Beginning of Cultivation
Chapter 174: The President – Thunder Emperor Magnus Aurelius

Chapter 174: The President – Thunder Emperor Magnus Aurelius

Upon seeing the elderly man before him, Nora could only ascertain that the individual was far from ordinary. However, he had no way of determining the man’s exact identity.

In truth, those recognized as heroes in this world were highly discreet. When carrying out missions, they often donned masks to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

This practice stemmed from a rule established by the President: A hero is not a celebrity. A hero exists to help others, not to act for the sake of fame.

Unlike Nora, however, the other two present immediately recognized the old man’s identity.

The staff member was utterly stunned—he could hardly believe that such a prominent figure was personally overseeing the evaluation of new recruits.

Alice, on the other hand, broke into a delighted expression and greeted him warmly:

"President, what brings you here?"

Her words left Nora momentarily speechless. He had never imagined that the elderly man before him possessed such an esteemed status.

The President of the Hero Association was, in reality, the most powerful authority in this world. Furthermore, he was also the strongest human of the present age—a D-Class Hero.

Though few had ever seen his face, his title was known to all.

The world called him—Thunder Emperor.

Upon hearing Alice’s voice, the old man slowly opened his eyes. The moment his golden irises were revealed, his entire being seemed to radiate an aura unlike any other.

It was an aura that could be described with a single word—Justice.

At a mere glance, one could tell that he was a man of unwavering righteousness.

Turning his gaze to Alice, he offered her a warm, friendly smile before speaking:

"Alice, is that you? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

She immediately rushed to his side, making it evident just how much she cherished him. With a cheerful grin, she asked:

"President, what brings you here?"

The old man gently patted her head before responding with a chuckle:

"Is there a problem with me wandering around? I was simply looking for a place to train—perhaps even hoping to come across some promising talents worth nurturing."

At this point, the old man suddenly cast a glance at Nora before turning back to Alice and asking:

"Shouldn’t you introduce him? Who is that young man? I don’t recall seeing him on the list of registered heroes."

The world currently had thousands of heroes—not a small number by any means. Yet as a dedicated President, he made it a point to remember every single one of them.

Of course, this level of recall had not always been within his capability. It was only after breaking through to a new level of power that his memory had significantly improved, allowing him to achieve such a feat.

Alice’s eyes widened in realization—she had completely forgotten to introduce Nora. Scratching the back of her head, she turned to him and said:

"Oh! Nora, this is the President of the Hero Association. He is also the strongest human alive at the moment. People commonly refer to him as the Thunder Emperor, Magnus Aurelius."

As she spoke, she gestured animatedly toward the old man.

Then, turning back to Magnus, she added:

"And that over there is my friend—Nora. He is an absolute genius among heroes."

The moment those words left her mouth, Magnus’s eyes lit up with intrigue. He studied Nora carefully before shifting his gaze back to Alice with a knowing smile:

"Ha! Quite an impressive young man. Is he your boyfriend?"

"No, absolutely not! We’re just friends!"

Alice immediately denied his assumption. Though their relationship was certainly not that of ordinary friends, neither of them seemed willing to admit otherwise, so Magnus let the matter slide.

"Haha, is that so?"

Despite his words, the expression in his eyes spoke volumes—he was far from convinced. It would take a fool—no, even a fool would recognize that they were at least very close.

But he didn’t press the matter. A promising talent, a potential pillar of humanity’s future, was far more important than idle teasing.

At that moment, Magnus suddenly moved. His speed was nothing short of astonishing—like a gust of wind materializing right in front of Nora.

No. Not wind—lightning.

He had used his elemental control over electricity to amplify his speed, making his movement as instantaneous as a thunderbolt.

Standing before Magnus, Nora suddenly felt rather small, despite not being short by any means.

The old man placed a firm hand on his shoulder, patting him a few times before offering a smile.

"Tell me, young man—what element do you feel?"

"Element? I don’t have any element."

Nora responded without hesitation, his tone frank and straightforward.

After all, this wasn’t some closely guarded secret. Sooner or later, the old man would find out anyway—better to say it outright.

Magnus, however, was visibly taken aback. He hadn’t expected such an answer—one that completely defied his assumptions.

He furrowed his brows, scrutinizing Nora with a doubtful expression before shifting his gaze toward Alice.

Unlike Magnus, who was visibly perplexed, Alice merely wore a playful smirk, though her eyes betrayed her sincerity.

In truth, she wasn’t the type to joke about matters of importance. Someone with an exceptional level of talent wasn’t just an individual asset but a significant safeguard for humanity as a whole. It was no laughing matter.

Seeing how certain she was, Magnus turned back to Nora, his voice laced with confusion:

"What exactly is going on? She doesn’t seem to be joking with me."

Nora finally spoke up:

"Why does not sensing an elemental affinity mean I can’t be a top-tier genius?"

Magnus paused for a moment. His initial confusion faded as he realized that not many people truly understood the significance of elemental affinity.

He began explaining patiently:

"You see, there are two major advantages that come with sensing an element—advantages that those without an affinity simply do not have."

Hearing this, Nora’s curiosity was piqued. He could guess what one of them might be, but the second? That remained a mystery to him.

"What exactly are these two advantages?"

Magnus continued:

"The first—and the most obvious one—is its benefit in combat. While two individuals of the same rank may possess equal raw strength, those with elemental abilities receive an additional enhancement. Their attacks are empowered, and more importantly, they have far greater versatility in battle compared to those without an element."

Nora nodded slightly. That much made sense.

"And the second advantage?" he pressed.

Magnus smiled before responding:

"Advancement speed. Those who can sense an element can also perceive natural energy. Take my meditative state earlier, for example—I was cultivating. By attuning myself to natural energy, I can absorb it to enhance my strength. That is the second advantage."