13 Chapter 13 - Checking Our Progress

"Can you show me how this move is done?" Mi Young asks as she looks at Jong In.

The boy looked hesitant at first before he heaved out a sigh and went to stand in front of the young girl.

Jong In's nerves were raging as he tried to call on his mana energy. He closes his eyes to concentrate, trying to forget the memory of Mi Young's smile earlier. After a couple of minutes, he can feel the familiar feeling he gets every time he pulls his mana out from his core; he then lets it travel all throughout his entire body. When he knows that he has distributed all equal mana to every part of his system, he concentrates its flow on his fists.

Jong In lets his body follow the body movement for the Fire Ball technique, he knows every movement of the said technique by heart having to practice it everyday for two months. After counting to three, he pushes all the concentrated mana out from his fists. A small spark comes out from his hands but nothing else follows.

The boy can feel the disappointment eating his whole being as he watches the same outcome again and again. He doesn't even spare Mi Young any glance because he knows the same look of disappointment would be displayed on her face just like the look everyone gives him after seeing his weak ability.

Mi Young contemplates for a few seconds before she claps at Jong In, making the boy jump in surprise.

"That was good!" The girl says as she continues clapping her hands.

Suddenly, Jong In can feel the anger and the embarrassment mixing together as he eyes Mi Young with distaste. He never felt such rage before even if he was used to being called names and seen as a mere weakling by everyone in the academy. But watching the look in Mi Young's eyes, as she continued clapping and giving Jong In a proud smile, all he wanted to do was to set the whole world on fire.

"Are you seriously mocking me?!"

"Excuse me?" Mi Young stops her from clapping and she looks at Jong In in pure confusion.

"You! Are you mocking me?! I know I suck at everything but you don't have to clap for me and give me that fake proud look. It disgusts me!" Jong In spats as he looks at Mi Young with pure hatred. He can't believe he fell for her innocent looks, turns out she was just as vile as everyone else around him; in fact he thinks she's even more disgusting.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Mi Young counters. She still has that confused look in her eyes which made Jong In think if it was right for him to burst out like that because she genuinely looks confused. "I'm serious. You've really done well."

There it is again; that proud and knowing look that Mi Young was giving him that confuses the f*ck out of Jong In. He's not sure if it's just a trick on the eye or what because he can't think straight now that he sees Mi Young walking towards him.

"What were your mana points when you started here?"

"47…"

"Hm." Mi Young nods, she seems like she's thinking about something. She looks at Jong In once more, "How many years have passed since that?"

"Two." Jong In answers, embarrassed to look at Mi Young's piercing eyes.

"And you were stuck in the same year ever since?"

Jong In nods. He doesn't know what's going on inside Mi Young's mind, he just keeps on answering her questions even if he's still mad as a bull.

"I see." Mi Young finally says. "Jong In, right?"

The black-haired boy nods once more.

"Your cultivation isn't weak. And your mana power is, in fact, strong." The girl says as he eyes Jong In.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that, you have a very strong potential, but it's entirely blocked."

"Blocked?" Jong In can feel the rage in him subsiding as each word comes out from Mi Young's mouth.

Mi Young nods at him. "Your core is blocked because you are using a cultivation method that opposes your element. If I deduced it correctly, you're using a cultivation technique from the Hydro clan are you not? It's also a complicated and common cultivation technique used by many Hydro users. Which means, you are from a Hydro clan in the North."

This put a halt to Jong In's breathing. He looked at Mi Young like he just saw a ghost. He never told anyone about his origin ever since he got inside the academy.

When he was still participating in the entrance exam, he could feel the disappointment that travelled all throughout his body when he saw the Pyro table lighting up while he was inside the Divining Cauldron. All he could think about was his father's disappointed look upon seeing his only son being chosen by an element that is the exact opposite of theirs. That night, he sent a letter to his father asking for forgiveness because of the results of the exam. He never got a reply but it was enough for him to know what it meant.

"How did you know?" Jong In asks.

"I'm from a family of Hydro users as well." Mi Young answers calmly.

Jong In looks at her in shock, "We're the same then? Did your family cast you out as well?"

This seems to take Mi Young by surprise. She looks at Jong In confusingly before answering, "Uhm no?"

"B-But you're a Pyro user now. How come your family still wants you?"

"Oh. I can still use the Hydro element." Mi Young explains.

The answer made Jong In's head go haywire. "You're a dual cultivator?"

"Most likely."

The young man couldn't believe it. At first, he thought Mi young was just another ordinary Pyro user who has average skills. But after knowing that she can control both elements, Jong In's hatred towards her earlier vanished in an instant, and it's now replaced with pure admiration. Dual users like Mi Young are indeed a rare gem.

"But enough about me. Let's talk about you." Mi Young says as she waves her hand in dismissal. "As I was saying, the cultivation technique you are using is not suitable for your element. Not to mention that you are cultivating the Pyro element. So instead of helping you open and pull out your mana power, the technique you are using is blocking it – which is why you have a weak power."

Jong In scratches his head. "How do I cultivate the right technique then? I've been using this technique ever since I was young, it'll be hard for me to use another style knowing that it took years for me to even summon my mana through my hands."

"That would be easy!" Mi Young chirps. "I learned a few cultivation techniques that can call out your Pyro element."

Mi Young scurries off to the side and throws out a few movements before she sits down on the grass. She closed her eyes and concentrated on calling out her Pyro element.

Seconds later, a red glow starts to emit from her body. Jong In's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing how powerful the technique Mi Young is using.

He had spent two years in the Pyro faction, watching every single Pyro user's cultivation technique but none of them can compare to how fast and strong Mi Young's technique is. Just by looking at it, Jong In can already feel the surge of heat coming out from the girl's body.

Mi Young opened her eyes and she gave Jong In a look, to which the young boy returned. "What?"

"Hurry up and follow this technique so you can call on your Pyro element!" Mi Young commands.

Jong In jumps from where he was standing and he follows the movement Mi Young did earlier; one thing he likes about himself is that he's a fast learner and can memorize movements and techniques with one single look.

The boy sits in front of the young girl and starts meditating. Not even a few seconds passed and he can already feel the surge of mana coursing through his system. He stops the intense joy that was about to burst out from his body because of too much excitement as he tries to focus on calling out his mana power.

The both of them stayed just like that as they started to cultivate their Pyro energy.

About two hours later, Mi Young and Jong In finally opened their eyes. They can both feel the intense and new energy bursting out from their body.

Jong In throws Mi Young a grateful look as they both bask at the new flow of mana inside their body.

It was Mi Young who broke the silence. "How are you feeling?"

"Strong." Jong In answers with another grateful smile.

"Good. Continue on using that technique and you will surely surpass the others. Aside from that, you will also see yourself graduating from the same year level." Mi Young announces. She gave Jong In a thumbs up which made the boy's heart flutter once more. "Now, let's start practicing the Fire Ball technique. And see if our meditation did well."

"Uhn!"

"But before that, I wish we could view our mana accumulation points now. I want to see if I have improved." Mi Young says.

Jong In's ear perks up upon hearing the other's wishes. He quickly ran towards where he placed his bag and fished out something. Seconds later, he stands in front of Mi Young while handing her a very familiar orb.

Mi Young's eyes widen in surprise when she sees the item presented in front of her. Although it looks a little smaller compared to the crystal ball they used during the third part of the entrance exam, it still has the same physical features and energy bursting out from it.

"Where did you get this?"

"That's the last gift I have received from my parents before they stopped communicating with me after they learnt that I can never use Hydro magic." Jong In explains, the sadness in his voice is evident while he looks at the small mana reading crystal that is now in Mi Young's hands.

"I'm sorry to hear that. However, you can make it up to them by helping yourself improve."

"How so?"

"Well, you just have to graduate from this academy with high honors. I'm sure your parents would be delighted if they found out that their son has a high rank once he finishes school even if he's using a different element than theirs." Mi Young says to comfort the other party. This seemed to lighten Jong In's mood because his shoulders looked somewhat more relaxed than before. "Enough about that. Why don't we try to use it now and see how far we've progressed?"

"I have a habit of checking my mana points every time I wake up, hoping that a miracle would happen." Jong In says as he plays the crystal ball on the grass. He sits in front of it with his legs crossed and gestures at Mi Young to do the same.

"What were your mana points earlier?"

"Don't laugh…"Jong In pleads. Mi Young forms a cross on top of her heart; a promise that she wouldn't laugh at his answer. "68…"

Jong In waits for the mocking laugh to come, just like what he gets every time a teacher asks his current mana points. But it never came. He looked at Mi Young again and he saw her blinking innocently at him.

Mi Young notices Jong In staring at her and so she asks, "What?"

The boy just shook his head before he placed his hands on top of the crystal ball. He sends a small amount of mana energy on it until it emitted a soft light. They both waited for the results, with Jong In silently praying for an improvement.

401!

"What the…"

"Congrats! That's a really huge leap!" Mi Young says as she sends another charming and proud smile at Jong In.

The boy just looks at her in pure awe. He knows he couldn't have done it without her help. So while watching Mi Young get ready to check her mana points, all Jong In could think about is how he would do anything just to help this girl, even if it's just the smallest thing. He promises to himself to protect Mi Young at all cost. "Thank you for this by the way."

Mi Young knows what he was talking about because she just gave him another thumbs up.

"I promise to protect you and do my best in order to keep you away from any danger! With the cultivation technique you have given me, I can now find a way in order to make myself a lot stronger. So no matter what comes your way, just let me know and I'll be there for you." Jong In says as he gives a respectful bow to Mi Young.

This took the girl by surprise before she smiled and told Jong In to lift his head up, "Silly. Thank you. Does that mean we're friends now?"

"I'll be your knight in shining armor." Jong In proudly says. This caused Mi Young to let out a few fits of laughter that sent butterflies in Jong In's stomach.

"Now, I will check my mana points."

"Uhn!"

Mi Young touches the crystal blow just like what Jong In did earlier. They both waited for the results after the glow started to fade.

Seconds later, digits started forming inside the crystal ball.

1,703!

"O-One thousand seven hundred three?" Jong In rubs his eyes several times in order to make sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks in his mind.

"My progress is smaller than yours." Mi Young whispers sadly.

Jong In wanted to pull out his hair in frustration as he saw the disappointed look in Mi Young's eyes.

'How are you disappointed with that many mana points? You're already an Intermediate 2 Pyro Mage!' Jong In thought as he looked at Mi Young in pure shock.

After a few pinches inflicted to himself to make sure he's not dreaming, the boy clears his throat before asking, "What were your mana points during the entrance exam, if you don't mind me asking?"

The question immediately took Mi Young's mind out of the disappointment that was starting to linger in her mind because the next second, she was smiling innocently at Jong In as if the miracle she just made wasn't something serious.

"I,599!"

Jong In's eyes turned white as he heard the young girl's answer.

'And here I thought I can protect you with the mana I have.'