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With Simulated Crafting unlocked, spiritual energy had become Luke's most valuable resource. The Moon Spirit Ring's recovery boost would directly translate into faster simulation cycles, which meant faster card development across the board.
And the timing couldn't be better, with the college entrance exam approaching.
Moonvale came here to flex, and they ended up handing me experience AND a top-tier accessory. Luke almost felt bad. Almost.
He took the ring from Victor without hesitation.
Marcus, Hailey, and the surrounding students watched with undisguised envy. Every one of them understood what a Moon Spirit Ring meant for a young Card Master. A long-term advantage that would compound over years, widening the gap between Luke and everyone else.
But none of them begrudged him. He'd earned it. Solo.
Zane and Levi, on the other hand, were practically vibrating with suppressed rage. As Moonvale natives, they understood the ring's value better than anyone here. Those rings were fought over by their own elders back home. And now one was being handed to a student from Ashenvale.
Even Lily couldn't fully hide the longing in her eyes. She was Moonvale's top student and still hadn't qualified for a Moon Spirit Ring.
"Put it on," Victor said. "Once it bonds to a wearer, nobody else can use it."
He said this calmly and not at all in the direction of the Moonvale students who had definitely been thinking about stealing it.
Levi twitched. Zane suddenly found the sky very interesting.
Luke slid the ring on. The effect was immediate. His mind sharpened, like fog burning off glass. The spiritual fatigue from running Red-Eyes Black Star Dragon's simulation in the background, a constant low-grade drain he'd grown used to, eased noticeably. Recovery speed felt roughly a third faster.
The long-term nourishing effects wouldn't show up overnight, but even just the recovery boost was incredible.
"Congratulations, Luke." Helena stepped forward, composure fully restored. Whatever anger or shock she'd felt during the fight had been processed, filed away, and replaced with something that looked uncomfortably like approval. "If you ever have the time, Moonvale's doors are open."
Coming from Helena Frost, that was practically a love letter. She respected strength, period. Luke had demonstrated strength. Therefore, Luke had her respect. It was that simple for her.
Zane and Levi wanted to sink into the ground. Their City Lord was praising the enemy. In front of them. While they stood there with their losses still fresh.
"Absolutely," Edwin Pace added, jumping on the opportunity with a speed that bordered on suspicious. "Luke, if you do visit Moonvale, Lily here would be happy to show you around. She knows the city better than anyone, and you two are the same age. Plenty to talk about, I'm sure."
This sneaky old bastard.
Harlow's internal alarm went from zero to nuclear. He recognized a recruitment pitch when he heard one. Dress it up however you want, Edwin was dangling Lily Everhart in front of Luke like bait. "Come visit our city, here's a beautiful girl your age as a personal tour guide." Classic honey trap.
Lily, blissfully unaware of the layers of political maneuvering happening around her, simply nodded. "You'd be welcome anytime. I'd be happy to show you around."
"Sure," Luke said easily. "If I'm ever in Moonvale, I'll take you up on that. Having a local guide would make things a lot easier."
Behind him, every Moonvale student took psychic damage simultaneously. Lost the exchange match. Lost the Moon Spirit Ring. And now their number one is volunteering to play tour guide for the guy who beat them all.
This was the definition of "lost the battle and lost the girl."
Moonvale didn't stay long after that. Lingering in a city that had just humiliated you was an exercise in masochism, and Helena wasn't the type to sit around and be pitied.
Once they were gone, Harlow pulled Luke aside.
"Luke. I know you're at that age where certain things start to seem very interesting." Harlow's tone was carefully neutral. "But the college entrance exam is your priority right now."
Luke blinked. Then the penny dropped. "Are you... worried I'm going to transfer to Moonvale?"
"Once you reach the Four Great Academies, you'll find the world opens up considerably. Much broader horizons. Many more trees in the forest." Harlow paused meaningfully. "No need to fixate on any single tree."
Luke almost laughed. "Relax, sir. I'm a Westbridge student. That's not changing."
"Good." Harlow exhaled. He'd gone through too much stress over this kid to lose him to a recruitment pitch and a pretty face.
The next morning, Luke woke to a mind that felt like it had been scrubbed clean.
The Moon Spirit Ring had worked through the night, and the difference was tangible. His spiritual energy hummed at a higher frequency, alert and responsive. The Red-Eyes Black Star Dragon simulation, which had been sitting at one hundred percent for over a day, was ready.
Materials were prepped. The Immortal Inferno Dragon's Reverse Scale sat on the table beside a half-dozen supplementary components. Luke had been waiting for this moment since he'd first conceived the card.
He gave Mana her instructions (this time, he remembered to warn her about the Creation Pillar in advance), then opened the Card Editor and began.
「 Among dragonkind, powerful and mysterious beyond measure, there exists a legend: a black dragon with eyes of true crimson. 」
「 A young black dragon, driven by the legend of the crimson-eyed wyrm, endured centuries of growth and transformation, evolving into the Red-Eyes Black Star Dragon. 」
「 At the very end of its life, the Red-Eyes Black Star Dragon transcended its limits and briefly attained the power of the legendary black dragon itself. 」
「 When the Red-Eyes Black Star Dragon falls into rage, the terrifying star flames behind its crimson gaze will reduce everything in its sight to ash. 」