Seated on the ground with our legs folded in and hands placed on the knee. All the candidates sat in this meditating state as we were still covered in those mysterious green pale flames from head to toe. A blazing sea of pale green flames swirled around this amphitheater-like raging whirlpool flood. The only difference was that the pale flame wasn’t able to destroy anything nor did it even harm anyone at all.

After the Phoenix was forcefully fed that mysterious super potion, the beast’s flame properties were altered into these weird healing flames. It's already bizarre that a flame can heal which is not uncommon, I mean there are elemental mages who have both flame and healing attributes at the same time; BUT to forcefully convert the property of an individual by just mere feeding them a potion, now that’s something out of this world.

In the mage world, mana arts tend to take mages to a higher level, but auxiliary supplements like mana artifacts and mana potions tend to take mages to a whole nother level.

Mana artifacts are created by mage artisans who create weapons, tools, machines, gadgets, etc that function on mana. Meanwhile, there are also mages known as Witches who are skilled in creating potions and medicines used by mages.

Lux Sentinel used that green potion which was a highly divine grade potion that forcefully converted the attributes of the flames even against the will of the phoenix.

The virtue is literally forcefully harnessing the divine flames from the phoenix and distributing them among the people. There is literally no point in calling it ‘Blessing Ritual’ and we were forcefully utilizing these flames, which should be renamed ‘Extortion Ritual’.

This just goes to show that the monarch of this kingdom is nothing but the servant of the virtues. I am pretty sure any sane king would ever let their holy divine familiar that they passed down from their ancestors, be used like a plaything and just to appease the masses.

I sure, I wouldn’t like that either.

Seems the kingdom politics is even a bigger mess than I had imagined.

The virtues are literally the ones who are controlling from the shadows. I imagine that every nation was facing similar circumstances.

This kingdom went to shit for all I care. Our village is located farther at the edge and barely gets any help from the kingdom. Even if the ruler had been changed it would hardly impact our village back there. We were just lowly peasants without the blessing of mana.

I would rather enjoy the benefits from the inner turmoil.

Hence I again went back to meditating while the flames were still left abundant for us to absorb.

These divine flames were classed as divine class objects.

At this moment, the flames were busy healing the injured candidates and regrowing every flesh and wounds the candidates had taken.

Even my injuries and scars that occurred during the 2nd trial mishap were all recovered anew. Even Miss Urza, who was an excellent healer who treated me, was still left with fatigue and body cramps, the side effect of her healing. But divine flame's healing properties almost got rid of all the problems in a jiffy.

Not only do the flames heal external wounds but they can even enter our mana pores, entering the meridians and reaching one’s mana core. The divine flames have the property to enhance the mana core, bringing it to blossom quite early than the normal means.

It also has the ability to even repair broken mana cores of the mages who might have lost their power during battle or during their ascension trials when ongoing their mana core promotions. Not everyone can recover their broken mana core but there is still some hope it sometimes does work out. No wonder my mom was very excited about this trip, I hope it works out well for her.

As time went by, all the candidates sat quietly in the midst of these flames while trying to absorb and connect with their mana core on a spiritual level. I had no clue how meditating actually works but here goes nothing.

As we sat meditating, we could only hear the burning crackle of the flames, the snoring of the unconscious candidates, and the howling of the angry phoenix familiar at the center stage who was going fucking nuts.

To be honest not much meditating could be done in such an environment hearing the loud roaring of the phoenix.

The phoenix was spewing out nonstop divine flame breaths, hoping to kill us. Despite seeing that the candidates were unharmed by those flames, the phoenix still continued using its flame attacks with an unlimited divine flame supply that won’t extinguish anytime soon.

We were more than happy to get more divine flames but the only problem we were facing was that the loud howling that came with the flame breath distracted us from performing the meditation.

The candidates finally started voicing their concerns,

“Damn it! I can’t concentrate with all those beasts screaming.” said one of the nearby candidates.

“Lord Lux should slay the darn beast for once and for all, it has done its part giving us the divine flames anyway.”

“Any more of its howling and I, myself will step in the arena myself to behead that chicken. I swear!”

The divine phoenix was tortured by the virtue, forcefully made to eat the green potion and now was giving free legendary divine flames to everyone but now was treated like trash.

The legendary king’s familiar now is being treated as a poultry bird from a farm.

It wasn’t just a few candidates but all of them were now complaining as well.

Even the inner district candidates on that balcony were looking at the bird with scorn.

The noise of dissatisfied candidates got louder with each passing second.

The red cape mages didn’t bother to intervene or stop the candidates from talking.

Finally, the virtue Lux stepped in,

“Now that you children had your share of divine flames, It's time for the remaining flames to be distributed among the people of our kingdom.”

Saying so, the virtue once again started doing something.

Lux approached the phoenix who was busy flame breathing over the candidates on the seats. As the virtue walked toward the phoenix he lifted his light spear and yanked it once. There was a bright spark of light when he shook the spear which later returned back to its original glow.

The next instant the spear started deforming and became flaccid.

The spear had now transformed into a rope and started stretching without any restraint.

Lux had to pick the rope with both hands and wrap the excess rope around one of his arms.

The phoenix finally noticed Lux getting closer.

The dumb bird again opened its mouth wide and attacked with the flame breath on the virtue.

Despite seeing that the flames were doing nothing, the phoenix continued using the same attack.

After ingesting that green potion the phoenix had lost all its sanity. The only attack it did was flame attacks as if it was ingrained in his brain that the only attack it could use. The phoenix had multiple attacks in its arsenal, it could have used its beak or talons but it didn’t, or it couldn’t, I can’t say which is which.

Lux leaped through the flame and punched the beast right on its beak. The punch was so powerful that it smashed through the upper beak leaving a big gaping hole in the phoenix's mouth.

“Woah!”

Everyone screamed in excitement like madmen seeing the virtue in action.

A mere punch from the virtue was enough to knock the beast back.

The virtue was indeed quite strong despite being unarmed. If it had relied on the ethereal light weapon, I wonder how easy it would be to slay such a monster.

“Show him who's the boss! Break that noisy beak of that darn dumb bird,” shouted Tracker excitedly.

The cheering was getting more exciting that it seemed the candidates would barge into the stage any second to cheer the virtue. This was getting more annoying than the bird’s howling.

The beast taking the punch by virtue was knocked back a few steps back with a bloody mouth. The beast was also in a state of shock as its head wobbled in dizziness.

During that time Lux hovered around the beast and wrapped the light rope around the beast’s neck and shoulder wings with ease. In a mere instant, the beast was now wrapped with the ethereal rope thanks to the virtues of flight and strength.

Lux then grabbed the end of the rope and sat on the beast’s back as if he was riding a horse. The beast was still in a shocking state but the regeneration of its broken beak had already begun.

Lux lifted his head and his condescending smile reappeared,

“Children, the blessing ritual shall now end. Now it's up to you how you make use of this blessing as this will be your one and only opportunity. I expect great things from every single one of the young mages present here. May the divine light of Eternia be upon you.”

Saying so, Lux pulled the ropes with both his arms.

The phoenix responded by flapping its wings and taking flight. The beak had again regenerated back and it once again started spewing out the pale green divine flames.

Lux stirred the beast flying out of the amphitheater in the same way it came in. Finally, the virtue and the so-called divine phoenix familiar finally left.

We could still hear the scream of the beast as it spread the green divine pale flames throughout the city. The beast must be flying around the city spreading the flames wide and far.

At this moment, all the people in the city are roaming outside to bathe themselves in the divine flames. They were eager to be targeted by the phoenix familiar so that they could get the purest divine flame for themselves. This must be the only instance where people were eager for a beast to target them.

Thankfully there are those green iron lantern altars placed around the city if there are some unlucky folks who couldn’t get the divine flames. The altar is made to attract the divine flames and gather them in a single place. Hence, why the people were desperate to get a good place near the altar.

There was a distant scream of the phoenix that was getting softer and peace finally returned to the amphitheater.

“You kids, get back to meditating at once. The amphitheater will lock the divine flames within this amphitheater but it won’t last forever. Now is the time for you to gather as much experience as you need. I hope you won’t disappoint Lord Lux’s hopes pinned on you.” said Sigurd, the head mage.

The candidates didn’t say anything.

Everyone sat back in a meditating state absorbing the pale green flames.

Even Tracker who was going bonkers was already meditating before I knew it.

I never have taken meditating seriously but there’s no reason not to try.

So I also closed my eyes and tried to conceive the so-called divine blessing that was traveling through my meridians at this moment. I could sense the divine power of the flames within my body passing through my body and reaching where the mana core should be located.

Mana core is the heart of a mage, the most essential part that a mage must protect.

Every living being has a heart whose main function is to regulate blood throughout the body. The blood stirs the nutrients and oxygen and delivers it to every corner of the body, hence maintaining the well being of its body’s host. Destroy the heart, and the functions of the body will fall limb, succumbing to death.

In a similar way, the mana core is the heart of the mage. The core supplies and maintains the sustenance of mana throughout the mage’s body and lets it use the mana according to the host’s will.

Although the mana core has more features than a normal heart.

The core can also create mana within its host and it can also absorb the mana from the surroundings and then channel it to the host. It also transforms mana to the required elements according to the mage’s attributes. It can also host a divine spirit that the mage has contracted within, and many more such things.

Hence, the stronger the mana core, the stronger the mage.

The mana core also has stages of maturity depending on the individual mages. A contractless mage can reach up to tier 4 class, which is the limit of every mage. To ascend even further, a mage needs to forge a contract with a spirit, only then can they ascend further.

Also, the mana core is not actually physically present in one’s body. It is in an ethereal state where it cannot be touched by physical means. It's similar to a human being’s soul.

Hence the only way to connect to your mana core is through a spiritual way.

Meditating is one of the ideal ways.

But it’s been some time since I started meditating but I couldn’t actually perceive anything so far. I was getting bored and started info dumping just because I was really bored trying to perceive mana core.

I already had access to mana, I was a prodigy so there was no need to meditate. I was already ahead of everyone else.

I slowly opened my only eyes to check the other candidates who were still in a deep meditative state. Am I the only one bored doing meditation?

Was I doing something wrong or maybe I was at the pinnacle of the perfect mage, or something. I tried getting back into a meditating state but to no avail.

Suddenly there was a group of muttering students on the side who became noisy.

“Are you seeing what I am seeing!”

“He already succeeded.”

“Is that a mana orb?”

I quickly opened my eyes and turned my head to see what all the fuss was about.

There in the corner, I saw a fellow candidate in a deep meditating state having his two palms placed together on his lap. Over his hand, there was a mysterious white glowing ball over his hand.

I could clearly guess what the glowing ball of the orb was.

It was a mana ball made out of pure condensed mana gathered on the palm of his hand.

I did create a mana shield which was also made of pure mana so I could guess it.

This kid is quite lucky to do so. He already reached my level this quickly.

He must be some kind of fellow prodigy as well.

“Well I guess I shall be having rivals here after all,” I muttered to myself in excitement.

I am still the prodigy though.

I went back trying to meditate but then-

Suddenly the candidates were getting noisy everywhere.

As I turned my head around to be met with shock.

I see one, two, and then several candidates who could perform the mana orb ball technique. Not only mana orb, some even created a mana armor, while some candidates' eyes were also glowing white and levitating in the air like some possessed beings.

“What the hell,” I yelled in surprise.

The candidates were quickly gaining mana abilities like a bargain sale at the flea market. What the hell is even with those divine flames?

There was one special candidate for every 1 in 50 candidates like myself. Okay, this is a little too much for me, I must as well unlock the hidden mysteries with the divine flames and rise even further.

As I was trying to enter into a meditating state in a frenzy, there was a loud lightning strike within the amphitheater that almost tore my ear drums.

“What the-”

Everybody screamed in horror.

It seemed that thunder suddenly appeared within the amphitheater and struck a candidate down here.

I turned my head expecting a dead candidate or something but what we saw was even more surprising.

A blonde girl covered herself in lightning as the sparks of electricity whizzle over her body like worms creating a fabric of lightning armor.

“Fucking, unfair world,” I muttered to myself in disappointment.

And here I thought I was the prodigy, this is a real dose of a reality check.

“Hey, isn’t that Trisha Valencia, the knight apprentice. Holy shit, she already unlocked a lightning attribute, I knew she would be an elemental mage.” muttered Tracker, “I can’t believe she already reached 2nd tier mage from the get-go. I really do hate prodigies, we pissants will have to learn to work the hard way.”

“No shit.”

Suddenly Tracker looked at me with pitiful eyes,

“Oh, Beanjam! You are a tier 1 mage as well, so no need to mope around. So what you are not special anymore, you know you are still better than me and most of the candidates!”

“Shut it, I don’t have any need for your pity. Lemme just go meditating so stop making any more fuss.” saying so I went back to meditating.

“Yes, I love your positive attitude! Let's fight on!” shouted Tracker as he followed suit.

We went back to meditating as the divine flames started withering.

We eagerly tried to gain the fruits of divine flame but nothing ever happened.