Chapter 37: The Handsome Man

Thunder felt like he was committing a sin. Despite the overwhelming urge burning inside him, he had to suppress it and patiently explain the birds and bees to the little girl. Before joining the Dragon-Tiger Sect, Thunder had been struggling in the mortal world. If his master hadn't descended the mountain and discovered his rare talent, he would never have had the chance to learn the sect's techniques. But because of his late start, Thunder remained an outer disciple.

"Then… when Tifa grows up in a couple of years, it'll be okay, right?" The little girl looked at him with hopeful eyes.

Thunder nodded, and Tifa immediately beamed. Unlike Sisi's fiery temper, Tifa was a girl who found joy in the simplest things.

The fourth round of the Faeir Magic and Martial Academy's individual tournament—thirteen competitors fighting for eight spots—officially began on the fourth day.

Among the academy's top thirteen, the Lightning Magic class had three representatives, showcasing their overwhelming individual strength. The Fire Magic class had two—Franks and Carey from Class One. The remaining spots were taken by two from Ice, two from Earth, two from Wind, and one each from Water and Wood. At this stage, every remaining competitor was an elite, with the lowest combat index sitting at 175.

To everyone's surprise, the matches didn't start immediately. Instead, under Headmaster Laurent's direction, all thirteen competitors were called onto the stage for a grand introduction.

Thunder stood out among them—not just because of his infamous reputation, but also due to the emblem on his robes marking his rank as a mage.

Out of the thirteen, twelve had a single star on their chests, symbolizing their status as junior mages. Thunder, however, had nothing—like a chicken among swans, glaringly out of place.

Instructor Maria smiled at the trio from below the stage. Bicheese stuck out her tongue playfully, while Thunder raised a hand in greeting.

"Ugh, sharing the stage with you is so embarrassing," Sisi muttered under her breath, scowling.

"This is the fourth round," Thunder replied.

"I know."

"Wanna bet again? Let's see if I can make it into the top eight. If I lose, I'll do your laundry for two months." Thunder smirked.

"Eric, what should we have for lunch today?" Sisi immediately turned her head away, addressing her brother instead.

"How should I know? Don't ask me," Eric grumbled. The day before, Thunder and Sisi had both vanished, leaving him alone to face a barrage of questions from curious students in the cafeteria.

"Oh, so you've got an attitude now?" Sisi glared at him, teeth clenched.

With nothing else to do, Thunder glanced around—first at the audience below, then at his fellow competitors. His gaze landed on Franks, the pretty-boy with lips red as cherries and skin fair as snow.

Franks was so ridiculously handsome that he made every other man feel inadequate. Even the most beautiful women paled in comparison.

Noticing Thunder's stare, Franks blinked at him. Thunder raised a brow, waggled his eyebrows suggestively, then puckered his lips and blew an exaggerated kiss.

Franks' face twisted as if he'd just been splashed with sewage. He swallowed hard and quickly turned away.

*Hah! Serves you right for being so damn pretty!* Thunder grinned, thoroughly pleased with himself.

But moments later, Franks turned back, covering his face with a hand—his expression even more disgusted, as if he'd been hit with *two* waves of sewage. Probably because someone else had done the same thing to him from the other side.

*Karma's a bitch!*

"Since this round involves thirteen competitors fighting for eight spots, using a points-based system would be too time-consuming," Headmaster Laurent announced. "After careful consideration, we've decided to determine the top eight through a free-for-all battle." He gestured to the arena below. "Your battlefield is there. Use whatever means necessary to break the magical shields of five opponents. I understand this method may seem unfair to some, but remember—when you leave this academy, you'll face *real* battles. And in real battles, fairness doesn't exist! If there are no objections, let the match begin. The only rule is—no alliances. Everyone must rely on their own strength."

The competitors had no room to argue. As for Thunder? He wasn't worried. In a chaotic melee, he might not be able to break others' shields, but good luck to anyone trying to break *his*.

His *Celestial Master's Agile Steps* weren't just for show—years of training had to count for something.

The headmaster personally cast protective shields on all thirteen competitors before dispersing them across the arena. The battlefield was much larger than previous rounds, given the number of participants, but there were still boundaries—stepping outside meant disqualification.

Though alliances were forbidden, competitors from the same magic class naturally avoided attacking each other. With only five needing to be eliminated, strategy was key.

As soon as the match began, Bicheese targeted the lone Water mage. Her previous opponent in the individual rounds had also been Water-aligned, and though this one was stronger, they were still no match for the Lightning class's top fighter. The moment the Water mage saw Sisi charging at them, they turned tail and ran, retaliating as they fled.

Franks had the same idea. The two powerhouses of the magic division didn't go after each other—both knew a direct clash would only benefit others. They'd surely meet in the finals anyway.

Franks went for the solitary Wood mage, while others picked their own targets. Even Thunder wasn't spared.

A Wind mage unleashed a barrage of razor-sharp blades at him, each one fired with terrifying speed and precision—clearly aiming to eliminate the "useless" magic apprentice first.

But Thunder twisted and weaved, his *Celestial Master's Agile Steps* carrying him effortlessly through the storm of attacks. The audience erupted in cheers.

Soon, under Sisi and Franks' relentless assaults, the Wood and Water mages were knocked out of the arena. The two powerhouses had already secured two eliminations, proving their dominance.

The Wind mage chasing Thunder, however, was having a miserable time. *What the hell is this guy—a rabbit?* No matter how many blades he launched, not a single one grazed Thunder. Frustrated, he quickly switched targets.

Just as Thunder was getting into the rhythm of his footwork, feeling a flicker of insight, his opponent abruptly turned away.

*Well, that's just great.*

**Will Thunder's unorthodox tactics keep him in the game—or will the tides turn against him?**