A heavy, expectant silence filled the room as Leo looked down at the cards. Among the scattered loot, a distinct purple glow caught his eye. The alien had dropped an Epic Card.

​Reaching down, he picked up the violet-tinted card, the smooth surface humming with a faint glow.

It was a piece of equipment. Intrigued, he focused his gaze on the text materializing across its surface, reading the description intently.

​Epic Card – Robe of Shroud

A hooded robe woven from the shadows that exist between light and darkness. Its long, flowing coat conceals the wearer’s figure, bends their presence, and hides their aura from hostile senses .Countless assassins and lone hunters once vanished into the darkness beneath its hood, leaving behind only silent corpses and unanswered questions.

​Abilities:

​Shrouded Presence: Suppresses the wearer’s aura and greatly reduces the chance of being detected through sight, sound, killing intent, or life-sensing abilities. The effect weakens while attacking or making loud noises.

​Shadow Veil: Blends with dimly lit surroundings, making the wearer much harder to track.

​Epic Defense: Greatly reduces the force of slashing attacks while providing moderate protection against piercing weapons.

​Self-Repair: Slowly repairs minor damage by absorbing ambient mana.

​Description: A robe favored by assassins and lone hunters who walked unseen through countless battlefields.

​Leo stared at the card for a long moment, his breath catching slightly in his throat. The sheer utility and power of the cloak’s abilities were far beyond anything he had imagined.

​"System..."

​The word slipped past his lips subconsciously, a reflex born of recent habit. "Are these abilities..."

​Halfway through the sentence, Leo abruptly cut himself off. The sudden realization hit him like a splash of cold water .

The system was currently upgrading.

​A bitter, self-deprecating smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he muttered, "It hasn’t even been a day... And I’m already missing that damn system."

​Pushing the bittersweet thought aside, he carefully tucked the Epic Card away and shifted his attention to the remaining rewards.

Three Rare Cards lay waiting, their distinct orange hues reflecting in his eyes.

​A spark of anticipation renewed his focus as he picked up the first one. It was a weapon.

​Rare Card – Rune Bayonet

​A weapon born from the determination of a mage who could never cast a single spell...

​As Leo scanned the lines that followed, his eyes gradually widened. The card detailed a fascinating piece of engineering: a firearm powered entirely by intricate runes instead of volatile gunpowder. It was a weapon born of spite and necessity, created by an ordinary man determined to stand on equal footing against powerful mages.

​The tragic, defiant story behind the weapon captivated him, stirring a sense of profound respect. Unfortunately, the card’s text was strictly utilitarian, explaining only its origin and mechanics. There was no lore about the specific world it came from, nor was there anyone around to answer the questions swirling in his mind.

But what had touched the deepest corner of his mind and heart was the description written in the card .

Description:

Talent is a gift. Determination is a choice.

This weapon stands as proof that even one abandoned by magic could challenge those blessed by it.

Talent is a gift. Determination is a choice.

This line kept echoing in his heart and mind .

His attention went towards the abilities next .

Abilities :

Rune Engraving: Special rune bullets with different elemental or special effects can be loaded into the weapon to unleash unique attacks.

​After admiring the sleek, runic design depicted on the card for a while longer, Leo set it down and reached for the next one.

​Rare Card – Introduction to Runes (Beginner)

​A foundational textbook compiled by the scholars of an ancient magical civilization. It teaches the basic principles behind runes—the language used to shape, store, and control mana.

​Leo’s eyes immediately brightened, a smile breaking across his face unconsciously.

Just a moment ago, a pragmatic worry had crossed his mind regarding where he would ever obtain the highly specialized Rune Bullets required to fire his new bayonet.

Now, the solution was literally lying right in front of him. As long as he could master the foundational principles of these runes, perhaps one day he would even be able to forge his own ammunition.

​Fueled by a wave of momentum, Leo wasted no time flipping over the final Rare Card.

​Rare Card – X-Gene Serum

​The excitement vanished from his face, replaced by a soft, disappointed sigh.

For almost anyone else navigating this harsh world , a serum capable of awakening latent superpowers would probably be a priceless, life-altering treasure. But to him, given his specific circumstances , it was practically useless.

​Fortunately, the sting of disappointment didn’t last long. When weighed against the immense value of the Cloak of Shroud, the bayonet, and the magical textbook, the uselessness of the serum hardly mattered.

​Finally, Leo picked up the last remaining card from the alien’s drop , a single Uncommon Card.

​Uncommon Card – Chain and Sickle

​Description:

Also known as the Kusarigama, a weapon once used by ninjas on Planet Earth. Both the blade and chain are forged from an unknown alloy with exceptional durability.

​A genuine smile finally returned to Leo’s face. Unlike most survivors who would look at the exotic, dual-wielded weapon with confusion or skepticism, the kusarigama was intimately familiar to him.

Back on Earth, he had spent grueling years training to master its complex choreography of momentum and striking angles. Among all the cold weapons he had ever wielded, it was one of the tools he was most proficient with.

​Satisfied with the windfall, Leo neatly stacked the alien drops and set them aside. He then turned his gaze toward the final, cluttered pile . the cards dropped by the zombies he had slain.

​Compared to the extraordinary, otherworldly rewards of the alien hunter, the zombie cards were far more mundane.

He sifted through a mountain of Common and Uncommon grades, finding exactly what a survivor needed to keep breathing:

Rice , meat , vegetables , purified water, fuel canisters, standard ammunition, and various everyday supplies. It wasn’t flashy, but it was the foundation of survival.