BXBX NOVEL Chapter 405: New Shop Evolution
"Ah… How forgetful of me," The Keeper chuckled, a touch self-deprecating, "in my enthusiasm to explain everything, I nearly neglected to introduce you to the shop's new features." He cleared his throat theatrically.
"Ahem, Mr. Emberweave. There's another reason I went into such detail about this place. It's not just to ease your mind and explain its purpose, but also to introduce you to how the new features connect to all of this."
The Keeper paused, letting his words sink in. "Previously, the shop relied on your creations to manifest them as cards, because that format was most familiar to you. However, the new features..." He gestured towards the swirling yellow space beyond the window.
"...can tap into the limitless possibilities, encompassing the past, present, and even the future. These possibilities will manifest as cards, much like a vastly enhanced version of the black booster pack you received. But now, you're not limited to your existing creations. You can envision what you need, and the shop will reach out to this sea of possibilities, acquiring the card on your behalf."
"So, you're saying..." Daniel's voice trailed off, anticipation building. "I can create a new card now?"
"Not quite, sir," The Keeper demurred, courteously shaking his head. "Within this realm of limitless possibilities, you may specify the desired power, abilities, name, or mana cost you require on this form." With a flourish, The Keeper presented a sheet of paper upon the counter before Daniel.
It bore checkboxes and ample space for detailed descriptions and any miscellaneous information pertaining to the card he envisioned.
"Once you have completed the form to your satisfaction, sir, kindly insert it within the contraption beside the panoramic window." The Keeper gestured towards the device with a slight incline of his head. "However, I must issue a gentle warning: this feature consumes points from your accumulated pool.
Should you input highly improbable conditions, such as a card capable of obliterating entire continents without any mana cost or drawbacks, an immense amount of points would be required to locate and translate the desired effect into a card format you comprehend."
"So, it's essentially a search engine for cards," Daniel concluded.
"Indeed, sir," The Keeper confirmed with a knowing smile. "Is there anything further I may be of assistance with?" asked The Keeper.
"One question," Daniel said with a hint of skepticism. "Why the vintage aesthetic? If it's a search engine, wouldn't a computer, console, or something similar be more practical and user-friendly?"
A gentle chuckle escaped The Keeper's lips. "A most astute observation, sir. However, do recall that this establishment reflects your current state of being and mind.
It would appear you have developed a certain fondness for this vintage atmosphere." The Keeper gestured around the shop, its luxurious and antique ambiance accentuated by the mahogany wall decorations and animal heads reminiscent of a 18th-19th century British nobleman's drawing room.
Hearing this, Daniel remained silent, acknowledging The Keeper's words. Given his familiarity with the mage's luxurious lifestyle and the influence of high-ranking mages like Envy and Greed who enjoyed such lavish décor, it was no surprise that his surroundings reflected this taste.
"Alright, let's put this to the test, shall we?" Daniel said, picking up a sheet of paper from the counter and jotting down the specifications for the card he desired.
"Type: Artifact-Vehicle," "Mana cost: >= 8," "Rarity: Legendary," "Abilities: Indestructible, Camouflage," "Flavor Text: Atlantean [and] Space-worthy [and/or] Mothership."
Daniel nodded in satisfaction after reviewing the data he had input. He handed the paper to The Keeper, who then inserted it into the reader beside the panoramic window.
A moment passed after the paper entered the machine. The view of the starry space outside the window began to change, with the stars shifting as if the shop were moving through space, reminiscent of scenes from sci-fi movies. The vision narrowed into a tunnel-like view as light passed by the window.
Daniel glanced at the counter, which displayed rapidly diminishing numbers, resembling fuel consumption in a spaceship. The numbers decreased swiftly until they halted after consuming around 45,000 points. Slowly, a few cards matching Daniel's input began to appear behind the panoramic window.
The Keeper nodded and turned toward Daniel. "It appears that the search is complete. Are you satisfied with the results, sir?" he asked.
—
Card Name: Elpis - The Hope of Humanity
Illustration: A spherical futuristic mothership with a dome-like glass that allows a view of the starry sky. Inside, an entire ancient Greece is depicted along with its sea, as the colossal mothership flies through space.
Rarity: Legendary
Type: Artifact - Vehicle
Mana Cost: 12 Non-Element
Description:
Indestructible, Camouflage, Flying
When Elpis - The Hope of Humanity enters the battlefield, search for 5 location cards and put them onto the battlefield.
Whenever the controller of this card taps a location for mana, choose one:
Place 1 Strengthen counter on Elpis - The Hope of Humanity.
Create a 1/1 human colonist token on the battlefield.
Gain a copy of mana that you would receive from the tapped location.
Power: 12
Toughness: 12
Flavor Text: The Atlantean mothership, the last hope of humanity, was built urgently as the gods deliberately destroyed the world, making it uninhabitable in the long term. Atlanteans, along with all the heroes who survived the war, gathered to construct this colossal, space-worthy ship for the survival of humanity.
—
Card Name: Menis - God Slaying Battle Cruiser
Illustration: A formidable, futuristic battle cruiser soaring through the cosmic void, brimming with powerful energy.
Rarity: Legendary
Type: Artifact - Vehicle
Mana Cost: 8 Non-Element
Description:
Indestructible, Camouflage, Flying
When Menis enters the battlefield, place 3 Strengthen counters on 'Menis - God Slaying Battle Cruiser'.
Pay 1 Non-Elemental mana: Remove any number of Strengthened counters from 'Menis - God Slaying Battle Cruiser'. 'Menis - God Slaying Battle Cruiser' deals 5 damage to target creature or player for each counter removed this way.
Pay 2 Non-Elemental mana: Add 1 Strengthen counter to 'Menis - God Slaying Battle Cruiser'.
Power: 5
Toughness: 5
Flavor Text: The secret weapon of the Atlanteans, a space-worthy battle cruiser capable of slaying gods.
—
There are 2 more cards other than Elpis and Menis, but they are a fighter-class ship and a probe, respectively. Daniel didn't design all of the cards he saw, but after reading their descriptions and effects, he realized they could significantly impact the game for whoever used them. However, they weren't particularly useful for Daniel at the moment.
Daniel glanced at the price tags under the cards; Elpis showed 100,000 points, and Menis showed 30,000. Pointing at the price tag, he turned toward The Keeper and asked, "Are those the points I need to pay for the card?"
"Indeed, Mr. Emberweave," replied The Keeper. "Converting those possibilities into usable cards without complications requires the corresponding amount of points."
Upon hearing this, Daniel pondered for a moment before reaching a decision. "Then, I'll take 'Elpis - The Hope of Humanity.' Please give it to me," he said.
"Certainly, sir," The Keeper nodded courteously, then pressed the button on the machine's side. The points instantly reduced by exactly 100,000, leaving 65,000 points remaining in the pool.
Witnessing this deduction, Daniel felt a pang akin to losing a large sum of money—extravagant, yet necessary, as he genuinely needed the card. It reminded him of the time when he required a new desktop for his thesis work, unable to rely on internet cafes due to the risk of losing his data.
The bittersweet taste of his youthful experiences flooded back, especially the frustration of losing four hours' worth of thesis progress at an internet cafe and seeking solace in Koyuki's soothing voice and her maid outfit, a comforting memory that lingered in his mind.
Speaking of maids... Daniel's mind wandered to a certain card box set that he hadn't unlocked yet: 'The Rule Of The BackStreet.' This set delves deeply into a world of gangs and steampunk, set in an alternate London where magic intertwines with steampunk technology.
Given its heavy Victorian Era influence, combat maids and powerful badass butlers capable of decimating entire gangs in London are also part of the set.
"It's finished, sir," The Keeper handed the Elpis Card to Daniel, then inquired, "Is there anything else I can assist you with, sir?"
"I'd like to unlock 'The Rule Of The BackStreet' set. What do I need to do?" Daniel inquired.
"Oh, please fill in this form, sir," The Keeper placed a new form on the counter. The form listed the box card sets that Daniel could unlock, including the prototype that hadn't passed the playtest yet.