Chapter 192: Jaden's Godly Draw Lesson
Chapter 192: Jaden's Godly Draw Lesson
In 2004, a sinister card was born that, at first glance, seemed rather innocuous but soon caused quite a stir when introduced into the competitive scene.
Its name was Temple Guardian.
A four-star card with a defense score of 1900, its effect prevented the opponent from drawing cards outside of their draw phase as long as it remained on the field.
Naturally, this card drew comparisons to the infamous "Jar of Greed," a highly versatile and once-ubiquitous accessory before it was banned. It seemed to have some practical value but not overly so, and thus initially, it wasn't considered a top-tier card and didn't find its way into mainstream deck builds.
That is, until a deck emerged that revolved entirely around it.
The Temple Hand Destruction deck.
The strategy was simple: keep Temple Guardian on the field and then activate a card that replaced your hand, forcing your opponent to discard their hand but unable to draw new cards. This would leave them in a dire situation, as demonstrated by You Xuan in this duel.
At first glance, it seemed that all one needed was to have both "Card Destruction" and "Temple Guardian" in their hand to achieve this combo. With Temple Guardian on the field, activating Card Destruction would force the opponent to discard their entire hand without the ability to draw new cards.
However, it wasn't that simple. With Temple Guardian on the field, effects that caused the opponent to draw cards, including Card Destruction, couldn't be activated. So, if you summoned Temple Guardian first, you couldn't activate Card Destruction.
But this didn't deter the veteran players of that time, who were always seeking new ways to exact revenge on their opponents.
If you couldn't activate Temple Guardian while Card Destruction was on the field, why not activate Card Destruction first and then summon Temple Guardian? By activating Card Destruction and then chaining a second-speed trap like "Call of the Haunted" during the resolution of its effect, you could special summon Temple Guardian from the graveyard. This would result in your opponent discarding their entire hand without the ability to draw new cards, essentially sealing their fate.
Alternatively, the combo could be achieved using "Morphing Jar," which had a similar card-drawing effect.
This deck was primarily designed for entertainment, and while it had some competitive potential, it wasn't overly powerful during the era of Chaos. Nonetheless, it brought joy to those who played it.
Of course, it was easy to foresee that this deck could quickly escalate from a card game to a physical altercation. Especially when you started your turn with an ideal hand, going first and wiping your opponent's hand clean on the very first turn—the next step might involve rolling up your sleeves.
As You Xuan put away his Duel Disk, Silent Magician, ever vigilant, appeared in her spirit form, floating protectively beside her master, staff in hand.
Even she seemed to instinctively sense that her master might be in for a beating after this duel.
Especially considering their opponent was a rugged, muscular barbarian, a super-soldier capable of tearing down rolling shutters with his bare hands. In his rage, it was entirely possible for him to resort to fisticuffs.
However, that didn't come to pass. Upon losing the duel, Big Mountain simply fell flat on his face, and the cards from his Duel Disk scattered across the floor, making him look to passersby like he had just lost a Shadow Game.
Indeed, his vacant stare and expression of shattered faith did resemble that of someone who had lost a Shadow Game.
"It's not supposed to be like this," he muttered. "Duels are about drawing cards. Drawing cards is the truth. This isn't right..."
"What have I been doing this past year?"
Hayato couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity.
Bad. Another one bites the dust.
+1 member for the You Xuan Victims Association.
Poor Wild Man had isolated himself for an entire year, completely engrossed in his own world.
Only Jaden remained unchanged.
"Goodness! That was an interesting duel. What a brilliant strategy! You're both so strong! Well done!" Jaden exclaimed enthusiastically.
Brother Wild Man looked at him with a deadpan expression.
"Interesting?" he asked flatly. "Where was it interesting?"
"I don't know," Jaden admitted. "But I think your perspective is a bit off. Dueling and drawing cards have nothing to do with nature." Jaden stepped forward and continued, "Your card-drawing skills are indeed impressive, but let me explain."
He furrowed his brows, thinking carefully and choosing his words.
"I'm not very good with words," he began, "but I feel that you always emphasize becoming one with nature and being a part of the universe. But that's not what dueling is about. It's not supposed to be like that—it would make duels so boring.
Each time a duelist draws a card, it's like creating a new world, forging a future. Instead of merging with the world, it's more like you're creating your own.
Rather than focusing on all that confusing stuff, immerse yourself in the duel itself. Anticipate the miracles that each draw might bring, and let that excitement fuel your entire being. That's the true essence of dueling, isn't it?"
Big Mountain looked at him blankly. "Is that how it is?"
If this conversation had taken place ten minutes earlier, the confident Big Mountain would have scoffed at Jaden's theory and remained steadfast in his belief that his own path was the correct one.
However, after experiencing the profound powerlessness of his recent duel, he was no longer so sure.
A nagging doubt crept into his mind—
"Have I really been practicing the wrong skill? Have I taken the wrong path?"
You Xuan: "..."
Indeed, it seemed that innate talent and those who cultivated their skills through hard work each had their own unique perspectives.
You Xuan's understanding of the divine draw was still shallow, and he dared not make arbitrary judgments. But from what he had heard so far, Jaden's theory seemed to emphasize a sense of freedom and spontaneity in his divine draws.
Unlike Big Mountain's disciplined training, Jaden did not have a clear purpose. He didn't deliberately think about which cards he wanted to draw or avoid. Even when faced with challenges, he didn't strategize by thinking, "If I draw card XXX now, I can turn the situation around."
Jaden's approach was to let his card deck do as it pleased. Perhaps, in his opinion, drawing cards with a specific purpose took away the excitement and anticipation that dueling brought him. It was the unknown nature of the next card that thrilled him.
If this were the case, then Jaden and the previous King of Games, Atem, might have followed different paths. Atem, who had mastered the art of dueling in the Battle City, was a prime example of "calling it and getting it." In contrast, Jaden was more like a race car driver flooring the accelerator and leaving the steering to fate.
However, these were merely You Xuan's initial speculations, as his understanding of the divine draw was still evolving, and he had much to learn.
"Of course, that's how it is!" Jaden exuded confidence in his theory, patting Big Mountain's shoulder cheerfully.
"You Xuan thinks so, too, don't you?" Jaden asked.
You Xuan: "..."
"See? He agrees," Jaden asserted to Big Mountain.
You Xuan: "..."
Well, let's go with that then.
As long as you're happy, Jaden.
(End of Chapter)
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