Toby studied himself in the mirror mounted against the wall of his small rented room. His black hair, which he had struggled to tame for the past ten minutes, now lay neatly in place, though a few stubborn strands still refused to fully obey.

  He wore the academy examination uniform that had been sent to all registered participants: a crisp white shirt with blue lining along the collar, a fitted black blazer marked with a faint crescent emblem on the chest, and slim dark trousers that gave him a sharp, disciplined look.

  Today, he would finally step forward and fight for his chance to earn a place within Eclipsion Academy.

  This opportunity was incredibly rare, especially for someone like him, who had no family name or powerful backer standing behind him.

  Yet luck had chosen to smile on him. Fate had brought him face to face with an instructor from Eclipsion, someone who saw something in him and ultimately granted him a recommendation letter.

  He stepped back slightly and raised both hands in front of his chest. With a steady breath, he focused his mind and issued a silent command, activating his Innate Card.

  A transparent card materialized between his palms, slowly spinning in the air.

  [Innate Core Card - Second Pulse activated.]

  The card expanded before merging into his body, wrapping around him in a thin silver white glow that gently coated his frame.

  Soon after, another card appeared before him. This one was larger, purple in color. It was his first Prime Card.

  The purple back of the card was clearly visible, along with the front that displayed its image and title to him. However, to others, only the color could be seen, and that alone was enough to reveal that it was Rare-grade.

  The card began circling around him, following a halo-like ring that revolved steadily around his body.

  This… this would be the biggest flex he could display in front of everyone. Or perhaps, it might even be seen as a threat. Having a Rare-grade card as a first Prime Card was far from normal.

  How would people react if they found out?

  [Name: Tobias]

  [Level: 11 Apprentice]

  [Innate Card: Second Pulse]

  [Prime Cards: Rare - Crimson Drakebound Sword]

  There had been no progress in his cultivation level over the past two weeks. He had tried to train his mana core, working hard to stabilize the flow of mana within his body, and refining its circulation. But it still was not enough to push him to the next level.

  One thing was certain, though. After advancing to Rank-1 Apprentice, he had felt a far more dramatic shift in his physical state. In truth, a Rank-1 Apprentice already stood at what would be seen as the very peak of human potential without a mana core. That alone was an extraordinary transformation.

  Even without activating any cards, a Cardmaster already carried greater physical strength and sharper senses than an ordinary person. And once they activated their cards, those abilities surged even further, rising to an entirely different level.

  Toby walked toward the small desk tucked into the corner of the room. He pulled out the chair and sat down, reaching for a book with a muted blue cover that bore no symbol or title on its surface.

  He opened it with careful hands. Neatly attached to the first page was a card sealed inside a transparent sleeve, its surface marked by the image of small wings sprouting from a pair of boots, along with the words: Windstep Boots Tier-2.

  “The durability of a Synthesis Card keeps decreasing the more it is used. Eventually, it will lose its structure completely and break apart,” he muttered under his breath.

  He turned to the next page and found another card secured in the same manner.

  “At my current level, I can use up to Tier-2 Synthesis Cards at most.” He gave a slow nod to himself. “If I want to handle higher tiers than this, I need to train harder.”

  The Tier of a Synthesis Card corresponded directly to the Rank of a Cardmaster. A Tier-2 Synthesis Card held power equal to a Rank-2 Prime Card, essentially functioning as its replica.

  In truth, the fact that Toby could already use a Tier-2 Synthesis Card even before fully stabilizing at Rank-1 Apprentice clearly demonstrated his exceptional mana control and natural affinity.

  He continued flipping through the pages. Several sheets displayed detailed, complex circuits engraved across the surface.

  “It was the founder of my clan who began this line of experimentation,” he murmured quietly.

  “They studied the mana circuit of a Prime Card, copied its structure, and then recreated it in physical form. That became the first prototype Synthesis Card.”

  Mana circuits were, in essence, the foundation of how mana operated within a card. They functioned much like the wiring and code inside a computer.

  Just as a computer uses circuits to direct electricity and software to execute commands, a mana circuit guided the flow of mana through precise pathways, instructing it on how to activate, shape its effect, and release its power.

  Without those carefully constructed pathways, mana would simply disperse without form or purpose.

  “They killed Grandpa… and everyone in the clan, even after everything they contributed,” he said under his breath.

  To spread knowledge of Synthesis Cards, his clan had carefully documented their findings, recording every formula, every circuit pattern, every failed attempt and breakthrough. The study was eventually shared beyond their territory, refined and expanded by various kingdoms eager to harness its potential.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  However, because the very foundation of Synthesis Cards came from his own clan, the most crucial components remained in their hands. The core principles, the hidden layers within the mana circuits, and certain methods that bordered on taboo were secrets only his people truly understood.

  And that was precisely the problem. Those who were greedy and hungry for power did not want to share control over something so valuable. They wanted to dominate it completely, to claim every secret and erase anyone who could challenge their authority.

  “Because they did not want a single descendant of the Valerith Clan to survive.”

  That alone would have been reason enough. But once they discovered that a direct daughter of the Valerith Clan carried royal blood as the hidden child of the current king, their decision was sealed.

  Toby’s gaze sharpened at the memory. It had happened six years ago. Now, he stood in a completely different territory, under a different kingdom’s rule.

  No one here knew who he truly was. As far as the world was concerned, Tobias of the Valerith Clan no longer existed.

  Was changing his name from Tobias to Toby enough to erase his tracks?

  His mother and grandfather had concealed his true identity from the moment he was born, at least as far as he knew. Even within the clan, only his mother and grandfather were aware of his real lineage.

  To everyone else, he had always been nothing more than an ordinary child.

  Toby rose to his feet. He tapped the book lightly with his fingers, and a magic circle formed beneath it.

  A soft light engulfed the book. When the glow faded, the book was gone. In its place remained a single card, bearing the exact image of the muted blue-covered book.

  [Synthesis Utility Card - Azure Archive deactivated.]

  He picked up the card carefully and slipped it into the inner pocket of his blazer, securing it close to his chest.

  “This is too valuable. I cannot afford to lose it,” he murmured.

  Toby double checked that he had packed everything he needed. After confirming it all, he slung his worn leather backpack over his shoulders.

  He took one last look around the small room that had been his home for the past years. The narrow bed, the plain desk, the quiet walls that had witnessed his training and silence.

  “See you again,” he said softly. “Or maybe not.”

  A faint smile crossed his face before he turned and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

  **

  This world, in many ways, was not so different from what Toby remembered from his previous life.

  It was advanced. Cities glowed at night with rows of street lamps stretching along wide roads. Tall buildings of steel and reinforced stone stood proudly against the sky.

  Public transport systems ran on fixed routes. There were factories, communication devices, and structured urban planning.

  Perhaps it was not as modern as the world he once knew. There were no satellites drifting in orbit, no digital screens in every hand. But machines existed. Cars existed. Motorbikes existed.

  The difference lay in what powered them.

  They did not run on electricity or fossil fuels. Instead, they operated using Monster Cores.

  Monster Cores were the crystallized Mana Cores extracted from Mana Beasts. These beasts were hunted, their cores harvested, refined, and converted into energy sources. From that energy came the power that fueled engines, illuminated cities, and kept industries alive.

  And that was also why Awakeners, those who had successfully awakened their mana cores, held such an important position in society. Those who went a step further and broke through to Rank-1 Apprentice, becoming true Cardmasters, stood even higher.

  They were the backbone of this civilization.

  Without them, Mana Beasts would overrun territories. Without them, Monster Cores would cease to exist as a resource. And without that resource, the entire structure of this world’s progress would collapse.

  Toby walked along the side of the road as people moved past him in a steady rush. It was winter. Snow had begun to fall, soft white flakes drifting down and dissolving upon contact with the damp pavement.

  On the other side of the street, high rise buildings towered overhead. Vehicles sped by. The occasional horn cut through the air as drivers navigated the busy road.

  Fortunately, Eclipsion Academy was not far from where he had been living. It was located within the Kingdom of Silvermoon.

  Though it was not the capital, the city of Eclipsion served as the very foundation of the Academy’s power. In many ways, it was the most important city in the kingdom.

  Because from here, the next generation of powerful Cardmasters would be born.

  From here, they would either rise to serve the kingdom in battle and defense, or return to their clans and families, carrying strength, status, and influence back to their bloodlines.

  **

  Toby gradually slowed his steps when his destination finally came into view.

  In the middle of the city, where dense buildings usually claimed every inch of land, there was a vast open area that felt almost sacred.

  The space surrounding it was unusually clear, as if the city itself had chosen to keep its distance. Behind the academy grounds stretched a quiet lake that reflected the pale winter sky, and beyond the lake stood a thick forest blanketed in snow.

  At the center of that expanse rose four towering buildings, positioned like pillars guarding something unseen.

  Several applicants wearing the same uniform as Toby were already arriving, walking past him with nervous excitement or quiet confidence.

  “Eclipsion Academy,” Toby murmured under his breath.

  He continued forward, joining the flow of applicants approaching the entrance, where guards were conducting inspections one by one.

  When it was his turn, Toby presented a single card to the guard.

  “Instructor Evelyn?” the man muttered as he examined it briefly.

  He glanced at Toby once more before stepping aside. “You may enter.”

  There were no further questions.

  Toby walked past the gates and stepped onto the academy grounds. Inside, a large crowd had already gathered. Applicants stood in clusters across the open courtyard, some reviewing their notes, others briefly activating their cards to warm up.

  Unfortunately, even a recommendation from one of the academy’s instructors was not enough to guarantee admission.

  Entry into Eclipsion was not determined by age. Anyone could enroll and remain until they turned twenty, or until they reached Rank-6, whichever came first.

  In truth, Rank-6 was already strong enough for someone to carve out their own path in the outside world. At that level, staying in the academy was no longer necessary.

  The age limit simply defined how long a candidate was allowed to remain and attempt the examinations. If they failed this year, they would have to return the next and try again. With each failure, the time left before reaching the maximum age grew shorter.

  As for Toby, he was now twelve years old, slightly later than many who had entered at ten or eleven.

  But not too late.

  He gave a small nod and continued walking toward the front pavilion, a smaller administrative hall that stood before the four main towers. Wide glass doors framed with silver metal stood open, allowing the applicants to enter one by one.

  “This is where the first trial will be held?” he murmured quietly.

  He stepped inside.

  The interior was spacious and brightly lit. Several round tables were arranged neatly across the hall, each surrounded by a set of chairs. The setup felt unusual for an entrance examination, more like a formal discussion room than a battlefield or training ground.

  Most of the seats were already taken.

  “What kind of test are they planning to give us today?” he muttered to himself.