Con the Con [Marick B Rank Exam; Private]

Marick walked at a fast pace towards Serene Cliff, a place he seemed to be visiting a lot lately. He'd received notice from Zenshin that he wished to speak with him about his future with Sabertooth, and that he had to arrive at a very set time at that. Thankfully Zenshin seemed to be aware of Marick's timekeeping abilities, or had a good idea of them at least. The card mage had been in Hargeon visiting Kara when he'd first heard the news that Zenshin was looking for him. He'd darted off as soon as he'd explained to to his amethyst companion what it could be for. He'd managed to make it to his destination in very little time, arriving with five minutes to spare.

The first thing the Solitaire saw when he approached was a single deck of cards in the centre of a brown table. On either side of the table was a chair, and sat in the chair facing him was the Sabertooth guildmaster himself. All of this was more than enough to allow Marick to assume the cards were in place for him. He walked over and seated himself at the chair across from Zenshin, crossing his right leg over his left leg and crossing his arms. "Why do I get the feeling you've put a considerable amount of effort for this to be just a simple game of cards?" he said with a smile.

Marick picked up the deck, smiling in the process. He immediately shuffled it, not because he didn't trust his guildmaster, but because it was a force of habit that he was completely unable to stop. "I suppose you're right there, our guildhall is beyond impressive." he replied with a chuckle, before looking down at his shuffling hands. "Oops, sorry. Act of habit, although you probably know that already." He pulled the deck back together before dealing out the cards. "Don't you worry, I have no intentions of giving up. It seems you're challenging me at my own game for this part...so I hope you're as much a challenge to me as I will be to you."

----

Zenshin has been given two 7's totaling 14.

Marick took a glance at his own cards. Not a bad start but certainly not as good as it could've been. Still, that was fate after all. Nothing could change fate no matter how much they tried. They could delay it of course, but as the saying goes, that would merely be delaying the inevitable. He waited for Zenshin to peek at his cards, then played him a card when he asked for one.

"So...you used to play at Eclipse Soul? I've played against one or two members from there...they were novice players though."

----

Played a 2.
7+7+2
Zenshin's total = 16

It seemed his guildmaster had only needed to one card to be content with his score. It was Marick's play now. His current cards were a Jack and a 6. Although it wasn't the best start he could ask for, it was certainly useable. He was fairly confident that he wouldn't beat Zenshin with 16, but it was perhaps a large risk to try to play a card. He placed the deck down onto the table and looked Zenshin dead in the eyes for a moment before moving his hand to the deck and drawing the very top card. He left it face down for a moment before turning it over, placing it face up on the table; it was the Ace of Spades. Now on 17, he only had a very slim chance of pulling out a card that wouldn't make him go bust. He still wasn't sure if he'd beat Zenshin, but he had little choice.

"...I'm going to stick with this."

Marick looked at the cards Zenshin played and chuckled. Needless to say he'd lost this game. "Ahh...16. That's fate for you." he said calmly, before taking Zenshin's cards back and shuffling the deck again. It wasn't often that he lost a game, but he was happy to accept it. After a quick shuffle he handed out two more cards for each of them.

"Ready for round two?"

----

Zenshin's two cards are a 2 and a 6.

Marick flicked another card out to Zenshin, ensuring it remained face down all the way across the table to the Wizard Saint. "To be honest, my card playing isn't actually a reflection of my magic." he revealed to his guildmaster, a smile painted on his face as he began to reveal more about himself. "I learned to play simply out of boredom and because I was always around cards. I was taught my magic by a man who I now know to be my grandfather. As soon as he found out I'd begun to play he immediately began to bang on about fate and how using my abilities to my advantage would only come back to bite me. He's right. Unfortunately the same can't be said for my lovelife, hahaha!"

----
Zenshin was played a 9.

6+2+9
Zenshin's total is now 17

"Life is what you make of it. Many people see it as black and white; there are good times and there are bad times. The grey times are those times where it is simply life going on as normal. Personally I view life as a game. The man who cheats is only cheating himself in the long run, whilst the man who sticks to what he believes in can say he lived his life to its truest." Marick replied calmly. He didn't look at his cards either as he slowly drew a card and laid it out in front of him. "I'll let you reveal first this time." he continued, moving the deck so that it was away from him.

Marick looked at the three cards Zenshin had turned. "I guess I should reveal something else too." he said calmly as he turned over his three cards...and revealed a total of 14. "I know these cards were created using magic." he continued with a smile. "The way my magic works is that I am able to channel my magic through the cards to activate effects or to manipulate them. However, this doesn't work with cards that already contain, or are created, through the use of magic."

Marick glanced down at the deck as he spoke. "I said at the beginning that I felt there was more to this than met the eye. This was more than a card game. So each time I drew a card for my turn I attempted to do so by manipulating the card from the top of the deck to in front of me. I was unable to do so. This in combination with your ability that you made me aware of in Hargeon suggests to me that, regardless of what I get, you can simply see my hand and recreate your cards so that you trump mine where necessary."

Marick leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You're good Zenshin. Very good. In fact, were it not for us playing in this location I probably wouldn't have considered manipulating the cards and you'd probably have kept beating me, to which it would've taken me considerably longer to work it out."

"I can only assume the trouble you bring would work very well in tandem with what I could pull off if I ever wished to do so." Marick replied, a warm and relaxed smile on his face. Given how this was an exam, the card mage was perhaps more calm than Zenshin might've thought. Then again, Zenshin had worked two jobs with him now, and probably knew Marick's attitude to trials very well by now. He watched Zenshin recreate a ring, one that looked like a zero with a one over it. Now I'm guessing the more difficult part begins. he thought to himself as he was handed the ring. He placed it on his middle finger on his right hand. "It's cheating to make a present by magic." he joked as he got to his feet.

"Now what kind of proctor would I be if I didn't test the magical strength of a potential B rank during his exam? A bad one. As always, you can have the first move."

Marick was wondering when there may be a battle of some kind. After all, Zenshin had seen his abilities but hadn't yet fought the Solitaire. Marick was much the same, although of course he was aware of the gap in skill between himself and his guildmaster. Still, he had experience due to having been in fights since the age of 10. He looked up at Zenshin, his ears staring down the Recreated blade of the Wizard Saint that was just inches from jabbing him in the forehead. Seven cards flew from his deck holder and flew around him as a smile crossed the card mage's face. "Don't hold back Zenshin. I want to see what you can do as well. After all...what's the use of passing this exam if I've no idea what level I must be to defeat you?" His tone was friendly as ever, but the words alone were enough to show that he was going to take this seriously.

Before he'd even finished his sentence Marick had gripped a handful of six cards, before jumping backwards and launching them at high speed towards Zenshin, the cards spread in a diagonal motion to reduce the chances of a dodge. In the two missions he'd worked with his guildmaster he had opened up with a 6 or a 7. He didn't like being predictable. As he created distance between himself and his guildmaster, Marick pulled out his own blade. Sure, it may not compare to Zenshin's Recreated blade - he had no idea of how strong that sword was - but he would need the Sword of the Solitaire for melee combat should the need arise.

----
MP: 95
HP: 100

Discard Throw - 2 post cooldown

Drew seven cards to start and drew two 2's. Drew another two cards.

7 posts until Quick Shuffle.

As expected, the cards did very little. Still, it had given Marick the chance to make some distance and that's all he was really after. "Oh Marick, the point of this isn't to beat me. Part of it is for me to see where you stand. If anything, you're the one that shouldn't be holding back"

The solitaire laughed in response. "I'm more than aware that I'm not expected to win. To beat you at my current level would take a miracle or a major screw-up on your part, neither of which I'd be willing to bet on." he replied coolly, a smile crossing his face as Zenshin surged forwards on the assault. The Wizard Saint was fast, perhaps a little faster than expected. Nonetheless Marick was as ready as ever. Just before Zenshin started his strikes, he threw up two cards as shields and jumped backwards, waiting for his guildmaster to strike through the 'barriers'. Zenshin struck horizontal through the first, then vertical through the other. Marick watched the Recreater's motions and predicted the third vertical strike, bringing his own blade in to meet it. He parried the blow somewhat, barely getting clear, although at the expense of his blade as it returned to his sheath due to the damage sustained. With no weapon in his hand and little time to react, the card mage attempted to sidestep clear of the fourth strike, only to receive a slash across his left arm at his failed attempt. Still, it was nothing too serious and he would continue regardless.

He still had two cards left in his hand, and now was the time to utilise them. Both were spells Zenshin would recognise, as Marick started off with playing the 7: Water Pulse. As the jet of water headed for Zenshin, the Solitaire would then cast the 6: Fireball. This time however he held the fireball in his right hand, using it to engulf the hand and forearm in flames before punching the ground. The fireball flew across the ground before appearing beneath Zenshin's location and firing upwards, attempting to pincer the Sabertooth guildmaster between the two attacks, all whilst Marick maintained his distance.

----
MP: 80 (-15%)
HP: 90 (-10%)

Discard Throw - 1 post cooldown
Card Shield - 3 post cooldown
Fireball - 2 post cooldown
Water Pulse - 3 post cooldown

7 posts until Quick Shuffle.

Marick spent no time watching his attacks. Letting his guard down for even a second would result in his younger superior smashing him to the ground. He drew a new hand and drew a sixth card for his next move. He didn't have many spells left to let rip with, or at least none he felt completely confident in. However, he did have a couple of spells he'd been working on and, whilst he glanced at his cards, he noticed two of them were usable for two of those spells. As he looked back at Zenshin, he caught the sight of something that played with his mind; Zenshin seemed to bend the gap between the two of them, and appeared just a meter in front of Marick, before thrusting forward with his blade in a stabbing motion, giving the Solitaire very little time to react. In a last ditch effort, Marick moved slightly to the side and gripped Zenshin's wrist before pulling him closer and forcing the sword through his jacket, feeling the blade graze the side of his abdomen. He didn't let go of the guildmaster's wrist as he spoke with his signature child-like smile "I'm glad you're not holding back...because neither am I."

The card mage gripped two cards in his right hand; an 8 and a 4, two cards he'd never used in battle. As he played the 8, Zenshin would feel as if the last spell he'd used - fold - had taken considerably more out of him than it should have done, and that it'd take longer to cast again. The second card however was the more damaging card. As soon as Marick played it, he released Zenshin from his grip to ensure he wasn't caught up in the spell. The card turned into electricity and shot at Zenshin, coursing through his body.

8 and 4:

----
MP: 60 (-20%)
HP: 85 (-5%)


Card Shield - 2 post cooldown
Fireball - 1 post cooldown
Water Pulse - 2 post cooldown
Chain Lightning - 4 post cooldown
Deny - 6 post cooldown

5 posts until Quick Shuffle.