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The next day, when You Xuan returned to the Dueling Dojo, everything felt different.
It wasn't just about how he himself had changed. Of course, after winning the championship, he could clearly feel that everyone's gaze toward him had shifted. The moment he stepped through the door, someone shouted something, and then a swarm of people rushed over to worship the newly crowned champion…
...But it wasn't just that.
When You Xuan entered the dueling arena, he immediately noticed that the atmosphere here was completely different from when he first arrived.
During his initial visit, the duels here gave off the vibe of an old-school "Axe Warrior Brawl" environment. It wasn't exactly a "you-go-I-go" style, but the main strategy revolved around both sides summoning stronger and stronger monsters to overpower their opponent.
But today, as soon as he walked in…
Apprentice A: "My turn, draw! I set four cards face-down, end my turn!"
Apprentice B: "What?! Four face-downs on the first turn?! Don't get cocky! My turn, draw! I set five cards face-down, end my turn!"
"..."
Similar scenes were playing out across multiple duel arenas simultaneously.
Just a week ago, when You Xuan first arrived, setting up defensive plays without summoning monsters during the opening turns would have been mocked for poor deck-building.
Now, suddenly, it seemed to have become the norm.
The entire style of dueling had taken on a bizarre twist. Often, one side would pass their turn after setting three backrow cards, and the opponent would reciprocate with three or four face-downs of their own.
Then both sides would just stare at each other, often waiting several turns before one side cautiously placed a monster on the field—only for it to be instantly obliterated by traps or spells in the opponent's backrow. Afterward, they'd continue their staring contest…
It was like a mutual prison-style game. The mentality was: "I'm not playing this game today, but neither are you."
You Xuan: "..."
These brothers had clearly fallen into some strange misconceptions.
Trap-heavy Beatdown decks (often referred to as "Trap Beat") were indeed a classic archetype in Yu-Gi-Oh! that had stood the test of time. However, the essence of Trap Beat wasn't just about spamming traps.
At its core, the so-called "traps" were meant to act as disruption tools—cards capable of interrupting the opponent's plays and halting their momentum. But these were merely defensive strategies. On top of defense, players still needed to rely on monster attacks ("Beatdown") to secure victory.
In simpler terms, it required a balance of offense and defense.
This deck-building philosophy aimed for a compact main monster lineup that combined aggressive pressure, sustainability, and consistency, all while leaving room for plenty of trap cards to disrupt the opponent.
Even in heavy trap decks, the essence remained resource exchange—creating advantages for yourself. Building a deck purely for the sake of traps was nothing more than a psychological gimmick, lacking both reasonability and real combat effectiveness.
That was why, despite everyone knowing how powerful traps could be, not every competitive deck maxed out on them. Some decks simply didn't synergize well with traps, while others couldn't afford to sacrifice so many slots for unrelated cards.
Deck-building was a nuanced art. While early-era decks were destined to become obsolete, many competitive principles remained timeless. Even in today's era of hyper-speed gameplay, many of these fundamental concepts still applied.
Clearly, the dojo's apprentices hadn't realized the flaws in their approach. They only saw how You Xuan had crushed opponents with traps and won the championship, so they concluded: "Traps are OP."
In just one week, the previously lively and energetic atmosphere of the dojo had turned dark and oppressive.
You Xuan reflected inwardly.
Could this really be his fault?
"By the way, You Xuan!"
One apprentice suddenly remembered something and called out.
"The master said to come find him if you arrived."
"Alright, got it."
You Xuan nodded, though he couldn't help but feel uneasy. The phrasing sounded eerily similar to a teacher saying, "Come to my office after school."
Could it be that the old man was unhappy with the sudden surge of toxic, stall-heavy playstyles spreading throughout the dojo?
But You Xuan thought about it—wasn't like he directly taught them that…
...Well, at least not intentionally.
With doubts swirling in his mind, he passed through the main hall and headed to the back area. There, he found Master Takeuchi already seated cross-legged, eyes closed as if meditating. Upon hearing You Xuan's approach, the master opened his eyes slightly and revealed a faint, content smile.
"You're here."
"I'm here."
Seeing that the master seemed to be in a good mood, You Xuan relaxed and sat down in front of him.
"Congratulations on your victory," Master Takeuchi said.
"All thanks to your guidance, Master," You Xuan replied politely.
But Master Takeuchi chuckled and shook his head. "Hah, you're quite humble. But we both know that your current level isn't something I could've taught you."
He paused, lifting his eyelids to carefully examine You Xuan.
"You're different now. I can feel it," he said slowly. "I don't know what kind of extraordinary experience you've had, but I can tell you're no longer an ordinary duelist like the rest of us."
This statement intrigued You Xuan.
He had heard that warriors and assassins could instinctively recognize their kind in a crowd, possibly due to some kind of "killing intent" or aura… but could duelists have something similar?
If so, what would it be called? "Card Aura"?
But You Xuan thought to himself—he was just a time traveler?, and in his previous life, he was at best an amateur enthusiast, not a professional. In this world full of cheat powers and supernatural abilities, he didn't possess any external advantages or hidden spirits. How could anyone sense a difference in his aura?
"In fact, I am not the first master of this dojo," Master Takeuchi began, slipping into reminiscence mode. "The master before me... he was truly a formidable duelist."
"He dedicated his life to spreading the dojo's ideals, nurturing talented duelists among the younger generation, and searching for someone worthy of inheriting the school's legacy."
"But..."
He sighed deeply.
"One fateful duel... I don't know who the opponent was, and the master refused to speak of it to anyone. All I know is that he seemed to have lost that match."
"It was after that duel that he fell ill and was hospitalized. Despite numerous medical examinations, no one could pinpoint the cause of his condition. His health continued to deteriorate…"
"...Until he eventually fell into a coma, where he remains to this day, never waking up."
You Xuan frowned slightly as he listened.
This sounded eerily similar to the legendary "Dark Duels."
At this point, you might ask: Can someone really die from playing a card game?
Well, that's where the unique nature of the Yu-Gi-Oh! world comes into play. Dark Duels were practically omnipotent. Not only could they kill, but they could also capture souls, manipulate minds, and turn losers into puppets, contorting them into all sorts of grotesque forms.
This was why, even in the realm of the extraordinary, being exceptionally skilled at dueling made one an absolute king.
However, if this really was a Dark Duel, based on the description, the fact that the master managed to survive for a while before falling into a coma suggested that the opposing Dark Duelist wasn't particularly strong—even by the standards of the original anime.
"Before falling into his coma, the master passed the position of dojo head to me, along with a rare card representing our school's legacy and symbol of inheritance."
"But I knew deep down that I lacked the talent and qualifications to inherit such power. So I sealed away the deck, just as the previous master had done, and resolved to search for a young person worthy of carrying on the tradition..."
Master Takeuchi let out a long sigh, slowly turning to face You Xuan.
"...Until today."