Volume Three: The Academy Runs Wild - Club Recruitment (Part One)

The next day--

"Orange Moon--"

My scalp tingled with fear.

"--Oborozuki Step!"

Pfft! "Flame Step!"

A fragrant breeze brushed past me, and for a moment, the silky black hair intertwined with my long pink hair before separating.

Stand still.

Good morning, Xiao Ye ~ The morning kiss plan was a complete failure.

"You're not going to launch a sneak attack so early in the morning, Haoyue."

We greeted them calmly, while the passersby were completely dumbfounded.

"... Huh? What just happened?"

"Those two were moving so fast just now..."

"So fast that only afterimages remain!"

"As expected of the freshman representative from the Higher Division, that's amazing..."

Is it that impressive? I'm used to fighting at supersonic speeds, so I didn't think much of it. But I was a little surprised that Haoyue's Moonlit Step could keep up with my Thermal Drive.

"Orange Moon - Obscure Moon Step" is one of Haoyue's orange runes, which has the effect of increasing speed and making movements more agile. I saw her use it in the capital, but it was on a completely different level compared to now.

Haoyue has indeed improved a lot.

I wonder, between her and me now, who is stronger?

"Senior Ye, wait a minute~~~"

Elina caught up from behind, panting. Her hair was a little messy, and her face was covered in sweat, but... even her panting looked so normal...

"Senior Ye? Xiao Ye, is this your new roommate?"

"Ah, hello Senior Haoyue! My name is Elina, Elina Yass!"

Upon seeing Haoyue, Elina quickly reached out her hand, but Haoyue merely stared at her coldly, without uttering a word.

"Haoyue... Senior?"

Stare--

A gaze as sharp as a blade swept over Elina's entire body, like a butcher inspecting a pig awaiting slaughter. Elina shivered, fear gradually appearing in her eyes, and she couldn't help but take a few steps back.

But the murderous scrutiny lasted less than a second before Haoyue smiled again.

It was a very standard smile, as if deliberately emphasizing the meaning of the word "smile".

Like a mask.

This indicates that Haoyue has lost interest in others.

Haoyue is the kind of egoist who only cares about herself and the things that interest her, and doesn't care about anything else.

When she loses interest in someone, it means that where that person is, what they are doing, whether they are alive or dead, is none of her concern. Even if that person is killed in front of her, she won't even flinch.

If I accidentally cut my hand, she'll definitely make a big fuss and bandage it for me.

If she saw a stranger lying dead on the roadside, she probably wouldn't even bother to look at him.

She regarded me as her beloved, as someone who understood her, and made me a part of her life, which is why I was able to win her love.

As for the others?

If I said to her, "Haoyue, if you can kill everyone here, we'll get married," she would probably start a massacre without hesitation.

The bright moon floats above the abyss of darkness.

Despite its dazzling brilliance, it remains part of the darkness.

But conversely—though part of the darkness, it is also so dazzling.

It's impossible to judge her simply as good or evil. She is neither a good person nor an absolute villain. She has her own set of rules of conduct that are independent of traditional views of good and evil.

Unbound by notions of good and evil, acting entirely according to one's own principles.

This type of person is the most dangerous.

And I, who can get along with Haoyue so easily and naturally, must not be a normal person, right?

"... Ye... Xiao Ye!"

"... Uh, um? Sorry, I was just thinking about something."

"Sigh, why can't you just relax a little longer? You almost managed to steal a kiss!"

"Sinala..."

"Hey, since classes haven't officially started yet, how about we go check out some clubs?"

"Go today?"

"We need to deal with this troublesome matter as soon as possible!"

Then she looked at me and gave me a mischievous smile.

"Hey, this is a rare opportunity, how about we have a little sparring?"

"Here? This isn't a very suitable location."

"What I mean is... how about we have a competition to see who can get to the club recruitment office first?"

--Whoosh!

Two figures swept across the sky, one in pink and the other in black and white.

"Hey Xiao Ye! Using blood as fuel to power a hoist, you've got some serious skills!"

"You're the one who's wrong! The runes are the same, but the effectiveness is several levels higher!"

Same here!

I burned my own blood as fuel, greatly enhancing my mobility, while Haoyue equipped runes on her feet, directly increasing her movement speed. But judging from the effects, our speeds were about the same.

"Xiao Ye, can you go even faster?"

"It's still possible! But it takes up a lot of clothes!"

Using the Flame Wings will instantly burn your clothes to shreds. That means if you want to reach top speed, you'll have to fly naked... no, I mean, naked?

Suddenly, the bright moon beside me descended and landed on a building, and I followed. She landed with great grace, almost without making a sound, while I landed with a loud bang, and a section of the smooth roof dented in.

I have a feeling that I've lost.

"Let me see... Hmm, that should be the location for the joint recruitment by student organizations at the Central United Academy."

She pointed to a large, theater-like building in the distance. In front of the building was a large square, where countless balloons and colorful flags fluttered in the air. Even from this distance, one could hear cheerful noises; it was incredibly lively.

"Xiao Ye, are there any clubs you'd like to join?"

How will you know if you don't look?

I was a member of the anime club on Earth, but there's definitely no anime club here.

"Then hurry up--"

"Haoyue, wait a minute."

I grabbed her.

Haoyue looked at me, blinked, and suddenly revealed a smile that seemed both shy and mischievous.

"Xiao Ye, are you trying to do exhibitionism here? Honestly, if you're going to do it, go somewhere with more people... that's much more exciting."

"You talk as if you have a lot of experience."

"Hehe~ In the months we've been apart, I've devised several battle plans to make sure Xiao Ye and I have our wonderful first time together. Stay tuned!"

"That's not what I wanted to ask you... I really have something very important to tell you. Do you remember what I said when we parted in the capital? When we meet again, I will tell you everything about myself. What are my goals, who are my enemies, my plans, my origins..."

"... I'm glad you have this thought. I thought you'd forgotten, Xiao Ye. But to be honest, your goals, enemies, plans, and background are all unimportant to me. All I care about is you, Xiao Ye."

"You're putting me in a difficult position... because if you're determined to be with me, it's impossible for you not to get involved in all this mess."

"Since you put it that way, there's nothing I can do. Come on, while no one's around, I'm all ears."

And so, I told her everything.

I shared everything about Earth, the organization, the World Crossing Gate, the Northern Realm, the Divine Artifact, my collaboration with Huang Huo and Givinia, and the characteristics of my special abilities—without reservation.

Apart from two points.

I ultimately refrained from revealing that I was originally male, as it was simply too explosive.

And then there's Little Butterfly... I really can't imagine how she'll react when she finds out.

"Oh, I see. I'll definitely help you in the future. Now you can go."

Her reaction surprised me; she didn't seem very interested.

I suppose it doesn't matter what I'm doing or who I'm at odds with.

She was mentally prepared to assist me from the very beginning, no matter what we faced, it was all the same to her.

"But Xiao Ye, I still have a question."

"... oh?"

Goodness gracious, could she have realized I've transformed? What would happen if this damn lesbian saw through my true form...?

"Why hasn't that 'organization' made any trouble for you yet? You're world-famous now; surely there are people in the organization that Blood Fiend knows from the past. They must have noticed something."

"I want to know more..."

... Yes, that's right.

Why haven't they started causing me trouble yet?

Although my ability to control blood wasn't broadcast live worldwide, Huang Huo did say that my appearance was somewhat similar to the Blood Fiend of the past, so it's not surprising that people recognized me.

What exactly is it for--

... Huh?

What exactly is the purpose of this?

What was I thinking just now?

What didn't cause trouble?

No... wait, what were we just discussing?

I looked at Haoyue, and for a moment her gaze also became blank.

How did I become so confused?

Haoyue has always looked perfectly normal.

"Huh? Xiao Ye, what are we spacing out about?"

"Who knows... Never mind, let's go."

Arriving at the bustling recruitment plaza, I felt as if I had returned to my first year of university.

Ah, youth...

"Table tennis enthusiasts club! If you enjoy this elegant sport, don't miss it!"

"The Superpower Development Club is recruiting! Want to learn more about your superpower?"

"This is an entrepreneurship support group! Want to be your own boss? Join us and start your own business!"

"We are a volunteer group! We work hard to bring smiles to more people's faces! You can even earn academic credits!"

"Track and Field Club is recruiting! Our Track and Field Club has long been one of the Top Fifteen Societies! Our strength shouldn't be underestimated!"

"Fantasy Literature Research Club! Join us if you love fantasy literature!"

"We are the Broadcasting Club, one of the Top Fifteen Societies! We are the ones who lead the trends at the Central United Academy!"

"The Sister Complex Support Group is recruiting! What are you waiting for, cute little sister? Join now and you can get a free pair of used panties!"

"The Freemasons for Sister Complexes are recruiting! Older men are the way to go! Let's crush those siscon bastards!"

Whoosh, sparks are flying everywhere!

However, these clubs are relatively normal; at least you can tell what they do just by looking at their names, unlike some others—

"This is the Meow Meow Meow Club! Students who want to bark with us, come and meow meow meow!"

"We are the Soviet Communist Progress and Education Association! The world is all red, except for the White House!"

"We are the newly formed Shameless Sweet Life Department, dedicated to watching over Niki with warm smiles! Niki is awesome! Reversible but not detachable!"

"We are the Seventeenth Seventeenth Power Department! As a club that gathers the strongest mathematical minds in the entire Central United Academy, our goal is to calculate the age of Old Lady Purple kjioawotjaoiyraikodjyraowtyoca--"

What the hell is this...?

Once the freshmen approach, they are immediately seized by the fiercely competitive upperclassmen and kidnapped to the booths of various clubs. They sign the application forms in a daze and join the club in a daze. Of course, only those clubs that are seriously short of members will do this. Those well-known and prestigious clubs are already crowded with people scrambling to join.

Looking at the chaotic scene, I even had a moment to back out.

Not to brag, but objectively speaking, I am now a super-beautiful soju-drinking beauty with unparalleled charm, formidable strength, and a world-renowned reputation—a classic Mary Sue. If I were to rashly step into this world... the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Don't worry about that, have you forgotten about me?"

Seemingly sensing my distress, Haoyue smiled gently, and a silvery halo appeared beneath her feet.

"Silver Moon - Moon Mist Silver Veil"

A thin veil of light enveloped us, concealing our forms, and we entered the square under its cover.

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Typing is so tiring...