Chapter 136: Chapter136-Star Cluster Academy

After all, since John dared to kill Robert Carter, he certainly wouldn't hesitate with Isabella.

This thought alone felt like a heavy mountain pressing down on Albertus' heart.

Of course, John had no idea what Albertus was thinking.

Even if he did, it wouldn't concern him in the least.

Should anyone provoke him, John genuinely wouldn't mind teaching this haughty Miss of House Medici a profound lesson.

After bidding farewell to Albertus, John, along with a few individuals who had passed the preliminary test, followed a student assigned to guide them into the Star Cluster Academy.

Crossing the grand and imposing gates of Star Cluster Academy, they were greeted by a spacious and tidy campus square.

Casting their gaze further, they could see towering academic buildings and libraries rising from the ground.

The campus of Star Cluster Academy wasn't much different from the university campuses John had seen before.

Whether it was the architecture or the layout, everything bore a modern style.

Had it not been for the sight of busy cleaning robots back and forth, John might have thought he had returned to Earth.

As John silently critiqued this in his mind, someone next to him suddenly exclaimed with emotion, "This truly lives up to the fame of the Federal's renowned Star Cluster Academy. This type of minimalist yet majestic retro architecture, I've only seen it in books and photos before. I never thought I'd get to see it with my own eyes today."

Everyone else appeared equally astounded, as if they had seen something extraordinary.

John looked puzzled.

Really, was all this necessary?

It was just a typical academic building.

Glancing around, he noticed that the other candidates who had passed the preliminary test also had eyes filled with fervor and excitement.

Their gaze was akin to beholding an ancient relic.

At that moment, John suddenly had an epiphany.

To him, these buildings might seem quite ordinary.

However, in this world, such architectural style would probably be considered retro.

After all, the old era had passed more than 130 years ago.

Their reactions now were much like his own when he saw those grand and ancient relics in tourist spots.

With this thought, a humorous idea sprang to mind.

Did that make him, in a sense, an ancient person living in modern times?

The group continued on their way.

Apart from John, everyone else was eagerly taking in the sights of the academy's environment and scenery, their expressions filled with excitement, occasionally bursting out with exclamations and praises.

John, on the other hand, was leisurely checking out the beautiful upperclasswomen they passed by.

The weather in the Imperial Capital could be artificially controlled, so for most of the year, it remained in a state of perpetual spring, comfortable and inviting.

Moreover, since the Star Cluster Academy didn't impose a dress code on its students, many of the girls were dressed in light, airy dresses, showcasing their slender, fair legs to their advantage.

This indeed was a feast for John's eyes.

Just as John was contemplating whether to approach some of them for their contact information, his companion beside him burst into excitement again, exclaiming, "Look over there, isn't that a statue of Chancellor Federick Hohenberg?"

John paused, redirected his gaze towards where the other was pointing.

Before leaving, everyone bowed deeply out of respect for the great man.

Crossing the campus square, John and his companions followed the guide to their destination, a vast open-air sports complex.

It was surrounded by a red running track, with a lush green lawn in the center, equipped with basketball courts, football fields, and various other facilities and equipment.

At that moment, the candidates who had passed the preliminary tests were gathered in the sports field, forming a dense crowd that numbered in the thousands, at least by estimation.

Behind the sports field stood a square-shaped gymnasium, its structure predominantly grey, flanked by open-air stands on either side.

These seemed capable of accommodating tens of thousands of spectators at once.

Already, many people had taken their seats, gathered in small groups, their laughter and conversation occasionally drifting through the air.

Among them were students and teachers from Star Cluster Academy, as well as some visitors from outside the institution.

This scene brought John back to his university days when he played in campus basketball games.

He felt a twinge of nostalgia, regretting that back then, he had focused too much on the game and not enough on connecting with the girls.

Lost in these thoughts, John and his companions had already made their way to the center of the sports field.

Isabella stood out from the crowd at the very front, her gaze locking onto John almost immediately.

"I thought you wouldn't dare to show up," she said coldly.

John merely glanced at Isabella briefly before shifting his attention away, showing little interest in engaging with the young woman.

Currently, a physical confrontation wasn't an option.

However, he was determined to teach this arrogant girl a lesson once the assessment began.

Isabella was visibly irritated by John's blatant disregard.

She had never been ignored like this before.

Despite her haughty and domineering nature, Isabella was not witless.

She understood this was neither the time nor the place for a confrontation.

Silently, she vowed to herself, letting John have his moment of arrogance.

She promised that once the assessment started, she would make him regret his attitude.

The standoff between Isabella and John quickly caught the attention of everyone present.

Curious glances were cast in John's direction, even many of the instructors looked on in surprise.

They were all aware of Isabella's preliminary test scores and her background, which had caused quite a stir among the crowd.

Not only did Isabella possess the top-tier S-level aptitude, but she also held the House Medici's inheritance class of "Flame Wielder," making her one of the most formidable contenders for the championship.

Yet, this newcomer dared to confront her directly.

Could it be that he was also a once-in-a-generation prodigy?

Suddenly, a voice rose from the crowd, tinged with confusion, "Speaking of which, this young man... he looks somewhat familiar. Haven't we seen him somewhere before?"

Another person scoffed, "Of course, you've seen him. That guy's name is John. Recently, he made headlines for taking down Rean by exploiting an opportunity, hailed as the Federal's top genius."

The crowd then had a moment of realization, recalling the widespread news from a while back.

One individual sneered, "A country bumpkin, not even checking his own strength, dares to be called the Federal's top genius?"

Another joined in, "Indeed, any random person from the Imperial Capital would likely be a thousand times stronger than him. Only those unsophisticated country folks would believe such a story. Killing Rean? What a joke."