GreenerThanGreen

Okay, I didn't plan for multiple pack draws in the same chapter. I need to make way too much cards. Not to mention the lazy bug bit me sometime during writing and I procrastinated way too much. There is also the fact I start writing and get a few rows done, then bam, forget a certain word, it is at the tip of my tongue and my writing just halts. Anyways, it is possible some chapter posts will become irregular from now on.

When I woke up the next morning I started my day with a big yawn and stretching myself. There is just something in a good stretch that let’s you start your day on the right track and without it you just don’t feel right. After my stretches I dress myself using predominantly my left hand and begin exercising, that would hopefully become my mourning routine. I start with some squats and in short time I do 50, then I do some push-ups and soon do 50 of them too. That is when I actually stop, because something doesn’t feel right. Not in the sense I feel pain somewhere or am doing something wrong,  although it has some of the later. It feels wrong in the sense I can’t feel any straining of my muscles, not like they are used to push my 80 kilograms 50 times. It looks like I will not be able to train my body with calisthenics in this world where the Magic in the air itself increases my strength. I will have to train with weights and that means finding a gym or a place where I could buy them. 

After giving up on training this morning, I go to the toilet and wash myself and just to see if anything has changed I check my status. 

It looks like Summoner has reached Level 10 and because of that a bunch of stats have grown. I really should have looked for a book on stats in the library and not just guessing at what is what. But thinking of Summoner, let m see what has changed with the skill, maybe there is something special once you reach the end of a Novice skill.

I was right, here is something special about the 10th level. If I understand it right, it allows me to summon a 1 star creature of any kind without a time limit. Of course there is no explanation on whether I can change my pick or my selection of the creature is final, so I will have to choose carefully. Now, I am pretty sure there are no changes with my skills, except the new one, Intuition, so I check my Tokens and find 11161. That is roughly 20, no, 22 Packs I can buy with them. I think I will buy 10 Packs, 5 Spell Rulers and 5 Metal Raiders and leave the rest of the Tokens. You should always have savings for unexpected situations. 

Hmm, there are some pretty good cards I drew. First, Baby Dragon, can’t do squat with it, being Wind attribute and my affinity being 1 at the moment, but good card when I can summon it and age it up either with magic or another card. Barbarian #2, that I can now summon, because my Summoning is Level 10, but need a sacrifice, works well with Barbarian #1, which I don’t have, and both creatures gain 500 ATK when working together. But right now the card is a waste of a sacrificial creature with how weak it is alone. Mister Bomber sounds like some kind of self destruct that kills only 2 weaker creatures. How it can be this specific about how many creatures it kills is a mistery to me. Attack Sealing, just prevents someone from attacking and doesn’t stop an already coming attack. The 2 Fusion cards are unknown. Can I just summon them? Do I need the materials for the fusion? After Summoning them once, do I get to do so without a fusion card and materials? So many questions. Bull Djinn is someone I probably won’t be Summoning, both because he is 1 800 ATK 5 star and because of he name. Djinn in a lot of stories are notoriously evil and grant wishes with evil consequences. Gargoyle Powered, being Fiend is also hoping directly to the binder. Sure I learned that Demon Summoning isn’t outright illegal, but what about the next world I travel to? Until I find some way to obtain a masking skill for my skills and status I don’t plan on Summoning any Fiend and Zombie cards. Now Dark Elf, that card could be useful. It is strong and after finding a way to offset the HP price for every attack it does I could summon it, but not before that. 

Alright, the first 5 cards are objectively terrible to use in real life. This is not the game, where you have 8 000 HP to do what you want with. In the second draw only Paralyzing Medicine and Demonic Water Deity – Suga sound useful. It would have been better if the Paralyzing Medicine wasn’t an Equip card, so I could keep the bottles with medicine after playing the card and either sell or use it, but I get what I get. And Suga, there is the issue with it being Water attribute and my Water affinity being on the low side. 

The third draw is somewhat better, giving me a dragon and 2 machines that could be useful. The harpies would have also been good cards for reconnaissance and whatnot, but I have low Wind affinity. I am starting to think I will have to purchase a Wind and Water affinity Magic stones. Maybe with them I will be able to summon more cards. 

Now the fourth draw got me something interesting. I was wondering what draw cards would do after seeing Hand Obliteration and now that I read Critter’s effect, also known as Sangan, I can expect similar things from other draw cards. Of course the card being a Fiend I won’t be using it, but at least I know the effect. The Cocoon of Evolution is also a good card if I don’t actually need to have the evolved form in my hand and it just hatches, is the word hatch or molt? If it emerges from the Cocoon and it doesn’t require special Summoning. And if I find myself in a world with Insect energy, because in this one it can stay summoned only half a day and can’t molt into the forms that take 4-5 days. I am starting to think most cards are bad ones. 

And the fifth draw provides both the Moth for the Cocoon I can’t use and the card for Summoning Three Harpy Lady Sisters. It also provides a strong, but very dangerous card also, Landmine Spider. Not only can it only survive being summoned for only half an hour in this world, there is also 50/50 chance it will listen to orders or attack me and take half my HP. I can still use the creature with a bunch of Healing items, but it is dangerous and temporary card. I hope Spell Ruler gives me better ones. 

Okay, some of these are actually better. The first draw already contains useful spells like Toll, Demon's Kiss and even Evil Ritual if used right. The other cards have more of a situational usefulness or are too dangerous to try at the moment. 

The second draw contains 2 field spells that could actually help me train my elemental affinities if they are anything like I imagine them to be. And the Poisonous Snake Fang trap card decreases DEF, so it would come very handy when I face a well armored opponent. 

Now the third batch is a mixed bag. There are 2 field spells again, good for training affinities and what not. The Chorus of Sanctuary could come in use and maybe, just maybe I could use Penguin Knight if I find a way to activate its effect. 

The forth draw could maybe, possibly solve some of my interaction problems in the future. There are 2 cards than have different effects in and outside of battle, Upstart Goblin and Fickle Tailor. In battle the first gives me 10 Tokens and the opponent 1 000 HP and outside battle 10 Tokens and 10 coins. The Tailor changes 1 article of equipment from one creature to another in battle and outside battle, it can create articles of clothing from provided materials, which means I won’t have to visit a tailor in the future. Less interaction with the locals, less attachments I have to them and can more easily leave this world. 

Then there is the fifth draw, where the dangerous Cyber Pod was drawn. The card is destroyed when flipped, together with all other, this is the good part and lucky distinction, summoned creatures. If it included all creatures on the field, me in there, it would be as dangerous as Black Hole. There was of course the question “Do I count as summoned?” being banished here and all that? Ugh, why do I have the feeling I will die while testing this card? And for what, 50 Tokens? Well I will ponder that in the future. Another good card that turned up is Angel's Hand Mirror. The description sounds like it can reflect a spell targeting a single creature. But is the mirror that emerges from the card the one that does it, as in I already have to be holding it, or does the activation of the trap do it? Oh, and Sonic Bird sounds like a good card. It can probably get me the ritual for the Soldier guy, Black Luster. I already have a ritual without the creature, so it will serve as an experiment to see if I need the creature in order to summon it with the ritual. 

Now with the drawing of packs out of the way, I place all the cards in the binder for now and get down to the bar in order to have breakfast. Can’t function efficiently on an empty stomach and I have a lot of work to do today. 

The breakfast today consisted of something resembling a meat pie. The crust is some kind of butter dough, making it better than the hard bread they serve. The filing is also pretty good,, with meet veggies and plenty of spices. Definitely something I will order again. I finish my breakfast, pay for the meal and then go out of the inn. 

Now, since I can summon 5 star cards and Curse of Dragons is one such card, that can be ridden, I plan to experiment with it and some other cards outside of town. I mean, if a fully armored knight with a Lance can ride it, what prevents me from doing it? Of course I will have to buy some additional things, like goggles to guard my eyes from the wind, and maybe gloves, if the ones from the dungeon don’t do the job. Don’t want to freeze my hands up there. Come to think of it, there was some kind of law about owning flying mounts, I will have to ask when I register for the Adventurer’s Guild. 

The first place I stop is a smithy that according to the map I have, accepts custom orders. I enter the shop part of the smithy and immediately see a Stonekin behind the reception. They really do look like dwarfs as depicted in a lot of our fictions. Short, bearded, wide and muscular. I approach the counter and start pulling the drawing I made, while talking. 

“Hello, I am here to ask about a custom weapon order. Who do I talk to about that?” The receptionist looks me from head to toe, probably measuring either my worth or maybe just my actual measurements. I know high level crafters have measuring skills that are super precise. 

“The master is going to see you soon. Wait here. MASTER, THERE IS A CUSTOMER FOR A SPECIAL ORDER!” The shout surprised me a little, not that he was able to shout that loudly, but how unexpected it was. I thought he was going to leave the reception area and go get him, not shout out about my presence. 

The door behind the counter opened and a much older looking Stonekin entered the shop. He was wearing a thick leather smiting apron, so I assume he is the Master Blacksmith. He comes to the counter and also gives me the measuring look, then introduces himself. 

“I am Master Blacksmith Runeforth Steelbeard. You better not be wasting my time and have something interesting for me!” His voice is gruff and his attitude is bordering on rude, but maybe that is just how Stonekin behave. I place the drawing of the duel disk on the counter and show it to him. 

“I need a Summoning tool made, that can also serve as a blade and a sword. It also needs Enchanting, but before I show you what enchantments to put on, I will ask you to sign a Magic Contract not to reproduce the enchantments for anyone other than myself for the next 5 rotations. After that the contract can be counted as null and void.” 

The Stonekin agreed to my condition and we discussed how the construction of the Duel Disk would go. During the conversation I find out ball bearings are not a thing in this world. They either don’t have the techniques to manufacture them or haven’t invented them yet. 

“I propose we make one more Magic Contract. I will draw you the schematic of some think that can increase the longevity of carriage axles, mills and similar moving parts. In exchange I want percentage of the profits send to my bank account.” The Stonekin contemplated my proposal and we agreed on 20% of every purchase going to me. I wasn’t greedy, this was just extra pocket change. We wrote the contracts, signed them, then I showed him one of the play mats and explained where every enchantment should go. I also drew a ball bearing and explained how and why it worked and left him to figure out how to make the things. He was getting 80%, so he should be the one figuring out how to create and sell the things. After coming to agreement the order will cost me 80 silver, I left the shop and started walking to Apothecary supply store. 

The place  I arrived at is filled with displays featuring all kinds of glass instruments, beakers, test tubes, pipettes and other concocting tools. Shown in some of them is also safety equipment like steam punk looking goggles, protective face masks and leather coats looking remarkably like lab coats. Come to think of it, some pilots use oxygen masks when flying, so in the future I will probably have to make some kind of mask for myself. For now I grab a pair of the goggles and one of the half masks and go to the counter. There isn't much conversation, I just pay for my things and leave the place. And they weren’t that expensive, coming to only 1 silver coin. Okay, I have no idea if that is too much or too little. What does some glass an leather even sell for? I exit the supply shop and make my way towards the Adventurer’s Guild. 

As I make my way towards the place, the streets become a little more crowded and I start paying special attention on my surroundings. Places like these tend to attract pickpockets and thieves and I don’t have ant experience preventing something fro being stolen. I don’t have to fear for my cards and Binder being stolen, having some Magical protection against it, but the same cannot be said about my pouch with money. So I try to keep distance from everyone around me and look around me for anyone suspicious or someone walking towards or behind me. When I reach he building with the Adventurer’s Guild emblem on it I lower my vigilance a notch, but don’t relax completely. Maybe the pickpockets will wait for me to finish my business in the guild, get paid for a quest or loot and strike on my way back. I may be a little paranoid, but as the saying goes “Just because I am paranoid, doesn’t mean they are not out to get me”. 

Entering the guild I cover the room from end to end with my eyes and I have to say, it isn’t what I expected of the place. There is no bar for adventurers to celebrate their success or drown their sorrows. It is a big open hall with couches scattered about with very few people in them. On the opposite wall are 2 staircases leading to a second floor. Between the stairs are 3 receptionist counters, one for registration, one for payments for completed quests and the last for clients to place quests to the guild. Another thing that I expected was a board with quest posters, but there is something different in its place. On both side walls are glass… I want to say monitors, connected to devices with slots in them, probably where the ID cards are placed. This place is super strange with its out-of-place technology in kind of medieval period times. 

I make my way to the registers, half expecting the cliché of some adventurer picking a fight with me for the way I look, but there are couple of problems with that. First I look quite presentable with my height and muscle mass and second, I could be going to the counter for placing an order and they would be costing the guild business if they stop me for no reason. 

“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild, how can I help you?” As soon as the receptionist girl saw me in front of her counter, she put on a smile and welcomed me. That must be exhausting, to have to keep a smile in front of people you don’t know or like. I nod to her and present my ID card on the counter. 

“I am here to register as an adventurer. I also read something about flying mounts and needing something or other to ride them… my law book is back at the inn.” The girl takes my ID and presents me a registration form I need to fill out. While reading it over she checks if my card is valid and when she returns it to me she starts explaining. 

“The only important things on the form is your name and desired role in a party. Every important detail is already on the ID and everyone can change his occupation whenever they want, so the rest are optional.” Okay, that does kind of makes sense. I am currently using the Summoner occupation, but tomorrow I can take a Warrior or Scout or something else. I won’t be as proficient, but it could happen. I guess parties here form with people that know each other’s capabilities well if the Adventurer Card is unreliable to tell what occupations you have. This is actually good for me, because I can hide having Dimension Traveler as an occupation. I will also have to see about changing my University Student occupation to something more useful for this world. 

“And here is the request form for flying creature ID. Once you fill it out the request will be forwarded and in 5 to 7 days you will receive your Friend Or Foe ID or FOFID as we call them around here. You shouldn’t use your flying mount before then or you could be shot down by the town’s defenders.” After I hear her explanation I start filing the forms. I guess my flying experiments would have to wait a bit since I don’t want to be shot at for no reason. 

When I am done with the forms I pass them to the receptionist and she starts to check them out. When she finishes, she looks at me and starts explaining about the Guild and the rules. I listen, but they are the same as I read in the book, so no new information is gained from this. 

“Now all that is left is your assessment to assign a rank to you and then your adventurer ID will be made. Please go through the door below the stairs to the training yard behind the building and give this request form to the tall man there.”