The Master of Cards Chapter 25: Card Frontier

There were two weeks to the high school examinations. Alex was practicing in the gravity chamber at 10 G using all his strength at working out.

After some time, Alex walked out. He came to the dojo's hall to see Old Ren waiting for him.

"What happened old man?" Alex asked.

"I have an opportunity for you, but it could be difficult." Old Ren said.

"What opportunity?" Alex asked.

"You need a Roadmap to an attack card to choose your path for light attribute cards... You can get them if you do well with this opportunity." Old Ren said seriously.

Alex looked at him with expectant eyes. Indeed, the path to the Light attribute deck was not short, but finding out which rank 1 cards led to a paeticular higher rank card along the path was not free knowledge. This knowledge was known the Roadmap.

The Light attribute wasn't a very common attribute and its roadmap would be difficult to obtain, otherwise he would have to find the activation requirements for rank 1 cards for the attribute randomly and be blind about what the cards would lead to.

Old Ren spoke. "There is a special competition going to begin. It is a battle of tactics and luck and also a digital game. If you win enough points you can choose a rank 2 or rank 3 light attribute roadmap."

"What kind of competition?" Alex asked.

"You play only with one time use cards of Rank 1 that you draw at random. The game is popular among card initiates and card apprentices to train in combat tactics using cards." Old Ren said.

"What are card initiates and apprentices? Old man?" Alex asked.

"Those who have active cards up to rank 1 are called initiates and those who can form rank 2 cards are called apprentices." Old Ren said.

Alex nodded. "I will try it out. It will help me learn how to usw cards as well."

Old Ren then ordered the VR machine required to play this game. The VR module was a capsule which completely scanned and replicated a person's body. Alex understood and alept inside the VR capsule amd was immediately immersed.

"Welcome! Would you like to create a new account?" An AI voice asked.

Alex agreed. "Create new account."

"ID Name?" The AI asked.

"Your Dad is a Noob" Alex replied.

"Your Dad is a Noob, your ID has been registered. Please adjust your look." The AI requested.

Alex rejected it and entered the VR world. There were several game modes, but the particular one he had come to try was the Mano e Mano (One V One) combat trial.

Alex blurred his face and decided to try the trial but he was suggested to try three tutorial challenges first. After playing them Alex understood the game format.

He could only play one game in the PvP trial a day. Every match he would get one one time use disposable card through an automated draw. He would then be put in a fight against a player with same number of wins as himself. The two could only use the cards they have to win in combat. The winner would get the loser's card if it hasn't been used.

Alex entered the first game. His competitor was a person named 'Strongest One'. The two entered the arena and when Strongest One saw the name of his opponent he got infuriated. "Your Dad is a Noob? You think you are very clever?"

Alex simply shrugged with a blurred face. A card appeared in front of him. He saw the card and smiled. It was a fireball card.

When Strongest One saw his card, he also smiled. The battle countdown ended and the match began. Alex didn't even use the card, he quickly rushed towards his opponent closing the gap, before throwing a terrifying punch. His opponent Strongest One was a card initiate and his strength wasn't ordinary. Thus he simply smirked and returned a punch himself.

At the moment the punches met, Alex moved inwards, while his opponent staggered backwards in shock. In desperation he decided to use his card, which was a rank 1 stun spell, however at that moment another punch had already landed on his face.

Strongest One fell backward and began to disappear. Alex received his opponent's card. "Who are you?" Strongest One asked in dying Rage.

"Your Dad is a Noob." Alex replied.

"You!!" Strongest One finally disappeared in anger.

Alex was also taken out. He couldn't play another game in the PvP mode for a day now. So he went to check out other trials and found a whole host of trials.

He checked out a tower in the VR world which was a single player tower trial. One Card Battle Tower.

The tower didn't have a limit and entry for the first time was actually free. So he entered the trial after he understood the rules. It was similar to the PvP trial, except it was against famous players recorded in the history of the tower according to rank and both player and opponent would get the same card.

He began the first battle and found himself in a gladiator arena and in front of him was the hologram of a woman. The name of the Alex received his card which was a Rank 1 Fire attribute Fortification Card. The Fortification Card, he remembered from his studies was a card that boosted affinity of that specific attribute within the body.

Alex did not use the card, he carefully observed how his opponent would react. The woman did not waste any time and immediately applied the card on herself. Her pupils suddenly developed a red glow as she rushed towards Alex.

Alex carefully observed her movement and dodged, looking for flaws, while scoping out the opponent's power. Suddenly he was surprised, because he could see that surrounding the woman's punch was a hint of a flame and the air around her was somewhat hot.

Alex tried to directionally block the punch and throw his own. He succeeded, but felt his hand scald a bit and his digitized health reduced. Alex sighed and consumed his own Fire Attribute Fortification card.

Then he began fighting with the opponent hand and fist. He could not generate the hint of flames from his punches like the woman, however, he wasn't scalded anymore.

"Is her combat style specifically suited for using the fire attribute? I can't think of another reason why her fists and kicks would emit flames." Alex wondered.

Chapter end