Chapter 17: A Lead!
Johan sat alone, his mind buzzing with the revelations of the past few days. 'Other worlds. Abyss invasion. The weight of secrets... It's like I've been living in a small pond, unaware of the vast ocean out there.'
His thoughts drifted to the power structure, the hierarchy of cities, the guilds, and the adventurers. 'So much complexity... and I'm at the bottom, looking up,' he mused, his gaze unfocused, staring at the wall of his small room.
Johan felt a prickling sensation in his pocket. His hand found its way to the object of his fixation – his card. The unknown, unreadable card that had initiated this whirlwind journey. 'Despite all I've learned, I still don't know anything about you,' he thought, the card cool under his fingers.
A wave of frustration washed over him. 'I've heard tales of epic card battles, tales of other Card Masters, but my own story... It's still shrouded in mystery.' His grip on the card tightened.
'But knowledge is power, right?' A determined glint flashed in his eyes. 'I've learned so much, and I won't stop here. There's more to find out, more to understand.'
His fingers traced the edges of the card. 'This card, my card... it's a piece of the puzzle. An important piece. And I will unravel its mystery.' His heart pounded with resolve.
His gaze moved from the card to the bustling cityscape visible through his window. 'I am in a new world, a world of Card Masters, of guilds and adventurers, of monsters and dungeons...'
...
Walking into the busy café, Johan scanned the room and found Fatty waving at him from their usual corner spot. Heaving a sigh of relief, Johan joined him. As he settled into the chair, he cast a wary glance around before leaning in. "Fatty, what if... hypothetically, a Card Wielder had a card that... well, wasn't like anything he'd ever seen before?"
Fatty scratched his chin, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Well, that's a new one, Johan. In my experience, there's usually some level of consistency to the cards... but who knows? There could always be anomalies."
With Fatty's words echoing in his mind, Johan found himself making a beeline for the city library. 'If I can't find answers from people, maybe books will tell me something.'
Rows upon rows of books, scrolls, and computer terminals filled the grand library. Johan was like a man possessed as he skimmed through books, scrolled through online threads, and bombarded the patient librarians with questions. His days blurred into nights, lost in a relentless pursuit of the unknown.
'Card classifications, Card Master strategies, histories of famous battles, monster encyclopedias... There's so much here, but nothing about my card,' he mused in frustration, staring at the pile of books that had only grown over the past few days.
Despite the growing sense of disappointment, he couldn't shake off a stubborn spark of hope. 'There has to be something... anything that could give me a hint,' he found himself thinking, his fingers tracing the edges of the unreadable card. The card seemed as much a mystery as when he'd first laid eyes on it, silently challenging him to unravel its secrets.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, Johan found himself back home. He stepped into the warm, familiar space and was greeted by the sight of his brother, Miles, engrossed in a book. Seeing him there, a surge of gratitude filled Johan.
"Miles," Johan began, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "There's something I need to talk to you about."
Miles looked up, a smile warming his features as he closed the book. "Of course, Johan. You know you can tell me anything."
Johan poured out his frustrations, his fears, and his failed attempts to uncover the mysteries of his card. Through it all, Miles listened, his expression thoughtful. "Johan," he finally said, his voice steady and comforting. "I don't have the answers you're looking for. But I want you to remember that we're in this together."
Despite the heavy weight of his concerns, Johan felt a small smile tug at his lips. 'We're in this together,' he repeated in his mind. Somehow, that made things a little better.
...
The next morning, Johan met with Fatty at their usual hangout, a quaint little cafe in the heart of Jurica City. With the comforting aroma of coffee wafting in the air and the morning sun pouring through the window, Johan asked the question that had been burning in his mind since last night.
"Fatty," Johan began, twisting his coffee cup in his hands, "Have you ever seen symbols like these?" He sketched the symbols from the altar on a napkin, trying to recall every intricate detail.
Fatty's usually jovial expression shifted into one of surprise, his eyes wide as he studied the symbols. "Where did you see these, Johan?" Fatty asked, his voice unusually serious.
The sudden change in Fatty's demeanor made Johan's heart pound. 'Did I stumble onto something big?' he wondered, but he kept his expression neutral. "Just saw them in an old book," Johan lied, not willing to reveal his secret yet.
Fatty didn't respond immediately. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the symbols. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "These symbols...they're related to the Legends."
"The Legends?" Johan echoed, feeling a shiver of anticipation. 'This might be a lead,' he thought, his mind already racing with possibilities.
Fatty nodded slowly, his eyes still locked onto the symbols. "Yes, but...," he trailed off, looking up at Johan with a strange mix of awe and concern. "Johan, this could be dangerous... It about Adam, The Beast, Monster Incarnator! A literal god in the Legend. He even have bunch of cults and evil organizations worshipping him within the Whitestar!"
Despite the warning, Johan felt a thrill of excitement. 'A possible lead, at last!' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. But, as he looked at Fatty's serious expression, he also felt a chill of fear. 'What have I gotten myself into? Adam? Beast Incarnator?'
As Johan left the cafe, the morning sun seemed a little brighter, and the path before him, once foggy, was now intriguing. Despite the looming uncertainties and dangers, he felt a surge of resolve. 'I will uncover the truth about my card, whatever it takes,' he vowed silently. Johan was walking under the bright sun, his shadow trailing behind him.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone