The Card Apprentice

Chapter 113: The Bipolar Thunderball Card

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Will had probably never thought that he would get a connection to an “A” level card master. One needn’t talk about how important an excellent card master is for card artisans, not to mention one who has an “A” level of contribution points. Will felt like he had been dreaming.

But he didn’t waste his time dreaming, chasing over to the number twenty-eight basic training room. He didn’t want to give a bad impression to that card master, since being able to know such a great card master was not an opportunity he could just seek out, and he couldn’t let it slip by.

When he arrived out of breath to the training room, the card master still hadn’t arrived. Facing the shiny smooth outer wall of the training room, Will straightened out his appearance a little, making himself look as accomplished as he could.

He had to be very careful, since who could know what kind of odd temperament the card master might have. It was said that no matter the profession, the more awesome a person was the stranger their temperament would be.

After about five minutes a youth came walking in that direction. Will looked to be sure it was the “A” level card master he had seen on the screen. Only his expression looked a little cooler than it had on the screen.

Will quickly got nervous, since it was his first time having anything to do with such a high-level card master. There were only a handful of people who could get “A” level points on the base, and for someone newly arrived like him, it would be a lofty and unreachable goal.

Chen Mu was looking at Will in the same way, as he greeted him, “Hello Will.”

Will had to restrain his heart from jumping out of his chest, as he very respectfully responded, “Greetings great master. I wonder how I should address you?”

Although he looked so young, there was no way to fake those points. The one thing that the Ning family did extremely well was to require absolute compliance with the detailed base rules, even though the Ning offspring trained at that base. They weren’t any different from any other card artisan when it came to getting contribution points. A card master with an “A” rating was certainly at the level of a grand master.

“I am no kind of great master, you can just call me Chen Mu.” He frowned not quite noticeably, since it was too far-fetched for that person to call him a grand master.

Carefully trying to figure him out, Will quickly realized the particulars, and immediately responded, “Then I’ll call you Mr. Chen Mu, OK?”

“OK.” Chen Mu nodded, not wanting to waste so much time on forms of address. He took out his room card and gave it a light swipe on the training room door, which slid right open. He led the way in, saying, “Come in.”

Will rushed to follow Chen Mu into the training room.

This was also the first time Chen Mu had been to a basic training room on the base. Looking around, apart from the rather ample training arrangements, he found that nothing else was very different from any basic level training room. It was only that the data analysis capabilities were quite a bit more powerful than those of ordinary basic training rooms. The trainee could directly see their own progress from the data.

Chen Mu raised his head to look at Will, and was a little puzzled, wondering how he could have run into someone even more taciturn than himself. How could he have known that Will was so nervous that he didn’t know what to say.

“Tell me about your requirements for this card.”

Hearing Chen Mu’s question, Will’s expression quickly turned serious. Chen Mu showed a look of appreciation, since although this guy was a little quiet, he was probably rather strong in his own realm, which he could see from the seriousness which spontaneously revealed itself.

After turning it over in his mind, Will said very deliberately, “What I want is a close-combat card, three-star, with a three to five meter scope of attack. Apart from that, I have no requirements.

Chen Mu quickly asked, “What card are you using now?”

“I’m using the bipolar thunderball card,” Will said.

“Oh. Let me see you use it.” This was Chen Mu’s first time hearing of the bipolar thunderball, so he couldn’t help being interested.

Hearing that, Will activated his apparatus without any hesitation.

After a light oath, two fist-sized small white ‘thunderballs’ suddenly appeared twirling around Will’s body. Will knew that Chen Mu wanted to see his ability level, and so without reservation, he gave it his all.

The two thunderballs could be seen moving left and right in an extremely lively fashion like two naughty elves. Seeing such a card for the first time made an impression on Chen Mu.

The two thunderballs suddenly lined up in front of Will.

The two of them looked as though they were attracted to one another, chasing their tails faster and faster, until a white-colored light-shield quickly appeared in front of Will. From the face of the shield could be heard the crackling sound of an electric arc from time to time.

It was very interesting, and Chen Mu felt his scope expanded, since he only partly understood card artisans. He couldn’t let such a rare opportunity pass him by.

Chen Mu wanted Will to show him each of his skills, so that by the end Will had nearly fainted.

There were a lot of things which were very interesting to Chen Mu. Apart from the light-shield’s defensive capabilities, these thunderballs also had quite good attack capabilities. And they could also be joined together to make a ball that was still the same size but was much more powerful.

The two thunderballs were really two energy balls that had been especially well laid out.

Chen Mu wanted to get the card from Will to carefully examine its composition.

The card’s most profound secrets were in the control region of its composition, which was why Will had been able to use his perception to control it.

The thing that most interested Chen Mu was the composition, this being the first time he had ever run into a card which could still be controlled after its energy had been emitted. No matter whether it was his tailless shuttle card, or any other card he’d made, once the energy in the power card had been emitted upon activation, it would pass through the fantasy card, where it would be formed into a uniquely structured energy body. Because the composition of each of these energy bodies was different, they all manifested differing characteristics, but they all had one thing alike, which was that once they had been emitted, just like an arrow after it has been shot, there was no way to control them.

It really surprised Chen Mu that the pair of thunderballs formed by this bipolar thunderball card could be controlled.

Feeling a little weak, Will cautiously looked at Chen Mu.

This bipolar thunderball card had been given to him by his teacher a long time ago. While it was very flexible, it had very high requirements for perception, and it took a lot of energy to manipulate. And the power of the two thunderballs was limited, such that if he were to run into a slightly awesome beast, it would be difficult to make a fatal hit. So, he wanted to exchange it for a new card.

Seeing Chen Mu so concentrated on the bipolar thunderball card, he was a little uncertain. This card wouldn’t be considered very high level and wouldn’t have much value. The reason his teacher had given it to him was that it was the only close-battle card that he had.

Chen Mu closed his eyes, searching quickly through his brain, to digest what he could get from the card.

Will didn’t dare to breathe, afraid of disturbing Chen Mu’s pondering. If he were so careless as to offend the card master, where would he ever find such a high level card master again?

After a full half hour, Chen Mu opened his eyes.

“Your ability to control your perception is too weak.” The way that Chen Mu went right to the heart of the matter immediately raised the temperature on Will’s face, though he knew that what had been said was correct.

Chen Mu thought for a moment, and then continued on, “You need a card with a simpler composition, so that you can act more quickly, and facilitate your dodging and evading. And your close fighting . . . ”

A scheme was forming in Chen Mu’s’ brain. Will’s eyes were brightly full of hope staring at Chen Mu.

“I have two proposals for you just now. Do you want something single-shot with a lot of power while having a slow firing speed, or do you want something with a quicker firing speed, but with a rather weak single-shot fire power?” Chen Mu suddenly asked.

“Something with a lot of power in its single-shot!” Will responded without hesitation. He had long been jealous of those card artisans who deployed powerful attacks, and the bipolar thunderball card was too weak, and couldn’t satisfy his use of it. Then he very cautiously said, “If you like this bipolar thunderball card, feel free to take it. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

He had discovered that Chen Mu seemed to be extremely interested in the card, and very simply and generously offered it to him. Anyhow, he intended to exchange for a different card. Being able to get a connection to an “A” level card master, never mind a mere bipolar thunderball card, even if it were ten, or a hundred, he would have given them to Chen Mu without any reservations.

Looking at Will with a little astonishment, Chen Mu hadn’t realized he would be so generous.

“Then if that’s the way it is, I am very grateful.” Then after some thought, Chen Mu said, “I won’t need the remuneration for the commission, and I’ll give you the card in three days, alright?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Will hurriedly said. To trade the bipolar thunderball card for a three-star card made by an “A” level card master was too generous a deal.

Having completed their business, Chen Mu bid Will farewell.

Will was happily strolling through the base. While he wouldn’t have any card for three days and naturally couldn’t take any commissions, just then he was humming a tune and strolling casually through the base.

“Will!” A voice came from behind him.

He turned around to see a female card artisan in a battle suit walking toward him.

Will watched brightly, “Sister Cheng, you are still so stunningly beautiful that every time your little brother sees you, he is deeply intoxicated. . .” before he’d finished speaking, he opened his arms and with his intoxicated look, moved to give her a lusty hug.

Cheng Ying raised her long leg without any polite consideration, stretching her right leg out like a javelin and putting her toe right at Will’s throat.

Will quickly stiffened, his face full of smiles, “Sister Cheng’s long legs are still so nice and fit!” He sighed, sniffing at her calves, and then with the intoxicated look on his face deepening, “fragrant!”

Cheng Ying pulled back her leg not knowing whether to laugh or cry, “You’re still such a brat, never spending any time on daily training. How is your power going to increase if you go on like this? You don’t know that I just ran into a close-combat card artisan like you. Do you know what his score was in the close-range dodging and evading training?”

Will immediately opened his eyes wider, showing that he had gotten serious, “What level of difficulty? What score?”