"Aiko stood arrogantly before Tatsuki, who struggled to comprehend how the situation had escalated to this point. With an air of haughtiness, she began."
Aiko sneered, "Huh, what's the clown doing here, drenched from head to toe? Are you performing here?"
Tatsuki, maintaining a wry smile, retorted, "No, your radiant beauty bathed me in my own sweat. But why are you playing the faction leader of these little thugs? You always had a taste for watching violence, not creating it."
Aiko murmured to herself, pondering how he knew, but in this moment, such details hardly mattered.
Aiko swiftly closed the distance between them, admonishing, "Your mouth keeps dropping filth; you should consider sealing it for the betterment of this world."
With agility, Aiko rotated her hips and leaped into the air, delivering a high kick that found its mark on Tatsuki's face. He tumbled to the ground with a harsh impact, his head drawing blood. Slowly, Tatsuki regained his footing, brushing the dust from his clothes as he remarked.
Tatsuki, still smiling, observed, "Ah, it seems you've been slacking off on training again. Your kicks need refinement, but they certainly pack a punch."
Aiko, consumed by anger, launched herself at Tatsuki once more, proclaiming, "Why, then, take this!"
Balancing herself firmly, Aiko channeled her energy into a tightly curled fist aimed directly at Tatsuki's abdomen. Tatsuki's knees buckled as he fell to the ground, clutching his stomach and retching. Nevertheless, he persevered, rising to his feet with unsteady knees and commenting.
Tatsuki chuckled and advised, "Smile, you dum-dum. How many times do I have to tell you to curl your thumb inward, or you might end up breaking something."
As Tatsuki continued to resist, Aiko found herself in a quandary. She thought, "This clown, standing up again even in this pathetic state, shows no sign of giving in. Does he feel no pain?"
Aiko seized Tatsuki's collar, pulling him close and demanded, "What the hell do you find so funny, huh? Why do you keep smiling in vain? Do you like it that much, you degenerate?"
Tatsuki, in a playful manner, teased Aiko and replied, "For what other reason would I smile besides receiving your love?"
Aiko, both confused and angered, questioned, "Are you mocking me?"
Suddenly, Tatsuki hugged Aiko and whispered in her ear, "No matter how you give it to me, I'll always accept your love, no matter what form it's in."
Aiko screeched, pushing Tatsuki back and running away, shouting, "I'll get you for this, you degenerate!"
Tatsuki, seemingly baffled, mused, "Huh...? How am I a degenerate? Besides that, I wonder what she's going to do to me next time. She was brutal this time around."
Bao Chi approached Tatsuki and urged, "Brother, if you're done fooling around, should we go? We still need to register your name with all the required facilities."
Tatsuki nodded and agreed, "Yeah, I guess so. Well, let's get going then."
As Bao Chi started to walk ahead, Tatsuki suddenly called him from behind.
Tatsuki said, "Oye, Bao..."
Bao Chi turned to face his brother, asking, "Yes, brother?"
Tatsuki looked a bit perplexed as he made a request, "Carry me."
Bao Chi responded with a blunt expression, "Well, maybe you should stop acting tough, then. Who told you to just stand there and take it?"
Tatsuki retorted, "Shut up, you amateur. What do you know about love? How am I supposed to act meek in front of the girl I love? But you're right; maybe I shouldn't have taken all that standing. Now just carry me, will you."
Bao Chi agreed to give Tatsuki a piggyback ride but couldn't resist taunting him, saying, "Sure, come, my princess. I shall carry you in my arms all over this city!" He struck a stern pose.
Tatsuki's disgust was evident as he eyed Bao Chi up and down, remarking, "If I wasn't this beat up, I would have rearranged your jaw right about now."
Bao Chi quickly responded, "If you weren't that beat up, I wouldn't have dared to speak like this, brother. I've learned well, haven't I?" He wore a cunning smile with wide-open eyes.
Tatsuki scowled and warned, "If I remember this later on someday, you're dead, Bao."
Bao Chi tried to steer the conversation in a different direction out of nervousness and quipped, "Well, amateur or not, who gets beaten up like that in love...?"
Tatsuki retorted, "Bamoron, don't you know the saying 'people become blind in love'?"
Bao Chi, clearly annoyed, responded, "Huh, 'bamoron'? I'm not even sure what that means, but then what's that got to do with you getting beaten?"
Tatsuki proudly explained, "Well, people become blind, so blindly, I became her punching bag. It's as simple as that."
Bao Chi sighed and commented, "Brother, people like you are called delusional. You are truly hopeless."
As Tatsuki and Bao Chi drew closer to their destination, Bao Chi hesitated and asked, "Brother, what are we going to do about our wet clothes? Will they even let us participate looking like this?"
Tatsuki reassured him calmly, "Don't worry, registration is done at the entrance. They would even let a pig register as long as it can speak. Then we'll change into battle outfits, which are generally provided by the organization, along with all other necessary items. By the time we complete the trial and step outside, our clothes will be dry."
Bao Chi responded, "If you put it like that, it does sound reasonable. Then it should be alright, I believe."
Tatsuki and Bao Chi arrived at the entrance of the private institution of Mages. Right next to the gate, an obese man sat on a tiny stool with a box full of registrar badges practically thrown on the ground on the left side of his chest. His clothes seemed ready to come undone, as if they would tear apart in a few seconds, and his expression was similar to that of an undead.
Seeing this, Tatsuki couldn't help but laugh and pointed it out to Bao Chi.
Bao Chi tried to conceal his smile and replied, "I see."
Bao Chi chuckled and cautioned, "Hehe, brother, you shouldn't laugh. What if he doesn't let us enter?"
Tatsuki, still amused, laughed heartily and replied, "Hey, what else can I do when I see a man wearing kids' clothes? I can't help it, hehehee."
Bao Chi tried not to laugh and said, "Just control it somehow."
Tatsuki, struggling to catch his breath, retorted, "You're one to talk; your eyes look like they'll bulge out any moment."
Somehow, Tatsuki and Bao Chi managed to control their laughter and reached the registrar. Tatsuki descended from Bao Chi's back and began, "Mr. registrar, we would like to..."
But Bao Chi interrupted, saying, "Brother, it's no use."
Tatsuki was puzzled and asked, "Huh...?"
Bao Chi turned around and covered his mouth with his hand, giggling, "Brother... hahahah... he's sleeping with his eyes open..."
Tatsuki, now surprised, closely examined the registrar's face and confirmed, "He really is..."
Tatsuki and Bao Chi both fell on the ground, holding their stomachs while trying to control their laughter. After a few minutes, they managed to regain their composure, and Tatsuki spoke with relief.
Tatsuki, heavily breathing, exclaimed, "My holy dog, I can't take it anymore, Bao. Let's just take the registration form and badge and go inside."
Bao Chi agreed, saying, "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."
Both Tatsuki and Bao Chi dragged their feet to the area designated for people waiting before the trials began, still laughing from their earlier encounter.
Inside the room, there were hardly 5 to 7 young teenagers who were in the process of changing into their battle outfits, which were conveniently laid out with matching numbers on the back, as indicated by their badges. Tatsuki and Bao Chi arrived in the midst of this group.
Tatsuki couldn't resist shouting, "Watch it, people, here comes the trouble..."
A familiar face from among the crowd shouted back, "What are you doing here?"
Tatsuki was surprised and inquired, "Hey, you're the one who threatened us that we'd regret beating you up, the right-hand man of the gang, did I ever get your name?"
Bao Chi identified him, saying, "Lione Sethwood. I didn't think you would be here; what a surprise."
Lione Sethwood muttered to himself, "Who let these beggars enter? Are they here to complain about us? If so, we'll definitely not be permitted to take the entrance exam... What should I do?"
Then, Lione Sethwood calmly stated, "This isn't where spectators are supposed to be..."
Tatsuki stepped forward, adopting an arrogant posture, and declared, "Someone, call the official. This lost child is crying for his mother's embrace too much. Someone get him a glass full of his mother's milk."
The room erupted in laughter at Lione Sethwood's expense.
Angrily, Lione Sethwood retorted, "You..." before calming himself and saying, "Just looking at you filth makes me wanna puke. Were you two mating in a pig shed to get in such a pathetic condition?"
Tatsuki cheekily responded, "Oh no, no. We were just ambushed by the Balloon Gang. But from your words, you seem to be pretty experienced with pig sheds..."
The locker room erupted in laughter at Lione Sethwood, and someone shouted, "Good going, Lione, you found the right place for yourselves."
Angrily, Lione Sethwood left the room.
Tatsuki, putting on an innocent look, remarked, "Oh my, I wonder what got him so riled up..."
Bao Chi smiled and teased, "Brother, you are too cruel."
Tatsuki laughed and replied, "Tell me something I don't know..."
One of the other kids in the room approached Tatsuki and introduced himself, "Hey, brother, I'm Shinji. You should really be careful with what you're doing. Can I ask you something?"
Tatsuki turned toward Shinji with enthusiasm and said, "Fire ahead..."
Shinji sighed and commented, "Well, I guess not all people are nervous here..."
Tatsuki, looking confused, asked, "What's there to be nervous about?"
Shinji explained, "Brother, you seem to have come to the wrong place. This place is not for roadside comedy. Do you know how hard it is to clear the entrance test?"
Tatsuki nonchalantly responded, "Nah, it's no biggie... everything will be fine."
Shinji nodded and said, "I see. Either you are too strong or just foolish..."
Tatsuki chuckled and admitted, "Foolish I am, hahahaaha."
Shinji, clearly surprised, sighed and remarked, "Ooh... then you really must be pretty strong."
Tatsuki couldn't help but chuckle in response.
An announcement rang out, "Shinji Amora, come to the stage at once. Your trial is about to begin. I repeat, Shinji Amora..."
Shinji bid his farewell to Tatsuki, saying, "Well, brother, it's my time to shine... wish me luck."
Tatsuki wished him well, saying, "Go break a leg... just don't break yours."
With that, Shinji left the room in anticipation, ready to face his trial.