SNAPCRAFT | Ch. 47 - Populated Tangibility

Author's note:

Hey, everyone!

I just wanted to thank all the kind souls who took some time to leave the first reviews of Snap Craft on Amazon. It's a little thing but can make or break my income. I really appreciate your honest opinions. Thank you!

I wish you a good weekend,

Cássio F.

*******

The box slipped from Ariel’s hands and fell with a bang, echoing in the empty museum.

“Oh, no. Oh, no. Please don’t be broken. Please don’t be broken.”

How could she have been so careless? With trembling hands, she picked up the shards of what used to be a millennia-old artifact. She screamed in frustration, happy that no one else was around to hear her. If Albert were still alive, he would have banished her from the museum for a year.

Coming here at 5 am had seemed such a good idea when she had woken up earlier today and couldn’t go back to sleep. But now, it was all starting to feel like a nightmare. She should have just stayed in bed.

If only her brother or Kai had been here to help her carry the boxes. Thinking of Alex, she twisted her lips. Every time the name sprung in her mind, it was as if someone punched her in the stomach. Whenever she thought of her brother, Kai’s name immediately followed. These days, thinking of Kai, she felt… What did she feel? She didn’t know anymore.

First, she had blamed him for the whole thing. If he knew about Alex, he should have told her. He should have convinced her brother not to leave. He should have done something—anything but what he had done.

When her brother told her to forgive Kai, that only made her hang more tightly to her anger. Then, Kai started bringing her flowers. As if flowers could replace her brother. As if being sorry could bring her brother back. And then, there was nothing. He was gone.

At first, she had felt a huge relief at his departure. No more flowers, no more awkward greetings around the bonfire, no more weak apologies. Then, her relief turned to guilt. Was she the reason he had left the city with Clara? Had she really been that terrible to him?

The longer it passed, the guiltier she felt. Had she driven the only person her age left away? Could she have been the one who drove her brother away, too? After guilt came fear. She wasn’t stupid. As fate would have it, she and Kai were the only young people in the sector, and she knew what that meant for their future.

Ariel didn’t dislike Kai. He was an intelligent, considerate boy. She also enjoyed the attention he gave her and how his face broke into a radiant smile whenever he saw her. Bits of conversations exchanged in the museum came to her mind. He had always been so supportive and kind. And now, she had driven him away.

Everyone was getting older. After the last outbreak, there were so few of them left. She had often struggled with the thought of having no choice in the man she would spend the rest of her life with. But now, she felt terrified about facing the future alone.

BAM. Another crashing sound. Ariel looked at the boxes in the warehouse, scared that another priceless artifact had broken. Nothing. Where had the sound come from? She felt a breeze. Had she left a window open? Or had she forgotten to close the door? It was windy tonight. She should check it.

Leaving the warehouse, she heard a weak moan.

“Hello?” she called. Maybe it was one of Daisy’s cybermonkeys. Sometimes, they made weird noises or sounds, especially when they got older.

Another moan. What was this? She walked a little quicker and found someone collapsed by the door.

“Kai?!”

“Help,” he managed, and he passed out. Ariel hurried to his side. He was sickly pale. She put her hand against his forehead and felt his burning temperature. Her eyes landed on the splint and then on the swollen leg. She rushed inside and grabbed a blanket, a knife, and water. She covered the cold, poor thing and then cut his jeans to see the leg better.

Seeing how black it was, she gagged, disgusted. She took off her scarf, soaked it in water, and squeezed it into Kai’s mouth.

“It’s going to be OK, Kai. I’m going to get the others.”

Before leaving the museum, she stopped, looked at the boy, and murmured weakly. “I’m sorry, Kai. We’re good. All is good.”

She went to get Trudy and the others. She would need help.

*

Purchased Upgrades: [Acacia Sawmill]; [Android Companion]; [Card Fridge]; [Deadline Extension]; [Flash]; [Gaslamp]; [Hunter Eyes]; [Lightning Rod]; [Map]; [Mythological Discount]; [Photocopier]; [Pine Sawmill]; [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

Film (Camera Upgrade)

Requirements: To completely spend all your shots, five rounds in a row.

Description: You have 22 shots.

Cost: 30uc

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 a [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

Split Activation

Requirements: Fusion card.

Description: You only need to activate one of the fusion elements for the merge to be successful.

Cost: 100uc

Populate

Requirements: Legendary human card.

Description: From now on, all maps are populated.

Cost: 150uc

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 0hp, but it absorbs the victory points of the common cards.

Cost: 375uc

Kai tapped his foot nervously, waiting for the round to end.

For the nth time, he considered what he would buy next. After spending 100 upgrade coins on [Treasures of Atlantis] and [Tool Shed], Kai had 185 upgrade coins left. Seeing everything at a discount filled his heart with greed. The more expensive upgrades had become especially enticing.

But before that, he had to decide whether to roll for more listings in the console. One of the things that he could do very well without was [Bomb Casing]. Also, after getting [Tool Shed], [Flint Mine] and [Scrapyard] seemed poor by comparison.

He dragged [Bomb Casing] and [Flint Mine] toward the hungry Atlantian chest, watched it chew on them, and spit one new upgrade out.

Tangibility

Requirements: Two dimension cards.

Description: The camera can now capture you.

Cost: 150uc

Finally, he discovered how to make himself appear in a shot. What kind of cards could he get using this upgrade? If unlocking his own shadow had opened so many possibilities for him, this upgrade had to be good. [Tangibility] was an incredible upgrade dripping with potential.

Studying the other listings, he only found one more that he was willing to sacrifice: [Regeneration Chamber]. Frankly, he was satisfied with [Fridge] and had already found multiple ways to heal cards. Therefore, he thought he could do without this upgrade. He dragged [Recycling] and [Regeneration Chamber] toward the chest and received a new listing.

Catalogue I

Requirements: To have seen 200 different cards.

Description: You can access all capturable cards from the first five stages of Snap Craft.

Cost: 375uc

Kai let out an appreciative whistle. What better way to learn about how Daisy had made these exams than looking at all the cards from the first rounds? It would help him figure out what he had missed and give him ideas for what to look out for in the next rounds.

While he pondered over what choice he would make, a blaring horn signaled the end of the round.

Crafting round is over!

“Finally.” Kai ran toward the card fridge and quickly stuffed the two most valuable cards that had 0hp right now. He put [Krabken] and [Unicorn] in it. Both these cards had 0hp and offered many victory points. He didn’t want to lose them. The fridge would ensure their survival through to the next round and protect them from any enemy attacks.

A solar breeze blows through your opponent’s cards. [Lightning Rod] deflects some of the damage.

All enemy common and uncommon cards with zero hp are destroyed.

He wasn’t the only one investing in defense. The opponent’s lighting rods had protected their rare and legendary cards. Sadly, because his [Scoreboard] upgrade was being neutralized this round, he didn’t know how much of a punch the attack had packed.

Congratulations! You’ve earned 285 points.

The following cards will now be destroyed: [Acacia Tree]; 2x[Brown Berry]; [Crab]; 2x[Crab Shell]; [Floater]; [Jaguar]; 2x[Lightning Rod]; 4x[Mutagen X]; [Oyster]; 2x[Pearl]; [Pine Tree]; [Sea Monster]; [Shadow Sea Monster]; [Swiss Army Knife]; 2x[White Fern].

It pained Kai to see several legendary cards go. Looking back, instead of spending so many shots on shadow puppets, he should have brought at least one card that could be used as medicine to heal up his other cards. In destroyed legendary cards alone, he had lost over 60 points in this card obliteration.

All cards lose 1hp.

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)

Power Outlet (Uncommon)

Hp: 2→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: 1→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→1

Vp: 4

Razor Clam (Common)

Bivalve mollusk characterized by its long, narrow, and razor-sharp shell.

Hp: 1→0

Vp: 2

Crab (Uncommon)

Crustacean with a broad carapace.

Hp: 1→0

Vp: 2

Illuminating Adult (Legendary)

A human who has been forged in the fires of wisdom and love.

Hp: 3→2

Vp: 20

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)

Kai’s stock of mythic cards was building up. The great thing about them was they had infinite hp and would be factored in every single round until the finals. Of course, he had to make sure he made it to the next round first.

Kai waited anxiously for the final score. Was it Alex he was competing against? If so, could he overcome him? Or was it someone else? How well had they done? Were his efforts enough?

Congratulations! You’re among the 16 trial runners who passed through to the next round.

You have 4 hours and 48 minutes to select your upgrades and rest.

Kai let out a deep breath and stretched his tense muscles. Not knowing his opponent’s score had reinserted uncertainty in this round, but thankfully, he had come out on top. He wondered how much his [Red Star] card had damaged his opponents' exam.

Had he just beaten Alex? Or was the feeling in his heart that it wasn’t him on the other side really true? Kai shook his head. There was no way of being sure. He wondered if he was still in the exams and when they would face each other.

It was time to think about the next round. Kai activated the upgrade console, looking for the upgrades he had already chosen, and saw a new listing that almost gave him a stroke.

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

As soon as he read through the requirements, he went pale. Had he won by only one point? One point?! He would have lost if he had not copied [Pearl] and [Crab Shell] toward the end. Kai felt dizzy at the possibility and reviewed the last round. There were so many small decisions that could have cost him the game.

Had he made one more failed shot in the exams when experimenting with [Shadow Puppets], he would have lost. He would also have lost if he had not purchased [Tool Shed] and had it not given him a new tool.

That was a close call. No… it was a wake-up call! This was no time to get distracted by Alex’s presence in the exams or not. He had a family to think about. Alex might have many more chances to do these exams, but this was his last.

“I’m sorry, bro. I have to win this one.”

Kai walked toward the upgrade console and chose his upgrades.

Are you sure you want to purchase [Film]? [Y/N]

Are you sure you want to purchase [Populate]? [Y/N]

Kai selected yes and went to a corner of the room.

“Inventory!” A gaslamp appeared in his hand. He put it on the floor and sat in front of it. It was time to create new shadow puppets. His life could very well depend on it.

Ch. 46 - Split Activation

INDEX

Ch 47.5 - Spring Regret