Chapter 9: Sparring with Magnus
After listening to a detailed explanation of why sensing elements was so important, Nora finally understood why everyone valued it so much.
In terms of combat strength, those who possessed elemental affinity were only slightly stronger than those without it. However, when it came to cultivation speed—especially in the current era—those without elemental affinity could not compare at all.
By conventional standards, Nora's talent was not particularly high, but how could he be judged by common sense?
He looked at Magnus, smiled, and said:
"President, what if there's another possibility? I mean, something truly new and unique."
Hearing this, Magnus's eyes flickered with understanding. He gave the young man before him a deep look before nodding.
"Hmm, you're not wrong. Humanity's understanding of supernatural powers is still very limited. If something entirely new were to appear beyond our knowledge, it wouldn't be surprising at all."
After a moment of contemplation, he continued:
"Young man, let's have a sparring match. Don't worry, I'll hold back. I won't use overwhelming strength to suppress you right away."
Hearing this, Nora felt a mix of tension and anticipation. Having the chance to spar with the strongest person in the world wasn't something that could be obtained just by wishing for it.
He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly before saying:
"Please, go ahead!"
The moment he finished speaking, a massive fist came flying straight at his face.
Magnus had only promised not to use his full strength—he never said he would go easy. That was why his very first move aimed directly for the head.
Nora was startled. Cold sweat had yet to form before the punch was already dangerously close.
With no real combat experience, he had to rely purely on instinct in this fight. Any memories or techniques from his past life related to actual combat had been completely erased.
Acting on reflex, he leaned backward in an attempt to dodge the punch. However, his awkward posture caused him to lose balance and fall onto the ground.
The moment he hit the ground, he quickly pressed his hands against it, pushing himself up and immediately increasing the distance between himself and Magnus.
He lowered his center of gravity and assumed a defensive stance, giving himself time to calculate his next moves.
Seeing this, Magnus remarked:
"Your movements are clumsy. It seems you've never trained in martial arts. However, your body's instincts are quite good. I suppose you could be considered somewhat talented, but even so, you're still far below Alice's evaluation."
"President, don't underestimate me! I'll give it my all to prove myself!"
Nora shouted with a serious expression before charging straight at Magnus without a second thought.
Was he simply reckless? No. In reality, he was only trying to leave a strong impression on the president.
To him, saving humanity was not something that could be accomplished by a single person.
In the future, he would likely need the support of many people. Building good relationships now would increase his chances of success later.
Observing his approach, Magnus thought to himself:
"He doesn't seem like a reckless fool. It looks more like he's trying to prove that he's different. Very well, let's see what makes this kid special."
Nora dashed forward, throwing a straight punch with his right hand aimed directly at Magnus's chest.
At first, Magnus intended to dodge, but then he raised his arms to block instead.
It wasn't that he lacked the speed to evade. Rather, the level of speed required wasn't something an F-rank hero should have.
Bang!
Nora's full-powered punch, combined with the weight of his body, slammed hard against Magnus's arms.
Magnus didn't budge an inch, but Nora's expression darkened.
He immediately withdrew his fist and thought to himself:
"Damn it, his body is way too solid! It feels like punching a brick wall!"
At the same time, Magnus also realized something about his own body. Scratching his head, he chuckled awkwardly:
"Haha… my bad. I forgot that my body stiffness has long surpassed the limits of an F-rank hero."
Magnus looked at Nora and asked:
"Thinking of giving up?"
"Keep dreaming. I'll only lose when I have no strength left to fight!"
Nora responded instantly, then, as quick as lightning, he lunged forward, leaping into the air to deliver a devastating kick aimed at Magnus's head.
"You've got spirit, kid."
Magnus smirked, his evaluation of Nora rising once again.
Without losing focus, he swiftly raised his left arm to block the incoming kick.
Then, looking at Nora, he said:
"Let me show you how someone with elemental powers fights."
As he spoke, he pressed his thumb and middle finger together, preparing to snap his fingers.
Tach! Tach!
The crackling sound of electricity suddenly filled the air as a sphere of golden lightning formed above his thumb.
Sensing the danger, Nora instinctively tried to create distance between himself and Magnus. However, he had no idea that such an action would be completely futile.
Magnus grinned, his expression carrying a hint of menace.
"It's useless, kid. Thunder Bullet!"
With a snap of his fingers, the lightning sphere shot forward. Strangely, instead of flying in a straight line, it veered sharply to the right.
Seeing the attack miss its mark, Nora let out a sigh of relief. However, his instincts warned him to stay on guard.
And sure enough, things were not that simple. The Thunder Bullet hadn't actually missed—it curved in midair, looping around before locking onto his exposed side.
Watching this unfold, Nora could only curse in his mind:
"Damn it! Why the hell is it circling back? This makes no sense!"
But in reality, it made perfect sense. A wielder of elemental power could control their attacks as long as they remained within their range of influence.
Reacting instantly, Nora twisted his body mid-air to dodge. This time, he managed to succeed—the Thunder Bullet barely missed him, passing just a few centimeters behind his back.
Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a voice echoed through the air:
"Detonate!"