Noon at the First Military Hospital in the United States.
Due to being in a time of war, there were many injured officers and soldiers being treated in the hospital, as well as family members who came to visit. However, being a military hospital, everyone here was very disciplined and kept their voices low, fearing to disturb others.
Kyle, dressed in patient-specific clothing, walked through the corridors of the hospital's lobby. His young and handsome face immediately attracted the attention of many opposite-sex individuals.
Thanks to the relatively less crazy information dissemination compared to the 21st century, few people recognized Kyle as the hero of the recent counterattack campaign.
In fact, Kyle, the youngest lieutenant officer in the United States, was not as famous as Steve, known as "Captain America."
Facing the expressive gazes of the nurses, Kyle responded with a smile instead of words before he walked out of the hospital building and entered the green park outside.
The sun was shining brightly at this time, with lush trees and green grass surrounding the park. The pond's fountain blinked with a clear light, making it a delightful sight for the patients and visitors.
Of course, Kyle was not the kind of person who could endure resting for a long time.
He took a few deep breaths of fresh air and began to warm up his body by doing a set of Military Fitness Boxing, which was also his formal routine.
As he finished the set, his bones crackled like popping beans, and his body, which had been stiff and sluggish, became invigorated and his complexion became much rosier.
"Feels good." Kyle exhaled a warm breath of air. Despite the lingering pain in his healing left shoulder, he felt far more comfortable than lying weakly in a sickbed, being someone accustomed to the battlefield environment.
Tomorrow, he would be heading to the training base with Joseph. He didn't want to display any signs of lethargy. Having made a promise to outperform Steve, he aimed to excel in everything he did.
At some point, Kyle had developed his own sense of pride and principles.
"Oh, I almost forgot about the spoils from the counterattack campaign."
Drenched in sweat, Kyle sat on a park bench, closed his eyes as if taking a rest, and quietly delved into the Card Space within his mind.
In contrast to the previous battle, the vast white space was devoid of the numerous cluttered white and green Item Cards.
However, this time, the rewards surpassed any previous encounter!
Twenty-five uncategorized Blue Item Cards were prominently placed at the center of the card vortex. Each card contained an infinite energy source capable of granting modified firearms astonishing destructive power.
Yet, upon seeing the Blue-Grade Cube Fragment, Kyle had already devised a plan for its usage.
Rather than utilizing this energy on firearms, it would be better suited as material cards for Card Tributing!
"With two Blue Card Tributes, even if I don't draw cards beyond the blue grade, I will still possess two Blue Cards that can significantly enhance my personal strength." Kyle brimmed with anticipation as he looked at the twenty-five Blue Item Cards in front of his mental manifestation.
The boundaries and potential outcomes of Card Tributing varied greatly. It held the possibility of both losses and unexpected rewards.
[Stealth], a Blue Ability Card, stood as the ultimate result of Card Tributing.
Without the Stealth Ability, Kyle would struggle to infiltrate the enemy base, let alone breach their defenses.
"May the goddess of victory in New York bestow upon me a fortune-boosting luck. I must achieve favorable outcomes." Kyle felt as if he had returned to the lottery segment of a game from his previous life, his emotions filled with excitement and apprehension as he sacrificed 10 Blue Cards.
Tribute Extraction!
"You sacrificed [Cube Fragment]×10!"
"Extraction Succeeded. Congratulations, you've obtained [Blue Eagle]."
A Blue Card, clearly of the Biological Type, materialized before Kyle's eyes. The blinking blue light on the card indicated its exceptional grade coefficient.
"Rare Blue on the first try?!" Kyle couldn't believe his luck. Drawing a Rare Blue card was akin to hitting the jackpot. He swiftly took hold of the new card and examined it closely.
[Blue Eagle]: An unusual avian lifeform residing on cliffs at an altitude of ten thousand meters. Rare Blue Card.
The blue eagle was three times larger than a typical eagle, boasting a wingspan of up to ten meters. Its feathers were dark blue, and it possessed remarkable vitality and defensive capabilities, enabling it to withstand attacks from conventional heat-based weapons.
With a visual range of ten thousand meters, it could unleash sonar-like screeches as an attack technique. It could achieve a maximum flight speed of Mach-4, although its carrying capacity diminished when transporting a passenger.
"A rare flying mount of the 'flying type'?" Kyle was astonished. In an online game, it would undoubtedly be an exclusive and coveted rare mount for affluent players.
In the Marvel World, this blue eagle could be classified as an extraterrestrial monster-level lifeform!
"It can reach speeds of up to Mach-4, even faster than a fighter jet." Kyle contemplated. He personally found the blue eagle immensely appealing, but unfortunately, its unique existence rendered it impractical for regular use.
Imagining himself riding the blue eagle in the real world or summoning it to attack enemies, he could picture being either shot down by his own country's fighter jets or pursued by a group of Biologists eager to capture and dissect it.
In terms of practicality, the rare blue "Blue Eagle" likely couldn't match up to the Rare Green "Toxic Hornet's Nest."
"Well, let's set it aside for now. It will still prove useful in specific environments. After all, it's my first Rare Blue card!" Kyle consoled himself, placing the "Blue Eagle" in the emergency usable space for convenient emergency situations.
The next step was the second Card Tributing. After this draw, he would only have five "Cube Fragments" remaining, which wouldn't be sufficient for another extraction.
"Please, grant me a card that's more practical." Kyle silently prayed.
Now he understood that a card's practicality was of utmost importance. The cards suitable for immediate use held the greatest value!
"You sacrificed [Cube Fragment]×10!"
"Extraction Succeeded. Congratulations, you've obtained [Vibranium Bracer]."
"Vibranium, what an extraordinary item!" Kyle's face lit up with excitement as soon as he heard the name of the new card.
After all, anything bearing the prefix "vibranium" couldn't be ordinary!
Vibranium, the premier material in the Marvel World, originated solely from Wakanda, the secretive nation of Black Panther. In the outside world, Captain America's shield was the only known item forged from vibranium, in the future.
Kyle eagerly grasped the new Item Card and meticulously examined its properties.
"[Vibranium Bracer]: A right armguard crafted from pure vibranium. Blue Item Card."
It perfectly conformed to the wearer's right arm and effortlessly neutralized various physical injuries and the impact of heat-based weapons.
"Isn't this like the right-hand component of Black Panther's suit, minus the claws?" Kyle expressed his satisfaction.
Though it wasn't an Ability Card, it served as advanced black technology equipment, something he desperately needed at present.
With the impending Super Soldier Physique, Vibranium Bracer, and Stealth Skill, this combination would truly make Kyle invincible on the battlefield!
(End of this chapter)