Kris Ferber traveled here from Albany, New York, and at age 19 has managed to go undefeated for five rounds here today. He’s playing Glenn Lightfoot, the leader of Team Villains, who’s made Top 16 at three of the four Shonen Jumps he’s attended. Sadly all three were before Day 2 became a sixteen-man qualification. He was eager for a repeat performance, and a Day 2 qualification, this weekend.
Ferber opened the match with one set card. Lightfoot activated Foolish Burial, sent Treeborn Frog to his graveyard, and summoned Card Trooper — he was stuck with two Destiny Hero – Malicious in his opening hand, a rough beat. Card Trooper sent Sangan, Lightning Vortex, and Call of the Haunted to the graveyard, then swung for 1900 damage. Lightfoot was left holding Torrential Tribute, Raiza the Storm Monarch, and his two Malicious, so he passed without making a play.
Sangan tore Card Trooper apart next turn, leading Lightfoot to draw another copy of Raiza the Storm Monarch. Ferber ended, Lightfoot special summoned his Treeborn and tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch — he targeted Sangan with Raiza’s effect, but Torrential Tribute was flipped in response, clearing the field and letting Ferber search out Destiny Hero – Disk Commander with Sangan’s effect. Lightfoot passed with an open field.
Destiny Draw hit the table for Ferber, who discarded Disk Commander to draw two cards. Ferber activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched for Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him to dig for Destiny Hero – Malicious. Another Destiny Draw followed, discarding Malicious! Stratos attacked for 1800 damage and Ferber set a card to his back row.
Treeborn came back to the field, allowing Lightfoot to tribute for Raiza the Storm Monarch. He targeted Ferber’s back row card: “Let me guess, Call of the Haunted for the win?” Sure enough, Ferber chained Call of the Haunted, targeted his Disk Commander, and Raiza sent the call back to the top of his deck. Ferber drew two for Commander, including the Call, and Raiza attacked over Stratos.
“How many cards in hand?”
“Eight,” replied Ferber.
“Wonderful.” Lightfoot was un-amused with his luck.
Ferber special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, then attacked directly for 2400 damage. A set spell or trap concluded his turn, probably the Call of the Haunted again.
Treeborn Frog was returned to the field again, and Ferber tributed it away for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying Ferber’s Zaborg before attacking. The life points stood at 3100 to 3200, with Lightfoot narrowly leading. He set a card to his back row and ended: “Go.” He had four cards in hand, one card set, and Zaborg to his opponent’s six cards in hand and set spell or trap.
Ferber drew a seventh card, removed his in-hand Destiny Hero – Malicious to special summon another from his deck, then activated Brain Control to target and take Zaborg. Zaborg attacked directly, and when Malicious attacked for game Lightfoot flipped Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to try and get rid of Malicious — it didn’t matter, since Ferber had indeed set Call of the Haunted, and flipped it to declare victory.
Kris Ferber takes the first duel with an incredible string of draws and the know-how to use them! Both competitors did some brief side decking.
“Okay,” announced Lightfoot. “I’m gonna try to not draw two Malicious.” He drew just one, and pitched Malicious for Destiny Draw to get things started. That left him with Heavy Storm, Pulling the Rug, Cyber Dragon, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, Scapegoat, and Premature Burial — a healthy hand though not an excessively dangerous one yet. He set a spell or trap, Ferber set one too, and play was back to Lightfoot. He summoned Card Trooper, sent Torrential Tribute, Stratos, and Zaborg to his graveyard, and attacked for 1900 damage. “What is this?”
“Hey, at least you didn’t ditch Malicious.”
“I already drew it,” bluffed Lightfoot, rather convincingly. Ferber dropped Cyber Dragon and ran over the Trooper. Lightfoot set a monster, but lost his spell or trap card in the end phase to Phoenix Wing Wind Blast — it let Ferber discard his Destiny Hero – Malicious, which he removed to special summon another. Malicious was tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, his effect cleared Lightfoot’s field, and both Raiza and Cyber Dragon attacked directly. The duel stood at 1800 life points to 6100, with Lightfoot in major trouble.
He activated Heavy Storm, destroying Ferber’s set Pulling the Rug. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, removed his Malicious to bring out a second from his deck, and tributed the Hero for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, blowing away Raiza. Premature Burial brought back Raiza the Storm Monarch. Zaborg attacked over Ferber’s Cyber Dragon and Lightfoot’s Cyber and Raiza each made a direct shot. Lightfoot ended with one set spell or trap.
Ferber special summoned Cyber Dragon and rammed his opponent’s, setting two cards to his back row. Lightfoot was unfazed: “Is that some sort of ‘don’t attack, it’s Mirror Force, turn one to defense’ type thing? I’m already down a game; I might as well go for it.” He attacked. “You look happy; you gotta have Mirror Force.” Ferber did, and flipped it to destroy Raiza and Zaborg. Lightfoot set a card to each zone and ended.
Premature Burial let Ferber bring back his own Raiza, leaving the duel at 1000 life points to 200, with Lightfoot leading. Raiza attacked Lightfoot’s face-down Spirit Reaper and Ferber set a monster. He had one card left in his hand.
Lightfoot activated Call of the Haunted to target Zaborg the Thunder Monarch: Ferber stopped it with D.D. Crow! Lightfoot set one more spell or trap and play was to Ferber. He set one card to his back row and ended.
Lightfoot set a monster, Ferber passed, and Lightfoot fingered his set Marshmallon. He debated attacking, but decided to end. Ferber passed, Lightfoot passed, and Ferber passed back. Lightfoot activated Reinforcement of the Army.
He searched Disk Commander from his deck, then discarded him for Destiny Draw. He set a fourth back row card to finish out. Ferber ran some numbers, but ended up doing nothing but passing. Lightfoot set another monster, Ferber set one too, and the duel continued. With so few life points remaining neither duelist wanted to be the first to blink.
Lightfoot tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, at the cost of his face-down Destiny Hero - Fear Monger. He used Raiza’s effect to spin one of Ferber’s two face-down monsters. The other was blown away by Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and when Lightfoot attacked with his Raiza into his opponent’s, Ferber admitted that was game.
Glen Lightfoot evens up the match, pressing this competition to a third duel!
Ferber set Pulling the Rug, and flipped it when Lightfoot summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior. Lightfoot set a spell or trap, and a turn later Ferber was smashing him with Destiny Hero – Fear Monger. Ferber set a spell or trap, telegraphing Phoenix Wing Wind Blast with a discarded Disk Commander. Lightfoot set Marshmallon, and Ferber slammed into it next turn. Ferber set a monster and play was to Lightfoot.
He summoned Card Trooper and sent Premature Burial, Snipe Hunter, and Cyber Dragon to his graveyard to have it attack over Fear Monger. That left Ferber at 6100 life points. Lightfoot set a spell or trap, and Ferber sent it back to the top of his opponent’s deck with Wind Blast, discarding Malicious. He tried to remove Malicious next turn, but Lightfoot shut him down with D.D. Crow. Still, Brain Control let Ferber take Lightfoot’s Marshmallon, which he promptly tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch to target Card Trooper. Trooper hit the top of Lightfoot’s deck, but when Raiza attacked a flipped Scapegoat absorbed what would have been a direct shot. A Sheep Token went down.
“I think you’ve got this,” said Lightfoot, shaking his head. Time was called on Lightfoot’s turn: he was leading by 1700 life points, and just needed to survive for two more turns! He set a monster, and then set two cards to his back row.
Ferber summoned Snipe Hunter, passed priority, and attacked with Snipe Hunter to destroy Lightfoot’s Card Trooper. He drew, and Raiza attacked another Sheep Token. Ferber didn’t have Enemy Controller to take advantage of the situation.
Lightfoot had two Sheep, two set cards in his back row, and a hand of Heavy Storm, Raiza, and Mirror Force. Ferber had two cards in hand, a set monster, a set spell or trap, Snipe Hunter, and Raiza the Storm Monarch. A direct attack with Raiza would let him take the win next turn, but that would all be cut short if Ferber couldn’t deal with Lightfoot’s Mirror Force. He set both the Mirror Force and Heavy Storm, and hoped.
“You got me?” Lightfoot extended his hand. Ferber needed to win this turn, or admit defeat. In the standby phase Lightfoot activated Wind Blast, spinning away Snipe Hunter, but Ferber used his own Wind Blast to spin away one of Lightfoot’s two set cards; he hit Heavy Storm, and Lightfoot sold it like he’d lost his Mirror Force. “That’s it.” Lightfoot looked sad, and Ferber bought right into it.
He tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spun away one Sheep token, and attacked right into Mirror Force! Realizing his mistake and that he had been fooled, he conceded, unable to deal any damage.
Glen Lightfoot moves on undefeated!