40. Great Opportunity Lost.

~Some Moments Back~

"If this continues, the boy really is going to die,"

Hiro hears the man's voice and frowned. What he had thought was, this was a part of the process. It didn't cross his mind that the flame wanted to kill him. Yes, the pain he felt had increased tremendously, but this wasn't the first time he was enduring such pain. Besides, during the previous times, the pain was by far greater than this. So though it hurt him, he kept his eyes close and endured it.

However, after what he heard, there was no need enduring it. He opens his eyes and reached for his neck with his left hand.

"Oi, that's enough,"

He mutters as calmly as ever, after which he rips the flame off his neck. After looking at the flame with a glare for a while, Hiro turns to the man.

"If you knew it wanted to kill me, why didn't you take action," Hiro thought. He really wanted to ask that out but…

"I think the flame is trying to kill me," he says to the man.

Flabbergasted wasn't the right word to use. Dumbfounded was wrong too. There was no word one could use to describe how shocked the man was. Staring at Hiro's slightly burnt face, the man felt he was looking at a beast and not a human.

"Ahem," he clears his throat and fixes his expression before he turns to the others. "I am sure you all have seen how dangerous it is to refine a spirit flame. If you can't do it, give up like he had done. I would not be stepping in to save yo…"

"I didn't say I gave up, sir," Hiro interrupts. "I am the son of Enji, and of Ming Lu, I would not shame their name by giving up on something so little,"

At his words, the man gulps hard. He wasn't the only one though. Both thirty four and thirty six who had stepped back reacted. Respectively, his eyes widened and his body shivered, while her eye twitched more than ever. Without a doubt, Hiro's words had shaken them up.

On the other hand, thirty seven and thirty eight weren't bothered by Hiro's word. Reasons be, they were still busy choosing their flames and that they didn't know who Enji and Ming Lu were.

"He really is from an ancestor family," thirty four thought.

"Ahem! Alright, you may proceed," the man instructed.

"But how do I refine it?" Hiro asks while looking at the flame. It struggles to break free from his grip.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," the man sighs. "But here is an hint for you all. "The spirit flames are considered stubborn children by many,"

"How is that an hint?" Hiro frowns. "There is no hint in that,"

Hiro turns back to the flame. It was still struggling in his grip. He sighs and closes his eyes. Urging his energy, he circulates it within his body for a while.

"How come he is holding onto it so firmly?" the man thought.

Hiro takes a sit on the floor, in a meditation pose. His eyes still close, he takes in deep breaths and begins to cultivate.

"What is he doing?" thirty four wonders. And he wasn't the only one. Everyone corrugated their brows or frowned at his action. They were in the middle of a test, why the hell was he cultivating?

The struggling flame, struggled even more. It tried its best to break free and rush at Hiro. But Hiro's strong grip did not allow it.

Quietly, Hiro remained in place as he thought of what to do. He could smell the scent of scorched flesh and knew he had to hurry. Enduring the pain of being burned did not mean he wasn't getting burnt. His palms were being roasted by the flame.

The man and everyone else watched Hiro. The flame was burning brighter than before. One would not believe it was the same flame from before. It was hard to believe that.

"So that's it," Hiro mutters. "Sigh, took me long enough to grasp it,"

He placed his other hand on the flame and took a deep breath. Slowly, the bright burning flame starts to diminish. The man's eyes twitched as he had not expected Hiro to get it.

"It's slow, but he is actually refining a peak grade spirit flame," the man thought. "Sigh, well, it is a dying one." While Hiro continues to refine the flame, the man turns and walks toward thirty eight. "Now it's your turn. Which one do you want?"

"The green one," thirty eight replied staring at one of the flame before him. One was green and the other was blue.

"That's a wrong choice, you should have gone for the blue. A low grade spirit flame would have been easier," the man thought.

He stretched his hand at the orb and a white hand appeared, pulling the green flame out. The hand lowered before thirty eight and opened up. Immediately it did, the green flame shot away, flying towards the ceiling.

"Futile struggle," the man voiced tiredly. He points his index finger at it and draws a circle in the air. A red light surrounds the green flame and brings it back down. "You may begin."

Thirty eight nods and reached for the green flame through the red light. He bit his lower lips and took a deep breath. His eyes closed and his expression as serious as it could be. This was a moment he didn't want to let go. An opportunity he couldn't let slip away from him.

Still standing beside him, the man turns to look at Hiro. The burning red flame was declining and it was evident that Hiro will succeed.

~Meanwhile~

Above the building, up in the dark clouds.

"He is doing it," the headmaster mutters. "Enji didn't adopt him for nothing I guess."

"What does headmaster want to do with him?"

"Let me hear your thoughts."

"I would suggest leaving him in the southern region. After all he is the son of Enji, the eastern battlefield will be were he ends up."

"That is true. The northern and eastern region is meant to prepare soldiers for the southern battlefield. Anything else?"

"Though he will be in the southern region, we shouldn't allow his schedule be left as it is."

"You want his to be different?"

"Not too much but yes, though it would depend on how he does in the test."

"Well, I'll leave that up to you."

"Understood."

The headmaster shot away, turning into a streak of light as he flew into the distance. Taking in a deep breath, the vice master sighs while looking at the building beneath him.

"Long time no see old friend."

.

.

.

"Ah!" thirty eight yells and pulls his hand out. He couldn't bear the pain any longer.

"You failed," the man announces to him. The white hand grabs the flame and returns it before disappearing. Turning around, the man walks away.

"Can't I try the other one?"

"When you have enough academic points, yes you can," the man replies without looking back.

He walks past Hiro, who was almost finished refining his spirit flame. The other white hand before Hiro disappears as he continues walking toward thirty seven.

"This one!"

Thirty seven points at a purple light, as soon as the man arrives. She couldn't hold back her excitement and literally jumped and yelled when she did. Like before, the man stretches his hand and a white hand brings out a purple flame.

When the white hand opened, the purple flame slowly flew towards her and stopped only a few inches away. It showed no sighs of wanting to attack or flee. Rather it remained in place, waiting for her to take action.

"She picked a mid grade one too. It seems willing, so her chances of succeeding will be higher," the man thought.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," thirty seven whispers and reaches out with both hands. "Let's get along well."

As if understanding her words, it twinkled. Her hands gently grabs it and she closed her eyes to begin.

The man sighs and turns to Hiro. He was still seated with his eyes close. The red flame in his hand was almost out. A bit more and he would be finished.

Thirty eight walks up to thirty four and stood beside him. His dull eyes and down curled lips showed his inner feelings. He had lost a great opportunity and it hurt like hell.