9 More

The peaceful stillness of the desert night was abruptly shattered by roars and shrieks, shaking Johan from his brief moment of reprieve. Suddenly, monstrous forms erupted from the sand, their beady eyes glinting in the faint moonlight.

'Oh, come on! Can't a guy catch a break?' Johan thought as he quickly summoned his ghoul. The towering creature appeared beside him, the air around it rippling with power.

Johan's ghoul lunged into action, meeting the first monster head-on. Its Kagune sliced through the beast's scaly hide, painting a gruesome picture against the serene desert backdrop. 'Nice one,' he silently commended his ghoul, adrenaline flooding his veins as more monsters emerged from the sand.

He could see other contestants battling their own array of beasts. Some were screaming in panic, others were fighting with grim determination. 'Survive. Adapt. Overcome. That's the only way forward,' Johan reminded himself, commanding his ghoul to attack another monster.

Despite the chaos, Johan maintained his calm demeanor. He swiftly analyzed the movements of the beasts, planning his ghoul's next attack. 'Gotta play it smart. Can't afford any more losses,' he thought, watching as his ghoul eviscerated another monster. Every move he made was precise and calculated, showcasing his intelligence and adaptability in the brutal setting of the desert.

The battle raged on, growing more ferocious with each passing moment. The desert was now a battleground, echoing with the cries of monsters and humans alike. Johan could see contestants falling, one by one, their dreams of victory swallowed by the ruthless desert monsters.

'Just... keep... moving,' Johan reminded himself, his eyes briefly flicking to a young contestant who was being overwhelmed by a reptilian beast. He could see the terror etched into the boy's face, mirroring the horror that was rapidly spreading across the desert.

'Survival of the fittest, huh?' Johan thought bitterly, his gaze hardened. He had seen the reality of this test - it wasn't just a race, it was a death match. The harsh truth of the desert was laid bare; the sand didn't care who you were or where you came from. All it demanded was the strongest.

Shouts of despair echoed through the night, each one a chilling reminder of the stakes. Some contestants tried to band together, forming hasty alliances in a desperate bid to survive. Others, like Johan, stood their ground alone, relying on their cards and quick thinking.

'Horrifying, but... also kind of thrilling?' Johan admitted to himself, a strange smile playing on his lips. The danger, the adrenaline, the fight for survival; it was all a part of this game of life and death. 'This is what it means to compete. This is what it means to survive.'

Just as Johan was navigating through the madness, a rumble echoed through the desert. The sands parted, and a monster of nightmarish proportions emerged. It towered over the contestants, its grotesque form illuminated by the moonlight. Its multitude of eyes glowed with an unholy light as it scanned the battlefield for prey.

'Hell of a time to up the ante,' Johan thought, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. The sight of the gargantuan beast filled him with dread, but also a strange sort of exhilaration. 'This is it, the final hurdle. Beat this thing, and I'm there...'

He inspected his progress inside his consciousness, there are five bars gleaming ominously, fully brimmed with energy. Only four more to go. The prize was within reach, in order to step to Tier 9 and officially become a Card Master, tantalizingly close. All he had to do was take down some more monsters.

The monster lunged, its gigantic form sending waves of sand cascading around them. But Johan was ready. He expertly guided his ghoul, dodging attacks and aiming for the monster's vulnerable spots.

The beast's size was a disadvantage in the shifting sands of the desert. Its massive form was unstable on the shifting terrain, and Johan used this to his advantage.

The monster roared, stirring up a sandstorm with its massive, leathery wings. Grains of sand, sharp as glass, flew at them with terrifying velocity. But Johan and his ghoul stood their ground, a united front against the monstrosity.

'I'm not just an some random dude, I also extracted my ghoul's kagune, and that makes a hell of a difference,' Johan thought, rolling his shoulders and feeling the familiar, raw power of his kagune unfurling along his back. It surged forth in a dazzling display of raw power, mirroring the fierce strength of his summoned ghoul.

The monster lunged, but Johan was quicker. He sidestepped, guiding his ghoul to do the same. The monster's attack met only air and a barrage of sand. 'Always stay on the move. It's too big, too slow to keep up.'

Johan seized the opportunity, his own kagune striking like a viper at the creature's exposed flank. The blow landed, a grunt escaping the monster. Simultaneously, his ghoul attacked from the other side, its kagune slamming into the creature with an explosive force.

The beast reeled, its unsteady footing on the shifting sands betraying it. Johan pressed on, a flurry of attacks landing with ruthless precision. 'Don't give it a chance to recover.'

Each hit, whether by him or his ghoul, was strategic, targeting the joints, the wings, the places where the beast was weakest. The monster thrashed, its roars growing more desperate, more pained.

Throughout the fight, Johan remained in tune with his ghoul, their movements syncing up flawlessly as they weaved around the beast, a dance of death under the moonlit desert.

The battle raged on, the sands of the desert becoming their battleground, the monstrous creature their final test. Every blow, every evasive maneuver brought Johan closer to his goal, the gleaming bars on his card ticking closer to completion.

Johan could taste victory, the sweet promise of triumph fueling his determination. He fought alongside his ghoul, their combined strength, resilience, and strategy shining through. With each passing moment, he felt it. The barriers breaking, the path to becoming a Tier 9 card master opening.

In the aftermath of the fierce battle, Johan stood panting, a mixture of exhaustion and satisfaction coursing through his veins. His ghoul was beside him, matching his ragged breaths with a similar weariness. The sand monster laid defeated, its once imposing figure now a lifeless husk on the sand.

'14 common monster card fragments...' Johan thought, looking at the shimmering shards that had materialized after the beast's defeat. His fingers ran over the sharp edges of the fragments, a small smile playing on his lips. '91 in total now. Just 9 more...'

His mind wandered to the lottery function of his system. The thrill of chance, the promise of valuable rewards. It was tantalizingly close, just out of reach. 'A bit more, Johan. Just a bit more,' he muttered to himself, pocketing the fragments with care.

Around him, the desert was returning to its deceptive tranquility, the sands hiding the remnants of their deadly dance. But the bodies of fallen contestants, lifeless and swallowed by the dunes, served as grim reminders of the brutal reality of the test.

'I've come this far...' Johan mused, his gaze drifting across the vast expanse of the desert. His hand clenched tightly, grains of sand slipping through his fingers.

The victims of the desert haunted his thoughts. Some he knew, others he didn't. But each one was a life snuffed out too early, a dream crushed under the cruel weight of this test. 'Survive... That's what this world asks of us,' Johan thought, a renewed sense of determination surging within him.

As the moon continued its journey across the sky, Johan took a moment to rest, to reflect. He knew the road ahead was fraught with danger, but he was not afraid. 'Fear is a luxury I cannot afford. To hesitate is to die.'

Johan sat down, pulling his knees to his chest. His hand idly traced the card of his ghoul, his loyal companion. A sense of camaraderie settled in his chest, a bond forged in the heat of battle.

'I'll survive... I must survive.' That was his promise, to himself and to those who had fallen. The desert may claim many lives, but it would not claim his. Not if he could help it.