My Card Girl's Infinite Evolution

Fire maiden - Acoley

[Level: Bronze Four Stars

Type: Character

Skills:

Fire Affinity: Awakened fire magic, with a powerful control over fire elements.

Ignition: Enables the surface of any object to catch fire, even if it's water.

Flame Jet: Consumes magic to create small fireball barrages.

Explosion Art: Compresses fireballs to create a violent explosion, dealing deadly damage to enemies.

Overview: An optimistic magical girl who often stares at a strange piece of clothing. Perhaps she has encountered some strange adventures...]

The card's illustration evolved from a sad girl at the winter corner of a wall to a magical girl holding a magic wand, wearing a magical hat, and stockings.

Seeing Acoley, from her troubled and confused expression to her now energetic and charming appearance with a curvy figure, makes Luo Sheng tear up as a father.

He feels like he is nurturing his "paper wife."

Suddenly, Luo Sheng feels a warm, comfortable sensation all over his body as a mysterious, ethereal energy enters his body, nourishing his limbs and bones.

This is the feedback from enhancing a card, a strange, mysterious force, similar to a reward for completing a task.

This mysterious energy gradually settles in his brain, increasing his mental strength while beginning to form a mental gem.

"My mental gem is automatically forming?"

Luo Sheng was astonished for a moment and then began meditating using the school's method to absorb this mysterious energy.

The whole night passed.

By dawn, Luo Sheng exhaled, fully energized, and opened his eyes. Within the ethereal black hole of his brain domain, a bronze-colored mental gem faintly glowed, just formed.

"I finally became a Card Master!"

Luo Sheng smiled with satisfaction.

The formation of the mental gem signifies the birth of a Card Master. The most important medium for using cards is mental power, stored in the mental gem, just like gasoline needs a fuel tank.

While he felt happy, he also silently mourned for another person.

Four months ago, he came to this world.

The original host had no parents, was destitute, worked small jobs, and was also studying compulsory card master education at the Card Master Alliance's second school in Pingcheng.

During his senior year at Pingcheng No. 2, he learned meditation methods to strengthen his mental power, but sadly, the original host hastened the process of forming his mental gem at the age of 18 to escape poverty, causing brain death.

Research by the Card Master Alliance had shown that the best time to form the mental gem was when the brain domain stopped developing at 18, as premature formation could cause irreversible brain damage. This damage could range from becoming a vegetable to outright death.

The original host fell just before turning 18, and Luo Sheng benefited from this.

Fortunately, after entering senior year, the Card Master cultural courses were completed, and the school gave enough freedom for students to pursue becoming Card Masters. Luo Sheng didn't need to deal with the original host's connections.

Luo Sheng gently touched Acoley's card.

The mental gem trembled slightly, and the card warmed up. He suddenly felt a closer connection with the card in his hand, and with a thought, the card released a gentle glow, floating in the air until it transformed into a red-haired girl.

The slender girl, dressed in a blue standard uniform and black stockings with white long legs hidden under the skirt, looked up at Luo Sheng with crystal-clear skin and stunning features.

She held a magic wand, kneeling on the wooden floor, looking up at him.

It almost felt complete if she said "Onii-chan."

So cute~

Luo Sheng's heart raced with excitement and nervousness. Was there a chance something might happen in this room between a man and woman? Hmm, but of course, the scene you're thinking of can't be realized.

The character summoned by the card is not a real person, but a construct made of card energy.

Even more so, though the character is not the original person, there's still some consciousness in them.

They obey the "correct" instructions of the Card Master. If given improper commands like serving tea or warming the bed, the card will refuse, lowering the compatibility with the Card Master.

If the card is further inserted, the compatibility becomes zero, breaking the relationship, and the card could either self-destruct or even counterattack the Card Master, similar to reproductive isolation in another world.

Hence, the tabloid news about celebrities getting injured from improper card use.

What surprised Luo Sheng was that summoning "Fire Maiden - Acoley" didn't consume much mental power, which was unexpected.

With a thought, Acoley turned back into a card and fell into his hands.

Just then, Luo Sheng's pupils widened, and a new screen appeared in his mind, displaying Acoley's card.

This card can be enhanced, with the following choices:

Acoley, through hard work and talent, enters the Magic Academy, but her appearance steals the spotlight from some noble students, causing resentment. These noble girls set a trap for her during a wilderness training session, letting magical beasts chase her into a deadly situation.

In her moment of despair, Acoley wonders, "Will that benefactor who saved me last time come to help me now?"Since Acoley is not a noble, she can't afford an expensive magic wand and must use the academy's second-hand cheap magic stick. She desperately needs a wand that can store magical power.If you have enough cards, perhaps a miracle will happen.

More cards...

Luo Sheng took out his phone and opened the "Card Search" platform.

The screen was filled with various cards categorized by "Equipment," "Characters," "Animals," "Domains," "Skills," etc., overwhelming in variety.

Luo Sheng searched for magic wands, and a plethora of different cards appeared.

[Hawthorn Wood Wand]

Level: Bronze One Star

Price: 1200

[Peachwood Wand]

Level: Bronze Two Stars

Price: 5500

[Holly Wood Wand]

Level: Bronze Three Stars

Price: 12300

...

"These prices are outrageous!"

Luo Sheng frowned at the card prices.

A Bronze One-Star card costs at least 1000 yuan, and a Two-Star card is over 5000, with Three-Star cards costing tens of thousands. The prices are absurd.

He then checked his wallet.

Balance: 8.

As expected, becoming a Card Master is no easy feat.

Without substantial resources, it's nearly impossible to become an outstanding Card Master. No wonder nearly half of the card apprentices at school can't become Card Masters and are forced to switch careers.

While browsing the store, a message popped up:

[Landlady: Kid, it's time to pay your rent!]

"…"

As expected, it came at the right time. But Luo Sheng didn't expect it to be so punctual.

When it's time to collect rent, not a second is late, but when it's time to fix the pipes, no one shows up for half a month. People's hearts are so treacherous.

He quickly replied:

[You're going to lose me as a potential client, cut me some slack for half a month.]

[Landlady: Get lost!]

Ten minutes later, he was kicked out.

Fortunately, he didn't have much luggage. A suitcase and a travel backpack contained all his belongings.

"Well, at least I have a backup and won't have to sleep under a bridge." Luo Sheng comforted himself, especially with the card of the girl he was holding, giving him a sense of security.

He now had the amazing ability to enhance cards.

Although it was very different from the knowledge of enhancers he had learned at school.

Luo Sheng's method of enhancement was truly absurd. He could directly capture information on how to enhance cards and even travel through the card world.

His enhancement success rate was nearly 100%.

Much stronger than regular enhancers, making him an unbeatable presence.

Regular enhancers have about an 80% success rate, but even with that, they are considered elite in the Card Master world.

Luo Sheng's next goal was to head to the Card Master Building to register and undergo the certification process to become an Enhancer.

With the identity of an Enhancer, he could conceal his interference with the card world's enhancement process and avoid being captured for brain domain research by the Card Master Alliance.

Of course, the most important thing was that an Enhancer could take commissions, allowing him to earn money quickly.

After about half an hour of walking, Luo Sheng arrived at a building resembling the Empire State Building, grand and majestic. This Card Master building exclusively served Card Masters.

"Hello, may I assist you?"

A female attendant in uniform greeted him with a professional smile.

Luo Sheng placed his luggage in front of her. "I'm here to get certified as an Enhancer."

The attendant smiled with a hint of envy. "Sure, please enter and visit the counter in the lobby to apply for Enhancer certification."

"Thanks, could you watch my luggage for me?"

"No problem, honored Card Master." She said enthusiastically.

Luo Sheng felt a little dazed. He didn't realize it, but he had already become a respected Card Master.

This world clearly divides people into two categories: One is the Card Masters who successfully form their mental gems after turning 18.

The other is ordinary people who can never form a mental gem.

Without a doubt, Card Masters hold much higher social status than ordinary people, as they have surpassed others in life level. In a martial world, strength decides everything.

Luo Sheng thanked her and entered the Card Master Building, heading to the designated counter in the lobby.

He explained his purpose to the black-haired lady at the counter, and she gave him a professional smile. "Card Master, do you have a certification card?"

"Not yet, I came in a bit hastily. Can I get certified here?" Luo Sheng, being new to this, was unfamiliar with the process.

"We offer free certification for Card Masters here."

The black-haired lady took out a machine.

The certification process was simple—touch the spiritual energy detection machine with your hand, shake your mental gem, and it would even detect your Card Master level.

The information would then be recorded onto the Card Master's ID card and saved into the Card Master Alliance's database.

"Your mental strength is quite strong and deep, not at all like a Bronze One-Star Card Master. This is quite rare among all Card Masters," the attendant remarked in surprise.

She didn't elaborate further, handed him the Card Master certificate, and continued: "For Enhancer certification, there's a fee of 30,000 yuan. Will you be paying by card or cash?"

Luo Sheng froze for a moment, "Enhancer certification costs that much?"

"Yes, because Enhancer certification involves card consumption, and to avoid low-level Card Masters causing trouble, we need to manage the card inventory carefully."

The black-haired lady saw his awkward look but didn't look down on him. After all, all Card Masters are potential talents.

She kept her professional smile:

"But Card Master, I believe in your abilities, so don't worry about the funds. We offer easy loans for Card Masters, such as the 'Card Loan' app. You can borrow up to 100,000 yuan with an interest rate of 9%. Spend tomorrow's money to achieve today's goals!"

Luo Sheng was stunned.

He didn't expect that no matter which world you go to, you can't escape the grasp of loans. The capitalist claws truly have no gaps!

The Enhancer certification and loan services were a one-stop solution, truly ridiculous!

Not to mention, the interest rate was outrageous!

(End of Chapter)