This match would pit two on-again, off-again Shonen Jump regulars against each other, and both of these players are long-time friends. But it wasn’t the personalities that made this a feature match. Both competitors were undefeated, and neither was running a deck we’d seen in action yet here today. Nicolas Nunez is undefeated with Oppression Gadgets packing Spell Canceller, while Baisey is running something even more creative — an Evil Hero Dark Gaia deck with Caius the Shadow Monarch and Granmarg the Rock Monarch. This was going to be interesting.

Baisey opened the match with a set card to each zone. “It’s your turn, man.” Nunez opened with a hand of Spell Canceller, Dimensional Prison, Dark Bribe, two Bottomless Trap Hole, and Red Gadget. He summoned Red Gadget, searched out Yellow Gadget with its effect, then set three cards to his back row. Red Gadget attacked into Baisey’s face-down Newdoria, destroying both monsters, and instantly leveraging Red Gadget into a free card by doing so. Baisey heaved a sigh.

Next turn he set another card to each zone. Nunez summoned Yellow Gadget, searched for Green Gadget, then attacked — this time Yellow Gadget ran into Legendary Jujitsu Master, spinning away back to the top of Nunez’s deck. Baisey turned it to attack mode next turn, swung for 1300 damage, and set a monster. Nunez was up.

He summoned Green Gadget and searched out Red Gadget. Green Gadget attacked Legendary Jujitsu Master and Baisey flipped Mirror Force! “Forcing me to do weird stuff, here.” Legendary Jujitsu Master swung for another 1300, and Nunez was up again.

Red Gadget hit the field and got Nunez another Yellow Gadget, then traded with the Jujitsu in battle. Baisey activated Allure of Darkness, drew two, and then removed Doomcaliber Knight from his hand to pay for its effect, wincing! He flip summoned Mask of Darkness targeting his Mirror Force and Nunez let it go. “That’s fine. Go ahead.”

“You ain’t got Crow,” grinned Baisey, half-jokingly. Mask of Darkness attacked and Nunez was down to 3900 life points. Baisey was doing a great job of just grinding out small amounts of damage. He set a third spell or trap, then a monster to end.

Nunez summoned Yellow Gadget, searched for another Green Gadget, and Yellow Gadget drew out Mirror Force yet again. Nunez set another spell or trap — he was slowly, very slowly, sinking into a bad position, eating another 900 damage from Mask of Darkness next turn.

Baisey flipped another in main phase 2, getting back his Mirror Force yet again! He set it, but lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon on the turn that followed. Nunez summoned Green Gadget, but didn’t have any more Gadgets in his deck to search for — he attacked with Green Gadget, but this time Baisey was out of removal, too! One Mask of Darkness went down and Baisey took 500 damage. The duel stood at 3000 life points to 7500, with Baisey still in control.

He turned his remaining Mask to defense mode and set another monster. “It’s good. Your turn.” Nunez summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and Baisey flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, removing Breaker before he could destroy anything. Green Gadget took down the other Mask of Darkness, and Nunez ended.

Baisey had four cards in hand, two cards set to his back row, and one monster face-down. Nunez had four cards in hand too, as well as five cards set to his back row and Green Gadget on the field. Baisey passed and Nunez drew another card.

He summoned Yellow Gadget and ran Green Gadget into another Legendary Jujitsu Master. “Go ahead.” Baisey set another spell or trap card, shuffled his hand, and considered setting another monster. He opted not to, but turned Jujitsu Master to attack mode. It attacked Yellow Gadget and Nunez flipped Dimensional Prison! Baisey had to let it go. He set that monster he’d waffled on before to finish his turn.

Nunez summoned Green Gadget again, after being forced to draw it once more. Green Gadget attacked and destroyed Baisey’s Night Assailant, but its flip effect destroyed Yellow Gadget. Neither of these guys was really getting any offense going. Nunez filled his back row again and examined Baisey’s graveyard: “Monarchs, huh?” He had the wrong read, and Baisey set a monster for his next turn.

Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo came down for Nunez, and he attacked with Green Gadget again — it smacked into Newdoria, which Baisey used to destroy Fossil Dyna. Both of these decks had been engineered to stop Gladiator Beasts and Synchros, so pitting them against each other was awkward at best.

Play was to Baisey, who activated Dark Calling! With Legendary Jujitsu Master and Newdoria in his graveyard, he’d be able to summon Evil Hero Dark Gaia with 2500 ATK . . . If Nunez hadn’t played Royal Oppression. He paid 800 life points to drop to 1800, and Baisey had no answer. He ended his turn without being able to do anything else.

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” mused Nunez, looking through Baisey’s graveyard. “Jujitsus . . . Newdorias . . . I think it’s safe to drop this guy.” He tributed Green Gadget for Spell Canceller! Baisey flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, but Nunez negated it with a trap of his own! When Spell Canceller attacked, Compulsory Evacuation Device threatened to remove it from the field. It was unexpected, but Nunez chained Solemn Judgment to force through his 1800 damage. He set Bottomless Trap Hole and ended with 900 life points. Baisey had 5700 life points remaining.

He set a spell or trap and gave a bit of a laugh. “I’m just buying time at this point. Your turn.” He took another 1800 damage from Spell Canceller, dropping to 3900 life points, and Nunez ended. “Go.”

Baisey set a monster. Nunez attacked into it — Legendary Jujitsu Master! It was Baisey’s third copy, and Nunez kicked himself; he thought he had counted three between Baisey’s graveyard and removed from play pile. Thirteen minutes still remained in the match, and Nunez opted not to set Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer to try and block damage.

Baisey sent Jujitsu Master to attack next turn, and when Nunez responded with Mirror Force Baisey turned his Jujitsu Master face down with Book of Moon, saving him. Nunez was up, and he normal summoned the Kycoo he had avoided setting last turn. He set Enemy Controller too.

Next turn Baisey tributed Jujitsu Master for Caius the Shadow Monarch, targeting Kycoo, but Nunez chained Enemy Controller, tributing Kycoo to briefly steal Caius! He destroyed Caius next turn with Hammer Shot, passing after doing so. Baisey summoned Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, attacked, and Nunez flipped Sakuretsu Armor, keeping himself in the game! “Your turn.”

Nunez topped another Kycoo and summoned it, attacking for 1800 damage. Baisey now had 2100 life points, and the duel stood on a razor’s edge. Kycoo’s effect removed Neo-Spacian Grand Mole and Jujitsu Master from Baisey’s graveyard. Nunez ended, Baisey summoned Snipe Hunter, and discarded Granmarg the Rock Monarch with priority to try and destroy Royal Oppression. Nunez chained Bottomless Trap Hole, and Baisey’s roll on Oppression was a miss! “Go ahead.”

Nunez was up, and he attacked with Kycoo for 1800 damage. Baisey was now down to just 300 life points. Nunez set another spell or trap. “Go.” This match was ending very soon.

Baisey summoned Doomcaliber Knight! Nunez flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, Baisey chained Solemn Judgment, and Nunez flipped a Solemn of his own! Baisey gave a big flinch and lost yet another Doomcaliber to his removed from play pile. Still, he pressed on!

Compulsory Evacuation Device let him remove Kycoo from the field, and he followed it up with Dark Calling! He removed Granmarg the Rock Monarch and Caius the Shadow Monarch to summon Evil Hero Dark Gaia with 4800 ATK, and Nunez had no choice but to concede!

Jerome Baisey captures an incredibly long duel, finally succeeding in summoning Evil Hero Dark Gaia for game! Wow. Granmarg the Rock Monarch in an undefeated Shonen Jump Championship deck? I never thought I’d see that.

Both competitors did some quick side decking, with less than eight minutes remaining in the round. Nunez would open the duel.

He was holding Pulling the Rug, Mystical Space Typhoon, Twister, Green Gadget, and two Dimensional Prison. He summoned Green Gadget, searched out Red Gadget with its effect, and set Pulling the Rug. Baisey played Brain Control next turn, attacked for 1400 damage, then tributed for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch — Nunez chained Pulling the Rug to negate his effect and destroy him! Baisey set two cards to his spell and trap zone.

Mystical Space Typhoon cost him his Book of Moon, and Nunez summoned Red Gadget, getting Yellow Gadget from his deck. Red Gadget attacked and Nunez set Dimensional Prison, then another card to his back row. Baisey drew, set Mirror Force, and used it next turn to destroy Red Gadget. Nunez summoned Yellow Gadget in main phase 2, searched for Green Gadget, then set a third spell or trap card.

“I’m scared to make a move now,” remarked Baisey. He activated Allure of Darkness, drew two, and removed Caius the Shadow Monarch for its effect. A set monster concluded his turn. Nunez summoned Green Gadget, attacked with it, and smacked into the 1800 DEF of Doomcaliber Knight! He moved to main phase 2, set Enemy Controller, and ended.

Time was called as Baisey drew, meaning that each duelist would have two turns to finish the duel, while Nunez would take the final turn. The duel stood at 6200 life points to 5900 with Nunez leading. Baisey turned Doomcaliber to attack mode, but swing into Dimensional Prison: Baisey chained Book of Moon to keep his Doomcaliber on the field. Nunez drew, set two cards to his back row, turned both of his Gadgets to defense mode, and set a third — Red Gadget. Baisey drew and immediately offered Nunez the hand shake. This match would go to a third and final duel!

Each competitor would have only two turns each before the match moved to sudden death. Baisey opted to go first, opening with a set card to each zone. “Your turn.”

Nunez had no monsters, but he did have Nobleman of Crossout, which he activated to remove Baisey’s face-down Jujitsu Master from the field. Nunez set four cards to his back row and Baisey grabbed his forehead, reeling, seeing his chance to take the match.

He set two cards to his back row himself, summoned Newdoria, and tried to attack — Nunez flipped Mirror Force and Newdoria was destroyed. Baisey ended. Now, if Nunez could deal any damage, he’d win.

He topped Yellow Gadget! He didn’t activate its effect, but when he attacked Baisey chained Magic Cylinder! Nunez chained Dark Bribe in turn, and the attack went through — Yellow Gadget made its direct hit and Baisey immediately gave Nunez a handshake that turned into a burly man-hug across the table.

Nicolas Nunez moves on undefeated, 5-0 here today with Gadgets! If he could win just three of his remaining four matches, he’d be an auto-in for Day 2.