Card Mutation

As the creators of cards, card makers also serve as repairers. Ordinary cards are rarely sent for repairs, as fixing a card often diminishes its performance and can be very costly. However, if the card is rare, it might be irreplaceable and unavailable for purchase, even if one has the means to buy it. In such cases, repairing a damaged card becomes the only option.

Chris's perception is very low. The card maker who trained him never taught him how to develop this ability. Although professional textbooks describe the process, and Chris has been diligently following the steps, the results have been minimal so far. Chris is not surprised by this; after all, the widely available methods are usually generic. For a card maker, the secret to enhancing perception is a secret treasure. In today's fiercely competitive society, who would be selfless enough to make such knowledge public?

There are many methods to enhance perception, and quite a few of them are well-known. In the five districts of the Sky Federation, each district has its own renowned card-making school or tradition.

In fact, within the five districts, card makers and card cultivators are often not separated; many schools and traditions include both. For example, in the Fanas District, the Kuji Temple is renowned for its unique approach to using the heart as a medium. Through ascetic practices, they train this heart medium, thereby enhancing their perception.

The five districts are home to five renowned academies: Mo Camp in the Desert District, Center Academy in the San District, Star Academy in the Horoscope Region, Kuji Temple in the Fanas District, and Frost Moon in the Glacier District. Along with the Federal Comprehensive Academy in the capital, these are the six most prestigious institutions in the entire Sky Federation.

The Sky Federation consists of five major districts and twenty-two common regions. East Business City, where Chris lives, is a city within the East Region, one of the common regions. Residents can freely relocate between the twenty-two common regions. However, settling in one of the five districts is not so easy. It requires having a certain level of skill or professional title. The living conditions in the five districts are far better than those in the common regions, and many people dream of one day being able to settle in one of them.

Temporary stays for tourism and sightseeing are not included in this restriction.

East Guard Academy's national ranking might be unknown, but it has a strong reputation locally. Unfortunately, Chris Wood was not even able to reach this school. He practiced the most basic method available, and his talent in this area was quite limited. Despite two years of effort, his progress remained minimal.

Chris didn't get discouraged; instead, he continued his daily practice with perseverance. The method he used for training didn't require any special medium—anything from daily life could work. Chris chose something he was most familiar with: a one-star energy card that he had crafted himself. Over time, this card, which he used for cultivating his perception, underwent significant changes. It became more refined, more translucent, and seemed to share a mysterious connection with him—though he couldn't quite explain what that connection was.

Thanks to his persistent efforts over a long period, Chris's perception, although still quite low, was just sufficient to create one-star and two-star illusion cards.

Chris had memorized the structure of the one-star illusion card countless times; it was already second nature to him. He decided to attempt creating his first one-star illusion card.

"Oh no! I messed up the stroke!" The first card was ruined.

The second card also failed.

The third card—another failure!

...

Sweat began to bead on Chris's forehead as he finally started to realize the true difference between creating an illusion card and a one-star energy card. The challenge was far greater than he had anticipated.

From a materials perspective, a card mainly consists of two parts: the card material and the card ink. The card material serves as the substrate that holds the card ink, while the card ink is used to draw the patterns, or constructs. The composition of card ink is highly complex, and learning how to formulate card ink is a fundamental skill every card maker must master.

Creating an illusion card is no longer as simple as just drawing with a pen. It requires using one's control over perception to integrate the card ink with the card material. This significantly increases the difficulty of the creation process.

Chris found it increasingly difficult to maintain his focus. His perception was already quite low, barely sufficient for creating one-star and two-star illusion cards. After a series of failed attempts, his mental exhaustion had reached an extreme level.

This feeling is even more exhausting than making twenty one-star energy cards!

Unconsciously, Chris fell asleep at his desk, deeply exhausted from his efforts.

The night sky outside was filled with stars, adding a sense of chill to the already cooling weather. The cold light of the stars streamed through the open window, casting a gentle glow on the surface of the desk where Chris lay sleeping.

The mysterious card lay quietly in the corner of the desk, bathed in the soft starlight. The room was silent, save for Chris's gentle snores.

Suddenly, the delicate, web-like silver threads on the card's surface began to glow faintly, while the black card body appeared even deeper and more pure. Gradually, some areas of the silver lines began to fade, becoming almost imperceptible, while the web-like silver line structure on the card underwent a new transformation. The intersections of the silver threads remained unaffected and continued to brighten steadily. This transformation persisted for ten minutes.

The card's surface had undergone a dramatic transformation. The intricate silver lines on the black card had completely vanished, leaving behind countless silver dots, resembling the stars scattered across the night sky.

Chris woke up five hours later, startled by the chill seeping through the window. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the lingering drowsiness. Taking a deep breath of the cool air, he quickly became alert. As his gaze swept over the desk, he froze, standing completely still like a statue, his body rigid with surprise.

It took him about five minutes to regain his composure. The first thing he did upon coming to his senses was pinch his own arm. Though he didn't often dream, he thought perhaps this was just a dream. But the sharp pain in his arm confirmed that the scene before him was all too real.

The mysterious card had now transformed beyond recognition. The countless silver lines on its black surface had vanished, leaving only a scattering of silver dots of various sizes and unsystematic arrangements. If before, he could still discern that this was a high-level card, now its appearance rendered any judgment impossible.

The card mutation was entirely beyond Chris's understanding, and he stared at the card in his hand...