1 Awakening

Sampaguita Town, Cavite Province.

Lee Clan.

The clan's surrounding area was bustling with a vibrant atmosphere early in the morning.  Clansmen could be seen busy moving around as though they were preparing for an important event.

At the servants' district, the poor appearance of the houses told the living conditions here were largely different to a legit clansmen's state. Since it was located at the back side of the clan's area, it was only a few meters away from the mountain where river stream could be found as well.

A 1.7-meter tall black-haired youth dressed in faintly loose pale-blue servant's robe could be found washing his battered face. He was clearly beaten until black and blue!

This was Lee Seokjin – 15 years old servant of the Lee Clan. Today was just a normal occurrence for a servant like him who was raised in the clan ever since he was born.  His Grandfather, his only relative who was also an old servant of the Lee Clan taught him to serve the clan in spite of difficulty. It was the only way for them to compensate from letting them live in the Lee Clan.

Hence, even when was getting bullied by the clan's younger generation, he never uttered a single word and only endured all of it in silence. However, today was an entirely different matter. He was ganged up by the other servants.

Unfortunately, since they had the upper hand in number, he was eventually beaten in the end. Seokjin felt bitter about it.

"Later… if I finally awaken my 'Origin Deck' and hunt a few divine cards, I will surely let those bastards taste pain– Oww!!!"

Seokjin cried in pain as he carefully put the ointment on his face that he brought in the market with his meager wage as a servant.  He couldn't even remember how many times already he bought this kind of ointment since he began to receive a beat from those clans' brats.

'One day… I promise they will feel my pain, one day.' Seokjin thought filled with determination and hope.

However, he still couldn't help to get worried about the result he could get in the coming of age ceremony.

The coming of age ceremony was the most important thing that decided the fate of the future generations. 

Unknown period of time ago, enormous and omnipotent beings were ruling the world. Until the 'Card Masters' began to surface out of nowhere. People began to have the abilities to confront those monstrous beings which in years passed new civilizations appeared around the world. 

Card Masters were born when the youths reached their 15th year. It was discovered that there was a dormant power hiding in everybody. 

Thus, after a very long period of time. Card Master Ancestors eventually found a method to trigger the power dormant in the youths' body. The Origin deck!

The Origin deck, allowed a normal being to use the power of the divine cards. 

Divine Cards where items dropped after killing the monsters who initially ruled the world that were still roaming around the world.

Card Masters had 3 basic realms. The Flower, Heart, and Spade realm. And every realm had three-levels. 

In the first realm, one could only equip divine cards in the similar realm. The divine cards they could use were merely for physical enhancement. 

It was required to prepare the body to breakthrough the next realm. 

Seokjin began to fantasize himself when he became a Card Master. Ever since he got to know about the world and Card Masters. He starts to dreamt to become one of them. 

Additionally, if he became one, he never needed to live his entire life serving those brats. 

He plans to buy a mansion for his dearest Grandfather who raised him alone since birth. 

While Seokjin was still tending his wounds, the age of ceremony for the young generation of the legitimate clansmen came to end as cries of cheers resounded even at the back side of the Clan's ground. 

Seokjin gazed at the direction where the source of cheers. The event happened at the central square park of the clan. 

Now that the brats ceremony ended, he knew it would be the young servants' turn. 

As he continued to put the ointment on his wounds, an aged-voice resounded in the distance. 

"Seokjin. You brat, where have you been? It is the servants' ceremony next, why aren't you getting prepare-!?"

The aged-voice went silent when Seokjin turned to the owner's voice. It was his Grandfather, Lee Sukyung. 

"Who beat you? Was that brat Lee Taehoo again?"

Seokjin stared at his frowning Grandfather whose head was full of white hair. Although looked old, there was a certain demeanor coming out of the old man's stance.

He then shook his head and spoke. 

"No, not this time. It was the group of that bastard's servants."

Upon hearing Seokjin's response, the frown on the old man's face became deeper for a quick moment before easing. 

"I know what you're feeling and thinking right now. But this is not the time to get revenge. You must prepare now for the ceremony. Go and change your clothes." 

"Yes, Grandfather." Seokjin understood what his Grandfather's meant. Thus, he complied without argument. 

However, before he could walk far away, he heard his Grandfather's soft voice, "If you successfully become Card Master, I will give you something you will surely love." 

Seokjin beamed into a smile as he continued walking without looking back. 

Afterwards, Seokjin headed to the central square park with new clothes. Lee Sukyung was walking silently behind him. 

As they reached the still bustling location, a young voice scoffed at Seokjin's appearance. 

"Hmph! This bastard really has the guts to come."

Looking in his front, Seokjin calmly stared at the anticipated event. 

He knew that Taehoo and his servants were truly planning to bully him until the end. 

Since Taehoo had finished his awakening ceremony, only the servants were here to play with him. 

It was led by the main servant of Taehoo, Taesuk. Behind him we're two other servants. 

"Hyung. It must be he's here hoping to awaken his 'Origin Deck'." 

"I know. I don't need you to tell me that." 

Taesuk berated the man beside him before staring back at Seokjin. 

"In any case, what can a lowly servant do? Young master has awakened a Level 8 Rank origin deck!" 

What!? 

Seokjin was deeply astonished upon learning that bastard Taehoo actually awakened a Level 8 origin deck!

Origin deck had 12 Level Ranks. 1st Level was the lowest and 12th was the highest that someone could awaken. 

Those Level Ranks means how many cards they could equip. Level 1 was equal to 1 card slot. Level 2 means 2 card slots and so on. 

Thus, Taehoo had 8 card slots. It means his future was apparently bright. 

As the records says, Level 8 Rank origin deck had the chance to reach Spade Realm. 

Spade realm was already a high achievement for Seokjin. Since Spade realm Masters were treated well and had a great influence comes along the power they could wield. 

Seokjin furrowed his brows and clenched his fist undoubtedly worried about the result of his awakening. 

Lee Sukyung only watched the conversation of the youths in silence. 

Amidst the worried Seokjin and the scoffing Taesuk. A sudden cough took their attention. 

"Ahem! To all the Clan's servants who are gonna take their awakening ceremony. Come here on the stage!"

A man in his mid-30's wearing a white long fitted-robe, emphasizing his well-built body spoke with a loud voice. 

Despite his appearance, no one disrespects the old man. Youths nowadays had a tendency to disrespect elders as though they already knew everything in the world. 

This man was one of the Clan's elders with a high influence in the clan and on the Spade Realm! 

Elder Lee Jae Suk. 

The young servants took their time and neatly stood around the golden carved stone circular platform with a diameter of 10-meters. 

On the platform was a plain white rectangular box hovering a few inches above it. 

It was the 'Origin Deck' of the old ancestors left by the founder of the clan. It doesn't have any uses other than to attempt to awaken the future generations dormant power. 

Seokjin observed around him and discovered that there were almost 50 servants surrounding the platform. 

He felt quite excited. 

"Now, as you all already watched this event every year, all you need to do is, make a contact with 'Ancestor's' origin deck through your senses.

"Then, if you successfully made a contact. You're 'origin deck' is already in the way. All you need to achieve next is the level of your origin deck as it's based on your potential. 

"Now, I bid you all good luck!" 

As Elder Lee Jae Suk's voice ended, all the younger servants immediately closed their eyes and tried to make contact with the floating deck. 

Seokjin whose eyes were closed cleared his thoughts like what his Grandfather's taught. Although his Grandfather was only a Flower Realm card master, he was still a card master nevertheless. 

Seokjin who trained himself bitterly for the past few years, instinctively cleared every thought in his mind even his other senses were blocked! 

He imagined himself standing in the middle of a white dimension. Then, slowly he let his thoughts wander towards the imaginative 'origin deck' floating before him. 

For some reason, his thought couldn't reach the hovering deck as though there was an invisible wall blocking his way. 

Bang! 

Seokjin once again attempted to make contact but he slammed on the invisible wall as expected. 

Bang! 

Bang!

Seokjin didn't even think of giving up. His mind was steeled with years of mental training. It wasn't enough to make him give up. 

Thus, even when beads of sweat appeared on his face, Seokjin continuously rammed on the invisible wall. 

Times slowly passed away, when suddenly one of the young servants' bodies shone with a bright light surprising the audience watching below the stage. 

"Woah. There's already one of them made a contact!"

"Who is that servant!?"

"I guess he is one of the young master Taehoo servants, Taesuk."

"Oh, what do you think the level of origin deck he will awaken?"

"I am not sure…" 

"Well, that's dumb of me. Let's just continue watching."

It didn't take long as other young servants successfully made a contact.

However, Seokjin was still trying to break through the invisible wall. 

Bang! Bang! 

Crack~ 

'It cracked!' Seokjin who was panting in his mind exclaimed in excitement. Thus, despite his exhausted mental fortitude he rammed once again with more determined expression. 

Crack~ 

Boooom!!!

A wave of bright light gushed out of the broken wall and instantly engulfed Seokjin. 

Below the stage, Lee Sukyung who was calmly watching Seokjin couldn't help but smile when a bright light shone around his grandson's body. 

'Good job.' Lee Sukyung thought. 

As the light faded, Seokjin discovered himself floating in outer space. Heavenly bodies were everywhere. 

However, his sight was focused on the enormous black rectangular box that was shining incredibly above him. 

'What is that!?'

He knew that one would be sent to a dimensional trial where the potential would be examined. 

But where the heck am I?

When he looked in his surroundings, he found numbers of decks with various colors. 

When he tried to move towards those decks, he felt the distance was infinite. He couldn't get close even an inch. 

'Oh my God, just what I'm gonna do here!?'

'Isn't there any guide on what to do!?'

Hello~!!