Everything begins within the mind.

It was a truthful and deep statement, doubtless. Zaki had always believed that he understood the meaning behind it when Kaden first told him during their first meeting.

But that was far from the truth.

As days and months passed, Zaki began to feel even more the deep power that thoughts could hold over one's reality.

It was so simple, and yet the ability to truly be aware of it was another matter entirely.

It was simple to sit in your cramped room, looking at how everything you had was just rusty clothes and scraps, and say to yourself that you didn't want to live like this anymore.

It was simple to look at those around you, the same age as you, and yet accomplishing more, reaching Master or even Grandmaster rank, and say to yourself… that you too wanted to accomplish things in your life.

It was simple to wake up one day and tell yourself you wanted to be a singer.

It was simple to wake up and tell yourself you wanted to be a great father.

Yes, it was simple, really.

But the more difficult part about all of this was having the courage and the determination to actually get up and do what you needed to do, to achieve what you wanted to achieve by building your confidence and training your thoughts to link themselves to a very specific kind of neurons.

Maybe it was easier for Zaki to think all of this because of his power over thought, making him able to visually perceive the process itself.

Yet at that moment, when he held tightly the black bow in his hand, pulling its string until one might believe it would snap at any instant, standing in the open training ground beneath the strong wind and bleak sun, and whispered under his breath…

"This arrow will not miss." with great confidence.

…he was aware, more than anything, of how powerful belief truly was. And by extension, why this was a power meant for gods.

Not for mortals like him.

And yet, he was using it.

He finally let go of the arrow, and one could hear the sharp hissing sound of the wind as it tore through the air with searing intensity before lodging itself perfectly in the center of the target.

He watched the target calmly, his bow still not lowered, his position still perfect, his red eyes still focused on the circular mark a kilometer away.

And in that position…

"Pretty boy is so pretty!" one girl, black-skinned with white locks framing her head and white eyes, muttered under her breath, nudging her friend standing at her right.

"Laly! Can you talk more quietly? What if he hears us!" her friend whispered back, tone hushed, also black-skinned but with long braided black hair falling down to touch her lower back, her eyes equally black.

"You worry for nothing, Katy," Laly said, her slender finger pointing at Zaki without an ounce of shame. "Pretty boy already knows we don't dislike the sight of him."

Katy would have loved to bury herself at that moment, because Zaki was looking at them, clearly feeling the finger pointed his way.

She stammered, and her face would have been flushed red if her skin were not so dark, but her embarrassment showed enough as she hid herself behind Laly, not having the heart to look at Zaki's pretty face.

Laly chuckled at how shy and reserved her friend was.

They were all wearing the same training clothes as Zaki, black, molding perfectly to their bodies while offering the best flexibility possible. On their chests and backs was the symbol of the Order Orion:

An arrow dripping with blood, lodged directly into a target.

Laly smiled next, her white teeth gleaming with a sharp glint against her dark skin. "Sky," she called, "The Five-Star Scarred is calling for you."

Zaki lowered his bow slowly, looking at the women in front of him and returning the smile.

"Thank you, Laly. I'll be going then," he said, giving her a small wave before smiling with faint amusement, his eyes flicking toward the hiding Katy. "You too, Katy. Have a great day."

"OH! Yes! Yes! H-Have a great night too, Pretty—! No, I mean Sky!!" Katy floundered her words, and upon realizing her stupid mistake, she squatted down and hid her head with her arms, muffling an embarrassed shout.

Zaki suppressed a smile and went on his way, leaving behind the two friends.

Laly fell silent, not saying anything at the beginning, but then seconds later…

"Have a great night?" Laly echoed, her body trembling, hands clasped tightly over her mouth. Her eyes shimmered with welling tears.

Katy gritted her teeth, tears trickled down her face in deep embarrassment as she smacked Laly's head sharply, making the latter whimper in pain.

"It's all because of you!" Katy snapped, ready to jump on her friend and bite her ass for making her stand in front of Zaki, knowing full well how she felt about him.

But Laly was no pushover. She immediately sprang up from the ground, twisted her body with unnatural flexibility, and dashed toward the exit of the open training ground.

She was cackling loudly, her laughter echoing through the wind.

"I'll tell this to everyone!" she screamed, before disappearing behind the door.

Katy instantly blurred into motion, her body flickering with speed beyond comprehension.

"Bitch! I'm going to kill you!" she screamed, her voice filled with terror at how her friends would mock her.

Her speed increased.

…

Zaki walked along the corridor of the Orion's building, forcing out a faint smile every time someone passed by.

He had become quite famous months ago, back when he dared to challenge a Master from Order Draco to complete his evolution quest.

Unsurprisingly, he had won and even gone as far as killing his opponent. The fight had been dreadful, leaving Zaki with the constant sensation that death itself was gnawing at his ankles, ready to drag him into the underworld at any moment.

He had lost his left leg and arm during that battle, along with the sight in his left eye. He only healed thanks to the Order's special care.

Even now, Zaki didn't truly understand how he had won. But the truth was…he did know.

He simply believed it. He believed with every fragment of his being that he would not lose. And by sacrificing everything — his limbs, his sight, his very safety — he managed to seize victory and slay a Master-ranked member of Order Draco while still being only an Awakened.

His fame and notoriety had become something else entirely since that day.

People began to look at him differently…some with respect, others with challenge, and many with raw fear.

Not for what he was.

But for what he could become if left unchecked.

Even so, a few still looked at him with disdain, mostly the Masters and their favored disciples. Those, like him, who had been personally chosen by one of the Masters of the Game.

And for him it was…

The Five-Star Scarred.

That was when he came to know the full name of Scarred — Alaric Orion, his mentor — and just how much of a monster he truly was.

Because whoever lived long enough and accomplished enough to become a Five-Star Scarred of the Orion Order was someone no one wished to fight…at least, not unless they were ready to lose an eye to an arrow.

In Order Orion, status was determined by the number of scars etched across one's face.

The more scars you had, the greater your authority, and the heavier your name weighed within the Order.

People like Zaki were called Scarless, those who had yet to accomplish a deed worthy of remembrance, or achieve glory for themselves or for the Order.

From what Zaki had managed to hear, the highest number of scars anyone held here was twelve.

He preferred not to imagine what kind of being that person was.

Sighing, Zaki pushed those thoughts aside as he finally stopped before the door of his mentor. He exhaled softly, then knocked twice, evenly and firmly.

"Enter," the deep voice of Scarred rumbled from inside.

Zaki exhaled again, then pushed the door open and stepped in slowly. He was used to the sight by now…the furs of slain beasts draped across the floor, their heads mounted on the walls like trophies, and at the center, a polished black marble desk.

Behind it sat Alaric Orion, calm as a hunting wolf, his eyes fixed on Zaki's red ones with unblinking precision.

Zaki growled inwardly, an uneasy weight stirred in his chest the longer he held that gaze.

Something happened, he deduced.

And indeed…

"Sky," Scarred said, "mind not my bluntness, but I am afraid I can no longer allow you the luxury of getting used to your intermediate skill."

Zaki's brow knitted. "Something's happened, Master?"

Scarred waved his hand in an exasperated arc, his voice taking a cold, sharp edge. "Something happened. Something didn't happen. All I can tell you is that those Sphinxes brought news we would have loved never to hear."

"Yet we did. And act we must."

"But none of that affects you," he continued, pausing, then added, raising a single finger, "except in one thing."

Zaki waited, restless, knowing well a mission was about to be given.

"You need to become a Master ranked being as soon as possible, and you need to bring me your first scar, Sky." His tone cut like an arrow.

"The games are about to get nasty. You've drawn too much attention by killing one of Draco. The Fat Amethyst Dragon did not like it, and he will stop at nothing to take your head and sate his foolish ego."

His glare intensified.

"Do you understand what I am telling you, Sky?" he asked. "If it's still blurry in your head, let me tell you this in simpler terms."

He leaned forward. Zaki's red eyes hardened to stone.

"We need you strong and that fast, Sky. We need you to get your first scar, so our people will, at that time, see you as one of us despite your pale skin."

"All of that for what?" Zaki asked, his voice steady as if he were already braced for the answer.

Scarred looked mildly surprised by the sudden question at first, then he smirked.

"For what?" Scarred echoed, the smirk widening. "For freedom, of course, Sky."

"For the very thing you will do what I said and without complaint."

Zaki fell silent for a couple of seconds. Then, slowly, he asked, "How do I get my first scar?"

Scarred laughed.

"We are hunters, Sky. So hunt we do."

"Go outside the forest, and hunt."

"Do you hear me, Sky?"

"I didn't say battle…" his eyes flashed coldly,

"I said hunt."

—End of Chapter 303—

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.