Chapter 2: First Monster Card
As he rounded a corner, the scene came into focus. A boy, no older than eight, was running frantically across a debris-strewn street. His face was streaked with dirt and tears, his terrified cries echoing against the crumbling walls. Chasing him was a monstrous boar the size of a mastiff. Its thick, spiny fur bristled like a porcupine’s quills, and its compact frame moved with feral precision.
The boy stumbled and fell, sprawling onto the ground with a cry. The monster slowed, its snout twitching as it sniffed the air. The spines along its back rattled ominously, a warning as it prepared to strike. Its hoofed feet scraped against the rubble, and its dark eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Rowan’s breath hitched. The scene almost mirrored a memory he had tried for years to suppress: Ana, his younger sister, screaming as a Mana-Scarred tore through their home. He shook his head, forcing the memory away. Not this time. This time I can do something.
His hand tightened around the dagger at his hip, and he didn’t hesitate. “Over here!” he shouted, his voice cutting through the tense air. The creature’s head snapped toward him, its attention shifting instantly.
The Bristleback let out a sharp squeal, its spines rattling as it charged at him. Rowan’s heart raced as he braced himself, gripping the hilt of his dagger with sweaty palms. The creature moved fast—too fast for its size—and he barely managed to dive out of the way as its tusks slashed the air where he had stood a moment before.
The creature skidded to a halt, turning with surprising agility. Its quills bristled in warning, and it let out another guttural growl. Rowan scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving as adrenaline surged through him. He couldn’t rely on strength alone; he had to outsmart it.
The monster darted forward, lashing out with its tusks. Rowan raised his dagger instinctively, deflecting one swipe but taking a glancing blow to his arm. The fabric of his jacket tore, and a shallow cut burned across his skin. He hissed in pain, his mind racing. Its hide is too thick. I need to find another way.
Rowan circled cautiously, scanning the area for anything he could use to his advantage. The open ground left him vulnerable, but he noticed a jagged slab of broken concrete jutting from a nearby wall. If he could lure the creature into it…
The monster charged again, this time with its quills rattling menacingly. One spine shot out, narrowly missing Rowan’s shoulder as he twisted away. The projectile embedded itself in the ground behind him with a sharp crack. It can fire its quills, he realized, his stomach sinking. The creature’s ranged attack made it even deadlier.
He darted toward the broken slab, throwing a small stone he picked up into its face to draw it’s attention and make it angrier. “Come on!” he shouted, waving his dagger to keep its attention. “You want me, don’t you?”
It growled and charged, its hooves scraping against the ground as it closed the distance. At the last moment, Rowan dove to the side and the creature slammed into the concrete with a sickening crunch, its momentum almost assuredly causing it’s skull to crack. It let out a pained squeal, stunned from the impact.
Rowan seized the opportunity. He rushed forward, plunging his dagger into the creature’s exposed neck. Warm blood sprayed across his hands as the blade found its mark, slicing through into the softer muscle and tissue. It thrashed violently, its quills rattling in a final, desperate attempt to fend him off. Rowan quickly pulled out the dagger and ran as far as his shaky legs could get him from the monster to let it bleed out on it’s own. Nothing is more dangerous than a monster on it’s last legs.
He staggered back, almost collapsing, his chest heaving as the monster boar collapsed onto the rubble. Its spines rattling faintly with the last of its strength, the glow in its eyes fading to nothing. Rowan dropped to his knees then, his body trembling from the effort. Pain radiated from the cut on his arm, and his muscles ached from the fight, but he was alive—and so was the boy. He felt very lucky right at that moment.
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A faint shimmer began to rise from the creature’s corpse, like heat waves rippling off a sunlit road. The essence from the monster boar coalesced into a glowing rectangle, hovering above the body. Rowan’s eyes widened as the light solidified into a card, its surface glowing faintly with an otherworldly sheen. He reached out, his hand trembling, and grasped it.
The card glowed faintly with a deep, earthy green hue, reminiscent of forest canopies bathed in twilight. It was rectangular and slightly larger than a standard playing card, with edges trimmed in an intricate metallic border that shimmered in bronze and gold tones. Tiny vein-like patterns, resembling roots, extended inward from the edges, pulsing faintly with mana as if alive.
The card’s surface displayed a highly detailed illustration of the monster. The creature was depicted mid-action, its claws digging into rocky terrain as its spines bristled outward, capturing its aggressive and agile nature. Its dark, beady eyes gleamed with feral intelligence, and its quills shimmered as though caught in motion, each spine meticulously etched to highlight its sharpness.
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The background behind it depicted a rugged wilderness, scattered with jagged rocks and overgrown foliage, emphasizing its connection to the earth. Subtle flecks of green and brown swirled across the card’s face, adding depth and motion to the design.
At the bottom of the card, glowing text appeared in a clear, elegant script:
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Juvenile Bristleback
Rank: F
Type: Beast
Affinity: Earth (Dormant)
Skills:
1. Quill Shot:Fires a single sharp quill at a target with high velocity, dealing moderate physical damage. Effective at medium range.
2. Ferocious Charge:A rapid forward lunge that delivers a powerful impact, capable of knocking back lighter opponents and breaking through fragile defenses.
Attributes:
* Durability:The Juvenile Bristleback has a tough hide reinforced by dense spines, granting it moderate resistance to physical attacks.
* Mobility:Its compact frame allows for quick movements, enabling it to dodge attacks and reposition effectively in battle.
* Aggression:Known for its unrelenting attacks, the Bristleback becomes more ferocious when injured.
Behavior: The Juvenile Bristleback will act as a frontline combatant, prioritizing close-range targets and protecting its summoner when under threat.
Description:
The Juvenile Bristleback is a smaller, adolescent form of the Bristleback species. Despite its size, it is highly aggressive and mobile, making it a formidable foe. Its quills provide both offense and defense, allowing it to strike from a distance or shield itself from attacks on its backside. While its stamina is limited, it compensates with bursts of explosive speed and determination in combat.
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The card felt surprisingly warm. Its surface was smooth yet firm, with a slight hum of energy emanating from it. It seemed to pulse faintly, as though in sync with Rowan’s heartbeat, hinting at the dormant power waiting to be unleashed.
Rowan stared at the card, his mind racing. This was a manifestation of his Monster Card Lord ability. His fingers tightened around the card as he let the implications sink in.
“I can summon it.” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The thought was staggering. The creature he’d just fought, the one that had pushed him to his limits, was now at his disposal.
He tucked the card carefully into his pocket, as though it were a priceless treasure. It was only then that he noticed the lingering shimmer of mana around the boar’s body. The light was softer now, more diffuse, but it still pulsed faintly, a reminder of the essence it held.
Rowan knelt, placing his hand on the boar’s flank. The instant he made contact, a soft pulse of energy flowed into him. He felt the essence being drawn into his core, a small portion was absorbed to strengthen his abilities, while the rest activated the looting power of his System Interface ability.
He heard a chime in his head and a translucent screen appeared in front of him showing the available loot he can obtain from the monster’s body.
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Loot:
* Juvenile Bristleback Quills x3
* Juvenile Bristleback Meat x2
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Rowan let out a shaky breath, relief flooding his body as the items shimmered and disappeared into his inventory. He pulled up the interface again, marveling at the cleanly listed items.
This wasn’t just survival—it was a game changer. The potential of his abilities grew clearer with every passing moment.
Rowan stood unsteadily, the reality of his new powers sinking in.
He turned his attention to the boy, who peeked out cautiously from behind a shattered pillar. His wide eyes remained fixed on the dissipating body of the Juvenile Bristleback, the glow of its essence long extinguished. Rowan approached slowly, crouching to meet the boy’s gaze.
“It’s okay,” Rowan said gently, extending a hand. “You’re safe now.”
The boy hesitated, glancing between Rowan and the creature’s lifeless body. Finally, he reached out, his small hand gripping Rowan’s firmly. His grip trembled but conveyed a surprising strength, a desperation that Rowan understood all too well.
“What’s your name?” Rowan asked, offering a reassuring smile.
“Elias,” the boy whispered, his voice shaking. “Thank you for saving me.”
Rowan ruffled the boy’s messy hair, a rare smile breaking across his face. “You were very brave, Elias. Now let’s get out of here.”
As they walked away from the battleground, Rowan couldn’t help but glance back at the remnants of the fight. The Bristleback’s body had dissolved into mana, leaving no trace of its existence except for the card in his pocket and the resources in his inventory.
Elias clung to Rowan’s side as they navigated the ruins, his steps small but determined. The boy’s presence reminded Rowan of family he had lost—and that there were still some things that he could fight for.
For the first time in years, he felt a glimmer of hope. He wasn’t just going to be just barely surviving anymore; with his abilities he was going to make sure to thrive in this new and harsh world.