《Hidden Class: Card Slinger [VRMMORPG, Deckbuilding LitRPG]》


 Prologue

    Deckard rounded the corner and threw a quick glance over his shoulder. Griff was still on his tail. Deckard¡¯s mind raced, thinking of an escape. His house wasn''t anywhere near here. He¡¯d take the shortcut through the alley and make it to the mall. The guards there wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to him. At least, that was the hope.


    As soon as Deckard turned the corner, out of Griff¡¯s line of sight, he sprinted. Leaving the main road and the safety of a crowd to cut through a dark alley didn''t feel like the most brilliant move, but Deckard didn¡¯t hesitate. It was his best shot.


    He burst into the alley, where the dim light barely reached, casting long, eerie shadows against the graffiti-streaked walls. The only sounds were of his feet splashing in the puddles and his heart drumming in his ears. The air smelled of damp concrete and decay. He was almost there.


    A sharp pain exploded in Deckard¡¯s stomach and knocked the wind out of him. Blinking away tears and gasping for air, he looked up to see Tank grinning down at him, arms crossed and legs planted like tree trunks.


    Should¡¯ve known, Deckard thought grimly.


    Before he could get to his feet, Griff arrived, grinning as he hauled Deckard up by his collar and slammed him against the rough brick wall. ¡°Cough it up, Dexie.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Griff?¡± Deckard rasped.


    ¡°The rare card! The one worth 100 credits.¡±


    100?! Was that how much Pete said Trampling Stampede was worth?! What a sore loser. No wonder these two had come chasing after him.


    ¡°Even if I had something like that, do you think after all these years being bullied that I''d be dumb enough to carry something that valuable?¡± Deckard shot back, trying to keep his voice steady despite the pain.


    ¡°Search his bag, Tank,¡± Griff ordered.


    Tank grunted and grabbed Deckard¡¯s bag, roughly flipping it upside down. Books and papers spilled out, scattering across the dirty alley floor. Deckard grinned to himself despite the fear gnawing at him.


    He never carried his cards on days when his mom couldn¡¯t pick him up from school. He never wore glasses on those days either, opting for contacts instead. Habits gained from a lifetime of being bullied. Let them search; they¡¯d find nothing, and he¡¯d have pristine glasses to wear tomorrow.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here,¡± Tank growled as he rifled through the contents.


    ¡°No way!¡± Griff said, his hands moving quickly to pat down Deckard¡¯s jacket pockets. ¡°Where is that stupid card?¡±


    ¡°I told you already,¡± Deckard said slowly, enunciating every word. ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Have. It.¡±


    A sharp whistle blew, grating the ears and echoing off the walls of the alley. ¡°You two! Stop right there!¡±


    Two people approached, running. One of them was a kid their age, taller than Griff and Tank, and the other was an older man in a blue uniform.


    ¡°Over there, officer! Those are the two that were talking about bombing the city hall! Quick!¡± the younger voice said.


    ¡°Where on earth did Andy find a cop?¡± Tank said, baffled.


    ¡°Shut up and run, Tank!¡± Griff barked, taking off without a second glance. Tank hesitated only for a moment before bolting after his friend.


    As the officer gave chase, his belly jiggling with every step, Deckard did the quick math. With those two jerks being on the athletics team and the officer¡­ well, not, it was obvious they¡¯d get away. But for now, at least, he was safe.


    Andy jogged over and knelt to help Deckard gather his scattered belongings. ¡°Those jerks! I thought they¡¯d stopped bugging you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was before Pete started running his mouth about the epic card I pulled last week. Now they see me as if I were a bank or something.¡±


    ¡°How did Pete even find out about your Trampling Stampede?¡±


    Deckard smirked. ¡°I challenged him for his Invisible Shield.¡±


    Andy chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°You took the card to school? And bet Pete? Maybe you did deserve a couple of those punches.¡±


    ¡°Well worth it. You should¡¯ve seen that weasel¡¯s face when I took his precious card.¡±


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    Finally, they finished stuffing everything into Deckard''s bag and started walking out of the alley.


    ¡°How did you know they were after me?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°I spotted them trailing you. It didn¡¯t seem right, so I figured I¡¯d follow.¡±


    ¡°What about the policeman?¡±


    Andy laughed. ¡°I found him writing traffic tickets down the street.¡±


    ¡°You lucky duck,¡± Deckard grinned, but something about Andy¡¯s expression made him pause. ¡°Why are you so smug today? It¡¯s not just because you played the hero,¡± Deckard said, narrowing his eyes.


    Andy¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve saved me from bullies before, but something¡¯s different today. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Andy looked around, checking to make sure they were alone, and then slowly reached into his pocket. ¡°Check it out, Dex.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s heart skipped a beat as Andy pulled out a card. His hands trembled as he took it from Andy, the weight of it almost too much to bear. ¡°No¡­ It can¡¯t be,¡± he whispered, his voice shaking.


    Andy shrugged, failing to hide his smug grin. ¡°Got it yesterday. I was waiting for the right time to tell you.¡±


    Deckard turned the card over in his hand, revealing the intricate holographic animation of the legendary Tiger Warrior. An armored tiger with glowing red eyes stood majestically, its claws digging into the ground as if ready to pounce. The tiger¡¯s fur shimmered with gold, and every muscle seemed alive as it prepared to strike. On the back, the Nova Cardia logo gleamed.


    For a moment, all Deckard could do was stare. Envy gnawed at him, but it was drowned out by a genuine thrill for his friend. ¡°I think you¡¯re the first person in school to get a legendary card,¡± he finally said, handing the card back with a grin.


    ¡°Too bad it won¡¯t make me more popular with girls,¡± Andy joked, though Deckard could hear the false modesty. Plenty of girls already liked Andy, and both of them knew it.


    Deckard shook his head, smiling. ¡°I¡¯d trade places with you in a heartbeat if I could get a card like that¡ªeven if it meant all the girls in school would hate me. Imagine having it for the school tournament! You¡¯re going to win it, no question.¡±


    ¡°Unless I don¡¯t draw it,¡± Andy replied, a flicker of worry passing through his eyes.


    ¡°Hmm, I suppose you¡¯re right. Even the best card in the world is useless if it¡¯s at the bottom of the deck.¡±


    Andy paused, his eyes lighting up. ¡°Wait a minute¡­ I just thought of something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The reward for winning the tournament is a full box, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so?¡±


    ¡°Fifty packs, Dex. Fifty!¡±


    ¡°I know how many packs are in a box, Andy.¡±


    ¡°Instead of entering the tournament separately, maybe we should combine our best cards and build an unbeatable deck. We¡¯d dominate the whole school with my Tiger Warrior and your Trampling Stampede. That way, even if one of us doesn¡¯t draw the Tiger Warrior, we still have a good chance of winning. Then we can split the packs between us. What do you think?¡±


    Deckard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That''s genius!¡±


    For a moment, the two friends walked in silence, imagining how great it would be to have 25 extra packs of cards. With Deckard''s allowance, he could only buy one pack a week, and that was only because Andy¡¯s dad gave him the friends-and-family discount.


    They stepped out of the dark alley and back onto the busy streets. Deckard''s mind was settled. ¡°Let''s do this, Andy. Can you come over to my house? I¡¯ll give you all my cards, or if you¡¯re willing to wait until Wednesday, my mom will take me and pick me up from school. It should be safe to bring the cards then.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Andy shook his head with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to play.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Andy held out the legendary card to him again. ¡°You¡¯re the one who''ll play and get us that box.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who drew it. You should be the one playing,¡± Deckard protested.


    ¡°I might have the strongest card, but you¡¯re the better player, Dex. You¡¯ve always been better at building decks.¡±


    Deckard hesitated, glancing in the direction Griff and Tank had fled, doubt gnawing at him. ¡°If those two realize I have a legendary card, I¡¯ll be dead meat.¡±


    Andy slapped him on the back, making Deckard stagger slightly. ¡°Quit the nonsense. I¡¯ve got your back.¡±


    Deckard chuckled despite himself. It was true¡ªsince they¡¯d become friends last year, bullies had mostly left him alone. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°Great! Start thinking about the best possible deck we can assemble with our cards. I''m already late to help my dad at the store, but I¡¯ll come over tonight with my other cards, and we can do some mock battles.¡±


    ¡°Oh, man! We¡¯re going to be invincible!¡±


    Andy chuckled, fist-bumping him. ¡°What are you talking about, dude? We already are.¡±


    As Andy left, Deckard watched him go. He couldn¡¯t wait to get home and start building the ultimate deck. His mind was already racing with ideas, different combinations, and strategies.


    Clutching the legendary card close to his chest, he broke into a run, eager to prepare their game plan.


    *


    After hours of trying different combinations, Deckard narrowed it down to three possible decks. He knew most of Andy''s cards by heart, but it was different to write a decklist and actually play with it.


    Andy would bring his collection of cards over at any moment, and they could test the decks out. He couldn¡¯t wait to show his ideas to his friend.


    The sound of the phone ringing barely registered as Deckard focused on the legendary Tiger Warrior card, admiring its artwork.


    There was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Deckard called, still focused on the card.


    His mother entered, her eyes red and swollen. Deckard jolted upright, alarmed by her expression. ¡°Mom, are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond immediately, sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor.


    Deckard¡¯s stomach twisted into a painful knot. ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°Honey¡­ I¡­¡± Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath. ¡°Andy was on his way to his father''s store, and a truck¡­ it lost control. He¡­ there was nothing the doctors could do.¡±


    The world froze. Deckard¡¯s mind refused to process the words. ¡°No. He¡¯s coming over. We¡¯re going to play cards.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey. Andy is gone.¡±


    The sentence stunned Deckard. Andy died while he was on his way to his dad''s store. That was after they talked.


    The Tiger Warrior fell from Deckard¡¯s hand, landing on the floor face up. Tears clouded Deckard¡¯s vision as he looked down. The legendary card lay on the floor, its once vibrant glow dimming under the weight of a loss no deck could ever replace.

 Ch. 1 - Server Shutdown

    Sixteen Years Later...


    Cards flew across the room.


    Swish!


    The four of hearts arced through the air in a graceful U-shaped curve, dipping near the floor before lifting just enough to narrowly miss the target.


    Swish!


    The three of hearts flew in a straight line and barely landed in the box.


    Deckard didn¡¯t react. He knew he wouldn¡¯t beat his old record, even if he managed to get every remaining card into the box. By now, he was just practicing trick shots, trying to keep his hands busy while his mind wandered. As he prepared to throw the next card, a notification popped up on his computer screen.


    Match found!


    "Finally! They really need to work on these queue times. It¡¯s getting worse every day."


    Deckard cracked his neck, settling into his chair as his opponent''s tag appeared on the screen.


    Murky.


    He recognized this player. The last time they¡¯d faced off, he¡¯d played a Navy Aggro deck. I¡¯ll need Black Hole or Make it Rain to survive the first salvo, Deckard thought. But who knows? He might switch things up this time.


    Five cards appeared on the screen. Deckard¡¯s eyes lingered on the Tiger Warrior. It wasn¡¯t an ideal card to draw in the opening hand, but as usual, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to mulligan it. He chose three other cards to shuffle back into the deck and received three new ones in return. Among them were Marble Statue and Stasis¡ªperfect for defense.


    The screen flickered.


    Error!


    Deckard''s heart sank as the game froze. "Not this again. How am I supposed to prepare for Worlds like this?" he muttered, frustration rising. He forced the program to shut down and rebooted it.


    But by the time he reconnected, a gut-wrenching message awaited him.


    Connection timed out. You¡¯ve lost the game.


    Deckard pushed away from the desk, his frustration boiling over. The bugs, the long queues¡ªit was all becoming unbearable. He closed the game and opened his browser, navigating to the official homepage. Maybe there was an announcement about server issues.


    As the page loaded, a warning message appeared.


    Dear Nova Cardia players,


    It¡¯s been a beautiful 17 years together. We want to thank all of you for supporting us for so long and playing our game. Despite our best efforts to keep the game interesting, the player base has decreased tremendously, and we¡¯re being forced to pull the plug on our game.


    Deckard froze, reading the rest of the message in a daze. His heart sank with each word. The game was shutting down.


    Seventeen years¡­ over 6,000 cards, he thought numbly. I knew every single one. And now, it¡¯s all just¡­ gone?


    He removed his glasses, rubbing his temples as a headache began to form. The world felt like it was collapsing around him. Nova Cardia had been more than just a game; it had been his life, his connection to Andy, his escape. And now, it was slipping through his fingers.


    He stood up and walked over to his trophy cabinet. Inside were reminders of his victories¡ªtwo World Championships, countless smaller tournament wins. But what did it all mean now? How was he going to pay for his mom¡¯s medical expenses? Find a regular job? Move on to another card game?


    The thought filled him with dread. He¡¯d resisted it for so long, even as the signs that Nova Cardia was on its last legs became impossible to ignore. He¡¯d devoted half his life to this game, to keeping Andy¡¯s memory alive through it. Moving on felt like betraying that.


    Deckard picked up the cards from the floor, shuffling them with a series of intricate flourishes.


    He sat behind his desk and placed two cards against each other at an angle, needing something¡ªanything¡ªto help him think.


    Worlds is definitely canceled, he thought bitterly. I¡¯ve only got enough saved up to last me six months.


    He glanced at his desk drawer. I could sell my physical collection of Nova Cardia cards. That might buy me a few more months. Maybe.


    He cautiously placed a card over the small pyramid he¡¯d made, only to watch the entire structure collapse. Sighing, he started building it again. Maybe he could start over with another game.


    But what game? Nova Cardia had been the last true card battler in the professional scene. The only other option was that new game that had taken the world by storm three years ago: AstroTerra. It had a card mini-game called Terralore that had been growing in popularity.


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    Deckard had never liked that the card aspect of AstroTerra was considered a ¡®mini-game.¡¯ It felt insulting for someone who made a living out of card games. But he couldn¡¯t deny its success. He had a working knowledge of the rules, and he¡¯d heard old rivals who had switched to Terralore singing its praises.


    He opened his email. As a card battler world champion, he¡¯d received multiple offers from Nexus. The last one came two weeks ago.


    Dear Mr. Deckard Haymond,


    I hope this message finds you well. My name is Jennifer, and I am reaching out to you on behalf of Nexus Co. We have been following your remarkable career in Nova Cardia with great admiration and respect. Your achievements have left a significant mark on the card gaming community.


    As you may be aware, Nexus Co. has recently launched a new and exciting game called AstroTerra, which features a highly acclaimed card mini-game known as Terralore. Terralore has quickly become a favorite among top card players worldwide, and it has been celebrated for its innovative mechanics and strategic depth.


    In recognition of your impressive track record as a former Nova Cardia world champion and to introduce you to this new realm of card gaming, we would like to extend a special invitation for you to experience AstroTerra and Terralore firsthand. We are offering you a complimentary capsule and a one-year subscription to the game. In exchange, we would be thrilled if you could share your thoughts and experiences with your audience on social media. Your insights would be invaluable as we continue to build and enhance the Terralore experience.


    Please let us know if you are interested in this opportunity, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need additional information. We look forward to the possibility of you joining the AstroTerra community and sharing your perspective on this exciting new game.


    Best regards,


    Jennifer Marks, Nexus Co.


    The offer had no expiration date. Even though he disliked streaming and wasn¡¯t particularly active online, Deckard didn¡¯t mind their request to post about the switch to AstroTerra on social media. Andy had always been the one good with people, while Deckard had always preferred staying in the shadows.


    No initial investment. One more point in favor of trying the game, Deckard thought. He navigated to Nexus¡¯ website and checked the Terralore events. A year and a half after launch, they¡¯d held their first world championship with a prize of 10,000 credits. The second series had a prize pool of 20,000.


    He then went online and looked for posts about Terralore tournaments. Several announcements of smaller tournaments appeared in the window. The prize pools varied between something as low as fifty credits to several thousand. It was a good sign of the game¡¯s vitality.


    He turned off the screen and returned to his house of cards. It¡¯s growing, too. Another good sign. It was logical to switch to the new popular game. Deckard knew that. But Nova Cardia had been his and Andy¡¯s game. Leaving it behind felt like losing his friend all over again.


    He glanced at the picture of the two of them on his desk, a pang of grief twisting in his chest. He missed Andy. Even after all these years, no one else had ever come close to understanding him the way Andy had. With Andy, everything had been simple and easy.


    It was a good decision, the most logical one. He kept building the castle of cards until a perfect, fragile structure sat on his desk. It was nearly completed. Only the final level was missing. He left it unfinished and reached for his phone.


    There was one last thing he needed to do before he was sure. He went to his contact list and looked for Savvy¡¯s contact information.


    ¡°Well, well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± Savvy¡¯s features were slightly different from what Deckard was used to. His nose was shorter, his hair longer, and his eyes¡¯ colors were wrong. His outfit was something straight out of a fantasy setting. He was taking the call from within AstroTerra.


    Deckard just smiled at the man on the screen. ¡°Hello, Savvy. It¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°Finals of three years ago. I¡¯ve heard that you won the last two series. Congratulations. You seem to have had a good run without me around.¡±


    The dig stung, but Deckard didn¡¯t bite. ¡°Have you heard about Nova Cardia?¡±


    There was a trace of sadness on Savvy¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s the end of an era. Not that it was hard to anticipate.¡± Finally, Savvy seemed to connect the dots. ¡°Oh. I see. You have finally decided to join AstroTerra?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have much choice.¡±


    ¡°You could always switch to a strategy game.¡±


    ¡°You know I won¡¯t do that.¡±


    Savvy chuckled, an amused gleam in his eye. ¡°You¡¯ve always been stubborn. It¡¯s why you lost more often than you won against me. So, what do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°What do you think of Terralore? How does it compare to Nova Cardia?¡±


    Savvy¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll do well in the game.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°This game is different. It¡¯s not just about cards.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to learn.¡±


    Savvy sighed, his expression bored. ¡°You¡¯re only good at what you¡¯re good at, Deckard. You¡¯ve always been predictable, sticking to what you know. You kept that Tiger Warrior card in your deck for years because you were too sentimental to let go. If you come to AstroTerra with all that sentimentality, you won¡¯t go far. They are two very different games.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll see you at the world championships, Savvy.¡±


    Savvy just chuckled. ¡°Hmph. Right. See you, Dex.¡±


    The call ended, leaving Deckard alone in the silence of his room. He stared at the screen, Savvy¡¯s words echoing in his mind. That wasn¡¯t what he had expected to hear from his old rival. His impassive look slowly turned into an excited grin. Talking to him had reignited Deckard¡¯s competitive spirit.


    Deckard turned back to the castle of cards. The final level remained unfinished. He picked up the last few cards and, with precise movements, completed the structure. For a moment, he admired it, a delicate, beautiful thing built from his past, his memories, and his hopes. Then, with a sudden, sharp motion, he swiped his hand through it, sending the cards flying across the room. The destruction was sudden, satisfying¡ªa release of all the frustration, the grief, and the anger that had been building within him.


    After the anger and frustration came emptiness. Deckard opened the drawer where he kept his most prized possessions. There was his late father¡¯s watch and a card featuring a fearsome tiger, laminated in plastic. He stared at the card for several minutes, like he had done countless times before.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Andy,¡± Deckard whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve kept playing our game as long as I could. But I have my mom to think about now.¡± He felt the edges of the Tiger Warrior card, a sad smile tugging at his lips. ¡°I wish you and I could try this new game together.¡±


    AstroTerra was his only option. It was the only game with championships offering enough money to sustain him as a professional gamer. He couldn¡¯t keep playing Nova Cardia, Andy¡¯s game. But he would keep playing this new card game and give it his all. Maybe that was enough to honor his friend¡¯s memory.


    Even though it pained him, it was time to bid Nova Cardia goodbye. Deckard quickly put together a response to the email.


    Dear Ms. Jennifer,


    I appreciate your kind invitation. I would like to take you up on this offer. Below, you¡¯ll find my address. I¡¯ll also post about my experience on my social media.


    Sincerely,


    Deckard H.


    After the email was sent, Deckard cleaned his glasses. He picked up all the cards scattered on his desk and put the Tiger Warrior back in the drawer. ¡°I¡¯ll make you proud, Andy.¡±

 Ch. 2 - AstroTerra

    Ding-dong!


    The bell rang earlier than Deckard expected. When he opened the door, two technicians in work uniforms stood there, holding a sleek, metallic object between them. Behind them, a woman in a business suit, her hair tied back in a ponytail, offered a professional smile.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Haymond,¡± she greeted. ¡°Jennifer from Nexus Co. We¡¯re here to set up your new gaming pod.¡±


    Deckard felt his cheeks redden. He hadn''t expected the rep from Nexus to be so pretty and to be his age, to boot. He cleared his throat and stepped aside.


    ¡°Come on in,¡± Deckard replied, still surprised by their speed. He¡¯d only sent the email a few hours ago.


    As the three people stepped inside, Deckard felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He wasn''t used to having people over¡ªnot since Andy.


    ¡°Where would you like us to put the pod, sir?¡± one of the technicians asked.


    ¡°Uh¡­ give me a moment.¡± Deckard glanced around his apartment. He¡¯d been so engrossed in reading about Terralore that he hadn¡¯t considered where the pod would go.


    After a moment¡¯s deliberation, he pointed to a corner. ¡°Over there should work.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± The technician scanned the room, then suggested, ¡°We can install the pod in a vertical configuration to save space.¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± Deckard agreed without hesitation.


    As the technicians set to work, positioning the pod in the corner, Deckard''s excitement dimmed. The glossy, futuristic machine clashed with the modest surroundings of his small living room, making the space feel even smaller. He noticed Jennifer discreetly glancing around, her expression neutral but her eyes betraying a hint of surprise. Deckard imagined her thoughts: Is this really the apartment of a former world champion?


    He couldn¡¯t blame her. A better place was out of reach; the second-place prize money wasn¡¯t enough to afford anything more. Years of falling just short of Savvy in the finals had taken their toll, not just on his reputation but on his financial stability. Even after Savvy retired, the prize pool had shrunk, another sign that Nova Cardia was fading. With his mother¡¯s medical bills piling up, this cramped apartment was all he could manage.


    As Jennifer finished surveying the room, she joined Deckard in watching the technicians work. ¡°We at Nexus were thrilled when we received your email, Mr. Haymond. You¡¯re quite a name in the card gaming world.¡±


    ¡°Please, just call me Deckard,¡± he replied, waving off the compliment.


    ¡°Deckard, then. Are you familiar with how the pod works?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve used one before, but I¡¯ve never owned one.¡±


    ¡°This model is top-of-the-line. It offers full immersion with sensory feedback¡ªtaste, smell, touch. It¡¯s designed to make the game world feel as real as possible.¡± Jennifer¡¯s pitch was smooth, professional¡ªundoubtedly polished through countless presentations.


    Deckard nodded, half-listening. He knew she was hoping he¡¯d promote the product online. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°The pod is preloaded with nutrient solutions that will sustain you for up to a month. You can sleep inside the game; it will keep you nourished and prevent muscle atrophy. There¡¯s even a cleansing feature to keep you fresh. We¡¯ve included a discount coupon for refills.¡±


    Deckard mentally noted the details, though he suspected he¡¯d remember only half of it. He wasn¡¯t planning to stay inside for a whole month, after all.


    Jennifer¡¯s attention shifted to his trophy cabinet. ¡°Are these your trophies?¡±


    Deckard followed her gaze, smiling uneasily. ¡°Yes, they are.¡± The cabinet was filled with silvery and golden cups, colorful ribbons, and plaques. The sight of them was bittersweet; it still felt surreal that he was leaving Nova Cardia behind.


    ¡°This will look great on the company¡¯s website. How about a photo with your trophies?¡± Jennifer suggested, already pulling out her phone.


    Reluctantly, Deckard posed beside the cabinet, offering a smile that felt more like a grimace.


    ¡°There we go,¡± Jennifer said, satisfied with the shot. ¡°I¡¯ll tag you in the post.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all set,¡± one of the technicians called out.


    Jennifer turned back to Deckard. ¡°Just a reminder: as per the agreement, please make a weekly post about your experience. It will help more fans discover our incredible game. Enjoy AstroTerra, Mr. Haymond!¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Deckard replied, a bit too eager to see them out.


    He closed the door behind his visitors, relieved to have the apartment to himself again.


    He approached the pod, now standing ready in the corner. As he neared, the machine hummed softly and the door slid open, revealing a space lined with a soft, purple gel-like material.


    ¡°No point in delaying this,¡± he muttered to himself.


    Deckard stepped inside cautiously. The gel conformed to his body, enveloping him in a sensation of weightlessness. The pod¡¯s interior lights dimmed as the lid was sealed with a soft hiss. The boundaries between reality and the virtual world began dissolving, and the outside world faded away.


    *


    Deckard found himself suspended in a void of darkness. The sudden disorientation hit like a wave, his mind struggling to reconcile the stark contrast between his apartment''s familiar comfort and the void''s unsettling emptiness.


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    System Calibrating: 17%, 29%...


    He hadn¡¯t used a gaming pod in years, not since the technology first emerged. He preferred the tactile feedback of his keyboard and the feel of the cards in his hands. Gaming while sleeping never appealed to him¡ªhe liked his dreams. In them, he could still see his dad and Andy.


    The calibration progressed quickly, adjusting his biometrics to ensure his in-game movements mirrored reality.


    Calibration complete.


    The inky blackness around him began to illuminate, bright points of light gradually coming into focus. Stars, he realized. For a few moments, nothing else happened. Deckard attempted to look around, twisting his view in all directions. Then, beneath him, a beautiful blue and green sphere appeared amidst the dark void: Earth.


    A loud, booming voice reverberated through the emptiness as soon as he saw his home planet.


    "Welcome... to AstroTerra."


    A meteor suddenly streaked across the sky above him. It was ugly, alien, and massive, barreling toward Earth at an alarming speed. Planetary defenses activated in response, and energy blasts lit up the void as they targeted the meteor. The explosions as the barrage struck the massive rock were so realistic that Deckard felt the force reverberate through him.


    Despite the bombardment of energy beams and cannon shots, the meteor continued on its path, seemingly unstoppable. The onslaught intensified until, finally, the meteor began to crack and shatter into smaller fragments. The smaller meteorites rained down on the planet¡¯s atmosphere, turning into fiery streaks that showered the Earth.


    ¡°This was the day that fire rained down from heaven,¡± said a calm voice beside him. Deckard turned in surprise to find a blonde woman standing next to him, gazing at the scene with an air of distant melancholy. She was as tall as he was, with an ethereal presence that made it seem like she could see everything happening on Earth in vivid detail. Weirdly, she kind of reminded him of the Nexus rep who had just been to his apartment.


    ¡°The fire changed everything,¡± she continued. ¡°First, we discovered that none of our technology worked as well as it used to. Our cities¡¯ defense shields, jets, tanks, computers, satellites, submarines... all became obsolete and worthless. Our robots, once our loyal servants, went rogue and turned on us. Then, the sightings began¡ªalien monsters, strange creatures. Reports of war and burning cities followed. The animals, once mute, began to speak, some developing extraordinary mutations. We hoped they would help us defend our world, but we had mistreated them for too long. They refused to assist us. Finally, in our darkest hour, our potential awakened.¡±


    Deckard suddenly felt a lurch in his stomach as the ground dropped away beneath him, sending him hurtling toward the planet¡¯s surface at impossible speed. Despite the gut-wrenching sensation, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sheer realism of the virtual reality. It was breathtaking.


    ¡°Our children began to exhibit incredible abilities,¡± the woman¡¯s voice continued as images flashed before him¡ªhumans performing extraordinary feats. ¡°Superhuman strength. Unbelievable speed. Telekinesis. Energy manipulation.¡±


    Deckard had always been into card games but still knew how MMORPGs worked. This was probably an introduction to the game¡¯s various classes. First, he saw a towering man clad in metal armor wielding a massive hammer, smashing a robot to pieces¡ªa warrior, undoubtedly. Next, a figure appeared and disappeared rapidly, slashing through a robot¡¯s arm with a blade¡ªlikely a rogue or thief class. A woman then caused rocks to levitate before hurling them with force against a machine, tearing it apart¡ªperhaps a caster class. Finally, another figure was shown healing allies and creating energy shields¡ªa support or healer, most likely.


    ¡°The rock that fell from space¡­ we now call it Astro. It changed us. It changed everything. We later learned that the rock was made of congealed reality itself. When it fractured upon impact, the very fabric of creation splintered, and now the world is divided. Perhaps, one day, we can reunite reality and bring peace to our planet.¡±


    ¡°Welcome to AstroTerra,¡± the blonde woman said, her gaze fixed on him. ¡°In this time of great loneliness and uncertainty, we thank you for your willingness to fight for humanity¡¯s survival. Please ask any questions you may have. I will do my best to answer them,¡± she prompted.


    There was only one thing that Deckard truly cared about right now.


    ¡°Tell me about Terralore.¡±


    ¡°Terralore is a card game that is very popular in the world of AstroTerra,¡± she explained, her voice softening as if sharing a secret. ¡°The cards hold remnants of a lost technology.¡±


    ¡°Lost technology? What kind of technology?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°No one knows for sure.¡±


    Deckard stared silently at her for a long moment, processing her words. There was lore hidden here. He took mental notes, planning to dig deeper once he was more familiar with this world.


    ¡°Where can I find new cards?¡±


    ¡°There are many ways. You can buy them, steal them from other players, hunt animals and creatures that occasionally drop them, or complete quests that reward you with cards.¡±


    ¡°How many cards are there?¡± he asked, seeking to verify what he¡¯d read online.


    ¡°No one knows for sure. New ones are discovered every week.¡±


    Deckard bit his lip, the uncertainty gnawing at him. A card game where the whole card base wasn¡¯t public knowledge? That was unheard of in his experience. Nova Cardia released the complete list of cards with each new expansion. The game had always been about mastering every card and every strategy. But the possibility of facing unknown cards in a tournament was unsettling.


    ¡°Okay. What about classes? How many are there?¡±


    ¡°There are four basic ones: warrior, rogue, esper, and medic. Each can branch out into different specializations. Legend says there might be hidden or unique classes if you search hard enough.¡±


    ¡°Any hidden or unique classes related to cards or Terralore?¡± Deckard pressed.


    The NPC again shrugged. ¡°No idea.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to choose my class now?¡±


    ¡°No. You can only choose a class at level 10. In theory, you could play the entire game without choosing a class, too, if that¡¯s your preference.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Will that be all? Any further questions?¡± she asked, her tone polite and patient.


    Deckard thought for a moment but then shook his head. He had learned enough for now. The rest, he would discover on his own.


    ¡°I will send you on your way, then. Enjoy AstroTerra.¡±


    The world around Deckard shifted again, the stars and space fading away as he was transported back to the dark void. Earth once again floated in the distance, a serene, blue-green orb in the vastness of space. A series of windows popped up in front of him.


    Please select your character¡¯s name.


    ¡°Deckard.¡±


    Please choose your race.


    Three options materialized before him: Human, Lizardman, Skyling. The Lizardmen were tall, muscular hybrids, somewhere between a man and a crocodile, while the Skylings had elongated noses, almost beak-like, giving them a bird-like appearance. Deckard opted to keep things simple and chose the human race.


    Please choose your physical features.


    Deckard selected the randomize option, and the system presented him with a character model that wasn¡¯t too far off from his real appearance. The avatar¡¯s height was average, his face slightly altered, and his eyes a striking shade of blue. The most significant difference was the absence of his usual glasses, but he didn¡¯t mind that. A character window appeared beside his avatar, detailing his current stats and equipment.


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Level: 0 (0/100)


    Affinity: [Empty]


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: [Empty]


    Titles: [Empty]


    STATS


    Hp: 105


    Ep: 105


    Weight: [Light] - (2/30Kg)


    Running Speed: 100%


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 5


    Intelligence: 5


    Wisdom: 5


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Empty]


    Bottom: [Beginner¡¯s Trousers]


    Shoes: [Beginner¡¯s Shoes]


    Cape: [Empty]


    Accessories: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Stat Bonuses: [Empty]


    Passive: [Empty]


    Active: [Empty]


    Would you like to start your journey at a random starting point?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The darkness suddenly gave way to a blinding light. As the light faded, his surroundings came into focus.


    He stood on a serene beach, the gentle surf of waves lapping at the shore. Around him were huts made of wood and the occasional palm tree swaying in the breeze. It was time to start his journey in AstroTerra.

 Ch. 3 - Noob

    Deckard surveyed his surroundings. He stood beneath a labyrinth of wooden platforms supported by massive logs driven deep into the sand. These pillars extended beyond the beach, their bases disappearing into the waves that gently brushed against the shore. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the weathered planks above, casting a speckled pattern of light and shadow on the ground.


    Beyond the platforms'' shade, on the beach, players dressed in simple, tattered clothing like his own were locked in combat, wielding crude wooden swords as they battled peculiar white birds with gray beaks. At first glance, they resembled seagulls, but their behavior was more like ground-bound chickens, scurrying around rather than taking flight. What were those things?


    The beach stretched wide, with clusters of tall palm trees dotting the landscape. The further inland his gaze traveled, the denser the foliage became until the trees formed a thick, green wall at the horizon.


    A fleeting shadow passed overhead, accompanied by the creaking of wood. There were people up there. Curiosity piqued, and Deckard looked for a way up. He spotted a player climbing a ladder affixed to one of the pillars. Deciding to follow, he approached, his feet crunching softly against the sand, and began his ascent.


    As he emerged on top, he saw wooden houses perched atop the pillars, connected by a network of rope bridges and uneven planks. The sea stretched out in the distance, its deep blue contrasting with the sun-bleached wood of the village.


    Deckard swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat. It had been years since he¡¯d last seen the ocean, let alone visited a beach. His life had become so consumed by work that he had forgotten what it felt like to have the sea breeze on his skin. For the first time, he found one point in which AstroTerra surpassed Nova Cardia.


    The village was small and mostly quiet. Here and there, the odd player moved purposefully across the platforms, easily navigating the swaying planks. They looked so sure of themselves, so confident. Deckard scanned the area and finally spotted someone who looked just as lost as he felt. He sighed in relief¡ªhe wasn''t the only noob in the village.


    Deckard had played card games all his life, but this was his first experience with an MMORPG. He was a pro and a noob all at once. He hadn¡¯t come into AstroTerra unprepared, though. He knew the basics. From what he''d read online, exploration was vital. He would be spending a lot of time in this village. Taking a deep breath, he began looking around.


    He crossed the planks and spotted a village NPC¡ªan older woman with deeply tanned skin and age lines etched into her face. She wore a loose, flowery shirt and a vibrant sarong wrapped around her waist, her feet bare against the wooden planks. A large flower, bright red against her graying hair, was tucked behind her ear. She hummed softly as she deftly worked a fishing net with her hands.


    Deckard cleared his throat. It was time to do something he never did in card games: cozy up to NPCs. The theory was simple¡ªmake friends with NPCs to unlock quests and gain valuable information. But why did it feel so awkward to get the conversation started? He was a thirty-year-old man with over ten years of professional gaming experience. This wasn¡¯t even a real person, yet he had to force himself to speak up.


    ¡°H-Hello, madam,¡± he stammered.


    Litia, the Net Mender


    Lvl. 25


    ????


    Some information about the NPC popped up, surprising Deckard. It only revealed very basic information, though. The woman kept humming, not acknowledging him. Deckard tried again, this time using the NPC¡¯s name and speaking more confidently. ¡°Hello, Ms. Litia!¡±


    Still no reaction. Deckard frowned. He¡¯d read that NPCs in AstroTerra were known for being unfriendly, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter. He scratched his chin in thought. Deckard hesitated for a moment, scanning the NPC¡¯s face. Something told him this interaction wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. This could be one of those situations he¡¯d read about where an NPC only reacted if he found the right opening line.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, trying to sound casual.


    The woman finally paused, glancing at him with dark, weathered eyes. ¡°Fix da net, yah. Many holes, big job.¡±


    ¡°Can I help you with anything?¡± he ventured.


    She chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. ¡°You no know net, foreigner. You no help. But tank you, tank you.¡±


    ¡°I can learn. You said yourself. It¡¯s a big job,¡± Deckard tried, but the lady went back to ignoring him.


    Deckard just stood there for a few moments. Once he realized he wouldn¡¯t get anything from this old lady, he walked away, feeling a tightness in his chest. It was a disheartening first try. He was a world champion, for crying out loud¡ªbut right now, he felt like an awkward novice.


    In Nova Cardia, his interaction with others was minimal. He only had to worry about the odd interview or mingling with other players at events. But then, people approached him and took the initiative to start a conversation. Even earlier, Deckard had always been in control in his apartment. Whether welcoming the Nexus rep or directing technicians, the conversations flowed on his terms.


    But here, the script was flipped. He was the one seeking approval, the one struggling to keep up. As someone who¡¯d always been more comfortable behind a deck of cards than in a crowd, this was uncomfortable and went against every instinct he had.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t forget what Savvy had said, that taunt lingering in his mind. ¡°It¡¯s not just about cards.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only good at what you¡¯re good at, Deckard.¡± He knew Savvy had likely meant that this game required more than just deckbuilding skills. It demanded a well-rounded set of abilities¡ªsocial skills, adaptability, exploration, and more. And Deckard knew that Savvy didn¡¯t think he had what it took.


    It wasn¡¯t just about proving Savvy wrong, though that was part of it. It was about proving to himself that he could rise to this new challenge and navigate a world where the rules weren¡¯t as clear-cut as in Nova Cardia. This wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d met a setback in his career, nor would it be his last.


    He continued his exploration, trying to shake off the disappointment. At the edge of the village, Deckard spotted a man using a long stick to try to knock a coconut from a tree. The man was bald and lean, his skin bronzed by years under the sun. He wore a brightly patterned shirt, unbuttoned to the waist, and a knee-length wrap.


    The platform he stood on brought him up to half the tree''s height, but the coconut remained just out of reach even with the stick.


    Jone, the Coconut Lover


    Lvl. 25


    ????


    Deckard decided to try talking to him. ¡°H-hello, sir.¡±


    The man kept waving the stick around, trying to reach the coconut.


    Clearing his throat, Deckard tried again. ¡°Hello. How are you?¡±


    The man grunted, not looking at him. ¡°Bah. Leave me ¡®lone, foreigner!¡±


    Deckard flinched at the brusque response. It stung more than he cared to admit. Maybe this wasn¡¯t the right NPC to make friends with, either. He would just keep trying until he found someone nice. As Deckard turned to continue exploring, he noticed a boy grinning at him from nearby. The kid couldn¡¯t have been older than ten, with wild hair and a mischievous glint in his eye. He carried a long stick over his shoulder. Unlike with NPCs, he couldn¡¯t see his name.


    ¡°That was just sad to watch,¡± the boy said.


    Deckard felt his cheeks flush. He¡¯d never been good with kids, and being shown up by one wasn¡¯t doing his confidence any favors. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothin¡¯. That NPC only talks to you if you give him coconuts and you say that you love coconuts, too. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s nuts! Get it? Haha.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s flush deepened, this time from the lameness of the joke. However, the kid did confirm his theory. He did need to find the right words to trigger a quest with this village¡¯s NPC. ¡°Thanks for the hint.¡±


    ¡°Oh well, step aside and see how a pro does it. Hey! Coconut uncle! I got you a longer stick. Try it now!¡±


    The NPC¡¯s demeanor transformed instantly. ¡°Oh, my boy! Thank you. Aren¡¯t you kind?¡±


    A bright blue light enveloped the boy. ¡°Nice! A level up!¡±


    Deckard watched, feeling a bitter pang of frustration. The kid had solved the puzzle effortlessly, and it was hard not to feel like he was falling short.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry now, grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa? Are you talking to me, kid?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Who else? You look like you¡¯re about to cry.¡±


    Deckard remained silent despite the pulsing vein in his forehead.


    ¡°You¡¯re a noob, right?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Deckard replied, a bit defensively.


    ¡°You know there are guides dat explain how to warm up to these NPCs, yah? Want me to share the link for one?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Deckard¡¯s tone sharpened with impatience. ¡°Because I want to figure things out on my own.¡±


    ¡°Sheesh. Your funeral. Bye, grumpy grandpa,¡± the boy teased, shaking his head.


    The boy walked away, leaving Deckard behind. So far, the game wasn¡¯t going well at all. The obnoxious kid didn¡¯t help.


    Savvy¡¯s words echoed in his mind, gnawing at his confidence. Was it true? Was he only good at what he knew? The doubt was unsettling, but it also sparked a fire within him. He had to prove¡ªnot just to Savvy but to himself¡ªthat he could conquer this new challenge. If a beginner village tripped him up, how could he expect to do well in the game?


    He wasn¡¯t in a rush. Patience had always been his ally. He would observe, learn, and adapt. Deckard wasn¡¯t ready to admit defeat just because a few NPCs brushed him off. If anything, it only fueled his resolve to figure things out on his own terms. Shaking his head, he continued his exploration.


    Deckard¡¯s wandering took him to a particularly large house with a sign that dangled in the sea breeze. The faintest lines survived the onslaught of the hot, tropical sun, and it looked like a shell. In the short time he¡¯d seen it, two players had left it, and three had gone in.


    Deckard entered, finding a shop with wares displayed on makeshift shelves and a counter lined with tinted glass bottles containing liquids of different colors, leaves, and seashells. He¡¯d found a store, he realized. Finally, some direction.


    He approached the counter, where a middle-aged man stood, dressed in a floral shirt and a matching wrap around his waist. His smile was broad, revealing a row of slightly crooked teeth.


    Laisenia, the Shopkeeper


    Lvl. 30


    ????


    ¡°Good mornin¡¯, sir! Welcome to our place. How can Silver Shell help?¡±


    Deckard sighed in relief¡ªtalking to an NPC who was a little polite and willing to talk to him was such a breath of fresh air. It was just good customer service, but still¡­ it was something.


    ¡°Do you sell cards?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Cards? Oh no, no, no,¡± the shopkeeper replied, shaking his head. ¡°Cards not here. Maybe in big city, yah?¡±


    Deckard¡¯s hope deflated slightly. ¡°Right¡­¡±


    ¡°I suggest you grow strong first. No survive da trip through the caves now, no way. But you know what help you get strong?¡±


    Deckard¡¯s heart skipped a beat, feeling a quest coming up. ¡°W-what?¡±


    The NPC leaned in, lowering his voice as if revealing a great secret. ¡°Try my wares. Good stuff! Potions that heal you when you hurt. Or fish! Fill you with energy, make you strong.¡±


    A window appeared, listing several items. Fish, shellfish, herbs, and other such items were for sale. Deckard¡¯s shoulders sank. So much for a quest. It was just a sales pitch! He excused himself and left the shop, taking note of this location. He might have to return here soon. From here, he spotted another similarly-sized building nearby. Unlike the Silver Shell, it had a window through which he could see weapons.


    He approached it, almost bumping into the same kid that he¡¯d talked to earlier. ¡°Grumpy grandpa,¡± the boy said with a nod.


    Deckard just ignored the boy, happy to be the ignorer instead of the ignored for once, and stepped in. Boxes filled with helmets, boots, and gloves were lined against the wall. All of them looked like trash bins, given the condition of the items. There were also a few barrels with rusty weapons sticking out, and an NPC sitting behind a desk.


    It was the first time Deckard saw an NPC that wasn¡¯t dressed like an islander. Instead of a flowery shirt and a wrap, the man wore a long jacket, an odd choice given the tropical climate. This NPC stood out like a sore thumb. He was scribbling furiously on a notepad.


    Ronan, the Shopkeeper


    Lvl. 15


    ????


    Deckard took a deep breath and stepped forward. Maybe this time, he¡¯d succeed.

 Ch. 4 - Ronan

    The longer Deckard studied the NPC, the stranger he seemed. It wasn¡¯t just his odd choice of clothing but his entire demeanor. Unlike the other villagers, who were tanned and about Deckard¡¯s height, this man towered over him, even sitting down.


    His skin was pale, as if he hadn¡¯t seen the sun in years. The most unsettling part was how his high collar shielded his neck and chin from the faint light trickling through the shop window. Was he albino?


    ¡°Hello, sir. How are you?¡± Deckard asked, his voice polite.


    ¡°If you want weapons, check the barrels. Armor¡¯s in the bins,¡± the man replied, not even bothering to glance up from the notepad he was hunched over. His voice was dry, devoid of the warmth or friendliness the other shopkeeper had shown.


    His accent only heightened Deckard¡¯s feeling that he wasn''t a local¡ªperhaps an immigrant?


    Deckard opened the system window, which had opened automatically. He scrolled through the available items and frowned. Crappy sword. Moldy boots. Dented shield. Rusty dagger.


    It felt like this NPC was selling discarded junk scavenged from the bottom of the sea. Was this guy even trying?


    Deckard sighed and kept scrolling. His hope sank further when there were no cards in sight. ¡°Don¡¯t you sell cards here?¡± he asked.


    The NPC chuckled without looking at him, a dismissive, hollow sound. He wasn¡¯t taking Deckard seriously. Instead, he continued sketching something on the notepad with almost obsessive focus, completely ignoring Deckard¡¯s presence.


    Deckard craned his neck, trying to see what was so important. The drawing was detailed¡ªa bird with a curved yellow beak, its feathers patchy and thin, and ugly, bloated patches on its belly. The creature looked sickly and diseased, like something out of a nightmare. Yet despite the grotesque appearance, Deckard recognized it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those birds all over the beach?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Do you mean the seagulls? Yes,¡± the NPC responded, his voice indifferent.


    Deckard stared at the drawing a little longer. It was good, disturbingly so. There was something almost hypnotic about the level of detail, as though the bird might leap off the page and into reality at any moment. ¡°That¡¯s incredible. You¡¯re very talented,¡± Deckard said, genuinely impressed.


    The NPC let out a self-deprecating laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± His tone suggested he thought Deckard was either mocking him or thought him clueless about what real talent looked like.


    Deckard tilted his head. ¡°Why do the local seagulls look like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± the NPC asked, finally pausing his sketching to glance at Deckard.


    ¡°You know¡­ diseased. Their feathers are falling out, and they¡¯re bloated. Shouldn''t they be flying around?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been eating trash long before the Rain of Fire. The radiation just made them more resilient, more twisted. They¡¯re less seagulls now and more vultures after the mutations. Winged rats. But they keep the beaches clean.¡± He shrugged as if the horrifying fact was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.


    This was the longest conversation Deckard had ever had with an NPC. He could hardly contain his excitement¡ªhe¡¯d triggered something here, a deeper interaction. He wanted to keep it going. ¡°So, why are you drawing them?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t answer right away. Instead, he ripped the paper from his notepad, crumpled it into a tight ball, and threw it into a nearby bin. ¡°Argh! Another failure,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Do I really need to go back to basics again?¡±


    Deckard gulped, feeling awkward. ¡°I thought it was pretty good,¡± he offered, trying to sound supportive.


    The NPC looked directly at him for the first time, as if he only now had noticed him. His eyes were sharp, scrutinizing. ¡°You. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Deckard,¡± he stammered.


    ¡°Good. Here.¡± The NPC tossed a bucket at him. ¡°Go fetch me a [Common Starfish].¡±


    Deckard blinked, caught off guard. ¡°S-sure.¡± He barely had time to process the sudden change in tone before a system notification popped up.


    New quest activated: [Ronan¡¯s Drawings].


    Ronan¡¯s Drawings (Common)


    Description: Ronan is struggling to capture the essence of a seagull. He feels the need to return to simpler subjects to improve his craft.


    Objectives: Catch a [Common Starfish].


    You¡¯ve received a quest item: [Old Bucket].


    Deckard stared at the notification for a moment, wide-eyed. His first quest! He had triggered it all by himself. A sense of accomplishment surged through him. After several unproductive interactions with NPCs, it felt good to finally do well.


    Sure, he still had a long way to go. He knew he wasn¡¯t the most social person in the world. But if that made Savvy taunt him and say that he didn¡¯t have what it takes, he was in for a surprise. Perhaps this game would even prove to be good for him and help him open up a little more.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    After he received the quest, he couldn¡¯t help but think of that 10-year-old brat who had mocked him earlier. Take that, cheeky kid! Who needs guides when you¡¯ve got brains?


    Eagerly, he opened his inventory and inspected the quest item.


    Old Bucket (Common)


    Description: It can hold one small fish without requiring the fisherman profession.


    The item¡¯s description was interesting, suggesting that he could bypass some of the profession-based limitations of the game. For a brief moment, Deckard wondered if this quest would push him toward becoming a fisherman. But no¡ªhe was here to explore questing, not lock himself into one profession so early. He¡¯d just get the hang of it and see where it led.


    Scrolling further, he noticed other items he hadn¡¯t even realized he had¡ªa small wooden sword and five loaves of bread.


    Wooden Sword (Common)


    Description: A toy, really. Something that kids play with to learn how to fight


    Effects: +4 attack power.


    Stale Bread (Consumable)


    Description: Bread that is a few years old. If you add some water to soften it, it might be easier to chew.


    Effects: +30 hp.


    In addition to the two items, he also had 50 coppers to his name. It was enough to buy one piece of garbage from Ronan, but Deckard would pass on that. Instead, He¡¯d save his money to buy cards when the time came, wherever he could buy them.


    He grinned to himself. After wandering around with no aim, it felt good to have an objective. He equipped the bucket and headed out the door.


    *


    Martin flicked through the quest guide. He¡¯d already done most of the mundane tasks¡ª[Fixing the Nets], [Reaching the Coconuts]. Easy. Boring. Child''s play, really. His eyes skimmed over the next quest: [Shopkeeper¡¯s Drawings].


    He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he checked the rewards. ¡°Ugh, what do I want to become an artist for?¡± he muttered to himself, rolling his eyes. The quest chain promised little more than measly rewards and a profession no self-respecting player would touch.


    Even if he did want to become one of the worst professions in the game, there were a dozen better ways to go about it. Easier. Faster. Less embarrassing. He swiped past the quest, already forgetting it existed.


    Movement caught his eye, and Martin¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as he spotted the clueless player he''d met earlier.


    Grumpy Grandpa was shuffling out of the NPC store, looking all puffed up like he¡¯d just won the lottery. With deliberate slowness, Deckard held a bucket up for Martin to see like it was some kind of trophy. He pointed at the shop and then dusted off his shoulder. The smug look on his face was too much. He actually thought that was impressive.


    Martin couldn¡¯t help himself. He burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. ¡°What a noob!¡± he snorted, loud enough for Deckard to hear. He didn¡¯t care. Why would he? The old man had no idea how bad he was making himself look.


    Shaking his head, Martin turned his attention back to the quest guide, leaving Deckard and his bucket behind. Meanwhile, real players like him would be doing real quests.


    His eyes lit up when he saw the one he wanted¡ªhunting a seagull elite. Now that was more like it. The reward was a new weapon. No boring fetch quests, no ridiculous starfish hunts. Just pure, simple combat. Exactly what a top player like him deserved.


    He grinned to himself, already imagining the look on everyone¡¯s faces when he got his hands on that weapon.


    *


    Deckard descended the ladder, a slight smirk creeping onto his face. It felt good to rub it in that kid¡¯s face.  He''d triggered his first quest without needing any shortcuts. Not bad for someone who¡¯d been in the game for less than half an hour. His heart swelled with a tiny sense of triumph.


    He wandered toward the water¡¯s edge, letting the cool waves lap at his feet, and moved away from the shadowy pier to get a better look. Starfish liked shallow waters, right? It made sense. Just find one and plop it in the bucket. Easy quest.


    The sunlight helped him see through the clear water, and he waded in until the water reached his knees. That¡¯s when he saw it¡ªa seagull, just like the one in Ronan¡¯s drawing, glaring at him with cold, beady eyes. Its crooked yellow beak twitched as if debating whether Deckard was worth the effort.


    Diseased Seagull


    Lvl. 2


    Hp: 100


    ????


    He tensed. Should I fight it? He opened his inventory and equipped the wooden sword, its weight unfamiliar in his hand. He¡¯d been in plenty of fights before, sure, but never as the aggressor. Always the one on the receiving end. How hard could it be? It¡¯s just a seagull.


    He stepped forward cautiously. The seagull¡¯s shriek pierced the air, startling him, but Deckard steeled himself. You¡¯ve got this. One good hit. He swung the sword down, aiming for the bird¡¯s head.


    -4


    The numbers floated above its health bar. Barely a scratch. Before he could even process the damage, the seagull lunged with a screech, wings flapping wildly. Deckard froze, instinctively flinching. Move! Do something! His body didn¡¯t listen.


    The bird¡¯s beak jabbed him hard in the side.


    -8


    Pain flared, and Deckard¡¯s breath caught in his throat. It deals double the damage I do! That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s not fair! Panic started to creep in. He tried swinging again, but the sword felt clunky in his hands, his motions slow and awkward. The seagull dodged easily, its next attack already coming.


    Then, another sharp jab¡ªthis time from behind.


    -8


    A second seagull had joined the fray. Deckard stumbled backward, completely thrown off balance. Where did that one come from?! He was already down 25% of his health. His hands shook, mind racing. He had to make a decision. Fast.


    Two seagulls advanced, eyes locked on him. His chances didn¡¯t look good. Not good at all. Nope. Nope. Nope. He turned and bolted, heart pounding in his chest.


    The shrieks followed him, but he didn¡¯t dare look back. Run. Just run. He didn¡¯t stop until he ducked beneath the safety of the pier. The seagulls didn¡¯t follow, thankfully, and he finally allowed himself to breathe.


    As the adrenaline faded, the sting of humiliation set in. He reviewed the fight in his mind, analyzing every misstep. What a disaster. The frozen hesitation, the clumsy swings¡ªhe¡¯d made every rookie mistake possible. I panicked. I completely panicked.


    He wandered to the other side of the pier and watched another beginner fighting a seagull. The battle was slow, and every attack was obvious and easy to predict. He couldn¡¯t believe how easy it looked. How had I messed up that badly?


    Deckard let out a long sigh, his confidence from earlier all but gone. Maybe social skills weren¡¯t really what Savvy had in mind when he had taunted him, but his fighting skills. Savvy, despite being a professional gamer, was also well-built and had a black belt in karate. As for Deckard, he wasn¡¯t just a bad fighter¡ªhe was terrible. His body simply refused to cooperate when it came to physical confrontation. It¡¯s like, after all those years of being a punching bag¡­ nothing¡¯s changed.


    With a resigned shake, he turned back to the water. He had to find a way around this. In the meantime, he would just tackle the quest. Hopefully, the starfish didn¡¯t fight back.

 Ch. 5 - Fish Tank

    Deckard crouched by the shore, plunging his hands into the cool water. His fingers brushed something rough and rigid¡ªa starfish.


    Bat Starfish (Common)


    Description: A small, colorful sea star with webbed arms resembling bat wings known for its vibrant hues and varied diet.


    He was still getting used to the mechanics of the game. Every time he interacted with an NPC or picked up an item, a small window briefly described what he¡¯d found. It was informative and overwhelming.


    This wasn¡¯t the starfish he was looking for. He let it slip back into the water and fished around some more, eventually finding a smaller one, pale and speckled with faint gray spots. Dozens stuck to the rocks as if clinging to the shore for safety.


    Common Starfish (Common)


    Description: A five-armed, slow-moving marine creature with a rough, spiny texture and a central disc, often found in coastal waters.


    At last, he picked up the right one. The common starfish was delicate, its surface covered in tiny, almost transparent polyps that pulsed rhythmically. Up close, it was like watching a thousand miniature snails creeping along in unison to form the star-shaped creature. Deckard marveled at the tiny, stubby limbs moving in slow, synchronized motions. He couldn''t help but feel a bit of unease at its alien nature, but he dropped it carefully into the bucket filled with seawater.


    The walk back to Ronan¡¯s shop was a juggling act. Between the sloshing bucket and climbing a rickety ladder near the pier, Deckard struggled not to spill water everywhere. After a brief struggle, he made it back. Ronan, the NPC with the ever-discarded seagull sketches, barely looked up from his latest attempt as Deckard entered.


    "Hello, Ronan," Deckard called out, raising the bucket with the starfish. Ronan¡¯s head snapped up, eyes wide with sudden interest.


    "Good, good, good! Give it to me," Ronan said, snatching the bucket from Deckard¡¯s hands.


    Without another word, the NPC disappeared into a side room Deckard hadn¡¯t noticed before. The room was dimly lit, a faint neon glow coming from the machines and screens on one of the walls. A glass tank in the corner was filled with water, smooth rocks, corals, and swaying aquatic plants. Deckard watched as Ronan carefully poured in the starfish, the creature landing softly on the sandy bottom. Its agonizingly slow movements seemed to fascinate the NPC, who was now framing the starfish between his fingers, studying it from different angles.


    Deckard waited, unsure what to do as no rewards were popping up yet. Ronan grabbed his notepad and started scribbling furiously. When he finished, he held up the drawing: an incredibly lifelike portrayal of the starfish, down to the smallest detail. The drawing had captured the glistening surface, the rhythmic movements of the polyps, and the eerie, creeping nature of the creature.


    "Good. This is good," Ronan muttered.


    A notification appeared in Deckard¡¯s vision.


    [Ronan''s Drawing] completed


    Completion rate: B


    Rewards: 100XP


    Bonus rewards: 50XP


    Level up!


    Completion rate? Is that what dictates the bonus rewards?


    Ronan thrust the empty bucket back into Deckard¡¯s hands, his eyes still fixed on the tank. ¡°Well done. Now, go get me a [Chocolate Chip Starfish].¡±


    Deckard blinked, confused. ¡°A what?¡±


    ¡°A Chocolate Chip Starfish. It looks like a cookie with little brown spots all over it. Hurry before I lose my inspiration!¡±


    Chain quest activated.


    You¡¯ve unlocked a new quest: [Ronan¡¯s Drawings II].


    Ronan¡¯s Drawings II (Common)


    Description: Ronan is struggling to capture the essence of a seagull. He feels the need to return to simpler subjects to improve his craft. After drawing a simple starfish, he asks you to capture a different species.


    Objectives: Catch a [Chocolate-Chip Starfish].


    Deckard vaguely remembered that chain quests involved a series of tasks, often becoming progressively harder but more rewarding. With his curiosity piqued, he set off to find this oddly named starfish.


    The search took longer than expected. After a few minutes of searching the shoreline, Deckard still hadn¡¯t found anything resembling chocolate chips. He waded a little deeper into the water, scanning the seabed for any sign of the creature. Just as he was about to give up, his hand brushed against something firm and ridged. He pulled it up¡ªit was pale yellow with distinctive brown spots dotted across its surface, just like the chocolate chips on a cookie.


    Chocolate Chip Starfish (Common)


    Description: A distinctive sea creature with thick, beige arms covered in dark, pointed nodules resembling chocolate chips, giving it a striking, cookie-like appearance.


    With a triumphant grin, Deckard tossed the new starfish into the bucket and made his way back to the village. Ronan stood waiting as if he had sensed Deckard¡¯s approach. Two players were perusing the items for sale, but Ronan ignored them and again led him to the back room. The players craned their necks, curious to see what was beyond the door, but Ronan slammed it behind him.


    Something seemed off. Deckard realized that the starfish from earlier had disappeared from the tank.


    He frowned. ¡°Where did the other starfish go?¡±


    Ronan, his gaze glued to the new starfish, didn¡¯t bother looking up. ¡°Gone,¡± he said curtly.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Gone? What do you mean, gone?¡± Deckard asked.


    Ronan shot him a glare. ¡°Hush! I don¡¯t have time for idle chatter.¡±


    Deckard bit his tongue. He watched as Ronan began his ritual again, framing the starfish, observing its every move, and sketching at lightning speed. Ronan¡¯s drawing was as lifelike as before, capturing even the smallest details of the creature.


    [Ronan''s Drawing II] completed.


    Completion rate: B+


    Rewards: 200XP


    Bonus rewards: 120XP


    Level up!


    Ronan tossed the bucket back at him. ¡°This time, get me a Royal Starfish,¡± he commanded, eyes never leaving his sketches.


    You¡¯ve unlocked a new quest: [Ronan¡¯s Drawings III].


    Ronan kicked Deckard out of the shop, leaving him wondering outside. Where had the starfish gone? He left for the beach again, wondering whether starfish were edible or if the NPC was doing something else with them.


    The Royal Starfish was the most beautiful he¡¯d found yet¡ªvibrant purple with long, slender arms and an orange frame that seemed to undulate gracefully in the water. When he brought it back to Ronan, he repeated the same ritual. Deckard resolved not to leave right away. He stood his ground, determined to figure out what was happening to the starfish.


    As soon as Ronan finished his third sketch, Deckard received his next assignment.


    [Ronan''s Drawing III] completed.


    Completion rate: B


    Rewards: 300XP


    Bonus rewards: 150XP


    You¡¯ve unlocked a new quest: [Ronan¡¯s Drawings IV].


    It was the first time that Deckard hadn¡¯t leveled up with each quest. Deckard moved to the corner of the room, trying to look as small as possible, hoping to go unnoticed by Ronan. The tall, pale man glanced at him, clearly irritated. ¡°What are you standing there for?¡±


    Deckard folded his arms. ¡°I just want to know what¡¯s happening to the starfish. Are you eating them or something?¡±


    Ronan scoffed, his face twisting in disgust. ¡°Eating them? Bah! What a ridiculous notion. Now go before I throw you out!¡±


    Seeing the NPC¡¯s rising anger, Deckard sighed and left. He decided to snoop a bit, walking around the back of the building. The only window he could find had its blinds drawn, offering no view inside. Given Ronan¡¯s avoidance of sunlight and odd behavior, Deckard couldn¡¯t help but feel something strange was happening.


    Maybe the starfish were simply being discarded after they were drawn, but Deckard couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was more to Ronan¡¯s obsession than met the eye.


    With a resigned sigh, he set off searching for the next starfish.


    *


    Deckard marched toward Ronan¡¯s shop for what felt like the hundredth time. The afternoon had come and gone while he scoured the coastline for starfish, and now the sky was painted orange and pink as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Fishermen were returning to the village, their nets heavy with the day¡¯s catch, while Deckard¡¯s hands were full of... well, starfish.


    He wasn¡¯t complaining. Despite the tediousness, he¡¯d hit level 4 and received two pieces of equipment from this quest¡ªmodest but useful.


    Salvaged Shoes (Common)


    Item description: The shoes are falling apart, burned, and cracked from exposure, but they are still better than walking barefoot.


    Item Effects:


    +1 dexterity;


    +2% running speed when outside of combat.


    Discarded Gloves (Common)


    Item description: Disposable gloves, torn and discarded, covering most¡ªbut not all¡ªof your fingers.


    Item Effects:


    +1 strength;


    +1% attack speed.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but every bit helped. After his disastrous defeat hours earlier, he still hadn¡¯t tried to challenge the seagulls. He¡¯d need every advantage he could get when he tried again. Each time he leveled up, he earned five free stat points, but he left them unassigned for now.


    The starfish in the bucket was the tenth that Deckard was bringing Ronan. He had no idea what would happen once this chain quest ended. He¡¯d been avoiding the temptation to check guides online, wanting to figure things out for himself. It gave him a small sense of accomplishment¡ªa personal win.


    What puzzled him was Ronan¡¯s aquarium. After gathering and inspecting countless types of starfish, Deckard still had no idea what Ronan did with them once they were dropped off. He pushed through the shop door, the familiar creak signaling his arrival. This time, he needed both arms to lift the bucket to Ronan¡ªthe latest starfish was much heavier than the others.


    "Here you have it," Deckard said, groaning with effort as he handed the bucket over. Ronan accepted it and carefully tipped the sea sunstar into the aquarium. The creature had eight arms, and though it moved as slowly as the others, its appearance was distinctly predatory, as if it were more dangerous than its kin.


    Deckard waited, expecting Ronan to start sketching immediately. But the NPC just stared at the starfish for a long while, studying every detail in silence. Only after a few minutes did Ronan pick up his pencil and begin drawing, his brow furrowed in concentration.


    ¡°Phew. I feel much more confident now," Ronan finally said, breaking the silence. He set down his pencil, glancing at Deckard with a faint, unexpected smile¡ªthe first smile since they¡¯d met. "I think I¡¯m ready to take another shot at the seagulls. Thank you for your help."


    [Ronan''s Drawing X] completed.


    Completion rate: A


    Rewards: 2000XP; +5 reputation with Ronan.


    Bonus rewards: 2000XP; +5 reputation with Ronan.


    You¡¯ve reached level 5.


    Reputation? What does it do? Deckard wondered as he saw the rewards for the last quest in the series. Maybe it will make him friendlier. It looked like Ronan wasn¡¯t done with handing out rewards, though.


    Ronan rummaged through his things, then handed Deckard a notepad and a pen. "Here. I have little left to give you, so take this."


    A notification popped up in Deckard¡¯s vision.


    You¡¯ve been offered the artist profession. Would you like to accept? [Y/N]


    Deckard hesitated, staring at the prompt. Profession... that has to do with gathering and crafting, right? After a moment of consideration, he shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    Ronan¡¯s hand froze mid-air, his face falling back into its usual blankness. ¡°You don¡¯t want to learn how to draw?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ronan,¡± Deckard replied, feeling a little guilty. ¡°While I admire your talent, I¡¯m only here for cards and nothing else. I don¡¯t want to get distracted, and as far as I can tell, drawing has nothing to do with them.¡±


    Ronan scratched his head, clearly disappointed. ¡°Cards? Oh well... So be it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks again for your time,¡± Deckard added, trying to soften the rejection. ¡°I hope you nail that seagull next time.¡±


    Ronan didn¡¯t respond. He stood silently, his gaze fixed on Deckard¡¯s retreating figure as the door closed. No one else was at the shop, so he returned to the side room.


    He approached the tank where the starfish floated lazily, its arms drifting in the water. From his pocket, Ronan drew a pristine white card. Turning it over, he studied its blank surface before pulling back his sleeve, revealing the metallic contraption affixed to his arm. With a quiet click, he slid the card into a slot in the device.


    The machine hummed softly. Ronan positioned the starfish in front of the scanner, watching as the loading bar filled inch by inch. When it was done, the white card reemerged¡ªbut now intricate circuitry patterns pulsed across its surface, glowing faintly.


    His breath caught. He operated different controls in the machinery on the wall and in the console on his arm. He carefully fished the starfish from the tank, its slimy skin cold against his fingers. ¡°Rendering sequence in three, two, one.¡±


    A brilliant flash of light illuminated the room. The card absorbed the starfish, trapping it within its frame. The creature twitched, its movement slowing before it became completely still. Slowly, words and numbers materialized on the card¡¯s surface.


    Ronan stared at it for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a deck of nine similarly crafted cards, each illustrated with a different starfish. Their detailed designs reflected the LED lights and screens. He slid the new card into place with the others with a practiced hand.


    He turned toward the window, watching the darkened sky. The moon hung low, casting its silver reflection over the water. ¡°Only cards, uh? He¡¯s the first one to answer like that. He might regret it if he meant it.¡±


    After a moment, Ronan sighed softly, gathering his things. He activated a hologram so that no one could tell he was gone. As far as patrons knew, he was drawing away in the corner. He headed out onto the pier, the gentle lapping of the waves the only sound in the stillness of the night.

 Ch. 6 - Impossible Game

    Oil lamps flickered throughout the village, casting long shadows that danced along the weathered planked streets. The distant lighthouse on the islet pulsed every few seconds, its light slicing through the dark night. A cool breeze carried the scent of salt and damp wood, mingling with the quiet murmur of the waves.


    With nightfall, the village found a new rhythm. The old lady mending fishing nets had vanished, her place taken by fishermen hauling in their late-day catch. Meanwhile, others readied their boats to venture into the night, drawn by the promise of nocturnal fish. For such a small town, it buzzed with unexpected energy.


    So they do different things depending on what time of day it is. Do they ever sleep? Deckard mused, his eyes scanning the busy NPCs. And what about the days? Is there a difference between Mondays and Tuesdays here? Could there be hidden events I¡¯m missing?


    Questions like these had been swirling in Deckard¡¯s mind ever since he entered AstroTerra. Back in Nova Cardia, his concerns had always been about cards: what his opponent had or his chances of drawing the one he needed for a game-winning combo. But here, the variables were countless, and he found himself lost in the intricacies of this virtual world.


    Despite still learning much, his first gaming session wasn¡¯t going too badly. Four level-ups in one afternoon and his first chain quest completed¡ªthat was solid progress. But the more he learned about this world, the more curious he became.


    As he wandered the village, Deckard caught sight of the coconut-crazed NPC from earlier. His behavior had shifted with the setting sun. Now, he scurried from lamp to lamp, carefully inspecting each one.


    Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s more to this guy, he thought, stepping closer.


    ¡°How goes the work, Mr. Jone?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°Work go fine, work go fine,¡± the old man muttered absent-mindedly as he uncorked a lamp and poured in a thick, glowing liquid. A sweet scent wafted up, making Deckard¡¯s nose twitch.


    ¡°That¡¯s coconut oil, isn¡¯t it?¡± Deckard asked, his brow raising.


    The old man turned with a pleased expression. ¡°Oh yes, yes. You smart one, eh?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you could use it for lamps,¡± Deckard said, intrigued.


    The old man chuckled. ¡°Oh, plenty good, burn bright, long time too. And smell nice, no?¡±


    ¡°How many coconuts do you need to light a lamp?¡±


    ¡°Ten coconut one liter,¡± Jone answered.


    Deckard glanced at the nearby palm trees, comparing the number of lamps in town with the number of trees. ¡°There aren¡¯t nearly enough coconuts here to keep these lamps going.¡±


    The old man sighed, his shoulders sagging. ¡°Ah, true, true. Not ''nuff coconut here. But beastie outside... too much danger for ol¡¯ man like me go far.¡±


    Sensing an opportunity, Deckard leaned in. ¡°Maybe I could help you gather them?¡±


    Jone¡¯s eyes brightened, his smile widening as he appraised Deckard. ¡°You help ol'' Jone? Ohh, that good. Bring 200 coconut, eh? That make plenty oil.¡±


    Quest Unlocked: [Coconut Oil Crisis].


    Coconut Oil Crisis (Common)


    Keeping the lights on at night keeps the mutated beasts away. Old man Jone is in charge of maintaining the village''s lights, but his stock of coconut oil is dwindling. He asks for your help replenishing it.


    Objectives: Harvest 200 coconuts.


    Deckard grinned as the notification popped up. Not bad, he thought. Without a guide, he had managed to unlock another quest on his own. He wondered if other players had discovered it, but the sense of accomplishment swelled in his chest. He was starting to get the hang of this game.


    With his spirits lifted, Deckard decided to try his luck with the fishermen. He approached a few as they walked through town, their faces weathered and worn from a day at sea.


    ¡°Long day, huh?¡± Deckard ventured, but the men waved him off.


    ¡°Need sleep, man,¡± one of them grunted, eyes half-closed. ¡°Talk later.¡±


    Deckard wasn¡¯t bothered. They¡¯ll warm up eventually, he thought. Given time, he was certain he¡¯d unlock quests from them, too.


    Deckard weaved his way through the maze of rope bridges and stilted huts. As he neared the pier, he stumbled upon the largest gathering of players he¡¯d seen since arriving in the village. Around thirty people milled about, a massive crowd compared to the occasional solo noob he¡¯d bumped into before. Makeshift stalls had popped up, players hawking wares with the enthusiasm of seasoned street vendors. Others huddled in tight-knit groups, strategizing for a party hunt.


    ¡°Going out to hunt a Sea Ghoul! Looking for a fifth player!¡± a voice rang out.


    ¡°[Seagull Feathers] and [Crab Pincers] for sale!¡± barked another, their voice cutting through the bustle.


    What truly stopped Deckard in his tracks, though, was a familiar, annoying voice.


    ¡°Legendary skill card for sale!¡±


    Deckard¡¯s eyes locked onto the cheeky 12-year-old he¡¯d met near Jone¡¯s cabin earlier. He chuckled under his breath. It¡¯s baldy again. Legendary? He¡¯s gotta be kidding. Curiosity got the better of him, and he wandered over to the kid¡¯s stall. Mismatched items were haphazardly displayed in front of the child, but Deckard¡¯s attention zeroed in on a single card lying among the clutter.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Charge Slash (Common)


    Description: Focus your energy into one powerful blow.


    Effect: Active. Charge for three seconds to deal a 200% critical strike.


    This was the first card he¡¯d come across since entering the game, and after hours of wandering without one, Deckard¡¯s fingers itched with anticipation. Cards, he recalled reading somewhere, can be used to learn skills in AstroTerra or to play Terralore. But how can I check what this card does in Terralore?


    ¡°Interested in my treasure?¡± the kid chimed in, a smirk plastered on his face.


    ¡°Treasure?¡± Deckard scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s a stretch. More like false advertising.¡±


    Unfazed, the kid grinned wider. ¡°Yet here you are, standing at my stall instead of anyone else¡¯s, eh, grumpy grandpa?¡±


    Deckard chuckled despite himself. ¡°Fair point. How much?¡±


    ¡°Two silver,¡± the boy replied, his smirk growing.


    Deckard frowned. He didn¡¯t have that kind of cash. As if sensing the lost sale, the kid swiftly turned to other potential buyers, continuing to hawk his wares without so much as a second glance at Deckard.


    Deckard couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from the card. He toggled through his menu, searching for any option he might have missed. Why can¡¯t I see this card¡¯s stats for Terralore? Maybe what I read online was right... you only unlock Terralore features in the mid-tier cities. Maybe I need to be inside a gaming parlor to view its hidden effects.


    While Deckard continued to ponder, the crowd began drifting away from the pier, their numbers flowing back up into the village. Even the boy packed up his stall and followed suit.


    Where¡¯s everyone going? Deckard wondered.


    Driven by curiosity, he followed the growing tide of players into the heart of the village. They moved with purpose, converging on a house near the center. He recognized it instantly¡ªthe huge swordfish trophy mounted above the door stood out against the dark wood of the building. Earlier, this place had been locked tight, but now its windows glowed with warm light, the sounds of voices and clinking mugs spilling into the street.


    Inside, Deckard found what could only loosely be called a bar. Wooden barrels served as makeshift tables, clustered with fishermen discussing the day¡¯s catch over mugs of ale. The old lady who had been mending nets earlier was now playing the role of bartender, serving up drinks and small plates of food. But the real action wasn¡¯t at the bar¡ªit was around one of the crowded tables where players jostled for a spot, their eyes glued to something that had everyone¡¯s attention.


    Deckard elbowed his way through the sea of bodies, craning his neck to see what was happening. When he finally caught sight of the center of attention, his jaw dropped. Two NPCs¡ªfishermen¡ªwere playing Terralore.


    (Author''s note: To read the rules of the Terralore game, check the next post.)


    ¡°¡ªonce you reach the city.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I heard too.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t find it in any guide¡­¡±


    Snippets of conversation from the other players confirmed what Deckard had read while preparing to join the game. Terralore wasn¡¯t supposed to be playable in beginner villages. Yet here, in this tiny backwater village, two NPCs were locked in a game. What was going on?


    Deckard focused on the makeshift board, which was set on top of a large wooden barrel. A vertical line split the board into two lanes, each side displaying a hologram of a castle with floating numbers above them. The older fisherman, a grizzled man with a thick beard, had a castle showing a shimmering "10." His opponent, a younger man with a buzz cut, had only "1."


    On both sides of the field, holograms of creatures stood ready for battle, with numbers hovering above them as well. One player had 4, the other 3.


    Deckard inspected the fishermen.


    Ratu, the Fisherman


    Lvl. 20


    Koli, the Fisherman


    Lvl. 20


    ¡°Come, Koli, I waitin¡¯,¡± Ratu taunted, his grin wide, showing missing teeth.


    ¡°Agh... You give me bad card, eh? Now you rush me too?¡± Koli complained, wiping sweat from his brow.


    ¡°The time run quick. I tell you, win this game, all me card be yours.¡±


    While Koli sweated, staring at his hand, Deckard¡¯s trained eye scanned the whole field. Koli''s defending lane was packed with Ratu¡¯s attacking creatures. The number over the castles was clearly the players'' health points HP, and the numbers over the creatures indicated their attack power. Things didn¡¯t look good for Koli. He had only 1 HP left, and his creatures were outnumbered and outmatched. On the other lane, Ratu¡¯s castle remained untouched, and his defending lane was empty. Koli was being forced to play defensively.


    Koli finally made his move, reluctantly discarding two cards and playing two new ones face-down. Ratu mirrored his actions, discarding three cards and placing one face-down. The moment the cards hit the table, a pulse of light rippled between them, locking the cards in place. Koli¡¯s cards flipped first.


    A green turtle appeared on Koli¡¯s defending lane, and the point count there rose from 2 to 4, matching Ratu¡¯s attack points. Additionally, a ray of light bathed his crumbling castle, healing it by 2 HP. Koli sighed in relief.


    That was until Ratu¡¯s card was revealed.


    A massive, terrifying turtle appeared on the field, roaring like a dinosaur. Koli¡¯s weaker creature was forced into the attacking lane, nullifying its defensive power. Ratu¡¯s attack points surged, and the attack points were factored in. Koli¡¯s last HP vanished.


    ¡°Ha! No chance, boy,¡± Ratu cackled as Koli¡¯s castle crumbled into pixels. ¡°Haha! Me win again!¡± Ratu¡¯s laughter echoed around the room, loud and smug. Koli cursed under his breath and stormed away from the table, leaving Ratu basking in victory. "I can beat anyone! Anyone!" His eyes scanned the crowd before locking on Deckard. ¡°You!¡±


    Deckard blinked, startled. ¡°Me?¡± Why was this NPC singling him out?


    ¡°You next, eh? You play me,¡± Ratu declared, rising from his seat, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of competition.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a deck,¡± Deckard protested, glancing around at the jealous faces of the other players.


    Ratu grinned, showing off his crooked teeth. He stood up, gathered all the cards that Koli had been playing with, and handed them over to Deckard. ¡°You use these. Tell you what... You win, all my cards be yours. What you say, foreigner?¡±


    You''ve unlocked a secret quest: [Against the Odds]


    Against the Odds (Rare)


    Ratu has mysteriously stumbled upon a deck and is flaunting it to everyone in town. He challenges you to a game¡ªwin, and all his cards are yours.


    You¡¯ve received a quest item: [The Worst Deck Ever]


    Deckard stood there, holding the cards and wondering what the catch was. Why had he been randomly selected to play Terralore in a village where the game shouldn¡¯t even exist? He retraced his steps through the day, pondering what might have triggered this unusual situation. Whatever the reason, he just had too much to win from this. He nodded at Ratu, determination settling in.


    ¡°I accept your challenge,¡± Deckard said, locking eyes with the old fisherman.


    ¡°Hahaha! Let¡¯s do this, then, foreigner.¡±


    ¡°Can I have a moment to study my deck?¡±


    Ratu spat, grinning. ¡°It not yours yet, foreigner. But sure, take your time.¡±


    Deckard opened his inventory and examined the cards. [The Worst Deck Ever] didn¡¯t exactly inspire confidence, but he was ready for whatever was coming next.

 Bonus Content: Terralore Rules

    <div>


    <div>


    Deck Composition and Setup


    <ul>


    <li>


    Each player starts with a 20-card deck. You can only have a single copy of each card in your deck.


    </li>


    <li>


    Players draw 4 cards to form their starting hand.


    </li>


    <li>


    You can only have 7 cards in your hand. Any surplus cards drawn go to the Graveyard.


    </li>


    <li>


    At the beginning of each turn, players draw 2 cards.


    </li>


    <li>


    To play a card, players must discard a number of cards equal to its cost, sending them to the Graveyard. For example, a card costing 1 requires discarding 1 card.


    </li>


    <li>


    A player loses if their deck runs out of cards to draw.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Types of Cards


    Creature Cards


    <ul>


    <li>


    Each creature has a cost (upper-left corner, i.e. number of cards to sacrifice to play it) and a point value (bottom-right corner).


    </li>


    <li>


    Creature cards are played in either the attacking lane (??) or defending lane (???).


    </li>


    <li>


    Creature cards remain in play unless they are removed by a card''s effect or by a player wanting to free space for a creature on a full lane.


    </li>


    </ul>


    Skill Cards


    <ul>


    <li>


    Skill cards provide unique effects but do not contribute to point totals directly.


    </li>


    <li>


    They may target creatures, castles, or other game elements.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Affinity / Rarity


    <ul>


    <li>


    In addition to cost, points, and effects, a card also has an elemental affinity, marked in the upper-right corner of the card.


    </li>


    <li>


    Cards also have rarities ranging from common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary, marked at the bottom-left corner of the card.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    The Board and Castle


    <ul>


    <li>


    The board is divided into two lanes:


    <ul>


    <li>


    Defending Lane (???): To a player''s left. Protects the player¡¯s castle.


    </li>


    <li>


    Attacking Lane (??): To a player''s right. Targets the opponent¡¯s defending lane.


    </li>


    </ul>


    </li>


    <li>


    A player''s attacking lane is the opponent''s defending lane, and vice-versa.


    </li>


    <li>


    Each player¡¯s castle starts with 10 HP.


    </li>


    <li>


    The goal is to reduce the opponent¡¯s castle HP to 0 to win.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Game Phases


    Terralore is played in four phases per turn:


    <ol>


    <li>


    Draw Phase:


    Both players draw 2 cards.


    </li>


    <li>


    Play Phase:


    Players place their cards facedown in either their attacking or defending lane. The placement remains hidden from the opponent.


    </li>


    <li>


    Reveal Phase:


    All cards are revealed.


    <ul>


    <li>


    In round 1, and in cases where players are perfectly tied (refer to Tiebreakers section), players roll a die. The winner goes first.


    </li>


    <li>


    In other cases, the reveal order starts with the defending lane of the player with the least castle HP, then proceeds clockwise:


    <ul>


    <li>


    Losing player¡¯s defending lane


    </li>


    <li>


    Opponent¡¯s attacking lane


    </li>


    <li>


    Opponent¡¯s defending lane


    </li>


    <li>


    Losing player¡¯s attacking lane


    </li>


    </ul>


    </li>


    </ul>


    </li>


    <li>


    Counting Phase:


    Resolve combat and effects, calculate lane totals, and apply damage to castles.


    <ul>


    <li>


    Points in the attacking lane are compared to points in the opponent¡¯s defending lane.


    </li>


    <li>


    Excess points from the attacking lane are dealt as damage to the opponent¡¯s castle.


    </li>


    </ul>


    </li>


    </ol>


    <hr>


    Lane and Board Mechanics


    <ul>


    <li>


    Each lane can hold a maximum of four creatures per player.


    </li>


    <li>


    If a player attempts to play a fifth creature in a lane, they must destroy one of the creatures already in play, sending it to the Graveyard.


    </li>


    </ul>


    Graveyard and Exile:


    <ul>


    <li>


    Destroyed cards go to the Graveyard unless a card effect states that they are Exiled, in which case they are permanently removed from the game.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Victory Conditions


    <ul>


    <li>


    Reduce your opponent¡¯s castle HP to 0 to win.


    </li>


    <li>


    The opponent runs out of cards in their deck before you do.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Tiebreakers


    <ul>


    <li>


    If castles are tied in HP at the end of the game, the total number of points on the field determines the winner.


    </li>


    <li>


    If the total points on the field are also tied, the game is considered a draw.


    </li>


    </ul>


    <hr>


    Glossary


    <ul>


    <li>


    Destroy: Send a card from the field to the graveyard.


    </li>


    <li>


    Discard: Send a card from your hand to your graveyard.


    </li>


    <li>


    Defending lane: The lane on a player''s left-hand side, which is the opponent''s attacking lane.


    </li>


    <li>


    Attacking lane: The lane on a player''s right-hand side, which is the opponent''s defending lane.


    </li>


    <li>


    Here: The lane in which the card was played.


    </li>


    </ul>

 Ch. 7 - The Worst Deck Ever

    Deckard stared at the cards in front of him. The more he read the details of each card, the more sure he was: it was impossible to win a game with this deck. He was sad to say, but [Sturdy Turtle] and [Healing Ray], the very cards he''d seen being completely outclassed just a moment ago, were among his top cards.


    Some other cards weren''t half bad, but they had no synergy with anything else.


    That would have worked great if the deck had stuck with a seagull theme. Sadly, however, the only creature in the deck that benefited from this skill was terrible.


    Deckard''s mouth twitched in frustration. Cranky Seagull wasn¡¯t just bad. It was outright insulting. Three cards discarded to summon a seagull that was more of a liability than an asset? Its effect actively punished him for trying to control the board. And it wasn¡¯t even the worst offender.


    The effect on [Seagull Poison] was ridiculously specific. He had seen zero seagulls among Ratu¡¯s creatures when he played against Koli. Even if Ratu had seagulls in his deck, this debuff wasn¡¯t even permanent.


    [The Worst Deck Ever] was worthy of its name; it had no win condition. Sure, in Terralore, playing cards required discarding others, so half of these cards were meant to be nothing but sacrificial fodder. But even that wasn¡¯t enough to cobble together a strategy. The more he shuffled through the cards, the more the truth weighed down on him: this was a slaughter waiting to happen.


    He looked up, catching Ratu¡¯s grin¡ªthe grin of a man who knew he¡¯d handed over a death sentence. Deckard sighed heavily and flicked his eyes to the quest description. Was there something he was missing? Some hidden condition? Or was this really as hopeless as it seemed?


    There had to be a way. The game wouldn¡¯t hand out a quest that was truly impossible, right? Deckard¡¯s mind whirled, searching for some angle, some workaround that could explain how he was supposed to win with such a terrible deck, especially when he considered how the quest had landed in his lap to begin with.


    He¡¯d only spoken to three people in the game about cards so far: Laisenia, Ronan, and Baldy. Baldy was out of the question¡ªhe wasn¡¯t even an NPC. And his conversation with Laisenia had been brief, surface-level at best. That left Ronan.


    It has to be connected to Ronan.


    The thought clicked into place, but that only deepened the mystery. He still didn¡¯t understand why or how, but his gut told him it was related to the chain quest he¡¯d completed for the pale, mysterious artist. Maybe it was because he¡¯d turned down the reward, explaining that he was only interested in cards, or maybe it was something deeper. The fact that, according to the quest description, Ratu had ¡®stumbled¡¯ across a deck and that everyone else here had been shocked by this interaction only made his suspicions grow.


    This wasn¡¯t just luck. This was a test¡ªa prelude to something bigger. A trial.


    Deckard clenched his jaw. He had to win. The more he thought about it, the more certain he became. But there was only one way to do that: he needed better cards.


    Deckard cleared his throat and clapped his hands. "H-hi, everyone! Hello!" It wasn¡¯t hard to get the attention of the bar players; after being singled out by Ratu, most eyes were already on him. "Does anyone here have cards?" he asked, cutting straight to the point.


    A few glances flickered between the onlookers, but no one moved. Not yet.


    ¡°I need cards to beat a quest I¡¯ve just received. Can anyone lend me theirs? I¡¯ll give them back once I¡¯m done.¡±


    Ratu interrupted with a cackle. ¡°What¡¯s this, eh? You cheating now, foreigner? Can¡¯t handle what I gave ya?¡±


    Deckard shot him a sideways glance. "You never said I couldn¡¯t trade or change the deck. All you said was I have to beat you." His words were steady, though inside, tension coiled tighter. He couldn¡¯t afford to show any cracks.


    Ratu¡¯s grin faltered momentarily but quickly recovered, spitting on the ground. ¡°Bah. Foreigners all dishonest.¡±


    Deckard ignored him and turned back to the crowd. "Anyone? I could use some help here."


    The room tensed. Players exchanged greedy glances, but no one spoke up. Deckard could see it in their eyes¡ªthey were weighing their options, trying to decide if they should help or wait to see what happened. Maybe they wanted him to lose, hoping that Ratu would challenge one of them instead.


    Moreover, from what Deckard had read online, the chances of a mob dropping a card were quite low. Who would want to part with a treasured card?


    He felt his heart race, but he forced himself to stay calm. Asking for charity wasn¡¯t going to cut it. He needed to make it worth their while.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trade you one of Ratu¡¯s cards if I win. How about that?¡±


    A murmur rippled through the crowd, but still, no one stepped forward. They had seen just how good some of Ratu¡¯s cards were. The possibility of trading one of their cards for something rarer and better wasn¡¯t enough to sway them, though.


    They¡¯re still hesitating. They don¡¯t trust me. He realized they feared he¡¯d trade them garbage after using their cards. He had no choice but to up the stakes.


    "Fine. If I win, I¡¯ll trade two of his cards for one of yours. Same rarity, creatures for creatures, skills for skills.¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°I¡¯ll let you pick the ones you want."


    He knew he was offering a lot, but he had no other option. Besides, he had no cards at all right now. If he only got one or two cards out of this quest for himself, he would still come out of it winning! He couldn''t beat Ratu without sacrifices.


    Finally, someone stepped forward. It was the bald kid from earlier. "I¡¯ll take that deal."


    Deckard tried not to let his relief show. "Let me see your card again," he said, and the kid handed it over.


    It wasn¡¯t great, but it was far better than the junk currently clogging his deck. "Alright, I¡¯ll let you know once I¡¯ve seen the others." He turned back to the room. "Anyone else?"


    The dam broke. Several players stepped forward this time, and Deckard moved quickly, sorting through their cards. He suppressed a groan when he saw another [Seagull Poison] swiftly skipping over it.


    He reviewed the cards one by one, ignoring Ratu¡¯s grumbling taunts from across the room. Most available cards were skills. Skill cards doubled as a method to learn skills in AstroTerra and play Terralore; therefore, their drop rate was more generous.


    Creatures, however, only served to be played in Terralore and were much harder to come by. This was a large crowd, though. He was still able to find two more creatures among the available cards.


    ¡°Foreigner. You come and play!¡± Ratu said impatiently, but Deckard ignored him. Ratu should have included that limitation in his challenge if he wanted to prevent him from building a better deck.


    Deckard thought about each card he could borrow and considered all possible synergies. He finally settled on the ones he needed. He approached Baldy first. ¡°I''ll need your card. I''ll trade you two cards at the end. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°OK by me. Sign this agreement. I want to make sure you don''t go back on your word.¡±


    Deckard studied the brat who dared to question his honesty, but he still accepted the document.


    Do you accept the terms of this agreement?


    Warning! Penalties will be imposed if you fail to comply with the terms of an agreement you have signed.


    Deckard double-checked that everything was in order and added his name to the agreement.


    He called out the players whose cards he wanted. Deckard approached the last player, the only one with an uncommon creature card. It belonged to a burly man roughly his age.


    ¡°I''ll need your card,¡± Deckard said. ¡°I don''t know how many uncommon cards Ratu''s deck has. I was thinking that-¡±


    ¡°I recognize you,¡± the burly man interrupted.


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You''re the Stubborn Tiger.¡±


    Deckard chuckled. It had been a while since he¡¯d been called that. His thoughts were momentarily dragged to the card he¡¯d inherited from Andy and to the many years of championships, always with that card in every deck he played.


    The man seemed to take his reaction as admittance of his identity. ¡°Your physique is slightly altered, but I recognized how you talk in the interviews. If you''re here, that means Cardia is done for, uh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They''re shutting down the servers soon.¡±


    The man nodded solemnly. "I figured. Tell you what¡ªyou can borrow my card. No need to trade me any."


    ¡°A-are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Please. I''m a fan. It''s my privilege.¡±


    Deckard shook hands with him. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    With this, he had all he needed. He removed the worst cards from the deck or those that didn''t synergize with anything and added the borrowed cards in. As he went through the deck, he nodded approvingly. This was much better. If his draw was good, he might just make it.


    He paused for a moment. This was the first time in many years that he was going to play a card game without the [Tiger Warrior] in his deck. It made him feel desperately alone. The emotion only lasted a split moment, though.


    Ratu scoffed from the sidelines, pulling him away from his dark thoughts. ¡°Hmph. Those cards ain¡¯t going to save ya, boy.¡±


    Deckard didn¡¯t flinch. He¡¯d done everything he could to prepare. Now, it was time to prove himself. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got, he thought, stepping forward and setting his deck on the table. Ratu mirrored him, his grin returning.


    The bar¡¯s usual clamor faded into an expectant hush as the arena materialized between them. Two holographic castles shimmered into view, rising from the center of the field. A translucent wall stretched between them, hiding where each player would play their cards.


    The battlefield split into two vertical lanes: the left for defending, the right for launching attacks. Deckard¡¯s heart quickened. This was real now.


    Across the field, Ratu grinned, his toothless smile full of smugness.


    Deckard vs. Ratu


    Begin!


    The system shuffled. Cards glowed faintly as Deckard drew his opening hand¡ªfour cards.


    He grimaced. Weak draw. Ratu really stacked this deck with junk. Still, he had to make do. He quickly discarded the worst card in his hand and played one of the few with any merit from [The Worst Deck Ever].


    The moment both players ended their turn, the field sparked to life. A virtual coin flipped in the air, and Deckard¡¯s castle lit up. His card would be revealed first.


    On his attacking lane, a hulking blue crab with oversized pincers clattered forward.


    Across the field, Ratu revealed his play: a grinning macaque wielding a crude club. It stood on his attacking lane¡ªDeckard¡¯s defending side.


    The system tallied the results. Both creatures advanced, storming the opposing castles.


    Deckard¡¯s castle shuddered as the Clubhouse Macaque slammed its club into the walls while letting out a cheeky laugh. Cracks spidered out. HP dropped by 3.


    The Crab Enforcer struck Ratu¡¯s castle in turn, dealing 2 damage.


    Deckard exhaled sharply. Already behind. I knew this deck was weak, he thought, but seeing the numbers hurts.


    Two more cards slid into his hand from the system''s shuffle. Across the field, Ratu sat back, all smug satisfaction. The guy probably thought he had this match in the bag.


    He eyed the three cards in his hand. Deckard discarded a weaker card and then played one of the cards he¡¯d borrowed from the crowd, his expression neutral despite the pulse of excitement in his chest. He looked up, eager to see Ratu¡¯s expression when the reveal came.


    You¡¯re in for a surprise.

 Ch. 8 - Crushed

    The playing phase ended, and Deckard grinned, seeing that Ratu had chosen not to play anything this turn. From what he¡¯d observed, Ratu took pride in having a superior deck. He liked to show off big cards like a peacock fanning its feathers. That, however, came at a price.


    To play big cards, he needed to discard more. He had to save resources to summon a giant creature and thus passed this turn.


    Deckard''s card was revealed with a flash of light as a loud, taunting wail echoed across the battlefield.


    In the shimmering hologram field, Ratu¡¯s macaque shrieked as if struck by a whip. The creature growled and leaped to a different lane. In Ratu''s defending lane, [Clubhouse Macaque]¡¯s points dropped from 3 to 1.


    Ratu''s face twisted in irritation. ¡°Bah! You using that tricky cheater card! Cheating foreigners, always pulling tricks!¡±


    Typical. Call me a cheater when you¡¯re the one who gave me a deck like this, Deckard thought, unfazed.


    The points were tallied again. Deckard¡¯s [Crab Enforcer] remained strong at 2 points, while [Clubhouse Macaque] defended only with 1. This turn, only Ratu took damage, his castle going down to 7, while Deckard¡¯s castle stayed at 7. They were tied in HP.


    The turn ended, and a new one began. They drew two more cards each. Ratu had a hand of five cards, while Deckard only had three.


    Deckard allowed himself a small smile. Tied up. I¡¯ve got him sweating, but I can''t get cocky. I have a stronger board right now. Barely. However, he has five cards, and I only have three. Being two cards behind for the advantage I built isn¡¯t too good, but I¡¯m doing well, considering how bad this deck is.


    Deckard¡¯s eyes scanned the lane as they drew their next hands. He could almost feel Ratu gearing up for something big. He¡¯s going to swing hard this turn. But I¡¯ve set the trap. Come on, play into it...


    As the facedown cards were revealed, one of Ratu¡¯s appeared in his attacking lane. He had discarded three cards to play it. ¡°Haha, now you see! You wait, foreigner, for my more good card!¡±


    Deckard sighed in relief, seeing how he had guessed what lane Ratu would play in. His facedown card was in the same lane. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°Sorry. You won¡¯t have the chance.¡±


    Defensive cards were always revealed first, so before the creature Ratu was so proud of could manifest, a ghostly blue hand materialized in the air, fingers splayed. It shot across the field and swept away Ratu''s unrevealed card before it could even appear.


    ¡°What?!¡± Ratu slammed his fist on the table, his face growing redder by the second. ¡°Coward!¡±


    The crowd gasped in unison. Deckard could hear someone mutter, ¡°Didn¡¯t even let him play it,¡± followed by snickers. At least the crowd''s enjoying this, he mused, keeping his face neutral.


    At the cost of three cards, Deckard had canceled Ratu''s four-card play and bought himself some time. Thankfully, he¡¯d guessed that Ratu would want to attack. If he¡¯d played [Psionic Push] on the wrong lane, it wouldn¡¯t have done anything, and Ratu would¡¯ve built a massive advantage.


    The point tally was done again, and Deckard¡¯s castle stayed at 7HP, while Ratu''s dropped to 6HP.


    Ratu¡¯s face reddened, and he looked like he was about to explode. He threw embarrassed glances at the audience. Just a minute ago he had boasted he could win against anyone. ¡°You just wait, foreigner. You only delayed my play for one round.¡±


    Deckard wiped his brow. His hand was empty, while whatever card Ratu loved was back in his hand. He would be able to play it next turn. Time was running out. As the one with the worst deck, the longer this game went on, the worse it would be for him. He just had to hope he would draw what he needed to finish the game.


    Deckard drew his two cards and grimaced. The game had gone well so far, but this turn, he¡¯d drawn junk from [The Worst Deck Ever]. He glanced over at Ratu, who looked eager for his turn.


    The playing turn ended, and sure enough, Ratu played his cherished card in his attacking lane. ¡°Now you see my good card!¡±


    Helpless, Deckard could only watch as Ratu''s card was revealed.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    The macaque pounded its chest, roaring so loudly that the very ground of the holographic field seemed to tremble. Its point count didn¡¯t depend on the lane in which it was played, making it a powerful offensive or defensive play. Deckard could feel the air shift as the crowd¡¯s murmurs grew louder. Some cheered for Ratu, while others let out groans of sympathy for Deckard.


    As the points were tallied at the end of the turn, his castle crumbled under the mighty attack, the holographic walls shattering like glass. Deckard¡¯s HP dropped to 2, while Ratu¡¯s castle sat comfortably at 5HP.


    This is bad... Deckard stared at his deck, which held no cards that could remove such a powerful threat as [Macaque Leader]. At most, he could only delay it by one more turn. He really needed a specific card to turn this around. The chances of drawing it were slim, but he had to try.


    He reached for the deck and sighed in relief. He played two cards and discarded the other two. Ratu did the same, leaving them both with no cards in hand.


    Deckard¡¯s heart raced. He just hoped Ratu hadn¡¯t played another creature. The playing phase ended. The cards appeared on the field, facedown. Ratu had played one card in his attacking lane, while Deckard had played two in his attacking lane, too.


    Ratu¡¯s card was revealed.


    Golden light bathed the [Macaque Leader], its power swelling from 5 to 7. Perhaps Ratu had expected Deckard to play a defending creature like [Sturdy Turtle] or use [Healing Ray] to heal his castle back up. To counter that, he¡¯d buffed his [Macaque Leader] to deal even more damage. Seeing that Deckard had left his defending lane empty, Ratu seemed momentarily surprised but still confident. ¡°You¡¯re done, foreigner. [Macaque Leader], crush your puny stone house. You have no chance.¡±


    Deckard smiled. ¡°Do you know why I made your [Clubhouse Macaque] change lanes?¡± He let the question hang in the air for a moment, and Ratu grew unsettled. ¡°I needed its point count to go down to 1. That way, I can use this skill card.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s first card was revealed.


    The clubhouse macaque turned toward Ratu and stuck out its tongue. It then ran over to Deckard''s side, standing alongside his [Crab Enforcer]. ¡°Because he''s in my attacking lane now, his effect activates, and he gains two more points. Now I have 5 points in my attacking lane.¡±


    Ratu¡¯s grin remained unperturbed. "You no got ''nough skill, foreigner. I still win. Game end, I got zero, you minus five. I win!"


    ¡°Too bad you didn''t play another creature. It¡¯s going to cost you the game,¡± Deckard said, grinning.


    The second card in Deckard¡¯s attacking lane was revealed.


    Ratu paled. He had only one creature in play after Deckard stole his [Clubhouse Macaque]. A massive holographic shield appeared in the sky, spinning as it descended. With a loud crash, it slammed into the [Macaque Leader], knocking it out cold. The beast groaned before crumpling to the ground.


    The time came for points to be counted. Ratu¡¯s castle¡¯s HP went down to 0 and crumpled to dust. The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting Deckard''s name. He had won the game.


    Deckard let out a breath. He had won by the skin of his teeth. Had Ratu played one more creature, he would have been tempoed out of the game. He had also lucked out on his draw. He got [Crab Enforcer] on his first turn, which steadily whittled down Ratu¡¯s HP until he was low enough for his [Backstab] play to work and finish him off in one turn.


    [Against the Odds] completed.


    Completion Rate: S


    Rewards: [Ratu¡¯s Deck], [The Worst Deck Ever]


    Bonus Rewards: +100 reputation with all villagers of Stiltwave Village.


    You¡¯ve become friends with the villagers of Stiltwave Village.


    Uh? Another reputation boost? Compared to when he had earned only ten reputation points with Ronan after completing a 10-step chain quest, this was a huge reward. And it encompassed all of the NPCs in the village. He opened his character sheet and noticed that Ronan''s reputation remained separate. Interesting.


    Deckard opened his inventory, and sure enough, he now had 48 cards¡ª20 from Ratu¡¯s better deck, another 20 from the garbage deck, and finally, the eight cards he¡¯d borrowed from the crowd of onlookers.


    The players who had given him the tools to win were already lining up to claim their prize.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Baldy shouted at a player who had approached Deckard, standing in front of the line.


    ¡°What is it, kid?¡±


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Claiming my prize.¡±


    ¡°I was the first one to volunteer to lend a card to Grumpy Grandpa. I should be first in line.¡±


    ¡°Right. But your card didn¡¯t even get played. I lent him [Backstab]. It won the game.¡±


    Another player stepped in. ¡°Yeah. Shut up, kid.¡±


    Things escalated quickly. A mug of ale was flung into the air, as though a signal flare for chaos. One guy yelled, ¡°You¡¯re just salty ¡®cause your card sucked!¡± Another lunged across the table, knocking over chairs and sending cards flying. Before Deckard could blink, the bar erupted into a full-on brawl, with mugs sailing through the air and players grappling like toddlers fighting over a toy.


    The NPC grandma who was bartending ducked behind the counter, shouting, "Oi, you lot! Mugs stay on the table, or I¡¯ll gut you like a fish!"


    Deckard stood helpless, unsure whether to laugh or run for cover. While he had made a written agreement with all the players about how they could each get two cards in return for the one they traded him, they had forgotten to clearly state in what order they could sift through his new collection to take their pick.


    Seeing Baldy biting another player¡¯s leg, Deckard shrugged and decided to let them sort it out. Even after they settled their scores, he would still have more than 30 cards left¡ªa clear upgrade over having none.


    In the midst of the chaos, the player who had recognized him earlier sidled up next to him. ¡°That was an awesome game,¡± the burly man said, unfazed by the flying mugs. ¡°A lot of fun to watch.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I ended up not drawing your card. Here,¡± Deckard said, handing the man his uncommon creature card back.


    The man took it with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m excited to see what becomes of you. Who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll run into each other at a game parlor sometime.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Keon,¡± he said, offering a firm handshake.


    Deckard shook it heartily, the sound of fists and splintering wood behind him fading into the background.

 Ch. 9 - Scraping

    Deckard was still unsure how his creditors had come to an agreement, but they''d already made their picks. Now, he was 16 cards lighter. Unsurprisingly, most of the cards were from Ratu''s choice deck, but six came from [The Worst Deck Ever]. Some cards that were useless in Terralore were apparently highly prized as AstroTerra skills.


    Either way, he¡¯d paid his dues and was now heading toward Ronan¡¯s shop.


    "Good evening, sir," a fisherman greeted as Deckard passed by. He blinked, wide-eyed. It was the first time an NPC had greeted him unprompted. Could it be because of the reputation points he¡¯d earned from [Against the Odds]?


    He spotted another NPC, a young woman, crossing a plank. She had completely ignored him the last time he tried speaking to her.


    "Hello, miss!" Deckard called out.


    ¡°Eh? You da one beat Ratu at da bar, yeah? I hear ¡®bout dat game¡ªplenny people talkin¡¯. I¡¯m Mary Ann. At your service, eh.¡±


    "Deckard. Nice to meet you."


    ¡°You look like good fella,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°One fisherman borrow me knife, no bring it back. You go get it for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Tank you, eh. I owe you one.¡±


    You''ve received a new quest: [Mary Ann''s Lent Knife].


    Deckard was stunned. Unlocking quests had become so much easier. His newfound friendly reputation drastically changed the way villagers interacted with him. Instead of ignoring him, people now greeted him and offered quests.


    Still, as curious as he was about the benefits of his good reputation, his mind was fixed on Ronan. Deckard was sure this NPC had a hand in his match against Ratu, and he was determined to find out how.


    Furthermore, in his reputation window, Ronan and the villagers remained separate entities. This only deepened his suspicion.


    He entered Ronan¡¯s shop, where the NPC sat, sketching as usual. Three other players were rummaging through boxes of equipment. Deckard waited until they left, not wanting anyone to overhear his business. Once the shop was empty, Deckard moved closer, ready to speak, but Ronan beat him to it.


    ¡°Help yourself to any of my wares,¡± Ronan said without looking up.


    "Is that all you have to say?" Deckard asked, frowning. But Ronan ignored him, focused on his drawing.


    Disappointment hit Deckard. He had been so sure Ronan was involved in his recent match against Ratu. He had expected this visit to trigger a new quest or reveal something significant. Instead, he was getting the cold shoulder.


    "I know you¡¯re the one who gave Ratu those cards," Deckard said, stepping closer. "I just don¡¯t understand why or how you have so many."


    Ronan didn¡¯t react. He kept sketching, but something felt off. Deckard¡¯s eyes narrowed as he examined the drawing. It was a seagull, but the lines were crude. It didn¡¯t seem as lifelike as before. Hadn''t he helped Ronan improve his drawing skills in a previous quest? Why had he regressed?


    ¡°And why have him challenge me? Is that because I told you that I¡¯m only interested in cards and nothing else?¡±


    Deckard reached out to touch Ronan¡¯s shoulder¡ªonly for his hand to pass through.


    "What in the¡ª?" Deckard recoiled, waving his hand through Ronan¡¯s form several more times to be sure.


    It was a hologram.


    Deckard¡¯s mind raced. After spending time in this seaside village, surrounded by fishermen and oil lamps, he had almost forgotten about the game¡¯s opening cinematic¡ªthe one filled with advanced tech and planetary defenses. He had forgotten all the screens and machines in Ronan''s secret room, too. This was some futuristic stuff. This hologram was impossibly realistic, far beyond anything in the real world.


    Chain quest activated: [The Truth About Ronan].


    The Truth About Ronan (Rare)


    After visiting Ronan to investigate his involvement in your match against Ratu, you discover he left a hologram to make people think he¡¯s still at the store. Where has he gone?


    Objective: Find out what happened to Ronan.


    Requirements: [Ronan¡¯s Drawings I~X]; [Against the Odds].


    So Ronan was involved, Deckard thought. But where?


    Deckard made sure no one else was around and then tried the knob of the side room with the fish tank. The door creaked open. Inside, the setup looked mostly the same, except for one thing: a large cage now stood in the corner, with a few white feathers scattered inside, their edges blackened. Had Ronan brought a seagull here? And if so, what happened to it?


    Perhaps it suffered the same fate as all the starfish I brought here.


    His eyes fell on the blinking machines along the wall, but there were no consoles or instructions. No clues. It was a dead end.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Thinking like an investigator, Deckard knew his next step. He had to meet the last person who had likely seen Ronan.


    Without a second thought, he left the shop and headed toward the docks.


    He needed to find Ratu.


    *


    Ratu was near the docks, scraping the hull of a fishing boat. After losing the bet in front of so many people he had bragged to, Ratu didn¡¯t stay at the bar. He¡¯d retreated here, away from the mocking eyes.


    ¡°Hi, Ratu,¡± Deckard greeted.


    ¡°Ah, foreigner,¡± Ratu muttered without looking up, still scraping the boat. ¡°Why you come here? You no take enough from me?¡±


    Deckard was pleasantly surprised by Ratu¡¯s almost friendly tone. He had expected the NPC to lash out, but it seemed Ratu was torn between their bitter history and the 100 reputation points Deckard had earned with all the villagers, including Ratu, after winning their match.


    ¡°Listen, I know Ronan gave you those cards,¡± Deckard said.


    Ratu¡¯s hands slowed, and he turned his face slightly, enough for Deckard to catch a flicker of admission in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for him,¡± Deckard pressed, ¡°but he¡¯s not at his shop. When was the last time you saw him?¡±


    Ratu resumed scraping the boat, not answering.


    ¡°Come on, Ratu,¡± Deckard urged. ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ¡°I no help cheatah.¡±


    If anyone cheated, it was you, Deckard thought, but he held back. ¡°I need to know where Ronan went.¡±


    Ratu put down the scraper and turned to face him. ¡°Okay. I tell you¡­ but first, you give back my cards.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Deckard blinked in disbelief.


    ¡°Yeah. You give back all my cards. Then I talk.¡±


    ¡°You seriously expect me to return all your cards for one piece of information?¡±


    ¡°In dat case, I no talk.¡± Ratu shrugged, picking up his tool again.


    Deckard clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one card. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°One card? Pfft! That nothing. I want all. No ''ception.¡±


    ¡°How about two cards? That¡¯s the most I¡¯ll give.¡±


    ¡°Leave, foreigner. All or nothing.¡±


    Deckard gritted his teeth. It had felt too good to be true¡ªwinning all those cards so easily. Was this how the game planned to take them back? But he needed to see this quest through. Reluctantly, he decided to bite.


    ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t have all your cards,¡± Deckard admitted. ¡°I traded some for the ones that helped me win. But I¡¯m willing to give you back what¡¯s left.¡±


    ¡°How many you trade?¡± Ratu¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Sixteen,¡± Deckard said, wincing.


    ¡°Sixteen?!¡± Ratu¡¯s voice rose. ¡°You take sixteen of my cards?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll still have enough for a full deck,¡± Deckard said quickly.


    Ratu grumbled but eventually relented. ¡°Okay, okay. I take what left.¡±


    The cards originally owned by Ratu vanished from Deckard¡¯s inventory.


    Oof. At least, the ones the players traded me are still in my inventory.


    Ratu finally spoke. ¡°Yes. Ronan give me da cards. He say he need small favor. I keep cards, I play one game wit¡¯ you. He say, ¡®Challenge da foreigner.¡¯ So I do.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°And after that?¡±


    ¡°He go Gull Rock.¡± Ratu pointed out past the docks. ¡°You walk by da beach. Big rock, many bird there. He say he go draw dem gulls. But now¡­ long time already. Maybe someting bad happen.¡±


    [The Truth About Ronan] has been updated.


    The Truth About Ronan (Rare)


    After confronting Ratu and offering some of his cards back, you discovered that Ronan left for Gull Rock. He hasn¡¯t been seen since, and Ratu is worried something may have happened to him.


    Objective: Investigate Gull Rock and find Ronan.


    ¡°Thanks for the info,¡± Deckard said.


    But Ratu wasn¡¯t listening anymore, too busy rifling through his cards, pleased at some and groaning at the loss of others.


    For Deckard, the feeling was bittersweet. From owning over thirty cards, he was left with only eight, the ones he had gotten from other players. He had only one creature card now. He couldn¡¯t even make a deck. Still, if Ronan had enough cards to hand out to Ratu like candy, then completing this quest might be worth more than clinging to the cards he got from Ratu.


    Deckard slipped out under the cover of night, the moonlight painting silver streaks across the waves as he made his way toward Gull Rock. The rhythmic crashing of the surf was his only companion, though he could see the faint glow of distant players'' skills lighting up the beach. As he walked, seagulls loitered on the shoreline, their eyes glinting in the dark. Some screeched and flapped wildly, locked in chaotic battles with players. He steered clear, knowing a fight would only delay him, especially if this quest was time-sensitive.


    The air grew colder as he pressed on, and soon, the encounters became more frequent. Seagulls littered the path ahead, but they weren¡¯t ordinary anymore. Their feathers were patchy, molts of sickly flesh showing through. Some limped, others twitched unnervingly. The stench of decay hit his nose¡ªa blend of rot and salt. Diseased, featherless seagulls squawked and hissed at anything that moved, even attacking one another in frenzied fits. Deckard felt a chill down his spine. Something was wrong here. He managed to avoid them all and outran the few that chased him.


    Eventually, Gull Rock loomed ahead, a massive stone formation thrusting up from the cliffs like a jagged tooth. The oppressive cawing of hundreds, maybe thousands, of seagulls filled the air, their calls echoing off the rock face. White bird droppings coated everything like a thick layer of frost.


    Deckard circled the base of the rock, scanning the jagged cliffs for a way in. A narrow, winding path caught his eye, but it wasn¡¯t the path itself that troubled him¡ªit was the crowd. Dozens of players clustered there, more than he¡¯d ever seen in the village. Their chatter filled the air, and as he got closer, he overheard them.


    ¡°Looking for warrior with 25+ strength. PM if interested.¡±


    ¡°Need an esper with +30 intelligence. Got [Throw Rocks] and [Seagull Poison].¡±


    What¡¯s going on here? Deckard wondered as he approached the crowd, weaving his way through. Some players huddled in groups, forming parties. Others stood alone, staring at a massive stone tablet. Every few minutes, someone would touch the tablet and vanish, or a new group of five would materialize in the same spot. Teleportation.


    He edged closer, pressing his fingers to the stone tablet.


    Welcome to Gull Rock


    Dungeon level: 3-5


    Recommended number of players: 5


    Boss: Sea Ghoul


    Elites: Cranky Seagull; Radioactive Seagull


    Description: Gull Rock is one of the many nesting sites on the island where seagulls come to lay their eggs. The birds here are fiercely protective of their nests, especially as the environment has warped them.


    Defeat the Sea Ghoul to complete the dungeon.


    Would you like to enter? [Y/N]


    Deckard¡¯s stomach dropped. A dungeon. Of course. The moment he saw the completion requirements, his fear was confirmed¡ªthis quest would require him to fight.


    ¡°Now what? I¡¯m terrible at fighting,¡± he muttered under his breath, stepping back from the stone. His fingers nervously shuffled the eight cards in his hand, performing flourishes without thinking, making them disappear and reappear in intricate motions.


    He glanced at the groups of players organizing themselves. He could try to join one, but the thought of relying on strangers made his stomach twist. What if they realized he was dead weight? Worse yet, what if they were the kind to ditch him the moment things got tough?


    Hiring mercenaries might be a safer bet. But his resources were scarce. How was he going to pay them? His mind buzzed with indecision as he weighed his options, but one thing was clear¡ªhe wasn¡¯t leaving Gull Rock without answers.

 Ch. 10 - Carry

    Deckard didn¡¯t take long to reach a decision. First, he had to evaluate if he was useless in a fight. He had only fought one battle so far, and it was hasty to conclude that he couldn¡¯t carry his weight in a dungeon run.


    After getting some distance from Gull Rock, he spotted a lone seagull.


    Diseased Seagull


    Lvl. 2


    Hp: 100


    ????


    It was similar to the ones near the village. Since his unseemly battle, Deckard hadn¡¯t gained any new attributes, but he did have a couple of pieces of equipment. They should make him more resistant to a seagull¡¯s attack and increase his safety margin in a fight.


    He made sure there were no seagulls that could sneak up on him while he fought. Determined, he grabbed his wooden sword and struck the seagull in the head.


    -6


    The seagull reacted immediately, screeching and flapping its wings in protest.


    Deckard gulped, holding his sword up and bracing for the next attack. The seagull lunged at him, but he managed to stumble out of its way. It wasn¡¯t graceful, but it was still better than getting hit. He swung at the seagull again, but it dodged.


    Miss!


    He didn¡¯t give up, taking another step forward and striking the seagull¡¯s wing in an upward slash.


    -5


    What followed was a clumsy neck-to-neck battle where both he and the seagull dodged each other¡¯s attacks.


    Deckard sidestepped a clumsy peck, and managed to hit the seagull on its back.


    -6


    You''ve beaten [Diseased Seagull].


    +10XP


    When the seagull burst into specks of light, it dropped some coins and a feather.


    You''ve picked up 4 coppers.


    You''ve picked up [Diseased Feather].


    Diseased Feather (Common)


    Description: A feather of a diseased seagull. Its toxins can be refined by chemists.


    Deckard reflected on his first victorious battle. He was down to 30HP. It wasn¡¯t great, but it was progress.


    He picked up the loot and waited for his HP and energy to recover. Feeling slightly more confident, he engaged the next seagull. Now that he was getting used to the seagulls¡¯ attack patterns, he wasn¡¯t as panicked. He managed to whittle down its health until it disappeared, earning him a few more coins and a feather as a reward.


    Deckard¡¯s confidence grew, but then something unexpected happened. As he was about to finish his third seagull, another mob spawned nearby.


    Something stronger than him triggered as he found himself outnumbered again. Flashes of memories of bullies ganging up on him took over. He became flustered, and everything turned into a blur. He managed to finish off the first seagull, but his rattled state made him lose his cool, and he had to flee from the second one before it killed him.


    Catching his breath, Deckard looked at the beach crawling with seagulls. I wonder if the dungeon is like this. Deckard did something he¡¯d been avoiding doing as much as possible since he joined the game. He opened a web browser. He quickly found a video of a Gull Rock run.


    Five players fought bravely as they fought twenty seagulls. Deckard gulped. If he could barely handle two seagulls, how was he supposed to survive a swarm of them while keeping track of his teammates?


    The players in the video had better equipment than him and used flashy skills. Many of them Deckard didn¡¯t recognize, but one caught his eye. A player used telekinesis to pick up pebbles and throw them at the enemy. That had to be the [Throw Rocks] card. The player complemented it with creating clouds of ghastly poison. [Seagull Poison], Deckard realized.


    This player was aiming to be a long-range fighter, an esper. While others stayed in the middle of the chaos, espers calmly attacked from the backlines. Maybe that was the fighting style that suited Deckard the most.


    Should he just learn the [Throw Rocks] card? Deckard did have it. He took it out and stared at it, comparing its skill version to what it did in Terralore.


    Throw Rocks (Common)


    Skill description: Your mind¡¯s potential is slowly awakening, and you can move some small objects with it.


    Skill effects:


    Active skill. Channel for 2 seconds and then throw 1-3 rocks toward a target as far as 5 meters away;


    Damage slightly scales with wisdom and intelligence.


    He sighed deeply. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. After giving away so many cards to Ratu, he didn¡¯t want to lose any more.


    Even if he did learn it, though, would that make any difference? Did he even have time to train himself to become a better party member? He glanced at the clock. It was 2 a.m. For some reason, Ronan seemed to hate sunlight, and Deckard couldn¡¯t help but feel that was relevant. Still, there was no way he could become a decent party member that quickly, even if he learned [Throw Rocks].


    He headed to the dungeon entrance, considering his options. Just then, he overheard a kid talking.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Offering IRL credits for dungeon carry. Twenty credits per party member," the kid said. Deckard watched the kid curiously. He wanted others to do the heavy lifting for him in the dungeon while he just sat back and enjoyed their hard work. Perhaps that was the solution to his problem, too.


    Twenty credits per party member. If four people carry him, that¡¯s eighty credits! This kid¡¯s parents have to be rich! Deckard could buy a week¡¯s worth of groceries with that money. Is that how much I¡¯ll have to pay? Deckard asked himself, clenching his teeth. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have money in his account, but he didn¡¯t like spending unnecessarily. That was the only way he could pay his mother¡¯s nursing home expenses while maintaining his gaming career.


    Yet, he saw no other way to complete the dungeon. It¡¯s alright, Deckard. You got the capsule and the game for free. Consider this the investment to get you started. With a sigh, he decided to pay for the carry.


    Despite how generous the offer of the rich kid was, no one was stepping forward. That meant that his offer was at market price. Shrugging, he copied the kid¡¯s message and stood by his side. ¡°Paying 20 credits per player who will carry me.¡±


    The kid, sensing competition, frowned at him.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he greeted him.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Players passed by, and Deckard could see that some were tempted. He kept repeating the announcement. Eventually, a group of three players appeared.


    ¡°We¡¯ll carry you both," one of them announced. The player addressing him wore a leather vest and a crude spear. His imposing presence wasn¡¯t just due to his height¡ªhe seemed completely confident in his skills.


    ¡°Are you three enough to carry both of us through the dungeon?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the leader answered while the other two just snorted.


    Deckard and the kid exchanged glances. ¡°Do you mind, kid? It will save us both 20 credits. It¡¯s a good deal.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the kid nodded.


    Since there were only three party members, he and the kid would have to pay only 60 credits. At the same time, the carriers would get double the fee. It was a win-win situation.


    ¡°Pay up. Twenty credits for each of us times two that makes for 120 credits total.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s gut twisted. Something about the request didn¡¯t sit right, especially after seeing how players usually did business. Back at the bar, when he traded cards with players, everyone had been so adamant about leaving things in writing that it felt wrong to hand out a cool 120 credits like this.


    He stepped forward. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Only after the deal is done. We¡¯ll sign a trade agreement enforced by the system to make sure that everyone lives up to their part of the deal.¡±


    The player standing in front of him raised an eyebrow. Deckard couldn¡¯t tell if he was disappointed because he had planned to scam them, or if he was just frustrated over what he thought was unnecessary red tape. But it didn¡¯t matter. Deckard had already read up on how to set up a system contract, and he wasn¡¯t going to let this deal go down without protection. He quickly initiated the contract interface.


    ¡°Here are the conditions,¡± Deckard said, making sure all four could hear. ¡°Me and the kid will pay you 60 credits. You¡¯ll take us through the dungeon and hunt both the boss and the elites. Regarding loot, I take all the cards. Equipment and other items go to the kid. Coppers are split equally between the five of us. If you fail to carry us through, we won¡¯t pay.¡±


    The rich kid puffed his chest out, clearly impressed by the negotiation. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re so smart!¡± he chirped, beaming at Deckard.


    "Fine, but we have one condition of our own,¡± Orson said. ¡°We want one of the items that the boss of this dungeon drops."


    "Which one?" Deckard asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t a card.


    "The [Filth Neutralizer]."


    It sounded like a poorly thought-out name for a cleaning product. "What does it do?"


    "It grants access to a special map. Our guild has us farming this dungeon specifically for that item."


    "I see," Deckard replied, instantly making sense of the situation. These guys were likely gold farmers working for a guild. They ran the same dungeon over and over to fill the guild''s coffers with a specific item. They probably made some extra cash on the side by carrying wealthy noobs like himself and Tristan. "I don¡¯t see any problem with that. Do you, kid?"


    "I have a name!" the child snapped after being called ¡®kid¡¯ one too many times. "It¡¯s Tristan."


    "Fine. You good with it, Tristan?"


    "Sure, I¡¯m good with it."


    "Alright, that¡¯s settled then, gentlemen. Let¡¯s begin."


    ¡°Wait a moment. Since we¡¯re making an agreement, add another clause,¡± the leader said, his voice level but commanding. ¡°If you die because you fail to obey my orders, we¡¯ll still get paid. Moreover, I¡¯m the one in charge during the run. You follow my commands.¡±


    Deckard nodded. ¡°Seems reasonable.¡± He adjusted the system contract, sending it back for approval.


    You''ve signed an agreement.


    ¡°Everything seems in order,¡± Orson said. He signed with a casual flick of his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    Deckard noted that Orson¡¯s colleagues didn¡¯t speak much; they just offered nods of agreement whenever he gave commands. They were clearly here to follow, not lead.


    You¡¯ve been invited by Orson to a party. Do you want to join? [Y/N].


    Deckard accepted, watching four health bars pop up¡ªOrson, Mason, Kane, and Tristan.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s be clear,¡± Orson said, his eyes cold and direct. ¡°You move when I tell you to move. Do nothing when I tell you to stand still. Don¡¯t attack. We don¡¯t need your help. Just pick up the loot, stay out of the way, and follow instructions.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s face scrunched up like he¡¯d been told he wasn¡¯t getting dessert after dinner. Deckard chuckled. Clearly, this privileged kid wasn¡¯t used to being talked to like that.


    Orson didn¡¯t care about whether he¡¯d hurt the kid¡¯s feelings. He turned toward the stone tablet at the dungeon entrance, touching it with a practiced motion.


    The air shimmered, and they were instantly transported to a rocky road overlooking the ocean.


    Welcome to Gull Rock!


    Cliffs rose on both sides, towering like jagged walls. The elites began moving, up the road. As they turned around the first bend, three seagulls swooped down from the crevices where they nested, screeching as they approached.


    ¡°Kane, Mason,¡± Orson said, calmly pointing to the assigned targets while stepping in front of Deckard and Tristan with fluid precision.


    Sweeping Strike!


    His spear shimmered with a golden hue as he tripped one of the seagulls, following up with a swift, critical strike that slashed away half its HP in a single blow.


    -18


    -35!


    Mason raised his rusty sword and smashed into another seagull.


    -22


    Kane swung his two-handed hammer with terrifying force, flattening the last seagull into the ground.


    Hammer Blow!


    -76


    The team moved with the practiced efficiency of veterans¡ªsilent, focused, and obedient to Orson¡¯s lead.


    Your party has hunted a [Diseased Seagull].


    +3XP


    In moments, the three seagulls were dispatched, exploding into specks of light. Deckard had done absolutely nothing during the fight, just as Orson had ordered, and the loot was left for him and Tristan to collect.


    Deckard felt a strange mix of awe and embarrassment. He¡¯d always known he would find players like this¡ªprofessionals who made the game look easy¡ªbut seeing it firsthand was something else. Maybe Savvy had been right when he said Deckard wasn¡¯t well-rounded. Still, he was determined to learn. He kept his eyes glued to Orson, studying his every movement and decision.


    Meanwhile, Tristan was sulking, clearly unused to being relegated to loot duty, but he didn¡¯t complain.


    Orson waved toward the path ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving,¡± he said.


    Deckard trailed behind, wondering how he would survive in this game¡ªespecially surrounded by such talent. He needed to overcome his lack of skill in fighting, or risk being left behind.

 Ch. 11 - Elites

    The path through Gull Rock felt like the quintessential first dungeon¡ªlinear and predictable. What Deckard hadn¡¯t anticipated was just how terrifying this place would be. He couldn¡¯t calm his racing heart.


    Jagged cliffs loomed on both sides, enclosing the team like rocky jaws waiting to swallow them whole. The spray of the sea and salty breeze should have been refreshing, but the stench of diseased birds and the eerie howling of the wind through the cliffs only made Deckard more anxious.


    The hired muscle cut through wave after wave of seagulls. So far, the birds were just like the ones Deckard had struggled with near the village¡ªagile and noisy¡ªbut under the expert strikes of the veterans, they dropped like flies. After thirty minutes, they had hunted about thirty diseased seagulls.


    The path widened into a crater, and the air shifted. Deckard¡¯s skin prickled as a cool gust swept down the cliffs, carrying a piercing screech that made him glance nervously at the others.


    ¡°The Cranky Seagull,¡± Orson muttered, tightening his grip on his spear. ¡°You two¡ªstay back.¡±


    The sound of flapping wings followed by a louder screech filled the air. Then, the elite landed. This seagull looked almost healthy, standing out from its sickly companions like a sore thumb. Deckard recognized it from the card art in the Worst Deck Ever. He inspected the creature.


    Cranky Seagull (Elite)


    Lvl. 4


    HP: 800


    ???


    It wore the same nasty, irritated expression as in the card art. The card had been useless, but judging by the seriousness of Orson¡¯s team, the elite itself was far from it.


    Without hesitation, Orson charged, his spear flashing with golden light as he triggered a skill.


    Sweeping Strike!


    -24


    The skill, which usually wiped out half the HP of normal mobs, barely scratched the elite and failed to trip it. The seagull screeched in rage, its health bar hardly dented. It hopped into the air, flapping madly as it dodged Mason¡¯s rusty sword.


    Miss!


    It landed with a violent thud and pecked furiously at Kane¡¯s legs.


    -34


    So that¡¯s what an elite looks like. It¡¯s terrifying. I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Deckard stood frozen, heart pounding, as he watched the crew dance around the creature. The elite moved far faster than ordinary mobs, but the team made it look clumsy as they were moving with precision, dodging damage, and striking at the perfect moments.


    Hammer Blow!


    Kane¡¯s hammer crashed into the creature¡¯s back.


    -32


    -41!


    The elite staggered, its health dipping below halfway, but it wasn¡¯t done yet.


    Screech! Screech!


    The sound reverberated through the cliffs, alerting more seagulls from the rocks above. Lesser mobs dived down, adding to the chaos, but Orson¡¯s team barely acknowledged them, their focus remaining laser-sharp on the elite, even as the smaller birds pecked and harried them.


    Orson swung his spear in a wide arc, driving the smaller mobs back, and spammed a voice skill whenever possible.


    Shepherd¡¯s Shout!


    A wave of force scattered the diseased seagulls for a brief moment, but they quickly snapped out of it and resumed their attacks.


    Deckard could only watch helplessly, Tristan sulking beside him, both sidelined. Meanwhile, Orson, Mason, and Kane relentlessly attacked the Cranky Seagull amidst the chaos of cawing birds and flying feathers. The elite lunged forward, wings flapping in a blur as it aimed its beak straight for Orson¡¯s chest.


    -54


    Orson grunted, his health dipping, but didn¡¯t break stride. He countered with a perfectly timed strike.


    Critical Strike!


    -45


    The elite¡¯s health bar flashed red. It was almost down. Orson¡¯s crew pushed for the kill, their final blows landing in rapid succession.


    Rusty Slash!


    -19


    Hammer Blow!


    -32


    Sweeping Strike!


    -32


    With a final screech, the Cranky Seagull collapsed, bursting into a shower of shimmering light. The remaining lesser seagulls scattered.


    Your party has hunted [Cranky Seagull].


    +100XP


    Deckard exhaled. They actually did it. I would¡¯ve freaked out in the middle of all that, but they pulled through.


    A small pile of loot appeared where the boss had fallen. Unlike the weaker mobs, this one actually dropped something valuable. Tristan scooped up the items, grumbling as he slipped on a new leather vest.


    ¡°Aha. Look at me, Uncle,¡± Tristan said, striking a heroic pose. "Ready to lead the charge into the next boss, don¡¯t you think?"


    Deckard rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯ve been such a big help.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just saying,¡± Tristan replied with a smirk. ¡°Look at me. Finally got some gear that says, ¡®I belong.¡¯ You should try it sometime.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Tristan wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s a card too,¡± he added, tossing it to Deckard with a grimace.


    Deckard¡¯s heart sank even before he flipped the card. Please, not the Cranky Seagull. Anything but that. His fingers hesitated for a second before turning it over.


    Cranky Seagull.


    ¡°Great,¡± he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Just what I needed.¡±


    Orson and the crew were already pushing forward, their pace relentless, and Deckard found himself and Tristan scrambling to keep up.


    From Cranky Seagull¡¯s crater onward, the seagulls changed. They became bloated, sluggish things that dragged themselves across the rocky ground. Their faces looked almost melted, with beady eyes and barely any feathers left clinging to their twisted frames. They look like expired turkeys that escaped from a supermarket, Deckard thought, disgusted.


    Terminal Seagull


    Lvl. 3


    HP: 250


    Orson¡¯s crew still cut through them efficiently, but it took noticeably longer. These new mobs had much more health than the earlier seagulls.


    Rusty Slash!


    -15


    -12


    -9


    Deckard watched as Mason hacked at one of the creatures, the damage numbers floating up slowly as the bloated seagull¡¯s health bar barely budged. Orson flanked it, helping his colleague.


    Sweeping Strike!


    -24


    -28!


    After several attacks, the terminal seagull crumpled to the ground, bursting into a puff of light.


    Deckard perked up after seeing these creatures just stand there, taking a beating. These would make for much easier target practice next time he tried fighting. Additionally, they stayed mostly away from each other, minimizing the chance of another mob joining the fight.


    Orson''s crew got started on the second Terminal Seagull. Seeing how easy it looked, Deckard took a step forward, ready to volunteer to help. It seemed like a good learning opportunity.


    He froze mid-stride. The seagull began inflating its chest, puffing up like a pufferfish. Uh? What is it doing? Is it going to explode? Deckard thought in a panic. Instead, the terminal seagull deflated, spitting out a cloud of poisonous miasma.


    -2


    -2


    -2


    ¡°So gross!¡± Tristan said beside him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Deckard agreed.


    Orson¡¯s crew remained unfazed. They kept targeting one at a time. As they progressed, they encountered larger groups of the creatures, and that¡¯s when things got tricky.


    Two terminal seagulls inflated at the same time and released the miasma.


    -4


    -4


    -4


    Being infected by one poison was bad enough, but when it stacked, it became truly dangerous.


    Orson¡¯s crew did their best to maintain distance from the larger concentrations of terminal seagulls, limiting themselves to at most two stacks of poison.


    Even so, they had no choice but to increase the number of stops to recover health.


    Another seagull went down. Although the XP was shared equally among the party, they were grinding through so many mobs that Deckard''s XP bar rose significantly.


    Your party has hunted [Terminal Seagull].


    +7XP


    ¡°Ooh! A piece of gear!¡± Tristan said happily, picking up a pair of rubber boots from the ground and equipping them immediately.


    Too bad it wasn¡¯t a card.


    After fifteen minutes of fighting, an unusual quiet settled over the cliffs. After his experience with the Cranky Seagull, Deckard knew what that meant¡ªthey¡¯d reached the dungeon¡¯s second elite.


    The first thing that hit him was the heat. It was warmer here. The chill of the sea breeze didn¡¯t quite reach him anymore. The change was subtle but noticeable, like stepping into an invisible oven.


    Once they rounded the bend and reached the crater, it was impossible to miss the boss. Its bulk was staggering. Deckard couldn¡¯t even figure out where its wings were. The seagull had ballooned into a large, bloated mass, but its beady eyes gleamed with alarming intelligence. Its body glowed with a sickly green light.


    Radioactive Seagull (Elite)


    Lvl. 4


    HP: 2000


    ???


    ¡°Positions,¡± Orson commanded, his voice sharp.


    Orson moved in first, drawing the elite¡¯s attention with a quick jab.


    Sweeping Strike!


    -27


    The elite squawked and retaliated, rolling over like a bowling ball, trying to squash Orson. He managed to dodge, but the elite changed trajectory and slammed into Mason instead.


    -66


    Mason¡¯s health dropped by a quarter, and Deckard winced as the damage number floated up. The elite drooled as it darted forward again, aiming to land another blow.


    Kane rushed in, swinging his hammer with reckless abandon.


    Hammer Blow!


    -35!


    The elite staggered, but instead of backing down, it let out a low, guttural sound and inhaled deeply. A chill ran down Deckard¡¯s spine as the creature exhaled, spewing a thick cloud of green mist into the air.


    Poison Cloud!


    -5


    -5


    -5


    This poison was thicker, and its radius much larger. Deckard watched as Orson and his crew were enveloped in the cloud, their health bars steadily ticking down with each pulse of the poison. Some of their attacks began to miss as they coughed and struggled to see through the noxious haze.


    Miss!


    Kane cursed as his next hammer strike went wide. Mason, already reeling from a beak strike, was forced to gulp down a healing potion.


    Potion Heal!


    +35


    The green numbers floated above his head, but the poison wasn¡¯t letting up, and the damage kept ticking.


    Despite the constant damage and missed attacks, Orson¡¯s crew didn¡¯t lose focus. They moved like a well-oiled machine, weaving between each other¡¯s blows, staggering their strikes to maximize damage.


    I wouldn¡¯t last two minutes in this fight. Deckard clenched his fists, watching the numbers tick away. He hated the helplessness gnawing at him.


    Finally, the boss¡¯s health bar hit the red. The elite froze and began glowing a brighter green.


    ¡°Step back!¡± Orson commanded.


    His crew ran, and Deckard and Tristan followed. A few seconds later, there was a green flash as the creature exploded. Thankfully, no one was caught in the blast.


    All that was left after the fight was a pile of loot. The poison cloud dissipated as the creature died, and the group exhaled in relief.


    Deckard blinked as the loot dropped¡ªtwo antidotes, a rusty weapon, and a card.


    This time, he took the initiative to walk up to the pile of loot and retrieve it. He recognized the card. He already knew what it did in Terralore, but hadn¡¯t yet read the skill description.


    Seagull Poison (Common)


    Description: For ages, seagulls have eaten man¡¯s trash. They became familiar with toxins and have learned how to weaponize them.


    Skill effect: Active. Release a cloud of poison in a 3x3 meter area, poisoning everyone inside. Can stack up to six times.


    Restrictions: lvl. 3.


    He stared at it for a moment. The murky green artwork resembled the poison clouds the seagulls had used.


    ¡°Okay, look alive, boys! Now comes the final stretch,¡± Orson called out, scanning the rocky path ahead. ¡°You two stay back and keep a safe distance.¡±


    This was the last section of the dungeon, and the intensity spiked. Both types of seagulls¡ªthe swift, nimble ones that darted forward like arrows, and the bloated, tanky ones that lumbered behind, clogging the path¡ªnow appeared together, forcing the crew to fight on two fronts.


    Orson¡¯s crew didn¡¯t flinch. With practiced precision, they carved their way through the swarming enemies.


    Rusty Slash!


    -18


    -20


    -15


    The smaller seagulls burst into light with each blow, their health bars evaporating in quick flashes. But even with the ease of the takedowns, the group¡¯s progress was slow¡ªmeasured, inching their way closer to the summit of Gull Rock.


    Finally, the rocky path leveled out into the summit. The ground was littered with nests¡ªempty and abandoned. Pale, cracked eggs lay scattered across the plateau. The smell of salt and decay lingered in the air.


    That¡¯s when Deckard saw him.


    Ronan.

 Ch. 12 - Sea Ghoul

    Ronan was slumped against a jagged rock, his clothes in tatters. His tall turtleneck and long sleeves couldn¡¯t hide the cuts on his skin. The wounds were unnaturally black.


    Ronan¡¯s eyes flickered open as Deckard knelt beside him. His face was ghostly pale, lips dry and cracked. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.


    Tristan peered over Deckard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°An NPC? Here, in the middle of the dungeon?¡±


    Orson, calm as ever, walked closer. ¡°He probably just has a quest that brought the NPC here. No big deal.¡±


    Tristan glanced at Ronan enviously. ¡°Think there¡¯ll be rewards for us?¡± he asked Orson, half-joking, though his eyes gleamed with hope.


    Orson chuckled darkly. ¡°Nope.¡±


    Their conversation buzzed in Deckard¡¯s ears, distant.


    ¡°Oof. Those wounds look infected. Maybe I can ask my colleagues for an antidote,¡± Deckard offered.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine!¡± Ronan snapped.


    Deckard winced at his tone. ¡°Let me help you,¡± he offered, voice strained. He moved to lift Ronan, but the man¡¯s hand shot out, gripping his arm with surprising strength.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Ronan choked, shaking his head weakly. ¡°You¡­ you need to run. The seagull¡­ it runs this place¡­ mutated¡­ too dangerous. You don¡¯t understand. You have to go¡­ now!¡±


    The urgency in Ronan¡¯s voice sent cold dread crawling up Deckard¡¯s spine.


    Then came the screech.


    SCREEEEECH!


    The sound was so piercing, so primal, that Deckard felt it in his bones. He whipped his head toward the source.


    Atop the tallest rock on the peak of Gull¡¯s Rock, silhouetted against the bleak sky, stood a hulking monstrosity.


    The Sea Ghoul.


    The bird¡¯s posture reminded Deckard of a warped penguin¡ªhunched and unnatural. It looked half-dead: one wing hanging limp, its beak crooked and broken, patches of skin missing. Yet its dark eyes glittered with vicious cunning as it gripped a rusty metal pipe in one talon, dragging it across the stone with a spine-chilling screech as it lumbered forward.


    Deckard could swear the beast was smiling at them.


    Sea Ghoul (Boss)


    Lvl. 5


    HP: 2000


    ???


    ¡°Positions!¡± Orson shouted, his tone sharp as he gripped his spear. The Sea Ghoul¡¯s eerie smile stretched wider as it eyed the group. Suddenly, it exploded into motion¡ªits bulky frame blurring as it lunged directly at Orson. The pipe flashed through the air, a streak of rusty metal crashing down on Orson¡¯s shoulder with a bone-jarring thud.


    -42


    Orson staggered back, his health dropping as the damage number hovered above him. His armor darkened where the pipe struck, a web of rusty, cracked patterns spreading outward. The blow seemed to leave behind some sort of corrosive effect.


    As the Sea Ghoul moved and attacked, it left a toxic green mist in its wake¡ªthe same noxious poison that had nearly overwhelmed them earlier.


    -5


    -5


    -5


    Deckard¡¯s breath caught as Orson¡¯s health steadily ticked down. This thing wasn¡¯t just another elite¡ªit was faster, stronger, and far more dangerous than anything they¡¯d faced so far.


    Not only did it have the speed of the Cranky Seagull, but also the toxicity of the Radioactive Seagull. Even so, Orson¡¯s crew kept their cool. Kane and Mason flanked the creature as it swung its pipe, evading its brutal strikes with practiced ease.


    Hammer Blow!


    -32


    -29


    Sweeping Strike!


    -27


    Each strike landed with precision, the Sea Ghoul¡¯s health dropping in steady chunks. Deckard, standing back, marveled at their coordination¡ªthe way Kane¡¯s hammer blows staggered the creature just long enough for Mason to slice through its defenses.


    But just as they seemed to gain the upper hand, the Sea Ghoul did something unexpected. It screeched, just like the Cranky Seagull had done. A flock of seagulls materialized in the arena, adding to the chaos.


    It was one thing to have normal monsters getting in the way of a fight when fighting an elite, but a whole other thing to do so when fighting a boss like the Sea Ghoul. This time, Orson¡¯s crew didn¡¯t ignore the summons and engaged the new threat in battle.


    Meanwhile, with a guttural cry, the Sea Ghoul leapt onto the highest rock, perching like a twisted predator. Its body shook violently as it grunted and heaved, every muscle twitching.


    ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡± Deckard whispered, staring up at the grotesque sight.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Orson called out, fending off another seagull, his voice taut with tension.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Deckard realized what was happening after the deed was done¡ªthe Sea Ghoul had laid an egg. Maybe calling it an egg was a stretch, but it was egg-shaped. The grotesque, pulsing mass gleamed sickly under the moonlight, veined and twitching. Then, with a triumphant screech, the boss clutched the egg in its talons and hurled it straight at Mason like a live grenade.


    But Mason didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, a fierce grin split his face.


    Psionic Push!


    A ghostly blue hand materialized in front of him, sweeping through the air to intercept the egg. It was the same animation Deckard had seen before when he had used [Psionic Push] to return Ratu¡¯s creature back to his hand.


    The egg spun mid-flight, then shot back toward the Sea Ghoul, hitting it square in the chest.


    -68


    The egg erupted in a spray of black, fizzing slime, splattering the boss. The Sea Ghoul let out a shriek of pain, thrashing wildly as the corrosive sludge ate away at its matted feathers and exposed patches of raw flesh. Deckard¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What was in that egg?¡± he whispered. ¡°Acid?¡±


    Weakened by the self-inflicted blow, the Sea Ghoul staggered, its health bar plummeting. Orson¡¯s crew didn¡¯t waste a second.


    ¡°Now! Throw everything at it!¡± Orson roared.


    They surged forward in a flurry of motion, weapons gleaming. Kane¡¯s hammer came crashing down again and again, each blow hammering home. Mason darted in and out, his blade flashing as he sliced the creature.


    Rusty Slash!


    -30


    -34


    -32


    The Sea Ghoul just stood there, taking the beating. The simple trick had completely neutralized the boss.


    The Sea Ghoul let out one last, pitiful cry before collapsing onto the rocky ground, its body disintegrating into motes of dark light.


    Your party has defeated [Sea Ghoul].


    200XP


    The game¡¯s announcement flashed across Deckard¡¯s vision, but it felt hollow. He hadn¡¯t earned that XP¡ªhe had been a spectator, nothing more.


    When he played Terralore against Ratu earlier, he had felt in control, commanding his creatures with confidence and strategy. All his years of experience in Nova Cardia were transferable into this new game, and he still felt like a veteran professional gamer. But now, seeing the level of skill required just to survive in a basic dungeon, that confidence began to crack.


    ¡°How am I going to succeed in Terralore,¡± he muttered, ¡°if I can¡¯t succeed in AstroTerra?¡± The fight was over, but his feelings of inadequacy lingered.


    He glanced down at the pile of loot left behind by the Sea Ghoul. There were two pieces of equipment, a card and a small vial of some chemical¡ªthe one Orson and his team had been so adamant about keeping for themselves.


    Orson stepped forward and took the vial of black liquid. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you,¡± Orson said with a grin.


    The contract with Orson, Mason, Tristan, and Nolan has been fulfilled. 60 credits will be deducted from your bank account and transferred to the players.


    Orson and his colleagues left immediately, leaving only Tristan and Deckard behind.


    ¡°How rude. They didn¡¯t even say goodbye,¡± Tristan complained. ¡°Oh well, let¡¯s split the loot. Here! There¡¯s a card.¡±


    Deckard grabbed it, curious about the card the Sea Ghoul might drop. This was his first time seeing a boss; its creature card had to be awesome. Unfortunately, it turned out to be just another skill.


    Seagull Strike (Common)


    Description: By observing seagulls fighting, you understand that the key to their strength and viciousness lies in their quick strikes.


    Skill effect:


    Active. Deal 100% damage; Refreshes auto-attacks.


    Restrictions: lvl. 4.


    ¡°Bye, uncle!¡± Tristan called after equipping a rusty pipe, just like the Sea Ghoul wielded.


    ¡°Bye, kid.¡±


    Deckard was left alone with Ronan at the summit of Gull¡¯s Rock. It was time to see where this strange quest would take him.


    After the Sea Ghoul was gone, Ronan looked like a new man. He stood up and waited for Deckard to approach and finish the dialogue.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± Ronan said, his voice tinged with embarrassment.


    ¡°No problem. What happened?¡± Deckard asked.


    Ronan ignored the question, glancing up as the sky began to brighten. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here for sunrise. I¡¯ll talk to you back at my shop.¡±


    And with that, he, too, disappeared.


    Deckard took one last look around the now-empty ridge. He had spent a lot of money, but in the end, he had completed the quest, gained three new cards, and learned a lot more about the game.


    Satisfied yet sobered, he teleported out of Gull¡¯s Rock and returned to the mass of players eager to go on the same adventure he had just finished.


    Congratulations! You''ve completed Gull¡¯s Rock!


    You¡¯ve unlocked the title: [Beginner Dungeoneer].


    Beginner Dungeoneer (Common)


    You have stepped onto the path of those who brave dangers and run dungeons to earn loot. You are now a true Dungeoneer.


    Title effect: +5% HP and energy regeneration when inside dungeons.


    Conditions to unlock [Beginner Dungeoneer]:


    Complete one dungeon. {complete}


    Deckard had heard about titles before but hadn¡¯t really looked into them since they didn¡¯t affect his gameplay in Terralore. Apparently, titles were another way to increase stats. Maybe that explained why Orson and his crewmates had such an imposing presence in the dungeon. They probably had an even better version of this title, making them nearly unstoppable.


    Satisfied with the reward, Deckard headed toward Stiltwave Village.


    At some point during the trek, Deckard realized something odd: he hadn¡¯t even considered logging out since he started playing. Even though it was way past his usual bedtime, his mind felt just as sharp as ever. The first time he dove, he felt like playing while sleeping wasn¡¯t a perfect replacement for sleeping. Maybe the full-dive technology had been upgraded since the last time he experimented with it. If so, all the better. He could stay immersed longer, make more progress, and increase his chances of making it to the next world championships.


    When he reached Stiltwave Village, he marched straight to Ronan¡¯s shop. Inside, the usual hologram was busy sketching a seagull. Knowing it wasn¡¯t the real NPC, Deckard walked right past it and knocked on the back door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± came Ronan''s raspy voice.


    The first thing that caught Deckard¡¯s eye was the fish tank. It was full again. All the starfish he had collected for Ronan were crawling around inside. The Sun Starfish was chasing after the smaller ones, probably to eat them, but they were all still accounted for. A seagull was sleeping in the nearby cage, which had been empty before.


    Ronan himself was tending to his wounds, spraying his cuts and gashes. The seagull¡¯s talons and beak had left deep marks on him, but wherever the spray touched, the black wounds were replaced with fresh skin.


    Awesome. If this were real, it¡¯d revolutionize healthcare.


    Deckard cleared his throat. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we talk.¡±


    Ronan snorted. ¡°I guess you could say that.¡± He stared at Deckard for a long moment, as if debating how much to reveal. ¡°I''ve been testing you,¡± he finally admitted.


    ¡°I kind of noticed. Was collecting starfish part of it?¡±


    Ronan chuckled. ¡°Not initially. But it did show me you can collect.¡± He paused. ¡°When you said you were only interested in cards¡­ That¡¯s when the test began.¡±


    Why the tone? Aren¡¯t cards just cards?


    Ronan continued. ¡°The game against Ratu was to see how you handled unfavorable odds. Gull¡¯s Rock was a test of your survivability and resourcefulness. You passed.¡±


    Ronan rolled up his sleeve, revealing a piece of machinery that Deckard hadn¡¯t realized the NPC had been hiding under his jacket.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Deckard asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s easier if you see for yourself,¡± Ronan said, tapping a few commands on his console.


    That¡¯s when things got strange. Ronan¡¯s skin began to... skitter, for lack of a better word. It cracked and split into thousands of tiny pieces, crawling off his face and retreating into his jacket.


    His skin underneath was pitch black, like obsidian, with what Deckard assumed were antennae sprouting from his head. His eyes were yellow, and there were two holes on his chin that looked disturbingly like gills.


    Deckard gulped. Ronan wasn¡¯t human. He was an alien.

 Bonus Content - Deckards Character Sheet

    Chapter 2


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Level: 0 (0/100)


    Affinity: [Empty]


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: [Empty]


    Titles: [Empty]


    STATS


    Hp: 105


    Ep: 105


    Weight: [Light] - (2/30Kg)


    Running Speed: 100%


    Strength: 5


    Dexterity: 5


    Intelligence: 5


    Wisdom: 5


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Empty]


    Bottom: [Beginner¡¯s Trousers]


    Shoes: [Beginner¡¯s Shoes]


    Cape: [Empty]


    Accessories: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Stat Bonuses: [Empty]


    Passive: [Empty]


    Active: [Empty]


    Chapter 5


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Level: 5 (0/100)


    Affinity: [Empty]


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: [Ronan 10/100]


    Titles: [Empty]


    STATS (Free Stat Points: 25)


    Hp: 106


    Ep: 105


    Weight: [Light] - (2/30.5Kg)


    Running Speed: 101.2%


    Strength: 6


    Dexterity: 6


    Intelligence: 5


    Wisdom: 5


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves] +1 strength; +1% attack speed.


    Bottom: [Beginner''s Trousers]


    Shoes:[Salvaged Shoes] +1 dexterity; +1% running speed.


    Cape: [Empty]


    Accessories: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Stat Bonuses: [Empty]


    Passive: [Empty]


    Active: [Empty]


    Chapter 8


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Level: 5 (0/100)


    Affinity: [Empty]


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: [Ronan 10/100]; [Stiltwave Villagers 100/300]


    Titles: [Empty]


    STATS (Free Stat Points: 25)


    Hp: 106


    Ep: 105


    Weight: [Light] - (2/30.5Kg)


    Running Speed: 101.2%


    Strength: 6


    Dexterity: 6


    Intelligence: 5


    Wisdom: 5


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves] +1 strength; +1% attack speed.


    Bottom: [Beginner''s Trousers]


    Shoes:[Salvaged Shoes] +1 dexterity; +1% running speed.


    Cape: [Empty]


    Accessories: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Stat Bonuses: [Empty]


    Passive: [Empty]


    Active: [Empty]


    Chapter 12


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Level: 5 (0/100)


    Affinity: [Empty]


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: [Ronan 10/100]; [Stiltwave Villagers 100/300]


    Titles: [Beginner Dungeoneer] +5% HP and energy regeneration when inside a dungeon.


    STATS (Free Stat Points: 25)


    Hp: 106


    Ep: 105


    Weight: [Light] - (2/30.5Kg)


    Running Speed: 101.2%


    Strength: 6


    Dexterity: 6


    Intelligence: 5


    Wisdom: 5


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves] +1 strength; +1% attack speed.


    Bottom: [Beginner''s Trousers]


    Shoes:[Salvaged Shoes] +1 dexterity; +1% running speed.


    Cape: [Empty]


    Accessories: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Stat Bonuses: [Empty]


    Passive: [Empty]


    Active: [Empty]


    Chapter 13


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Class: Card Slinger


    Race: Human


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: Zulmers (20/100); Villagers of Stiltwave (100/300)


    Titles: [Beginner Dungeoneer] +5% HP and energy regeneration when inside a dungeon.


    STATS


    HP: 100


    HP regeneration: 0.2 per second


    EP: 100


    EP regeneration: 0.2 per second


    Weight: [Light] - (5.3/30Kg)


    Running Speed: 102%


    Attack Speed: 101%


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves ] | +1% attack speed


    Bottom: [Beginner¡¯s Trousers]


    Shoes: [Salvaged Shoes] | +2% running speed when outside of combat.


    Cape: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Passive: [Card Throw]


    Active: [Subdimensionalize]


    Chapter 14


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Class: Card Slinger


    Race: Human


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: Zulmers (20/100); Villagers of Stiltwave (100/300)


    Titles: [Beginner Dungeoneer] +5% HP and energy regeneration when inside a dungeon.


    COLLECTION:


    Number of cards: 9


    STATS


    HP: 101


    HP regeneration: 0.3 per second


    EP: 101


    EP regeneration: 0.2 per second


    Weight: [Light] - (5.3/30Kg)


    Running Speed: 102%


    Attack Speed: 101.4%


    Attack: +0.1


    Crit Damage: +0.1


    Damage Resistance: +0.1


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves ] | +1% attack speed


    Bottom: [Beginner¡¯s Trousers]


    Shoes: [Salvaged Shoes] | +2% running speed when outside of combat.


    Cape: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Passive: [Card Throw]


    Active: [Subdimensionalize]

 Ch. 13 - The Preservers

    The longer he stood there, the more real it all felt. Ronan¡¯s dark, slick skin gleamed under the shop¡¯s light, and the gills pulsed gently with each breath. It was unnerving. But then, the somewhat stereotypical appearance¡ªthe antennae, the mouthless face¡ªhelped ease the tension. It was just a game, after all.


    Deckard was still trying to recover from the shock. The unassuming shopkeeper named Ronan, who had issued him a quest and had come across as a bit of a jerk, turned out to be an alien.


    He hadn¡¯t seen that coming, and now he didn¡¯t know how to continue the conversation.


    Several questions raced through his mind: What planet are you from? Why are you this color? What are the antennae for? How do you speak without a mouth? Why do you have gills? Are you supposed to be an underwater creature? The questions flooded his thoughts all at once, leaving him unsure which to ask first. It felt like a crowd of people rushing for the same door, only to get stuck.


    And then, the one question that really loomed: How many players know about this?


    He had avoided relying on guides and walkthroughs. Was this the kind of secret questline everyone knew about, or was he truly the first to uncover this hidden piece of the game?


    Before Deckard could decide, Ronan¡ªor whatever his real name was¡ªtook the initiative to speak.


    ¡°I am a Zulmer,¡± the alien said, his voice oddly mechanical yet smooth. ¡°From the planet Guilconia.¡±


    Deckard blinked. The voice wasn¡¯t coming from Ronan¡¯s lips but from somewhere deeper¡ªhis chest? Deckard¡¯s eyes caught the faint outline of a device implanted just under Ronan¡¯s gills, buzzing faintly. A translation device, he realized.


    ¡°My people are lovers of life,¡± Ronan continued, his antennae twitching slightly as he spoke. ¡°We travel the stars, watching over worlds like yours, preserving life where we can. Earth is special. Its diversity... unparalleled, even in the vast reaches of space.¡±


    Deckard frowned, curiosity growing.


    ¡°Centuries ago, we detected an attack coming for this planet. We couldn¡¯t intervene in time. But your people... you survived. Life mutated, changed¡ªbut it endured. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. My team of ecologists was sent to study these mutations, to save what we can before it happens again.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Deckard interrupted. ¡°Another attack is coming?¡±


    Ronan gave a slow nod. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And are you here to stop the attack? How exactly are you going to save us?¡±


    ¡°Not you. Life. And we are not going to defend you from their attack. We are preservers, not warriors.¡± As Ronan spoke, he pulled out a card¡ªa dull gray rectangle that seemed to suck the light from the room.


    A familiar thrill ran through him. A card. It lacked artwork or a skill description. It wasn¡¯t like anything Deckard had seen so far in the game. His fingers itched to study it closer.


    ¡°This,¡± Ronan said, holding the card between two fingers, ¡°is a dimensionalizer. It captures a creature¡¯s essence¡ªits DNA, behavior, and every movement¡ªand stores it in a two-dimensional form. We use these to preserve species, but...¡± He sighed. ¡°The devices are malfunctioning.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The radiation that altered life here made the creatures too complex. Our technology can¡¯t fully capture them anymore. The dimensionalizers worked fine during our first visit, but now, to trap a creature, we¡¯d need to study every second of its existence. That¡¯s where you come in.¡±


    Deckard tilted his head, still unsure of where this was going. ¡°What do you need me for?¡±


    Ronan¡¯s antennae flicked in what might have been frustration. He looked around the shop, grabbed a pen from the counter, and tossed it at Deckard without warning. Instinctively, Deckard caught it mid-air, his reflexes kicking in before his mind fully registered the motion.


    ¡°See?¡± Ronan said. ¡°That. Your brain did in an instant what it would take our machines hours to process.¡±


    Deckard threw the pen back at Ronan, and he caught it just as quickly. ¡°Can¡¯t you do the same, though?¡± he countered.


    Ronan¡¯s gills rattled in what could have been a chuckle. ¡°Good point. I was just giving you an example using your motor coordination. But there¡¯s so much more going on. Your immune systems and your organs have adapted to thrive in the radiation. Here.¡±


    Ronan pulled out a card. This one wasn¡¯t dull, and in fact, was just like one of the cards that Deckard had. It was for the [Seagull Strike] skill. ¡°Put it against your forehead.¡±


    Deckard obeyed.


    Would you like to learn [Seagull Strike]?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    You¡¯ve learned [Seagull Strike].


    ¡°See?! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Your cells have absorbed the information in the dimensionalizer in a split-second. You¡¯re like walking supercomputers, processing vast amounts of information subconsciously. The way your cells have mutated is beyond my comprehension.¡±


    So he¡¯s impressed with how players can learn skills in the game. Deckard grinned. Card games did have lore, and he knew the one from Nova Cardia back and forth. He was having fun learning about how the developers had woven cards into the narrative of this game.


    There was only one thing he couldn¡¯t understand, though.


    ¡°What about you? Can¡¯t your cells do the same as mine?¡±


    Ronan laughed weakly. ¡°While this suit helps me survive here, it has severe limitations. It prevents me from dominating a creature long enough to study it properly. Besides, Zulmerian bodies don''t respond well to this radiation. It has been designed that way.¡±


    ¡°Designed?¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Ronan ignored the question. ¡°Instead of elevating us like it did with you, it slows us down. I have to spend hundreds of hours tweaking parameters in my machines to get the settings just right to subdimensionalize a creature. Your brain can do that much quicker. Moreover, you¡¯ve proven yourself to be resourceful and quite resilient. I think you¡¯re well-suited for the task.¡±


    Deckard stared at the pen in his hand. ¡°So, you want me to... understand the creatures? Study them with my mutated mind? Then, what¡ªtrap them with these cards?¡±


    Ronan¡¯s gills pulsed again. ¡°Precisely. With your help, we can preserve Earth¡¯s ecosystems before the next attack.¡±


    Deckard was intrigued. ¡°So you''re trying to capture every creature on the planet into these dimensionalizers, and then... what? Put them in some kind of Noah¡¯s Ark?¡±


    ¡°Noah¡¯s Ark? Yes, I understand the reference,¡± Ronan said. ¡°You could say that. However, our ark would be quite small. It''s just the size of a shoebox.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do with it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared a planetary reserve that will be safe from their attack.¡±


    ¡°They? Who are they?¡±


    Ronan avoided his gaze. ¡°You let the Zulmers worry about them.¡±


    Deckard squinted. The enemies of the Zulmers had to be the ones who designed the radiation. Part of him wondered if this was all flavor text or if it actually meant something. Just who were these attackers? He had assumed that the asteroid running into Earth¡¯s orbit had been an accident. Just what race could shoot a cannon ball the size of a moon to destroy a planet?


    Ronan turned toward the fish tank and observed the starfish. ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck dealing with complex life forms. The more mutated the creatures are, the harder it becomes to subdimensionalize them.¡± He turned toward Deckard. ¡°Will you help us save life on this planet?¡±


    You¡¯ve completed: [The Truth About Ronan].


    [Ronan] reputation points have been changed to [Zulmers] reputation points.


    +10 reputation points with the Zulmers


    Secret conditions fulfilled:


    [Ronan¡¯s Drawings I-X]; [Against the Odds]; [The Truth About Ronan];


    No class.


    Would you like to accept the hidden class [Card Slinger]? [Y/N]


    ¡°A hidden class,¡± Deckard muttered.


    Deckard¡¯s mind was racing now. He¡¯d read about them when researching this game. The stories were few and far between, but players who found hidden classes were game-changers. They carved their paths and became legends.


    One story had stuck with him: a player from the Ogres guild who had reportedly found a secret class that allowed him to take control of one of the most important cities in the game. He was one of the top rankers in the game and had allegedly single-handedly catapulted the Ogres from the 8th into the 4th place in the guild rankings.


    Hidden classes were rare, and they seemed to carry unimaginable power. Could this be one of those moments?


    Deckard paused and considered how he¡¯d completed these quests. He hadn¡¯t done much fighting, did he? Combat in this game wasn¡¯t his strong suit; Ronan had to know this. If he was still pushing this class onto him, that meant that this path really did suit him.


    This wasn¡¯t just some off-the-shelf class. It had cards, and if cards were involved, his brain could work faster than his fists ever could. That was his strength. Maybe this was a path where he didn¡¯t have to rely on swinging a sword.


    He smiled. He was only pretending to consider his choices. Ronan had him at ¡®card.¡¯


    ¡°I accept.¡±


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    Ronan stepped forward with the same dull card he¡¯d held earlier in hand. He pushed it against Deckard¡¯s forehead, and the card flashed brightly.


    Congratulations. You are now a Card Slinger.


    Card Slinger (Hidden Class)


    Class description: You¡¯ve taken the banner of the Zulmers, the ecologists that protect biodiversity in the galaxy. You learn how to wield their dimensionalizers to great effect.


    Class characteristics:


    Your character progress depends on card collection;


    You know [Card Throw] and [Subdimensionalize].


    Card Throw (Rare)


    Description: You can use the dimensionalizers'' sharp edges to deal some damage at mid-range.


    Skill effects:


    Passive: Throwing cards deals damage. Range, attack speed, and damage scale with your collection.


    Restrictions: Card slingers.


    Subdimensionalize (Rare)


    Description: By studying a creature¡¯s DNA, behavior, and quirks, you can understand them and capture them in a card completely.


    Skill effects:


    Passive: Gain increased understanding of creatures through interaction.


    Active: Capture a creature in a card; success scales with your understanding level.


    Restrictions: Card slingers.


    You¡¯ve received a new item: [Dimensional Binder].


    Your body weakens after undergoing an alien mutation. Your level and attributes are zeroed out.


    Deckard read through the class description and frowned. He had expected to gain some stats; after all, that was part of the reason everyone rushed to unlock classes. A significant power boost was at stake. Why hadn¡¯t he gained any?


    But as he delved deeper into the skill descriptions, his apprehension melted away. He loved both of them!


    [Card Throw] allowed him to sling cards as a means of dealing damage. That was so much better than swinging a sword, and thankfully, it was something Deckard was quite used to. He had spent countless hours tossing cards in his apartment, especially since the queue times in Nova Cardia had become unbearably long.


    He tried imagining what it would be like to fight a seagull using cards. Thinking back on how he often flinched and froze during chaotic battles, he realized that attacking from a distance could be very advantageous. If he stayed out of the fray, perhaps he could keep a clearer mind. He would have to experiment with it though. It was one thing to experiment trick shots in an apartment, and quite another to use cards to fight mutants!


    [Subdimensionalize] was even better! It provided a guaranteed way to obtain creature cards. After running a dungeon and only managing to snag a single creature card, Deckard could truly appreciate how valuable this skill was. With this ability, building a deck in Terralore would be much easier! The skill did mention needing to understand a creature, though¡ªhow that worked was beyond him. Still, it was an exhilarating development. He couldn¡¯t wait to venture out and start collecting every creature he could!


    As he kept reading, he blinked at the last notification. ¡°Zeroed out?¡± He opened his character sheet and gasped. What in the world had happened?


    CHARACTER INFORMATION


    Name: Deckard


    Race: Human


    Alignment: Neutral


    Relationships: Villagers of Stiltwave (100/300), Zulmers (20/100)


    Titles: [Beginner Dungeoneer]


    STATS


    HP: 100


    HP regeneration: 0.2 per second


    EP: 100


    EP regeneration: 0.2 per second


    Weight: [Light] - (5.3/30Kg)


    Running Speed: 102%


    Attack Speed: 101%


    EQUIPMENT


    Right Hand: [Empty]


    Left Hand: [Empty]


    Head: [Beginner¡¯s Hat]


    Top: [Beginner¡¯s Jacket]


    Gloves: [Discarded Gloves ] | +1% attack speed


    Bottom: [Beginner¡¯s Trousers]


    Shoes: [Salvaged Shoes] | +2% running speed when outside of combat.


    Cape: [Empty]


    SKILLS:


    Passive: [Card Throw]


    Active: [Subdimensionalize]


    He rubbed his eyes, struggling to make sense of the chaotic screen before him. Where had his attributes gone? What about the skill he had just learned¡ªthe [Seagull Strike]? It had vanished without a trace! Why didn¡¯t he have strength or dexterity anymore? He didn''t even have a level anymore! The only things remaining were his title and relationship points.


    He navigated to the equipment section. Something was definitely off with the item descriptions. Double-checking to ensure he wasn¡¯t hallucinating, he confirmed it: the equipment had lost its stat bonuses. His shoes, which were supposed to grant him +1 dexterity, now offered only a boost to movement speed.


    Taking a few steadying breaths, Deckard reviewed the system notifications once more. Ronan stood off to the side, giving him space to process this bewildering situation.


    Your character progress depends on card collection. This had to be the reason his attributes had disappeared. In AstroTerra, a character¡¯s progress was tied to their attributes; higher strength meant more HP, better HP regeneration, and increased physical damage.


    If he was interpreting this correctly, those crucial numbers now hinged on his card collection. Deckard moved to inspect the item he had received from Ronan, the one somehow tied to his new class. As he glanced at the rarity grade, he gasped. It was unique!

 Ch. 14 - Repository

    Deckard inspected the details of the item Ronan had just given him.


    Card Repository (Unique)


    Description: A piece of Zulmer technology that imparts subdimensionalized characteristics onto the carrier¡¯s genome.


    Despite its fancy description, the item Ronan handed him felt instantly familiar. Deckard ran his fingers over its surface¡ªa hard-covered, thick, sturdy portfolio almost identical to the ones he and Andy had used to store their Spades & Space collection¡ªthe game he and Andy had played before Nova Cardia.


    Memories flashed in Deckard¡¯s mind. He and Andy sitting cross-legged on Andy¡¯s bedroom floor, hunched over a game of Spades & Space. That one week they had spent on their summer holiday cleaning the warehouse of Andy''s father¡¯s shop only to exchange it for the last box of cards the shop had.


    Nostalgia bubbled up, bittersweet. It was as if Andy was beside him for a brief moment. But as Deckard opened the portfolio, the feeling evaporated, buried under the many differences between his old Spades & Space repository and this one.


    For one, it was too heavy. A small part of him hoped the weight came from a complete collection of cards already stored inside. Wouldn¡¯t that be something? But as he flipped it open, the reality was far less satisfying. One page. A single, thick, weighty page. It felt almost like a stone tablet. Deckard ran his fingers over the surface, curious. The texture beneath his fingertips was a bizarre blend of opposites: soft as silk yet hard as steel. When he touched it, the page trembled slightly, skittering as if alive¡ªmuch like how Ronan¡¯s skin had moved earlier.


    ¡°Nanites,¡± Deckard whispered.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Ronan confirmed with a nod.


    The page was blank, except for neat rows of empty slots, each perfectly shaped to hold a card.


    ¡°This is what you called an ark earlier,¡± Ronan said, his voice swelling with pride. ¡°I told you it could fit in a shoebox, remember? This machine has enough space to store all the species in your world.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s brow furrowed as he glanced back at the description. All the species in the world? He looked up at Ronan skeptically. That can¡¯t be right. If he remembered correctly, there were over a million species of animals alone. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Ronan nodded, his expression calm and confident.


    Deckard ran a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of it all. Maybe I¡¯m taking it too literally. It seemed impossible that the developers had modeled mutated versions of every creature on Earth for the game. Right?


    He thought back to Gull Rock. There, seagulls had been divided into diseased, terminal, cranky, radioactive, and then the final boss¡ªthe sea ghoul. Five variations of the same bird, none mimicking reality. That probably meant he wouldn''t need to collect over a million cards.


    Ronan, sensing Deckard¡¯s hesitation, nudged him to try the item. ¡°Go ahead. Try inserting one of your cards.¡±


    Deckard hesitated for a moment, then reached for his small collection. He shuffled through the cards, finally selecting one: [Cranky Seagull]. The card was practically unplayable. If I lose it, I won¡¯t miss it. With a deep breath, he pressed the card against one of the empty slots.


    Instantly, it stuck, like a magnet snapping into place. The page began to glow, a soft electronic hum rising from the portfolio as the entire sheet turned a radiant blue.


    Collection updated.


    +0.2% attack speed.


    Deckard blinked, wide-eyed. ¡°It¡­ made me stronger.¡±


    ¡°What you humans call creature cards subdimensionalize a subject¡¯s DNA,¡± Ronan explained, his tone brimming with excitement. ¡°But the DNA alone cannot bring a creature back to three dimensions. You also need complementary cards¡ªones that provide behaviors.¡±


    Behavior? Is he talking about skill cards? Deckard wondered.


    He sifted through his deck, quickly finding a card related to the seagull: [Seagull Strike]. His pulse quickened as he placed it beside the [Cranky Seagull] in the portfolio.


    Collection updated.


    +0.1% attack speed.


    The two cards shifted slightly as the page reconfigured, the [Cranky Seagull] hovering in one corner while the behavior slotted into place next to it, like a puzzle fitting together.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Ronan said with approval in his voice. ¡°To collect a creature¡¯s full information, you need its genome and behaviors. There are more pieces to the puzzle, but for now, this is enough.¡±


    Gears turned in Deckard¡¯s mind. Another increase in attack speed. That seemed to be the attribute seagulls offered. The skill card had only provided a 0.1% increase, while the [Cranky Seagull] card doubled that. I wonder if it¡¯s because one is a skill card, and the other is a creature card, Deckard mused. Or maybe the [Cranky Seagull]¡¯s elite status makes the card more valuable.


    His head swam with this new information. The way the game integrated a card-collecting system into his class was dope. But something worried him.


    With each card, he only got a 0.1% or 0.2% increase in an attribute. That¡¯s on the low side, he thought, frowning. After investing [Cranky Seagull], [Seagull Poison], and [Seagull Strike], he had barely reached a 0.4% boost to attack speed. By comparison, every other player got five total stat points with each level-up, and from what he¡¯d read, each point in dexterity increased attack speed and movement speed by 0.2%.


    So why am I gaining so little, even after investing valuable resources?


    This class would take a lot of work to get off the ground. The incremental boosts required patience and dedication. It¡¯ll be worth it in the long run, he reassured himself, but a flicker of doubt remained.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Deckard glanced at Ronan, sensing the need to make the most of Ronan¡¯s availability to answer questions. In his experience, Ronan wasn¡¯t one to linger in conversation for long. ¡°Why did the page turn blue earlier?¡± he asked.


    Ronan¡¯s expression darkened briefly. ¡°It¡¯s due to how they fractured reality. This planet¡¯s order is unstable. Some creatures respond more to certain forms of energy than others.¡±


    Deckard nodded slowly, filing away that clue. Yet another reference to them, he thought. The opening cinematic also said something about a fractured reality. The lore of the game was all coming together.


    In his match against Ratu, Deckard noticed that all the cards had an affinity. [Crab Enforcer] and [Sturdy Turtle] were tied to water, while [Backstab] had a dark affinity. [Psionic Push] had a wind affinity, and [Charged Slash] a fire one. Affinities hadn¡¯t influenced the game in any way, but their visual prominence suggested they were important.


    A spark of curiosity ignited within him. Tentatively, he tugged at one of the two cards in the repository, half-expecting it to resist. Instead, it came free effortlessly. So, if I put a card into the repository, I can always remove it later.


    Deckard grabbed the rest of his small collection. As he pressed the cards against the portfolio, it reconfigured again. The thick block split into several pages, and some of them shifted colors.


    The one holding [Backstab] became pitch black, while the page with [Charged Slash] turned fiery red. Suddenly, the portfolio¡¯s interior was a rainbow of colors.


    Collection updated.


    +0.1 damage resistance


    +0.1 crit damage


    +1 HP


    +1 energy point (EP)


    +0.1 attack


    +0.1% attack speed


    Deckard¡¯s mind raced with possibilities. Which cards contributed to which benefits? He was about to dive into another round of experiments to better understand the mechanics, but a lingering question nagged at him. It had been gnawing at the back of his mind since he read the skill description earlier.


    ¡°What about understanding the creatures?¡± he asked. ¡°I need that before I can subdimensionalize them, right?¡±


    Ronan¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked. Come, look into the tank.¡±


    Deckard approached cautiously. Inside the tank, several starfish scuttled around¡ªif you could call what starfish did scuttling. They moved at an excruciatingly slow speed. He glanced at Ronan, uncertain. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Ronan instructed. ¡°Really look. Let your radiation-soaked mind absorb the information. The mutation is already there, waiting to harness the details.¡±


    Deckard didn¡¯t fully understand, but he followed Ronan¡¯s advice, focusing his gaze on the starfish. He watched intently, unsure what to expect. He watched as each of the tube feet in the common starfish helped it move slowly up on the glass. He kept watching each of the starfish.


    You observe the common starfish.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    Deckard blinked, startled by the notification. Then, more followed, rapid and exhilarating, like tiny thrills sparking in his mind.


    You observe the chocolate-chip starfish.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    You observe the common starfish.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    The updates kept coming, and soon they became a stream of information. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked, his voice tight with amazement.


    ¡°Check the repository,¡± Ronan suggested, his tone calm.


    Deckard flipped it open, and to his surprise, there were now faint, grayed-out outlines of the starfish he¡¯d just observed. The common starfish was the clearest, its design pale but complete. The chocolate-chip starfish was less developed, its lines rough and unfinished. Other shapes were little more than crude sketches.


    ¡°This¡­ is incredible,¡± Deckard murmured.


    ¡°The nanites in your bloodstream are transmitting the data from your brain to the repository,¡± Ronan explained.


    Deckard¡¯s hand instinctively moved to his ears. ¡°My bloodstream? When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°When I pushed one of the subdimensionalizers into your head,¡± Ronan said casually, as though implanting nanites was an everyday event. ¡°They got in through your human head holes.¡±


    Deckard winced, reflexively rubbing his ears. Human head holes?


    ¡°This helps you track how many creatures you¡¯ve observed and how many are left to collect,¡± Ronan continued. ¡°The clearer the image, the better your understanding of the creature.¡±


    Deckard¡¯s gaze drifted back to the tank. ¡°So¡­ I can capture the starfish now?¡±


    Ronan smiled. ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡±


    Deckard glanced back at him, a question forming. ¡°And where do I get the empty cards to store their information?¡±


    ¡°The repository will provide them for you,¡± Ronan explained. ¡°However, this kind of uplink consumes significant processing power. There¡¯s a limit to how many cards you can keep out.¡±


    Deckard turned back to the portfolio, flipping through the pages. On the first page, he noticed a blank card that had seemingly materialized, glued in place. As he pulled it free, a window appeared before his eyes.


    How many cards would you like to retrieve?


    Intrigued, Deckard fiddled with the menu, quickly discovering that he could carry a maximum of 52 cards¡ªthe number in a traditional card deck. He grabbed one of the empty cards from the portfolio, his heart pounding with excitement. The card¡¯s texture was unlike anything he had felt before: smooth but firm. He inspected it closely.


    Subdimensionalizing Card (Uncommon)


    Description: A piece of Zulmer technology that can take quite a beating.


    Effects: When thrown, +1 attack.


    Deckard could hardly contain his enthusiasm as he approached the tank. His eyes fixed on the common starfish, lazily clinging to the glass near the top. He pressed the card against it.


    ¡°Subdimensionalize!¡± Deckard whispered.


    The card glowed, a brilliant white light radiating as the starfish squirmed. Then, in an instant, it was sucked into the card. The glow faded, leaving a detailed, life-like illustration of the starfish imprinted on the card.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Deckard exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    The blank card had transformed.


    Deckard grinned from ear to ear, admiring the new addition to his collection. It even came with a funky effect and a keyword he hadn¡¯t seen before: regeneration. As he fixated on the keyword, a pop-up window appeared.


    Regeneration: Whenever this card is discarded, it will appear in the battlefield at a random location two turns later.


    Cool! He slid the card into the portfolio, feeling a sense of satisfaction as a notification appeared.


    Collection updated.


    +0.1 HP regeneration.


    ¡°So starfish give me HP regeneration,¡± he muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s try capturing a few more.¡±


    His gaze shifted to the chocolate chip starfish crawling along the tank''s floor. He pulled out another card and pressed it against the glass, watching eagerly as the light began to glow again. This time, however, the brightness faltered and then darkened, leaving the card blank.


    Ronan chuckled. ¡°Haha. Too soon. The more complex the creature, the harder it is to subdimensionalize. You¡¯ll need to observe it further before you can capture it.¡±


    Deckard frowned, his mind racing. Is it a matter of odds, or do some creatures require me to reach a certain threshold of understanding?


    Determined, Deckard grabbed a fresh card and tried again, but the result was the same¡ªjust a brief flicker of light before the card dimmed.


    ¡°The creature has gained some resistance to capture after your earlier failure. I¡¯d advise you to wait a bit before trying again.¡±


    Ronan turned to leave, operating the console embedded in his arm. As the nanites crawled back onto his face, they reshaped his features, covering the alien blackness beneath with human-like skin once more. ¡°I have to go now. The shop won¡¯t run itself. I think I¡¯ve taught you everything you need to know.¡±


    ¡°B-but I¡­¡± Deckard stammered, looking back at the tank, the remaining starfish practically waiting to be captured.


    ¡°Go, human,¡± Ronan said with a smile. ¡°Collect as many creatures as possible while there¡¯s still time.¡±


    And with that, Deckard found himself unceremoniously pushed out the door. He sighed. So much had happened. He needed to make sense of his new situation and plan his character¡¯s development.


    Deckard marched toward the piers. He would think when watching the ocean. He had to figure out how to make the most of the card slinger class.

 Ch. 15 - Conclusions

    The once-inky sky was torn apart by streaks of orange, pink, and purple, the colors reflecting in the shimmering waves below. Deckard sat on the pier, shuffling a deck of 52 blank cards. The rhythmic roar of the surf and the flutter of his cards provided a soothing backdrop to his thoughts. His legs swung idly above the water as he replayed everything that had happened in AstroTerra so far¡ªhis victories, his shortcomings.


    A quick internet search had told him that it wasn¡¯t common knowledge that Ronan was an alien, nor that the card slinger class even existed.


    Just how did I get this class?


    It was hard to believe it was mere chance. He knew the events that had led him here, but there had to be something more.


    Had his unbiased approach to the game been the key? Following guides or walkthroughs would never have led him to this hidden class. Does that mean I¡¯m onto something by trusting my instincts? Or was it pride¡ªhis experience as a veteran gamer¡ªthat kept him away from the guides?


    Pride comes before the fall. Maybe I need to start reading guides.


    And yet... maybe it wasn¡¯t about his playstyle at all. Maybe the class had found him because of his obsession with cards.


    Was it because I asked only card-related questions after the cinematic?


    After witnessing the Rain of Fire and watching the opening cinematic, he''d talked to the NPC who helps beginners. His questions to her had been solely focused on cards. Had that NPC picked up on his single-mindedness and pointed him toward Stiltwave Village? Deckard was inclined to think so. What were the odds that when he chose a random beginner village, he¡¯d end up in the one where the local shopkeeper was an alien in disguise offering a card-related hidden class? Or were there aliens hidden all over AstroTerra, waiting for someone as card-obsessed as him to come along?


    His mind wandered back to the cinematic. How many quests were tied to it?


    Who are "they"? Aliens? What¡¯s their agenda? Could they have undercover agents fighting against the Zulmers from the shadows?


    The questions came in rapid succession, each one raising more uncertainty. Is there a class that opposes mine directly?


    His future in the game also loomed foremost in his thoughts. He had tried close combat a few times, and it hadn¡¯t gone well. Clumsy would be an understatement.


    How will my new class affect that? Will the added range help me stop freezing while fighting?


    Or maybe he had to accept his weakness and avoid it entirely. He could focus on observing creatures from a distance, gathering enough information to capture them without a fight. Maybe he could skip fighting altogether between that and trading cards with other players. Or should he hone his card-throwing skills and learn how to take down monsters with precision?


    Deckard grinned, thinking of what Andy used to say whenever they played together. ¡°It must be hell inside your head,¡± Andy would laugh, shaking his head as Deckard agonized over every possible strategy. But that¡¯s how I work, Deckard thought. He couldn¡¯t just leave loose ends lingering. He had to connect every dot and make sense of every event. It was the only way to move forward.


    It wasn¡¯t all philosophical musings, though. Deckard had spent hours experimenting with the repository, learning which cards granted which bonuses. Affinity, he¡¯d discovered, wasn¡¯t the key factor in determining bonuses. Both seagulls and starfish were of the water affinity, but the former boosted attack speed while the latter restored health. Creature or skill¡ªit didn¡¯t matter¡ª[Cranky Seagull], [Seagull Poison], [Seagull Strike]¡ªall contributed to his attack speed.


    Another discovery was that creatures didn¡¯t necessarily offer bigger bonuses than skills. Sure, [Cranky Seagull] boosted attack speed by 0.2%, but [Common Starfish] only by 0.1%.


    Deckard flicked the cards between his fingers. His time with the card repository had yielded some answers, but his character sheet remained a puzzle. No level. No basic stats. That gnawed at him.


    Will certain content be locked away from me? What if there¡¯s a dungeon with a level requirement?


    He glanced at his gloves¡ªthe only piece of real equipment he had. They granted a 1% bonus to attack speed and a point of dexterity. But that second bonus was useless to him. The 1% boost to attack speed was the equivalent of having ten seagull-related cards in his repository. Gear seemed like the fastest way to improve his stats, which raised other questions.


    If a weapon requires a level, can I even equip it? And what about class restrictions? Isn¡¯t most equipment class-specific? Will I be stuck and unable to equip myself with anything useful?


    As the sun¡¯s first rays broke over the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape, Deckard stood up. The light stretched across the distant treetops, breathing life into the edges of the jungle.


    It doesn¡¯t matter, Deckard decided, feeling a surge of determination. There¡¯s one thing I know for sure: cards are the key. Even if good equipment wasn¡¯t available to him, cards were. They were his path forward. The more cards he collected, the stronger he¡¯d become. His class had already given him a surefire way to capture rare creatures with [Subdimensionalize]. Skill cards, though¡ªthat remained a mystery. Is there a special way to acquire them, or will I just have to grind?


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    That question would have to wait. He had squeezed every possible deduction from his conversation with Ronan and the events that had led him here, but deduction could only take him so far.


    Now it¡¯s time for action. Deckard grinned to himself. I need to run more experiments. I need to figure out how card slinging really works.


    He turned away from the ocean, the breeze tugging gently at his clothes. A simple quest awaited¡ªtwo hundred coconuts¡ªbut it was exactly what he needed. A perfect test for his new abilities. His grin widened.


    Let¡¯s see what I can do.


    Deckard walked across the wooden platforms and planks that formed Stiltwave Village. The boards creaked softly underfoot, the sound blending with the increasingly distant crash of waves.


    ¡°Good day!¡±


    ¡°Morning, foreigner.¡±


    Unlike his earlier visits, the NPCs now greeted him with warm smiles, a few even nodding as if signaling their willingness to talk. It was a welcome change, but Deckard wasn¡¯t ready to take in more quests just yet. Too much was still swirling in his mind.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the village gave way to sand, the beach stretching before him, framed by the dark line of the jungle in the distance. As he walked toward the treeline, he carefully avoided the diseased seagulls roaming the shore.


    Strange, he thought. Since I got this class, I¡¯ve become weaker, not stronger. The small boosts from his cards hardly compensated for what he had lost. All his base stats had evaporated, leaving him more vulnerable than ever. With no experience fighting mutant creatures and no skill at throwing cards in battle, his chances of victory against a lone diseased seagull weren¡¯t promising.


    He spotted coconut trees as he neared the frontier between the beach and the jungle¡ªa patch of land where loose trees and shrubs began to creep into the sand. Several players were scattered around, eagerly rushing to snatch up any falling coconuts. There must be more than one quest for harvesting coconuts, Deckard mused, noting the six players scrambling around. Seeing how desperate they were for such a basic item was sad. Deckard focused on the ones hanging high above.


    Absent-mindedly, Deckard shuffled the deck of cards in his hand. The movement wasn¡¯t just a habit or a way to pass the time. Over the past few hours, shuffling had helped him grow accustomed to the cards¡ªtheir weight, their balance, the way they moved through the air.


    Even though he couldn¡¯t compare with some really devoted people who only used cards for throwing, Deckard wasn¡¯t a total beginner. Especially since Nova Cardia¡¯s queuing times began increasing, he would often throw cards around the apartment, a habit he¡¯d picked up from a rival he¡¯d seen doing the same at a Nova Cardia tournament.


    Without overthinking, Deckard pulled a card from the deck. His grip was firm but relaxed, pinching the short side of the card between his index and middle fingers, the rest of his fingers tucked neatly out of the way. The bulk of the card faced inward, resting lightly against his palm.


    Turning his palm up, Deckard curved his wrist inward, bringing the card up to the side of his head. He bent his elbow just enough to position his arm, his pinkie hovering near his ear. He flicked his wrist in a quick, smooth motion, letting the card snap upward.


    The sharp rotation spun the card like a disc, slicing through the air. The clean motion gave the card enough speed to cut through the breeze, heading straight toward the target. The card sliced through the air but didn¡¯t quite reach the coconut. Instead, it fluttered down halfway.


    Only about two meters up with a quick throw? He clicked his tongue but noted the result. Let¡¯s see just how much difference technique has in throwing the cards.


    Whereas before, he had only tossed the card with a quick flick of his wrist, this time, Deckard put his entire body into motion. He adjusted his grip, tightening his fingers around the card, then stepped forward, his opposite arm raised for balance. Drawing his throwing arm back, he coiled his body, building momentum from his legs to his shoulders.


    In one fluid motion, he uncoiled, swinging his arm forward with power. His wrist snapped at the last moment, adding a sharp spin to the card as it shot through the air with a satisfying snap. The card cut a clean path, the air whistling faintly as it flew toward the target.


    Swoosh. Thwack.


    The card struck the coconut dead-on, and with a solid thud, the coconut dropped into the sand.


    Oof. Deckard winced and rubbed his shoulder. I have to put my whole body into it just to get the card to fly three and a half meters. It was not ideal, but it was progress. More importantly, it taught him something new about his class: technique mattered in how far and quickly the cards flew. I wonder if the damage is also impacted.


    Moving toward the fallen coconut, curiosity tingled at the back of his mind. Next experiment: what happens to my ammo once I use it?


    As he reached the coconut, he noticed the card embedded in its shell, having been pierced cleanly through. He plucked it free and inspected the results.


    You¡¯ve gathered 1x [Coconut].


    You¡¯ve recovered 1x [Subdimensionalizer Card].


    So I can recover my throwing card after gathering whatever it stuck on. I wonder if it applies to monsters, too. Deckard clicked his tongue, a slight frown tugging at his lips. That complicates things. Unless...


    Testing his next theory, Deckard threw the card away aimlessly. The card fluttered down, landing softly in the sand. He stood still, watching.


    Nothing happens.


    With a sigh, he trudged over to pick up the card.


    You¡¯ve recovered 1x [Subdimensionalizer Card].


    Deckard frowned. He was a decent shot, but cards weren¡¯t exactly easy projectiles to manage¡ªespecially if he was in the heat of combat against a mutant creature. He had never practiced card throwing while running away from something trying to kill him. This is going to be harder than I thought¡ªthe idea of juggling accuracy while dodging attacks wasn¡¯t appealing.


    What if I run out of cards mid-fight? The thought hit him like a wave. I¡¯d only be able to deal so much damage before I¡¯d be forced to retreat. How could I replenish my stock in battle?


    There was only one last test to perform. Deckard threw another card, this time landing it squarely on a coconut. He opened his repository and flipped to the first page, where he could retrieve more blank cards.


    Time until you can pick another [Subdimensionalizer Card]: 1m21s


    Deckard sighed again, a heavier weight settling on his shoulders. So there¡¯s a cooldown. It wasn''t low, either. If it took about 90 seconds per card, replenishing his stock ammunition would take over an hour.


    He now had a clearer understanding of the limits of his class. Managing his resources would require careful planning. It wasn¡¯t just about how well he could throw the cards¡ªit was about timing, strategy, and knowing when to hold back.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡±


    Deckard turned toward the players who had approached him.


    Already? He knew that someone in the beginner village would bite the bait, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to happen this soon. It was time for his next experiment.

 Ch. 16 - Coconut Seagull

    The two beginners who had taken the initiative to talk to Deckard looked like a couple. They wore mismatched beginner gear¡ªcobbled together with whatever they could scavenge or buy cheap¡ªbut their bright, curious expressions gave them the appearance of friendly, eager newcomers. The woman had her hair tied back, her face alight with what seemed like genuine excitement, while the man, taller and bulkier, had an edge to his smile that felt less sincere.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Deckard asked, already knowing where this was headed.


    ¡°We were just wondering,¡± the man said, stepping forward slightly. ¡°What skill is that? You¡¯re throwing cards! That¡¯s awesome!¡±


    A few of the other players collecting coconuts nearby, though pretending to be busy, cast furtive glances in his direction. They weren¡¯t as indifferent as they appeared, hovering close enough to eavesdrop while keeping their heads down.


    Deckard forced a smile, diplomatic but cautious. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    The man''s smile wavered momentarily, but he quickly recovered, leaning in slightly, his voice lowering as if trying to make a deal. ¡°No need to be like that. Look, I¡¯ve got plenty of coconuts. What do you say? You tell me the skill, and I¡¯ll give you some. Or maybe you¡¯re after something better? I picked up a skill card earlier. Might come in handy for you.¡±


    He held his palm up, offering the potential trade with a wink that made Deckard tense.


    Deckard¡¯s smile tightened. ¡°Sorry, still a secret.¡±


    The man''s smile faltered for a split second, then widened again, but the enthusiasm in his eyes dimmed. ¡°Come on, man... Why don¡¯t you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leave it be, Billy,¡± his partner interrupted, her voice sharp but with a sugary sweetness layered over it. She put a hand on his arm, pulling him back just enough. ¡°It¡¯s rude to pry into someone else¡¯s business.¡±


    She turned back to Deckard, offering a smile that felt more like a mask than a genuine gesture. ¡°Have a good day.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Deckard replied, watching them closely.


    As they walked away, Billy shot a glance over his shoulder, a mix of disappointment and something darker in his eyes. The fake smile dropped the moment they thought Deckard wasn¡¯t looking.


    Deckard sighed as the couple finally walked off. Unbeknownst to them, these two had just played a part in another of Deckard¡¯s experiments. Just as I imagined, he thought, watching their retreating figures. A hidden class where I throw cards is bound to attract attention I don¡¯t want.


    If Billy had been alone, the situation could have gotten nasty fast. Deckard had seen that glint in the guy¡¯s eyes¡ªhe would¡¯ve pushed harder, maybe even tried to force Deckard¡¯s secrets out of him. He was lucky the woman had been there to rein him in, at least for now. The remaining noobs collecting coconuts seemed too shy or cautious to approach him, but it was only a matter of time before someone more brazen came along.


    For now, they probably thought this was some common skill¡ªa beginner¡¯s trick. No one would guess that Deckard had stumbled upon a hidden class before even reaching level 10.


    But what happens once I get to the city?


    Then, everyone would be able to guess he had a hidden class. It would be much harder to fly under the radar.


    For the moment, I think I¡¯m going to stick to the beginner region. It¡¯s too risky to go to a mid-grade city until I can find a way to hide my secrets.


    He had to grow stronger while the misconception that it was impossible to gain a class here shielded him somewhat.


    His musings were interrupted by a sudden, shrill outburst. ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± one of the noobs screamed.


    A player was locked in a desperate struggle with a seagull. At first glance, it looked like a typical seagull, but something was off. The bird wore a makeshift coconut hat, the shell snugly fitted over its head. Instead of pecking with its beak like the others Deckard had encountered, it charged straight at the player, head down, using its body as a battering ram.


    Intrigued, Deckard narrowed his eyes and inspected the creature.


    Coconut Seagull (Elite)


    Hp: 400


    ????


    So, there are more than just the five types of seagulls in Gull Rock! Deckard licked his lip. This was good news for him: more cards to collect and bonuses to gain.


    You¡¯ve inspected a Coconut Seagull. Your understanding of it grows.


    Deckard¡¯s eyes widened at the notification. Just inspecting something lets me gain understanding. Sweet! He made a mental note to inspect every single creature he came across from now on.


    The lone player who¡¯d been lucky enough to be near the elite when it spawned danced around the Coconut Seagull, expertly dodging its erratic charges while landing clean, precise blows. She had called dibs on the elite, and it looked like she would claim the kill.


    Then Billy stepped into the fight.


    With a swing of his crude axe, Billy struck the seagull, stunning it briefly. The bird flinched for a split-second before resuming its charge, but the disruption was enough to throw the girl off. She mistimed her next move, and the Coconut Seagull¡¯s charge grazed her, sending her reeling as her health bar took a sharp dip.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡± she shouted, as her health dropped into the yellow zone.


    ¡°What?¡± Billy shrugged, wearing an innocent expression that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help you!¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Deckard winced. A part of him wanted to step in, to say something¡ªbut he knew better.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not! Get lost!¡± she snapped, glaring at him as she resumed her fight. But there was a new wariness in her movements now, her focus split between the seagull and Billy¡¯s unwanted interference.


    Billy seemed to oblige for a moment, hanging back as she returned to the fight. She was regaining her rhythm, clearly starting to believe that maybe Billy¡¯s earlier interference had been an accident.


    How gullible, he thought.


    Just as she settled back into the flow of the battle, Billy struck again. ¡°Careful, lady! The seagull¡¯s going to hit you!¡± he shouted mockingly as he swung his axe again, making the seagull stagger. This time, the girl mistimed her dodge completely, and the bird crashed into her with full force, sending her health bar plummeting into the red.


    ¡°Stop it, you jerk!¡± she cried out, her voice trembling with frustration as she staggered back.


    Billy let out a chuckle. ¡°Do you think you can just call dibs on an elite? Grow up, little girl.¡±


    Before she could respond, Billy¡¯s girlfriend stepped into the scene, her expression conflicted. ¡°Billy, why did you do that?¡±


    Billy glanced at her, his grin unfazed. ¡°Babe, if I didn¡¯t, those three over there would¡¯ve done the same thing.¡± He gestured toward the group of three players lurking nearby, watching the fight with calculating eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just sending them a message that they can¡¯t mess with me. They''ll come after us next if I don¡¯t do this.¡±


    The girl hesitated, glancing nervously at the other players. The doubt in her eyes flickered, but Billy¡¯s next words snuffed it out. ¡°I¡¯m doing this to protect you, sweetheart,¡± he added.


    Reluctantly, she nodded. ¡°Okay... fine,¡± she said softly, her voice resigned.


    Meanwhile, the girl who had first claimed the elite was still fighting, though now her movements were strained, her health dangerously low. Sensing his opportunity, Billy landed a well-timed strike that made her trip over the seagull¡¯s charge. She collapsed under the weight of the attack, her health bar finally hitting zero.


    Deckard¡¯s fists clenched. It was never fun watching someone being bullied.


    ¡°Everyone, back off! This elite is mine and Linda¡¯s!¡± Billy barked. He and Linda turned their attention back to the seagull, but the other three players didn¡¯t budge. They exchanged knowing glances, their expressions predatory, like sharks circling a wounded prey.


    The battle shifted. Billy and Linda fought the seagull, but their attention was split between fending off the elite and keeping an eye on the three stragglers, who were inching closer, forming an uneasy alliance. The tension in the air was palpable like a rubber band stretched to its breaking point.


    A Mexican standoff, Deckard thought. Forcing opponents to make impossible choices was a well-used tactic in card games. Deckard himself always aimed to make his opponents choose between removing a large creature from the board, for example, or attacking him directly.


    This is even more complex.


    Three distinct parties were now in play: the desperate, flailing elite seagull, the hypocritical couple, and the temporary alliance of opportunistic strangers. Leaning casually against a nearby coconut tree, Deckard watched, content to observe the chaos unfold.


    You¡¯ve watched a Coconut Seagull fight. Your understanding of it grows.


    Suddenly, the Coconut Seagull stopped charging, stumbled and fell. ¡°Quick! It¡¯s tired! Attack it!¡± one of them shouted.


    Deckard watched as the seagull¡¯s health steadily dwindled but soon stood up and resumed its attacks. One of the stragglers saw an opening and rushed at Billy, his weapon raised. But Billy, quick on his feet, sidestepped the blow, causing the attacker to stumble right into the seagull¡¯s next charge.


    ¡°Haha! Moron! Eat some seagull!¡± Billy laughed, his voice filled with glee as the player was sent flying.


    Such vicious moves, Deckard thought, a chill running through him. Are all players this heartless? He had been worried about how far players would go to uncover his hidden class, and now he had his answer.


    When the seagull¡¯s health hit the red zone, its eyes flashed crimson. With a sharp screech, the bird became a blur of wild, reckless charges, crashing into anything and anyone in its path.


    ¡°It¡¯s gone berserk! Quick! Attack!¡± one of the players yelled, but chaos had already broken loose.


    You¡¯ve watched a Coconut Seagull go berserk. Your understanding of it grows.


    Excitement bubbled up inside Deckard. Every time the seagull used a new skill or did something new, he deepened his understanding of it. The best part was that he didn¡¯t have to be the one fighting.


    The fragile truce between the two parties finally collapsed. One of them turned on Linda, launching an attack at her while dodging the berserk seagull¡¯s wild charges.


    ¡°Get lost, you morons! Stop attacking my girlfriend!¡± Billy roared, his voice filled with rage as he deflected a blow, but the panic in his eyes betrayed him. Linda was struggling; her movements were slower and less coordinated.


    ¡°Billy!¡± Linda¡¯s voice cracked with fear, her composure unraveling.


    ¡°You¡¯re something else,¡± one of the players sneered. ¡°You got that other player killed, and now you want us to spare your girl?¡±


    Billy¡¯s face twisted in fury, but before he could retaliate, the situation spiraled out of control. ¡°Run, Linda! Run!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you, Billy!¡± she cried.


    Torn between dodging the berserk seagull and defending themselves from the other players, Billy and Linda crumbled under the pressure. Their health bars hit zero, leaving behind a piece of equipment as they collapsed.


    The other three players, eyes gleaming with greed, quickly turned their focus back to the elite seagull. But their alliance was fragile. They watched each other warily, waiting for someone to make a move.


    It¡¯s a Mexican standoff all over again, Deckard mused.


    Not long after, the Coconut Seagull met its end, dropping a skill card and its signature coconut hat onto the sand.


    You¡¯ve watched a Coconut Seagull die. Your understanding of it grows.


    Deckard opened his repository and checked the drawing of the Coconut Seagull. After observing the whole fight, the image had become detailed¡ªstill grayed out, but now well-defined. One more fight should do it, he guessed, feeling satisfied with the experiment. He was looking forward to capturing this card.


    ¡°Cool! It dropped the hat!¡± one of the players exclaimed, his eyes lighting up.


    ¡°Hey! Give me that!¡±


    ¡°Says who? I landed the last hit!¡±


    Their bickering escalated into a full-on brawl. The three surviving players turned on each other, their alliance shattering as greed overtook them. Blows were exchanged, and soon enough, only one player remained standing, panting heavily. He clutched the loot, a look of triumph and shame clouding his features as he turned back toward the village, leaving Deckard alone on the beach.


    Deckard shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. ¡°That was just both sad and scary to watch,¡± he muttered.


    The gravity of what awaited him sank in. It wasn¡¯t just monsters he had to worry about. Players were just as dangerous¡ªmaybe more so. Ruthless, greedy, and all too willing to betray for a shot at loot.


    There¡¯s only one way to make this class work. I need to get stronger now before I even think about the city.


    He wouldn¡¯t rush things. Not after what he¡¯d just seen. The beginner island might be slow, but it was safer, and he¡¯d use every moment to prepare. And when the time came to leave, he¡¯d be ready¡ªstronger, sharper, and not so quick to trust.


    This was a dog world. And he¡¯d rather stay solo than get backstabbed by some smiling opportunist.


    He glanced around, ensuring the coast was clear, and stood up.


    ¡°Time to practice.¡±


    Deckard grabbed his cards and started slinging them. The cards flew up, and the coconuts tumbled down. He would need to master every aspect of his class, no matter how difficult, to reach the top.

 Ch. 17 - Experimentation

    ¡°Here you go, sir. 300 coconuts!¡± Deckard said as he handed over the fruit he¡¯d collected.


    Old Jones¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°Eh, but I only asked ya for 200! Ya went ¡®bove an¡¯ beyond, foreigner!¡±


    Deckard shrugged, smiling. After getting tired of throwing cards as he did in his apartment, he¡¯d kicked things up a notch and started slinging cards while staying on the move. He¡¯d been so caught up in it that he hadn¡¯t even noticed that he¡¯d exceeded the number required for the quest. ¡°It''s OK. Just take it.¡±


    You''ve completed [Coconut Oil Crisis].


    Completion rate: A-


    Quest rewards: 70 coppers.


    Bonus rewards: 1 silver 30 coppers; [Coconut Jacket].


    Deckard studied the rewards for the quest with a frown.


    The good thing was that he had achieved a superb completion rate.


    Did I get such an A- because I gave more coconuts than the quest required?


    If so, maybe he should look for more opportunities to go ¡®bove an¡¯ beyond in other quests.


    On the other hand, instead of receiving XP, he was only given some pocket money.


    I don¡¯t level up anymore. My strength is solely based on my card collection. I thought they might make up for it in some other ways¡­ It would have been great if the game developers had converted XP into cash or cards, but it turned out that they wouldn¡¯t make things that easy for him.


    Did this mean that quests weren¡¯t worth it anymore for him? No. They had to be. Wasn¡¯t that how he got his hidden class to begin with? Maybe he just had to ensure good completion rates when doing quests.


    Had he not achieved such a high completion rate, he might not even have received an item he could wear. He doubted that everyone who finished this quest received this piece of gear. He hadn¡¯t seen any other player around the village wearing coconut jackets.


    So, going above and beyond could be the key, even if it didn¡¯t give XP. If he approached quests creatively, he could snag unique rewards like the [Coconut Jacket] or even rare cards. A quest-based path wasn¡¯t ideal without XP, but it might be his best shot at unlocking rare items or resources. Maybe there would be even quests that were tailored to his special class, too. It was too soon to give up on questing altogether.


    In return for all the coconuts in the inventory, Deckard received a new piece of equipment. Thankfully, it came with no level restrictions, and it boosted something other than stats. It alleviated some of his disappointment at how merciless the game developers made it for card slingers.


    Coconut Jacket (Common)


    Description: Coconut fibers are incredibly versatile and have been woven together in an outfit that not only looks nice but smells nice, too.


    Effects:


    +2% damage reduction;


    +5HP.


    He equipped it at once, smirking at the sight of the two coconut halves serving as shoulder pauldrons on the vest of woven straw-like fibers. Deckard sighed. Even the rewards for the quests issued by this man had to do with coconuts. He supposed it was commendable. He had no idea it was possible to show this kind of devotion to a fruit.


    ¡°Ha! These coconuts be keepin'' us goin'' a while, but the big problem still remains. Long as I can¡¯t be headin¡¯ out to gather ''em myself, we always are runnin'' low.¡±


    The old man looked down and then shot Deckard a sly glance as if an idea had just dawned on him. ¡°Maybe ya could lend a hand!¡±


    ¡°What can I help you with, sir?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a seagull lurkin'' ¡®round the treeline¡ªcrazy for coconuts. Can ya hunt it down? It chases off any villager tryin'' to help with the gatherin''.¡±


    So that¡¯s the quest everyone¡¯s been trying to complete, Deckard thought. He¡¯d seen the chaos that broke out around the seagull¡¯s spawn area. Fights over the elite creature got intense quickly, with players practically turning rabid over a chance at the reward.


    ¡°Sure. I can do that.¡±


    Chain quest triggered: [The Coconut Guardian].


    Coconut Guardian (Uncommon)


    Description: A seagull with a taste for coconuts has been terrorizing everyone who dares come near his coconut trees. It¡¯s put the stock of coconuts in Stiltwave Village at risk.


    Quest objectives:


    Defeat the [Coconut Seagull] elite;


    Bring its hat as proof of your victory and show it to Old Jones.


    It¡¯s uncommon. No wonder it¡¯s so popular.


    Even though quests were only partially worth it for him, he did want to complete this one. Besides, he already had the drawing of the [Coconut Seagull] in his repository. However, in the time he''d spent over at the spawn location for the Coconut Seagull, he''d seen just how messy disputes over elites could get. He was in no shape to contest the elite with other bloodthirsty players. Not yet.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Deckard looked at the jungle beyond the beach, where the Coconut Seagull spawned but headed in the opposite direction. It was time to move on to the next part of his planned training and research regime.


    He''d practiced as much as he could on still targets. However, he could only do so much practicing while throwing cards at coconuts. He would turn to the next item on the list. It was time to dig deeper into the capture mechanics.


    He jumped off the pier into the shallow, crystal-clear water and started looking for starfish. He had already had experience finding them, and it wasn''t long before he spotted the one he wanted.


    Beneath the shallow, transparent waters, a starfish rested on a patch of sand, its plump, rounded arms splayed in all directions. The creature¡¯s pale, sandy color blended with the seafloor, but its signature knobby, chocolate-brown ¡°chips¡± stood out like dark stones.


    He pulled out the repository. After watching a chocolate chip starfish in Ronan¡¯s aquarium, its card had been faintly drafted in his portfolio, though the creature had resisted capture at the time.


    ¡°First experiment,¡± Deckard muttered, ¡°Is capturing a creature a matter of odds? Or do I need a certain threshold of understanding first?¡±


    Since studying the chocolate chip starfish through the aquarium glass, he hadn''t done anything else to further his understanding of it. Therefore, if he kept trying to capture this card and the starfish kept resisting it, that meant that the game system required him to deepen his understanding to a certain degree before he could capture it.


    Deckard grabbed an empty card and extended it toward the creature.


    Subdimensionalize!


    The card glowed, and a spatial vortex began pulling the starfish toward it. Deckard watched, knee-deep in the water, as the starfish squirmed against the pull before finally giving in and disappearing into the card.


    Capture successful!


    ¡°It is a matter of odds,¡± he noted to himself. The first time that he¡¯d tried capturing the starfish at Ronan¡¯s store, it had resisted. Now, with the exact same level of understanding, it had succumbed.


    A flip of the coin.


    He wondered what the odds might be. Could he capture a powerful creature, like a dragon, on his first attempt by sheer luck? Or would the game gatekeep that level of capture?


    He examined the new addition to his collection.


    It was nearly identical to the [Common Starfish] in stats. He set it aside and moved on to the next experiment.


    The underwater world was strangely peaceful compared to the diseased-seagull-ridden chaos onshore. Small fish darted past him in flashes of silver, and sunlight filtered through the water in beams that danced across the sandy floor. Seaweed and driftwood drifted in the currents like forgotten vessels.


    After a few minutes of looking around, Deckard¡¯s gaze fell on a brilliant blue creature tucked against a rock.


    Its skin gleamed like polished sapphire, catching the sun''s rays as if it had been dipped in precious stones. Unlike the chocolate chip starfish, this one was smooth and regal, with long, tapered arms that fanned out gracefully around it. Thin streaks of deep indigo lined each arm. Its tiny suction cups held it delicately in place, giving it an air of dignified repose.


    A royal starfish, another of the creatures Deckard had captured for Ronan. Deckard tore his gaze away before the starfish¡¯s elegance could sink in. He just pushed his skill right away, with zero understanding of it.


    Subdimensionalize!


    The card barely lit before going dark; the starfish had completely resisted the capture.


    Ronan mentioned creatures gain resistance after a failed capture, he thought. Better to find another subject to keep the test clean.


    He left the starfish alone and searched for another royal starfish, finally finding one nearby. He tried capturing it again. No luck. He repeated the process seven times over the next hour before something finally changed.


    You''ve watched the royal starfish resist subdimensionalization.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    You''ve captured royal starfish.


    Deckard tapped his foot underwater. Capturing a creature with zero understanding seemed nearly impossible. After trying repeatedly, he¡¯d eventually learned enough to capture it, but it would¡¯ve been faster to study it first.


    No sense in trying captures without understanding the creature. Waste of effort.


    So far, he''d come to two conclusions: At least some understanding was required before a successful capture. The less understanding he had, the lower the chances of a successful capture, even though they didn¡¯t seem zero.


    ¡°Now, next experiment.¡±


    He waded along the ocean floor until he found his target.


    It was a starfish positioned like a miniature fortress on the sandy floor. This one had a thick, rugged appearance, with wide, chunky arms covered in raised, granulated spots, giving it an almost coral-like texture. Its pale pink body was mottled with brownish-orange patches.


    He had seen one of these a little earlier when looking for more royal starfish. Deckard had never fished it since Ronan hadn¡¯t asked for it. It looked quite resilient, making it the perfect subject for his next experiment.


    Deckard tried capturing the starfish.


    Subdimensionalize!


    The card glowed briefly before the sound of shattering glass signaled a failed attempt.


    Capture failed.


    As expected, it failed miserably.


    Deckard nodded. It was all within expectations. Now, it was time to discover whether any other factors could increase his chances of a capture. Deckard grabbed his staff and poked the starfish.


    A tiny hp bar appeared over the starfish. This wasn¡¯t considered a monster. No one came to hunt starfish in the shallow waters. They didn¡¯t put up any fight. Deckard looked away from the starfish. His understanding of it would probably grow if he watched it take damage. He didn¡¯t want that to happen. He made sure that his staff was well-placed and, while looking away, poked the starfish twice.


    As he looked down again, he noticed that the HP bar had come down by a third. Deckard tried his skill again.


    Subdimensionalize!


    Capture failed.


    This time, the starfish resisted less fiercely. Lower HP, higher chances, he noted. Even though the creature had easily resisted capture and theoretically developed some resistance to it, it had still put up less of a fight. Excited with the results, Deckard repeated the process until the starfish¡¯s HP was in the red. He used the card a third time, and the creature disappeared from the ocean floor and into the card.


    As I suspected. The lower the HP, the higher the chances of capture.


    In Nova Cardia, nothing like this had mattered¡ªthere was no need to weaken or understand a creature. All he had to do was to earn in-game currency and open packs, hoping for good cards to come out. Here, though, everything was based on a layered strategy. It wasn¡¯t just numbers; it was almost like a dance between player and creature. It was all new and exciting.


    Deckard watched the three new cards in his inventory and smiled. His card collection had just gotten a lot more interesting.


    He opened the repository and let the book-shaped machine take in the cards.


    Collection updated.


    +0.3 HP regeneration.


    He had learned enough for now. Lowering HP and increasing understanding was straightforward enough, but there would probably be more tricks to learn if he kept experimenting.


    He trudged deeper, eyes scanning for more starfish.

 Ch. 18 - Hound Star

    The card in Deckard¡¯s hand sucked in his newest target.


    This was the last of the ten starfish Ronan had asked him to capture back when he was drafting them. Deckard had captured them all again, albeit in a different way. Like all the others, it was a common card¡ªbarely playable. However, given the regeneration keyword, he could see its potential in certain decks.


    Especially in the beginning, his deck would contain both strong cards and plenty of fillers. If he could use the starfish as discard fodder and later resurrect them into play, they might prove useful. It was too early to tell what exact strategy the starfish cards would serve, but he was glad to have options for future deck-building.


    Additionally, after capturing ten starfish from Ronan¡¯s list and two others he¡¯d found along the way, his HP regeneration had increased to 1.4 HP per second. He could now recover a full HP bar in 70 seconds. As far as he could tell, it wasn¡¯t half bad.


    Deckard had been wading through the water for hours, confident that he¡¯d found every starfish in the area. He glanced out toward the horizon. At least, he¡¯d found everything at this depth. Just in case, he decided to venture a little deeper. Maybe there were more starfish hidden further down.


    He walked until the water reached his chest. The surf made it difficult to see the bottom, so he instinctively reached to take off his glasses before he dove, only to remember he wasn¡¯t in the real world. His vision was flawless in AstroTerra. Chuckling at himself for forgetting, he took a breath and dove his head into the salty, cool water.


    Beneath the surface, he noticed clusters of rock formations. He focused on them, scanning for starfish, but found nothing. Then, something different caught his eye: a series of sharp, fan-shaped shells clung to a rock, resisting the current¡¯s pull. They jutted from the stone in strange formations, almost like teeth, their edges ready to bite.


    This was the first time Deckard had noticed this kind of creature¡ªlikely because it was his first time examining an underwater rock closely in-game. He studied them for a few long moments, and then, as expected, a notification appeared.


    You¡¯ve observed blue mussels.


    Your understanding of them grows.


    So, I can capture these too, Deckard thought excitedly. Given that he now had some understanding, Deckard grabbed a card and pointed it at the clams.


    Subdimensionalize!


    The card shone brightly, and the clams disappeared, captured in one go.


    He twisted his mouth in disappointment. ¡°Well, that¡¯s underwhelming.¡± With its low attack boost, the blue mussel card was hardly powerful. He stowed it in his repository anyway.


    Collection updated!


    +0.1% damage resistance.


    ¡°Cool. Looks like clams raise defense,¡± he mused, feeling optimistic about the new possibilities this might bring.


    Now that Deckard had found one clam, he kept his eyes peeled for more.


    ¡°Starfish or clams. Come on! Daddy needs starfish or clams,¡± Deckard muttered as he scanned the ocean floor.


    He kept finding more mussels but nothing else of interest. Deciding to venture a bit further, he waded until the water reached his neck. Here, he found more rocks. Scanning the formations, he spotted a few mussels and recognized some of the same starfish he¡¯d seen roaming the shallower waters. Then, just beneath a ledge, he noticed something different¡ªa royal starfish nestled against a clam, half-buried in the sand.


    The shell was smooth and rounded, and its pale surfaces shimmered faintly in the watery light. Deckard dove down, picking up both starfish and clam and brought them over to the surface for a better look.


    You find a surf clam.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    You¡¯ve watched a surf clam fighting for its life.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    ¡°Sorry, starfish. This one¡¯s mine.¡± Deckard chuckled, yanking it away from the shell and throwing it into the water. He pulled out a card and pointed it at the clam.


    Capture successful!


    ¡°Alright! Second clam. Let¡¯s go!¡± Deckard tucked the card away and continued his search, but the game¡¯s system had other plans.


    You¡¯ve run out of breath. Return to the surface, or you will die.


    You¡¯re out of energy. You receive [Exhausted] debuff.


    -90% movement speed.


    -1


    -2


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Deckard surfaced promptly. His energy bar had hit zero without him noticing. ¡°So, being underwater consumes energy. And after I run out, I start losing health. Bothersome but fair,¡± he noted.


    With no choice but to wait, Deckard trudged through the water as his energy bar filled at a snail¡¯s pace. After a few minutes, he dove back in, resuming his hunt.


    At the edge of his vision, something caught his attention. Squinting, he thought he saw a large, flat rock a bit further out, deeper into the ocean. Drawn by curiosity, Deckard swam toward it, glancing at his energy bar. Swimming seemed to consume even more energy than keeping his head underwater, but he pressed forward.


    Once he was close enough, he dove to get a clearer view. It wasn¡¯t a rock at all. It was a starfish¡ªbut unlike any he¡¯d seen before. With wide, sprawling limbs, it seemed almost otherworldly, each arm flexing and pulsing in sync with the others as it moved. Counting quickly, Deckard noted it had at least twenty arms, each stretching out like the rays of a sun. The creature¡¯s core pulsed slowly as though driving the limbs forward with purpose, making it almost hypnotic to watch.


    Deckard¡¯s eyes followed its trajectory as it slid along the seabed, graceful despite its size, until he spotted another starfish fleeing just a meter away. So, this one hunts smaller starfish, he mused, thrilled at the prospect of capturing a powerful new card. He frowned as he realized there was no notification yet. Can this card even be captured? After half a minute, a notification finally appeared:


    You¡¯ve observed a sunflower sea star chase prey.


    Your understanding grows.


    Satisfied, Deckard surfaced to open his repository. A rough sketch of the creature now decorated the nanite-made pages. Alright, I can capture it. Must be a higher-grade card if it took that long to register.


    It made sense if this creature was an apex predator. Judging from his experience, he doubted he¡¯d capture it on the first try, so he resolved to be patient, keeping a close watch on the sunflower sea star.


    In the short time he¡¯d spent above water, the sunflower sea star had closed in on its prey. Deckard watched with growing fascination as the larger predator reached the smaller starfish, which twisted and squirmed in an attempt to escape. The sunflower¡¯s many arms wrapped around it slowly, engulfing the smaller starfish whole.


    You observe the sunflower sea star consuming a seven-armed starfish.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    Just like with the Coconut Seagull, each new action he observed added to his understanding. I¡¯m starting to get the hang of this.


    The sunflower sea star paused for a moment, its arms shifting and fidgeting as it digested its meal. Deckard used the opportunity to lift his head above water, regaining his energy. When he looked back down, the sunflower sea star had resumed moving, leaving behind only a pile of small ossicles.


    ¡°Gross,¡± Deckard muttered, shuddering but still curious. He continued to follow the massive creature as it roamed, and then its aimless drifting stopped. It had locked onto a new target, and Deckard¡¯s eyes followed its path toward a small, round shape. Covered in sharp, needle-like spines, it moved cautiously across the sand, its spines occasionally shivering.


    What is that? Deckard wondered. He decided to wait for the system to answer, watching as the spiky creature¡¯s crawl quickened as the sunflower approached.


    You¡¯ve observed the sea urchin moving underwater.


    Your understanding grows.


    You¡¯ve observed the sea urchin evading a predator.


    Your understanding grows.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s a sea urchin,¡± Deckard murmured. He¡¯d heard of them before, though he didn¡¯t know much. Now, he faced a choice: capture the creature or let the sunflower sea star continue its hunt so he could gain further understanding of it.


    ¡°Well, the sunflower sea star isn¡¯t going anywhere. And it did just lead me to a brand-new card,¡± he thought with a grin as he readied a card and captured the sea urchin.


    Subdimensionalize!


    Capture successful.


    You¡¯ve run out of breath. Return to the surface, or you will die.


    You¡¯re out of energy. You receive [Exhausted] debuff.


    -90% movement speed.


    -1


    -2


    Deckard gasped, releasing a cloud of bubbles, and went back to the surface. When he used the skill, he¡¯d used up all his remaining energy! ¡°Yikes. I have to be more careful with that!¡±


    He studied the new card in his hand.


    After a couple of minutes, Deckard dove back in. After its prey mysteriously disappeared, the sunflower sea star resumed its aimless roaming, searching for its next unfortunate victim.


    After a couple of minutes, it found another target. This time, it was a clam that Deckard already had in his collection, so he simply observed as the sunflower hunted it down.


    You¡¯ve observed a sunflower sea star devour a mussel.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    The sunflower sea star resumed roaming again, and Deckard swam eagerly after it as it ventured into deeper waters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, sunflower! Show me more cards!¡±


    *


    It had been an hour since Deckard started trailing the sunflower sea star, and patience had paid off. He¡¯d captured three new types of starfish and four additional types of clams. Some had eluded him earlier, their small size or perfect camouflage against the rocks, making them nearly invisible. The clams, in particular, had been a challenge to spot. Deckard grinned at the idea of putting a leash on the sunflower sea star, using it as his personal hunting companion.


    Just like the dogs they use at the airport to sniff out drugs and explosives, he mused with a chuckle.


    The sunflower sea star began homing in on yet another target. Deckard followed its path, only to discover it was yet another sea urchin¡ªthe fifth in a row. He sighed, realizing it was time to wrap things up.


    A vibrant, detailed picture in his repository now matched the sunflower sea star perfectly. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem to capture it now. Deckard readied a card, pointed it at the massive predator, and whispered to himself, ¡°So, like I mentioned¡ªa leash.¡±


    In one swift motion, Deckard activated the card, and the sunflower sea star was drawn in without resistance. His high understanding of the creature had made it an easy capture. Eagerly, he picked up the new card, his anticipation mounting as its stats began to materialize. Then he froze, his eyes widening.


    It was¡­not a common card. It was his first rare card! Even better, it had a powerful effect¡ªone that could tie his whole deck together. Suddenly, all the other starfish cards he¡¯d collected had found their purpose.


    This is the card that makes all the other starfish¡­viable.


    He drooled as he thought of the card entering the field, becoming a huge creature, and winning him the game.


    Deckard¡¯s grin stretched wide. This was the most excitement he¡¯d felt in AstroTerra so far. Sure, defense boosts and HP regeneration had their appeal, but there was nothing quite like finding a truly playable card that could change his whole strategy. This was what he had joined AstroTerra for, after all.


    Carefully, he slid the card into his repository. As he did, he felt a slight shift¡ªa ripple of energy pulsed through the repository, and something unexpected happened.

 Ch. 19 - Milestones

    As soon as the sunflower starfish card entered Deckard¡¯s repository, a ripple went through the machine. The cards within shifted and rearranged, the pale paper lighting up with a faint, underwater glow. Gradually, the light focused, forming a rectangle that pulsed once and then solidified into a new card.


    A series of notifications floated into his field of vision, each one more exciting than the last.


    Collection updated!


    +0.5 HP regeneration


    Congratulations! You¡¯ve captured all creature cards from the shallows of the Island of Beginnings shallows ecosystem.


    Your repository cross-references all genetic information, and you obtain new knowledge of this ecosystem.


    You¡¯ve received [Shallows Swarm].


    Deckard felt a surge of satisfaction. ¡°No way! Another rare card?!¡±


    You¡¯ve unlocked a new skill: [Healing Ray].


    Deckard smiled from ear to ear. So, as I complete my collection or reach certain milestones, I get special cards and unlock skills! All the more reason to complete my collection as fast and thoroughly as possible, then.


    [Shallows Swarm] was a pretty nice Terralore card. Even though it had a random effect that could provide creatures to his opponents, it still seemed worth playing. Flooding the opponents¡¯ lanes with starfish and clams didn¡¯t seem too dangerous. Without the right synergies these creature cards were harmless.


    However, he could do a lot with this card if he built a deck just right. He imagined the powerful combo of playing [Shallows Swarm] first and then a [Sunflower Starfish] next, absorbing all the random starfish in the field and turning it into a huge creature.


    I can¡¯t wait to get to the city and start playing at the parlors.


    He had also obtained his first skill ever since he took up the card slinger class! Healing ray!


    Healing Ray (Common)


    Skill description: You feel others¡¯ pain, and thanks to the power of your mutation, you can slightly alleviate it.


    Skill effects:


    Active. Heal your target;


    Healing slightly scales with cards that grant HP regeneration.


    It was a simple healing skill. Deckard dove underwater, waiting for his energy bar to hit rock bottom and for him to start losing health. As soon as he¡¯d lost some, he resurfaced.


    Healing Ray!


    You don¡¯t have enough energy!


    ¡°Right. Silly me. I need energy to use this skill.¡±


    Deckard waited for the energy bar to recover, and he tried the skill again.


    Healing Ray!


    +10


    Sure enough, a beam of light fell on him. It followed the theme of healing from all the starfish that he¡¯d captured. It was the equivalent of a free potion.


    Even though [Healing Ray] was a simple skill, it represented a significant discovery. He couldn¡¯t learn skills from cards like regular players. At least not in the standard way. But as he increased his collection and reached certain milestones, he could get Terralore cards that granted him a skill he could use when adventuring in AstroTerra.


    After getting this card, I know that there really isn¡¯t any other starfish or clam to capture out here. I guess it¡¯s time to figure out if I can hold my own against seagulls!


    Deckard headed toward the shore, leaving the shallows behind. Across the beach, beginners were scattered, each battling the most basic creature around: the diseased seagull.


    He took out his deck of blank cards and started shuffling them, getting accustomed to their weight again. ¡°Time to find out just how much damage these babies can do.¡± Deckard moved further along the shore, away from the village¡ªhe didn¡¯t need an audience. The quieter the battlefield, the better. The last thing he needed was for some unsavory player to aggro all the seagulls on the beach and bring them his way.


    As Stiltwave shrank to a dot on the horizon and Gull Rock remained out of sight, Deckard nodded in satisfaction. He¡¯d found the perfect spot for his first real card-slinging battle.


    He spotted a lone seagull pecking at the sand¡ªa safe choice with no other creatures around to complicate the fight. Taking a deep breath, Deckard steadied himself. The fighting aspect of this game was far from being his strong suit, but there was no way around it but to get better at it. There¡¯s no point in overthinking this.


    He broke into a sprint, closing the gap, and, just within range, channeled all his momentum into a powerful throw. He used his wrist, elbow, shoulder, and legs, putting every ounce of energy into launching the card. He¡¯d practiced the throw with coconuts, which were high up in the trees. Without the need to counteract gravity, the card flew like a missile, hitting the seagull dead-on.


    -2!


    The oversized number and exclamation mark over the seagull told him he¡¯d landed a critical hit, but the low damage was instantly disappointing. What in the world? Two? My toy sword does more damage than that.


    He processed the implications quickly: at this rate, he wouldn¡¯t have enough cards to finish the fight. There was no way he could throw every card like this all the time. His mind whirred with possible solutions.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The seagull turned toward him, furious, letting out a piercing screech as it launched forward. Its wings flapped wildly, sand spraying up behind it as it barreled toward him, closing the distance with alarming speed. Deckard fired off two more throws, quick and precise.


    -1


    -1


    So little damage, he thought, grimacing. Each hit dealt only a single point, and his card supply wouldn¡¯t last much longer. He turned and sprinted, putting distance between them to avoid its rapid advance.


    The seagull¡¯s squawks were shrill and angry, its legs pumping as it scrambled to keep up with him. From a distance, though, its aggression felt less daunting. Deckard quickly adjusted his pace to match the creature¡¯s, now able to focus on timing his throws rather than reacting out of urgency.


    Deckard smiled at how calm he felt. He didn¡¯t feel flustered and was able to plan his every move. Long-range really is best for me. I don¡¯t do well in the middle of a fight.


    At around six meters, he turned and flung three cards in quick succession.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    You¡¯ve seen a diseased seagull fight.


    Your understanding of it grows.


    He mentally marked his limit¡ªthree throws before the seagull caught up¡ªthen spun and took off running again. As he settled into a cycle of spacing, throwing, and sprinting, he noted each movement with a calculated precision. He could feel himself easing into control until¡ª


    -1


    -1


    I¡¯m out of ammo!


    Deckard¡¯s deck only allowed for 52 blank cards, and the repository would take time to regenerate more. Even with his best efforts, he hadn¡¯t made enough impact on the seagull¡¯s health. Glancing at its stats, he saw that it still had nearly half its health left.


    Diseased Seagull


    Lvl. 2


    HP: 48/100


    He¡¯d known this might happen. That¡¯s why he¡¯d kept one last card in reserve. Without hesitating, he held it facing the seagull, steadying his breath.


    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±


    Subdimensionalize!


    Sensing its impending capture, the seagull froze mid-charge, then frantically attempted to flee, wings flapping as it stumbled backward in the sand. But the card¡¯s vortex took hold, spiraling around the creature with unstoppable force. Deckard watched, transfixed, as the seagull¡¯s form distorted, its dimensional depth peeling away like layers of paper. The seagull squawked in defiance, but it was no use¡ªthe vortex drew it in, compressing and flattening it until, with a final pull, the creature was sucked into the card, trapped within its two-dimensional realm.


    All those experiments in the shallows had born fruit. He was confident that the skill would work before he even used it. He had received four messages about gaining an understanding of the diseased seagull throughout the fight and also knew that a lower health bar increased his chances of success.


    The card¡¯s light dimmed, and Deckard inspected it.


    ¡°Why are seagull cards so bad?¡± Deckard muttered. Seagull cards always came paired with a lousy debuff that made them unplayable. He knew he was scraping the bottom of the barrel; these were the weakest creatures in the game. There was a reason the cards had such lousy effects, but that didn¡¯t make it any less frustrating.


    With a sigh, he moved over to the loot pile. All the cards he¡¯d thrown at the seagull were neatly stacked¡ªat least the developers had thought to make it easy for him to restock ammo. Beside the cards lay a diseased feather and a few copper coins.


    No XP, but I still get regular loot. If I¡¯m seeing this right. I have an edge on capturing creature cards, but skill cards are another story. They probably had to drop for him, just as they did for other players, which meant grinding was likely part of the process.


    Deckard let the repository absorb his card.


    Collection updated.


    +0.1% attack speed.


    Like with the other seagull cards, he gained more attack speed. It wasn¡¯t what he needed most¡ªwhat he wanted was attack power. Ideally, he¡¯d be able to finish off a seagull with his available ammo. He couldn¡¯t wait to increase his damage and the number of cards he could carry.


    He¡¯d used the Subdimensionalize trick, but after experimenting with starfish and clams earlier, he¡¯d learned that he could only capture each card once. He wasn¡¯t sure if that cap lifted after selling a card, but he¡¯d have to see his next battle through to the bitter end.


    It was time for another try. Deckard readied his deck, sprinted toward his next target, and put his whole momentum into one powerful throw.


    -2!


    Without wasting a second, he fired off another round, his arms moving in fluid, practiced motions as he kept an eye on the seagull¡¯s reactions. The creature shrieked in outrage, snapping its beak and flaring its wings.


    Good. Keep shrieking and displaying that you¡¯re coming for me while I throw cards.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    -1


    -1


    Deckard managed to get five hits in before the seagull finally started running. Deckard gritted his teeth. He was learning the pattern now¡ªthrow, run, turn, throw again.


    -1


    -1


    -1


    The battle seemed quieter now¡ªno new notifications or insights popping up. But that silence only heightened his focus. He could feel his instincts sharpening as he slung cards with increasing confidence. The seagull stumbled but kept up its relentless charge, barely slowing with each hit.


    Time passed in a blur as he burned through his deck, the sand kicking up in gritty sprays under his feet with every evasive step. His breathing grew heavier, the steady rhythm of the fight pulling him in. By the time he realized he¡¯d run out of cards, the seagull was already halfway to him, feathers ruffled, its beady eyes locked on him with furious intent.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate. With no cards left, he drew his toy sword from his inventory, gripping it tightly as he braced for the creature¡¯s assault.


    The seagull barreled forward, shrieking, its beak aimed straight at him. He raised his sword just in time as it collided with him, pecking with a fury that sent vibrations up his arm. Luckily, his new coconut armor took the brunt of the impact.


    -3


    Without the armor, he knew the blow would¡¯ve been much worse¡ªeight points easily. Between the armor, damage resistance from his clam cards, and him being able to somewhat block the hit, the attack felt manageable, though it still stung. His fingers clenched the hilt tighter, and he swung the wooden sword at the seagull, catching it with a solid strike.


    -4


    The seagull squawked and struck back, its beak glancing off his armor but landing another blow.


    -5


    Even with his armor, Deckard knew he would be at a disadvantage in a drawn-out battle. His sword felt light in his hand, but his damage was low, and the seagull was relentless. Thankfully, he¡¯d already worn down most of its health from a distance. After a few more clumsy exchanges, the seagull staggered, its movements slowing before it collapsed, leaving behind a neat stack of his cards along with a feather and a few copper coins.


    Deckard knelt, collecting the loot and noting that his health bar had dropped into the 60s. But thanks to his starfish cards, he could see it ticking back up, slowly but steadily.


    Healing Ray!


    He activated his new skill, and a bright ray of light cascaded over him.


    +10


    The familiar warmth spread through him, his health bar rising significantly at the cost of a chunk of energy. With all the running, card throwing, and close combat, his energy reserves were dropping fast, forcing him to sit and rest.


    It wasn¡¯t a flawless strategy, but it worked. He could hunt seagulls, earn loot, and eventually collect their skill cards if he kept at it. And even if none dropped, he¡¯d make enough to sell loot and buy what he needed from other players.


    He scanned the beach, looking for his next unlucky target.

 Ch. 20 - Trap

    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    -1


    -1


    -1


    The diseased seagull cawed angrily as Deckard kept throwing card after card, dodging its sharp beak as it swooped toward him.


    His stack of cards finally ran out, forcing him to switch to his toy sword. He swung it left and right, each swipe a whoosh of air. Kicking up sand with every jump and sidestep, he dodged the bird¡¯s vicious pecks. Finally, with one last squawk, the diseased beast collapsed, leaving Deckard breathing hard.


    After hunting over two hundred diseased seagulls, Deckard could feel his moves getting sharper, more fluid. The swing of his sword felt almost instinctive now, and each dodge was less about luck and more about timing. At least, that was something. He sighed, stretching his arms with a grimace. Wish it didn¡¯t take so many birds just to get one skill card.


    He bent down to pick up the loot and noticed something different from the usual cards he¡¯d thrown. A new card lay next to a battered, greasy feather, glinting faintly in the sun.


    Finally! A skill card, Deckard thought with relief. He¡¯d been grinding for what felt like ages without any real payoff. While the drop rate on beginner mobs was generous¡ªone skill card for every 30 diseased seagulls¡ªhe hadn¡¯t gained a new skill card since 40 seagulls ago.


    He picked it up, grinning as he examined the unfamiliar card.


    Deckard¡¯s interest grew as he noticed something unique in the effects. Seabirds, it read¡ªnot just seagulls. His heart skipped. Does that mean seagulls are part of a bigger ¡°seabird¡± tribe? If so, this card had much broader potential than the ones that only worked on seagulls. He could use this in more decks, maybe even with some more powerful creatures.


    He briefly reviewed the tribes among the cards he¡¯d seen. There are turtles, crabs, seagulls, starfish, clams¡­ He grinned as more names popped into his mind. Also macaques. And now seabirds? Beyond that, the cards were divided by affinities¡ªwater, nature, darkness, light. The possible synergies and ways they might interconnect ignited a fire in Deckard¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t wait to find out what other cards were out there and build decks with them.


    The skill granted by this card boosted movement speed¡ªa skill Deckard could see himself using to pivot around his enemies. But as a card slinger, he had little control over what he could actually learn. The things I could do if I could choose my skills¡­ He sighed, pocketing the card. All he could do was keep collecting and hope to unlock the skills he needed eventually.


    So far, he¡¯d managed to collect three Seagull Poison cards, a Seagull Strike, and now Seagull Step. He didn¡¯t know if the diseased seagulls had any other cards to drop, but either way, he needed a break from hunting.


    Time to try a different approach.


    Deckard left the beach and headed toward Stiltwave Village.


    *


    The village was lively, with the smell of dried fish mingling with the fragrance of fresh, tropical fruit. Island NPCs in loose, colorful wraps walked barefoot, their skin tanned and hair adorned with beads or seashells. Deckard took a moment to soak in the feel of island life around him.


    Ha. This is a good feeling. I get to game and be on a tropical island.


    His first stop was somewhere to offload the diseased feathers he¡¯d collected. He headed toward the Silver Shell.


    Inside, the shop was just as he remembered: the air was thick with the faint smell of herbs and seawater, the shelves lined with wares displayed on makeshift boards, and the counter set with tinted glass bottles holding colorful liquids, leaves, and seashells. A couple of players waved their hands, operating system windows, absorbed in their purchases.


    The shopkeeper greeted him with a wide grin, his slightly crooked teeth gleaming. ¡°Hi, man. How can I help you today? Lookin¡¯ for some coconuts? Some fresh bananas?¡±


    At the mention of coconuts, Deckard felt a shiver run down his spine. He¡¯d seen enough coconuts for a few lifetimes on the quest he ran for Old Jone. ¡°No. No, thank you. I want to sell these.¡± Deckard poured out the many feathers he¡¯d collected onto the man¡¯s counter.


    ¡°Ooh! Nice! Let me make you an offer.¡±


    Deckard was about to reply when another player spoke up. ¡°Dude. What are you doing?¡±


    Deckard turned toward the voice. It was a friendly-looking guy with spiky blonde hair, rusty spectacles, and a loose vest over his bare chest. ¡°Am I doing something wrong?¡± Deckard asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course you are! There are, like, ten quests in the village that require those feathers. You could gain 2 or 3 levels with what you¡¯ve got there.¡±


    Deckard looked at the haul. As a card slinger, XP didn¡¯t mean anything to him. ¡°Do those quests offer good gear? Or cards?¡±


    The guy scratched his head, considering. ¡°Uh¡­ well, nothing better than what you¡¯re wearing. And cards¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    The shopkeeper interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ll give you four silver and 12 coppers. What do you say?¡±


    Deckard paused, considering the shopkeeper¡¯s offer, before his gaze returned to the player. The guy seemed friendly and had gone out of his way to help. ¡°Want to buy these feathers from me?¡± he offered.


    The man looked away, embarrassed. ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t actually have any money on me right now.¡±


    ¡°What about cards?¡±


    The man shook his head.


    Deckard pointed to the spectacles. ¡°Are those an accessory I can equip?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a simple accessory. Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you 100 feathers for them.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened, and then he nodded quickly. ¡°Uh. OK. I¡¯m fine with it,¡± he said, handing over the spectacles.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The shopkeeper readjusted his offer. ¡°Now, I give ya three silver and two coppers for the rest, yah?¡±


    ¡°Good. Thanks!¡±


    Deckard completed both trades, and the player left with a smile, clearly confident he¡¯d gotten the better deal. Deckard slipped on the spectacles, adjusting them on his nose with a small surge of satisfaction.


    Rusty Spectacles (Common)


    Description: An old pair of spectacles salvaged from the shore. It¡¯s a miracle the lenses didn¡¯t break.


    Effect: +5% energy regeneration.


    Deckard sighed contentedly. Ah. This feels right. He¡¯d worn glasses for as long as he could remember. He liked the feel of glasses on his face, like a shield between him and the world. Without them, he felt naked.


    Happy with the deal, he left the shop and made his way to the pier, where players were sitting in clusters, some on the ground, others hawking items they wanted to trade.


    Around him, voices pitched in a chorus of offers:


    ¡°Salvaged sword for sale¡ª1 silver, 50 coppers! Bargain!¡±


    ¡°Coconut fiber gloves¡ª90 coppers! Grab them before someone else does!¡±


    Waiting for a lull, Deckard added his voice to the mix, ¡°Exchanging [Seagull Poison] and [Seagull Strike] for other skill cards. Come and trade! Come and trade!¡±


    A few people gave him curious looks, one or two with smirks, probably thinking his poison cards were junk. But finally, a boy stepped up. He had a face full of freckles, and his lanky frame looked awkward as if he were outgrowing himself faster than he could keep up. He extended a card, his voice surprisingly deep for his age. ¡°I¡¯ve got two Seagull Dash cards. Want to trade one for a Seagull Poison?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    The boy handed over the card, and Deckard passed him one of his Seagull Poisons, both nodding in quiet satisfaction.


    Deckard examined the card with excitement. A trap card!


    Trap: Play it face-down on the field. Its effects are triggered when the right conditions are met.


    He¡¯d seen enough games to know that even a minor trap could throw opponents off. Even though it only worked on seabirds, it was a valuable tool to disrupt an opponent¡¯s tempo.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what creature dropped this card?¡± Deckard asked, keeping his voice casual. If there was a creature around here who dropped more traps, he wanted to know about it.


    The boy shrugged, focused on reading his new [Seagull Poison]. ¡°A DSG. Why?¡±


    Deckard blinked. DSG. Diseased seagull. ¡°Oh, just curious. Thanks for the trade!¡±


    Deckard added the new card to his repository as the boy wandered off, feeling his collection stats update. The boost was small¡ªjust a bit of attack speed¡ªbut it sparked a moment of reflection. So, even after grinding over 200 diseased seagulls, I¡¯m still missing skill cards dropped by them. He felt a wave of exasperation.


    Is it even possible to have a full collection in this game? The thought was daunting. There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands, of creatures throughout the world of AstroTerra, each with its own cards and skills. Deckard pictured his old Nova Cardia collection¡ªcarefully sorted, painstakingly complete. Soon, however, every one of those cards would vanish when the servers shut down. He put his hand on his chest and felt a catch in his throat. He shook off the feeling, forcing himself to focus on the here and now.


    The next few traders who approached offered him cards he already had¡ªone also offered [Seagull Dash] and another a [Cranky Seagull]. Declining each offer, Deckard was about to give up when a young woman approached. Her armor mirrored his own, but her weapon¡ªa massive anchor strapped across her back¡ªcaught his eye.


    ¡°I want to trade,¡± she said.


    ¡°Impressive weapon,¡± Deckard commented. ¡°What do you have?¡±


    ¡°Want a sea star for your [Seagull Strike]?¡±


    Deckard frowned. ¡°Uh, come again?¡±


    She flashed a [Chocolate Chip Starfish] card; its edges crinkled as though it had seen battles.


    His eyes widened. ¡°Where did you find that?¡±


    ¡°I took up fishing. Sometimes fish drop cards when you capture them, though it¡¯s rare. Some people like to collect them. Want it?¡±


    Deckard¡¯s mind raced furiously. He¡¯d assumed that he was the only one with starfish cards around. Seeing someone else with one was¡­ disappointing.


    Makes sense. Just because I found a hidden class doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the only one who can get creature cards.


    It leveled the playing field in Terralore. After some thought, Deckard realized he didn¡¯t mind. Winning just because he had a superior collection wasn¡¯t his thing, anyway. He¡¯d rather outwit his opponents instead. ¡°No, thanks,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°Alright, what about this?¡± She held out another card that made Deckard pause.


    Deckard grinned. He knew this card already. It was one of the cards in Ratu¡¯s good deck. He had only owned it momentarily before the cards went back to Ratu. He liked the card¡¯s simplicity¡ªjust enough power to break through a defense at the right moment.


    ¡°Deal!¡± Deckard handed over his card. ¡°Where do you find this skill?¡± Deckard asked, imagining wild cats roaming the jungle on the island.


    The girl¡¯s answer threw him off, though.


    ¡°You mean the trainer? Or the drop location?¡±


    ¡°Trainer?¡± Deckard raised his eyebrows in surprise. The girl gave him a slightly exasperated look.


    ¡°You know. The trainer. The NPC near the teleport pad. Teaches basic skills for one silver each. He teaches this skill.¡±


    ¡°He hands out cards for free?¡± Deckard asked in disbelief.


    She laughed, shaking her head. ¡°No! Silly. He teaches you directly. He doesn¡¯t just hand cards.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of this card dropping from mobs?¡±


    She gave him an amused roll of her eyes. ¡°So you can save one silver, dummy. Duh!¡±


    ¡°It makes sense. Thank you for explaining it.¡± He nodded in appreciation, and she returned it before leaving. Deckard considered her words, grateful for the tip.


    Deckard deposited the new card in the repository.


    Collection updated.


    +0.1 damage


    Nice! Finally something that boosts damage!


    The bonus only fanned his curiosity even further.


    I didn¡¯t know that it was possible to learn skills from NPCs. I wonder whether I can learn those¡­


    He still had two Seagull Poisons to trade, but judging by the dismissive looks he was getting, he doubted anyone here would be interested. Deckard packed up his goods, deciding to check it out himself. Maybe by the time he returned, the crowd at the trading spot would shuffle, and some new potential trading partners would show up.


    He headed toward the center of the village. He¡¯d passed the teleportation pad before¡ªit formed a triangle at the village center with Ronan¡¯s shop and Silver Shell. The pad consisted of a giant, flat metal plate corroded by the salty air. Near it, he quickly located the NPC trainer. It was hard to miss him. Not only was he surrounded by players, but he also looked impressive.


    The man was muscled and fully clad in armor, with a spear edged with jagged teeth and a shield slung over his back.


    This guy isn¡¯t just some regular shopkeeper. He¡¯s a warrior through and through.


    Deckard inspected the NPC.


    Makoa, the Trainer


    Lvl. 30


    ???


    As he approached, Makoa grinned at him, his voice deep and warm. ¡°Ah, welcome, foreigner! You come to learn island warrior ways, yah? Smart choice. Pick what you like, and even the fiercest p¡¯ret be no trouble to you.¡±


    Deckard raised an eyebrow, intrigued. P¡¯ret? Does he mean pirates? Interesting. So pirates roam around here, too.


    A menu appeared before Deckard, and he scrolled through the list, frowning. Backstab, shield bash, throw rocks. He recognized these names. Wait a second¡­ I already own some of these cards.


    Realization hit him. The cards those players traded me at the bar¡­ were skills that can be learned from trainers!

 Ch. 21 - The Trainer

    The trainer sold a package of eight basic skills, two for each of the game¡¯s four core classes. [Healing Ray] and [Bolster] were designed for medics. Funnily enough, capturing all the creatures in the shallows had warranted him [Healing Ray]. As for [Bolster], Ratu had used it against him back in their match, and its AstroTerra version did basically the same as its Terralore counterpart¡ªbuffing its target. The buff was simple, increasing HP and energy for five minutes, allowing players to battle a little more comfortably.


    [Shield Bash] and [Taunting Shout] were a warrior¡¯s bread-and-butter skills. The first required a shield and stunned a target, while [Taunting Shout] attracted aggro, keeping enemies focused on the player. [Throw Rocks] and [Shepherd¡¯s Shout] were designed for espers, giving players a basic ranged attack and a skill that scared creatures away. Finally, there were [Backstab] and [Wildcat Stance], which allowed rogues to deal more damage.


    Probably the developers¡¯ way of letting beginners get a taste of each class. That way, they can be sure of what path they want to take, Deckard thought, scrolling through the list.


    The funny thing was, he already owned five out of these eight skills: [Wildcat Stance] from his earlier trade, and [Backstab], [Taunting Shout], [Shield Bash], and [Throw Rocks] from trades he¡¯d conducted before facing Ratu. No wonder those players were eager to trade those cards away¡ªthey could just come here and learn them from Makoa.


    A pang of irritation shot through him. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should feel wronged or scammed after learning this. The players had made him trade rarer cards that were potentially worth more. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I knew the risks when I made that promise. No point in crying over it now. Besides, this is valuable knowledge. Next time, I¡¯ll know to look for patterns like this before trading.


    Alright, first things first.


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯d like to learn a skill,¡± Deckard said, his heart pounding in anticipation.


    Makoa nodded with a confident grin. ¡°Take your pick!¡±


    Deckard¡¯s mind raced. Yes! I can learn skills! [Wildcat Stance] was the skill he wanted most. A simple self-buff that boosted damage and speed for a short time, it synergized perfectly with [Backstab], allowing wannabe rogues to deal burst damage. Even though Deckard didn¡¯t need [Backstab] himself, learning this buff would let him triple his card damage output and finally start taking down diseased seagulls with card throws alone. If I get this, my whole playstyle changes.


    He selected the skill to purchase, but the button was grayed out.


    Deckard clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°Guess it¡¯s not gonna be that easy, huh?¡± He sighed, brushing off the disappointment. If it¡¯s locked, it means I¡¯ll have to find another way to master these skills. If I learned [Healing Ray] from collecting starfish, I might still be able to learn another of these skills if I reach the right milestone. It''s not the first time I¡¯ve had to adapt my plans.


    Even though he couldn¡¯t learn any skills directly from Makoa, he felt his trip here had been worthwhile. The eight skills Makoa taught must be part of a basic package available in every village across AstroTerra. It was surprising to him how these seemingly disconnected skills shared a connection. They make up a set¡­ a collection.


    Based on what he¡¯d learned about his class, he suspected that if he could collect all eight cards of these skills, it might lead to a new milestone. Maybe even something that would give him an edge. His frustration slowly shifted into determination. I¡¯m on to something here. This might be bigger than just learning these basic skills individually.


    And at least I don¡¯t have to invest too much to find out, he thought with satisfaction. He already had over three silver to his name and two more cards left to trade¡ªmore than enough to fuel his next steps.


    Heading back to the pier, Deckard set the two [Seagull Poison] cards in front of him. ¡°Buying [Healing Ray], [Shepherd¡¯s Shout], and [Bolster] for one silver and ten coppers each,¡± he called out. ¡°Or, trading [Seagull Poison] for any of these.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for a player to approach, his eyes keen with interest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trade you [Healing Ray] for one silver and thirty coppers,¡± the player offered.


    Deckard shook his head, smiling slightly. ¡°One silver and ten coppers, not a copper more.¡±


    ¡°1 silver and 20 coppers!¡± the player countered, clearly reluctant to go lower.


    Deckard adjusted the spectacles on his nose. The nervous tic that he hadn¡¯t been able to indulge in the past day of gaming calmed him, making him feel more in control. ¡°Sorry, one silver and ten coppers. Final offer.¡± Deckard held the player¡¯s gaze calmly, glancing around to spot a few more players eying his cards. ¡°Take it or leave it,¡± he added, knowing the other players would likely jump on the deal if this one refused.


    The player sighed in defeat. ¡°Argh. Fine.¡±


    Deckard quickly secured the trade, feeling a spark of satisfaction at sticking to his terms. He adjusted his sales pitch and called out, ¡°Trading for [Shepherd¡¯s Shout] and [Bolster]¡ªone silver and ten coppers each, or a [Seagull] Poison card!¡±


    The next taker approached and didn¡¯t bother haggling. ¡°Here¡¯s [Shepherd¡¯s Shout].¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s your silver!¡± Deckard said, pleased with the quick trade.


    ¡°Buying [Bolster] at one silver and ten coppers or trading it for a [Seagull Poison] card!¡± Despite his repeated calls, no one came forward. As time passed, his thoughts drifted to the [Bolster] card he¡¯d once owned. If only I hadn¡¯t traded it away to learn Ratu¡¯s location¡­


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    Time ticked by with no takers. All the players that looked eager to trade earlier must have had either [Shepherd¡¯s Shout] or [Healing Ray]. Deckard was beginning to wonder if anyone around even had a [Bolster] to trade.


    Could it be that only bosses drop it? Deckard wondered. Finally, a player approached, eyeing the [Seagull Poison] cards with interest.


    The player smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll trade you [Bolster]¡ªbut I want one [Seagull Poison] and one and a half silvers.¡±


    Deckard met the player¡¯s gaze head-on. ¡°That¡¯s steep.¡±


    ¡°Then good luck finding another [Bolster],¡± the player replied with a shrug, already turning as if to leave.


    Deckard¡¯s hand went to his spectacles, adjusting them as he weighed the offer. It was the worst trade he¡¯d had yet, but he realized it was probably better not to let this one slip by. Despite his repeated attempts to trade [Seagull Poison], there were very few takers¡ªit was likely a card with a high drop rate, making it easy to find. If this unlocks a milestone like I think it will, then it¡¯s worth the price.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve got a deal,¡± he said, extending the silver coins and the card. The player accepted them with a satisfied grin, handing Deckard the [Bolster] card.


    With all three skills finally in hand, Deckard took a deep breath, feeling anticipation building in his chest. This is it. If my theory¡¯s right, collecting these basic skills might just unlock something valuable.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± he murmured to himself, fingers tingling with excitement. ¡°Time to see if my hunch was right.¡±


    Finding a quiet spot under the pier, he placed his repository on the ground and carefully inserted the three skills he¡¯d just acquired.


    Collection updated:


    +0.2 healing;


    +0.1 energy regeneration.


    Like when he¡¯d captured the sunflower sea star, the repository began to glow. The eight skills merged into a single page, and a system message appeared.


    Congratulations! You¡¯ve captured all skill cards from the beginner¡¯s training package. Your repository cross-references the information, and you gain new knowledge.


    You¡¯ve unlocked a new skill: [Beginner¡¯s Path].


    Deckard¡¯s heart leaped. It worked!


    Excitedly, he examined the skill:


    Beginner¡¯s Path (Uncommon)


    Description: Success lies in a strong foundation and varied experiences.


    Effects: Passive. +1 attack; +10 HP; +10 energy.


    Deckard grinned, a thrill running through him. This skill was exactly what he needed. Especially the +1 attack bonus¡ªit would make a huge difference, essentially doubling the damage his cards could deal at this stage.


    All that grinding and trading finally paid off.


    Deckard eyed the very last duplicate in his inventory: [Seagull Poison]. He sighed, turning the card over in his hand. The time it would take him to grind for a new skill could probably be better spent negotiating a trade. He climbed up the ladder, and instead of heading straight for the pier, he started wandering around town, calling out his offer as he walked.


    ¡°Trading a [Seagull Poison] card for any other skill card, as long as I don¡¯t have it yet. Make an offer!¡±


    A player approached, but the cards they had to offer were ones Deckard already owned. Just as he was considering heading to another area, a familiar voice barked from behind him.


    ¡°You here?!¡±


    Deckard turned to see an older islander with a grizzly beard. His skin was burned by the sun, and he wore a yellow jacket and rubber boots. He glared at Deckard with that same fierce intensity when they had first faced each other. ¡°Ratu?!¡±


    ¡°Why you stalkin¡¯ me, foreigner?¡± Ratu didn¡¯t bother hiding the irritation in his voice, but a spark of excitement flashed in his eyes.


    Deckard sighed, though he couldn¡¯t help the smirk that tugged at his lips. ¡°I¡¯m really not.¡±


    Ratu¡¯s gaze dropped to the card in Deckard¡¯s hand, his mouth twisting into a sly grin. ¡°You got cards again, eh, foreigner?¡±


    Deckard raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. ¡°What if I have?¡±


    ¡°Then you owe me a rematch, yeah?¡±


    ¡°I owe you?¡± Deckard¡¯s grin mirrored Ratu¡¯s.


    ¡°Yah!¡± Ratu¡¯s voice boomed with energy. ¡°I challenge you, foreigner!¡±


    Special event triggered: An NPC wants to challenge you to a Terralore battle. Win to obtain a reward.


    Deckard blinked in surprise, his mind racing. A special event? Was it triggered by their history or maybe by his special class? Or did it trigger because he now had over 20 cards in his repository, enough to make a deck? Whatever the reason, he hadn¡¯t played Terralore since their last game, and he was itching for another go at it.


    ¡°Fine. I accept your challenge.¡±


    ¡°Good! Follow me. We play in my boat.¡±


    ¡°Why not here?¡± Deckard asked.


    ¡°No one gonna bother us there,¡± Ratu insisted, his eyes darting around nervously.


    Is he afraid that I¡¯ll humiliate him again? Deckard wondered. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s have it your way.¡±


    Ratu led him to a small, weather-beaten boat with two oars painted in faded reds and blues. The wood creaked as they climbed in, the paint chipped and worn by salt and sun. Ratu pushed away from the pier and started rowing, getting the boat to climb over the waves.


    Even after the sea calmed, Deckard noticed Ratu kept rowing farther out. He raised an eyebrow, an uneasy feeling creeping in.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this far enough?¡±


    ¡°Nah, boat still rockin¡¯ too much,¡± Ratu said, rowing with a determination that made Deckard¡¯s suspicions grow. ¡°A little farther.¡±


    Where did this NPC keep finding people willing to give him good cards? Deckard wondered, narrowing his gaze. Did he find himself a backer? And why is he so intent on taking me away from the village? A chill ran down Deckard¡¯s spine. He¡¯s not kidnapping me, is he?


    Despite his doubts, Ratu finally stopped rowing, glancing around with satisfaction. ¡°Here, no one bother us.¡± He turned to face Deckard, already gripping his deck, his eyes gleaming with determination. ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Give me a sec.¡± Deckard opened his repository.


    Twenty cards to make a deck. Every card in the deck has to be unique, Deckard recited as he recalled the rules of deckbuilding in Terralore.


    He carefully studied each card as he selected his deck, mentally weighing potential combinations. I won last time, but if he¡¯s got new cards with help, I¡¯ll need to be ready for surprises. He tried to anticipate which cards Ratu might use, considering every angle.


    After he selected his best cards, he reviewed his deck¡¯s curve, ensuring he had a good distribution of card costs and a good ratio of creatures to skills. Everything looked in order. He¡¯d won last time with a worse deck.


    Finally, Deckard looked up, his deck in hand. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    Ratu grinned, his teeth flashing. ¡°Rules simple, yah? One match. You win; you take any card from my deck. I win; I take one from you. Deal?¡±


    ¡°Deal,¡± Deckard answered, feeling his adrenaline spike as the stakes set in.

 Ch. 22 - Rematch

    A pulse of shimmering energy emanated from the boat, rippling through reality like a drop of rain breaking the surface of a still lake. Small castles began to materialize on the left-hand side of each player, solidifying into sturdy stone and iron-bound towers.


    Next, with a low rumble, a translucent wall flickered into place before them and cut through the battlefield, forming a horizontal ¡®H¡¯ shape. The walls were impossible to see through and would keep their moves hidden from each other while also separating the two lanes of the game.


    Invisible hands plucked the cards from Deckard¡¯s hand, shuffling them with swift, graceful movements. Four cards appeared before him, and he caught them with a quick glance, clicking his tongue as he recognized his two strongest cards¡ªboth with a hefty cost of 3. Deckard had wanted to draw these two cards during the game, but he hadn¡¯t counted on getting them this soon!


    What do I do now? If I play one, I¡¯ll have to discard the other. Should I mulligan? If he chose to draw again, he¡¯d be left with only three cards¡ªan immediate disadvantage. His fingers twitched as he weighed the risk. With a clenched jaw, he decided to keep all four cards.


    The game began. Unlike before, Ratu was surprisingly silent, his usual cocky remarks absent. Deckard glanced up, catching a glimpse of his opponent¡¯s intense, focused expression. Maybe it was the lack of an audience¡ªor perhaps the sting of his last defeat¡ªthat kept Ratu quiet.


    Deckard looked at his hand and sighed. He had his most powerful combo in his hand. However, if he played one of the cards now, he would discard the other. He had no choice but to do nothing this turn.


    Deckard¡¯s side of the battlefield remained empty as the play phase ended, but two cards appeared in Ratu¡¯s attacking lane before bursting into form. A small fox, its fur a warm, earthy red, padded into view, eyes glinting with mischief. Another fox appeared beside it, giving a delighted yip as it recognized its companion, its tail wagging in quick, eager flicks. Together, they pawed at the ground, nipping playfully before turning their sights on Deckard¡¯s castle.


    ¡°Foxes?¡± Deckard blurted, momentarily thrown. He hadn¡¯t seen Ratu play fox creatures before. Where did Ratu get these two cards? Are there foxes roaming the island jungles? Before he could dwell on it, the foxes yowled and charged, claws scraping against the ground as they leaped at his castle. Their sharp claws struck stone, and deep cracks splintered along the walls, chunks of brick tumbling to the ground as his castle took a brutal hit, losing three points.


    The combo was simple yet powerful. Deckard was starting the game at a significant disadvantage. He gulped drily, feeling the pressure of Ratu¡¯s strong opening, but he kept a cool demeanor. Ratu had no more cards on his hand, and Deckard had a big turn coming up.


    ¡°Haha. You foreigner are losing bad!¡± Ratu said, with a grin.


    Deckard remained silent. Another play phase began, and each of them drew two cards. Now that Deckard had six cards in hand, he could play one of the pieces of his combo without discarding the other. With a confident flick of his hand, he discarded three starfish and placed a card on the field.


    The play phase ended, and as the face-down cards were revealed, it was Ratu¡¯s turn to go a turn without playing any card.


    ¡°Running out of gas already, Ratu?¡± Deckard teased.


    ¡°Hmph. Ya not trickin¡¯ me into revealin¡¯ my strategy, foreigner!¡± Ratu spat.


    Deckard grinned. ¡°I think you¡¯ll like the surprise I prepared for you.¡±


    [Shallows Swarm] burst into life as starfish and clams appeared in a cascade of shimmering colors. Blues, oranges, and purples spread across the lanes, their movement like a tide washing over the battlefield. Deckard took in the field with a sweeping glance.


    The limit of creatures per lane, per player, in Terralore was 4. From having only two creatures on the battlefield, suddenly, 14 had joined the fray! He counted six starfish and two clams on his side of the field.


    ¡°What card is this?!¡± Ratu gasped, leaning in to get a better look at the card¡¯s effects. ¡°Rare?! How¡¯d ya get such a precious card?!¡±


    Deckard adjusted his spectacles and grinned. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Ratu¡¯s expression quickly hardened as he recovered his cool. ¡°But that card gives me creatures, too,¡± he said with a look of triumph. ¡°It does nothin¡¯ for ya!¡±


    What Ratu said was true. This card did generate creatures for the opponent. In Ratu¡¯s defending lane, he got a combination of cards superior to Deckard¡¯s, with his point count going up to three, while Deckard got several useless starfish. His only two points came from a mussel.


    Deckard had, in fact, somewhat done Ratu a favor.


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    As expected of random effects¡ªthings weren¡¯t perfect. However, Deckard wasn¡¯t worried. ¡°There¡¯s only one little thing you haven¡¯t considered, Ratu. Some of my cards gain bonuses based on the cards I discarded to play them. Take a look!¡±


    Ratu followed Deckard¡¯s gaze and grimaced. The point count on Ratu¡¯s attacking lane had gone up by one and reached 4, whereas Deckard had surpassed it and was now at 6 points!


    ¡°What?!¡± Ratu¡¯s eyes widened.


    A cluster of oysters settled into his defending lane with a soft clink, their shells gleaming like polished stone. The Seven-Armed Starfish glowed as it soaked up energy from Deckard¡¯s discarded cards, each of its seven arms pulsing with a subtle blue light that grew brighter with every discarded starfish. Its points surged to three.


    That, together with the oyster that ended up in his defending lane, meant he could easily block Ratu¡¯s attack this turn.


    The battle phase ended with no change to HP on both sides, and Ratu fuming. His fists clenched as he glared across the field. Deckard couldn¡¯t tell if Ratu was envious that he owned a rare card or frustrated because he hadn¡¯t been able to deal more damage this round.


    Deckard drew two more cards, and a spark of satisfaction flickered in his eyes as he glanced at his hand. In the meantime, Ratu seemed calmer. Probably, he¡¯d drawn something good.


    Cards materialized face-down on the field, signaling the playing phase was over. Both he and Ratu had played only on their attacking lanes. Since Ratu was still winning the game, he went first. The starfish and clam generated by [Shallows Swarm] on Ratu¡¯s side were swallowed by the field replaced by two new cards. Two new foxes materialized as the cards flipped in a burst of green energy.


    An elder fox with wise eyes and a silver-streaked muzzle appeared first, giving an encouraging howl that seemed to rally the rest of the foxes.


    The [Fox Wanderer] bounded in next, its gaze sharp and focused. It had a small sword in its paws and a straw hat concealing its eyes.


    The foxian tribe seemed to be an aggro-oriented tribe that relied on swarm strategies and cumulative bonuses. Even though the cards were weak by themselves, they became powerful when paired with more foxes. Ratu''s point count in his attacking lane went up to nine points.


    Deckard paled, his pulse quickening as he watched Ratu¡¯s attacking lane filled with foxes by turn three. This fox deck is dangerous; they gain strength so fast.


    ¡°Haha. Get ready ta gimme that rare card, stupid foreigner.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Deckard said.


    A massive Sunflower Seastar unfolded on the battlefield, each of its twenty arms unfurling like petals, stretching outward to connect with the scattered starfish on Deckard¡¯s side. Its point count went up to six, a warm, golden glow radiating across the field.


    ¡°Another rare card?¡± Ratu sneered, though his eyes shone with excitement at the potential prize. ¡°Haha! Still, that only went up ta six.¡±


    Deckard smiled, unshaken. ¡°Oh. My sunflower seastar isn¡¯t done yet.¡± The sunflower sea star¡¯s twenty arms reached further, glowing brighter with every discarded starfish it absorbed from the graveyard pile. Its power surged with each new starfish, radiating a formidable energy that filled the field. His point count went up to 14.


    Even though the [Seven-Armed Starfish] card had been swallowed up on his defending lane, his [Oyster] remained, leaving Deckard at three points and Ratu at nine.


    ¡°No! No!¡± Ratu yelped, his voice breaking.


    But it was no use. In one fell swoop, Deckard¡¯s [Sunflower Sea Star] reached out for Ratu¡¯s castle with its twenty arms, extending like rays of sunlight, and pulled it down. On the other lane, the pack of foxes attacked Deckard¡¯s castle, their claws scraping in a final, desperate attempt, but it still held on by one point.


    The hologram disappeared.


    Congratulations! You¡¯ve won!


    Deckard was left in a daze, the adrenaline of victory still thrumming through him. He¡¯d been lucky¡ªextremely lucky. His whole strategy had hinged on this one combo, and somehow, he¡¯d drawn both pieces right from the start. If Ratu had just a little more defense or an extra bit of damage, the game would have ended differently.


    Deckard released a slow breath, feeling his pulse start to steady. The victory had been narrow. I was lucky¡ªtoo lucky. If I¡¯d miscalculated even slightly¡­


    "You! You!" Ratu yelled, his voice rising with each word. "Arr, not even after borrowin¡¯ all those fox cards!" he grumbled irritably, clenching his fists.


    "Who did you borrow them from?"


    "Doesn''t matter," Ratu muttered between clenched teeth.


    "I won the game, Ratu. It¡¯s time for you to honor your debt," Deckard prompted.


    Ratu bit his lip and looked away.


    "I¡¯d hate to have to tell everyone in the village that you can¡¯t even honor a little promise," Deckard said calmly, but his words held an edge. "It¡¯s not even the whole deck this time¡ªjust one card."


    "Fine," Ratu muttered. He stretched out his hand, holding the deck.


    Deckard studied Ratu¡¯s deck. Half consisted of cards Deckard had previously owned, even if for a short time when he took all of Ratu¡¯s cards. The other half consisted of fox cards, which Ratu had mysteriously borrowed from someone.


    There were even two uncommon cards. One was [Fox Wanderer], which Ratu had played during their game. Deckard was grateful that Ratu hadn¡¯t drawn the other one.


    Good card, Deckard muttered. Even though the cost was steep, this card essentially allowed two foxes to be played for free. It could be devastating if played right.


    From his limited experience, he knew that collecting uncommon cards and above usually involved hunting elites or bosses. They were much harder to come by and, therefore, were more valuable.


    Should I take one of the uncommon fox cards? Deckard considered. On the one hand, foxes seemed effective only if included with others of their kind. With just one card, it seemed like a risky investment. On the other hand, if he took the rarest card from Ratu¡¯s deck and offered to trade it with other players, he might be able to trade it for better cards.


    Deckard thumbed through Ratu¡¯s deck, his fingers lingering over the uncommon cards.

 Ch. 23 - Scavenge

    Just as Deckard reached for one of the uncommon fox cards, a thought struck him.


    He had played against Ratu for the first time not long ago. What if Ratu came knocking at his door soon with a third challenge? What if other NPCs in the village did the same?


    He needed cards that could strengthen his deck now¡ªnot just long-term investments. His [Sunflower SeaStar] and [Shallows Swarm] combo was good, but he couldn¡¯t bank everything into this one combo. Good decks should have more than just one win condition.


    But then again, it would be a waste for Deckard to invest in a skill that later became easily farmable from a weak creature. Wasting his chance at an uncommon card for a card that dropped from a seagull would sting.


    He hesitated, weighing the two uncommon fox cards in his hand. Movement caught his eye. Ratu had stiffened.


    Deckard set the cards aside and sifted casually through the more common skills. Ratu relaxed, his shoulders dropping ever so slightly.


    Interesting.


    Deckard picked up the fox cards again, watching as Ratu tensed like a coiled spring.


    A grin tugged at Deckard¡¯s lips. ¡°Well, well. You really don¡¯t want me taking one of these fox cards, huh?¡±


    ¡°Eh, you mind your business,¡± Ratu snapped, his voice tight.


    Deckard leaned back, studying him. ¡°Relax, Ratu. You¡¯re starting to sweat. Got something to hide?¡±


    Ratu¡¯s foot tapped against the ground in a rapid, uneven rhythm. ¡°You pick your card an¡¯ done. Don¡¯ be wastin¡¯ time, man.¡±


    Deckard laughed softly. ¡°Tell you what. Instead of taking one of these,¡± he said, holding up the two uncommon fox cards, ¡°how about I do you a favor? I¡¯ll take two common cards from your deck instead.¡±


    Ratu¡¯s foot stopped. He glared, then crossed his arms. ¡°Hmph. I got better idea. I give you ten cards, an¡¯ you pick two from that, ya? Leave these ones here.¡±


    Deckard raised an eyebrow. Ten? Why ten?


    He sifted through Ratu¡¯s deck again, noting that nearly half of it was fox-related. He remembered Ratu mentioning he¡¯d borrowed cards to build this deck. Deckard¡¯s grin widened. Whoever had lent these cards was clearly someone Ratu couldn¡¯t afford to disappoint.


    ¡°Deal,¡± Deckard said with a shrug.


    Ratu scowled but relaxed slightly, pulling the deck from Deckard¡¯s hands. He selected ten cards and handed them over. Sure enough, all the fox-related cards were missing.


    Gotcha.


    Pleased with how he¡¯d read the situation¡ªand exploited Ratu¡¯s hesitation¡ªDeckard sorted through the cards. Two stood out immediately. They weren¡¯t related to seagulls or foxes. Both were cards with real utility and were playable in virtually any deck.


    The first was [Scavenge].


    As he fixated on the keyword, a pop-up window appeared.


    It cost two cards to activate but allowed him to draw two others from his graveyard. Deckard smiled. In a game where discarding cards was often necessary to play stronger ones, this card was a lifeline. Losing powerful cards to the graveyard could cripple him, but [Scavenge] allowed him a second chance at drawing them.


    The second card, [Reef Ambush], was equally versatile.


    For the cost of two cards, it removed any card from play for one turn¡ªor two turns if the card was water-affinity. Against water affinity decks, it would be invaluable, but even outside of that niche, it was a powerful tool for stalling and buying time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take [Scavenge] and [Reef Ambush],¡± Deckard announced, pocketing the cards.


    Collection updated.


    +2 HP


    HP? I wonder what creature dropped these? Deckard mused.


    Glancing over at Ratu, he found him scowling. He didn¡¯t look happy, but Deckard didn¡¯t care. He had earned these cards fair and square. Moreover, he¡¯d done Ratu the favor of leaving him with the more valuable cards.


    As Ratu shuffled the remaining cards back into his deck, Deckard glanced at him with a brilliant smile. ¡°Now what? Can you give me a ride back to¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, Ratu shoved him off the boat.


    ¡°What in the world, Ratu?¡± Deckard sputtered, surfacing and flinging water from his face.


    Ratu stood at the edge of the boat, grinning triumphantly. ¡°Ha! Got you, foreigner! You swim now, back to village. Good exercise for you!¡± He laughed, already rowing away.


    Deckard blinked, watching as Ratu¡¯s boat veered in a direction opposite the village. He trod water, bewildered. Where is he even going? He¡¯s rowing farther from the village!


    The childishness of it all left Deckard shaking his head. ¡°What¡¯s up with this guy?¡± he muttered before reluctantly starting the swim back to shore.


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    *


    The boosted attack and energy filled him with confidence. Hunting seagulls would finally be easier.


    He put some distance between himself and the village, the salty breeze cooling his skin as the sounds of the ocean faded into the background. Once he was sure he was alone, he spotted a seagull in the distance. It stood on a jagged rock, its beady eyes scanning for prey, oblivious to the fact it had just become one.


    Deckard broke into a run, hurling a card with all his strength.


    -5!


    ¡°Cool! The difference shows already!¡±


    The seagull let out a harsh, grating caw and flared its wings in an attempt to intimidate him. Deckard didn¡¯t flinch. He hurled more cards, the sharp edges slicing through the air.


    -2, -2, -2, -2.


    The additional point of damage didn¡¯t seem like much on paper, but in practice, it was huge. The seagull¡¯s health bar dropped rapidly.


    Deckard¡¯s confidence grew as he fell into a rhythm. His steps kicked up sand as he darted around the creature, throwing cards in quick succession.


    He hadn¡¯t even gone through his entire deck when the seagull collapsed in a flurry of feathers and loot.


    Grinning, Deckard admired the results. Cards alone had been enough¡ªno need for his toy sword. Best of all, the seagull hadn¡¯t even gotten close to touching him.


    ¡°Does this mean I¡¯m ready to steal the Coconut Seagull card from under the noses of all those other players?¡± he wondered aloud.


    He quickly shook his head. ¡°Nah. If they chase me down, I still don¡¯t have a way to outrun them. Good things come to those who wait¡­ and prepare. This class is about patience, and I¡¯ve got plenty of time. Soon, though.¡±


    With renewed determination, he scanned the area and spotted another seagull in the distance. His energy bar had replenished enough. Time for round two.


    *


    After a couple of hours, Deckard¡¯s inventory was stuffed with feathers and a handful of new cards.


    Switching between targets seamlessly and relying solely on card-slinging had sped up his hunts to a ridiculous degree. Once a seagull fell, he¡¯d grab the loot, wait for his stamina to recover just enough, and move on to the next. Efficiency was the name of the game, and Deckard felt like he was finally hitting his stride.


    By the time he¡¯d taken down what felt like hundreds of diseased seagulls, among the duplicates and feathers, there was one new card that caught his eye:


    Deckard frowned. ¡°Unplayable,¡± he muttered. Still, it completed his collection of cards dropped by diseased seagulls.


    He opened his card repository, flipping to the page for the creature. The layout was familiar: the diseased seagull sat in the corner of the page, and the remaining space displayed all its potential skill drops. Now that he had the full set, he¡¯d expected¡­ something.


    But nothing happened.


    Looks like mini-sets like the shallows or beginner skills aren¡¯t the norm, he thought. I probably need to collect all the other seagull cards before I can trigger a bonus.


    Sighing, Deckard flipped through the rest of his haul. Aside from [Seagull¡¯s Call], he¡¯d snagged duplicates of [Seagull Poison] and [Seagull Strike], as well as some general-use beginner skill cards like [Shield Bash] and [Healing Ray]. There was even a [Diseased Seagull] creature card.


    Not bad for a day¡¯s work, but most of the duplicates were destined for the trading post in the village.


    Deckard slung his deck pouch over his shoulder, glancing at the horizon. It was time to head back to town. Trading would be easier now, and he felt the duplicates would fetch a decent price.


    Deckard started the trek back, his mind already working on the next problem: the next type of prey to hunt. Next would be the larger, rounder seagulls, the so-called terminal seagulls.


    They had larger HP bars and poison attacks but were slower. He was pretty confident that he could deal with the poison damage by using his high HP regeneration and [Healing Ray]; the problem was their high health bars. Sadly, even after upgrading his attack points, he could still not deal enough damage to surpass their 250 HP bars.


    After experiencing the joy of hunting exclusively with cards, he didn¡¯t want to return to using his toy sword to finish the seagulls off.


    ¡°There has to be a better way to improve my attack bonuses. Maybe an item or something lets me cross that threshold,¡± he pondered.


    Unfortunately, weapon bonuses didn¡¯t transfer over to his cards¡¯ damage. His toy sword¡¯s attack points did nothing for his damage when card slinging. Other pieces of gear tended to focus on defense.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time I devote myself to a little questing, or maybe I can take a second look at what the stores in this village sell,¡± Deckard decided. If that didn¡¯t work, he could try his luck at the little market run by players on the pier.


    He climbed the ladder to the wooden boardwalk, the creak of the planks echoing softly underfoot. The gear store stood as it always did, its shutters tightly closed to block out the sunlight. Inside, two players browsed the wares, their muffled voices blending with the faint scratch of a quill. Ronan sat hunched over his desk, as far from the door as possible, wrapped in a long coat with a high collar that shielded his neck and face from even the faintest rays of sunlight that managed to filter in whenever a player entered.


    Deckard approached cautiously. ¡°Hi, Ronan.¡±


    Ronan glanced up, his quill pausing mid-stroke. His eyes flicked to the other players in the store, and his lips thinned. ¡°Hello,¡± he whispered, barely audible.


    Deckard caught the warning in his gaze. Not now.


    Deckard stepped back and used the wait to scan the gear for sale at Ronan¡¯s store. Sadly, none of the items seemed to grant direct bonuses to attack. Only weapons did, and those were useless for him.


    Finally, the other players left. Deckard stepped forward again. ¡°Hi, Ronan.¡±


    Ronan slammed his quill onto the desk. ¡°Argh! You have to learn discretion! They have eyes and ears everywhere.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry,¡± Deckard stammered.


    Ronan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°What do you want, human?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for something to help me deal more damage when I throw cards. Do you have any suggestions?¡±


    ¡°Bah. I don¡¯t. Just look at the wares there. I¡¯ve given you everything I could to help you save as many creatures as possible. What more do you expect?¡±


    Deckard clicked his tongue, frustrated. ¡°Fine. By the way, did you give Ratu more cards?¡±


    Ronan stilled, finally setting his quill aside. ¡°Ratu? No. I haven¡¯t. Why?¡±


    ¡°He showed up with a new deck and challenged me. It had fox cards. He said he borrowed them from someone. I thought you¡¯d know something about it.¡±


    ¡°Ratu? That fool,¡± Ronan muttered, setting his broken quill aside. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face before he sighed. ¡°Borrowed fox cards, did he? Typical fisherman bravado. That¡¯ll get him into trouble soon enough.¡±


    ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± Deckard pressed, leaning closer.


    Ronan¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°None of your business. And none of mine either. Let him dig his own grave. Let me work, human. Using your kind to help the Zulmirs was always a long shot. I need to focus on fixing the malfunctioning subdimensionalizers in case you fail us.¡±


    The bell over the door chimed, and Ronan¡¯s expression immediately froze into a mask of stoic indifference.


    Deckard sighed, stepping back. Guess that¡¯s all I¡¯ll get from him for now.


    Without another word, he turned and headed for the door. If Ronan wouldn¡¯t help him, he¡¯d just have to figure it out himself.

 Bonus Content - Card Repository

Chapter 14


    Chapter 17


    Chapter 18


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    Eight starfish and two shellfish cards missing.


    Chapter 19


    Chapter 20


    Chapter 21


    Chapter 22