After hearing the competition's topic was in Martial Skills, Flint was smiling. His strongest aspect was his intelligence. Only a handful of senior students could compete with him in intelligence. He knew that in the first grade, no student could dare to come close to his intelligence. He also had his family's secret Martial Skill, the Fire Fist. A Martial Skill suited for beginners with the fire as an additional element.
His family was amazed after learning of Flint's intelligence. They immediately gifted him the Fire Fist, so that he could come in contact with the fire qi from a young age. This would smoothen his future's fire qi achievements.
Even though it was a beginner's Martial Skill, learning it would boost the fire affinity of the cultivator. This was the reason why the Burning Heart Family counted as the strongest fire-based family and sect in the entire Empire. As to where they got the Martial Skill or who created it, no one knew of it.
"Fine. Let's compete in Martial Skills."
The crowd, which was assembled around Zayn, Flint, and Ryu, knew of Flint's intelligence. It was shown at the enrollment test, where each student had to learn the Finger Pistol in an hour. Flint was done after about half an hour and shocked many students and teachers. Following that Teacher Leaf accepted him as his direct student.
This story was known to all students. They knew that Teacher Leaf never accepted any first-grade student, the only exception was Ryu. Flint became his second exception and shocked the entire academy. They knew of Flint's background and his intelligence, but Ryu was still a mystery. Still, no one dared to offend Ryu.
"You think you saw my complete Fire Fist? That's why you choose to challenge my Martial Skill! You may have a puny Martial Skill that could compare with one flame of my family's Fire Fist. But, my attainment is far higher than only one flame!"
While speaking, the qi again began to gather on Flint's Fist. Many little fire sparks began to form in the environment and the floor heated up. His Fist started to shine a little bit. After a few breaths, the first flame appeared around his fist.
Then the second one appeared.
And finally, a third flame was created.
"That's not possible! This attainment… it's amazing!"
"Amazing? Do you call that amazing? What standards do you have?!? If that is only amazing, who would dare to call himself a genius?"
"It…He…He really is a genius. And I hoped that it was only an exaggeration."
The crowd started to praise Flint's achievement. They were all shocked by his achievements. Many were discouraged, and many others were proud to be part of this moment.
One flame of the Fire Fist counted as an exceptional feat, for his age. Two flames were only possible for the highest genius around the Green Leaf City. Three flames never happened for those below twenty, in the vicinity of Green Leaf City. And Flint was only fourteen years old.
"What's wrong trash? Shocked by my Fire Fist?"
Flint saw Zayn's empty expression. He thought it was due to the shock he received by his display of his Fire Fist. After again trash talking, Flint dissolved his Fire Fist.
"Now it's your turn, trash!"
Zayn was conflicted. The audience started to riot after Flint's display. He at first thought that the Fire Fist was equal to his Thunder Fist. But after fully displaying it with six sparks, Vown's reaction was small. Vown told him that six sparks were slightly above average and nothing much. If that was true then the Fire Fist had to be far above the Thunder Fist. No one would riot to a slightly above average result.
"What's wrong?" Ryu saw that something was off. He knew that Teacher Bolt's student was conflicted and deep in thought.
"Hmm… Well I… How do I say that?... Are 3 flames really that big of an achievement?"
The crowd's intense argument disappeared. After hearing Zayn's question every and each one thought. 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?'
"… It's quite good. Nothing to freak about, but still good." Ryu was amazed by Zayn's answer. He himself did not find it that amazing of an achievement, but everyone else freaked out.
The crowd, as if one entity, again thought. 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?' Still, no one interrupted the conversation.
"How about you tell me your Martial Skills and I can tell you what stage you need to beat Flint."
"Well… I only have one Martial Skill. The Thunder Fist."
"All right. To compare it to- Wait? Thunder Fist?!?" This was the first time ever that anyone saw Ryu shocked.
Not only Ryu was shocked, everyone else was also shocked. Even Flint, he immediately responded.
"Thunder Fist?!? Impossible! You a bumpkin, a 1-Star Body Refinement Realm Cultivator, and Vown's only student, how the hell would you have the Thunder Fist?"
"Ahem, the Thunder Fist. Interesting! If you can achieve 3 sparks of thunders with your Thunder Fist, you will win this competition."
"Really? I only need to do the same amounts of flames as sparks, then it would be my victory?"
"… You're making it sound easy. Listen, the Thunder Fist is like the Fire Fist a fundamental Martial Skill for the elements. The Fire Fist is from the Burning Heart Family, but the Thunder Fist is from the strongest sect in the entire Empire. The Thunder Head Sect. The name-giving sect for our academy. The Thunder Fist is also more difficult to learn and achieve as the thunder element is really rare to experience. If you can achieve 3 sparks, then that will be a reason to riot!" Ryu explained.
"Only 3 sparks? That's easy!"
"…"
Flint again got between Ryu's and Zayn's conversation. "Never! I don't believe that you have the Thunder Fist! You're only bluffing. You want me to surrender after hearing you stating the 3 sparks of the Thunder Fist as easy. Show me, trash! If you show me 3 sparks I will also gift you 3 qi pills!"
"All right! I will show you even more." Zayn smiled. If 3 sparks were an achievement to riot and bring him the victory, how would the crowd react if he showed them the True Thunder Fist?
Zayn was not a person to show off and brag, but after experiencing Flint's arrogance he wanted him to fail, to lose miserably and get eaten up by his words. He repeatedly called Zayn trash and what was worse, called Vown, Zayn's teacher, also trash. This could not be tolerated anymore.
Zayn formed a fist and immediately the qi in the surroundings gathered around his fist. The gathering was far more powerful and violent than Flint's. In the environment, many sparks were created, and the sound of electricity could be heard.
"It really is the Thunder Fist!"
"Oh my god! This day… I will tell about it until my death."
"Woohoo. What the hell is wrong with you? I mean it is genius and really remarkable to achieve the Thunder Fist and I don't want to tune the achievement down, but telling it until your death…That's just sad…"
"Shut up! Look the sparks are forming!"
Around Zayn's fist, in a breath, sparks formed.
One Spark
Two Sparks
Three Sparks
"He… really… he won… I… I have to…My Fire Fist…"
Four Sparks
"NO WAY! HOW THE HELL?!?"
Five Sparks
On Ryu's face, a mischievous smile appeared again. 'Teacher Bolt's Student sure is interesting. Teacher Leaf was right. Teacher Bolt cannot be underestimated.'
Six Sparks
The crowd went nuts. Six Sparks for them was equal to seeing their whole life achievement.
True Thunder Fist
Every and each one including Flint could not process the situation. Their mind went blank. No words and no thoughts could come out.
The only one who was still able to cope with the situation was Ryu. Even though he could cope with the situation, he was bewildered.
"True… Thunder Fist. It's really the True Thunder Fist! How old is he even to achieve that?!?"
"So, I won, right?"
No one could answer him. Everyone only nodded with their heads in unison.
"Flint, where's my reward?"
Flint's prior arrogance disappeared. He also was speechless. Standing there, he took out the Fire Fist Scroll and 3 qi pills and just handed it over. He was affected by the current situation and could only go with the flow.
"Thanks! Well, I am going to rest for now. See you tomorrow guys."
As if nothing really happened at all, Zayn just bid his goodbye and entered his room. The crowd outside just stood there with Flint and Ryu. After a few minutes Ryu also bid his farewell and left the scene. As to how long Flint and the crowd stayed, no one really knew of.
.
The room, Zayn entered, did not look at all like a typical dorm room. It was far more luxurious looking. Still, it was only one room. He had a big bed inside, a desk, closets and the most important of them all, his own bathroom. The dorm room was a really great room, even better than his own room on earth.
After exploring his room, he decided to shower first of all. Entering the bathroom, he was so happy to see a clean bathroom, after being transported to a new world. The bathroom was the only room which was exactly like those on earth. He undressed and entered the shower. The showers in this world worked and looked exactly like those on earth.
Zayn did not know if this world had electricity or if they used qi instead of electricity. From what he learned of, qi was far better than electricity as it could be used in nearly every way. It depended on the cultivator how to use it.
Following his shower, he sat on his bed and took out the Fire Fist Scroll.
'My second Martial Skill. Let's go!'
After half an hour of studying, he easily achieved the True Fire Fist. The Fire Fist Martial Skill was very similar to the Thunder Fist. Each of them had 7 stages, the last stage being the True Martial Skill.
Zayn felt again energized after learning a new thing. He then tried to use the True Thunder Fist and the True Fire Fist simultaneously, but it did not work out. He used the remaining day trying to make it work, but after failure of failure, he decided to end the day.