Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 3050: Primordial Calamity

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Five Regions, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City

Only after securing the City did I allow myself to look back at the battlefield. Lil’ Baem and Maworm had already stopped fighting. Instead, the two primordial creatures hovered around the spatial rupture, releasing Vapor Venom and Insatiable Ink into its edges.

The silver mist purified the unstable space while the black ink reinforced and stitched together the torn boundaries of reality. The same powers that had helped create the catastrophe were now being used to prevent it from growing worse.

Nearby, Corey flew through the collapsing domain carrying Aqualas in her arms. The Supreme Being had been partially exposed to the Void after her domain ruptured. One side of her body had already frozen into a crystalline statue under the influence of the Ice Rule radiating from the Void.

Fortunately, Corey had reached her in time. Had she been even a moment later. Aqualas would’ve been transformed into nothing more than an eternal iceberg drifting through the Void.

Elsewhere, Redfall and his clone had already rescued the utterly exhausted Veerott and Peyote. The pair had spent an entire week pushing themselves to their limits without rest. In their current condition, they would’ve had little chance of surviving the collapse on their own.

Jaya and Aurelia, meanwhile, required no such rescue. Their Card Spirits had reacted the instant the domain fractured, safely pulling them away from the collapsing space. Rather than looking frightened. The two girls stared into the endless Void with wide, curious eyes.

It was their first time witnessing the space beyond the Card World. Wonder had completely replaced fear. With the immediate danger contained. There was nothing left for us to do except wait.

Space would gradually repair itself now that the source of the collapse had been contained. My gaze finally settled on Maworm.

The enormous primordial worm had lowered her cone-shaped head until she looked like S-hook, not daring to meet my eyes.

Even without our Bloodkin connection, her posture made her emotions obvious. Guilt. Shame. She knew her newfound power had nearly caused a catastrophe.

Beside her, Lil’ Baem proudly lifted her head, looking every bit the victor despite having nearly been swallowed alive only moments ago. The little white serpent occasionally shot Maworm smug glances, clearly enjoying the latter’s embarrassment.

It seemed being overwhelmed by Maworm’s sudden surge in strength had bruised Lil’ Baem’s pride far more than being swallowed ever had. Now that Maworm had earned a scolding instead. Lil’ Baem looked thoroughly satisfied.

Corey gently handed the unconscious Aqualas over to Veerott, who had rushed over to check on her condition.

The very next moment, she shot toward Lil’ Baem. Without the slightest hesitation, she leaped onto the giant serpent’s head and brought her tiny human fist crashing down.

Dong!

The impact echoed throughout the space like a temple bell being struck. A visible shockwave rippled across Lil’ Baem’s pristine white scales, making it abundantly clear that Corey hadn’t held back in the slightest. Unfortunately for her, against Lil’ Baem’s absurd durability, the punch amounted to little more than a light tap.

The enormous serpent merely blinked before tilting her head in confusion. Corey, however, wasn’t finished. Planting both hands on her hips, she glared down at her pet.

“What are you so smug about, huh?” she scolded. “If you’d stopped when I told you to, none of this would’ve happened. You’re becoming more unruly by the day. How many times have I told you to understand your own strength and keep it under control? See? Exactly what I was worried about happened. Fortunately, Wyatt was here to save the city. Otherwise, the casualties wouldn’t have been zero.”

“Hissss!” Lil’ Baem immediately protested. She rapidly shook her head before stretching her forked tongue toward Maworm, repeatedly pointing at the black serpent with exaggerated hisses. The meaning couldn’t have been more obvious.

‘I was controlling myself!

That stupid worm wasn’t!

She’s the one who caused the catastrophe!

I even helped stop it!

Don’t blame me! Blame her!’

The enormous white serpent looked genuinely aggrieved, repeatedly nodding to emphasize her innocence while glaring indignantly at Maworm as though expecting everyone present to agree with her assessment.

Corey wasn’t buying a single one of Lil’ Baem’s excuses. The near disaster had certainly concerned her, but the city wasn’t what had frightened her the most. It was seeing Maworm nearly swallow Lil’ Baem whole.

For a split second, she’d genuinely believed her precious snake was about to disappear forever. That fear had shaken her far more than the spatial collapse. In Corey’s eyes, Lil’ Baem had grown increasingly reckless ever since coming to the Card World.

She had become accustomed to being untouchable, barging into places she pleased and picking fights with anyone who caught her interest. This time, however, she’d chosen the wrong opponent.

Maworm wasn’t some harmless beast. Nor was she merely Wyatt’s pet. She was a powerful primordial creature in her own right. Had Wyatt not intervened, Corey was convinced Lil’ Baem would’ve ended up as Maworm’s meal.

“Don’t point at her,” Corey said sternly, cutting off Lil’ Baem’s protests. “I don’t care what she did or didn’t do. She’s not my responsibility, you are.”

She poked Lil’ Baem’s forehead. “And you’re grounded.”

Lil’ Baem froze.

“After this, you’re staying coiled around my wrist.” Corey folded her arms. “If you leave my side without my permission…”

She paused, her voice lowering into the dangerous calm that came before an explosion. “…so help me, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Lil’ Baem immediately lowered her head. She no longer dared to argue. Even so, when she noticed Maworm cautiously lifting her cone-shaped head to peek at the scene, the little white serpent nearly exploded with indignation.

Her scales quivered. Her tail twitched furiously. She desperately wanted to lunge at that smug worm again. Instead, she swallowed her frustration and silently continued releasing Vapor Venom to help stabilize the damaged space.

Every few seconds, however, she stole a sidelong glance at me. Clearly, she was waiting for me to scold Maworm as well. However, when our eyes met, I simply sneered at her with the same look of disdain she occasionally directed at me.

Lil’ Baem’s pupils instantly widened. Her jaw hung open ever so slightly. It was the first time I’d learned that snakes could wear such an unmistakably human expression of disbelief.