The Lizard Monster's fate was sealed the moment it became a fantasy card.
Lizard Monster: ...Stay away from me!!! Yamete kudasai!!
As the terrifying bipedal ape's gaze shifted over, the soul of "little liz-kun" trapped in the card wanted to cry out in distress one final time. But confined to a two-dimensional world, it couldn't.
The next moment, the Stand ability activated. Cracks appeared on the card's surface, spreading like a spider web before shattering completely.
A cluster of blue light particles — like glowing dust and debris — burst forth from the fragments. Most dissipated into the air, while a few, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, flew into Johnson's broad chest.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Strength: +1, +1, +1... ║
╚══════════════════════╝
The Stand ability's feedback revealed that this enhancement material contained only the Lizard Monster's basic attributes, not its special abilities.
Though the enhancement process was brief, the loss was substantial. Like an iceberg, only 10% of the Lizard Monster's visible power could be used for enhancement.
With such a high loss rate, Johnson sometimes wondered if his Stand was taking a cut like a middleman.
But what could he do about it? How could he not indulge his own Stand?
After several deep breaths, his long-stagnant strength gained a slight boost. While not enough for a qualitative change, it was progress nonetheless.
His muscles — pectorals, latissimus dorsi, biceps, and more — grew increasingly powerful, bringing him one step closer to becoming a real-life Star Platinum.
If that's the case...
Lost in thought, Johnson spread his hands and summoned a stack of blank fantasy cards. With the draw attempts from yesterday's Lizard Monster, he had exactly enough for another ten-pull.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Current Destiny Draw Count: 10 Times ║
╚══════════════════════╝
After experiencing the nightmare of pulling only N-rank strength cards from daily single pulls, Johnson had switched decisively to ten-pulls. Though Destiny draws had no pity system, such metaphysical matters were all in the mind.
Time to draw!
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Strength (N): Attribute Card, 1 unit of Strength Attribute, determines Melee Attack, Physical Prowess, and Carrying Capacity. Used to enhance the body. ║
║ Speed (N): Attribute Card, 1 unit of Speed Attribute, determines Balance, Neural Response, and Speed. Used to enhance the body. ║
║ Strength (R): Attribute Card, 10 units of Strength Attribute, description omitted. ║
║ Twenty Years of Power Punch (N): Ability Card; Skill: Charge, enhances fist penetration power. ║
║ Constitution (N): Attribute Card, 1 unit of Constitution Attribute, determines Stamina, Resistances, Defense, and Vitality. Used to enhance the body. ║
║ Spirit (N): Attribute Card, 1 unit of Spirit Attribute, determines Perception, Mental Power, and Energy Levels. Used to enhance the body. ║
║ Speed (N): Attribute Card, description omitted. ║
║ Constitution (N): Attribute Card, description omitted. ║
║ Senzu Bean (R): Item Card, miraculous plant seed from Dragon Ball world. Eating one prevents hunger for ten days and instantly restores all stamina when extremely fatigued. Heals all injuries but ineffective against illness. Quantity: 1. ║
║ Heart of the Tempest (SR): Character Card, Kennen, The Heart of the Tempest, member of the Kinkou Order from League of Legends world. Master of Lightning Ninjutsu. Skill Tree: 1. Ninja Art: Mark of the Storm, 2. Secret Art: Thundering Shuriken, 3. Secret Art: Electrical Surge, 4. Secret Art: Lightning Rush, 5. Ultimate Art: Slicing Maelstrom. ║
╚══════════════════════╝
"Tch, another boring day... hm?" Johnson was about to curse at the sight of the familiar blue and white borders.
But looking carefully, he noticed some good pulls among the regular attribute cards.
With a wave of his hand, seven attribute cards merged into his chest one after another. The euphoria from the attribute increase surged through him — especially from the Strength R card, which brought ten times the pleasure compared to ordinary N-rank cards.
The remaining three cards dropped into Johnson's hand.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Twenty Years of Power Punch
CARD TYPE: Ability Card
RARITY: N
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
This punch contains twenty years of martial arts. Can you block it?
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — CHARGE ─┐
Charged attack, enhances fist penetration power.
╚══════════════════════╝
'Twenty Years of Power Punch' is a decent martial arts technique by human standards, though it has one drawback — it requires a charging period before execution.
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Senzu Bean
CARD TYPE: Item Card
RARITY: R
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
Miraculous plant seed from Dragon Ball World.
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — FASTING ─┐
Eating one prevents hunger for ten days.
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — STRONG HEALING ─┐
Instantly restores all stamina when extremely fatigued and heals all injuries, ineffective against illness.
╚══════════════════════╝
The Senzu Bean — an essential life-saving medicine famous for aiding Super Saiyan power-ups — could also serve as emergency food in a pinch. Definitely worth keeping.
Now for the main event: the character card "Heart of the Tempest"!
╔══════════════════════╗
FANTASY CARD: Heart of the Tempest
CARD TYPE: Character Card — Champion
RARITY: SR
┌─ SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ─┐
Electric Yordle Kennen, member of the Kinkou Order from League of Legends World, master of Lightning Ninjutsu — "I exist across realms, in the space between lightning's strike and thunder's call, the true balance within the storm."
┌─ PRIMARY FUNCTION — NINJA ART: MARK OF THE STORM ─┐
Lightning-infused attacks apply 1 Stack of Mark of the Storm to enemies, stunning them at 3 Stacks. Type: Passive
┌─ SECONDARY FUNCTION — SECRET ART: THUNDERING SHURIKEN ─┐
Throw lightning-wrapped shuriken to attack enemies, applying 1 Stack of Mark of the Storm.
┌─ TERTIARY FUNCTION — SECRET ART: ELECTRICAL SURGE ─┐
Every 5th attack is enhanced with lightning and applies 1 Stack of Mark of the Storm. Type: Passive; Release lightning to attack all nearby enemies with Mark of the Storm, applying an additional stack of Mark of the Storm.
┌─ QUATERNARY FUNCTION — SECRET ART: LIGHTNING RUSH ─┐
Transform into lightning to gain movement speed, attacking all enemies in path and applying 1 stack of Mark of the Storm.
┌─ QUINARY FUNCTION — ULTIMATE ART: SLICING MAELSTROM ─┐
Summon a lightning storm around yourself that continuously attacks enemies, each hit applies 1 stack of Mark of the Storm and increases your defensive resistances.
╚══════════════════════╝
Upon receiving the card information, Johnson's eyes lit up. After more than a month, he had finally pulled another SR card.
While the materialization abilities in fantasy cards differed from their game versions by not having rigid numerical values, the core skill mechanics remained unchanged.
Though Character Cards had equipment quantity limits, that wasn't what excited him!
The real thrill was that his normal attacks would now have special effects — no, even better — he could finally control lightning!
With swift efficiency, he decomposed the "Twenty Years of Power Punch", stored the life-saving "Senzu Bean" in his card library, and wolfed down his meal. After a quick tidying up, he emerged at his front door dressed in workout clothes.
His movements flowed together seamlessly, betraying his eagerness.
Leaving his apartment, he jogged away from downtown, through the outer residential areas that hadn't yet become completely uninhabited, until he reached the mountains in the suburbs.
Due to the limited population, this world was largely devoid of human presence outside the cities.