The morning sun shone brightly over Jurica City as Johan took a decisive step out of his house. His heart was full of determination and his mind, brimming with resolve. 'The Card Master assessment... It's a path I have to take,' he affirmed in his thoughts, looking towards the city center.
He could still feel the apprehension stirring inside him, but he knew it was a necessary step. 'I can't afford to remain stagnant. Not in this world,' he thought, steeling himself.
The lively city bustle brought him back to reality. He needed information about the assessment and he had an entire city to gather it from. 'Alright Johan, you can do this,' he assured himself as he made his way to the guards' quarters.
At the guards' quarters, his fellow guards were discussing the recent events. He chimed in occasionally but kept the main agenda in mind. "Hey, have any of you heard anything about the Card Master assessment in San Fernando?" he asked casually.
There was a collective groan from a few, some rolled their eyes while others merely shrugged. "Ah, the annual meat grinder, you mean?" retorted Tom, a grizzled veteran. Laughter echoed, but Johan took note. 'So, it's not going to be a cakewalk,' he surmised.
He continued his day by visiting his friends. Over a cup of steaming coffee in Fatty's café, he learned about the intense competition and the rigorous physical and mental tests. 'A meat grinder indeed,' he thought with a grim determination.
His last stop was Eugene. The fellow guard had a knack for gathering useful information. Eugene confirmed the rumors Johan had heard and added more. "There's also a hidden assessment, a test of character, they say," Eugene confided. Johan thanked him, his mind now a whirl of strategies and expectations.
...
The Jurica City Library stood tall and imposing against the orange dusk, its walls holding centuries of knowledge. Johan, despite his fatigue, found a renewed vigor as he stepped inside. 'This place... this might have what I need,' he thought.
Rows upon rows of books and a cluster of aged newspapers waited for him. He navigated through the maze-like shelves, making his way to the records section. His eyes roamed the room, absorbing every minute detail. 'I need to be thorough. Can't miss anything crucial.'
With a heavy newspaper bundle under his arm, Johan retreated to a quiet corner. He skimmed through the pages, his eyes catching every mention of 'Card Master,' 'assessment,' and 'San Fernando.' 'This will take a while, but it's worth it.'
Hours of sifting through news articles, his efforts were rewarded. His eyes widened, heart pounding as he found the official announcement about the Card Master assessment. 'Here it is!'
The announcement was thorough: the exact date was a month from today, the venue was the grand Coliseum in the heart of San Fernando, and the time was set at the break of dawn. 'So, I have a month... And it's at dawn, the earliest time possible. They mean business.'
The requirements for participation were stringent, too. Physical and mental prowess, a card of bronze tier or higher, and the age limit capped at 30 years. The implications hit him hard. 'This is clearly not for the faint-hearted. Only the serious, committed ones.'
Johan committed the details to memory. 'A month... It's not a lot of time. But it's something.' He left the library, the sky now blanketed in darkness.
As he walked, his mind swirled with plans and ideas. 'I'll need to train, enhance my physical strength and familiarity with my Kagune... and the ghoul. I can't ignore the ghoul.' Johan knew the path before him was fraught with challenges, but he was ready to face them head-on.
Under the bright moonlight, Johan found a secluded spot in the outskirts of Jurica City, his heart beating with a blend of trepidation and anticipation. 'It's time to formulate a plan.'
He started by assessing his current abilities. 'Physical strength, stamina, and agility... those I can train and improve. But the card... my ghoul.' He summoned his ghoul, its monstrous form materializing in front of him. 'This will be the challenging part.'
Johan had a few strategies in mind. He planned to wake up early, dedicate the first hours of the day to physical training, then head to his work, and in the evening, he would practice with his ghoul. 'This should give me a balanced routine... and hopefully, enough preparation.'
The following days saw Johan throw himself into this regime. His body ached with the strain of constant physical exertion, but he welcomed the pain. 'This is good. Pain means progress.' He felt his muscles strengthen, his stamina grow, and his agility improve.
His training sessions with his ghoul were a different story. Each spar was an intense battle. Johan was thrown to the ground countless times, his ghoul's strength proving to be overwhelming. But with each defeat, he learned something new, his understanding of the ghoul's powers deepening. 'It's powerful, yes. But I'm improving, I can feel it.'
In the cool tranquility of the night, under a sky speckled with stars, Johan found himself facing his ghoul. The silver glow of the moon painted its grotesque form, casting long, terrifying shadows that danced ominously across the deserted expanse.
"Fight me with you full strength! Don't hold back, understand?" Johan's gaze was fixed on his summoned monster opposite him.
It was a monster to behold; tall, with muscle-laden limbs and a hauntingly skeletal face. Twin red orbs glowed fiercely in its dark, sunken sockets, illuminating the grotesque sharpness of its jagged teeth. A monstrous spine-like structure sprawled from its back, resembling an elongated metallic scorpion tail, menacingly serrated and glossy under the lunar glow. It nodded its head as it heard Johan's instructions.
Johan took a deep breath, 'Alright. Round one...let's go.'
He charged, his feet digging into the dirt as he darted towards his ghoul. His movements were swift, but the ghoul was quicker. It moved with an unnatural agility, its large form whirling around Johan as if it was weightless. The ghoul swung its spine-like tail, aiming for Johan's torso. He twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the attack, but the ghoul was relentless, following up with a swift jab of its bony fist.
Johan was thrown off his feet, skidding across the ground. He gasped, the air punched out of him, but he quickly recovered. 'Gotta get back up...it's not over yet.'
He returned to his feet, a thin layer of sweat coating his body, but his eyes glowed with determination. He charged again, this time feinting to the right before pivoting left. He lunged, aiming to grapple with the ghoul, but it saw through his deception. Its tail swept towards him, but Johan, expecting the attack, rolled under it, launching himself onto its back.
The ghoul snarled, thrashing about to throw Johan off, but he clung on tightly. He aimed punches at its back and neck, his blows landing with solid thuds. But it wasn't enough. With a final, powerful shake, the ghoul dislodged him, throwing him to the ground.
Johan landed hard, dust billowing around him. He stayed down, lying flat on his back, breathing heavily. He glanced up at his ghoul, its monstrous form silhouetted against the moonlit sky.
One evening, after another arduous training session, Johan lay on the ground, panting heavily. He gazed at his ghoul, now standing still, and couldn't help but marvel at his progress. 'I'm nowhere near mastering this... but I'm getting closer.'
The anticipation of the upcoming Card Master assessment filled Johan with a strange exhilaration. His training sessions, although grueling, were making him stronger and more confident. 'A month to go. I'll make every second count,' he promised himself.