Chapter 81 | Registration
Immediately he heard the name Director Klein, Marcus’s mouth which opened to complain immediately snapped shut.
Everyone knew Director Klein was one of the seven Transcendants in the city.
Even Marcus understood that if the director was involved, things would move. The director’s reach was long, and his temper was legendary.
"Medic," the Head Supervisor said into his earpiece. "Get here now."
The medical team arrived in a flash. They poured through the arc door in organized pairs, carrying stabilized stretchers and emergency healing kits.
Healers with active healing talents moved among the injured, their hands glowing with soft, warm light as they knelt beside Marcus, Gregor, Lena, and Fiona.
Marcus was stabilized first, his severed arm carefully secured to prevent further damage. Gregor’s chest wound closed slowly under the healer’s touch.
Lena was rolled onto her side and treated with delicate precision. Fiona was simply lifted onto a stretcher and connected to an IV drip, her eyes already closed.
Dexter was guided toward the medical bay as well.
Dexter tried to wave them off, but the supervisor shook his head.
"No arguments. You might have hidden injuries. Internal damage you can’t feel yet. We need to be certain."
They guided Dexter to the medical bay. Rachel stayed with him every step.
Rachel walked beside him the entire way.
The medical bay was clean and bright, a sharp contrast to the blood and carnage of the clearing. A healer directed Dexter to stand before a large pane of translucent glass mounted in the center of the room.
"Spread your arms," the healer said.
Dexter complied. The glass hummed softly, and a moment later his entire body became visible through the pane as a detailed, three dimensional skeletal and muscular projection.
The healer studied the readouts for a long time, then looked at Dexter with a puzzled expression. "You are as healthy as they come. No fractures, no internal bleeding, no tissue damage, you’re good."
Dexter smiled slightly. "Alright."
Rachel exhaled a breath she had been holding since the clearing and hugged him again.
Dexter stood there, arms at his sides, staring at the ceiling. He had no idea what to do with this girl. He had told her, plainly and directly, that he had three wives.
Most people heard that and immediately backed off. But Rachael seemed even more attached to him.
He gently but firmly extracted himself from the hug and took a step back. "Where do I go to get my license card?"
Rachel stared at him for a moment. Then she erupted into laughter.
"You almost died in there," she said, still laughing, "and the first thing you are worried about is your license card?"
Dexter shrugged. "That is what I came here for."
Rachel shook her head, a wide grin still on her face. "Alright. Let me take you to the licensing hall."
They left the medical bay and walked through a series of corridors that led to a spacious hall with polished floors and a high ceiling.
A single queue stretched from the service counter toward the door.
There were five people ahead of them.
Rachel waited with him this time.
She stood beside him in the line, quiet for once, her earlier panic slowly fading.
Neither of them spoke. They simply stood there, waiting.
Under 10 minutes later, it was Dexter’s turn.
He stepped up to the counter.
The receptionist was a young woman with neat auburn hair pulled into a tight bun and thin reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose.
"Your temporary ID?"
Dexter produced it.
She took the temporary ID card from Dexter’s hand and typed his name into the system. Her eyes moved across the screen, and then they stopped moving.
She blinked. She adjusted her glasses. She read the screen again.
"Mr. Dexter Ashford," she said, her tone shifting. It seemed she saw something.
" You have passed the entry registration exam exceptionally."
She looked up at him over the rims of her glasses. "Also, your potential rating is very high. In fact, let me check the official rankings."
Her fingers clicked across the keyboard. A new window populated on her screen.
"You rank number 9 of the top 10 in the official F Hero rankings. That puts you well within the upper percentile of all F rank Heroes."
Dexter raised an eyebrow but he wasn’t surprised.
The receptionist straightened in her chair and offered a polite smile. "Welcome, Mr. Dexter. Please head through the inner doors for your proper registration."
Dexter nodded and walked past the counter, through a set of frosted glass doors, and into a long corridor.
At the end of the corridor was a single room. The door was open. Inside, a woman stood waiting beside a sleek, modern terminal.
She was truly stunning as she stood there.
High cheekbones, dark hair and calm eyes.
She wore the white coat of a medical professional, but it fit her like it had been tailored specifically for her.
"Good morning," she said, her voice smooth and unhurried. "How are you?"
"Quite alright," Dexter replied.
"Please place your hand on the scanner."
She gestured to a flat, translucent panel mounted on the desk beside the terminal.
Dexter placed his right palm on it. A soft blue light passed beneath his hand, and he felt a faint warmth spread through his fingers as it processed his data.
"Mana signature is being registered," the doctor said, watching the screen. "This is a unique biometric identifier tied to your internal energy. No two signatures are alike. It will be embedded into your license card and used to verify your identity at any licensed facility or checkpoint."
The scan completed. A detailed waveform appeared on the screen, representing the specific frequency and pattern of his mana.
"Next, I will need a retinal scan for visual verification," she said, turning to a small device mounted on an adjustable arm. "Please look straight ahead and keep your eyes open."
Dexter complied.
"Now a small blood sample for genetic archiving," she continued, producing a sterile lancet and a glass vial. "This is standard procedure. The sample is encrypted and stored only for identity verification in the event of disputed license use. It is not shared with any third party."
She pricked his fingertip, collected a few drops into the vial, and sealed it. The entire process took less than ten seconds.
"Lastly, emergency contact information."