Chapter 27: Wait... did he boom?[1]
In a vast field of the Nest, thousands had gathered, their heads tilted upward in tense anticipation.
Above them, countless bats hovered in the air, their eyes flickering with an eerie blue light. From those glimmers, floating screens shimmered into existence, each one broadcasting a different part of the ongoing Battle of Dominion.
On one of those screens, the clash between Loki and the trio unfolded in sharp detail.
As the battle drew to a close, a puzzled little girl tugged at her mother’s sleeve. "Mom," she asked softly, "why did the chain guy have such a hard time beating the mantis guy? Wasn’t he at the second ring, while the mantis guy was only at the peak of the first ring?"
The mother picked the daughter up at her question and gave a sweet smile.
"Sweetie, the power system that rules our world isn’t that simple," her mother explained gently. "There are a lot of factors that come into play. If it had been a fight without grimoires, the chain guy would have had the upper hand easily.
He could have beaten the mantis guy without much trouble. But that’s where spirit cards and grimoires change everything. Each spirit card gives a different kind of boost to its user.
In this case, the mantis guy got a big boost to his physical stats, while the chain guy didn’t get any direct boost like that. But on the other hand, the chain guy’s card made him more versatile, letting him adapt."
The little girl thought for a moment. "So, Mom... even someone with a lower ring can beat someone with a higher ring?"
"Yes," her mother smiled. "If you play your cards right."
***
Inside a grand hall of the Imperial Academy, the same scenes from the test played across floating screens.