Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

[Eon's POV: ]

As we know right now, [Cascade of Ark] had more than ten effects or unique cards, and there was a name attached to all of these cards that produced unique effects.

'(Lion's will) increased the strength in proportion to the Aura sacrificed. (Defending giant) increased the defensive ability of the entire body, or an object that

I wanted it in proportion to the time spent after activating the card.

And, (Vibrant Tiger) was a special one that increased agility, strength, and camouflage or stealth abilities in exchange of stamina.'

And since this morning, we have tested out around ten of these cards with absolutely fantastic abilities.

'What makes this skill the most terrifying is the cooldown time that depends completely on how intensely the skill is activated.'

Every single one of the cards that come up randomly during the skill activation, asks for something in return and provides an effect depending on what one gives… an equivalent exchange.

And the cooldown time, depending on the exchange, varies from a few minutes, to theoretically a few days if the activation is done to the max of my current abilities.

'It's definitely a unique skill of some unique creature whose death must have been unfortunate.'

But its skill will survive with me from now on…

"Let's do it one last time."

"Yea~!"

Rein and I were in a faraway land that belonged to mom, a hilly area out in the outskirts of the Empire's capital.

It was a clear area with a lot of trees and since we were in a place with no humans living anywhere near here, this place was relatively safe to test out the new skills.

And, since this area also contained some energy beasts in some of the places, there was a chance we would also get some live targets to practise the offensive skills on.

"Alright then…"

We had only tested the [Cascade of Ark] until now, so… there were still all the other skills left for the testing.

'[Cascade of Ark].'

Every time I activate this skill, a strange looking deck of card is summoned, and a single card comes out of it randomly.

-Ooooooooooong!

All the cards look unique and so after doing it for the last three hours, we have figured out how the cards that we know already look.

"Ohhh! Ohhh! This is a new one!"

All cards have a unique pattern and a special feel to them that is difficult to put into words, but in simple words, these cards are different from one another in looks, and effects.

"Finally."

The one we got this time was a different one we had never seen before… it had a blue colour, and there were star-like little dots on its back that made it seem like a starry sky.

-Swish!

The card that left the deck shot towards me and just like before, when I caught it, the information about the card suddenly flowed into my mind.

"What's it called? What's it called~?"

Rein was having fun since the first time I pulled a card. And since some of the cards' effects could be shared with the desired target, she also got to use some of the cards that I was summoning.

"(Gaze of Silverhorn)… quite a pretty name, I would say."

"Ohh! Ohh! Is it also something that lets you see through things~?"

There was a card called (Piercing gaze of Bakowl) that gave one ability to see faraway things, and even allowed them to look through things if they wanted.

I had my [Three eyes] so I didn't really need this ability, but the fact that anyone can use this ability if I allowed them excited this peculiar fiancée of mine.

'She was definitely thinking something devious once again… but it couldn't be as bad as her acting this morning, right?'

And this ability didn't have any weird effect like that even though there was 'eye' in its name so there was nothing for her to look so excited about… actually, wait.

"From what I came to know, this ability lets someone with a good enough affinity with darkness attribute see the true nature of 'night'. The explanation was vague but as long as I use enough Mana to activate the skill, we might even get to see the other side."

"…wait, what?"

"Yup. From what I understand, it's exactly what you are thinking."

"No… no no no way! Really~?! I will be able to see the shadow realm if we use this?!"

"There is a possibility. Wanna try?"

Extending the blue card that had materialised in a semi-physical form to her with a smile, I waited for her answer.

"Hmmm? Can… can I have-"

"Of course you can."

And as soon as I got that expected uncertain look, I just handed her the card after pouring in just enough Mana to make it useable.

This was a new one so we did not know what things it could do just yet, so we had to be careful here.

It was a random ability so there was a chance we wouldn't be able to get this one for a long time, but it didn't really matter much.

'The cards materialised in a 'semi-physical' form or something comparable to a compressed form of Mana that takes physical form that stays with me for, as we have concluded after multiple trials, at least half an hour.'

I can pass around these cards as I like and until I trigger them through my will, they stay in that card form… truly a fascinating ability.

"Eon…"

"Don't look at me like those are my cookies or something. It's just a card from an ability that's already mine. We will get this card again if we are lucky anyway so just use it!"

She was going to keep looking at me like that, I knew that, so without her consent this time, I just triggered the skill.

And as soon as I did that, the card vanished from her hand… and, her pretty eyes turned completely black.

They were not comparable to the eyes of those demonic human bastards, but different from those ugly emotionless eyes, the eyes she had right now contained an entire nebula.

The colourful celestial pattern that formed deep within her eyes was something I had never seen directly like this… and though there was something like stars on her retina parts, they were too unique to be called simple stars.

"The hell…?"

"What's up? What do you see, Rein?"

"Everything…"

There was a twitching smile on her face right now so I can tell she was experiencing something he couldn't put into words.

"Fuck what the hell is this?"

"Describe what you see-"

I was going to ask her to explain what she was seeing, but just then… her eyes returned to normal and the dark nebula turned into her usual deep pink eyes.

"Hmmm?"

"Looks like the effect wore off-"

I was just about to sigh and shake my head at the short period of the ability, but since it wasn't something instantaneous like some other skills and lasted exactly twelve seconds at the lowest activation strength, this was a pretty useful ability— or so I was going to think before Rein lost the strength in her legs and almost fell over!

"Hey! Don't just fall over like that!"

I barely managed to catch her by her waist and shouted at her with a concerned look, but then I noticed how her complexion was turning pale right before my eyes.

"Rein? Rein! What's happening?!"

Her eyes were still looking up in the sky, motionless to any of my shouts!

What the hell was happening all of a sudden?!

"Rein?!"

I checked her using my (: Scan) and found almost all the Mana in her body had drained out, causing the symptoms of Mana drain… and it wasn't a good thing!

"The hell was that thing… what did you see, damn it!"

There was no time to think about anything so I just acted quickly, took out some potions from my storage space, and poured them in her mouth… which wasn't moving on its own either!

I had to feed those potions to her myself!

"Lucy!"

[[ *It doesn't look like anything happened to her mind, master. There would have been no response by her body if that were the case.

But her body is reacting fine, so I think she is just experiencing a (Post accidental flashback).* ]]

Which ultimately meant she was alright. Something certainly was good to know, but it did not help with the situation!

"What do I do to help her then? Is there any way-"

[[ "Shut up, darling. I'm alright…" ]]

She blinked her eyes.

She kept looking up like she was since earlier, but she certainly blinked.

And, her complexion started retuning to normal as well.

[[ Master! Master! She spoke! Sister Elle's alright, master! ]]

[[ "Of course I am alright, dummy. What could happen to me anyway…" ]]

"Then what about all this?! You fell-"

"And now I'm getting up so shut down, alright?"

She blinked a few times, shook her head and got up on her own… and then, looked directly at me.

"Calm down and listen."

After almost giving me a heart attack, she was looking at me with that rare excited expression of hers with a wide smile on her face.

"What the hell? What is the meaning of all this?!"

"Shuuuu. Just quiet down and listen to what I am about to say."

She was out cold on the ground just a moment ago but now she was all excited and cheerful… What did that weird thing do to her?!

"Ready?"

She wanted to me listen to what she had to say, and under the circumstances, I had no choice but to do just that, and nod my head.

"Alright then…"

The smile on her face was unexpectedly the most excited one I had ever seen on her. It was strange in a way, and a little cute as well.

"I saw everything."

She was holding my hands. Her breathing was uneven and her eyes looked more shiny than usual right now.

"Even outer space."

With the ability of that card, she saw something I couldn't have foreseen.

And, it was so unfathomably special that even she couldn't contain her excitement about it.