"Ahhh, I lost!"
Lua sat cross-legged on the ground, rubbing his head.
Glasses Student beside him said, "That's what I told you, Lua. You don't think enough during your duels. The teacher said that a duel isn't just about setting up your own tactics; you also need to understand your opponent's tactical setup.
"If you keep relying on instinct, just playing wherever your thoughts take you, it won't last."
Lua looked troubled. "But having to use my brain in duels is exhausting."
Kira imitated Godwin, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked up to Lua with a faint smile.
"No, perhaps it's best if you stay just as you are."
Lua's eyes lit up. "Really!?"
"Mm." Kira smiled. "Dueling like you do, relying solely on instinct and entrusting victory or defeat entirely to the Deck itself, can also be a form of trust.
"If you trust your Deck enough, your Deck will respond to you."
Kira was not just talking nonsense. There was real basis for it.
Back when Judai had been Lua's age, he had not necessarily been as good at dueling as he was now. Kira could tell that the strength of gifted players like this would grow by the day. Even if they did nothing, they would automatically become stronger every day.
Perhaps that was what people called genius.
Though Judai and Yusei were protagonists of two different generations and shared the rather mystical trait of "believing in the heart of the cards," they were generally different types of duelists.
Although Yusei could also God Draw, he did not rely on it often. He preferred setting up tactics, defeating opponents through precise calculations and elegant combos. In the anime, one could even occasionally see him engage opponents in psychological warfare, layering schemes upon schemes against