Chapter 4

"That unscrupulous merchant," I couldn't help but grumble. He tried to shaft me... again. "If I weren't able to make use of him, I would oust him to the authorities regardless of our agreement."

After putting some distance between myself and that vile man, I found a clean roadside bench a short way from the Chapel of Liberation. The building stood taller than those surrounding it, a tribute to the wealth and power of the Church.

A similar, darker facility stood on the southern side of the Academy. The Church of Damnation opposed the Church of Liberation, and anywhere you found one of their buildings, another could be found close by. Neither would let the other have a monopoly on an entire Floor.

I brushed these thoughts away and pulled seven Cards from my Deck Box, mixing in the Strength Card I'd just acquired, along with the other prize from my excursion. It was a simple Card called Dash. Though it was only of Pure Rank, it would blend nicely with the other Cards that I currently possessed.

"I now have three of the nine Foundation Cards. Intelligence, Agility, and Strength," I placed the three to the side. Without the addition of the Strength Card, most of the Cards in my Deck would be worthless. "These four Ability Cards should be more than enough to get started."

This group of Cards consisted of Pierce, Howl, Throw, and the new Dash Card that I'd procured from the shady little merchant. Most Cards of this classification required physical Foundation Cards to use, Strength and Agility being the leading examples. Abilities and Spells could be used without the necessary Foundation Cards, but the strain on one's body or mind was immense if overused. There were cases of Climbers having heart attacks or giving themselves aneurysms when attempting to use a Card multiple times without the matching Foundation.

Not intending to pull my Summon Card out, I looked at the last two. One was a Spell Card and the other an Enhancement. Enhancement Cards were similar to Foundation Cards that affected your person, but they were more precise and had more profound effects. The Enhancement Card that I was holding was called Memory. As the name suggested, it helped me remember tiny details that I would often forget and was one of the only reasons I'd been able to maintain my scholarship.

Lastly, the only Spell Card that I had on me was Inspect. It could be used to view more detailed information about any living creatures I came across. Unfortunately, I didn't own the Examine Card that would allow me to view more detailed information about Cards or Relics. I did, however, have one of the simple tools handed out to Academy students that held a similar effect, but only on Cards.

I pulled this item out of my pack. It was a blank, metal sheet the same size as a Card, simply called Demon Glass. It was one of the cheapest and most common Relics among hunters. When tapped against a Card, it would pull up its basic information, the Essence needed to push it to the next Level, and expose the Card's Rank.

"Now that I have the Strength Card, I'll be able to use Throwing and Pierce without holding back..." Slipping the Strength Card in with the rest of the Deck, I felt a sudden surge of warmth flowing through my veins. It was brief, and once it was over, I could tell that my body had become more powerful.

As with all Foundation Cards, the effects were subtle. I couldn't suddenly punch through walls or leap onto a second-floor balcony. Before the first Examine Card and the discovery of Demon Glass, no one knew the exact effects of the Cards. Nowadays, it is well known that a Level One Foundation Card would increase the corresponding attribute by ten percent.

"Hey, kid," a weary voice sounded behind me, interrupting my train of thought. I turned to see a haggard, drunken man looking over my shoulder. The booze coming off of his breath was heavy. It was odd how he'd sneaked up on me... my perception wasn't that bad, was it?

Since this fellow wanted to pry into my personal space, I decided against being courteous. Slipping my Cards into my Deck Box, I stood and put some distance between myself and the filthy vagrant.

"Can I help you, sir?" I asked, doing my best not to snap at the man. One's appearance must be proper. Even if my feathers were ruffled, I wouldn't let it show.

"Shouldn't you be at the Academy, boy?" The drunken man asked while peering side-eyed at the uniform below my armor, "These old ears haven't heard the final bell ring... meaning yoouuu are out here during school hours. That ain't acceptable, lad."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the drunkard's words. This boozer had another hundred years or more before he could call me 'boy,' "Well, do you intend to rat on me?"

"I might..." The man shrugged his shoulders and fiddled with his dirty Deck Box, "Kid... You really should head back to the Academy. You may not see it now, but you'll regret missin' those classes one day. Every lesson is valuable. You keep bein' arrogant, an' skippin' class yer gonna end up in a monster's gut."

"Hmm..?" I took a second look at the man. At first glance, he just seemed to be some drunken old fool, but after observing him for a moment... deep scars marred both of his arms. Though he was leaning over, his body was strong, and it appeared that he was forcing himself to look like a slob. His eyes were bright, and it looked like he'd seen his fair share of battle, which was odd to see on the First Floor.

Either way, I wasn't going to humor him. There was too much to do and hardly enough time to do it. He may have meant well, but this fellow's uncouth nature and that comment about my arrogance had riled me up enough.

"Pardon me, sir," I said, turning to leave. My cane tapped against the cobblestone as I walked away. "You should be old enough to know that blind advice tends to land on deaf ears."

"..." The man watched silently as the young man retreated. Once the boy was a distance away, he shrugged his shoulders and moved back into the alley, "Youths, they never learn."

This time, I found a more secluded spot to sort through my effects. It was a small garden next to an inn that had a few benches around a flowerbed. No one was around, and the area was bright and tranquil.

Once I was settled, I pulled the Essence pouch and Demon Glass from my pack and sorted my Cards next to me. There was 1,170 Essence left after paying for rations, and now it was time for me to make a choice.

This decision wasn't life or death at the moment, but it would affect how I needed to go about the next few days. It would take almost all of my remaining Essence to Level a fresh Card from Level 1 to 2. If I could use my Summon, this wouldn't be necessary. Unfortunately, using Summons required an equivalently Leveled Wisdom Card. There was no way I could get my hands on a Level 3 Wisdom Card with my current funds.

So, to comfortably hunt the creatures on this Floor, it would be best to Level one of my Cards. At the moment, I felt that there were only two viable options. Strength or Agility.

Leveling either of these would significantly enhance my physical attributes along with the effectiveness of my Ability Cards. My former self would likely Level the Strength Card to augment the Throwing ability. With my experience and my cane in hand, there was no reason for me to kill these mobs from afar.

"Agility it is, then..." I tapped the Card with the Demon Glass and looked it over while waiting for its stats to pull up. After my health started to decline, I relied on Agility in my past life. The Cards only augmented one's attributes, and even doubling my Strength would have been useless when I struggled to lift a camping bag. While I was considering this, the Demon Glass had finished doing its job.

[Card Name: Agility]

[Class: Foundation]

[Rank: Pure]

[Level: 1]

[Essence: 55 / 1000]

[Effect: Enhances the Wielder's movement speed by 10%, allowing them to move faster. Also, any Cards that require Agility as a Foundation become more instantaneous, and their cooldown is decreased]

"Well, it's nice to see that it's already absorbed some Essence," I chuckled and prepared myself for the lengthy process. Holding a shard of Essence in one hand, I pressed it against the surface of the metal Card. The Card shined briefly as the crystal lost its glow and turned pitch black.

The Card had consumed the Essence within the shard, leaving a worthless rock behind. On the surface of the Card, it looked like the woman had come alive briefly. She was a purple-haired beauty, and her dress and hair flew in the wind behind her as she sprinted through the woods.

For almost an hour, I sat hunched over as the Card constantly glowed in my hand. I lamented the fact that my pouch only contained Level 1 and 2 Essence. When I was done, the Card shone brightly, and the tendrils of wind surrounding the woman in the image seemed to increase. Once again, I tapped the Demon Glass to the Card to examine it.

[Card Name: Agility]

[Class: Foundation]

[Rank: Pure]

[Level: 2]

[Essence: 0 / 10,000]

[Effect: Enhances the Wielder's movement speed by 50%, allowing them to move faster. Also, any Cards that require Agility as a Foundation become more instantaneous, and their cooldown is decreased]

My body felt lighter, and I couldn't help but smile. This was the first step toward not being an invalid in this life. I glanced over to the pile of nearly useless black shards beside me. Aside from selling them to one of the Churches for a portion of the original value, I didn't know what they were suitable for.

I scooped the empty shards into the bottom of my pack and slid my Cards back into the Deck Box. Seeing the pile of useless scraps scattered throughout my bag, I couldn't help but frown. Almost one thousand Essence gone, just like that.

"That leaves me with two hundred twenty-five Essence," I sighed and tossed the pouch into my bag. It would be a while before I could upgrade a Card to Level 3, but before that, there were plenty of purchases and a payment on the estate to make. "No matter. Gathering more Essence won't be an issue."

Just when I turned to leave, the sound of a horse's hooves clopping echoed down the street. I tucked my cane under my arm and dashed to the sidewalk, waving my free hand and laughing, "Lucky me, my ride was just on time."

A bearded man with an unnaturally round head pulled the carriage to the side of the road. His face was half buried in the bushy beard, and it was impossible to see whether he was smiling or scowling.

"Good afternoon, sir," I bowed slightly to the driver. His brows rose, and even though his beard, I could sense a hint of a smile. Those that weren't Climbers or of higher standing were looked down on and rarely treated with respect.

"Hmm," the driver eyed me without speaking. I knew I probably looked strange wearing such shoddy armor over my Academy uniform, and it wasn't often that anyone from the Academy showed a commoner such respect in the first place.

"May I have a ride to the forest, sir?" I asked the man, placing my cane against the ground and leaning toward him. "I know I'm missing class, but we've got to do what we can to make a living, right?"

The bearded man scrutinized me for a while before his eyes softened and he nudged his head to the back. "Hop in, young man. You said the forest earlier. You mean the Old Boar Forest, right?"

"Yes, sir!" I hopped in the back and tapped his shoulder to let him know I was ready.

"Alrighty, then," he snapped his reins, and the horses trudged forward. "The road is a bit rough out there, but I can get you pretty close to the edge."

I nodded in appreciation and settled comfortably onto the long bench. It was padded with hay and suited for the small bumps of the cobblestone Main Street. The comfort didn't last long. The moment we pulled off of Main Street, the vibrations were almost unbearable.

I sat on the wooden bench and glanced through the contents of my bag. Though the driver said he'd give me a lift, I planned to pay the chap 50 Essence. That was enough for a round trip... I knew he was going out of his way for me.

After paying the man, I would have 175 Essence left. More than I'd anticipated, and that number would only grow over the next couple of days. It seemed that lady luck was on my side.

While we traveled, I examined my surroundings. The outer ring wasn't as dirty as the inner ring that lay closest to the Academy. In this area, most of the big-time farmers, merchants, and wealthy individuals of the Origin Floor had set up on larger plots of land. The view from most of these locations was excellent, and there was more room for their stables and warehouses.

As the carriage traveled further, I could see more and more space between the dwellings. When we approached the outskirts, small mansions with large yards could be seen overlooking the farmland. The difference between these homes and those of the laborers in the inner circle was like night and day.

Once we reached the farms, the road smoothed out again, and the foul smell of the small city was replaced with fresh air. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, soaking up the rays of the sun above me. This was nice, and I'd enjoy it while I could. With every Floor, the sky would become darker, and the land would be plagued.

Though the ride was bumpy, the driver wasn't rushing his horses to get back to the city. Anyone else would probably make this trip as fast as they could to hurry back to the wealthy men and women who refused to walk the streets.

"The view out this way is quite beautiful, isn't it?" I asked, striking up a conversation. I knew that most of his patrons would likely ignore the man's existence.

The bearded man nodded and squinted his eyes, "That it is, sir. It isn't often I get the chance to journey beyond the farms. Most Climbers on this Floor are poor, and the students of the Academy usually have their own horses in the summer homes."

I chuckled, and the small talk continued long after the farms were at our backs. Finally, the driver had to stop as the wheels became ensnared in the tall brush. He turned the cart around and pointed the horses back toward the city.

"I'm sorry I can't take ya any further, lad. The cart will be stuck out here if I do," he shook his head apologetically.

With a smile, I patted the man on the shoulder and sat the stack of 50 crystals on the seat next to him, "No worries, sir. I'm delighted that I didn't have to wear out these old bones to walk here."

"Take your wife somewhere lavish this evening," I hopped off the back and dashed toward the woods before he could argue about the money I gave him. Along the way, I found out that the two were expecting.

"What a strange kid," the driver scratched his beard and pocketed the Essence before steering his horses away. He smiled and hummed jovially, pleased with this recent expedition. I couldn't help but chuckle at the man's forwardness.

It only took me a few minutes to reach the forest's edge. With my Agility being boosted, I could have kept pace with the horses if I'd jogged beside the cart. Of course, they weren't going full speed, and I would have exhausted myself.

My eyes scrutinized the woodland. Six men could have wrapped their arms around the massive tree's trunks and were as tall as the wall around the Academy. And these were just on the outskirts. The further one delved, the broader and taller these trees would become.

This was the start of the Old Boar Forest. It was aptly named for the thousands of Level 1 Wild Boars that were housed throughout. Even from this distance, I could hear more than one snorting within the brush.

"Haaahhhhh..." I stretched my arms and yawned loudly. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes, reminding me of how tired I was. It occurred to me that during my school days, I'd barely gotten any sleep. "Ugh... That isn't something I should have forgotten."

It was one of the reasons I'd splurged to buy the Memory Enhancement Card. Sleep wasn't an option. In the Academy, classwork meant nothing. Only one's grade on the final exam would determine whether they passed or failed. As long as one were to graduate, they would receive a Card of the Blessed Rank. If you could land in the top ten, you would get a Holy Rank Card, and the top spot even received a Sacred Card.

Naturally, there would be a small handful of students that received full marks. In such a case, an essay exam and the students' practical scores would be averaged to determine the final result. In my previous life, Aurora had been the one to receive the Sacred Card, which was enough to draw the ire of many other students.

Memories flooded back to me while I stood at the edge of the woods. Those days had been painful, but I still looked back fondly when the nights were quiet. After all, these were the last days I'd spent being healthy.

I swiped back the long, black hair that had fallen into my eyes. How I lived like such a slob, I would never know. Using my blade, I cut some of the excess string off my Essence pouch and used it to tie my hair back, "Welp, now that's out of the way, I think it's high time to loosen up these stiff bones."

My countenance changed the moment I stepped into the forest. Though these boars were nothing more than a nuisance, I still needed to test my body. It wasn't used to the many techniques I'd learned over the years. To be safe, I would go for a test run before the true hunt began.

Cane tucked beneath my arm, I sped up to a jog and nimbly dodged in and out of the trees to test my reflexes. The results were satisfactory. I didn't stop until I heard the loud grunting of a boar on the other side of a nearby brush. This was the opportunity I was looking for.

Quietly, I peeled back a few branches until I could see the shape of the creature. It was just a normal boar, half as tall as a man, with two small tusks protruding from its snout. I almost laughed... It had been years since I'd seen such a normal-looking beast.

Before making a move, I pulled my Inspect Card from my Deck Box. Regardless of a creature's appearance, it was taught in the Academy, as well as through life experience, that one should always get a read on their opponent before initiating an attack. It wasn't particularly necessary on the First Floor... but old habits die hard.

I held the Card up through a gap in the leaves and faced the back directly toward the creature. There was a floating eye in the center of the Card that slowly faded as it began to do its work. In just a few moments, I had confirmation that this wasn't a tainted beast.

[Wild Boar]

[Level 1]

"Ah, right..." I chuckled quietly and slipped the Card into my Deck Box. "At Level 1, the Inspect Card does nothing more than show a creature's name and Level. I'll be sure to upgrade it before heading to the Second Floor."

Casting the stray thoughts aside, I grasped the hilt of my cane. In one swift motion, I activated the Throw Card while simultaneously clicking the button to release the blade. The sheath slung forward with inhuman speed and accuracy, hitting the boar's temple. Dazed and injured, it squealed and ran in circles, searching for the offender.

When it came within five yards, I activated Dash. As if I were prompted by some unseen force, my body lurched toward the stunned beast. I was going faster than expected. In my haste, I hadn't considered the additional power provided by the Strength and Agility Cards.

I quickly repositioned my sword so that it was parallel to the ground and activated Pierce. The edge glowed with a blue sheen that hadn't been there prior. My body continued to fly forward, and the tip of the blade penetrated directly through the boar's skull, killing it instantly. The Dash Card continued to propel me forward, pushing myself and the corpse another two yards.

Once the Ability Cards had settled down, I pulled the blade from the creature's skull. It was a clean kill. Blood poured from the wound as the corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud.

"Haah..." I breathed out loudly and shook my head. It was ignorant of me to believe that I still had so much control over my body. In my elder years, I had enough control over myself and the Cards that I could cancel the active effects, "It seems that I will have to instill some discipline in this body."

I laughed loudly and reviewed my blunders, "The Dash Card at Level 1 has a cooldown of twenty seconds and a distance of five yards... However, I didn't account for the boost from my Foundation Cards. My Strength increased the initial burst by ten percent, and my Agility increased the distance traveled by half. Therefore, the current limit should be approximately eight yards."

Squinting, I checked that my math was accurate before slicing open the boar's chest with one of my throwing knives. This was my least favorite part of hunting. With deft movements, I peeled back the layers of meat, thrust my hand into the open chest cavity, and pulled back a hard, stone-like object.

Opening my fist, I found that I was holding a beautiful crystal, matching those of the Essence in my pouch. It was spotless. Even the blood that was still warm on my hands didn't seem to soil its surface.

I tossed it to the side and opened my pack with my clean hand, rummaging through the mess until finding the box that the merchant had been kind enough to provide me. Grabbing one of the twelve vials, I pulled the stopper with my teeth and poured a single drop onto my sword, knife, and bloodied hand.

The blood evaporated instantly. Not just the blood, but I could feel all of the grime that was built up on my body disperse. Even my hair was no exception. It felt as if I'd just finished bathing in a warm spring.

"All this for a single Essence," I chuckled. As far as I knew, there wasn't a possibility for the beasts on this Floor to produce a Card. The beasts here didn't contain the Demonic Essence that formed the Cards. On the Second Floor, things were different. The drop rate for a Pure Card from a Crazed beast was one in a hundred.

"There will be plenty of opportunity to farm Cards later," I told myself, tossing the Essence into my pouch and sheathing my sword. This test proved to me my current limits. Throughout the rest of my task, I would hone my body's skills and gain control over the Cards. It wouldn't be easy.

Luckily, my task would assist me greatly. I turned my head upon witnessing the rustle of a nearby brush. It seemed two boars had heard the commotion and come to investigate. I chuckled merrily, not bothering to hide my presence. If anything, I needed to attract more of these brutes. The first of the Secret Achievements was a rather lucrative task.

Kill one thousand Wild Boars in under six hours.