[Starling]:No wonder you got Administrator status. Maybe you'd get it too if you made a red card. @FutureAdmin
[Gorgeous & Deadly]:She's in seclusion. Why do you keep tagging her?
[FutureAdmin]:Just failed a card. Checking messages.Why is there suddenly a newcomer — and an ADMINISTRATOR?
[FutureAdmin]:A red card maker. I kneel.
[Isuzu Ichika]:...
[Gorgeous & Deadly]:Oh look, the quiet one surfaces. Your island hasn't sunk yet?
[Isuzu Ichika]:Thanks for the concern. We're doing fine.
[FutureAdmin]: @Arceus is an Alpaca — Tell us everything. How was the red card made? What was your thought process? Any tips?
[Director Marshall]:Speaking of which, the newcomer probably just hit Master-level status. Remember to register with the Card Maker Association.
Ethan glanced at his profile. It still clearly read Junior Card Maker.
To become a Senior Card Maker, your Mental Strength needed to reach a thousand. Most people didn't hit that milestone until their thirties or forties — unless they entered Rifts and earned specific rewards.
Seeing several people in the group asking, Ethan kept his reply brief.
[Arceus is an Alpaca]:Thanks everyone. You all know more about card-making than I do. My strength is still a long way from Master-level, so I won't be sharing experience.
A tiny way. Just a small gap. Like a canyon.
[LinaBell]:You can make a red card without even being Master-level?? Where are us old folks supposed to hide our faces?
[StellaLou]:Card making runs on talent. It's normal to get outpaced by a newcomer.
[Director Marshall]:You can make a red card without being a Master? Give me your location. I'd like to have a chat.
Ethan: ...
The messages devolved into colorful chaos, so Ethan stopped replying.
He checked his Mental Strength and was surprised to find it had surged by 50 points. Making all those Gold and Purple cards before had only added that much combined.
Could creating a red card be a shortcut for rapid Mental Strength growth?
With that suspicion in mind, he prepared to test it — but the next card he needed was Tier 3, so he'd have to wait for recovery. The 50 points were added to his maximum, not his current pool.
"How'd it go?" Jake asked when Ethan came back.
"Need to try again. My Mental Strength isn't recovered yet."
The four of them sat in the clearing. The surrounding area was clear of monsters — some of Ethan's guard summons stood watch. No danger.
"Hey — have you guys seen this?" Sophie pulled up a screen. "A red card just appeared on the Tier 1 rankings."
Jake immediately checked. "No way — it's real."
"Probably some Master-level Card Maker," Lily said.
Three sentences. Three faces full of amazement.
Then they noticed Ethan's completely calm expression.
A particular thought arose simultaneously in all three of them.
It felt impossible. But they asked anyway.
"It wasn't you, was it?!"
All three. In unison.
The timing was suspicious. Ethan had just run off to the side. The moment he came back, a red card appeared on the leaderboard.
Ethan nodded and calmly pulled out the card.
The air froze.
Jake's jaw dropped. The words he'd been about to say got stuck somewhere between his brain and his mouth. His eyes locked onto the crimson-bordered card. "You... you you you — you actually made one?!"
Lily's composure shattered. She leaned in, gaze darting between the card and Ethan. "It's real. An actual Immortal-grade card."
Sophie covered her mouth and didn't recover for a solid ten seconds. "I heard even Master-level Card Makers can't produce red cards. And you're a Junior."
"How's the combat power?" Jake, recovering first, checked the card info. "Even at Tier 1, red cards are supposed to be on a different level. Does this mean we can leave now?"
Ethan pocketed the card and shook his head.
"No — this one isn't suited for combat. I'll use it when the right opportunity comes. I need to rest and try again."
"Wait." Jake stared at him. "You're not planning to make another red card, are you?"
"What, are you not human anymore? You think Immortal-grade cards grow on trees?"
Lily and Sophie turned to look at him too. Jake had asked exactly what they were thinking.
Is he even going to leave a path for other Card Makers to survive?
Normal people spent half a year figuring out how to make a single Purple. Ethan mass-produced Purples, created Gold cards on demand, and now casually whipped up an Immortal?
"Uh..." Ethan squirmed under their collective stare. "I'm not sure if I can pull off another one. Red cards aren't exactly on-demand."
He genuinely wasn't sure. If he succeeded, they could probably clear the Rift. If not, he'd need to consider other options — like unleashing Rick and praying.
He trusted the System's stability settings. Mostly. But Rick was Rick.
"But I have to say this upfront — don't let the red card information leak."
This was a peaceful era, relatively speaking. But there was no telling what problems could arise.
"Obviously," Lily nodded. "Even a Gold card causes a stir. The world's first Immortal-grade card? That's a whole different level of attention."
"For now, most people will assume it was made by some established Master-level Card Maker. Let's keep it that way."
Jake made a zipping motion over his mouth. Sophie nodded.
Ethan relaxed slightly. He trusted these three. If they did talk... well, he'd chalk it up to bad judgment.
The worst case wasn't physical danger — more like getting "adopted" by some government agency that wanted to keep an eye on him.
After chatting a while longer, Ethan lay on the grass to rest. He watched Pikachu play with the girls, then settled in to wait for Mental Strength recovery.
With the 50% reduction buff from the red card privileges, making cards now was equivalent to what Tier 3 crafting had cost before.
Time to try the big one.
Announcement :
New Fic : Drawing Manga/Comic In Marvel
ฅ≽^•⩊•^≼ฅ Trust me and read first few chapters.
If you like Fic's where MC brings manga/comic in another world you will like this one and spice on the top, you will see the said character's also in Marvel universe.