Sorry, busy recently. Three chapters right now, perhaps some more later or tomorrow...
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In the end, another person ended replacing the young man for Regina's battle.
Regina was a bit disappointed, making Bloed not to know whether to laugh or to cry. It was a bit strange when his girlfriend wanted to beat a man that flirted with his other girlfriend.
At the same time, Bloed thought the young man was pitiful. He was just trying to hit up a beautiful girl, but he ended being beaten by two B-Ranks and almost receiving a beating from an A-Rank.
Regina's duel was unsuspenseful. The person that tested her was a B-Rank young lady, who gave her a pass after receiving one of Regina's attacks.
The girl was fortunate that Regina was not interested in beating her, so she was not humiliated like the young man. Due to that, when the duel ended the girl was looking at Regina as though she was her idol.
Unfortunately for her, Regina was completely uninterested in her. She ignored the girl's shy attempt to start a conversation with her and walked immediately towards Bloed and Liu Ying.
After the three battles, Bloed's group was led to the second part of the test.
This part was even simpler. They just needed to stand inside a magic formation that would scan their bodies to verify that the information they gave when they registered was true.
This magic formation was designed to scan the bone age of the people, and according to Bloed's knowledge, it was highly precise. Although it was not completely foolproof, it was more than enough to be used here.
Nothing went wrong when Bloed and the others were scanned, making Bloed sigh in relief inwardly.
To be honest, he was a bit afraid that the scan would give some strange data about Regina and him. After all, Regina was a Valkyrie, and her body was not completely human. As for him, he had gone through a Body Enhancement Surgery, so his body was slightly different than a normal human as well.
Fortunately, his fears were unfounded. It seemed that the array was not good enough to detect the peculiarities of Bloed and Regina's bodies.
"With this, your registration as students of Academy City has been successful." A twenty-something years old elf girl, who had taken over their registration after the battle test, spoke up with a smile.
Bloed was slightly surprised.
"Already? Just like this?"
"Just like this." The elf girl nodded in confirmation. "Wait a moment. I will give you your identity cards soon. You need to carry it at every moment when inside the city, without exception. If it's found that you left your residence without your identity card, you could receive a punishment."
"What is the use of the Identity Card?" Liu Ying asked.
"It's used everywhere in this city. You need it to register in a class, to use the city's facilities, and to buy a residence. Besides, there is a magic array around the city that tracks the location of the card. In case an incident happens, the magic array allows the city to know what people were nearby at that moment of the incident and use that information to resolve the case more easily."
Bloed furrowed his brows. Does it mean someone could track him at any time?
As though feeling Bloed's doubts, the elf girl smiled apologetically.
"I understand your worries, but it's something necessary to guarantee the safety of the city. Thanks to this system, Academy City is one of the safest cities in the continent despite its incredibly high population. Plus, the card can only track your approximate location and will not invade your privacy in any way."
Bloed hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
Well, he understood where the girl was coming. Certainly, this system could make people warier of committing crimes. After all, they could be discovered with more ease.
Although if someone truly wanted to do something bad, he just needed to leave its card behind, and it could create the perfect alibi.
Thinking about it this way, this mechanism was a double-edged sword.
While Bloed and the others were waiting for the card, a group of people led by a lionkin boy and a catkin girl approached them.
"Big brother Bloed, you are here!"
Looking in direction of the voice, Bloed saw the lionkin boy smiling brightly with Aya and his bodyguards following after him.
"Prince Calisto, Aya. Were you waiting for us?"
"Actually, we are waiting for our identity cards as well. Right, I heard that two B-Rank newcomers beat the person in charge of the test twice. It was Miss Liu Ying and you, right?"
Looking at the bright and excited eyes of the lionkin prince, Bloed did not know how to react.
Such pure and innocent admiration was hard for Bloed to accept.
Even Liu Ying seemed a bit awkward with the young Prince's gaze. She blushed slightly and looked away.
"It looks like the news about us already spread." Bloed smiled wryly.
"Yes. A lot of people were talking about it outside."
Aya nodded expressionlessly. For some reason, though, Bloed thought she seemed a bit envious.
… Could it be she wanted to do the same as well?
Actually, Aya was envious that Bloed and Liu Ying were recognized as a couple due to that battle. All the people spreading the rumor were talking about a couple of a human and a demon that beat the examiner because he tried to flirt with the demon girl.
Aya thought that it was rather romantic, and she was a bit envious that it was not her in Liu Ying's position instead. Of course, there was no way that she going to tell Bloed about that.
The group did not have to wait for much before their identity cards were ready. Less than fifteen minutes later, they had it in their hands.
"Remember to report it immediately if you lose your identity card, so we can sever its connection from the array as soon as possible. Believe me, many people have lost their identity cards and then suddenly discovered they are being accused of a crime they did not have the slightest idea of."
Bloed and the others nodded. That seemed like something that could happen.
"Right." The elf girl spoke up again before the group could leave, stopping them. "Take this." She said giving a small card to each one of them.
Curious, Bloed looked at it and saw something written on it.
[Martial Arts Club].
"This is?"
"An invitation to the Martial Arts Club. The Martial Arts Club is the fourth-ranked club in Academy City, with seven A-Ranks and tens of B-Ranks on it. Moreover, the teacher in charge is a demigod! The three of you are very talented, and we will be more than happy of accepting you."
Bloed was startled. Was she recruiting them? Just like that?
But not even three seconds after the girl gave them the cards, a voice came from the entrance.
"Bah! Ilia, how dare you to try to fool the newcomers! Your Martial Arts Club is just the fourth-ranked club! How can it compare to our [Genius Society] ranked second?"
"Alex! What are you doing here!"
"Stopping you from fooling the newcomers!" A young man said and looked at Bloed and the others with a gentle expression. "Mr. Bloed, Miss Liu Ying, and Miss Regina, right? Don't listen to her. If you want to enter a club, our [Genius Society] is your best option. The best geniuses of the entire city are in it."
"Oh? So Alex is already here. Are you thinking of recruiting the newcomers before us?" A new voice sounded at that moment, this time an elegant girl that seemed like a refined young lady. "You should stop dreaming. Our [Eternal Dream] will take the newcomers this time."
"Diana, so you also came." Ilia, the elf girl, narrowed her eyes with a sharp expression. "You should stop dreaming. [Eternal Dream] is ranked sixth, why do you think they should go to your place?"
"Hmph! The only reason we are ranked sixth is that our leader and sub-leaders left on an expedition. If they were here, how can your clubs compare to us!"
"You... Let's see what club is better right now then!"
"Hmph! I don't mind teaching you a lesson!"
In an instant, the atmosphere was filled with killing intent.
Bloed, Regina, Liu Ying, and the others, looked at each other in confusion. What in the hell was it?
Bloed could see they seemed to have the intention of recruiting them. However, they seemed a bit too eager about getting them on their clubs.
Moreover, Bloed could see that more and more people were arriving, most likely with the intention of recruiting them as well.
Immediately, he felt a headache coming. At the same time, he noticed Regina frowning and Liu Ying smiling with a strained expression.
Bloed wrinkled his brows. But when he was about to speak up and reject them politely, a new voice came from the entrance.
"Sigh, what kind of commotion is it? Where do you think you are? A market?"
As soon as that voice sounded, it was as though a powerful magic spell descended on the place.
Immediately, everybody shut up and looked towards the owner of the voice in surprise.
There, a middle-aged man dressed elegantly and with a gentle expression appeared.
Bloed could not help but be surprised when he saw him. Because this middle-aged man's aura was as strong as a demigod.
He could not believe he met a demigod after entering the city for less of half-an-hour.
The middle-aged man ignored the people in the room after speaking. He looked towards Bloed's group and smiled slightly, walking straight toward them.
"Long time no see you, Mr. Bloed, Miss Regina, Miss Liu Ying. Welcome to Academy City."
Huh?
Bloed tilted his head confused.
"… Who are you?"