Anime Card System

At the entrance of the Association branch, Russell stared blankly at the freshly printed "Flying Vehicle Driver's License" in his hand. The Association's efficiency was quite impressive. He had expected the process to take some time, but they had issued the license the moment his registration was complete.

Next, he headed to a shop adjacent to the Association building: "The Creature Outfitter." He needed a saddle. Because cardmakers often had creatures of bizarre shapes and sizes, the shop had a complete and fascinating range of equipment.

Seeing Russell summon Pidgeot, the shop owner looked the great bird up and down, then took a specialized avian saddle from a shelf. "Try this on for size."

Russell fitted the saddle onto Pidgeot. It was a perfect fit. "Okay, this is the one," he said with satisfaction.

"Thank you for your patronage. Five thousand credits," the owner said, holding up five fingers.

So expensive? Russell was stunned, but he wasn't about to bargain. To be able to operate a store right next to the Association and charge such high prices meant the owner either had powerful connections or their products were genuinely top-quality. He neatly swiped his card and prepared to leave.

"Hey, young man," the owner called out. "Why are you in such a hurry?" He walked over and touched the saddle on Pidgeot's back. In a flash of light, the saddle compressed and transformed into a card. Russell now understood the high price; it was a prop card. In his memory, prop cards could be given as gifts or traded, but creature cards were bound to their maker.

He took the prop card and slowly absorbed it into his mind. [Avian Saddle] Grade: Black Iron Quality: White

The description couldn't have been simpler. Outside the store, Russell stroked Pidgeot's head. "Let's experience the feeling of flying," he said, hopping onto the newly equipped mount.

Pidgeot soared into the sky, drawing the curious eyes of passers-by below. Feeling the cold wind whipping against his face, Russell thought, It's really not great without a windshield. Still, despite the less-than-perfect riding experience, he was satisfied. Pidgeot's normal cruising speed was over 60 kilometers per hour, more than enough for daily transportation. For an Iron-level card, he couldn't ask for more.

Late that night, in a dark and damp underwater cave, a gloomy old man with a hooked nose played with a golden scale. It was Regent Jin.

"Does the New Metro Cardmakers Association have any plans to explore secret realms recently?" he asked the middle-aged man in a black robe standing before him.

The man quickly replied, "Sir, due to the riot at the [Demon's Nest], most of the Association's official exploration plans have been put on hold." He paused, then continued, "But sir, I have heard that several of the major high schools in New Metro are organizing practical training missions for their students in controlled secret realms."

The hook-nosed old man let out a hoarse laugh. "Blake Whitmore... Blake Whitmore... I wonder if you can protect them all this time." "Insert a few of our chess pieces in there."

The middle-aged man bowed immediately. "Yes, sir."

Amidst the shrill, crazy laughter, money and treasure gradually appeared on one side of the scale in Regent Jin's hand, while scarlet, soul-like cards appeared on the other. Just as the two sides came into balance, an inexplicable voice echoed from the void. "Deal done."

The days at school passed quickly. Soon, the time came for Russell and his classmates to go on their training mission. In front of a large tour bus, Victoria Song was giving her final speech.

"This practical is an opportunity that Principal Shepherd fought hard to get for us. I hope you will all cherish it."

In the crowd, ignoring the long speech, Russell leaned over to Nancy. "Isn't it dangerous for us to enter a secret realm directly?" he asked softly. In his view, the students in the key class were all flowers raised in a greenhouse, with no real combat experience. Wasn't it risky to just throw them in like this?

Nancy glanced at Ms. Song, then replied softly, "The secret realms that high school students like us are allowed to enter have long been completely controlled by the Cardmakers Association. They're just stocked with low-level, Black Iron monsters."

Russell nodded. That made sense. A cardmaker should have no problem dealing with several monsters of the same level. The only real danger would be encountering an elite monster.

"Moreover," Nancy continued, "these training realms are basically covered by surveillance. If there's any real danger, the Association's on-site cardmakers will rescue us in time."

As they were talking, Victoria Song finally finished her speech. "Okay, classmates, get on the bus!"

The group boarded one after another. As the bus started, the scenery outside the window began to quickly recede. Gradually, the tall buildings of New Metro disappeared, replaced by dense, sprawling forests. It was Russell's first time leaving the city proper. In the original owner's memory, the entire world outside the major cities was basically untamed wilderness. Over the years, the Daming Federation had tried to expand its territory, but with little success. The forests were still filled with roaming demons, and new secret realms could appear at any time. Strangely, the more deserted a place was, the more likely it was to spawn a secret realm. The oceans were now scattered with countless realms of all sizes, and the once-thriving sea trade had long since disappeared.

The bus gradually drove up to a massive steel base. An armed soldier stopped them. "Secret facility ahead. No unauthorized approach."

Victoria Song got out of the bus, holding the documents issued by the Association. After the soldier at the gate confirmed the documents again and again, he sent a message to the sentry box behind him. "No problem! Let them pass!"

The bus slowly drove into the base, where a leader was already waiting. "You must be the students from New Metro First High arranged by President Marcus," the leader greeted Ms. Song with a smile.

"Yes," she responded with a smile of her own. "We'll be in your care today."

"No trouble, no trouble at all!" the leader said, waving his hands. He wouldn't dare delay something personally ordered by President Marcus. "We are all serving the Federation." He then turned to a staff member. "Take these young students to the secret realm."

Victoria turned back to her class for one final instruction. "Go on, classmates. And be sure to pay attention to your safety."

Russell followed the group to a huge, open square. In the center stood a massive space gate, emitting a shimmering, silver-white light.

The leading staff member smiled and introduced it to them. "Students, this is your first time seeing a secret realm space gate. Please enter in an orderly fashion. We have already arranged for a cardmaker to wait for you on the other side."

One after another, the students of the key class stepped through the portal. Russell followed the crowd, and in the blink of an eye, the world changed. He was now standing at the foot of a mountain. In front of him were two cardmakers in the Association's black uniform.

The leader smiled at the students. "Welcome, everyone, to the secret realm [The Thousand-Foot Woods]." "You may not be familiar with it. The reason it's called this is because a powerful, centipede-like monster once lived here. But please rest assured," he added, "all monsters above the Black Iron level have already been cleared out by the Association." "After you receive your communication equipment, you are free to move about."

(End of this chapter)