In a surprising twist, two Texan duelists were now face to face in the Top 4: Chris Pittao and Fili Luna. Both duelists are currently members of the Team Outphase roster, but after this tournament Fili will become a member of Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC; a win here would mean a lot for each team’s credibility. It would also mean a guaranteed Gold Sarcophagus for one of these duelists.
Pittao opened with a single card set to each zone. Fili opened with Magician of Faith, Brain Control, D.D. Crow, The Transmigration Prophecy, Snipe Hunter, and Light and Darkness Dragon. He passed with an empty field, leaving Pittao to flip summon Spirit Reaper and attack! Reaper clawed Magician of Faith from Fili’s hand. “End turn.”
Fili summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded The Transmigration Prophecy to destroy Spirit Reaper and then attacked directly for 1500 damage. Pittao discarded Disk Commander for Lightning Vortex and tried to bring him back with Premature Burial, but Fili chained D.D. Crow to remove Commander from play! Pittao ended, Fili set a card to each zone and lost his bluffed Brain Control to Dust Tornado in the end phase. Pittao dropped Cyber Dragon, attacked into Morphing Jar, and both duelists got new hands. Pittao had five cards in hand, Cyber Dragon, and a set spell or trap to Fili’s five in hand.
Foolish Burial let Pittao toss Treeborn Frog to his graveyard. He normal summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious, and ended. “That’s all I got man: your turn.”
A set card to each zone was Fili’s only move, and in Pittao’s draw phase he flipped Trap Dustshoot; it revealed Torrential Tribute, Soul Exchange, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Cyber Dragon, and Destiny Hero – Malicious. Fili shuffled the latter back into Pittao’s deck, since Cyber Dragon was a dead card and the Wind Blast or Soul Exchange would make Malicious a live play. Pittao examined Fili’s graveyard and attacked with Stratos, hitting Reaper and ending. Fili set another monster.
Play was back to Pittao, who activated Soul Exchange to destroy the Reaper. “Your turn. Five cards?” Fili drew for his turn and then nodded. Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Pittao’s Mirror Force. Fili tributed his Treeborn Frog for Raiza the Storm Monarch, sent Cyber Dragon back to Pittao’s deck, and then attacked Stratos. Pittao took back his Frog, tributed it for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and forced Fili to discard Malicious — it was really more of a help than a hindrance. Fili was left with Reinforcement of the Army and Premature Burial in his hand. Thestalos attacked Raiza, both were destroyed, and Pittao set a second card to his spell and trap zone.
Fili special summoned Treeborn Frog, thought a moment, and activated Reinforcement of the Army to get Elemental Hero Stratos. Stratos hit the field, Fili searched for Disk Commander and Stratos attacked directly. Pittao was down to 3300 life points.
Cyber Dragon returned to Pittao’s field next turn and took down Stratos. “I’ll say go.” Fili set a monster, Pittao spun it away with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast next turn discarding Cyber Dragon, tributed his on-field Dragon for Raiza the Storm Monarch, and spun away Fili’s Treeborn Frog. Raiza then struck for 2400 damage! Fili’s tempo control had been completely shut down, and he had to act quickly.
He activated Premature Burial and special summoned Snipe Hunter, discarding Treeborn Frog to destroy Raiza the Storm Monarch. He discarded Disk Commander next, targeting one of Pittao’s back row cards, but missed! Snipe Hunter then attacked and Pittao considered his possible responses before taking the 1500 damage. A set monster concluded Fili’s turn.
Pittao activated Call of the Haunted next turn, retrieving Raiza the Storm Monarch and attacking Snipe Hunter. The duel stood at 2700 to 1800 with Fili still leading. Pittao ended, Fili special summoned Treeborn Frog and set his last card, a monster. Pittao set a monster too but smelled a rat; he refused to attack. Fili topdecked a spell or trap, set it, and next turn Pittao drew into Pot of Avarice! He activated it, shuffled back Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, Light and Darkness Dragon, Spirit Reaper, and two Cyber Dragons. If he could draw that Dragon he’d be in a commanding position.
He didn’t though, and thought long and hard about his move. He flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, special summoned another from his deck in defense mode, and attacked with the first, hitting Fili’s Marshmallon and eating 1000 damage. Raiza then attacked and destroyed Destiny Hero – Fear Monger. But Pittao wasn’t done — he tributed his attack mode Spy for Raiza the Storm Monarch and sent Treeborn Frog to the top of Fili’s deck, softening the blow of the imminent Disk Commander.
Fili brought the Commander back next turn and drew two cards. Pittao tributed for Cyber Dragon, but Torrential Tribute wiped the field! Pittao lost his footing completely; Fili drew and had four cards to Pittao’s two. He set one to each zone. Next turn Pittao set a monster, far behind in all senses of the word. Fili activated Call of the Haunted, brought back Snipe Hunter and discarded Treeborn Frog, destroying Pittao’s set monster; he immediately scooped.
The first duel is hard-fought on both sides, and Fili Luna takes the match’s first victory!
After some brief side decking Pittao opened game 2 with Foolish Burial, sending Treeborn Frog to his graveyard. He set a card to each zone and ended. Fili special summoned Cyber Dragon, set a spell or trap, and attacked into Mirror Force. He special summoned another Dragon, set a monster, and then set his remaining two cards to his back row.
He flipped Trap Dustshoot, revealing Gravekeeper’s Spy, two Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and Soul Exchange in Pittao’s hand. Spy was shuffled back. “I normally wouldn’t do that but if you’ve got Light and Darkness it’d’ve been bad news,” explained Fili. Pittao set a spell or trap and ended. If Fili had been bluffing Morphing Jar, Pittao wasn’t buying it.
Fili attacked with Cyber Dragon next turn, hitting Pittao’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy! Shuffling the other copy into Pittao’s deck may have actually helped him out. He special summoned another, set a spell or trap on his turn, and Fili activated Reinforcement of the Army to dig for Stratos. He summoned him, got Disk Commander from his deck, and attacked the second Spy with Cyber Dragon. A turn cycle later, Fili swung direct with both Cyber Dragon and Stratos.
Pittao flipped Dust Tornado next turn, destroying Fili’s set Call of the Haunted. He summoned Stratos, activated his effect and then chained Torrential Tribute to clear the field! He searched out Destiny Hero – Malicious and ended.
Fili drew into Foolish Burial, and already had Treeborn Frog in his hand. He flipped his only other card, Premature Burial, but Pittao discarded Malicious to activate Phoenix Wing Wind Blast on the chain and spin away the Premature. Fili set a monster, Pittao brought back his Frog, set a monster, and set another Wind Blast. He used it when Fili played Premature again next turn. Pittao was clearly getting desperate.
He summoned Card Trooper, sent three cards to his graveyard to boost it up, and attacked into Treeborn Frog. Fili brought it back, finally resolved Premature Burial, and special summoned Disk Commander. He drew into Light and Darkness Dragon! He tributed the Commander and Treeborn Frog for it and attacked over Card Trooper to drop Pittao to 1700 life points; Trooper’s effect was negated. Fili set a spell or trap and Pittao passed.
Fili attacked into Marshmallon next turn, and the Dragon dropped to 1800 ATK. Pittao passed, secure behind his wall. Fili shifted the Dragon to defense mode, ended, and Pittao passed back. Fili passed as well, and Pittao did the same.
The Light and Darkness Dragon was tributed for Cyber Dragon, so that Fili could activate Pot of Avarice. He sent Light and Darkness Dragon, Cyber Dragon, Magician of Faith, Fear Monger, and Elemental Hero Stratos back to his deck, drew two, and activated Foolish Burial to get Destiny Hero – Malicious into his graveyard. He removed it, brought out the other Malicious in attack, and activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to bounce Marshmallon!
That was all Pittao needed to see and he immediately offered the handshake. Malicious would attack Treeborn Frog, Cyber Dragon would attack directly, and Pittao would be out of life points.
Fili Luna moves on to the finals!