After finishing her training for the day, Thora headed straight to the Nine Tower. Inside the Nine Tower, each floor featured an arena surrounded by spectator stands. Fighters had to win a set number of matches before advancing to challenge the next level. Aside from the ninth floor, students could freely enter and exit all the other levels. The moment she stepped inside, the testosterone-fueled atmosphere hit her like a wave—exactly like the time she and Harvey had entered Astralis's underground fighting club. Everyone was screaming, completely swept up in the frenzy of combat. Ever since she mentioned the Nine Tower yesterday, Tristan and Ryan had been throwing themselves into the fights here. She came today partly to check on how the two were doing, and partly for another reason.Watching the competitors battle it out in the arena, Thora silently acknowledged that Blue Star Military Academy truly lived up to its reputation. Every student here was formidable, with top-tier physiques and wolf power, along with all sorts of unexpected fighting techniques that were dazzling to watch. But Tristan and Ryan held their own just as well. Tristan's close-combat skills were top-notch, and Ryan was no slouch either. In fact, Ryan was even better at strategizing than Tristan. Ryan's way of thinking was similar to Ashton's, but he was more skilled at commanding the bigger picture. Watching Ryan maneuver through his matches with tactical precision, Thora recalled that he had been promoted to Major General at just 20 years old. Aside from herself, he was the youngest general-ranked officer in the Astralis Military. To earn that rank at such a young age, Ryan's abilities were beyond question. After observing him for a while, she noticed he even outperformed Tristan in certain areas. Tristan excelled at solo combat but was more prone to letting emotions cloud his judgment. Ryan was steadier. Compared to the other members of Wolffang, he lacked the rebellious streak she had instilled in them, leaning more toward a traditional military mindset without being rigid about the small stuff. He was a natural-born commander. After a few more years of training at the military academy, his future would be limitless. Thora crossed her arms and tapped her chin lightly with her fingertips, silently scheming. Once Ryan graduated from the military academy, maybe she could transfer him directly under her command. With her pull, getting him shouldn't be a problem. ... She stood among the crowd, watching match after match come to an end.Although Tristan and Ryan lost a few rounds, their wins still outnumbered their losses. Most of their later defeats were due to running out of stamina. The two knew when to call it quits and headed off together to rest, never noticing Thora hidden among the spectators. Thora looked up at the floor indicator and remembered that Ferro Steel, the guy who had punched her that day, and Dove, the creep who had harassed Shirley, both seemed to hang around the third floor. With the academy's medical capabilities, Dove would likely be back in the Nine Tower within a week. Just then, the referee on the arena stage struck the drum. "Next challenger!" A muscular man stepped onto the stage as the current defending champion. Thora smirked, undid the top button of her shirt, took two steps forward, vaulted over the railing with one hand, and landed steadily in the arena.... From the moment Thora stepped onto the stage, she never came back down. That afternoon, the first floor of the Nine Tower was hit by what felt like a hurricane—someone had fought 20 consecutive matches without a single loss. This was the first time in years that anyone had achieved such a record on the first floor. The rules of the Nine Tower stated that winning 50 matches on each floor allowed advancement to the next level, and winning a match meant becoming the defending champion for continuous battles. But winning 20 straight without a single defeat and without stopping? That was a first. "Who is this student? I've never seen her before!" "No clue. Could she be a freshman?" "There's no way a freshman could be this insane!" "You forgetting about Roxen? He was a monster back in the day too. He set a record of 30 consecutive wins!" "Dude, Roxen didn't do that all in one go. He spread it out over time. This girl's going nonstop! Do you understand what it means to fight without taking a single break?" The chatter exploded among the students below. And the name Thora gradually spread through the Nine Tower, leaving behind just one impression—an absolute beast. No matter what techniques her opponents used—hidden weapons, sneak attacks, or going full wolf form—none of it had any effect against Thora's overwhelming power. At this rate, she would reach the eighth floor within a year. But Thora's goal had never been the top of the Nine Tower. She only cared about the third floor. ... After leaving the Nine Tower, Thora checked the time and remembered her promise to bring food to that guy in the library. She turned and headed toward the cafeteria. Shirley had been sentenced to two days in solitary for aggravated assault. Since it was an official punishment, they naturally wouldn't let her starve. Thora wasn't worried about that. She only worried that Shirley might feel uneasy sleeping in an unfamiliar place, which was why she had Tristan deliver her favorite stuffed toy. What Thora hadn't anticipated was that although the academy provided Shirley with food, it was all stuff she hated eating. ... At that moment, Shirley stared at the meal being passed through the window slot and instantly lost her appetite. She bit her lower lip, her small face scrunching up pitifully as she looked toward the window. "Please, sir, I don't eat this stuff. Can you get me something else? Look how tiny I am. Eating this isn't going to help me grow any taller..." The stoic soldier's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Looking at that pitiful little face pressed against the window, he couldn't help but soften a bit. He was about to say something when he suddenly noticed a man walking toward them. The newcomer made a few hand signals. The soldier frowned but silently stepped back and moved outside to continue standing guard. Suddenly, a rich, meaty aroma wafted into the solitary confinement cell. Shirley's round eyes went wide—that was the good stuff. And there was even a hint of candy sweetness mixed in. A handsome face suddenly filled the window, strikingly close. "Who are you?" Shirley asked, tensing.