“Do you wanna just scoop now?” asked Perovic, with the endearing arrogance that only he can wield. He won the opening roll, opted to open the first duel, and did so with Confiscation. Long’s hand was Magical Merchant, Smashing Ground, Sakuretsu Armor, Nobleman of Crossout, and Call of the Haunted. Nobleman of Crossout was discarded. Perovic set one monster and ended his turn. Long set a card to each zone, passed play back to Perovic, and Perovic played Nobleman of Crossout himself, hitting Long’s Magical Merchant Perovic flipped Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, drew, attacked with it, and set a card to each of his zones before ending his turn. He seemed to be in complete control.

His lead would only grow. Long set a monster, and Perovic flip summoned Skelengel, drawing another card, before using another Nobleman of Crossout to remove Long’s Magician of Faith from play. “I’m returning the favor,” said Perovic with a smile. Skelengel and Dekoich attacked directly, Perovic set a second spell or trap, and play passed to Long.

Long set a card to each zone, matching Perovic’s second spell or trap card. He played Smashing Ground, and Perovic used Book of Moon to save Dekoichi, turning it down and losing Skelengel. Next turn he flip summoned the train, drew again, ran it into Long’s set Night Assailant (both monsters were destroyed), set another back row card, set a monster, and passed. Long passed back, and Perovic flipped another Dekoichi! He proceeded to special summon Chaos Sorcerer, and then tributed his Dekoichi for Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World. Premature Burial brought back Dekoichi, dropping Perovic to 6200, and the Dekoichi attacked.

It went through. So did Goldd, though Chaos Sorcerer was blocked by Sakuretsu Armor. However, once Sorcerer hit the graveyard, Perovic just flipped Return from the Different Dimension, and Long scooped.

Long’s heart didn’t seem to be in the match, and it was difficult to tell if that was the effect of his poor opening hand this match, outside forces of some sort, or an act. Still, he side decked quickly and methodically. Perovic did the same, and game 2 began quickly and quietly.

“I crossed out that Merchant because I didn’t want to draw it,” mentioned Perovic. “I saw that and I was like ‘I don’t need that.’” Perovic seemed to be in a good groove.

“I’ll go first,” said Long.

“Aww, damn . . . unpredictable.” He paused. “I’m just trying to put a little banter into the match. Just so people don’t have to read ‘Ohhh, then Brian lost. Oh, then Brian started crying . . .’” Perovic grinned, and Long gave a bit of a grin too, his first of the match.

Long opened with a set card to his back row and nothing else. Perovic set two cards to his back row, and a monster, making a light over-extension to set the pace of the game. Long set a second card to his back row, passed, and when Perovic took his turn Long flipped Royal Command. Still, Perovic flipped Heavy Storm, destroying his own Sakuretsu and Long’s, as well as Long’s Royal Command, flipped Magician of Faith, took back Heavy Storm, and attacked before setting a spell or trap. Long set a back row card, Perovic set amonster, and Magician of Faith swung again, hitting directly a second time. Long played Dust Tornado, targeting Perovic’s set spell or trap, but Perovic chained it and Book of Moon turned his Magician of Faith face down. Long had Nobleman of Crossout though, and used it to remove the Magician of Faith from the field. Long pulled two from his deck in addition, and the only thing left on the field was Perovic’s last monster. Long set a card to each zone, passed, and Perovic considered his next move carefully.

He fingered his set Magical Merchant before deciding to go through with the summon. The Merchant grabbed him Smashing Ground right off the top of his deck, and Perovic then sent the Merchant to attack Long’s set monster. It flipped, and it was Don Zaloog! “Whoah . . . deeeefinitely didn’t see that one coming” Perovic reeled, as he was forced to discard Call of the Haunted. Smashing Ground destroyed Don Zaloog, but the damage had been done. Perovic set a monster and ended his turn.

Long shuffled his hand for a bit, but didn’t do anything. This minimalist playstyle of his didn’t seem destined to get him anywhere, it was puzzling that he didn’t press to attack the Merchant or at least . . . do something. He passed with his one set back row card, and Perovic again flipped a monster that gave him a free card, which was Skelengel. He then summoned Sangan, turned Merchant to defense, and attacked with Sangan and Skelengel. Again, Long did nothing but pass.

It was 5500 to 6700 in Perovic’s favor, and he played Graceful Charity, discarding Nobleman of Crossout and Exiled Force. Sangan and Skelengel swung for another 1900 damage, and Perovic set a fourth monster. Long was down to just 3600 LP, and was in the tough position of knowing his opponent had Heavy Storm.

He summoned D. D. Warrior Lady though, and flipped his one set card, Ceasefire, to dish out 2500 damage and flip Kris’s set Magician of Faith. Suddenly it was 3600 to 4200. Brain Control brought Long down another 800 life points, but he used it to take Magician of Faith, which he then turned down with Book of Moon. He flip summoned it, retrieved Graceful Charity, and activated the spell card. He took a bit of time to decide on his discards, eventually deciding on Exiled Force and Bottomless Trap Hole after receiving some prodding from the table judge.

Premature Burial brought Long down to 2000, and brought back Don Zaloog! “Don’t hit the Goldd,” said Kris. D. D. Warrior Lady attacked Sangan, removed it from play, and Don hit Skelengel, discarding Kris’s Premature Burial. Long passed.

Kris played Heavy Storm, set a monster, turned Magician of Faith to defense, and set his last two in-hand cards to his back row. But Long played Snatch Steal to take Magician of Faith, and tributed it for Mobius! It destroyed both of Perovic’s back row cards! Mobius attacked Perovic’s set monster, but it was Morphing Jar, and both players drew entirely new hands! Long played Confiscation to go down to 1000, discarded Perovic’s Smashing Ground to keep his Mobius on the field next turn, and then set two spell or trap cards. He ended his turn.

Perovic was looking at a mitt full of monsters. He set one, set his only spell or trap card, and ended. Mobius picked off Perovic’s Magical Merchant, Long set a third back row card, and Perovic set another monster, leaving himself with two set monsters and a set back row card to Long’s Mobius and three spell or trap cards. Long sent Mobius after Perovic’s most recent set monster, but found it to be Spirit Reaper. Perovic set a third monster, passed, and Long summoned Spirit Reaper. It was a play that seemed to befuddle Perovic for a moment, who passed his chance to respond. Long wanted to respond though, and did so with Torrential Tribute. He had no offensive followup though, and passed.

Chaos Sorcerer came down on Perovic’s side, and he tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch! He knew that Torrential was gone and the Mobius was likely to be a safe summon! Mobius swung for 2400, more than double what Perovic needed to end the match, and the duel was finished!

Kris Perovic gets himself a little vengeance from Shonen Jump Baltimore, moving on to a 7-0 undefeated record.