What on earth was going on? Not only were the Lightning Class students puzzled by Tyrone's sudden outburst, even Tyrone himself couldn't explain it.
With the Fire Class defeated, the Lightning Class earned another point, securing two consecutive victories and claiming the championship. Amid the roaring cheers from the audience, Tyrone quickly excused himself from Mentor Maria and rushed home, skipping the upcoming award ceremony.
He needed to sort out what had just happened.
Previously, whenever he practiced magic, the Spirit-Calming Pearl blocked the connection between his internal mana and the external elements. But today, that barrier had weakened—enough for him to successfully cast the most basic lightning spell.
Once home, he locked himself in the inner courtyard, instructing Tifa not to let anyone in, and sat cross-legged in meditation.
Focusing inward, Tyrone observed the flow of mana within his body. His dantian—the energy center—seemed to have undergone a subtle transformation. His mana had grown purer and more abundant, as if he had broken through a bottleneck into a new realm.
Unfortunately, without a crystal ball at home, he couldn't confirm whether his mana had reached the level of a Grand Mage.
But why could he cast spells now when he couldn't before?
Standing up, Tyrone recreated the sensation he'd felt on stage.
He channeled his mana, linked it to the free-floating elements in the air, and—*zap*—a **Palmar Lightning** shot from his palm.
If Mentor Maria had been there, she would've been stunned.
Tyrone hadn't even chanted an incantation—something utterly impossible for a magic apprentice who couldn't cast spells before.
One bolt, two bolts, three bolts… Tyrone grew more fluent, filling the courtyard with crackling, violent lightning energy.
He finally understood.
The Spirit-Calming Pearl was the key.
When his power had been too weak, the Pearl completely suppressed his mana. But now that he'd broken through a threshold, the suppression was no longer absolute. A fraction of his mana could now resonate with external elements, allowing him to cast basic spells.
Even though they were beginner-level spells, the sheer volume of his mana—comparable to a Grand Mage's—made his **Palmar Lightning** far more devastating than normal.
In other words… despite having a Grand Mage's mana reserves, the Pearl's suppression limited him to spells a novice could cast.
To test his theory, Tyrone decided to try a second-tier spell—**Paralyzing Net**.
He'd seen Cici and Eric cast it during practical lessons, so he knew the incantation and process.
Again, without chanting, he unleashed a **Paralyzing Net**—one far larger and more powerful than anything Cici or Eric could produce. It engulfed half the courtyard.
But this time, Tyrone felt the strain. The bridge between his mana and the elements nearly snapped under the Pearl's suppression.
Second-tier magic was his current limit.
Tyrone burst into laughter.
Fortune and misfortune were two sides of the same coin. The Spirit-Calming Pearl had both aided his cultivation and hindered his magic—until now.
But it didn't matter.
As his mana continued to grow, the Pearl's suppression would weaken further, allowing him to cast higher-tier spells.
Plus, he could still craft scrolls! With his current mana reserves, he could likely create scrolls of seventh-tier or higher.
And the "low-tier" spells he cast now? They were anything but weak. Who had ever seen beginner spells with such destructive power?
When he stepped out of the courtyard, he found Tifa sitting cross-legged by the door, mimicking his earlier posture.
Tyrone chuckled. The girl's curiosity was endless—she must've copied him after seeing him meditate.
But as he approached, he froze.
The elemental fluctuations around Tifa were unusually intense.
"Master," Tifa called out, hearing his footsteps. She sprang up and ran over, grinning. Since the incident, she'd become much more relaxed around him.
"You can sense magic elements?" Tyrone asked, eyeing her.
"You mean those little things?" Tifa grabbed his hand and leaned in. "So that's what they're called. Tifa can't see them."
Tyrone poked her forehead, gently pushing her back. "Since when could you feel them?"
"Dunno. It just happened," she said, pouting.
"That posture—you copied me, right?" Tyrone pulled her closer, pinching her arms and sides playfully, making her giggle.
"Yes… Master, stop! It tickles! I saw you like that a few times at night."
"Hold still. I'm checking your bones." Tyrone glared, and Tifa instantly froze, cheeks flushed, trying not to squirm.
As a disciple of the Dragon-Tiger Sect, reading bone structure was child's play. But after a while… Tyrone gave up. His cultivation was still too low, and he hadn't learned enough back in the sect.
Still, if Tifa could sense spiritual energy (magic elements) just by mimicking his posture, her talent couldn't be bad.
"Do you want to learn magic?" he asked.
Tifa shook her head. "Master knows enough for both of us. Tifa just plays with the little things when she's bored."
"But if Tifa knew magic, she could come to school with me."
"Then I'll learn!" Tifa blurted instantly.
**Will this newfound power bring them closer—or invite unforeseen danger?**