The First Card Play Series (1)

The East Business City is located on the edge of the East Region, with the wilderness just outside the city. The East Guard Academy periodically organizes students to venture into the wild for practical combat training. To ensure the students' safety, a large number of teachers accompany them. Although they do not go deep into the wilderness, the school has implemented strict safety measures to avoid unnecessary dangers.

This time, several students from Star Academy wanted to participate in the practical training, but due to a lack of prior preparation, there weren't enough accompanying teachers. These Star Academy students were very insistent, putting East Guard Academy in a difficult position. If anything were to happen to the Star Academy students during the training at East Guard Academy, the consequences would be unimaginable. So Zoe hurried over to discuss the situation with Wade, hoping he could persuade the Star Academy students to reconsider.

Wade immediately understood Zoe's concerns. He smiled slightly and calmly said, "There's no need to worry about the. Before we set out, the principal made it clear that if anything happens to them, our school will take full responsibility. Our students have their own ways of protecting themselves, so there's no need to worry about that."

Although his tone was calm, his words carried an unmistakable confidence. Zoe was momentarily stunned, but then he felt relieved. After all, these were students from Star Academy; they wouldn't be without some skills.

Nodding, Zoe bid Wade farewell and went to facilitate the negotiations between the two sides.

As Wade watched Zoe's figure recede into the distance, he found himself lost in thought. He was in charge of the entire exchange delegation this time, a responsibility that weighed heavily on his shoulders. Glancing around, his expression grew somewhat complicated, but soon, his demeanor returned to calm. The thought of his shcool's former glory and its current decline made the blood in his veins boil. He silently vowed to himself that he would make sure everything went perfectly this time.

...

After waking up, Chris felt refreshed. He ate a little something and then began organizing the drafts on his desk. Not long after, Ray slowly woke up as well.

"Awake?" Chris asked without lifting his head, still focused on sorting the drafts.

Ray responded with a grunt, stood up, stretched lazily, and let out a couple of relaxed groans before turning his head. "Hey, Chris, aren't we supposed to go buy materials today?"

"Yeah, I was just about to talk to you about that."

Outside the store, Ray's face was livid, his facial muscles twitching as he forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "This is daylight robbery!" He looked down at the few Oudis left in his hand with a pained expression.

Chris ignored Ray, completely immersed in a deep sense of satisfaction. The bag he was holding was filled with card materials and ingredients for making card ink. He had never owned so many materials before.

Once they got home, Chris immediately kicked Ray out. He needed a quiet environment while making cards, and getting Ray to be quiet was as hard as making a mute person talk.

Looking at the pile of materials in front of him, Chris felt an unprecedented surge of excitement. Although these were just basic materials, it didn't dampen his enthusiasm for card making in the least.

Chris didn't start making the cards immediately. Although the details of the story were etched deeply in his mind, he needed to translate those details into every aspect of the cards. Moreover, his materials were limited, so every mistake he avoided would save a lot of money.

Chris never thought he was more talented at card making than others, but there was one thing he believed he did better than anyone else—he was incredibly diligent. To save resources, he had to mentally simulate the structure of the cards over and over again. This not only helped conserve a significant amount of money but also allowed him to become even more familiar with the card structures. This was just the preparation work.

Dot stone, heart liquid, and an equal dose of dark blue paste—combine these ingredients and simmer over low heat for ten minutes until the dot stone is fully dissolved. The resulting card ink is slightly viscous, and when stirred with a rod, it produces bright blue ripples, emitting a sharp, pungent odor that stings the nostrils. At this moment, Chris didn't look like a card maker; instead, he resembled a wizard straight out of a novel.

The story titled Encounter was already deeply ingrained in Chris's mind. Without waiting for the card ink to cool, he quickly grabbed a blank card, picked up a slant-tip pen with his right hand, and gently dipped it into the ink. Without any hesitation, the pen touched the blank card. The strokes flowed smoothly, like a dragon's dance or a stream in motion, with no pause, not even for a second. The still-warm ink trailed from the pen's tip onto the card, glowing faintly under Chris's focused control.

Chris's gaze was intense, his expression meticulous. This technique was something he had learned from the mysterious card's illusions. When creating illusion cards, if one starts drawing while the ink is still warm, the strokes become exceptionally smooth, and the ink bonds more effectively with the card surface, resulting in an illusion card of outstanding quality.

From the time the ink is ready until it cools, Chris only has about two minutes. This means he must complete the entire card within that brief window, which is why he had rehearsed the structure of the card over and over again in his mind. Every detail of the card's design was already second nature to him. His hand, which had crafted countless one-star energy cards, was as steady as the most precise instrument, without the slightest deviation. 

In contrast to his well-honed hand, Chris's control over his perception was much less refined. But so far, he had managed to avoid any mistakes. As the pen continued to glide across the surface, a pattern resembling a rose began to take shape. The design grew increasingly intricate with each stroke, the lines glowing faintly, pulsating like a living thing.

Chris's expression remained intensely focused, his meticulous attention unwavering. The beads of sweat forming on his forehead indicated that this was far from an easy task. Despite all his preparations, he had overlooked one critical issue—his control over his perception. He had been so focused on mastering the structure that he neglected this crucial aspect. 

His breathing became erratic. Using perception was mentally taxing, especially for someone like him, whose perceptual abilities were neither strong nor frequently exercised. He began to feel increasingly strained. Although the pen's movements were still smooth and the card's structure was vividly clear in his mind, he was starting to struggle.

The glowing pattern on the card began to dim, little by little.

If the glow of the pattern faded before the card was finished, the entire card would be ruined.

Veins bulged on Chris's forehead, his breathing heavy and searing, and the beads of sweat that had once been mere droplets now streamed down like rivulets. The only thing that remained steady was the pen in Chris's hand. The emptiness in his perception made him incredibly uncomfortable, but he had no other choice.

With his perception nearly drained and his focus waning, Chris knew that he was on the edge. The stakes were high, and he could feel the pressure mounting with every second. The pen continued its meticulous dance across the card, guided by his unwavering determination. Despite the physical and mental strain, Chris pushed forward, fully aware that any hesitation or faltering now would spell the end of all his efforts.

He concentrated every ounce of his remaining strength on completing the card, his hand still as precise as ever, but his mind was battling the overwhelming fatigue. The glow on the card flickered, threatening to fade completely. Chris gritted his teeth, refusing to let this effort go to waste.