I’m not sure how Sean Henahan got here, but every round more people are added to the throng of competitors stating that he should get a feature match. Somehow, in some way, possibly by selling his soul to some dark power, Henahan has secured a 5-1 record with a bizarre strategy: Zombies . . .

. . . with Skill Drain and Royal Oppression.

His opponent, Marco Cesario, is the owner of the famed Card Masters store in Toronto. Today he was playing an updated version of the deck Paul Levitin ran in Philadelphia—Light Elemental Heroes with Skill Drain and Royal Oppression. Both competitors were likely to have some dead tech cards in this matchup.

Henahan opened with two cards set to his back row and one monster: sure enough, one of his face-downs was Royal Oppression, meaning that no, I was not the victim of an elaborate joke. This was actually happening. Cesario summoned Elemental Hero Neos Alius. It attacked and hit Pyramid Turtle, and then Henahan special summoned Ryu Kokki. Cesario set two cards to his own back row and ended.

Play was to Henahan, who had two copies of Mystic Tomato, Mirror Force, and Goblin Zombie in hand. His strategy was starting to become clear—with Pyramid Turtle and Mystic Tomato he could search his own deck and bring out big monsters like Ryu Kokki, while not being affected by his own Royal Oppression cards. Smart.

He sent Ryu Kokki to attack Neos Alius, but Cesario discarded Honest to dish out 1900 damage and destroy Ryu Kokki in battle. Henahan set Mystic Tomato, then Mirror Force, and ended.

Cesario attacked with Neos Alius, and Mystic Tomato got Henahan Spirit Reaper in attack position. Cesario set a third spell or trap to match his opponent, then set a fourth to up the ante.

Another Mystic Tomato hit the field, and Henahan activated Creature Swap. Cesario responded with Creature Swap, dropping to 4000 life points, and Henahan switched Spirit Reaper to defense. “I’ll pass to you, sir.”

Cesario flipped his own Royal Oppression, then attacked with Neos Alius into Mystic Tomato. Cesario realized too late that his Oppression would be useless, and Henahan special summoned Sangan. Cesario passed, and Henahan drew Mezuki.

He summoned it and rammed it into Neos Alius. He activated Raigeki Break—discarding Goblin Zombie to target Neos Alius—but Cesario flipped My Body as a Shield to negate Break. Mezuki slammed into Neos Alius and was destroyed, leaving Henahan to turn Sangan to defense mode. Why hadn’t he played Raigeki Break before attacking?

Cesario attacked next turn, and Henahan flipped Mirror Force to destroy Neos Alius. Cesario set a monster, Henahan set a spell or trap, and Cesario passed. Henahan passed back, Cesario flip summoned Honest, and Honest was sent to attack Sangan. It got Henahan D.D. Crow, and Cesario activated Fissure in main phase 2, trying to destroy Spirit Reaper. “Sure,” responded Henahan, placing Reaper in the graveyard. Cesario returned Honest back to his hand and ended.

Allure of Darkness let Henahan trade the Crow for two more cards next turn, and he set Pyramid Turtle along with another spell or trap card. Cesario discarded Elemental Hero Captain Gold next turn, searching his deck for Skyscraper with its effect. He ended without playing it, and Henahan passed back. Neither duelist was having good luck with drawing any significant monsters.

“Summon Honest,” announced Cesario. He attacked with it—hitting into Pyramid Turtle—and before Cesario could leave the battle phase Henahan flipped Skill Drain, trapping Honest on the field! The duel stood at 4900 to 2200, with Henahan leading.

He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Cesario’s set My Body as a Shield. He tributed Pyramid Turtle for Caius the Shadow Monarch, didn’t get its effect thanks to his own Skill Drain, and Cesario responded with Torrential Tribute. Henahan chained Solemn Judgment, and ran over Honest. Cesario was down to 900 life points.

Cesario heaved an ambiguous sigh (could’ve been a good sigh, could’ve been a bad sigh) and activated E - Emergency Call. He grabbed Elemental Hero Captain Gold from his deck, activated Skyscraper, and then normal summoned Elemental Hero Captain Gold. Captain Gold then attacked Caius and took it down thanks to the boost from Skyscraper. Henahan was down to 1750 life points, and Cesario set a spell or trap card.

Henahan removed Mezuki to try and special summon Spirit Reaper in defense mode, but was denied, as Cesario paid 800 life points to drop to 100 and negate the summon with Royal Oppression! Captain Gold attacked next turn and Henahan revealed his set cards: Royal Oppression, another Skill Drain, and his last in-hand card, too. It was another Skill Drain.

Henahan’s tech cards fail to create problems for his opponent, depriving him of his own Caius effect and losing him the duel as a result. Marco Cesario takes Game 1!

Henahan opened with Blizzard Dragon! There’s something you don’t see every day. He set three cards to his back row and ended. What on earth did he have planned?

Sadly we’d never find out. Cesario summoned Elemental Hero Neos Alius and attacked, and Blizzard Dragon went down. We wouldn’t see it again for the rest of the match. Cesario set two cards to his back row, and then Henahan summoned Goblin Zombie and activated Creature Swap. Cesario looked briefly frustrated and handed over his Neos Alius. Alius attacked, Cesario flipped Skill Drain, and Goblin Zombie was destroyed. That let Henahan search his deck for Mezuki, and he ended his turn. Play was to Cesario.

He searched his deck with Reinforcement of the Army, grabbing Elemental Hero Neos Alius—taking Stratos would’ve been useless given the fact that Cesario had Skill Drain active. He summoned Neos Alius and Henahan flipped Solemn Judgment—Cesario had no answer and lost his only monster. The duel stood at 3950 to 6200 life points, with Cesario leading.

Henahan summoned Mezuki, then attacked with both of his monsters to drop his opponent to 2600 life points. “I pass.” Cesario summoned Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior and lost out to Solemn Judgment yet again. He shook his head and passed. When Mezuki and Neos Alius attacked next turn, he had no answer. Henahan had won.

Creature Swap and a pair of timely Solemn Judgment cards (plus the courage to use them) render victory academic, and Henahan presses this match to a third duel! Could he chalk up his sixth win of the day? Could his incredibly offbeat strategy really make it to Day 2!?

“I can’t lose this,” muttered Cesario. “I’ll play first.” He summoned Elemental Hero Neos Alius and passed with no back row. “Draw,” announced Henahan. He summoned Mezuki, activated Creature Swap, and traded Mezuki for Neos Alius! He then sent Alius to attack Mezuki, and set two cards to his back row.

Cesario drew and shook his head. He activated Reinforcement of the Army, dug Exiled Force out of his deck, and summoned it. Henahan countered with Solemn Judgment. Cesario set another spell or trap.

Alius hit him for 1900 damage on the turn that followed, dropping him to 5900 life points. Henahan set a monster, and Cesario summoned Elemental Hero Neos Alius. Henahan responded with Bottomless Trap Hole, but Cesario chained Torrential Tribute! That cleared the field, destroying Henahan’s Alius and his face-down Mystic Tomato. Cesario set a spell or trap, Henahan set one too, and Cesario summoned Elemental Hero Stratos.

That got him another copy of Elemental Hero Neos Alius, and he attacked for 1800 damage. “You’re at 2200.”

“Correct,” replied Henahan. He discarded Ryu Kokki next turn for Lightning Vortex, destroying Neos Alius. He then removed Mezuki from his graveyard to special summon Ryu Kokki, and attacked for 2400 damage! “Go ahead.”

Cesario set a second spell or trap, summoned Alius, and attacked.

“Honest?”

“Sure.”

“Honest . . . and Honest?” Cesario discarded not one, but three copies of Honest, boosting Neos Alius to 9100 ATK! Ryu Kokki went down harder than ever, and the match was over!

Marco Cesario narrowly dodges defeat, moving on with a 6-1 record. Two more wins and he’d lock his place in the Top 16!