Chapter 9: News


    Zule did a quick check-up on Aire''s head and confirmed that there wasn''t anything wrong other than the injury. Since it was already treated, Aire was allowed to leave the clinic. While on his way out, Aire focused on that mind world inside his soul.


    "Ste, are you there?"


    "Oh! Do you need anything?" Sure enough, Ste''s presence reappeared as she responded.


    Aire sighed in disappointment after hearing her words, though. For a moment, he thought she had really gone away. How good would that have been?


    "Whatever. Why were you so quiet after I woke up?"


    Ste smiled in response before saying, "Right, right! Aire, I was checking through my abilities as you slept. It turns out that you''re a lot morepatible with me than I thought. I don''t know why, but there''s something in you that made it possible. With that, I was allowed to unlock at least one of them. Well, it''s just a bonus ability, but it''s definitely beneficial at your current stage."


    Aire narrowed his eyes when Ste said ''something in him.'' However, he left it aside for now since he had an idea of what Ste was talking about.


    Instead, Aire''s interest was instantly piqued by that so-called bonus ability. So far, she could only cheer for him. However, it seemed like she had some use now.


    "Oh! That''s good, then. Go ahead, tell me. What''s this new ability of yours?"


    Ste didn''t waste time and immediately used it.


    "This..." In response to his question, Aire felt the Ster Energy in his body run faster. Although it couldn''t possiblypare to someone at the Ster Paths Stage, he was definitely doing it better than an average person. That and his new talent made this an amazing ability.


    Ste puffed her chest in pride as she exined, "This is called Energy Blood Flow Assistance. I can temporarily increase the cirction speed of the Ster Energy in your body. Of course, this is only useful for the Ster Blood, Bones, and Organs Stages. Once you reach the Ster Paths Stage and begin to create the Ster Energy Paths in your body, this ability will lose its purpose."


    One must remember that the Ster Body Level had four stages: Blood, Bones, Organs, and Paths. That meant that this ability was made for those who were still starting their journey as Ster Risers.


    "Wait, that''s weird. You said that this ability was opened because of yourpatibility with me, right?" Ste nodded in response and waited for Aire to continue.


    Naturally, he continued, "If I wasn''t thispatible with you, then this ability wouldn''t have opened before reaching the Ster Maniption Level. Doesn''t that mean your first ability would be useless in that case?"


    Ste shook her head as she replied, "Not at all. The ability that would open at the Ster Maniption Level is different from Energy Blood Flow Assistance. I told you, didn''t I? This is just a bonus ability. It means it only opened because of ourpatibility. Otherwise, it would have never appeared."


    Aire nodded after hearing that. Since that was the case, then it wasn''t much of an issue. "Alright, go back and work on it. I need to head to the opening ceremony. Once I get back to my room, I''ll ask you about the other things."


    Ste nodded after that as her ethereal body disappeared together with her presence. However, it was then that Aire noticed a problem. He looked around as his expression turned worse.


    "I didn''t go through the school''s entrance procedure. With that...where is my room exactly?"


    Without much choice, Aire could only ask where the administration office was located. He only took a few seconds to find a pair of students discussing something with theirmunicators. It wasn''t rare to see something like this at a school with so many students like this one.


    "Hi there. Would you mind telling me where I can find the Administration Office?"


    The guy on the left was taken aback for a second but didn''t mind it as he replied, "Oh! You''re quite far from it. Take the next left street and board Student Transport Apparatus #01. It''ll bring you straight to the school center. You can ask anyone there, and they''ll tell you how to get to the administration offi-"


    Before he could finish his reply, the guy stopped talking as he looked at Aire''s face. Immediately, he pushed his friend by the shirt as he eximed, "Hey, look! Look! It''s him! It''s him!"


    The guy''s friend was also surprised to see Aire as he shouted in shock, "Holy shit! It''s actually you!"


    "Right? I didn''t recognize him at first because of the bandage on his head. However, look at his face! It''s definitely him!"


    "Errr..." Aire was puzzled by their reaction, though. "Do we know each other?"


    The guysughed in response as one of them replied, "No, nothing like that. Anyway, don''t mind us. Just do what I told youStudent Transport Apparatus #01. Trust in my words."


    Aire began to feel that something wrong was about to happen. It wasn''t hard to guess that it definitely had something to do with what happened between him and Altina.


    "Come on, you can''t leave me in the dark. Tell me, what are you looking at in yourmunicators? It''s about me, right? I just left the clinic after being unconscious for three days! I have no idea what''s happening outside."


    "Fine." The guy on the left felt quite some pity after hearing that, saying, "You won''t get ess to the school''swork before you finish your registration anyway."


    He then put a hand on Aire''s shoulder as he continued, "Brother, you really chose the worst person possible to take action against. I have to say, I admire your courage."


    Aire''s mouth twitched in response. What courage? That was an ident!


    Aire sighed and then began to say what he thought would happen.


    "Let me guess. Altina is some rich princess. Someone then recorded what happened between her and me in the clinic before sharing it in thework. Now all the rich boys of the school hate me for trying to touch their goddess. Is that the whole story?"


    The guy on the right looked at Aire with a weird expression. "What kind of trashy novel cliche is that, brother? I think you''ve read way too many stories in your free time."


    Aire was taken aback.


    "Really?!" Nevertheless, he sighed in relief. From the looks of it, the situation was far different from what he thought. "So I''m not the target of all jealous men in the school?! Great! To be honest, I also thought it''s too much of a cliche. However, with my recent luck, I immediately thought of the worst case possible."


    The two guys thenughed out loud as one of them replied, "Hahaha! Worst case possible? Brother, you should have wished for that cliche. At least, it wouldn''t be that bad."


    Aire''s expression then changed after that, prompting him to ask them, "Alright, just tell me already. What''s it all about?"


    One of them then passed his ownmunicator for Aire to see the information. At the same time, he gave an order to the AI, "Ster AI, show me the recent news about Crazy Bitch Altina."