Everyone's spiritual world is unique, and Ian's is no different. He is a member of the Alchemist Guild, a group that holds the "Alchemist" extraordinary sequence, a core profession in the spiritual world.
The root of his "native tree" is the core of his alchemical profession, a manifestation of his spiritual energy. The roots are deeply embedded in his body, while the thin, shimmering lake represents the magical power that fuels his alchemical processes.
According to the definitions of the Extraordinary Professional Union, witchcraft is a form of magic driven by the spirit, requiring little to no magical energy, or only consuming a small amount. In contrast, magic, which consumes substantial magical energy, is more commonly referred to as "spells." Alchemists clearly fall under the category of witchcraft users.
Ian's grandfather came from a humble fishing background, but by a twist of fate, he obtained a fragment of the Tidal Hunter inheritance, awakening his spiritual power and stepping into the realm of the extraordinary. Using this newfound ability, he served the kingdom for half his life, eventually rising to the status of nobility.
The Tidal Hunter is considered a "non-mature" extraordinary profession, with an incomplete knowledge system, a low upper limit, and a high risk of spiritual instability. The Calvin family had long sought a more stable and complete extraordinary sequence, but despite the immense wealth gained from the Age of Exploration, they faced numerous challenges.
There were other opportunities within reach, like the Justice Knights of the Church of Truth and Justice, the Sun Knights of the Church of the Sun God, and various others, such as battle mages, shape-shifting witches, and spellcasters. However, these prospects always seemed to fall through for inexplicable reasons.
Had it not been for the neutral Alchemist Guild offering a helping hand, Ian would have likely been forced to choose the Tidal Hunter sequence.
Once someone embarks on an extraordinary profession, it is almost impossible to change it. Many had tried to switch paths in search of a better sequence, only to suffer irreparable damage to their spiritual energy. Some lost control, others went insane, and some lost their very identities.
Ian gently "leapt," floating towards the "sun" suspended at the top of his spiritual world.
From the moment he entered this place, he had felt an undeniable pull coming from this spiritual realm. Although it was called a "sun," it resembled more of a golden eyeball, its black pupil constricted and dimmed. Spiritual energy swirled across its surface like flickering flames.
Ian lightly "touched" it, and suddenly, the eye contracted, revealing a card that silently appeared in front of him.
The card was entirely black, cracked in irregular patterns, as though someone had torn it apart and hastily pieced it back together. On the black side, there was a golden eye floating in the midst of endless void, while the other side was covered in purple lines that seemed to move on their own.
'Is this… a card?'
'Wait, this looks like the one from my collection at home!'
In his past life, Ian was a programmer nearing thirty with no romantic history, and his only hobby was gaming. He played all kinds of games, with League of Legends being one of his favorites. Once, at a League of Legends-themed convention, he won a DIY "Destiny Deck" made by a card-playing cosplayer.
The main card in the deck looked just like this!
It was a beautifully crafted deck, blending regular playing cards with League of Legends fantasy elements. He used to play with it often, so there was no way he could mistake it.
'Why is there only one card, though?'
He waved his hand gently, and the card floated effortlessly into his "hand."
Upon contact, a rush of spiritual energy flooded into his mind, carrying with it information. This card was truly the "Card of Destiny" from a different dimension, mysteriously bound to his soul. It had expended nearly all its power to protect him during his near-death experience, allowing his soul to cross through time and space.
However, the card had been damaged in the process and needed time to recover through his spiritual world.
This was the main card, named Destiny.
Card: Destiny
Effect 1: Upon activation, it grants the user the "Destiny Perspective," allowing a real-time view centered on themselves. Any beings whose fates are intertwined with the user will be visible to them. The scope of this effect is determined by the user's power.
Effect 2: Consumes the power of Destiny to envelop the user, allowing them to travel to any location within the range of their "Destiny Perspective." This travel also severs all traces of their previous timeline, making them untraceable by methods like prophecy or astrology. Only after leaving new "traces" can one be tracked again through divination.
'Isn't this the ultimate ability of the League of Legends card master?'
'This must be my "cheat code!"'
If his spiritual world had a physical form, Ian would be grinning from ear to ear.
He carefully examined the state of the Destiny card. The energy was sufficient for a single use, and now, for the first time since waking up, his anxious heart finally found some peace.
Having a trump card was what made adventures in another world truly exciting; without one, it would be like walking into certain death!
The Destiny card only had one main card. However, it could create derivative cards—these were called "subcards" or "derivative cards."
Derivative Cards: These are created when the main card consumes the host's spiritual energy, magic, or other extraordinary powers. Using the power of Destiny, these cards are crafted from items and knowledge that have previously intersected with the card's fate.
There is no limit to the number of derivative cards, but their strength depends on the user's extraordinary abilities. The stronger the user's abilities, the more and more powerful derivative cards they can create. The type of derivative cards is closely tied to the user's spirituality. These cards can be passed on to others or destroyed.
Ian focused, and the Destiny card transformed once more into a "sun" hovering above his spiritual world—its true form.
The endless void in this space was the "Destiny Veil," an aura created by the card to block any unwanted "glances" from the spirit and shadow realms, safeguarding Ian's spirit from contamination.
In the vast void, a single "star" gleamed brightly.
This was the first gift of Destiny: a derivative card.
As Ian concentrated, the small red "star" streaked toward him like a comet. In an instant, it was right before his eyes.
A transparent card, the size of a regular playing card and almost paper-thin, appeared before him. If it weren't for his spiritual perception, Ian might have doubted that anything was there at all.
Card: Secret Strike
Card Ability: Invisibility, Sharpness.
Card Spirituality: Secret Winds.
This was a low-level attack card.
As Ian willed, the card floated before him. The spiritual energy within it harmonized with his own, not conflicting in the slightest—everything was perfectly aligned.
This was a shocking display, one that defied logic!
Spirituality, the manifestation of one's soul's power, not only relates to the extraordinary profession but also to the user's thoughts and will. From the moment spirituality is born, it faces the temptation of extraordinary knowledge, the corruption of the Shadow Realm, and the contamination from the Spirit Realm. If any of these forces were allowed to affect the spirit, it would result in damage, loss of control, or even mutation.
The entire concept of an extraordinary sequence is built on a systematic framework of knowledge, designed to enhance and stabilize one's spiritual energy, ensuring the user's abilities don't falter or stray.