Tick Tock On The Clock [LITRPG Deckbuilding with Time Ticking down]

[05: 11: 18: 37]

…

Cassian tossed his backpack to the floor, the weight of it hitting the ground with a solid thud. Weapons, gear, essentials—it was all there, packed and ready for the mission.

Inside were the tools he'd need to survive out there: MREs, basic accessories like a wristwatch, a torch, and a handful of glowsticks. The advanced combat gear was a skintight bodysuit. It felt like silk but had the strength of steel. The suit pressed snugly against his skin. Over that, he'd strapped the lightweight armor, made from some sort of liquid metal that shifted and hardened to absorb impact. Two handguns rested in holsters at his hips, and at his side, two longswords gleamed, basic but well-balanced.

It should have made him feel prepared. Instead, he felt heavy. Exhausted.

Fuuu… The armor is nice; I'm happy I now have proper swords as well…

Cassian crumpled onto the bed, eyes fluttering shut as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. He barely had time to exhale before the notifications began to pop up.

Cassian rolled his eyes, mentally swiping the message away. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered. His voice was thick with fatigue, and he let out a long, tired yawn.

Cassian's eyes snapped open. The Eternal Wanderer's words sparked a jolt of energy through him, and he sat up, his muscles protesting the movement. Right. He did have a few things he hadn't checked yet.

With a slow, deliberate breath, Cassian drew a glowing, infinite symbol in the air with his finger, channeling his essence. His Soulkeep manifested, hovering before him. It pulsed with creation energy, the warmth of it seeping into his skin like a gentle embrace.

With a flick of his hand, the Grimoire flipped open, pages turning rapidly until it settled on Preset 3—the healing preset. Cassian traced a line down the page, then flipped back to Preset 1 and tapped the page twice. The air shimmered as the preset shifted.

"System," he said, his voice firm. "Use the +1 Slot Token on my deck."

A golden flash sparked, and the Grimoire hummed, absorbing the token. The number of deck slots increased from 6 to 7.

Now, we're getting somewhere.

Cassian leaned back against the wall, exhaling as he rubbed at his temples. "Show me my current cards and all available choices," he commanded. The system's interface blinked to life, translucent panels unfolding before him like a glowing blueprint.

_______________________________________

❂ ARTIFACTS

∅ White Rose

∅ Sindivinity

∅ Black Rose

_______________________________________

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❂ RUN CARDS

Slots: 5/5

<Equipped Run cards>

∅ Smite [CREATION INCANTATION] → {11/15}

∅ Firewave [DESTRUCTION SORCERY] → {06/10}

∅ Gravity well [KNOWLEDGE SPELL] → {04/10}

∅ Blink [KNOWLEDGE SPELL] → {11/15}

∅ Holy Blessing [CREATION INCANTATION] → {11/15}

<Available Run cards>

[ Lightning bolt [DESTRUCTION SORCERY], HEAL [CREATION INCANTATION] {13/25}, Stone Golem [CREATION SUMMON] {03/10}, Expedite [DESTRUCTION SORCERY] {11/25}]

____________________________________________________

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❂ DECK CARDS

SLOTS: 6/7

<Equipped Deck cards>

∅ A Knight's Squire [CREATION PROFESSION]

∅ Mana Shield [KNOWLEDGE SPELL]

∅ Piercing Light [KNOWLEDGE SPELL]

∅ Heart Swords [KNOWLEDGE SPELL]

∅ The well beyond wells [KNOWLEDGE SPELL]

∅ The Behemoth [DESTRUCTION SUMMON]

∅ Empty

<Available Deck cards>

[RITE OF BLOODSHED [SACRIFICE RITUAL], UNHOLY BLESSING [SACRIFICE SORCERY], SANGUINE BOND [SACRIFICE RITUAL, LIFEWEAVE SPECTRES [CREATION SUMMON], SUPREME VERDICT [CREATION INCANTATION], LIFESTEAL [SACRIFICE SORCERY], TOXIC CONDUCTOR [DESTRUCTION SORCERY], NIMBLE FINGERS [KNOWLEDGE SPELL], Life for life [SACRIFICE SORCERY], Rite of Bloodshed [SACRIFICE RITUAL], AKASHIC MIRROR [CREATION, SACRIFICE KNOWLEDGE SPELL]]

________________________________________________________________

Cassian's eyes zeroed in on the Akashic Mirror, the legendary card he'd been holding onto. The card hovered at the bottom of the interface, its ornate gold and black design shimmering like a living flame.

He couldn't believe he'd almost forgotten about it. A card that could transform any one of his current cards into a Pseudo-Legendary version.

The possibilities were insane.

"But which one?" he muttered, running a hand through his hair—only to freeze as his fingers touched smooth skin.

Oh, right. He is bald now.

System, show me the AKASHIC MIRROR card.

His mind churned through the possibilities, weighing each option carefully. From his reserves, Lifesteal was the most tempting choice. Having a pseudo-legendary version of that would mean battlefield sustain that bordered on the absurd.

But then there were his currently equipped cards.

[Mana Shield] at pseudo-legendary could potentially grant him near-invincible defense.

[Piercing Light] was a solid attack spell, but its utility was limited.

[Heart Swords] was already an epic; not sure if upgrading it to pseudo-legendary would change stuff or not.

The [Well Beyond Wells] was the most tempting; what if he could make more than 2 wells? That would be ridiculously overpowered.

And then there was [The Behemoth], his best summon. For sure, its legendary version would be a banger.

Hmm? The profession card?

[A Knight's Squire] had helped him, no doubt, teaching him combat stances, posture, and even the basics of tactical awareness. But upgrading that wouldn't give him any new destructive power. And right now, he needed firepower. Didn't he?

That's true; the only reason I could push through the horde and the nest was because of the extra essence wells.

If not for them… things would have gone bad.

Cassian exhaled, shoulders slumping. He hated to admit it, but the advice made sense. Even "The Wild One" was surprisingly silent in agreement.

Cassian smirked. "Haha, you could have just said yes, such a tsundere."

Cassian shook his head, stifling a laugh. The banter was a welcome distraction, but the decision was made. He equipped the [Akashic Mirror], feeling its weight settle over him like a shroud. Then, he drew [A Knight's Squire] from his Soulkeep.

System I would like to upgrade [A Knight's Squire] using [Akashic Mirror].

The card shimmered, then dissolved into motes of silver light, vanishing into the void. The Akashic Mirror absorbed it, its intricate patterns shifting and expanding, the symbols glowing brighter until the entire card blazed with a blinding light.

When the glow subsided, the card had changed. Its edges were gilded, its surface etched with new, ancient runes.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Holy shit! That's a massive change.

Cassian raised his eyebrows. Aura?

He knew it was a big deal—martial arts fantasies and anime always hyped it up. But what exactly did it mean here? Would it drain his essence? Enhance his attacks? How?

Cassian's heart nearly leaped out of his chest when he accidentally saw The Eternal Sword of Forlon grayed out in his Soulkeep.

"What the hell?" he muttered, tapping the card icon repeatedly. Nothing happened.

His pulse quickened as he scanned the card's description, eyes zeroing in on the source of the problem.

Four.

Four fucking attunement card sources.

You've got to be kidding me…

System, show me all the attunement cards I have.

….

13x Destruction Cards

7x Creation Cards

8x Knowledge Cards

7x Sacrifice Cards

8x Void Cards

…

Cassian nodded, mentally running through the numbers. Creation and knowledge both had just enough to form stars. That would give him three stars in total.

"Damn it," he muttered. "Okay, system, show me my current stats."

«STATUS»

Hmm? Why are my stats so low… oh, the buffs are not there.

That scared the shit out of me… Okay, so I can form a star of creation and knowledge.

That's good, phew~

He grabbed the stack of 7 Creation cards and stood up, moving toward the bathroom. If anything weird happened, he didn't want to wreck the room.

Cassian stepped inside; the mirror catching his eye, and his reflection made him jump.

"Oh, shit!" he hissed, hand flying to his bald head. The memory of his hair burning off in the blast came rushing back, and he scowled at his reflection. The skin was smooth, but he could feel faint prickles of fresh growth.

Settling on the cool tile floor, he took a deep breath. One by one, he crushed them against his chest, letting them dissolve into shimmering motes of light that sank into his skin.

Okay, this is it… fuu.

Each card sent a wave of warmth through his veins, flooding him with a soothing, healing sensation. By the fifth card, his body felt heavier; his muscles more solid.

With the final card, the warmth peaked, and then it was over.

Scowling, Cassian was about to say something when the message from Eternal Wander popped up.

That was a bummer, but it makes sense.

Cassian nodded, the advice sinking in. "Thanks, guys," he murmured, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over him. "Guess it's time for the knowledge upgrade."

He pulled out the 8 knowledge cards, feeling the familiar pulse of power as he began the process again. The sensation this time was different. Cooler. Sharper.

Essence flowed through his veins like ice water, clearing his mind, sharpening his focus. His vision seemed to expand, the dim bathroom suddenly appearing brighter and more defined. By the time the last card dissolved, his essence felt… bigger.

«STATUS»

Hmm, it does say now that «1st Star bonus locked.» Man, I hate this system; it unlocks info when I become aware of certain keywords.

Scowling, he shook his head and asked, "I've got some sacrifice cards on hand. Should I—"

Before he could finish, two simultaneous notifications lit up his vision.

Cassian blinked, taken aback. "Huh?"

Cassian exhaled sharply, tension he hadn't realized he was holding slowly released. "Got it. Thanks."

Sacrifice messes with your head, huh? Considering his already fragmented mental state, that doesn't sound like a good idea.

Cassian chuckled, pushing himself to his feet and turning the shower on full blast; the icy water and the shock grounded him, washing away the tension.

Now that [A Knight's Squire] was gone, the change in his mental state was unmistakable. The focused clarity that had once held his thoughts in a tight, disciplined line had dissolved into a chaotic mess. His mind was a spinning wheel, thoughts scattering like glass shards in every direction.

The subtle fragility he feels now is unsettling.

Gritting his teeth, he shook his head, trying to center himself. It was just a card. He'd get used to it.

Stepping out of the shower, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, water still dripping down his bare skin. His eyes lingered on his reflection, the bald head and the faint shadow of hair beginning to sprout. It was ridiculous, but he still couldn't get used to seeing himself without the dark hair.

Pushing the thought aside, Cassian moved back to his bed and grabbed two more Void Attunement Cards. He was about to slot them in when—

huh? what why?

No response.

Shaking his head, Cassian slotted the attunement cards.

...

...

Cassian exhaled, eyes still closed, feeling the changes ripple through him. Multiple notifications popped up in his vision, and as he was about to check them—his vision darkened, the world around him fading to a void.

The room was gone. The bed, the walls, the very ground beneath him dissolved into blackness.

{…SO YOU'RE THE HEIR OF MY LEGACY… A KID?}

Cassian's pulse pounded in his ears, each beat a heavy thud against his ribs. His breath caught as he searched the void. It was empty—pitch black. But then, in the distance, a single glimmer of light pulsed.

A sword.

It hovered in the abyss, massive and imposing. The blade was dark and jagged, its surface fractured by veins of molten gold that pulsed like a heartbeat. The light it emitted was dim yet relentless, casting slivers of golden radiance into the void.

{YOU TOUCHED MY INHERITANCE.}

The voice echoed again, colder this time. Cassian's skin prickled as the air around him grew heavy and oppressive.

{SHOW ME YOU'RE WORTHY TO HOLD MY LEGACY, OR I'LL BURY YOU WITH IT.}

...