In 2004, a seemingly useless but actually quite impactful card was born in the competitive environment.
Its name is the [Temple Guardian].
Four-Star, Defense Power 1900. Its effect is that as long as it is on the field, the opponent cannot draw cards outside of the draw phase.
Seeing this card, it's natural to think of the "Pot of Greed," which was not banned at the time and was almost universally included as a highly versatile piece. It seemed to have some practical value, but not much. So initially, its evaluation as a single card was mediocre and did not have much opportunity to be included in mainstream decks.
Until the birth of a deck completely revolving around it.
This was the card deck that demolished the Temple Guardian's hand.
The idea was simple. Just keep the Temple Guardian on the field and activate a card replacement effect that forces the opponent to discard their hand without being able to draw new cards, causing the opponent to self-destruct naturally.
Just like Yugen did in this duel.
At first glance, it seems that you only need to have a "Handwriting Erasure" and a "Temple Guardian" at the same time to achieve the combo. As long as the Temple Guardian is on the field, using the eraser forces the opponent to discard all cards in hand and prevents them from drawing new ones.
However, the fact is not so simple. Because when the Temple Guardian is on the field, effects that allow the opponent to draw cards cannot be activated, including "Handwriting Erasure." So if you summon the Temple Guardian first, the eraser cannot be activated.
But this didn't pose a problem for the underworld seniors pursuing the thrill of social revenge back then.
If the Temple Guardian can't be activated while on the field, just activate the eraser first and then summon the Temple Guardian, no problem!
Activate Handwriting Erasure first and then chain it with a speed 2 trap like "Call of the Living Dead" to revive the Temple Guardian from the graveyard before the effect resolves. This way, when the effect resolves, the opponent must discard all cards and cannot draw any, directly ending them.
Or use a card with a similar draw effect like "Transformation Pot" to achieve the combo.
In fact, this card deck was mainly for entertainment, with competitive ability, but not strong compared to the chaotic contemporaries. But it was primarily about fun.
Of course, it's not hard to imagine that this deck could easily turn from card games to real-life confrontations. Especially when you're starting with a god draw in the first turn and the opponent hasn't even done anything, leaving their hand completely empty, the next step may involve rolling up sleeves...
Sure enough, as Yugen just packed away the Duel Disc, the Silent Magician floated out in spirit form, holding her Magic Staff protectively by her master's side.
Even she instinctively felt that, after such a duel, her master might get hit.
Especially since the opponent was a wild, muscular brute, a Super Soldier Level savage who could tear down rolling shutter doors with his hands. After a fit of rage, coming up with fists wasn't out of the question.
However, that didn't happen. After the game, Taira Oyama collapsed to the ground, and the cards in his Duel Disc scattered everywhere, attracting passersby who might think he'd just lost a Dark Duel.
Well, his current expression - with blank eyes and a collapsed faith - certainly resembled someone who'd lost a Dark Duel.
"This isn't right, duels aren't supposed to be like this..."
He muttered to himself.
"Duels are supposed to be about drawing cards, drawing cards is the truth. This isn't how it's supposed to be..."
"...What have I been doing this past year?"
Hayato found it hard to watch.
Oh dear, another one has lost it.
Yugen's Victim Association member +1.
Poor savage, isolated from the world for a year, entirely immersed in his world. If only he had come to the Academy for a couple of months, at least he'd be somewhat prepared for the strange current atmosphere and not question life like this...
But forget about Oyama, even looking at these games, Hayato was feeling a bit doubtful himself.
The savage brother had trained to such a level but still couldn't escape the torment from vengeful people, what does the future of this Academy hold...
Only Judai remains as always.
"Awesome! What an interesting duel, such cool tactics exist, Yugen is so strong! Of course, you're also strong, you both are amazing, haha..."
The savage brother looked at this Jellyfish Head, feeling life had no meaning.
Interesting? What's interesting?
Why don't I feel it...
"But I think your thinking is a bit off. Duels and drawing cards have nothing to do with nature." Judai stepped forward and said, "Your card drawing is indeed amazing, but how should I say this..."
He frowned, pondering his words.
"Ah, I'm not good with words. But I feel that you're always emphasizing things like merging with nature, becoming a part of the world, but that's not how it is. Such duels are boring, right?
Every draw a Duelist makes is like opening up a new world with their own hands, every draw is creating the future. Rather than merging into the world, it's more like you're creating it yourself.
Instead of thinking about all those messy things, why not immerse yourself in the duel itself. Anticipate the miracles that might come with the next draw, then you can't stop the excitement, that's the true essence of a duel, right?"
Oyama Oyama blankly asked, "Is...Is that how it is?"
If it were ten minutes ago, the confident him would have scoffed at Judai's theory, firmly believing that he had found the correct path.
But after experiencing the deep sense of powerlessness in the just-finished duel, he wasn't so sure anymore.
He even couldn't help but question in his heart -
— Maybe I've really trained wrong and taken the wrong path?
Yugen: "..."
Hmm, indeed, naturally gifted players and those who achieve through hard work have their theories.
Yugen naturally had little insight into the art of divine drawing and didn't dare assert anything randomly. But judging by this theory, it seemed that Judai's divine drawing emphasized freedom of the heart.
Compared to Oyama's training, there was no clear purpose. He wouldn't go out of his way to think about what card to draw or not, even in dire situations wouldn't consider, "If only I drew XXX now, I could turn the tables."
Judai's main strategy is to let the card deck play freely. Perhaps in his view, drawing with too much purpose loses the thrill and anticipation that dueling gives him. Precisely because he doesn't know what the next card will be, he gets excited.
If this is true, then Judai and the previous Duel King Atom might be on different paths. In the Battle Ceremony, Atom's divine draw was a typical "calling what comes," while Judai went full throttle with the steering wheel left to chance...
But this was just Yugen's current personal speculation. His knowledge of divine drawing was still limited, and he still had much to learn.
"Of course, that's how it is!"
Judai was pretty confident in his theory, patting Oyama on the shoulder and speaking cheerfully.
"Yugen thinks so too, right?"
Yugen: "...Is that so?"
"See, he thinks so too." Judai earnestly told Oyama.
Yugen: "..."
Fine, let's say it is that way.
Judai, as long as you're happy.