My card's leveling

Riven caught sight of a silhouette—a man walking with a glass cup in hand—when, suddenly, the environment blinked violently around him. The silhouette morphed into something horrific, horns sprouting from its head.

Behind it, chaos unfolded.

The sky was torn, its color ripped away, monsters ravaging the land, smoke rising in thick plumes. It was an apocalypse.

The scene flickered, shifting back to normal, then to the horrific vision again, over and over, until it was final—and then, it faded away.

Riven found himself standing in a field of vibrant green grass, the sun shining brightly overhead. Everything was peaceful. But in the midst of the flowers, there was one—an unusually tall black rose, its essence fading away like a dying star.

Riven jolted awake with a start, a sigh escaping his lips as he rubbed his eyes.

He was back in his assigned room: simple, sparse. Bunk beds, a desk, an adjacent bathroom, and a corner where his belongings were neatly stashed.

The first thing he saw was a notification:

"Thanks for reminding me," Riven muttered, his voice low and groggy.

He reached for his pockets, but the cards appeared in his hand instead.

"Wow," Riven murmured, impressed. The cards were now encased in a sleek, upgraded black packet.

"So this is level 2," he thought, his eyes scanning the cards. He tried to put them away, but they vanished.

"Huh." He widened his palms, and the cards reappeared, only to vanish again.

He repeated this a few times, the thought of leveling up sparking something inside him. How strong would he become? What powers awaited him?

This curiosity lit a fire in him—if he leveled up faster, he'd be stronger, and the prospect of beating Blake was both a challenge and a way to boost his progress.

Just then, someone jumped through the window, startling Riven. It was Jex, but without his mask. His untidy white hair, hazel eyes, and the scar running from his left eye to his chin made him look even more dangerous.

"Jex?" Riven said, blinking in surprise.

Jex stepped over to a picture frame on the wall and revealed a hidden compartment, pulling out a sword. "Yeah, in the flesh."

Riven quickly made the cards disappear before Jex could see.

"What are you doing here?" Riven asked.

Jex slid the sword behind him, turning to face Riven. "Really, Riven?"

Riven narrowed his eyes. "How do you know my name?"

Jex tilted his head. "We're roommates, genius. Look at the tag on the wall."

Riven glanced at the wall. A small, discreet tag was embedded there that he hadn't noticed before.

"Oh. I didn't see that," Riven muttered.

Jex, now wearing his mask again, glanced at him. "We're late, you know."

Riven stood up from the bed. "Late for what?"

Jex gave him a dry look. "Didn't hit you, did it? We're hunting today. A lady wants everyone assembled at the entrance."

Jex headed for the door, glancing back. "You coming?"

Riven scoffed. "Why would I? I'm not prepared."

Jex gave a half-shrug. "Okay."

Jex turned, making his way to the window again.

"I'll meet you there," Riven said, still adjusting to the early morning.

Jex paused by the window frame. "Yeah. Nice tattoos, by the way."

Riven suddenly remembered the tattoo scars along his arms. He rubbed them anxiously. "Thanks."

Jex disappeared out the window.

Riven took a deep breath, mentally preparing for what lay ahead. He took a bath and changed before he grabbed his umbrella and stepped out into the bright late-morning sun.

As he made his way to the base entrance, he saw a group of people gathered, listening intently to someone. Nearby, a row of sleek, impressive vehicles stood, engines idling.

A woman in a soldier's uniform with long purple hair and an air of authority stood at the front. Her eyes scanned the group as she addressed them.

"Listen up, young hunters. Today's your first hunt, but it's just a practice session until Mr. Hugo gives the word. That said, the cores you collect today will still count towards your score," she announced, her voice strong and commanding.

She gestured to the line of vehicles. "Most of you have the basics from high school, but these vehicles here will give you an edge. They've been developed by Hugo's enterprise—packed with multi-powered energy sources, various modes, AI assistants, and more."

The group seemed excited at the sight of the vehicles, murmuring in approval.

Riven walked over to Jex, who gave him an amused glance. "Where's your suit or armor?"

Riven looked around at the others—most were wearing suits, some sleek, some heavy armor.

"I don't see the point in suits," Riven replied, shrugging. "They're irrelevant, if you ask me."

Jex raised an eyebrow. "Said the guy carrying an umbrella in broad daylight."

Riven didn't respond, instead scanning the area. "Where's Fey?"

"You mean the red-haired girl?" Jex said, looking around. "No idea."

The woman—Commander Han—tapped something on her pad. The group's watches beeped in unison.

"Code's been sent to your watches. You'll be assigned to a vehicle," she said, tapping her pad again.

Riven and Jex checked their watches. Number 15.

"Our team's number's fifteen," Jex said, glancing at Riven.

"Yeah, I see that," Riven replied, already lost in thought.

Commander Han raised her voice again. "The vehicles can take you anywhere within the radar. There are three zones: red, yellow, and green. Do not enter the red zone unless you're looking to die a painful death." She let her words hang in the air. "You can enter the yellow zone, if you have the guts. The green zone is where you should focus your hunting efforts. Just make sure you return to base by six. Or, you know, you can stay at the gate all night if you feel like it."

She cleared her throat. "May the fittest win this contest."

With that, she turned and left, and the teams began to move toward their vehicles.

"Dibs on driving," Jex said, already walking toward one of the vehicles.

"Fine by me," Riven muttered, following Jex. "There'll be plenty of space in the back since we're three anyway."

The two walked in silence for a moment. Riven's gaze flicked over to Blake's team, zooming past in their vehicle.

A smile tugged at Riven's lips. "Today, you'll be humbled."

"Fey still hasn't shown up?" Jex asked, snapping Riven out of his thoughts.

"Hey, guys!" called a voice from behind. It was Fey.

She was striding toward them in a sleek, blood-red suit.

They turned to see her approach, and she came to a stop, looking at both of them.

"Sorry I'm late," Fey said, then glanced at Jex. "I'm guessing you're our new teammate?"

"I'm Jex. Nice to meet you," Jex replied, offering his hand. They shook hands.

Fey turned to Riven. "I heard they assigned us a mobile."

"Yeah. It's right over there," Riven said, pointing to the last vehicle in the row.

"Hmm. Neat," Fey said, her eyes scanning the vehicle before turning back to Riven and Jex. "We'll talk more once we're in the mobile. For now... let's go hunting."