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Final Match:
Fili Luna versus Matt Hoey
Only two Duelists remain in this tournament! Matt Hoey is playing Synchro Cat, while Filiberto Luna just came off a big win over Dale Bellido with Blackwings! Synchro Cat won both the Canadian and U.S. National Championships, while Blackwings won the World Championship last weekend. A win here would be a huge success for Matt Hoey, while victory for Filiberto Luna would mean another SHONEN JUMP Championship title. In mere minutes we’d have a result.
Luna opened the match with “Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame,” “Allure of Darkness,” “Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North,” “Solemn Judgment,” and two copies of “Blackwing - Bora the Spear.” He activated Allure, drew Shura and another Solemn, and removed Shura for Allure’s effect. He Set both copies of Solemn, summoned Shura, and ended. Hoey Set a monster, set two Spell or Trap Cards, and ended.
Luna drew “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He attacked with Shura, smacked into Ryko, and Hoey destroyed Shura while sending two copies of “Summoner Monk” and his “Doomcaliber Knight” to his Graveyard! Luna Set a third Spell or Trap Card, then ended.
Hoey Normal Summoned “X-Saber Airbellum.” He attacked with it, and Luna had to discard one copy of Bora. Luna flipped “Mystical Space Typhoon” in the End Phase and destroyed Hoey’s bluffed “Pot of Avarice.”
He drew “Black Whirlwind” and summoned Bora to search out “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind.” He attacked with Bora, destroyed Airbellum, and dished out 100 damage. He ended, and Hoey threw down a second copy of “Pot of Avarice”! He had exactly five monsters in his Graveyard. Luna chained Solemn, Hoey chained his own, and Luna chained another. Hoey snapped into action.
“If I show you “Rescue Cat” and “Mind Control” will you scoop?” Hoey only had two cards left in hand.
“I think I have to” replied Luna, who had no defense left on the field.
Hoey flashed his last two cards: “Rescue Cat” and “Mind Control”! Luna conceded and went straight for his Side Deck. Play began moments later. Matt Hoey, who has never managed to make Day 2 before, is now one game away from winning a SHONEN JUMP Championship!
Luna started Duel 2 with “Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame,” “Trap Dustshoot,” “Royal Oppression,” “Icarus Attack,” “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn,” “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind.” He Normal Summoned Shura, Set all the Trap Cards and ended. He fired off Dustshoot next turn to reveal Hoey’s hand of “Mystic Tomato,” “Rescue Cat”, “Summoner Monk,” “Pot of Avarice,” and two “Book of Moon.” He sent back the Tomato. It was the one card there that his Oppression couldn’t stop. Hoey Set what was presumably a “Book of Moon.”
Luna Special Summoned Blackwing – Gale, and Tributed it for Sirocco. He attacked for 3800 damage total, then activated “Monster Reborn” to bring back Gale. It seemed like he was trying to get Hoey to burn that “Book of Moon,” so he could then Tribute Gale later for “Icarus Attack.” If he did that, he’d effectively nab a free card out of the trade. Hoey went for it and flipped Book to turn down Gale.
Hoey Summoned Cat. ““Royal Oppression”?” He knew it was coming, and Luna flipped it to negate the Cat’s effect. Hoey Set another Spell or Trap Card. Luna Tributed his Gale next turn for “Icarus Attack,” destroying his own Oppression and Hoey’s second “Book of Moon,” and Summoned another Shura for game!
Both competitors did more Side Decking, and both Duelists were eager to get to Game 3! 
“Come on, baby!” shouted Luna, thumping on the table. Hoey opened with a Set monster, two Set Spell or Trap Cards, and ended. Luna had “Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame,” “Solemn Judgment,” “Threatening Roar,” “Black Whirlwind,” “Royal Oppression,” and “Icarus Attack.” He Set all five of his Spell and Trap Cards, and set Shura.
Hoey laughed. ““Morphing Jar”? Noooo… You’ve got an Icarus down. What’s the defense on those beastly monsters?” He Flip Summoned “Sangan,” responded with his own “Torrential Tribute,” and destroyed Luna’s face-down Shura. “Sangan” got Hoey “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” and he Set a monster after shuffling his hand. Luna drew “Blackwing - Bora the Spear.”
Luna attacked and slammed into Hoey’s “Gravekeeper's Guard”! Bora got bounced and Luna ended. Hoey Set another monster, Luna flipped “Black Whirlwind” (he’d forgotten to flip it last turn), and Normal Summoned Bora again. That got him “Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow.” Bora attacked into “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” and Luna lost his “Threatening Roar,” while Hoey sent “Solemn Judgment,” “Summoner Monk,” and “Monster Reborn” to his Graveyard for Ryko’s effect. Luna ended.
““Rescue Cat,”” announced Hoey, summoning it. Luna spent some time thinking very carefully about his response. He still had “Solemn Judgment” Set as well as “Royal Oppression.” Hoey activated the Cat’s effect, Luna responded with “Royal Oppression,” Hoey chained “Solemn Judgment,” and Luna chained his own!
Hoey Chained another Solemn, dropping to 1600 Life Points! Luna had one more Set card left (“Icarus Attack”), and Hoey brought out “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther” and “X-Saber Airbellum.” Hoey Synchro Summoned “Arcanite Magician,” activated its effect to place its Spell Counters, and Luna Chained “Icarus Attack” to Arcanite’s first effect to clear the field! Hoey offered the handshake.
Luna exploded up off the table and started screaming! He just couldn’t believe that he’d won again. “FOUR! FOUUUUUR! THANK YOU GAAAAWWWWWWD!” The crowd erupted into both applause and laughter as Luna did a little dance and continued screaming with joy.
After a year of tough showings Filiberto Luna is now the world’s first four-time Shonen Jump Champion!reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
