One Day Early: My Infinite Card System

1 - Awaken

The mana apocalypse ! 

It’s like a trite cliche situation from a web novel when someone says it out loud. 

However, William knew it’s an extremely real and devastating event heading towards earth any time now. 

Imagine one fine day all the food in all supermarkets vanished, all crops in any field vanished and none of the food could be grown again. Amidst this, each and every one of the people would get a super power. 

A global war started for survival. Humans destroyed the earth. After all, it was said one could destroy earth and in return, get a chance to start over once again. 

As compensation for being the biggest villain in history, he got a chance to return to reality a day ahead. 

Only one day! 

The mana apocalypse began with no rhyme or rhythm announcing its arrival. Every human being awakens mana. Every item used by humans turned into a card.

A number of skill cards were distributed all over the world along with the awakening. These skill cards granted super powers to people. 

Some were stupid skills such as being able to let out the stinkiest fart in the world. 

Others were cool like being able to control fire, rain lightning or turn into a master swordsman.

Like every other thing related to power, these skills were ranked. These skills are graded from ‘A’ to ‘D’, and above these cards were the ‘S’ grade cards. 

These special cards could contain absolute crack skills like the farting, or absolute power skills that defy heaven and earth.

Even among these absolute skills, there are seven absolute power cards, which literally take it to the next level. 

Infinite mana 

Infinite life

Infinite inventory

Infinite agility

Infinite defense

Infinite stamina

Infinite respawn

Simply put, As long as you could obtain one of these seven cards, you are practically a god. 

As much as William wants to obtain Infinite respawn, its skill card was hung in mid air over pacific ocean, and a lucky man got this skill. He couldn’t intercept it, even if he was given an entire day of preparation. 

Infinite life was in Antarctica's center, where no man could reach easily, not even with super powers. 

Infinite inventory was in pyramids of egypt, buried underground in a cursed pyramid. It was no joke to get there. The expedition killed more than a tens of thousands. 

Infinite agility was in siberian tundra 

Infinite defense was at the peak of everest. 

Infinite stamina was submerged somewhere in the mariana trench.

Infinite mana, though, was in the Statue of liberty’s torch. 

Easy peasy, ain’t it ? 

After all, he only had to fool the surrounding police petrol, laser controlled alarms and the supremely fast life rescue boat. 

*Wink* *Wink* Notice the sarcasm.

He paid nearly half his monthly expenses to reserve a seat at the only restaurant on hudson, and then parked his car at the restaurant, using the other half of his monthly budget. 

He spent all his credit on buying a kayak, with assembled paddles, life jacket and rock climbing gear. 

First thing to vanish is food, so it’s better to stuff himself silly. 

He ordered their signature cod balls and clam chowder. When that’s over,  their priciest sushi box, along with their most expensive dessert. 

A wagyu hamburger after that. 

After all, there’s no point to his money, so it’s best spent here tonight. 

His credit limit is measly ten thousand bucks, so he is going to spend it all tonight. 

Then, he tasted their hundred bucks caviar and cheese set, and ordered the thousand dollar champagne. 

The bottle, he will not drink at the moment, for he would have to climb to the top of Statue of liberty later. 

Ellis island is not exactly near. He would get hungry while getting there on a kayak.

At exactly midnight, the lights flashed. All the food in the restaurant vanished, as if by magic. 

William put down his card and paid for the meal. 

He needs to rush. ‘Infinite mana card’ will not stay there indefinitely. 

In the future, an eagle has taken up residence there, though it was the eagle that represented his country, William hated the damn bird for the amount of damage it caused. 

Newyork still was the place with the highest density of resources in the apocalyptic world. 

However, none could approach the statue, because of the damn eagle which likes killing everyone at sight. 

William went to the parking lot, hoping to retrieve his kayak and set off. 

The police will be informed in an hour, and the pandemonium will start soon, so the faster he is off, the better it is. 

He looked around to do a perimeter check, just due to habit. Then he got into the water with his kayak. 

That … 

Is that a flash or not  ?

He stopped in his tracks in hesitation. He does not want to be a man who lost a diamond while chasing a glass bead. In the end, William decided to check upon the flash.

Just this once, he told himself. 

The sea is dangerous, if not immediately, definitely in a few hours. Worse yet, he could lose his direction easily on the water.

Sure, he could get infinite mana, but that means nothing if he doesn't have a single skill to use with that mana. I am not chasing after the mirage, but wisely prioritizing; he justified himself. 

He rowed to the flash.

The card was a little strange. 

It’s blank. 

William never heard of a blank skill card any time, not even in the distant future. 

The technology worked for a long time even after the mana apocalypse. This at once increased and decreased the safety of people. 

It decreased the chance countries would get in to fight with each other. 

It increased the chance local gangsters/ violent organizations fight and oppress citizens. 

All the same, the point is that the internet worked for a long time. 

There were apps that warned of a murderer hunting around, and resource points nearby, and police wandering around.

So, there should have been at least rumors. 

But there weren’t. 

He accepted the skill card all the same. 

If it’s not a useful skill, he could always leave it at some place when he finds a useful skill. 

‘Status’ he automatically commanded after he accepted the card, only to freeze in shock when he read its description. 

[ Name : William Baker ] 

[ Race : Average human male ] 

[ - Skillcards ] 

[ Infinite skill set ]

 [ no limit to number of skill cards you can use. ] 

‘What the ? ‘ 

The explanation is very simple and shockingly powerful. That’s what infinite series cards are like. They are simple and domineering. A thousand schemes are nothing in the face of absolute power. 

One doesn’t ridicule a tyrannosaurus rex for possessing only one skill of ‘Chomp’. 

You avoid T-rex when it looks at you, you avoid T-rex if you know it’s within the area, you avoid it at all costs as long as you have even the slightest hunch that you could become its target. 

The infinite series is something you accept on both knees as long as it is given.

Only … it seems there are more of these infinite series skill cards than expected. 

After some thought, William had an epiphany. This skill is an empty glove white wolf. It is only powerful if combined with infinite mana. If they don’t have both, then it’s a bit useless.

William’s zeal to get the infinite mana increased hundred fold. 

He had brought a gun with him. If he faced the damn eagle today, he would definitely kill it. 

Even if he had to pull out its beak with his own bare hands, he would do so. 

The urgency in his heart increased, so did the speed of his actions. The travel time in a kayak to Ellis island is about two hours. Every second of the trip felt like forever. 

After all, if he misses infinite mana skill, then he will just be a soft patsy waiting for death. 

Thankfully, he remembered the security measures and the path forward from the future. One could say it was his fidget stone. If not for that information, right now, he would be caught in security measures no matter what. 

He shot the hook he brought towards the hand holding the book. 

The idea is that he would climb up to the book first, then, climb the steep incline, then, to the shoulder, finally, to the torch. 

It is only after he climbed to the book of the lady Liberty William saw there were skill cards floating all around the statue. 

He collected what he could, but his ultimate goal is the one in the torch. 

Any time now, the torch would light up with the white luminance of the infinite Mana card. 

With that thought, William forged forward with increased urgency.

As he climbed into the torch, a rustle of feathers echoed in the chamber. 

“Screeeeeeee…” a bald headed eagle screeches at him, as it’s eyes settled on the card.