Magic Card Era: Infinite Deck Enhancement — Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Only Satisfaction, Nothing Else

Luke stared at the system description of the black core shard, utterly speechless. He turned the jagged, obsidian-like fragment over in his palm. If he wanted to assemble a complete black nucleus, he would likely have to venture into the chaotic interdimensional space beyond the borders of the Magic Card Civilization. Completing such a high-difficulty collection task in any reasonable timeframe seemed impossible otherwise.

But with his current strength? Stepping into the interdimensional space was no different from volunteering for a gruesome death. The Abyssal Predator that his Red-Eyes Black Dragon had just incinerated was nothing more than bottom-feeding trash in those cosmic wilds.

Out there, Ten-Star Extraterrestrial Beasts roamed unchecked. Eight-Star and Nine-Star horrors were as common as stray dogs, and Seven-Star entities sat firmly at the absolute bottom of the food chain. Even legendary Magic Card Masters who had made their names decades ago had to prepare to the teeth before daring to cross that threshold.

If a master failed to check their horoscope before stepping through, a passing top-tier Extraterrestrial Beast could swat them out of existence in the blink of an eye.

Of course, braving the cosmic void wasn’t the only option. Luke could theoretically gather enough black core shards within the safety of the Magic Card Civilization.

The first method: he just needed to stumble across the remaining forty-eight Black Gates and successfully dismantle every single one of them.

Right. With that kind of absurd luck, even the fabled Son of Destiny would have to bow down in defeat.

The second method was far more practical: trade. The Magic Card Civilization had stood for countless eras. Luke refused to believe he was the first person to realize the value of these fragments.

Someone out there definitely knew the true function of the black nucleus. It was highly likely that the official associations were already hoarding them.

Judging by Cang Fenghua’s frantic reaction earlier, the higher-ups placed immense strategic value on the Black Gates. Since the black nucleus was the power source of these anomalies, it was guaranteed to be a prime research subject.

However, buying them wouldn’t be easy. A quick mental review of the Magic Card Association’s trading network revealed absolutely zero listings for black core shards.

Deprived of its energy source, the massive Black Gate shuddered. The swirling vortex of dark matter collapsed inward, shrinking at a terrifying speed until it vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the scorched earth.

“So that’s how it works.” Luke tossed the shard lightly, a realization dawning on him. “Extract the core, and the gate destroys itself. But getting close enough to grab it… that’s the real nightmare.”

He glanced at the charred remains of the Abyssal Predator. The beast had defended the gate with its life, proving just how vital these portals were to the Extraterrestrial Beasts. To break the gate, you had to slaughter the monsters pouring out of it—a vicious, deadly cycle.

“Luke, how are you holding up?”

Having confirmed that the space-time rift had completely sealed, Cang Fenghua and the other two elders finally turned their attention away from the fading spatial ripples. Their eyes bypassed the black core shard in Luke’s hand entirely.

Just as Luke suspected, the elites of the Magic Card Civilization already knew about the shards. The official organizations possessed vaults full of them, and plenty of independent Magic Card Masters kept a few as trophies.

Right now, Cang Fenghua and his companions were infinitely more interested in Luke’s Magic Card Spirit.

Standing this close to the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, the three veterans could physically feel the suffocating arrogance and raw dominance radiating from its obsidian scales.

Even as mighty Emperors and Sovereigns, they couldn’t suppress the bitter pang of envy gnawing at them. No Magic Card Master in existence could reject the allure of such a magnificent Dragon-type spirit.

“I’m fine. Just feeling a little drained.” Luke pocketed the black core shard.

He had noticed the three elders arriving mid-battle, right as the Red-Eyes Black Dragon was tearing the Abyssal Predator apart. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why they were here; the sudden manifestation of a Black Gate was a massive emergency.

But since he had already handled both the Abyssal Predator and the portal, and with two Sovereigns and one Emperor standing guard, Luke figured any other Extraterrestrial Beast foolish enough to show its face would instantly become fertilizer for the Demon Spirit Home.

With a thought, he recalled both the Dark Magician Girl and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. The towering dragon and the blonde spellcaster dissolved into streams of light, sinking back into his spiritual sea.

The battle had been brief—a mere flash of time between the dragon’s summoning and the destruction of the gate—but the magic power it demanded was staggering. It was a burden far beyond what a normal Battle General should be able to endure.

As the connection severed, a wave of intense exhaustion crashed over Luke. His knees buckled slightly, his spiritual reserves completely hollowed out.

As he steadied himself, he noticed the three old men staring at him. Their gazes carried an indescribable, heavy resentment—the look of men who had spent their lives cultivating, only to watch a teenager casually shatter common sense.

Luke’s eyelid twitched. ‘These old guys aren’t planning to mug me, are they?’

“You brat… you really gave us a heart attack.” Principal Gu broke the silence, shaking his head. Despite his exasperated tone, his eyes brimmed with absolute, unfiltered satisfaction.

Luke’s aptitude was terrifying. In all his years of teaching, across his entire lifetime of battling alongside geniuses, Principal Gu had never seen a talent like this. Not even the legendary generals holding the front lines could compare to the raw potential standing before him.

Given his youth, Luke’s ceiling was limitless. As long as he didn’t die prematurely, the Ancient Kingdom was guaranteed to produce a Magic Card Master capable of defining an entire era. Gu could feel it in his bones.

“Uh.” Luke rubbed his nose, feeling slightly awkward under the intense scrutiny. He figured Principal Gu was marveling at the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, but to him, it wasn’t a big deal.

In his grand blueprint, the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon was merely his first Dragon-type magic card. It certainly wouldn’t be his last. He had an entire arsenal of dragons waiting to be forged.

“The Black Gate has been neutralized, but the battle has left the spatial integrity of the Demon Spirit Home highly unstable,” Cang Fenghua said, stepping forward. “We need to terminate this dimensional expedition early.”

He clearly had a thousand questions for Luke, but a fractured dimensional plane was not the place for an interrogation.

Luke nodded, perfectly fine with the decision. Today was supposed to be his final day in the Demon Spirit Home anyway. His inventory was packed with high-grade materials, and his magic power was running on fumes. Leaving a few hours early made no difference.

After the four of them evacuated, a heavy silence fell over the Demon Spirit Home. The Extraterrestrial Beasts that had fled in terror slowly crept back into their respective territories. As the hours ticked by, the fractured space of the dimensional plane gradually healed, quietly awaiting the day it would open once more.