Status Window:
Name: Nolan HP: 72/100 MP: 90/100 Talent: Full Body Control Deck: 0/40 Cards Equipped Manuals: [Card Creation: Basic Interface], [Rule Compendium], [System Notes by the Goddess]
"You seeing this too?" Nolan asked aloud, stretching his limbs. Every joint moved with deliberate precision. He was still surprised by how smooth it felt to control this body.
A shimmer of silver formed to his right as the Akashic Records appeared in semi-transparent form, brushing dust off her spectral robes.
"I installed it," she said. "This system window is one of the few things the goddess actually completed without screwing it up. Consider it your one functioning tutorial."
Nolan smirked. "Looks pretty barebones."
"Because it is. Think of it as divine scaffolding. The only reason it works is because I maintain it manually. The goddess only managed to hardcode the basics."
She gestured to the floating icons, and the [Card Creation: Basic Interface] tab expanded.
Welcome to Card Creation! Step 1: Choose your core (mana, item, or hybrid). Step 2: Infuse intention. Step 3: Describe the effect clearly. Step 4: Submit for Akashic Approval.
"Important tip," she said, voice edged with a warning. "Don’t use flowery language."
Nolan raised a brow. "Why not?"
"Because this system doesn’t speak poetry. I’ve rejected more cards from nobles trying to sound profound than I can count. The goddess liked poetic phrasing, so now every academy teaches people to write like they’re penning love letters to the void. It makes my job hell."
She swiped her hand, and a rejected card entry appeared beside him:
Card Name: Flame of Valiant Reckoning Effect: Let the wrath of ancient suns descend upon mine enemies in holy retribution.
"And what did it actually do?"
"Exploded in their hands. Twice."
Nolan made a note: No metaphors.
"Got it. Short and stupid. Like patch notes."
"Exactly."
He stood and moved toward the pile of broken tools and debris scattered in the corner of the cavern. Burnt-out molds, cracked planks, and melted shards littered the area.
Stolen novel; please report.
"Let's try something simple."
He placed a pebble in front of him, channeled a small thread of mana into it, and opened the creation menu. The interface flared gently, awaiting input.
Item Core Detected. Please describe intended effect.
He typed:
Summon Rock: Summons a single rock.
The text pulsed. A few seconds later, a chime sounded.
? Approved.
A small, fist-sized stone appeared before him. It was exactly what he expected.
"You're really not picky, huh?"
"Clarity over creativity," Akashic Records replied. "You’re not writing poetry. You’re issuing commands."
He moved on. Extracted a half-charred plank from the pile and repeated the process.
Summon Plank: Summons a single wooden plank. ?
This one was longer—roughly the size of his forearm. Nolan tested its balance, nodded, then sat back down with a grin.
He used a shard of bone to carve the plank into a rough spear, whittling it into a point. His control was surprisingly effective—his hands didn’t shake, his cuts were straight, and the wood barely splintered.
He infused mana into the final product and began crafting a new card:
Spear from Plank: Summons a single spear made from wood. Causes piercing damage. Can be thrown. Can be summoned again, but only one copy exists at a time. Once broken, it is gone. ?
It shimmered into being, and he could feel it respond to his thoughts.
"Feels like I'm playing a survival game," Nolan muttered. "But with slightly better muscle memory."
The Akashic Records hovered beside him with arms crossed. "Most people try to invent explosions first. You're making IKEA weapons."
"Hey, these are versatile. Don’t knock the basics."
The next hour was a blur of trial and error.
He summoned plank after plank. Every time he shaped one into a new weapon or tool, he would find another intact plank and create a new card. He didn’t recycle a single one—each use demanded a fresh start.
Some broke during carving. Some warped. Some didn’t fuse properly. But one by one, he began filling his deck:
Spear from Plank – A light spear for thrusting or throwing. Only one exists at a time.
Thrown Club – A blunt weapon carved from scrap.
Short Spear – Quicker to use, shorter range.
Board Shield – A makeshift shield from a flat plank.
Tripwire Pole – A long stick usable for tripping or blocking.
Summon Pebble – Small stone to distract or throw. Only one exists.
Improvised Rod – Can be used to extend reach.
Reinforced Plank – Double-carved for durability.
Split Stick – Two short wooden daggers.
Shoulder Guard – A wooden plate card to block slashes.
By the time he had 20 cards, he was drenched in sweat and mana-depleted.
Nolan sat back and opened the deck window.
Deck: 20/40 Equipped
His MP had dropped to 24. Not too bad for a full loadout of starter items.
He tapped one card mentally: Spear from Plank.
It shimmered into his hand with a hum.
He tested its weight again. Still solid. Still summonable.
"This is going to be fun," he whispered.
Akashic Records looked down at the progress with narrowed eyes.
"You're not what I expected."
"I get that a lot."
She hovered lower, her voice quieter now.
"Just remember, Nolan—this world doesn’t need a hero. It needs a splinter in its side. Something small and irritating enough that people are forced to change."
He twirled the spear and planted it against the stone.
"That, I can do."
And somewhere, deep below the spire, a growl echoed through the stones. Something had felt the shift. Something old. Something burning.
Nolan stood slowly.
"Well then," he said, gripping his summoned spear. "Let’s go throw some rocks into the gears."