SNAPCRAFT | Ch. 54 - Controversy Fomentation
Added 2024-02-01 10:45:17 +0000 UTCKai was looking forward to Seth’s first class. He had heard the stories of the controversies that made the old man leave the city and live like a hermit. He had heard Trudy’s side and old Seth’s. Now, it was time to hear both at the same time.
“Hi, Kai. Mind if I sit with you?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Thanks,” she said quietly. Kai kept facing forward, eyes on the fire. Throughout all his life, he’d been the one making the effort to reach out to Ariel, but since he came back, she kept finding excuses to chat with him and to try to approach him. The Kai of a few years ago would have been thrilled at the development, but all he felt was numbness. Why was that?
“Hey, Kai. My turn to keep the fire is coming up soon. Can you help me after the sunset bonfire today? You promised.”
Kai let out a deep sigh. Things were a little awkward between them, but he didn’t think he had it in him to say no. After all, hadn’t he made a huge effort to bring old Seth back? Why would he expend so much energy bringing the old hermit back only to ditch Ariel now?
“Deal,” he said, forcing a smile.
Instead of looking happy, Ariel looked down, flustered. She was still and tense as if gathering her strength to perform a titanic feat. What was wrong with her? “Kai, I…”
A few claps interrupted what she was about to say. “Let’s begin.”
“I was hoping I would have died before today arrived, but I guess I can’t catch a break,” complained Trudy.
“Come on, you old hag. Aren’t you always preaching about the sacredness of the fire and how we should respect the firekeeper? Quit your whining and sit your old bones down.”
Kai and Ariel exchanged a wide-eyed look. They just couldn’t get used to how Seth seemed to have no respect for Trudy. The elderly woman complained and mumbled but still sat with Sophie. The hermit rubbed his hands and cleared his throat.
“Thank you for letting me keep the fire today. It’s an honor.”
Kai was surprised at how easy and confident old Seth looked. He had assumed the old man would have felt awkward, but he looked like a fish who had just found water again. Maybe he cared more about being back than he admitted.
“The bonfires focus mainly on preparing us to participate in the exams, but today, I want to take a step back and pose a question: Should we even participate?”
Sophie and Trudy rolled their eyes as loud as they could, but old Seth wasn’t talking to them. No. He was looking at Ariel and Kai.
“We have to participate,” countered Kai. “Even if we don’t want to, the cybermonkeys get us and drag us to a pod.”
“Daisy can do many things, but she can’t make you participate. All she can do is turn on the game and put it in front of you. That doesn’t mean you have to play it,” Seth answered.
“Why wouldn’t we participate?” asked Ariel. “If we don’t, we can’t have children or get other important things we need.”
“Even if we don’t get the poisons and rations Daisy concocts, we can still forage. We can farm. We can hunt. We don’t need Daisy to survive. I’ve been living off the land for years now.”
“But we still wouldn’t be able to have children,” Kai said.
“And should you?” riposted Seth. “Why do you want to have children so badly? Could it be that it’s because Daisy presents it as a prize? And what about the child? Why do you want to bring new life to this forsaken world? Why give birth to another of Daisy’s prisoners? Is it fair to the child?”
Seth did make a good point. He had always focused on what he wanted, but his future children? Would they want to be born in a world like this? Or would it be kinder to remain in inexistence? Kai stared at Seth for a long moment. His argument awoke bits of past conversations with Alex after he started talking to Cassie.
“Now, I believe you all have a right to choose. Just make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Today’s lesson is aimed at you, kids. Doing something is just as important as why you do it.
“Think about this. Talk to Trudy, Sophie, and me if you like. Talk to each other. And remember, you have a choice. You don’t have to win. You don’t even have to play. We’ll meet again at sunset. Dismissed.”
*
After the funfair's festive environment, returning to the white crafting room was quite a shock. The previous arenas had all been quiet and devoid of life, so this was the first time that Kai experienced such a difference during this year’s exam.
Kai took stock of the cards he’d collected in the funfair arena. He distributed them neatly on the table.
2x Child (Common)
Young human being in the early stages of life, characterized by growth and curiosity.
Hp: 1
Vp: 0
2x Air Rifle (Uncommon)
The rifle can shoot small plastic pellets that hardly do any harm.
Hp: 1
Vp: 3
Candy Apple (Uncommon)
An apple covered in a shiny, sugar coating.
Hp: 3
Vp: 1
Cotton Candy (Uncommon)
Spun sugar confection with a cotton-like texture.
Hp: 4
Vp: 0
Pirate (Uncommon)
A criminal outlaw that raids ships.
Hp: 0
Vp: 4
Pirate Ship Ride (Uncommon)
An amusement park ride that performs a pendular motion.
Hp: 1
Vp: 3
Rare:
2x Funhouse Mirror (Rare)
A curved mirror that creates a twisted reflection.
Hp: 4
Vp: 3
2x Hammer (Uncommon)
A tool to break stones or to drive nails.
Hp: 4
Vp: 0
2x Accuracy (Rare)
The ability to aim true and hit a target.
Hp: 7
Vp: 0
2x Strength (Rare)
The power that be.
Hp: 7
Vp: 0
Balloon Giraffe (Rare)
A balloon sculpture of a creature with a long neck that feeds on the leaves of tall trees.
Hp: 1
Vp: 4
Rubber Bumper (Rare)
A thick rubber band that can absorb impact.
Hp: 0
Vp: 7
Wooden Unicorn (Rare)
A playful representation of the mythological one-horned horse of legend.
Hp: 1
Vp: 8
Clown (Legendary)
An entertainer who uses physical comedy.
Hp: 0
Vp: 9
Funfair (Legendary)
A fun event often hosted by itinerant merchants and entertainers.
Hp: 0
Vp: 10
Infinity (Legendary)
An endless, limitless extent or quantity without a specific bound or endpoint.
Hp: 0
Vp: 11
“Not bad, not bad,” Kai said to himself. Not only had he gotten three legendary cards, but he also had a fairly complete deck. He had creatures, tools, and healing cards. He had some good crafting-oriented cards, but he also had cards that immediately beefed up his point count.
Adding to that, he grabbed all the cards left from the previous round.
Razor Clam (Common)
Bivalve mollusk characterized by its long, narrow, and razor-sharp shell.
Hp: 0
Vp: 2
Crab (Uncommon)
Crustacean with a broad carapace.
Hp: 0
Vp: 2
Power Outlet (Uncommon)
Connection point for electrical devices to access the electrical supply.
Hp: 1
Vp: 1
Spider Web (Rare)
Delicate, intricate structure woven by spiders using silk threads to serve as a trap for catching prey or as a shelter.
Hp: 0
Vp: 4
Spider Web (Rare)
Delicate, intricate structure woven by spiders using silk threads to serve as a trap for catching prey or as a shelter.
Hp: 2
Vp: 4
Unicorn (Legendary)
The mythical one-horned horse. Legend has it that its horn can pierce through anything.
Hp: 3
Vp: 15
Crabken (Legendary)
A mighty sea monster. Its pincers can shatter continents, and its shell deflect cannon blasts.
Hp: 0
Vp: 20
Illuminating Adult (Legendary)
A human who has been forged in the fires of wisdom and love.
Hp: 2
Vp: 20
Light (Legendary)
A form of electromagnetic radiation that stimulates the sense of vision.
Hp: ∞
Vp: 2
Mega Scrapdroid (Mythic)
A scrapdroid that has fed on so much technology that it has transcended into the realm of sentience.
Hp: ∞
Vp: 40 (Max)
Red Star (Mythic)
A powerful, nuclear ball of fire.
Hp: ∞
Vp: 0 (Max)
Raised City of Atlantis (Mythic)
The city that had been swallowed by the ocean has risen back above the waves.
Hp: ∞
Vp: 15
One-Horned Jaguar (Mythic)
A phenomenal hunter that can pierce any shield with its horn and fool any eye with its camouflage.
Hp: ∞
Vp: 40 (Max)
His mythic cards alone granted him almost 100 points right now. Finally, Kai grabbed all the cards his sawmill and tool shed upgrades had generated.
Pine Tree (Common)
Coniferous green that produces needles and pinecones.
Hp: 2
Vp: 1
Acacia Tree (Uncommon)
Acacias are known for their resilience and beautiful, fragrant flowers.
Hp: 3
Vp: 1
Flint Axe (Uncommon)
A primitive cutting tool with a flint blade. It doesn’t look too sturdy.
Hp: 1
Vp: 3
This time, it looked like he had struck out and only gotten a [Flint Axe]. It would have been much better if he’d gotten a [Fire Axe] or a better tool. But it was all good. It granted some victory points, and he could pair it with a creature card.
Usually, Kai would have started crafting right away by now, but this time, he had to break his six-round-long routine and go in the opposite direction instead. Thanks to the [Raised City of Atlantis] card, he could already access all the upgrades in his console. On top of that, he already had upgrade coins ready to spend on new upgrades. It would be foolish not to check if there were some juicy upgrades to bolster his crafting.
With the 20 upgrade coins left from the last round and his current cards, he already had 239 upgrade coins to spend. If he found a powerful upgrade, he could increase his points count even further, thus allowing him to do even better during this stage.
He hurriedly opened the console and checked all the upgrades available for purchase.
Purchased Upgrades: [Acacia Sawmill]; [Android Companion]; [Card Fridge]; [Deadline Extension]; [Dimensional Gloves]; [Film]; [Flash]; [Gaslamp]; [Hunter Eyes]; [Lightning Rod]; [Map]; [Mythological Discount]; [Photocopier]; [Pine Sawmill]; [Populate]; [Risen]; [Scoreboard]; [Solar Breeze]; [Text Description]; [Treasures of Atlantis]; [Tool Shed]; [Wide Lens]; [Zoom II].
Recycle
Requirements: To destroy 100+ cards in one round.
Description: For every ten cards you obliterate or lose at the end of the round, generate a random scrap card.
Cost: 22uc
Flint Mine
Requirements: Craft three flint-based tools.
Description: Grants you a [Flintstone] card each round.
Cost: 37uc
Elm Sawmill
Requirements: Lumberjack card, [Elm]
Description: Grants you an [Elm Tree] card each round.
Cost: 37uc
Uncommon Pool
Requirements: To only take pictures of uncommon cards in a round
Description: You can take two pictures of uncommon cards regardless of how many have been taken.
Cost: 37uc
Gaslamp II (Gaslamp Upgrade)
Requirements: [Gaslamp]; [Light]
Description: An even more powerful gas-fueled lamp.
Cost: 67uc
Hunter Eyes II
Requirements: [Jaguar]; [Hunter Eyes]
Description: Shows you where your opponent is on the map at all times.
Cost: 75uc
Tie-Breaker
Requirements: To win one of the rounds by one point.
Description: You automatically receive one extra point if you and your opponent tie.
Cost: 75uc
Balloon Sculptor
Requirements: [Clown] and a balloon animal;
Description: Every round generates one balloon animal.
Cost: 75uc
Shock Absorption
Requirements: [Bumper], to have suffered an attack.
Description: Absorb attacks sent by your opponent. Depending on the grade of the attack, you can cancel it or slightly mitigate it.
Cost: 75uc
Split Activation
Requirements: Fusion card.
Description: You only need to activate one of the fusion elements for the merge to be successful.
Cost: 100uc
Funfair
Requirements: [Funfair]
Description: Every round gain one random card that could be captured in the funfair arena.
Cost: 100uc
Regeneration Chamber
Requirements: To have healed a card.
Description: When inside the chamber, a card can regain one hp between rounds.
Cost: 150uc
Scouting Drone (Android Upgrade)
Requirements: Fully explore a map.
Description: Airborne device that aids in map exploration.
Cost: 150uc
Slow Shutter
Requirements: [Light]
Description: Lets more light into the camera.
Cost: 150uc
Emotion Cookbook (Recipe Book Upgrade)
Requirements: Legendary grade emotion.
Description: Contains recipes for different emotions.
Cost: 150uc
Bomb Casing II
Requirements: [Glass], [Clay], [Leather]
Description: You now have three of each bomb.
Cost: 150uc
Shield Phase
Requirements: [Infinity]
Description: Lets you move past shields.
Cost: 375uc
Mystery Box Fiesta
Requirements: [Mystery Box]
Description: From now on, every map has a hidden mystery box.
Cost: 375uc
Yellow Star
Requirements: [Red Star]
Description: Upgrades [Red Star] to [Yellow Star]. Not only does [Solar Breeze] destroy cards with 0 hp, but it absorbs the victory points of the common cards.
Cost: 375uc
Sure enough, a few new upgrades had been unlocked thanks to the new cards he had collected.
[Funfair] and [Balloon Sculptor] were new upgrades that worked like [Flint Mine] or one of his [Saw Mill] upgrades, generating value each round.
As he studied [Funfair], he frowned. This had been the first time he’d taken an aerial shot of a snapping arena. Could it be that he could have done the same in previous rounds? Was there a [Pine Woodland] card? A [Quarry] card? Or a [Neon City] card? He tried to imagine a trial runner collecting all of these and starting each round with an overwhelming advantage. He would have to pay more attention to these photographs from now on.
Regarding what he generated, he guessed he could get everything from food to people, rides, and other things. It was a high-roll upgrade. He could get a legendary or mythic card, but more likely, he would get a worthless common one. Did he want to spend upgrade coins on it?
[Balloon Sculptor] was a similar upgrade, but the cards it generated were much more targeted. It was guaranteed to generate a balloon sculpture, making it a more consistent choice. However, he still didn't know if balloon sculptures were worth anything. What if they were worthless?
It wasn’t just that. There were other similar upgrades available to him right now. Should he invest his upgrade coins on it right now? Or should he buy something else? Even though card generation was potentially powerful, the truth was that until the finals, Kai only had three more rounds left - the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the finals. Would getting this upgrade that would generate only three more cards get him good value?
“Wait,” he said, “I'm doing the math wrong.” Hadn’t [Tool Shed] instantly generated a new card last round? That meant he would get one more card if he purchased any of these upgrades! That was more value than he had first anticipated. Should he go for it? He could buy [Funfair], [Balloon Sculptor], and either [Flint Mine] or [Elm Sawmill] with his current points. Buying these three upgrades now would get him twelve more cards until the finals if he made it that far.
Before making a final decision, his eyes finally landed on an upgrade he had hoped to unlock. [Rubber Bumper] had translated into a defensive upgrade: [Shock Absorption]. After being hit with so many grenades, Kai had hoped that there was some sort of upgrade that would shield him from foul play.
[Lightning Rod] had already been proven powerful, and it looked like, in these exams, the attack upgrades cost more upgrade coins than defense ones. Therefore, by investing in defense, he was outvaluing his opponents who had invested their coin in a more aggressive build. The only question was the kind of attacks [Shock Absorption] shielded him from. After all, [Lightning Rod] couldn’t completely block his [Solar Breeze]. What guarantee did he have that an opponent’s attack wouldn’t completely ignore this upgrade?
On the other hand, his opponent had invested enough to freeze him for ten minutes at the end of the round. That meant they were aggressive. What nasty surprises had they saved for the crafting stage? Did he want to risk not having this safeguard?
In the end, Kai left the shock absorption upgrade for now. For two reasons. One was that if this player had invested so many resources in grenades, there were fewer chances he would have had enough upgrade coins left to spend on disruptive tools for the crafting stage. Secondly, he could be worried about nothing. [Funfair] and [Balloon Sculptor] were guaranteed to give him two new cards, whereas [Shock Absorption] might not even be needed.
He would spend some coins on card generators. He was far ahead and reckoned he could take a hit if it came down to it. Worst case scenario, he got fodder to feed to the photocopier. Additionally, even though he could get a bad roll and gain a worthless card, he could also potentially get a very valuable one if he was lucky.
Are you sure you want to purchase [Funfair]? [Y/N]
He purchased [Funfair], and just as he was about to purchase [Balloon Sculptor], and [Elm Sawmill] he stopped himself. Maybe it was more prudent to check what balloon cards did first and whether he needed more lumber in this round.
“Inventory,” Kai called after purchasing the upgrade. Sure enough, there was a new card sitting there. He grabbed it.
Corn Dog (Uncommon)
A sausage coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep-fried until golden and crispy.
Hp: 4
Vp: 0
Sadly, it wasn’t anything too special. Shrugging, Kai walked back to the crafting table. It was time to start crafting.
