It was the second day of Johan's exploration when he stumbled upon an elderly man in the city square. The man, with his deep wrinkles and weathered skin, was narrating tales of his journeys to a small, captivated crowd. Intrigued, Johan joined them.
"...and so, the Iron cities like ours, are but the tip of the iceberg," the old man proclaimed, his voice echoing around the square. Johan couldn't help but sit up straighter at his words. 'Iron cities? What does that mean? Just like the ranking in the games he played?'
In the following conversation, Johan discovered the concept of city hierarchy. The higher the city's metal classification, the greater its status and resources. Silver cities, he learnt, were a tier above the Iron ones, filled with more powerful Card Masters and creatures.
His mind whirled with this new knowledge. 'So Jurica City is just the beginning. There's a whole other level out there...' The thought filled him with a sense of awe, but also a twinge of anxiety. 'Could I ever reach that level?'
Later that evening, as Johan shared his learnings with Miles, he could see his brother's eyes light up. The vastness of the world, the infinite possibilities - it was all a little overwhelming, but exhilarating all the same.
As he lay down to sleep, Johan's mind was teeming with thoughts. 'I'm just a speck in this vast universe. But even specks can cause ripples...' His resolve to carve out a better future for him and his brother grew stronger.
The next day dawned bright and clear, promising a new start. Just as Johan was about to step out, a city crier appeared, announcing, "A gateway to a Silver City has opened again! Only an Tier 9 Extraordinary Card Masters will be permitted entry. Witness the expedition at the city square!"
His heart skipped a beat at the announcement. The Silver City he was only dreaming about was now within his reach, albeit still out of grasp. 'Someday, I'll be among those elite Card Masters!'
And so, as the day ended, the desire to rise above his current life took root within Johan, setting the stage for the events to unfold.
...
Sunlight filtered through the ornate windows of Fatty's mansion as Johan sat across from him, absorbed in anticipation. Fatty, as usual, was stuffing his face with pastries, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Johan couldn't help but wonder what tales awaited him today.
Just another day in the life of Fatty and me, Johan thought, chuckling internally at the unlikely friendship.
Clearing his throat dramatically, Fatty started, "Did I ever tell you about the time when I witnessed an epic showdown between Card Masters in Silver City?"
"You went to Silver City?" Johan's eyes widened. 'Silver City! That's where I dream to be someday.' He nodded for Fatty to proceed.
"My father is a Card Master... So he rarely went home." The words flowed out of Fatty, painting a vivid picture of the grand city. He described a card battle he had watched there - the electrifying atmosphere, the ingenious strategies deployed, and the monstrous beings summoned. Johan was on the edge of his seat as Fatty recounted the tense moments, the crowd's gasps and cheers resonating in his ears.
Johan's thoughts swirled. 'So, card battles can be so strategic, so intense... I need to learn more, train when I become one.'
The stories didn't end there. Fatty dived into tales of monster encounters - strange creatures of various ranks he had seen Card Masters battle or tame. The concept of encountering real monsters sent a shiver down Johan's spine. Fighting monsters... That could be me soon, he realized, a strange blend of fear and exhilaration surging through him.
In the silence that followed the tales, Johan was lost in thought. He contemplated the world of Card Masters, brimming with adventure, danger, and countless opportunities. 'This is a vast, unpredictable world, Johan mused, but that's what makes it so captivating.'
He looked at Fatty, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thanks, Fatty," he said earnestly, "Your stories... they've opened my eyes."
Fatty merely shrugged, hiding a smile behind another pastry. "Just wait until you experience it all yourself, Johan. It's even more exciting than my stories. Well, I'm not done yet...
Have I told you about the guilds?"
"Guilds?" Johan twitched a little. He have already read about them but his understanding was only surface level.
Johan leaned forward, intrigued. 'Guilds... That's another concept I need to understand,' he mused.
"Guilds are basically powerhouses," Fatty began, leaning back in his chair. "Each guild's rank is based on the quality of its members' cards."
Listening intently, Johan mentally noted down the information. 'Powerhouses... strong groups bound by common goals, huh?'
Fatty went on to explain how guilds were also registered with the Card Wielder Association and had separate leaderboards. As he spoke, Johan found himself drawn into the world of guild politics and alliances. 'It's like a whole other world within the city,' he thought, fascination seeping into his mind.
"Take my dad's guild, for instance," Fatty said, puffing his chest with pride. "It's a Silver rank guild. It has a Tier 7 member - my dad, of course - and at least five Tier 8 members."
Astonishment flashed across Johan's face. 'That's... powerful, a bigshot!' he thought, newfound respect for Fatty's father settling in.
Fatty leaned closer, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You know," he began, lowering his voice, "There are some secrets about this world..."
Johan leaned in, curiosity piqued. 'Secrets? About Card Masters, or the card system? Or... something bigger?' He felt a shiver of excitement run through him.
"See, this world, Whitestar, is like an island in an ocean," Fatty continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "There are other 'islands', other worlds out there."
Johan's eyes widened. 'Other worlds? That's... incredible!' He mentally processed the revelation. "So, Whitestar is the name of this world? and it isn't alone... We're part of a larger universe. And only certain powerful individuals know about this?"
"Only epic Card Wielders, those of Tier 6 and above, can travel to these other worlds," Fatty said, confirming Johan's thoughts. "Each world, it's like...a separate kingdom. Some are friendly, others, not so much."
The information was staggering. Johan found himself grappling with the magnitude of this knowledge. 'There's so much more than just Jurica City, more than Whitestar... An entire cosmos of worlds,' he pondered.
"And these dungeons..." Fatty's voice dropped even lower, "...they're scattered across Whitestar because of an invasion, an invasion from the Abyss."
The gravity of the statement hung in the air. Johan felt his breath hitch in his throat. 'An invasion... So, these dungeons aren't really natural. They're strategic, intentional... So the Abyss use dungeons as the medium to spawns monsters in the World!'
This information wasn't recorded in the forum. Johan, at first, didn't have an idea how the Abyss spawn monsters... But with Fatty's revelation, everything finally made sense to him. Due to his understanding of RPG games from Earth, he thought that dungeons appeared naturally or because of anomaly in the World. This was the first time he encountered a setting where the Abyss controls the dungeons!
"Only the higher-ranked individuals and cities know about this. It's a secret to keep the lower ranks from panicking," Fatty explained, his gaze serious. "I only know this because of my father."
"Do you trust me that much?" Johan swallowed hard. 'Invasion. Abyss. Secret. It's...a lot,' he admitted to himself, trying to fathom the implications.
"Of course! You're my friend. But remember, Johan," Fatty's tone was stern, "Not all of this is to be shared. This knowledge...it's a heavy burden."
Johan nodded, a newfound understanding dawning on him. 'Knowledge is power, but it's also a responsibility,' he thought, a determined glint in his eyes.
"Every piece of information, every secret, it's like a card in your deck, Johan," Fatty said, standing up, "Use them wisely."
As Fatty walked away, Johan was left with his thoughts. 'I'll use this knowledge, and one day, maybe even explore those other "islands",' he pledged silently, his resolve strengthening.
The conversation meandered into the sphere of Adventurer Association, a subdivision of the Card Wielder Association. Fatty spoke about how they were responsible for rank assessments, tasks for adventurers, and currency conversion. Johan listened, soaking in the information like a sponge. 'This is a lot to process... but it's necessary.'