Ch.102[Chapter 102] Aftermath of the License Exam

[There are new versions of some character cards in your current deck. Would you like to update now?]

“Huh? Wait a moment everyone. What’s this update?”

-Doesn’t the host only use Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica cards?

-Yeah, must be one of those two.

“It doesn’t seem like a big deal, so I’ll quickly update and move on.”

Star I’m Not Little scratched his head at the sudden system notification and started the update.

Even during the update, he could continue with what he was doing.

After quickly pressing the update button, I’m Not Little immediately returned to his original task.

‘Hard Storm, ~Heroes of Gacha Land~’, an online card game.

As the name suggests, it’s a card game that implements a battlefield using character cards from Gacha Land.

“It’s time for 5-cost. I do have Sir Dominica in hand… Oh, Sir Dominic from the right! I’m Not Little! Victory!”

The opponent was using an aggro deck. With his life points already down to half, I’m Not Little was thinking he should look for healing cards or taunt cards.

And, as is typical in card games, the outcome always came down to a fifty-fifty chance.

Either you draw what you need, or you don’t.

I’m Not Little beat those fifty-fifty odds and got a taunt card in hand.

[★★ Sir Dominic of Feralant][5 Cost]

[Attack: 3][Health: 9]

[Taunt, This character takes 1 less damage.]

Sir Dominic’s card in hand.

It was perfect timing for a 5-cost card, and with his health precariously low against an aggro deck, he couldn’t have been happier to see Sir Dominic’s card that would buy him at least one turn.

-? He’s cheating;;

-Can’t believe he drew that.

Even the viewers watching I’m Not Little’s stream were amazed by such a decisive draw!

“This is what you call bonding with your cards. If you’re jealous, become a Sir Dominic fan.”

I’m Not Little taunted his viewers as he tried to play Sir Dominic’s card.

However, Sir Dominic’s card wouldn’t go onto the field.

“Huh? What’s going on? Is it a bug?”

I’m Not Little tilted his head in confusion and tried playing Sir Dominica’s card instead.

Sir Dominica’s card, like Sir Dominic’s, wouldn’t go onto the field.

Even as the hourglass indicating the remaining time was almost empty, Sir Dominic’s card and Sir Dominica’s card showed no signs of going onto the field.

“Ah, what is this? Did they hire college students to code this?”

Star I’m Not Little was fuming with anger.

-Bug, right? God-tier game, right?

-Most of it is bugs.

-I miss it…DD…

I’m Not Little hurriedly used a 4-cost AoE from his hand to clear half the field.

Having overcome one crisis, I’m Not Little continued.

“Seriously, why won’t Sir Dominic’s card and Sir Dominica’s card go onto the field? This seems like a serious bug?”

I’m Not Little expressed his frustration to the viewers.

But this wasn’t a bug.

The temporary patch notes that appeared after the update finished proved this fact.

[Sir Dominic’s cost has been changed from 5 to 6 due to gaining new attributes.]

[Sir Dominic’s overall effects have become more spectacular!]

[Sir Dominica’s cost has been changed from 5 to 6 due to gaining new attributes.]

[Sir Dominica’s overall sound has become more rich!]

“Oh.”

I’m Not Little realized why Sir Dominic’s card and Sir Dominica’s card wouldn’t go onto the field after seeing the temporary patch notes.

-It’s a nerf, right?

-Tanks were OP so they got nerfed, right?

-Is there a tank that gets nerfed before and after release?

Viewers started teasing I’m Not Little.

“That’s not it. The effects and sounds got better, see? And they were OP to begin with. Fine, I admit it. They were broken cards.”

I’m Not Little nodded, trying to maintain his composure.

The specs alone showed it.

Considering that most cards have attack and health totals around [Cost×2 +1], having 12 total stats at 5-cost already demonstrated Sir Dominic’s insane specs.

Plus, with a decent 3 attack and high 9 health, the [Taunt] tag befitting a [Tank], and damage reduction on top of that.

It was the perfect shield, as if born to counter aggro decks, without a single wasted attribute.

With stats and attributes that wouldn’t be out of place at 6-cost, he had expected a nerf eventually.

He just never dreamed it would be now.

“Alright. Since I have it in hand, let’s check out the effects. They said the effects got better, so let’s see how much better they are.”

The opponent had just finished deploying their field and ended their turn.

And Star I’m Not Little, without a moment’s hesitation, placed Sir Dominic’s card from his hand onto the field.

He could immediately see that the effects had indeed changed.

As soon as Sir Dominic’s card dropped from hand to field, a blizzard suddenly swept across the field, and footprints began to appear in it.

And as the footprints reached their destination, a flag fell from the sky, with Feralant’s emblem engraved in light before dispersing.

[“For Feralant!”]

The voice line remained the same, but since previously the card only had a simple dropping effect, this new effect seemed quite impressive.

“Wow… so that’s how it changed. It’s definitely better than before, right? Looking at these effects, I’d use it even after the nerf!”

-Look at how flashy those effects are;;

-Is the blizzard because it’s a snow map? Do the effects change with different backgrounds?

While I’m Not Little and the viewers were satisfied with the effects, one viewer’s question caught I’m Not Little’s eye.

“You’re right. Should we experiment a bit? After this match?”

Afterwards, I’m Not Little ran practice mode, carefully observing Sir Dominic’s card effects and Sir Dominica’s sounds, amazed at how meticulously interactive they were in unexpected ways.

…

After the license exam.

Sir Dominic looked at the two licenses placed in his hand.

One was for spider tanks.

One was for airships.

“Well, I managed somehow.”

Sir Dominic sighed.

Sir Dominic had essentially passed the practical test in one go.

With his trained senses, this might have been expected.

But there was a reason Sir Dominic sighed—

“I never thought Master would have to take the written test three times…”

That’s right.

Sir Dominic, who tended to rely on experience rather than using his head, hadn’t had much need to use his brain until now.

In a written test with a passing score of 60 out of 80 points, Sir Dominic received a disastrous score of 24 on his first attempt!

But this is Gacha Land.

A place where opportunities are always available.

[Would you like to retake the test? (Retest fee: 5 Gacha Stones.)]

Sir Dominic paid a few more Gacha Stones and took the test again.

54 points.

A disappointing score.

But thanks to the two experiences, Sir Dominic was able to pass the written test on his third attempt with a comfortable score of 67.

These two licenses were the spoils of war after a license test filled with anguish, pain, and hardship.

Sir Dominic looked at the licenses with a complex expression, then overlapped them with his character card and stored them in his inventory.

“At least we won’t have to walk back.”

Sir Dominic said to Alice.

“That’s right!”

Alice responded to Sir Dominic’s words with a bright, beaming smile.

Sir Dominic summoned the spider tank.

Unfortunately, there were no sky paths around the license testing center, so they couldn’t take the airship.

Alice climbed onto the back of the spider tank summoned by Sir Dominic.

As if that was her place, naturally.

…

And there was someone watching these two.

“……”

A ninja with long, flowing hair watching them from a windy rooftop.

Yes, it was Unryu Hime.

She glared at Alice with cold eyes.

Though her exact expression can’t be described, it was like a yaksha! An asura!

Hime’s expression was so terrifying that an ordinary person would faint upon seeing it.

Behind her, an unfamiliar person approached, clapping.

“That’s right. That’s the emotion, Hime.”

A suspicious-looking person revealed sharp teeth in an evil smile.

A suspicious woman wearing a handsome black dress uniform like officers wear, with a black officer’s hat topped with white rabbit ear decorations.

Hime slowly changed her expression and turned to look at the officer.

“Why did you come all the way here?”

Hime’s expression was cold enough to freeze water, but the female officer answered without concern.

“Didn’t you say you would think about our proposal last time? You asked for time, so we gave you a day. That’s enough time to think.”

The officer’s sharp teeth clacked together wickedly.

“……”

“As I mentioned before, if you join, you’ll receive an exclusive uniform, a nice badge, and chocolate cookies I made myself.”

The officer began persuading Hime.

Though her words had nothing persuasive about them, Hime, already confused by thoughts of Sir Dominic, began to be swayed by the officer’s words.

“If necessary, I can even offer banana milk. Cookies and milk. It’s practically destiny.”

Her spiky hair, as pointed as her teeth, fluttered in the wind.

Hime silently glared into the officer’s eyes, but the officer casually pressed down on the brim of her hat with her left hand and met Hime’s gaze.

“Let me propose again, Hime. How about joining our secret society, the Johann Shepherd Expedition?”

The officer extended her right hand, glove removed, toward Hime with a snickering smile.

Hime continued to glare at the officer in silence.