It all comes down to this. Over eight hundred duelists were now reduced to a final two: Kyle Duncan of Superfriends, and David Everett of Team Trixter. These two competitors had met before this weekend, competing in the Swiss rounds. In that match, Duncan had dominated Everett and given him his only loss.

“I did such a bad move,” explained Everett. “I had Dekoichi face down, he summoned Sangan, attacks. I have Dekoichi on the field still. So, next turn I turn Dekoichi to attack and hit the Sangan, and he ends up using Mystic Tomato to get a free hit with Spirit Reaper. I’m not going to make any mistakes like that this time!” He smiled a broad grin.

That match had been rough beats, but Everett got the one thing every duelist always wishes for: a second chance. The winner of this match would walk away from the table with a brand new laptop, a whack of cards, a copy of Shrink, and the glory of a Shonen Jump Championship title. We were less than an hour away from crowning a new Shonen Jump Champion.

“Playing that deck is like playing Goat Control,” commented Everett. “It’s got all that field presence . . .” He knew what he was up against, and this time he was prepared. The match began.

Duncan opened the first duel with Confiscation, revealing Night Assailant, Mystical Space Typhoon, Torrential Tribute, Scapegoat, and Breaker the Magical Warrior in Everett’s hand. Breaker was discarded, Duncan set a card to each zone, Everett did the same and then added a second spell or trap. Duncan flip summoned Shining Angel, attacked into Everett’s set Night Assailant, both were destroyed, Duncan set a spell or trap, Everett set a monster, Duncan special summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked into Sakuretsu Armor, set a monster, and Everett flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. It attacked into Magician of Faith, Duncan got back Confiscation, and Everett set a card to each zone.

Duncan flipped Heavy Storm! He summoned Mystic Tomato, and Everett had again given him an attack position Dekoichi to ram in to! Dekoichi went down, Duncan special summoned Sangan with the Tomato’s effect, attacked Everett’s set Magician of Faith, and Everett returned the Scapegoat back to his hand that he had lost to Heavy Storm. The match was moving at a lightning pace.

Confiscation hit the table again, and all Everett had was Magical Merchant and Scapegoat. Duncan discarded Merchant and passed. Everett drew, set a card to each zone, and ended.

Duncan summoned Tsukuyomi, turned Sangan up and down, destroyed another Dekoichi in battle with Tsukuyomi, and attacked directly with Sangan before passing.

Everett topped Chaos Sorcerer, and removed Sangan! He lost it next turn to Smashing Ground, and Duncan set a spell or trap. Everett used Confiscation, discarding Creature Swap, and passed. Duncan summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked, Everett flipped Scapegoat, and Tomato ate a Sheep. Everett passed, Duncan summoned Tsukuyomi, turned Tomato down, then up, and hit two Sheep. Everett set a card to each zone with one Sheep left, but lost his set back row card, Return from the Different Dimension, to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase. Tomato attacked his set monster, Sangan, and he used its effect to pull D. D. Warrior Lady.

It was 6000 to 6000.

Duncan set a card to each zone, continuing to develop his field as much as possible, and ended. Everett summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked Mystic Tomato, and removed both from play. He then activated Nobleman of Crossout, removed Duncan’s set Magician of Faith from the field, and all remaining copies were removed.

“I can read you,” said Everett. “I just can’t stop you.” He passed.

Duncan set a second spell or trap, Everett passed, Duncan passed, Everett passed, Duncan passed, and Everett set a monster. He lost it, Dekoichi, to Nobleman of Crossout on the next turn. Everett set a spell or trap, and play was to Duncan.

“How many in hand?” Everett had three cards in hand, while Duncan had four. Duncan summoned Shining Angel, attacked the last Sheep token, and announced that he was finished. Everett special summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked the Shining Angel, and Duncan special summoned another with its effect.

Duncan activated Snatch Steal, targeting Everett’s Cyber Dragon, but Everett chained Book of Moon to turn the Dragon face down. Duncan turned his Angel to defense position and passed.     

Everett flip summoned his Dragon and attacked Duncan’s Shining Angel, continuing to deplete Duncan’s reserves of potential field presence. Duncan pulled D. D. Warrior Lady with the Angel’s effect, special summoned it, and Everett passed with no back field. Duncan summoned Tsukuyomi, turned D. D. Warrior Lady face down, flipped her face up, activated Smashing Ground to destroy the Dragon, and attacked with the Lady and Tsukuyomi. Everett activated Heavy Storm, but Duncan chained Scapegoat! Everett special summoned another Cyber Dragon, set a spell or trap, hit a Sheep, and passed.

Duncan tributed a Sheep for Enemy Controller, took control of Cyber Dragon, attacked directly with it, and hit Everett’s life points. D. D. Warrior Lady swung, but was nailed by Sakuretsu Armor. Duncan tributed Cyber Dragon for one of his own, and set a spell or trap.

Everett special summoned another Dragon, tributed it for Jinzo, and attacked, but was bounced by Book of Moon, turning Jinzo face down. He set one spell or trap and ended. Duncan turned a Sheep to attack position, activated Creature Swap, and Everett cupped his face in his hands, trying to figure out what to do. It was 1300 to 5200: one attack through a Sheep would mean victory for Duncan.

Everett took his Sheep, Duncan got his set monster, and Cyber Dragon attacked — it was denied by Enemy Controller. Everett drew for his turn, turned his Sheep token to defense position, and passed. Duncan normal summoned Tsukuyomi, turned Cyber Dragon face down, flip summoned it, and special summoned Chaos Sorcerer. Everett had no way of stopping all the attacks, and scooped.

Kyle Duncan is just one duel away from winning Shonen Jump Championship gold with a non-Return deck! Both duelists set to side decking, and Duncan looked extremely confident.

Everett opened the second duel with a set card to each zone. Duncan summoned Shining Angel, attacked to reveal Spirit Reaper, and activated Smashing Ground to destroy it. He set a spell or trap, Everett set one too, and Duncan swung directly with the Angel for 1400 damage. Duncan set a monster and passed.

Dust Tornado flipped from Everett’s row and destroyed Duncan’s set Enemy Controller. Nobleman of Crossout destroyed Duncan’s set Shining Angel, and Everett passed. The first Angel attacked into Mirror Force, Duncan set a monster, and Everett shuffled his hand as he contemplated his turn. He set two back row cards to leave himself at three, and set a monster. “No Storm,” he said, almost begging fate to be kind.

Duncan flip summoned his Magician of Faith, took back Enemy Controller, and tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch: Everett flipped Torrential Tribute. Duncan set two back row cards and ended.

Everett passed, and Duncan slapped him with Sangan for 1000 damage. Everett set another monster, passed, Duncan summoned Shining Angel, attacked with it to destroy Everett’s set Sangan in battle, and Sangan fetched Everett Mystic Tomato. Duncan’s Sangan then attacked directly. Everett tried to activate Dust Tornado in the end phase, but was stopped cold by Royal Decree. He set a monster after drawing for his turn and passed.

Duncan summoned Cyber-Stein and activated its effect with priority to bring out Cyber End Dragon! Cyber End attacked, but Book of Moon turned it face down! Duncan attacked with Shining Angel, destroying Treeborn Frog, and Sangan and Cyber-Stein hit directly. It was 3000 to 2900, with Duncan just barely leading. Play passed to Everett.

He drew, and brought back his Treeborn Frog in defense. He activated Heavy Storm, destroying Royal Decree, but Duncan chained Enemy Controller to trade his Stein for the defense position Frog. Everett summoned Mystic Tomato, and attacked to destroy his own Frog. He passed.

Duncan flip summoned Cyber End Dragon, special summoned Chaos Sorcerer, and the crowd exploded! “I love you Kyle Duncan!” yelled Andrew Hayton, bursting through the barricades around the feature match area to hug the new champ. “Team Wildcats for life!”

“That’s not our team name, for reference,” noted an embarrassed, but thrilled Duncan.

“That’s Kyle the Cougar, right there!” shouted Hayton, as tournament officials removed him from the feature match area.

Kyle Duncan wins Shonen Jump Championship Philadelphia, capturing the gold for the Team Superfriends and Team X-Treme Alliance!