Maria was stunned, Sisi felt conflicted, and Eric gazed at Thunder with pure admiration in his eyes.
This... this was a real man!
No one had ever imagined that the friendly and approachable top student of the Lightning Class could be so ruthlessly efficient when it came to action.
Surviving by the skin of their teeth, the three teachers and students were overwhelmed with a mix of emotions—relief tinged with confusion and doubt.
The damned sunlight hit Thunder from an angle, making him look even more striking as he stood there covered in blood. His rugged appearance was fully on display.
Sisi, surprisingly, wasn't scared at all. Watching the man dragging a corpse towards them step by step, her heart pounded fiercely. Blood streaked his face—whether his own or the enemy's—and his expression remained calm, his hawk-like eyes radiating lethal intent. Both fiery Sisi and elegant Maria felt a deep part of their hearts struck hard by that gaze.
In the world of mercenaries, facing real bloodshed was inevitable. Maria and the siblings knew this, but they hadn't been fully prepared for it. That's why today's events left them panicked and bewildered.
But was this really Thunder? All three wondered simultaneously.
"Miss Sisi, how long are you going to stare? Come over and help me," Thunder said, breaking his cool demeanor with a pained smile.
The heavy weight on Sisi's heart dropped instantly. She felt light on her feet and rushed to Thunder's side. He let go of the corpse and collapsed into her arms, his face turning deathly pale. Whether intentional or not, Thunder's elbow landed squarely on Sisi's chest.
Pervert! Sisi silently cursed, but she didn't push him away.
She knew Thunder must be exhausted. He was already injured from fighting the griffin, and now after another intense battle, his wounds reopened, bleeding profusely.
"I need to sleep for a bit. You guys handle these people. Oh, Sisi, there's a Scroll of Radiant Light in my spatial bag. Take it out and use it on me and the teacher," Thunder murmured before passing out, his lips accidentally brushing against Sisi's breast.
The warm breath from his mouth sent shivers down Sisi's spine. She couldn't help but tremble, feeling a sudden heat surge through her body.
Gently adjusting Thunder's head, she sat down, cradling him in her lap. Her trembling hands fumbled to open his spatial bag.
Though rare, a spatial bag wasn't high-end. In Atlantis, there were three types of storage items: the lowest being spatial bags, followed by bracelets, and then rings. Rings and bracelets required the owner's unique mental imprint to open, while anyone could access a spatial bag.
Sisi rummaged through the bag and found the few remaining scrolls.
Each scroll emitted different elemental energies, making them easy to identify. Two earth scrolls, one light scroll, and... one dark scroll! Sisi glanced at Maria, who shook her head slightly, putting the dark scroll back into the bag.
Seeing this scroll, Maria realized their rescue today might have involved the despised dark magic.
However, since it belonged to Thunder, everyone tacitly chose to ignore it.
Taking out the only light scroll, presumably the Scroll of Radiant Light Thunder mentioned, the trio didn't know the incantation for light magic, so they resorted to the most primitive method to release its power.
Maria tore open the Scroll of Radiant Light, enveloping the four of them in a soft glow. The holy light slowly healed Thunder's wounds and dispelled the lingering effects of Maria's magic backlash.
Sisi gently touched the two-inch knife wound on Thunder's neck, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "What if it had been deeper? You're such a beast."
At the start of the fight, the lecherous man with the triangular eyes had lunged at them. Thunder called out to Maria and the others, retreating while controlling the axe-wielding brute, which led to the nick on his neck. It was a close call—if the cut had gone any deeper, his throat would have been slit, leaving him unable to breathe.
Character matters! Even if a man is skilled, character is what truly counts.
Thunder, half-conscious, felt warmth around him, stirring something within him. His mind blurred, sensing the softness beneath his head and the scent of a maiden wafting into his nose. Gentle hands caressed his face. Unable to control himself, he turned and hugged someone's waist tightly.
The hands froze, and the body he held trembled slightly.
Suddenly, Thunder became somewhat lucid.
Something was wrong—very wrong! He remembered collapsing in Sisi's arms, but now the scent filling his nose was unmistakably Maria's sweet fragrance. Each woman had a distinct scent, and Thunder could easily distinguish between Sisi and Maria after spending so much time with them.
Sisi's scent was like roses, seductive and captivating. Maria, however, had a tranquil, soothing aroma that made one feel refreshed and increasingly addicted.
Now, Thunder smelled Maria's unique scent.
Perhaps still not fully awake, Thunder did something he'd never considered before. Almost unconsciously, he reached out, grabbing a handful of the breast belonging to the woman whose lap he was using as a pillow, squeezing it firmly. He mumbled, "Hmm, I knew it wasn't Sisi! Hers isn't this big!"
Then, as if trying to convince himself, he added, "I'm unconscious, don't mind me," before tilting his head and falling silent.
Maria was mortified, her face flushed red, her eyes brimming with tears, unsure of what to do. She glanced at Sisi and Eric, who were busy with their tasks, relieved they hadn't noticed.
Will Thunder's actions come back to haunt him later?