Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2777: Corey’s Changes

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, TSR Guild Headquarters, Card Lab

”What, want to see something cool?” I asked Corey. When she nodded, I took her hand and grinned. ”Come on!”

At the same time, I began to slow the flow of time, just enough to keep the super mortal star from blowing us away, but not so much that we couldn’t watch it unfold. It bloomed like a flower, each flare opening into the next. Its energy spread through the endlessly stretched domain as we circled it, like watching the fireworks up close. I mean really close.

Corey watched with wide eyes, completely mesmerized by the dying star. The explosions were beautiful, depending on how you chose to see them.

As the star burned out, my control over time gradually weakened until it faded completely, and everything returned to normal. Then, I cleared the radiation and dismissed the double celestial rule domain.

”That was beautiful. For a second, I almost forgot what a horrible boss you are. No wonder these women keep falling for you,” Corey said as we stepped into the corridor.

”Horrible boss, really?” I asked, rolling my eyes at Corey. She had no idea what she was talking about as I was her first and only boss.

Corey clearly disagreed. ”Don’t give me that look. You slept with my mother after promising you wouldn’t even see her. By that standard, even Belphegor was a better boss to Park than you are to me.”

Hearing that, I simply headed for the exit, not bothering to correct her that I hadn’t slept with her mother yet. Besides, I knew she was only saying it to make a point and shut me up.

Usually, our arguments ended the other way around, with her storming off in frustration, sometimes even in tears. This time, though, Corey felt sharper. Her comebacks landed cleanly, and she pressed her points without hesitation.

”I want to take charge in the upcoming battle,” Corey called from behind me, making me stop mid-stride and turn.

Now it was clearer to me that our spar earlier hadn’t just been about proving she had surpassed me. She was done standing in my shadow. She wanted authority. That made me curious about the memories she had inherited and subtle changes in her that came with it.

”No,” I said, rejecting her without hesitation. Seeing her brows narrowed, I explained, ”Your realm is higher, but the Supreme Leader and the Emissary of Light can’t be judged by their realm alone. If you fight them the way you fought me, your mother and I will be planning your funeral before our wedding.”

I wasn’t saying that just to shut her down. It was the cold truth. Both the Supreme Leader and the Emissary of Light were well versed in time-rule. If she faced them on the battlefield, they would take her head before she even realized what had happened.

A time-based card wouldn’t save her either. It could defend against basic use of time-rule, but it would be useless against advanced techniques. Until she could overcome that gap, she had no business picking a fight with any of the world’s leaders.

There was a reason I didn’t just march into the central capital and hunt down each of the masters. The time rule didn’t affect me, but if they grew desperate, I had no idea who or what they might hurt. So I had to be patient. I had to let them believe I was no better than one of the tens of thousands of geniuses they had toyed with since the founding of the central government.

”No, I can handle them,” Corey said, her slit eyes glowing crimson. When I showed no sign of relenting, she pressed on, ”We’ll never know unless I try, will we?”

”You didn’t learn anything from our spar earlier, did you?” I asked, my frustration in my voice. Still, a part of me felt a strange satisfaction. Corey was showing ambition, something her former, troubled self never had. For a moment, I wondered, Is this how fathers feel when their child steps up to them?

”If you hadn’t used the time rule, I would have won. You know that,” Corey shot back, seeing me use her loss to deny her the chance to take charge.

”Well, guess what? Both the Supreme Leader and the Emissary of Light are known to use advanced applications of the time rule. Tell me how you plan to counter that, and I’ll let you take charge,” I informed, without bothering to correct her, that even without manipulating time, I would have won against her. Actually, she lost the moment she let herself be dragged into my double celestial rule domain.

”Here’s a hint,” I added. ”The answer isn’t the time-related cards on the market. Those are useless against advanced time-rule techniques.”

”I know that,” Corey shot back, though the edge in her voice dulled seeing that despite her recent growth, she still wasn’t of any help to our faction.

”Tell you what. When the time comes, I’ll leave Gideon Grim to you,” I proposed to Corey, feeling that she was capable of it as Gideon Grim wasn’t like the original three mischiefs.

His origin card ability was a one-trick pony, nowhere near as versatile as the origin card of the original three mischiefs. There were no records of him using the time rule either. Just to be safe, I had Morningstar University prepare their best time-rule cards for us. With one of those equipped, Corey should be able to handle him without worrying about surprises. And he wouldn’t be able to use his origin card on her again. Since he couldn’t use his origin card on the same person twice.

”Handsome fox? I’ve got a score to settle with that asshole. I won’t let you down,” Corey said, practically lighting up at the chance to prove herself. I shook my head and warned her, ”Letting me down should be the least of your worries. Just be careful. Your life is worth a lot more than his.”