When the figure got closer, Kaizer's image became blurred for a moment.
"Where did he go?" the figure muttered, stepping further into the construction site. A low, mocking whisper drifted into the figure's ear. "Looking for someone?"
Before the pursuer could react, a swift fist drove into the pursuer's stomach, knocking the wind out of the person and sending them sprawling onto the dusty ground. Kaizer leaned over, inspecting his downed stalker with a raised eyebrow. He lifted the hood to reveal Isla, just as he guessed. Her face contorted in pain, and her long hair was a complete mess.
"I really hate being followed," Kaizer said.
His eyes flicked to her feet. "And if you're going to stalk someone, at least change your shoes."
"You—!" Isla gasped, clutching her stomach. "You coward… attacking from behind."
She was furious, but more than that—shocked. It had never crossed her mind that this boy would strike her without hesitation. She blamed herself for being careless.
Kaizer smiled faintly.
Others might call it cowardly. Despicable, even. But in life-and-death situations, only one thing mattered—survival.
Just now, Kaizer used Nightfall Ghost Steps, the only foot technique he knew. An advanced movement art he'd exchanged for merit points during his time in the military.
After four years of hard practice, he had reached the adept level, where he could move without disturbing the environment around him; he was like a ghost, especially at dawn and night.
Isla tried to circulate her energon to recover, but her expression stiffened. The flow was sluggish. Pain flared again.
The punch had landed precisely at the solar imprint, the hidden node between the heart and waist. The shock from the impact disrupted her circulation.
Impossible! Solar imprints were concealed deep within the body. Only high-level evolvers could locate them accurately.
It must be luck, she told herself, refusing to believe otherwise.
She opened her mouth to lash out again—but Kaizer had already turned away.
He walked off calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Isla gritted her teeth and forced herself upright, groaning as she clutched her stomach. Her knees trembled, but she steadied herself. By the time she looked up again, the boy was gone.
Kaizer wore a faint smile. I didn't hit you for stalking me only, he thought coldly. The Skar family's name alone disgusts me.
After this event, he headed toward the nearest taxi station. His current destination was the Astra Federation Academy at the outskirts of Earth Sector 20. This academy covered the outer region of Earth Sector 20. In the past, there were about 101 Earth sectors; it looked like a floating island in outer space. However, the last twenty of them were currently in maintenance because eight years ago, something massive happened inside this Earth sector. The Earth Federation had never disclosed the reason. Some said it was caused by war, while others said some crazy experiment had gone wrong.
These Earth sectors were shielded within a massive, semi-spherical energy dome. These shields not only protected from outside attacks but also sealed and maintained the environment inside the Earth sector. The Earth sectors were not scattered randomly; their positions were a copy of a solar system—a delicate balance of order and hierarchy. The total Earth sector living area was 24,654,257 sq miles, divided equally among each Earth sector, so there was sufficient living space for human beings.
At the very heart of this system was Earth Sector One, where the ruling forces of humanity resided. Surrounding it were four rings, each forming a protective layer around the core. Each of these rings had about twenty Earth sectors; it looked like a Saturn planet with little bubbles in the rings.
Kaizer was currently in a taxi heading to the outer region of the south because buses didn't follow this route, as it was not for the public. After reaching the outskirts of the south, the taxi stopped, and a robotic voice said, "Entering further is forbidden." Kaizer took his backpack and got out of the car.
He saw in front of him a 20-meter-long watchtower, and there were at least two military soldiers, while five others were clearly humanoid androids without any clothes, and their machinery-like structures were clearly visible. It had a big symbol on its back that looked like two palms, and in the middle was a pigeon that represented freedom and peace; this was the current symbol of the Earth Federation.
Kaizer took out the letter of invitation and reached out to them. They checked the documents and confirmed multiple times.
"Sir Kaizer, please follow me."
Kaizer followed the military guy. After walking for some minutes, they reached a towering door. He felt quiet; he saw a large metal door frame, but he could not see through it, and the surroundings were covered with fog. The military guy clicked something on his smartwatch; then the mist cleared. There was a green forest, and someone was standing there.
"Sir Kaizer, the academy has sent someone to receive you. You can enter now."
Kaizer nodded and passed through the door. After passing the towering door, he saw a young girl with long, silky hair, blue eyes, and a well-proportioned figure. She was wearing a black miniskirt and blazer, and her long legs were covered with black stockings, a feast for the eyes. Her height was the same as Kaizer's; she looked around twenty.
As the girl saw the new student, she walked toward Kaizer and asked, "Are you Kaizer?"
"Yes, miss, and you…?" Kaizer said politely, hiding his always cold expression.
"You can call me Saira. I am your senior, currently in the second year of the Advanced Combat and Weaponry program," Saira said in a friendly manner. "I am currently your guide."
"Thank you for taking care of me, Miss Saira."
Kaizer asked, "Miss Saira, how far is the academy?"
Saira said with a hint of a playful voice, "Not far. We only have to walk this path straight for one month."
"Miss Saira, for me you waste your one month for me," Kaizer said with a sad expression. He naturally didn't buy this girl's words. He walked forward and then gestured to Saira, asking if this was the correct way.
Saira laughed heavily when she saw the young boy's expression and thought, What an innocent boy.
"I was just joking," Saira said with a smile. She took out some flat metal from her pocket and threw it on the ground. This metal hovered in the air a little above the ground and began to transform itself. After a few seconds, it transformed into a metallic hoverboard with two boosters at the back.
Saira jumped onto the hoverboard and gestured to Kaizer to jump. He followed her. As Kaizer stepped onto the board with both legs, he felt his legs being sucked onto the board.
"Don't worry, this hoverboard has a strong attraction effect, so you will not fall," Saira explained, seeing Kaizer's afraid face, which was obviously fake.
Saira drove the hoverboard with Kaizer at a higher altitude from ground level, about fifty meters. Kaizer looked around and saw a foggy place behind them. While the surroundings were covered with forest, there were some students fighting in the forest.
Saira said with the aura of a teacher, "These forests are training facilities of our academy. You saw that foggy scene behind us; it's foggy to maintain the privacy of our academy. Look straight—that is the ending part of Earth Sector 20. There are transparent energy shields for the protection of Earth Sector 20. The outer environment is not suitable for an average human being. These shields not only protect from fatal attacks but also filter any unwanted contamination from outer space."
Kaizer listened quietly. Even if he already knew, he acted as a complete newcomer.
Saira asked with a curious voice.
Only students who received an official invitation letter were personally escorted by the academy, and Kaizer happened to be one of them.
"Kaizer, which program did you get an invitation letter from the academy for?"
Kaizer rubbed his head with his hand and said with a shy voice, "My major program will be the Starship Flight Program. I got an invitation letter from them. I haven't thought about any other minor subjects."
Saira said with a joking tone, "Then I must request you in advance to take care of me on the starship. I am in the Advanced Combat and Weaponry program right now."
"Miss Saira, don't joke with me."