Finding The Blood Path!

There was a large white hall with corridors on all sides, leading to small rooms and pedestals with electronic screens on them.

It was quite the tidy place, pristine as one would imagine as long as that imagination ignores the obligatory bathroom door at the corner of the room.

One of the ends of the hall had double glass doors, which opened by themselves in front of a crowd of martial artists. At the front of this group was a young chubby scholar boy, a floating screen, and a boy with a practically perfect body.

Although that statement about the boy's perfect body is contradictory, seeing as his expression revealed his inner anxiety. The crowd behind this duo all had serious expressions with eyes so sharp one would assume they were stabbing into the back of the scholar.

A blond female with short hair revealed a disconcerted expression, as if she still didn't believe in what she was seeing. The scholar felt the same as her.

Can I ask someone a question? Can anyone explain why I'm competing with this pleasantly honest boy, who for some reason is the number one disciple at this dojo?

Around 10 minutes earlier…..

There isn't much to describe about this scene, there was still an angry crowd who was visually quite temperamental, seeming as if they were about beat someone down.

There was the same duo as before, surrounded by this horde of people as they stared intently at the figure on the electronic screen as if they wanted to break it in half.

This AI is called Sarah? Damn she's pretty emotional for an AI, or just really defensive? Why didn't she try to converse instead bringing a horde of martial artists? Have I fallen into a trap?

While Eve fell into a somewhat crazy thought process, Eric wasn't any better. He had just failed in entering the Blood Disciple Stage, and he was quite tired. He really just wanted to go back to training, and didn't predict Sarah's action.

Eric just look dumbfounded, clearly not comfortable with the series of events so he just continued to look at the crowd.

Right before the disciples were about to beat up the young man, suddenly a woman wearing a white jumpsuit exited out of the crowd as she yelled "Everyone please calm down for a moment!"

She clearly had quite a bit of influence over the crowd of disciples, seeing as they all quieted down after she called out.

"Who?" Eve blurted out, before realizing his question was a bit rude.

The girl looked at him with a weird expression before revealing a smile while saying, "I'm from Aries Dojo, and my name is Ekoso Connery, but it's best if you just call me Eyo."

A few whispers went through the crowd, with one man saying,

"She's so respectful, even to others who could be our enemies…"

The boy's wistful tone caused Eve to have a realization, "Yup he's infatuated with her."

Interesting…

How did a disciple of another dojo gain such influence in another dojo?

"Hey Ekoso, how are you doing?" Eric awkwardly greeted the young woman, as his eyes floundered about, unable to look at the beauty for too long.

Boy, how are you so innocent?!

Eve shook his head at the weak-minded genius, before turning back to Eyo.

"Eric I always told you to call me- Anyway that doesn't matter, can I ask something?" Sarah glanced at Eric, before turning to the lonely yet surrounded scholar.

"Sure." Eve looked quite confident on the outside, as if the crowd of martial artists couldn't do a thing to him.

Naturally, he was having a panic attack that made him unable to think.

"You didn't actually interfere in Eric's breakthrough, right? Or at least not on purpose right?"

Ekoso showed a cool mind unlike the rest of the disciples who jumped on the guest in a matter of moments.

"Well he did interfere in Eric's breakthrough, although his purpose is unclear…" The AI started talking using its speaker, as Sarah showed she still didn't have a good opinion of Eve.

Eric glared at the screen which was acting like a whiny child, as Eve responded.

"Naturally I had no intentions of interfering in his awakening, I only came to have a meeting with William. I apologize for doing so Eric, and I promise to compensate you."

Eve's mind had cleared up after hearing the exchange between Sarah and Eyo, as he apologize d to Eric giving a slight bow to him.

"Oh no it's alright, my breakthrough failing wasn't entirely your fault just that I did it in the wrong location and wasn't completely prepared."

The situation was defused and the energy of the crowd disappeared, causing the group to reveal embarrassed expressions. Apologetic murmurs could be heard from the crowd, all reaching Eve's ears.

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions.."

"Uh, I was here just to see what was going on.."

"I didn't actually believe you harmed Eric on purpose…"

Eve had calmed down completely at this moment, revealing a content smile.

I guess this group of disciples aren't as jumpy as their master…

"I knew something was wrong, after all why would someone we don't even know harm Eric?" Ekoso smiled at Eve, happy to see the situation becoming peaceful again.

"It's not like you're from another dojo right? After all your body is weak, and you don't-"

Ekoso would realize later that she should have shut her mouth after her first statement, as this casual comment would end up bringing a lot more trouble than she would have expected.

Have any signs of blood energy-"

Eve is a very kind person, or at least he tries to be, perhaps due to his childhood of repeated failures at a young age. Although this led to him having a problematic mentality with two large issues.

"What are you talking about?" Eve looked at Eyo as he questioned her with an arrogant tone.

His anxiety exhausts his brain, causing him to be prone to blurting out his thoughts…

"Just because I didn't interfere with Eric's training on purpose doesn't mean I'm not a member of a dojo."

He's easily annoyed by comments on his ability.

"What do you mean?" Now Eyo revealed a serious look, understand the implications of his statement but asking exactly why.

The atmosphere also froze up, with everyone staring intently at the young man.

"I'm a disciple of Joly Martial Academy."

"I have come here to challenge your dojo's number one disciple."

If one wanted to understand the implications of this challenge and Eve's faked declaration, they would have to look at this world.

Although this world has ability users everywhere, with practically everyone gaining an ability within their lifespan, this world was not defined by fighting ability.

It was quite civilized due to its laws and the education given to all children without a single charge. Yet, no matter what the countries, companies, scientists, or anyone else does there would always be competition.

The world was filled with training camps, with each having their own teachings and requirements, some focused on ability users and others focused on studying the common person.

The Shaw dojo, The Joly Martial Academy, and Aries Dojo are all examples of training programs meant for those without abilities, but if the world is filled with ability users, how would these camps gain any disciples?

Compete. These programs had to have reputation and benefits that none of the other camps could compare with, and they would have to prove their worth in the modern ability age.

Therefore, if a random disciple came from another dojo and showed that the number one disciple of the Shaw dojo was trash, how would the Shaw dojo survive?

Hiding the news? How could they do that when the Joly Martial Academy would purposefully reveal the news to improve their popularity. Hell, they could placed a camera on Eve so they have definitive proof.

At this moment Eric was curious about the exact same thing, as he analysed the young man in front of him.

"Are you sure about that?" Eric was serious this time, with none of the innocence from before as if that had been a false persona. On the other hand Eve….

What did I just say?

This confusion would last till they reached the challenges room.

Luckily, Eve had finally broken out of his daze noticing the white room with two pods inside, and the intense brightness of the scene.

Those are-!!

Eve ran past Eric who was about a foot ahead him, sitting right beside the one of the two pods as he rubbed it, with a focused expression. Suddenly he started whispering, confusing the group behind him, especially Eric.

This is the SPE Mark 3, a smaller and lower quality version of the original but with a cheaper cost. Said to be extraordinarily complicated, with wires as thin as microscopic levels that can use any form of energy to power it, as long as the converter is still working.

"Eve?" Ekoso called out to the man analysing the pod, finally ridding herself of her confused mood.

Impressive, impressive…

Eve was still muttering to the pod, as if he was whispering sweet nothings to his lover.

"Uh Eyo, do you think he's actually a disciple of the Holy Martial Academy?" The love-struck young man from before asked Ekoso, clearly intending to say something else but changing his mind at the last moment.

Eyo looked at this brown-haired youth, with a serious expression, "I naturally don't believe him, as the inter-continental competition is tomorrow and to compete with someone the day before would ruin your performance tomorrow. The Holy Martial Academy is more serious than anyone about the competition due to their waning reputation and they need everything they can get."

Naturally the lie Eve thought of was seen through in an instant by this clear-headed female disciple, as he had only said it out of a spout of anger."

"Of course, I could be wrong, and they are actually intending to weaken our strongest disciple through this match, so they can increase their ranks."

The boy who had been talking to her seemed quite intent on listening to her, although it was uncertain whether he cared to listen to the content of her words.

"So… It's a possibility?"

"Well it could be true but that doesn't really matter right now."

"Oh?" The boy was confused by what she was implying, as he wasn't trying to understand her meaning, just continue the conversation.

"Laval, if our top disciple was to lose or surrender to a random outsider what do you think would happen to the rest of our disciples?"

Eyo called the young man by his name with a polite tone, clearly out of respect for her fellow disciple.

"I think I understand now…" Laval responded to her, before looking back at Eric who was politely calling out to the dazed Eve.

Eric shook the scholar's shoulder while saying, "Hey you alright?"

Once more Eve had to escape from a daze, this time with the help of an outside influence.

He made a noise of realization before saying, "Sorry, I just haven't seen one of these training pods in person before. I just can't believe you guys have a room like this!"

Eve had a delighted tone as he talked to Eric who was confused, unable to understand what was particularly special about the pod over all the other gadgets in the dojo.

As a boy who was raised by his parents to be able to live a life without modern technology, he always lived in the countryside and was only sent a year agito the Shaw Dojo to train under a friend of his parents.

Naturally, he lived in the dorms within the Dojo and his parents told him he needed to train for at least a year before he can tour the city. So naturally he couldn't tell what was particularly special about this room.

"Well you see these pods are absolutely perfect virtual reality simulators, ones which even allow you to train within them due to their ability to replicate real life environments within a small area…."

Eve started explaining his thoughts to the country boy, about the information he has collected over his years of research into everything he could get his hands on.

Yet Eve noticed Eric started showing a confused look, so he just stopped and said, "I can give you a book from my house if you want to learn about it. I collected the information for it myself you know."

"Sure, maybe after lunch?"

At this point the crowd was getting tired, seeing as the two rivals were having a pleasant conversation and still had not entered the capsules to start the competition.

One young woman even yelled, "Can you get on with it already?"

Eve and Eric flinched at this moment, ruining the nice conversation they were just having.

"Yes, after lunch is alright but how about we start now?" Eve's face could not hide the nervousness in his heart, yet the yell from the bystander forced him to continue on this path he mistakenly started on.

"So, are you two ready yet?" At this moment Laval walked up to the duo, asking a question.

The duo nodded, as they split up, with each of them standing in front of a pod.

"I don't think either of you want to sustain any injuries today due to this competition as the tournament is tomorrow, so I thought a it would be better if the two of you compete in a swimming battle.

Ekoso said to the two youths who were opening the pods, which the lids of the pods bending behind it, revealing a seat inside and a helmet.

Eve quickly gave an uncomprehending look at her, before sitting within the capsule.

What competition? Swimming battle?

"Have you never done this at your dojo before- Wait what is your name?"

"His name is Eve Terrance." Eric responded for Eve instinctually, not considering that it was rude to cut of someone else's introduction.

"I'm- Yah like he said. No I haven't tried these virtual reality set ups back at my academy, probably cause my master believes too much exposure to virtual reality ruins one's sense of reality."

Eve recalled a newspaper from yesterday which included an analysis piece about the harmful effects of plugging into a pod, quickly creating a lie.

A sneer that was almost imperceptible appeared on Eyo's face, before disappearing as she said, "The rules will be present at the moment you enter the game, so you don't have to worry about that."

Ekoso's thoughts were "Continue lying, let's see how long you can lie."

Clearly Eve's last comment proved Ekoso's conjecture to be true as she knew that almost every dojo tests their disciples using virtual reality, although they must sign a contract swearing to hide any information about the test.

The capsule lid started closing by itself, as Eve and Eric simultaneously put the helmets on their head, as a foam like substance started filling the pods.

Eve had calmed down before due to seeing the Pods for the first time but now it hit him again.

"I'm challenging a martial artist, and one who almost broke through to Level 1?"

A panic attack would have struck if it wasn't for the comforting feeling of the foam covering his skin causing him to fall asleep, entering another world.

Specifically, the virtual world!

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