Volume 1 Episode 6

"It might happen now. It might happen tomorrow. It might even happen yesterday. Time is irrelevant to such miracles. So I'm asking you…. Would you, Mr. Lin Hamill, save your world by sacrificing another?"

.

.

.

.

"... No."

"... Yeah, I thought so," said The Man Upstairs as he sighed. He didn't appear to be surprised with the reply given by Lin.

"You look like you expected my answer to be a no."

"Of course, I am The Man Upstairs. I know many things. You included."

"I guess the title does hold value huh."

The Man Upstairs didn't answer and looked up to the sky. Lin followed his gaze, and as he looked upwards, he saw the clouds changing shape. The color of the sky changed rapidly and a blurry image started becoming visible. The image started moving and became clearer as the clouds started moving even faster. It was as if the whole sky had become a video player.

Lin looked at the clouds and the video it played. It appeared to be his life. Or rather, it was what his life was supposed to become. He saw that he had a normal job in accounting. He had a good enough position at the company, just enough to look after his wife and child. He had a nice enough house and a nice enough car. His life seemed nice enough to live for.

But did he just want a nice enough life?

He always felt as if he deserved more, and as he watched his peers grow up to be more successful and talented than him, he could feel the hatred for himself growing inside him.

He didn't want to be just 'nice enough'. He wanted to be…

"More.. you want to be more than that, right?"

Lin looked at the man who spoke those words. He felt like this man, who looked almost divine, could grant him his wish. He felt optimistic, and yet he was scared as well. He was cautious of such a man, a man who could grant him whatever he wished and yet he couldn't grant his own wishes. Why is that? Why is a man who might be more powerful than one can even imagine asking help from a non-existent person like him?

"Do you need answers?" The man answered the question he had with another question.

"Would you tell me?"

"Would you be able to shoulder the weight that comes with it?"

".... Probably not."

"Then you have your answer. So, back to my previous question. You could live a nice enough life with a nice enough job and a nice enough environment if you choose not to take this mission. Or you could live the life you wish in the way you want and have the position you desire, but die along with it when that world comes to an end. So, what will you choose?"

***********************************************

"Lin Hamill, Gifted with Fire Magic."

Silence.

"N-no, that is not possible… how di- he cheated, he cheated! That's the only reason!" Luke, who couldn't believe what he was seeing, started spouting anything that he thought of. He did not care for the officials who had been dissatisfied with his behavior and continued shouting whatever came to his mind.

"SILENCE!" The faculty member, now completely enraged by the young boy's actions decided to reprimand him. Luke, who heard the faculty's words quieted down. It seemed he was afraid of the punishment given by the teachers.

Rin, who was in shock all this time, couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lin, whom she had thought to have been a cripple with no magical powers, turned out to have awakened at the third and final test, which had very little chance of happening. While this should be making her happy, she only felt lost. Was he already awakened and didn't tell her? If so, why didn't he tell her?

Rin looked at Lin who was being led to the next test grounds. His face was calm with no sign of happiness. It almost seems that he had expected the outcome.

The faculty member led Lin to an empty room and closed the door.

"Master Lin, how to proceed?" The man asked, bowing to the young boy.

"What do you mean Charles? Of course I continue the tests." Replied a calm Lin.

The man disguised as the faculty member was Charles, a worker of the Hamill Family. As soon as the bodyguards of Lin figured out that he had been awakened and was Gifted, they had contacted Charles, one of the many infiltrators the Hamill Family had implanted to ensure complete information flow from all the sections of the society. It wasn't just the school they had infiltrated. Spies were present in almost every working sector of the society, to keep them at check and going against the Family.

"Master Lin, are you sure about going forward with the tests? I was informed that you had been awakened not too long ago. If we could interfere and use our Hamill family influence, I can guarantee that you could be directly included into the class. All you had to do was to just apply for the first exam which is done publicly. Which is why we couldn't help you with that part. But the rest of the tests are done with just the participant alone with the judges. This time we can absolutely use our power to our advantage. In the end, it depends on what you desire. So, what is the answer, Master Lin?" Charles asked as he looked at the young master. He looked awfully calm.

"Well, I am not exactly used to my new powers. Jumping into using my powers when I have the option not to do exactly that would not be ideal." As Lin thought about the situation, he made up his mind.

"Charles, let's do it your way. I too do not want to use my powers. I'll probably need some time to get used to it. It wouldn't be wise to just show off when I need not."

"Right you are Master Lin. Now come with me and I'll sort out the rest." Satisfied with the answer, Charles smiled and showed Lin the way as he followed.

And thus ended Lin Hamil's entrance exams.

*******************************************

Lindon Family Mansion.

2 hours after the Entrance Exams.

A man with shabby clothes crossed the gates of Lindon Family Mansion. Despite wearing an attire that doesn't suit the rich family members, no one came forward to throw him outside. As he moved through the front yard to the front door, he was greeted by the family Butler and shown inside. 

"What brings you here Gerald?" A fat man sitting in front of the large crystal table asked the shabby dressed man in question. 

"Have you received the news about Lin Hamill of the Hamill Family?" Gerald replied with a question to which the fat man squinted his eyes.