Jalen stared at the system prompt, its words taunting him with their smug clarity. A deck master, not a summoner. The reminder stung, but it also forced him to refocus. His class wasn’t about relying solely on one companion—it was about adapting, strategizing, and using everything at his disposal.
But he had nothing else in his arsenal. Not yet. Just Ember, the fiery salamander who had already given his all. And now they were facing dummies immune to fire.
Let’s see I do have something left. My family’s innate trait The Dragonic Insight. The origin of the innate traits are shrouded in much mystery besides the reason they exist. Ancient Mana Beasts: those who were somehow blessed or cursed by Mana beasts. The ancient beasts were part of the world since the beginning and were once worshipped by all races for their power and mystery.
So this is where my family's innate talents will help. Father said that once I awaken my class I will be able to use the ability that my family had inherited from one of my great ancestors making a deal with a dragon. Just try to circulate my mana through my body over and over until my mana collides with the spark.
Jalen took a deep breath, letting his father’s words echo in his mind. Circulate mana through the body, over and over, until it collides with the spark. It sounded simple, but he knew it required precision, control, and trust in his instincts. He glanced down at Ember, who watched him intently, the salamander’s tail flickering faintly as if mirroring his anticipation.
“Alright, Ember,” Jalen said, straightening his posture. “This might look a little strange, but trust me, okay?
We’re going to figure this out together.”
Ember tilted his head, his golden eyes reflecting both curiosity and trust. “I trust you,” he said softly, his small voice steady despite the uncertainty.
Jalen stepped forward, positioning himself in front of one of the dummies. He closed his eyes and began to focus inward, drawing his mana into a slow, deliberate flow through his body. At first, it felt like tracing the path of a river, his mana moving in a gentle current. But as he deepened his concentration, he began to push the flow faster, building momentum with each cycle. His breathing steadied, aligning with the rhythm of the mana as it circulated through him.
Then he felt it—a faint spark, buried deep within his core. It wasn’t just mana; it was something older, more primal. The inherited essence of his lineage, a fragment of the deal his ancestor had struck with a dragon. As his mana collided with the spark, it flared to life, sending a wave of heat coursing through his veins. His eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with a fiery hue, and the world around him seemed sharper, more vivid.
So Instinctively, he reached out toward the dummy, his hand outstretched. Energy pooled in his palm, coalescing into a shimmering construct—a simple but elegant weapon. It was a pair of gloves, its glowing with faint embers, the tips gleaming like molten metal. The gloves wrapped around his hands felt perfect, as though they had been crafted specifically for him.
The system chimed:
[Family Ability Activated: Draconic Insight]
[Your class instincts have been enhanced. Temporary equipment is generated based on your current needs. Your insight has reached peak. ]
My mind raced with a million thoughts a second about my class. The few stray thoughts I could decipher ranged from useless to very insightful. Focus and concentrate don't let your thoughts overwhelm you. Don't let them leave you a stray.
“ Beginning analysis of the class is a type of summoner dealing in cards. Cards from the deck reveal a lot about the class. There are 3 main cards in the basic deck : summons, cast spells, and enhancement spells.
“The resource system requires the user's concentration plus outside input. Let me check my status.
[Class Skills (expand)]
[Statistics (expand)]
Jalen concentrated, feeling his will reach out to the interface, and the information unfurled before him like a map of possibilities.
[Statistics]
Level 1: Exp 0/25
[Life Force: 11 (Tier 1)]
[Intelligence: 14 (Tier 1)] +36
[Physical Power: 5 (Tier 0)]
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[Physique: 2 (Tier 0)]
[Magic Power: 14 (Tier 1)] +6
Mana: 56/120
Mana Regeneration: 2.0/minute
Energy: 0
“ 80 was the mana I started with when I summoned my deck. It’s been approximately 2 minutes so my mana should have regenerated by 4 but I should have also spent 8 mana keeping the deck activated. So that would mean I should have 76 mana. But I’m down to 56 so dragon if insight takes approximately 5 mana a second. Status menu close. Status menu open.
[Statistics]
Level 1: Exp 0/25
[Life Force: 11 (Tier 1)]
[Intelligence: 14 (Tier 1)] +36
[Physical Power: 5 (Tier 0)]
[Physique: 2 (Tier 0)]
[Magic Power: 14 (Tier 1)] +6
Mana: 46/120
Mana Regeneration: 2.0/minute
“So it looks like I was correct about the mana usage so I should be swift. I hear when mana drops below a certain threshold it causes discomfort then a debuff before passing out. Now every thirty seconds a new resource prompt should appear.
Draw a Card:
Generate Energy:
Do Nothing:
I should destroy a puppet before my gloves disappear. I sprinted towards the closest dummy to my right and simultaneously generated an energy point.
Jalen felt the weight of his new gloves, their heat pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. The system’s analysis and his deductions had given him a clear picture of how his class functioned, but now it was time to put it into action.
Looking at my cards again noticing a interesting buff I activated it immediately.
Spirit Crystal of Wind and Sea
When this crystal is shattered the being who shattered it gains the mobility trait. Chance to permanently increase dexterity.
When this crystal is shattered the being who shattered it gains the mobility trait. Chance to permanently increase dexterity.
“The chance to gain an extra trait will probably increase if swallowed. What could be the harm in trying? It's quite strange that dexterity wasn't originally a stat in the class since it involves moving your hands fast and a lot.
The card glowed for a second and then a small crystal fell into Jalen’s hand. The crystal had a very weird consistency as it felt hard to the touch but with a slight squeeze it shattered like candy glass. Jalen blinked as the system prompts disappeared, his senses heightened to an almost overwhelming degree. Every motion of the dummies, every flicker of light, every minute shift in the arena—he could see it, feel it, anticipate it. His body responded almost instinctively, his steps smoother and faster.
He clenched his fists, the gloves on his hands glowing with faint embers. His breath came steadily now, the initial burn of the crystal fading into a warm, empowering buzz.
“Alright,” Jalen muttered, a faint grin tugging at his lips. “Time to test this out.”
The dummy closest to him twitched, its lifeless body preparing for its automated strike. Jalen didn’t wait. He launched himself forward, his enhanced speed catching even himself off guard. In an instant, he was in striking distance, and his glowing fists collided with the dummy’s wooden frame.
The impact was explosive. Ember-like sparks shot outward, and the dummy staggered back, a scorched mark left where his fist connected. The gloves weren’t just for show—they amplified his strikes, imbuing them with the fiery energy of his inherited draconic power.
The system chimed again:
[New Resource Prompt Available.]
[Option Randomly chosen]
[+1 Energy Generated.]
But before Jalen focus on the Gloves inherit ability he was reminded with a headache his mana was running low so he decided to launch another punch at the dummy.
The punch landed squarely on the dummy's head and the impact of the glove turned the dummy's head into an exploding mess of wood and metal.
The explosion caught Jalen off guard. The sheer force of the gloves’ power surged through the dummy, turning its wooden head into a spray of splinters and ash. The fiery embers that danced around his gloves flickered dangerously, a stark reminder of how quickly his mana reserves were dwindling. The system chimed once more, its neutral tone in stark contrast to the chaos unfolding around him.
The system chimed again:
[New Resource Prompt Available.]
[Option Randomly chosen]
[+1 Energy Generated.]
“So every time I punch something with these gloves I get a new resource prompt, cool. How do I turn this off but, before I could get an answer to my question the headache intensified and my body got sluggish. Status was the only thing I could mutter before I fell unconscious.”
Jalen’s eyes fluttered open to the sensation of something warm and wet against his face. Ember was perched on his chest, his small tongue flicking against Jalen’s cheek. The salamander’s golden eyes were filled with worry, his tail no longer flickering with its usual fiery confidence but burning low, barely an ember.
“Ember…” Jalen croaked, his voice hoarse. His limbs felt like lead, and his head throbbed with a dull ache that made every thought feel like trudging through mud.
“You’re awake!” Ember’s relief was palpable, his tiny claws pressing gently into Jalen’s chest as he leaned closer. “You scared me! You just collapsed, and I didn’t know what to do. I kept licking you because… well, I saw animals do it once.”
Jalen chuckled weakly, though it felt more like a wheeze. “Thanks for keeping watch, buddy. How long was I out?”
Ember tilted his head, his tail flickering faintly as if counting. “Maybe… an hour? The dummies stopped moving after you went down, but you’ve been out cold since then.”
An hour. Jalen groaned, forcing himself to sit up. His muscles screamed in protest, and his body felt like it was moving through syrup. He brought up his status menu with a thought, the glowing interface appearing before him.
[Statistics]
Level 1: Exp 5/25
[Life Force: 11 (Tier 1)]
[Intelligence: 14 (Tier 1)]
[Physical Power: 5 (Tier 0)]
[Physique: 2 (Tier 0)]
[Dexterity: 2 (Tier 0)
[Magic Power: 14 (Tier 1)] -5
Mana: 78/120
Mana Regeneration: 1.0/ minute
[Status Debuff Detected: Overextension]
?Mana Regeneration reduced by 50%.
?Physical performance is slightly impaired.
?Duration remaining: 2 hours, 43 minutes.
So let's say I was knocked out when my mana reached one. Since my mana regeneration rate is currently 1 so I was probably out for an hour and 17 minutes meaning the debuff was probably for four hours.
I should have 2 energy wait where's my deck?
[System Prompt]
[Deck was deactivated because of lack of mana. Ember as your first summon can work independently from the deck.]
[ Since Ember is summoned and no longer in the deck you are now missing two cards in your deck minimum. The special consumable Spirit Crystal of Wind and Sea and now Ember. Please fill those two remaining card slots before summoning the deck. ]
