Chapter 174: Reaching The Academy, Death Match? - 3

Published Mar 30, 2026, 06:13 AM

Chapter 174: Reaching The Academy, Death Match? - 3 Chapter 174: Reaching The Academy, Death Match? - 3 The gaze belonged to Zolton. He simply couldn’t believe it—the worm was still alive after everything he had done. His jaw tightened as his teeth ground together, a faint creak escaping as rage churned in his chest while he stared at Leo’s straight lazy back. "This bastard... that bitch doesn’t even know she’s protecting a snake that will bite her someday," he muttered under his breath, his eyes cold as calculations already began forming in his mind. From his time in Kendru, he knew Lily possessed a rare soul—one of the main reasons he had pursued her in the first place. He also knew she was far stronger than the average person and had used that strength to shield Leo on many occasions, ruining his carefully laid ambushes. He even suspected that the goons who had vanished were all dealt with by Lily herself. She could only be described as unusually obsessed with Leo, and that obsession was precisely the problem. If he wanted her, then Leo had to disappear—by any means necessary. "Tsk... let’s see how long you can hide behind a girl," he sneered quietly. Under Brant’s supervision, however, no one dared to take action against Leo. The second years could only grit their teeth and swallow their resentment. The girl especially looked as though Lily were her sworn mortal enemy. When Lily had thrown her aside earlier, her neatly tied ponytail had been completely ruined, strands hanging loose and uneven from the violent yanking. The sharp, piercing pain still throbbed along her scalp, and despite her attempts to hold it in, a single tear slipped from the corner of her eye. Lily, meanwhile, proudly folded her arms in front of her chest and positioned herself squarely in front of Leo, like a vigilant bodyguard daring the world to test her. She met the girl’s gaze head-on, chin slightly raised, her eyes brimming with undisguised confidence and satisfaction. Brant watched the scene with an inward shake of his head. It was already clear to him that Leo and Lily’s personalities would not allow them to fall beneath anyone in this academy. Thankfully, they had the strength to support that confidence—low and mid three-star at their age was no small feat. He concluded that they would have no trouble handling second-year students unless someone truly exceptional decided to target them. And that was unlikely. Exceptional talents were always buried in training, rarely wasting time on petty disputes. He didn’t even bother warning the second-year girl against seeking revenge. In truth, he was mildly curious to see how far this skirmish would go. With no threat of death involved, he was confident in their safety. And if higher authorities were to intervene, then he—as a professor, second only to the Vice Principals in authority—would handle it himself. At that moment, registration finally resumed, with only Leo remaining in line. Another second-term student stepped in when the girl—whose name was revealed to be Karen—flatly refused to register him. Leo’s registration was taken over by a different boy, who approached reluctantly under Brant’s piercing gaze. The moment he saw Leo’s score, his breath hitched. His teeth clenched, his pupils contracting sharply as a number slipped from his lips. "Three hundred... ninety thousand...?" His eyes snapped toward Leo, who returned the look with a calm, expressionless face. Impossible.Someone must have manipulated his points!Completely impossible!! The boy screamed inwardly, stealing a quick glance at Brant before hurriedly continuing the registration procedures. His hands trembled slightly as he worked. Was the professor bribed? That has to be it! he thought frantically. Professor Brant easily guessed what was going through the boy’s mind, but he couldn’t care less. Some weak second-term students whispering behind his back wouldn’t affect his life in the slightest. And besides, it wasn’t even true. A framed professor would at least be investigated by the Vice Principal, and when that happened, he would be cleared without issue. It should also be noted that the students handling registration were doing so for a mere 300 AC. That amount was even less than what a low second-star beast dropped in crystals and cores. It was clear they struggled to deal with beasts at that level. For someone like them, seeing Leo start with 390,600 points—an amount of AC that could set them up comfortably for the entire term if spent wisely—was nothing short of shocking. The boy handed Leo’s smartphone back to him and quietly backed away, rejoining the other registration staff, his mind swirling with chaotic thoughts. Noticing the sour atmosphere, Brant stepped forward and took control. "Alright," Brant said calmly, his voice carrying authority, "what you have in your hand is a new technology recently discovered in a ruin from Earth, dating back five hundred years—also known as the Lost Era. It has been incorporated into our lifestyle by the Emperor over the last decade. Some of you coming from faraway cities might not be familiar with it." A few second-terms and freshers from inner and core cities snickered when Brant mentioned faraway cities, causing several expressions to darken. He ignored them entirely and continued without pause. He gestured toward the devices. "The instructions are provided in the guide you’ve been given. These devices are locked and can only be accessed through your mana signatures. All in all, they are secure—no one can access them except you." "That device is of utmost importance. It serves as your identity and your pass to the academy facilities. Lose it, and a replacement will cost you 20,000 AC. It is also used to relay important information, regardless of where you are within the Empire. No excuses will be accepted if you are found lacking." He paused briefly before adding, "There’s even a function to keep in contact with your friends, though the recovered technology is incomplete, so its capabilities are limited. Once you go through the guide, you’ll understand everything." His gaze swept across the crowd. "And finally—"

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