.

Billy Brake moves on to Day 2, bringing Green Baboon to the Top 16!