DeckMaster System Awakened

As Jalen stood at the table, watching his new class equipment materialize before him, a shiver of anticipation ran through him. The System had laid out two items for him: a massive book, thick and weighty with a glint of gold on the cover, and a small box that could easily fit in the palm of his hand. He approached cautiously, realizing he was about to unlock something uniquely his, something only a Deckmaster could possess.

The book had an imposing presence, its sheer size suggesting it held something far more complex than he had anticipated. Though it bore no obvious markings, the golden cover hinted at a purpose tailored to his new role. The box, on the other hand, was unmistakably connected to cards. The size was right, if a bit larger than playing cards, and he knew intuitively that this box was the key to the actual cards he’d be wielding.

Maybe I’ll get something epic, he mused, letting his mind race to fantastical thoughts—dragons, maybe, or even massive creatures like a soaring pterodactyl brought to life from paper.

The System’s prompt interrupted his wandering thoughts, explaining the process for detailed examination. Without hesitation, he reached for the book first.

[Card Scripture]

[Description: A comprehensive catalog of the Deckmaster’s rules, abilities, and a record of all cards in their possession.]

[Equip? Yes/No]

The simplicity of the description didn’t match the grandeur of the book, but the concept of equipping it immediately piqued his interest. Typically, only advanced or unique items would sync directly with a user’s soul, so this was already promising. Jalen tapped “Yes.”

The book began to glow, fragmenting before his eyes into delicate particles of mana. Each piece shimmered with faint patterns—those same designs that usually left his head aching. This time, however, they seemed orderly, almost gentle, as they drifted toward his chest. He felt them integrate into his being with a soft hum, like the addition of an extra limb or sense. With concentration, he realized he could summon the book at will. The Card Scripture floated into his vision and then retracted back with a simple mental command, almost as if he’d always known how to handle it.

He turned to the box next, his curiosity mounting.

[Starter Deck]

[A foundational collection of cards, designed to support a Deckmaster’s first steps.]

[Requires Scripture.]

Jalen’s lips twisted in a slight smile. It was all coming together, piece by piece. He reached for the box, selecting “Yes” with anticipation.

The cards within erupted in a shower of light, each one larger than expected, about 4-by-7 inches, and suspended in midair around him. Just as with the Scripture, they began to disintegrate, the residual data embedding itself into the pages of his mental catalog. When he checked, he found pockets appearing in the virtual pages, sized precisely for each card as they filled the slots in neat rows.

Finally, the process concluded, and Jalen could feel his catalog buzzing with new contents. When he summoned it, the Card Scripture opened naturally to a fresh, clear layout.

[Catalog Contents]

1.Rules

2.Decks

3.Card Collection

Finally, he thought, maybe now I can get some real answers. Selecting the “Rules” section, he prepared to learn the finer details of his class. But the System seemed determined to guide him, presenting him with a prompt:

[Now, summon your Card Scripture and open it to the Rules.]

Jalen’s brow furrowed as he complied. The pages flicked over to a section titled Basics of Deck Play, and though he sensed a distinct hand-holding here, he couldn’t deny the practical benefit.

[Basics of Deck Play]

1.Every card in a deck has two costs—a summoning cost, generally in mana, and an activation cost, usually paid in energy.

2.Card Play begins when the Deckmaster summons a loaded deck, bringing it into play.

3.To summon a deck, the Deckmaster must pay the combined summoning costs of all cards within that deck.

4.To keep a deck in play, the Deckmaster must pay 7% of the combined summoning cost of the cards in play every minute.

5.The Deckmaster may unsummon their deck at any time.

It was a structured system, but Jalen could already see where the challenge lay. The deck’s continuous drain required a careful balance—he couldn’t just throw powerful cards into play without consequence. Each decision, each card played, would be a commitment, a gamble with stakes attached. And at this stage, he was too fresh to fully comprehend what limitations or advantages his starter cards would bring.

This is more than just a game, he thought, realizing the weight of his role. It’s like balancing an entire ecosystem in real time.

He allowed himself a small, private grin. Deckmaster was rare, a class shrouded in mystery, and if he could master this, it would set him apart in ways no one had foreseen.

As the rules settled in his mind, a new System message appeared before Jalen, snapping him out of his thoughts.

[Prepare to roll for your Deck Type.]

[Each Deckmasters initial deck is decided by roulette, ranging from the 3 random rarities. The result of the randomization has been selected. The result legendary, rare and common classes of cards.]

[Roll Results Possibilities:]

Legendary: Dragons, Greater Spirits, Self-Adapting Machines

Rare: Elemental Titans, Celestial Beasts, Phantom Puppets

Common: Elementary Spirits, Frost Wolves, Night Stalkers

A spark of excitement shot through Jalen. This was his chance to start with something truly powerful, something that could change the course of his entire journey. The System clarified that his starter deck would lean heavily into whatever type he rolled, offering him not only cards unique to that theme but also potential synergies he’d gradually unlock as he grew more proficient.

His mind was alight with possibilities. Dragons—imagine summoning a creature so ancient and destructive that even other awakened beings would think twice about challenging him. Or Greater Spirits, mystical entities woven from the elements themselves, offering versatile power that could adapt to almost any situation. And then there were the Self-Adapting Machines, mechanical titans rumored to evolve and self-upgrade with each use.

But then again, he couldn’t ignore the practical value of the lower tiers. Elementary Spirits might seem basic compared to dragons or celestial beasts, but they were reliable, adaptable, and—most importantly—familiar. Their elemental powers were foundational, something he could always fall back on.

The roulette interface materialized in front of him, a large, circular display divided into the categories. Legendary types were small slivers of gold, Rare were broader bands of silver, and Common types filled the largest sections in bronze. The odds weren’t in his favor for anything above the basics, but he clenched his fists, focusing on the hope that the System would surprise him.

[Ready to roll for your deck type? Yes/No]

Jalen didn’t hesitate. He selected “Yes,” and the wheel began to spin, a quiet hum building into a low roar as the golden, silver, and bronze sections blurred into a dizzying spiral of color. His heart pounded in time with the spinning, each second stretching into an eternity as he watched.

The wheel began to slow, shifting from a whirling blur to individual segments as it approached the end. A flash of gold—a Legendary section—slipped past, and his heart leapt. But it didn’t stop. Instead, it slowed over the Rare, a wide silver band with Phantom Puppets prominently featured.

Close, so close. His jaw clenched as it inched forward, skipping past the last of the silver sections and descending into the commons. He held his breath as the marker drew nearer and nearer to a section labeled Elementary Spirits.

The wheel stopped. A final chime echoed in his ears, a quiet confirmation of fate.

[Deck Type Acquired: Elementary Spirits]

Jalen exhaled, forcing down the slight pang of disappointment that tightened his chest. It wasn’t the legendary deck he’d dreamed of, nor the rare options that could’ve given him an edge. But this was what the System had given him, and he was determined to make the most of it. Elementary Spirits were still powerful; they just lacked the grandeur and uniqueness of their rarer counterparts.

Elementary Spirits—embodied forces of fire, water, earth, and air, known to work in tandem with each other in ways that more powerful creatures could not. There was a simplicity in their design, but that simplicity was adaptable. Versatile. He could see the appeal now—spiritual entities aligned with the world’s elemental foundations, perfect for support, attack, and defense, depending on how he used them.

The System gave him a moment to process his thoughts before continuing:

[Congratulations, Deckmaster. You have obtained the Elementary Spirits Deck.]

[This deck provides access to a collection of cards embodying core elemental spirits, each attuned to fire, water, earth, and air.]

[Each spirit possesses basic elemental abilities but can be combined with others to unleash more complex effects.]

[New Tutorial Task: Summon your first spirit.]

Jalen’s hand twitched in anticipation. Although Elementary Spirits weren’t as awe-inspiring as dragons, they carried a subtle strength. They were the kind of allies who didn’t just destroy; they shaped the battlefield. He could work with that. And with his class’s focus on card creation and management, he had the feeling he could adapt this deck into something that might rival even the rarest or legendary creatures one day.

Mentally accessing his catalog, he flipped to his newly acquired deck.

The deck buzzed in Jalen’s hand as he readied himself for his first official summon. His fingers brushed over the cards, feeling a slight warmth radiate through the cardstock—a reminder of the power housed within even these seemingly simple cards. He’d just paid the mana cost to actualize his deck, bringing it into play and confirming his connection with each spirit held within it.