Morning came slowly to Vilge Out-1.
The wind carried dry dust across the empty road leading toward the Barrens. Most vilgers had already heard about what happened the night before.
A Barrens Beast had appeared near the farms.
And somehow… Affin had defeated it.
Groups of vilgers whispered to each other near the well and outside small houses.
“I heard he used magic.”
“Impossible. That boy only has Neutral affinity.”
“But the farmers saw it.”
“Multiple elements, they said.”
“No one can do that.”
The rumors spread quickly.
Inside a small wooden shed near the edge of the vilge, Affin sat quietly.
The sunlight entered through the cracks in the wall as he looked down at his Card Collection Book.
He opened it slowly.
The pages flipped until they reached the strange card.
Elemental Merge.
The card looked the same as st night, except for the small glowing symbol now carved in one corner.
Affin touched the page carefully.
“I definitely used it,” he murmured.
He could still remember the feeling.
Fire.
Wind.
Lightning.
Water.
All responding to him at the same time.
It felt powerful.
But also unstable.
If the power had been just a little stronger, he felt like it might have exploded out of control.
Affin leaned back against the wall.
“Guess I need to learn how to control it.”
A loud knock suddenly came from the door.
“Affin! Are you in there?”
It was the voice of Elder Torren, the oldest man in the vilge.
Affin stood up and opened the door.
The elderly man stood outside with two farmers behind him.
“You fought the Barrens Beast st night,” Torren said.
Affin scratched the back of his head.
“Something like that.”
One of the farmers stepped forward.
“You saved our lives,” he said.
“We couldn’t thank you properly st night.”
Affin shook his head quickly.
“It was nothing.”
Torren studied him carefully.
“You used Arcana Cards.”
Affin hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
The old man crossed his arms.
“And you have Neutral affinity.”
Affin nodded again.
The farmers exchanged confused looks.
Torren remained quiet for several seconds.
Then he sighed.
“This vilge is too small for a mage.”
Affin blinked.
“What?”
Torren pointed toward the distant road leading away from the vilge.
“If you truly awakened magic… your path isn’t here.”
Affin looked toward the road.
The long dusty path eventually led beyond the Barrens.
Beyond that…
The great cities of One World.
Pces he had only heard about in stories.
“Where would I even go?” Affin asked.
Torren answered immediately.
“Arcana Dominion Academy.”
Affin’s eyes widened.
“That academy?”
It was the most famous magic academy in the entire world.
Only talented mages were accepted there.
Torren nodded.
“You defeated a Barrens Beast on your first day with cards.”
“That alone is proof you have potential.”
One of the farmers added, “Even if your affinity is strange.”
Affin looked down at his book again.
Potential.
No one had ever said that about him before.
Torren continued.
“The academy entrance trials begin soon.”
“If you leave today, you might reach the city in time.”
Affin’s heart beat faster.
Leaving the vilge.
Traveling across the world.
Becoming a real mage.
The dream he had carried since childhood suddenly felt possible.
But before he could answer, another voice interrupted.
“You’re all talking about that Neutral kid, right?”
Everyone turned.
A tall traveler stood at the end of the road.
He wore a dark cloak that covered most of his body.
Dust covered his boots.
His face was mostly hidden beneath the hood.
“I heard he defeated a Barrens Beast,” the traveler continued.
Torren narrowed his eyes.
“And who might you be?”
“Just a traveler passing through.”
His voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
The man slowly stepped closer.
His eyes focused on Affin.
“So you’re the Neutral mage.”
Affin felt something strange in his chest.
A cold feeling.
The traveler smiled slightly.
“Mind if I see your Card Collection Book?”
Affin did not move.
Torren stepped forward instead.
“That’s enough.”
But the traveler suddenly moved faster than anyone expected.
His cloak shifted.
A bck Card Collection Book appeared in his hand.
The pages flipped open instantly.
Dark energy erupted around him.
“Shadow Fang.”
A bck Arcana Card shot into the air.
From the ground behind him, a massive shadow beast formed.
The vilgers gasped in fear.
Torren shouted, “A mage?!”
The traveler smiled coldly.
“I’ve been searching all morning.”
His eyes locked onto Affin.
“Looks like I found what I was looking for.”
Affin slowly opened his own Card Collection Book.
The wind picked up across the dusty road.
“So you came for me?”
The traveler nodded.
“Yes.”
His voice turned colder.
“You awakened something very interesting st night.”
The shadow beast growled loudly.
“Master Skull Blood Dawn wants to meet you.”
Affin frowned.
“Never heard of him.”
The traveler raised his hand.
“You will.”
The shadow beast lunged forward.
Affin flipped his book open.
The Elemental Merge card began to glow.
His first real enemy had arrived.
And his journey beyond Vilge Out-1 had just begun.
