Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Boom! A thunderous streak of violet lightning flashed across the night sky like a violent dragon, ripping it apart. At that moment, everything within 10 miles was lit up as if it was daytime. The lightning fizzled into an electrical arc with stunning speed. It sparked across the sky and into a hill behind the Khan household, finding its way into a dilapidated shack and finally ended at the young man on a broken bed. Even though his pale face began to light up, the young man who lay there kept coughing. His face conjured immense pain, and his body was accompanied with painful muscle spasms as he struggled with blood trickling out the sides of his mouth. Finally, his eyelids shot open and he regained consciousness. Suddenly, two beams of light shot out of his eyes, not unlike lightning. His terrible visage carried violence, bloodlust, and aggression… similar to an apocalyptic devil without a rival. A loud bang ensued. At this moment, the shack’s door violently opened, three unknown assailants rushed in. The leader of the group stared daggers at the young man, asking curiously, “The bastards awake?”“Hmph, I’m glad I didn’t have to waste any energy on healing him!”“Zephyr, you should be grateful for Master Lincoln being a forgiving man, he didn’t care about your earlier scuffle, he even had us send over some spirit pills!”“So, the bastard thought that he could go against Master Lincoln!” another sarcastically chimed in. “That’s enough, let’s report back!” the leader waved his hand and left without looking back. Zephyr waited for the three of them to leave before allowing his eyes to gleam with excitement. “I actually returned to when I was 16 years old! God be praised!” Zephyr exclaimed excitedly with clenched fists. In his previous life, Zephyr broke into an ancient ruin to train, but was smited by ancient magic instead. Unexpectedly, he managed to protect his soul and reincarnated back into when he was young. “Ow, that hurts!” spat Zephyr through gritted teeth, trying to get up. A sudden pain emerged as if he was about to be torn into half. Half a day passed by before Zephyr tried to get up again. He worked through the pain and unbuttoned his shirt, only to find a crimson handprint on his chest where his heart is, taunting him. “Lincoln you b*stard, I will remember this!” Zephyr struggled to walk, but went and poured himself a cup of tea, the warm drink comforted his body. He lay on his broken bed again, trying to remember his past life. The Khan clan was one of the biggest clans around, with the numbers to prove it. As he was the son of the Khan patriarch, he was treated differently due to his social status. However, when he was 8, his father mysteriously disappeared. Since then, everything quickly changed for him. With the disappearance of his father and an absence of a mother, no one protected him. As the Khan clan required a leader to guide it’s numbers, Zephyr’s grandfather, Typhoon, was voted to be the patriarch. However, as Typhoon was nearing his death, the patriarchy fell to his uncle, Mist, to mantle. After Mist assumed the role of the patriarchy, he viewed Zephyr as a rival and started excluding him out. Zephyr’s status within the clan sunk lower and lower, until he became the joke of the Khan. In this world, there were many practitioners of martial arts, where the strongest were well respected. Zephyr tried to practice, though his progress was slow. He did not have much, apart from the Khan blood within him. As Mist saw him as a threat, he withheld the resources for Zephyr to train, further inhibiting his potential. As time went on, he lagged further behind his kin, and was nicknamed the “bastard” of the Khan clan. In martial arts, there exists different schools of which from lowest to highest, it can be categorized into Strength, Agility, Spirit, Alchemy, Insight, Will, Magic, and Creation. In each category, it can be further categorized into nine levels of its mastery. Zephyr’s only mastery was Strength in the fifth level. However, most, if not all other practitioners were stronger than him. Therefore, what worth did this bastard heir have? The world of martial arts required a lot of medicine and healing poultices, this led to the medicine masters being highly respected. Master Lincoln, the man who wounded him, was the Khan clan’s personal medicine master, and was hired for his skill and reverence. He was the most respected medicine man in all of Starlight City. However, he was rotten to the core. Just a few days ago, he almost forced a kiss on a 12-year-old servant girl. Zephyr, in his anger, tried to stop him, but was ultimately wiped out.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

‘In my past life, they all degraded and humiliated me… I was powerless! I swear, in this life, I will have my vengeance, my honor!’ thought Zephyr. He pondered further, now that he was starting over, he had to live a life full of excitement, wonder, and to become the best martial artist there ever was. He concluded with his previous life’s experience; he could achieve that goal. Zephyr’s confidence was brimming, he was going to make the most of it! “Alas, the most important thing now is to treat my injuries,” muttered Zephyr. He felt his pain intensify and his breathing slowed down. He figured that he was now very weak, if he does not medicate soon, it will permanently affect his martial art skills. He could not help but think of how in his past life, this was the very issue that limited his powers later in life. “Spirit pill, is it?” Zephyr remembered what the group said earlier and flashed an empty smile. He opened the bottle, a refreshing aroma wafted over his nose. Inside, lay a small, pearl-white pill. He soon found himself frowning however, after taking a few more whiffs. “Hmph, as suspected, Lincoln’s pill has more to it… he plans to assassinate me!” spat Zephyr with a malicious tone. Were it someone uninitiated, they would not have noticed the pill’s issue. However, in Zephyr’s past life, after he escaped the Khan household, he met a special medicine man along the way — “The Pill Emperor”. Zephyr was then taken in as an apprentice. With the Emperor’s tutelage, Zephyr was able to foster and build his medicine-making skills beyond the average person's knowledge. Just by smelling it, he could tell that the pill in the bottle was tampered with. ‘In my past life, Lincoln’s pills poisoned me, stunting my energy reserves and left me as nothing more than an average person, destroying my rightful destiny… I swear, I will make him pay!’ Zephyr thought as his face was filled with a fiery rage. Zephyr fell into a coughing-fit as his wounds were getting more irritated. He picked up the pill bottle and gazed at the spirit pill. Spirit pills were a highly sought-after commodity in Starlight City. The average person would never have the opportunity to possess one of these pills. Even the Khan heir would only be allowed 10 every month while the masses would only get it once every half a year, if they were lucky. “Heh, apparently my death is an expensive prize…” said Zephyr, an empty chuckle left mouth. Despite his age and standing, Zephyr was still the heir to the clan; Lincoln would not dare to openly murder him, which was why he resorted to lacing the pill with poison to avoid suspicion. Lincoln would put trace amounts of poison that would slowly increase with each dosage. Zephyr was lucky to have escaped the Khan household in his past life, or else he surely would have been poisoned to death, and none would be the wiser. “Alas, I have no other choice but to take the pill and heal my injuries,” Zephyr spat mockingly. “Although this pill won’t outright kill me, I can surely get rid of its effects after what I’ve learned before,” he let out a wry chortle and hesitantly swallowed the pill. The medicinal properties immediately took its effect and started healing his body with haste. He could feel the healing energies course through his veins. Zephyr was not boasting when he meant that in his past life, he was revered as the “Pill King”. Now, he was at least a 100 times better than Lincoln, displaying a mastery over the medicine’s effects and power. He was confident that he could find a remedy to counteract the trace amount of toxins he had consumed; otherwise, what good would he be? He felt rejuvenated as the energy in his body began restoring itself and his injuries slowly healed up. Zephyr’s face relaxed and showed relief. “Finally, I can now learn the Ancient Draconic Way,” muttered Zephyr. The Ancient Draconic Way — also known as The Dragon’s Might or The Way of The Dragon was an ancient skill. Legends spoke of an untold number of heroes and saints fighting over the chance to learn it. Rumor has it that this skill was considered the most barbaric method back then, outright forbidden for the most part. It was said that practitioners who mastered the Way could transform themselves into a dragon, conquering all those beneath them.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

In his previous life, Zephyr was fortunate enough to get his hands on this forbidden tome, but was unable to put the knowledge to use. Accordingly, one had to be below 20 years of age to practice the Way as it required them to have an incomplete bone development. He had the potential and power to learn this godly boon, yet, was unable to overcome this divine skill. Zephyr considered that his greatest regret back then. The Ancient Draconic Way was a strength-based art, once mastered, it would allow the user’s body to grow exponentially stronger. Mastering this Way could potentially be stronger than any other person on the planet. ‘Rumor has it that when it's fully mastered, the user may morph into a dragon and utilize it’s natural power — all strength, no weaknesses!’ thought Zephyr. “Dragons are the king of beasts, the powerhouses in this world!”“If I can master this power, then nothing can stop me,” he puffed. Zephyr’s excitement grew, but he did not let it get the best of him. He carefully recited the Way’s incantation, word for word, silently echoing it in his mind. His breathing steadied, and when he manifested the Way, a large influx of energy built steadily in him, almost as if it was about to burst out of him. His immediate surroundings felt like a black hole, draining all the spiritual energy around him. Within that moment, it felt as though the air itself was solid. Cones of energy built up, assimilated with one another and spun around him. It expanded into a cyclone without an end, and grew so big that it quickly encompassed his shack. Suddenly, the tempest came to a halt and crashed downwards — tables, benches, and flowerpots were all shattered instantly. “DRAGON’S MIGHT!” howled Zephyr, his eyes lit up fiercely, bursting with energy and light. He quickly clamped his eyes shut, and felt the healing properties of the pill being fully absorbed. The spirit pill contained vast amounts of energy, strengthening the body in many ways, be it physical or spiritual and it was exactly what Zephyr needed. Lesser healing pills were too weak for his current needs; stronger pills would be wasted too as they would not be absorbed as well. “Lincoln, despite what you think, your pills are working wonders!” Zephyr was fired up, but he held his excitement back, focusing his all on the Way, channeling his inner energy. At that moment, it felt like an eternity, yet a fleeting second. Suddenly, Zephyr’s body began to emit a terrible sound, the sound of his bones shifted, almost like a dragon’s roar. “This is the Draconic bone morphing, I must hold on!” Zephyr struggled through gritted teeth. The shifted body mass caused him an intense pain, yet, Zephyr steeled himself, and continued focusing on the Way. Zephyr’s pain was so immense, that it felt as though a live dragon was clawing and writhing within him, shredding his bones, tendons, and devouring energy. He was in an unimaginable suffering state. Zephyr’s face slightly contorted before violently spitting out fresh blood, it became too much for his body. His energy channels were slammed shut, his body was not ready for this. However, the Ancient Draconic Way was a forbidden power with unorthodox effects, it forced open his energy channels, and funneled it throughout his body. It felt as though his body was being torn asunder. The conjured Might grew immensely, and threatened to rip Zephyr apart. It was at this moment that the spirit pill’s properties finally manifested. With a voice like thunder, Zephyr’s eyes shot open as he howled in pain. Two shafts of light shot out from his eyes, akin to two writhing playing dragons. A low buzz echoed throughout his shack. Before this, Zephyr’s energy channels were naturally deep, but now it had multiplied from it’s base. With that, there were no more blockages in his energy as his energy channels were unblocked by the Dragon. Catching himself, Zephyr pondered… he will soon overtake everyone.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Zephyr violently spat out an ink-black clot that smelled horrible, like death. A sizzling sound was heard when it made contact with the floorboards as it ate through the already rotten wood. ‘The Way sure is incredible… no wonder it’s a higher magic! Here I thought I would slowly rid myself of the toxin later… The Ancient Dragon Way’s just that powerful, immediately ridding my body of all toxins,’ thought Zephyr as he caught his breath. “Hmph,” Zephyr shot his fist forward, creating a strong breeze, much like a dragon’s breath, Zephyr felt as though a real punch could shatter a hill. “Is this the Might of a dragon?” Zephyr mocked. All he did was practice a simple punch, and he already felt it’s Mighty power. “Huh… true energy?”“All I did was recite it once, and it bolstered my energy manifold!” Feeling the power within him, Zephyr felt ecstatic. Only through experience and mastery, will a practitioner emit true energy. He felt his battle power become stronger than before, surpassing his previous limits. “However, this power still isn’t enough! I need more of these pills to augment myself. Lincoln, you better not miss a delivery!” he growled. Zephyr continued to hone his control over the Way throughout the night. The next morning, the ruckus from Zephyr’s training could be heard from outside his shack, the stance he took conveyed a dragon’s wrath, each strike carried great power. “A dragon’s Might is no small matter… even though I’ve reached new heights I am still far from where I need to be.” Zephyr surmised that he must be at a level six Strength fighter now. A loud creak shocked Zephyr. Just as he started to recover, the shack’s door was hastily opened. A small silhouette quickly entered the shack. She was Zephyr’s handmaiden, Leah. Even if she wore simple clothes, she had the sweetest face and the most mesmerizing eyes. She was breathless and red-faced, hands clutching two buns. Upon seeing Zephyr, she shot up with glee. “Master, are you feeling better?”“Leah!” Zephyr lit up; he barely controlled his excitement. Leah was the servant Lincoln forced himself upon, he was glad to see that she remained unharmed. Leah was taken in as a child by Zephyr’s father and has served Zephyr loyally and faithfully ever since; she was the only one in the clan that genuinely cared for him. As such, Zephyr could not bear to stand idly as Lincoln harassed her that day. “Master, this is great, you’re alright!” Leah walked forward and examined Zephyr. Upon realizing that he has indeed recovered, she smiled brightly. Ever since the “duel” with Lincoln two days ago, Zephyr had been knocked unconscious, it turned Leah into a worried wreck. “I am.” Zephyr caressed her face lightly to comfort her, warm memories were instantly triggered. ‘I will never let anyone hurt you,’ he thought to himself. In his past life, Zephyr had saved her once as well, but he could not save her the second time. To protect her purity after being defiled by Lincoln, Leah chose to take her life. Since then, Zephyr had been in deep pain and blamed himself for what had happened. To ensure vengeance, he escaped his household. Although he managed to get his revenge, he was not able to get Leah back; the regret of not saving Leah always haunted him. Fortunately, he had the chance for a do-over, a living, breathing do-over. Zephyr hugged her. ‘She’s still alive…’ he thought, Zephyr couldn’t help but let a few tears shed from his face.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

“Master, you haven’t eaten anything for two days, you must be hungry, please eat these buns,” Leah pleaded happily. She had a bit of a blush; this was the first time Zephyr hugged her like this. “Thank you,” Zephyr nodded, he noticed Leah’s tired state, and immediately understood that she had been working hard nights again to earn some money. The Khan did not provide enough for Zephyr to survive; thus, he had to rely on Leah to provide. As he was heavily injured, he figured Leah must have worked twice as hard to nourish him back to health. As he gently held Leah’s delicate hands, he noticed the horrible scars and wounds on her hands. Her wounds were slightly swollen; but they did not have enough money to treat them. “Leah, you don’t have to push yourself anymore!” Zephyr said. “It’s ok, I can handle it!” Leah replied with a slight smile. Zephyr’s injuries were severe, his body was weak. He knew she would see to it to nourish him back to health. “If I asked you not to go, don’t go,” Zephyr said sternly. “I have an idea to earn big.” Based on what he has learned in his previous life, money was nothing more than a bunch of numbers to him now. “Tsk… who knew that you were so resilient!” a cold, shaky voice suddenly ringing through the shack. Zephyr was slightly disturbed after hearing that familiar, venomous voice. He lifted his head towards the door, and saw a small, grey, old man, squinting at them. His stare was as unnerving as a viper. “Wesley!” Zephyr stared at him coldly, a bout of anger rising within him. Wesley was one of Lincoln’s lackeys. He was stronger than Zephyr, and a wicked character. It was him who stole Leah away and sent her to Lincoln. If it was not for Zephyr, Leah would have been defiled by that bstard Lincoln. “I will kill this man!” swore Zephyr silently. When Leah saw Wesley, she was petrified, and further burrowed herself into Zephyr’s embrace, unable to look back. Zephyr protectively hugged Leah, gently patting her back. With a murderous and cold look towards Wesley, he asked, “What do you want?” “You little sht, you got lucky back there! The great Master Lincoln is a forgiving man, he does not bother with past trifles… he sent me to examine you.” Looking wryly, he took out a pill bottle. “Here’s a spirit pill, take it and heal yourself, never forget the exalted one’s kindness!” he spat. Seeing the bottle, Zephyr couldn’t help but snicker in his mind. As suspected, Lincoln was scheming to slowly poison Zephyr. “Hey Zephyr, take care of yourself, alright?” Wesley placed the bottle down and cackled coldy while exiting. “That's weird, why would Lincoln give you a spirit pill?” Leah said with a worried look. “I figure he’s scared; I am the young master after all. If he murdered me, I don’t think he’ll get out that easily,” Zephyr said with a relieved smile. However, his demeanor changed after smelling the pill; once again, it had been tampered with. … Half a year passed, and in that span of time, Zephyr trained day and night, the Way did not disappoint. In the 6 months that he had been training, his powers grew beyond what he could have imagined, and it utterly satisfied him. Moreover, the Way allowed his body to break to new levels. Even though he has not fought anyone since Lincoln, Zephyr knew that he could take on those beyond his current level. He knew he had been training hard — with some help from Lincoln’s spirit pills — but was still surprised with his improvements. As Lincoln was keen on slowly poisoning Zephyr, he had Wesley deliver a poisoned spirit pill each day. Little did he know, the pill eased Zephyr’s training manifold. “Ptui!” he spat. Zephyr slowly opened his eyes and stared at the inky black liquid that was spat out. An empty smile appeared. “Lincoln… you probably never considered that a dragon’s Might can so easily be rid of your poison,” Zephyr thought mockingly. “I’ve been training for so long, I’m almost beyond my current level,” he pondered. “However, the pills are starting to lose their effect on me,” Zephyr concluded worryingly. Zephyr glanced at the three pill bottles nearby, and an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

“If I take 3 pills at once, the effects should be great! The average person wouldn’t be able to utilize it properly, but a Dragon’s Might might!”“I have to do it… for Leah!” At the thought of Leah’s wellbeing, Zephyr no longer hesitated. He swallowed the three pills and felt it take into effect, it filled his gut with immense energy. Zephyr focused his mind, his breathing, his soul. He felt the energy as it accumulated and amalgamated with one another, united into a fiery blaze; much like a dragon’s fire, it engulfed his body and turned into scorching energy. Zephyr felt a sudden surge of physical energy, and it turned his skin red hot. “Gah!” Zephyr howled painfully. He felt as though he was being torn into half, countless ink droplets emerged from his skin — the poison from the spirit pills, and other toxins within his body. He felt his body take blow after blow, Zephyr could not help but drop to his knees. The suffering was intense, he felt as though every organ in his body was being simultaneously crushed, even his soul seemed to be shaken. “Dragon’s Might!” Zephyr called out, his soul unwavering. He bit his lip, endured the pain, and howled once more, all to maintain his Might. A whooshing sound surrounded him before he bursted into a terrible howl from within, a dragon’s roar, silencing all his trauma. Zephyr’s gaze intensified, it was as though a dragon lay behind his stare. “Now!” Zephyr yelled, conjuring, and commanding the medicinal properties of the spirit pills, allowing his Might to absorb their essences. He felt his power rising, and broke into new highs, all he needed was that final push. Zephyr let out a terrible howl as he focused his heart and soul into the Way, transcending the limits of his spirit. For a moment, Zephyr briefly felt like an ancient beast, a dragon, soaring over the lands below, limitless, with no equal. Zephyr felt something change within him, like a sixth sense conjured out of nothingness. He knew what he had to- no, what he could do. ‘Now!’ Zephyr thought, immediately focused on absorbing the energies- nay, the true energies. True energy revolved around him and entered him, it spread throughout his body. The feeling of limitless energy sharpened his mind and spirit, strengthened his body, and brightened his soul. Zephyr could not help but felt his heart beat profusely, with no intent of slowing down. He felt as if a trance had taken over him, a trance that lasted an entire day. The next morning, sunlight shone through the many holes of his roof, Zephyr bathed in its rays. As the light hit his body, only then did he start to move slightly. … “What? Only five silver coins? Madame, are you mistaken? I worked my hours accordingly, it should be 10 pieces! How could it be this little?” Leah asked with an utterly confused look. She stared quizzically at the large lady before her. Her voice was meek. She looked to her fellow handmaidens beside her, with an expression that begged them for help. Sadly, the other girls only looked at her with mockery. “Heh, do you think you are worth 10 silver coins? You’re lucky to even get half! Be glad that I’m a compassionate woman, now take your money and go!” Madame Lee exclaimed in a mocking tone. “You hobo, Madame Lee has given you so much! How much more do you want? Have you even considered what you were!?”“Don’t say that, she is the young master’s personal servant after all, of course she’d be entitled.”“Ha! Too bad her master’s a Bastard Prince!”“Hahaha…” The other servants all laughed while they mocked her and Zephyr. “How… How dare you! Shut up! Zephyr is not a bastard!” Leah yelled through gritted teeth. Her face was red from the humiliation she and Zephyr endured. “Enough!” commanded Madame Lee. She turned her gaze to Leah, “Do you really need us to prove to you that he’s a bastard? Just take your money and go!” she said with a wicked smile. “Honestly, I can’t stand looking at you. You’re right, I gave you half your wages on purpose. What are you gonna do about it, bite me?” jeered Madame Lee.

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

“How… How could you! I work day and night just to earn some coins…” Leah could not help but plead through her tears, her face soaked with injustice. “Oh shut up! What are you crying for?!” puffed Madame Lee. With a coy yet annoyed look in her eyes, she raised her heavy hand and delivered a slap across Leah’s small face… Zephyr continued to harness his energy in his shack. He guided the ebb and flow of true energy throughout his body. Suddenly, everything came to a halt, and a burst of true energy erupted within him not a second later. Zephyr let out an intense gasp and opened his eyes, he witnessed ripples dancing around him then slowly disappeared. ‘Yes! Level six!’ he thought to himself. Zephyr slowly raised his arms and felt the magnitude of power he conjured. He was sure he was at least five times the man he once was. ‘The Way sure is strong, it hasn’t even been a month since I started and I’ve already raised my level twice! The toxins within me have also been destroyed,’ pondered Zephyr excitingly. He calmed himself soon after, a Strength of sixth level did not mean much, but it was still a force to be reckoned with. Zephyr pondered how much more powerful he could become with draconic augmentation. “Please, stop…” a cry rang out from outside. “Isn’t that…Leah!?” Zephyr rushed out from his shack with a face full of anger with no hesitation in his eyes. As he exited, he saw Madame Lee raise her large right hand, having a swinging action intended to strike Leah. “Hey!” Zephyr called out angrily, a raging storm had built within him, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. “If you lay a finger on her, you’re dead!” Noticing the strength behind Madame Lee’s palm, he knew instantly that if it was aimed to connect with Leah’s face, she would lose her teeth. Zephyr was furious. “Get the f*ck out of here!” yelled Zephyr. With a huff, Zephyr’s concentrated bloodlust stopped Madame Lee in her tracks, his energy froze her in her place. Madame Lee immediately changed her tune and displayed immense terror. She quickly reached out a palm, hoping to defend herself. Alas, Zephyr was too powerful, his energy, akin to a polearm, pierced her defenses, shattered her right hand, and continued towards her bosom. Madame Lee screamed and was sent flying 30 feet away, fresh blood spitted out from her mouth as she landed. Her body had been mangled by his attack; every bone shattered. “Zephyr?!” Madame Lee gasped heavily between spats of blood, her eyes wide at the young man before her, unable to comprehend her assailant capable of such damage. “Master!” squeaked Leah, face full of tearful glee. Never once had she dreamt that Zephyr would be so powerful. The servant girls around stared at him mouths agape, shocked to the core. “How is this possible? You’re just a bastard, how could you be so powerful!?” gasped Madame Lee, her face ashened white, not being able to comprehend how a weakling like Zephyr managed to be so strong. “Hmph!” he puffed, he pushed through the surrounding onlookers and arrived at Madame Lee’s feet. He stared coldly at this wicked, fat lady. “How dare you, you b*tch! How dare you touch her!” he screamed maliciously. “Don’t you dare touch me Zephyr! I’m warning you! My cousin is a Khan official, if anything were to happen to me, you’re dead!” Madame Lee gleamed knowing how low Zephyr stood in the Khan clan. “Dead, am I?” said Zephyr slyly. “Yes, I- Ah!” Just as Madame Lee replied, Zephyr stepped on her left hand, it caused her to howl in pain. “You’re just a servant, how dare you be so rude!” He then kicked her in the gut. “How dare you hurt Leah!” Another kick. “You’re about to die, and yet you still dare threaten me?” Another kick. … Zephyr stomped on Madame Lee continuously without a care in the world, no remorse was felt for his actions. Madame Lee could do nothing except to cough more blood after each of Zephyr’s stomps. She could not scream. The servants only held on to their breaths as they witnessed the cruel sight before them. They could not help but wonder, was this still the bastard prince? “Zephyr, stop this at once!” an angry voice rang out. A middle-aged man dressed in bronze approached warily.

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

The man carried with him a hard gaze, yet, behind those eyes held a tumultuous nature. His body posture gave off an air of elegant power too, vibrating with true energy. He was at a Strength of fifth level. Zephyr’s Might helped him see right through the interloper and instantly recognized his level. “Help me! Kill this b*stard!” screamed Madame Lee. Seeing her cousin appear, Madame Lee could not help herself, but got excited. Even though her face was caked with fresh blood, her cunning and venomous eyes implied only one thing: Kill! Just kill this bstard! Seeing his cousin lay there broken, Lewis flew into a rage. However, his demeanor changed quickly when he gazed upon the assailant. Zephyr stood before him, confident, and sure of himself, it was as though he gave off an air of supreme capability. Lewis, unsettled by this new development, demanded, “How is this possible? How is this bstard’s level higher than my own?” Before Lewis continued, his body began to shiver. He was not afraid — but he will be soon — for Zephyr’s energy was holding him in place. If Lewis were to make a move, Zephyr would not hesitate to attack. “How is he so strong? Was he acting all this time?” murmured Lewis. He could tell that Zephyr was stronger. A violent shockwave emanated, and Lewis was absolutely terrified. Lewis felt like he was staring upon a great dragon, one which roared directly at his face. It was no surprise for Lewis to realize his will to fight had faded. He felt that the surrounding air had somehow slowed itself down, making it difficult to breathe. Lewis dropped to his knees, he could not withstand Zephyr’s power any longer. “I’m sorry for my insolence, I’m here to greet the young master!” Lewis squealed. He was shaking, he had never been this terrified his whole life. Lewis was not able to withstand Zephyr’s advances, he knew Zephyr could have easily wiped him off the face of the Earth if he desired to. He knew he could only beg for mercy. Seeing Lewis on his knees as he begged for Zephyr's mercy, once again, shocked the onlookers to their core, they could do nothing as they stared at him in disbelief. “You pig!” exclaimed Madame Lee, not believing what was occurring. Lewis felt resentment being built inside him; Madame Lee was nothing more than a distant relative, yet she often hung his name over her head as an excuse for recognition. Regardless, he never once thought that she would be this stupid. “Lewis!” yelled Zephyr. “Yes, master!” replied the Khan official. He could not help but shiver at his name being called, Zephyr pressed down on Lewis further. “Tell me, who is the rightful heir to the Khan!” Zephyr said with playful delight, a sly smile danced across his face. “It’s y-you, of-of course…!” Lewis’ replied instantly. He knew what Zephyr was thinking, and instinctively swiped Madame Lee a hateful grimace. “You’re right! You are a smart one!” Zephyr snorted out, his smile was cunning yet terrifying. “Leah, let us leave,” he called out, gesturing for her to follow. Leah simply blinked and followed him dutifully. … “Lewis, are you daft? Why did you let that b*stard go? He attacked me, you should have killed him!” spat Madame Lee. In her anger, she could not stop herself from staining the ground with her bloodied words. That however, did not stop her from the relentless screams thrown at Lewis. Lewis did not reply, but only glanced at the screaming bimbo, he thought how she almost cost him his life. With a swift hand, Lewis reached out and snapped Madame Lee’s neck. The servants screamed in unison. Madame Lee could not do anything but stare at Lewis in disbelief as she fell limp. “Please, shut up,” he cursed. He could not shake off the feelings that Zephyr exuded, he was both terrified and shocked, mostly terrified. “Everyone thought Zephyr was a useless b*stard, yet, unbeknownst to all, he was hiding, a wolf in sheep’s clothing!” ‘He’s at least a Strength of level six! Somehow, he achieved this without the clan’s help… how is this possible!?’ Lewis pondered in silence. After a while, he exhaled a sigh of relief, and turned his gaze towards the servants.

Chapter 9 Chapter 9

“Whatever happened here today stays between us. If I so much as get a whiff that word got out, she will be your fate!” The servants hastily nodded in agreement, all clearly shaken to the core. … “Woah, master, when did you get so strong? Even Lewis was afraid of you,” said Leah, who complimented Zephyr with eyes full of astonishment. “Hey dummy, I’ve already told you not to work anymore, I said I had an idea on how to make bank!” replied Zephyr who lovingly patted her head. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” purred Leah, her eyes closed, and enjoyed his touch whimsically. “Lewis is a smart man, he won’t reveal my secret,” explained Zephyr. “According to Lincoln’s dosage, in another two months, the total amount of poison in the pill would be enough to kill me. If I’m still fine by then, he will definitely get suspicious!” Zephyr contemplated silently. The more he thought about it, the more he felt a sense of urgency and it caused him to clench his fist. Lincoln was not a weak man, he was a Strength of ninth level, and the strongest in the entire Khan clan. ‘I need to get myself to a Strength of level eight in these two months, that’s the only way I can protect myself!’ thought Zephyr. Zephyr continued to plan his next move, he knew he did not have much time left, everything he planned needed to be foolproof. His weakness was time that he did not possess. Had he enough, silencing the entire Khan clan would not even be an issue. Leah felt much better, and whistled all the way back to the shack. However, once they reached, she immediately went to wash Zephyr’s clothes. Zephyr sat on his bed, silently reciting the Way, once again, preparing to train. Zephyr could feel his body adjust and strengthen each time he trained. The true energy that the Way gave was like a dragon, constantly swimming throughout his body, increasing his fortitude. After a while, Zephyr let out a sigh of relief, indicating his training was over. He noticed the energy he let loose was similarly shaped to a dragon, dancing ethereally around. Two knocks on the door rang out. “Master, are you there? It’s me, Lewis.”“Come in!” replied Zephyr sweetly. He was feeling contemptuous towards Lewis, annoyed that he even dared show his face. Lewis entered, his complexion was hard to read, yet he stared at Zephyr warily. “What is it?” Zephyr demanded, giving Lewis a once-over. Lewis clenched his jaw for a moment, and immediately dropped to his knees, and respectfully replied “Master, please forgive me for not recognizing your strength. Please forgive me for all the discrimination, insults, and inconveniences that I’ve thrown your way. Please, punish me if you will.” Zephyr remembered that training resources for the Khan were arranged by Lewis. He remembered how the resources allocated to him were not even one-tenth of the ones the others got. What he suspected was true, Lewis had tampered with his allotted resources all along. “Hmph. You’re right Lewis, I should punish you, severely at that! But, seeing how you’ve come to your senses in time, and rightly regretful, as well as my current social instability, perhaps we could come to an agreement. A choice for you to redeem yourself. What do you say?” puffed Zephyr. “Please accept my humble thanks, My lord! From now on, I, Lewis, will be fully loyal to you, yours faithfully!” pleaded Lewis. Zephyr nodded wryly; he was wary of Lewis’ motives. He understood that Lewis was a fair-weather friend, for now, he may be loyal, but when the going gets tough, Lewis goes away. However, he knew this worm would not try anything now, at least. “Great, you are a smart one. From now on, report to me whenever something big goes on, especially when it regards Lincoln. As long as you do your job, I will not treat you unfairly,” claimed Zephyr. “Understood, My lord!” replied Lewis earnestly. He then got up and bowed. Following this, he produced a silver bond and handed it to Zephyr. “Master, please accept this gift from your humble servant,” suggested Lewis. Zephyr knew that one of these were at least worth 10,000 silver coins, Lewis was willing, he could see that. “Nice!’ Zephyr quickly pocketed the bond of silver. He needed various medicines for his training, especially now to expedite things. He would not pass on such an opportunity. “If I may, My lord, I will take my leave now.” Lewis bowed before leaving. “This money sure is convenient!” exclaimed Zephyr, smiling cunningly at the silver bond.

Chapter 10 Chapter 10

In the following days since, thanks to Lewis, Zephyr’s life had gotten a lot smoother, even for Leah as she need not work so hard anymore. During the day, Zephyr kept a low profile, often silently training at home. Come night, he would retreat to the hills behind and trained vigorously. However, his power still was not enough. He needed to take extra precaution, if Lincoln discovered his secret, things would get complicated. Zephyr did not have a problem defending himself, however, he could not bear to put Leah in harm’s way. It was the dead of night, Zephyr was training in the hills. Zephyr grimaced seriously, the air around him was filled with true energy, ready to burst anytime. In front of him lay a huge pot, the kindling beneath setting it to boil. Inside the pot was an emerald sludge, it bubbled non-stop as its scent emitted an herby aroma. With Lewis’ help, Zephyr managed to secretly buy tons of herbs and medicines. He supposed that his order was finally completed. Zephyr had yet attained the skills for high quality pill-making. He needed more strength to do so, otherwise, he would not be able to maintain the pill-making process with his true energy reserves. Zephyr figured making balance pills were the best pills he could make now. Balance pills would only come to invention seven years later, and these pills were tenfold the effectiveness of spirit pills. Zephyr was most likely the only one capable of making these. Zephyr began stirring the pot and the content inside started to swirl, using Zephyr’s energy as a guide. Some spilled out during the process, but was ultimately brushed off. Finally, the contents in the pot made a strange sound and the pot shattered on itself, it then left some pills to lay on the kindling. “D*mn, these pills’ quality suck, I fear I may need to buy a pill oven.” Zephyr examined the pills he picked up, his face conveyed mild frustration. Judging the pill, Zephyr concluded that it was a bad product, yet, still better than the current spirit pills. “Bottom’s up!” Figuring his press for time, Zephyr immediately gulped down a balance pill and tasted it’s bitter, herby sensation go down his throat. ‘Hmm, no reaction?’ he thought. He felt nothing. “I didn’t fail did I… oh sh*t!” Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden burst of energy spilled out from his gut. It was like a volcano unleashing its fury, the pill’s medicinal properties flooded Zephyr’s entire body, circulating his energies. The power was too much to handle, Zephyr could not help but let out a frightened howl. He felt the effects overtake his body and rejuvenated him beyond his limits. “Ancient Draconic Might, strengthen me!” Zephyr immediately dropped and crossed his legs, quickly reciting the Way, forcing his body to absorb and utilize the pill’s effects. Zephyr knew he needed to complete this process quickly, putting his heart and soul into it. He heard his muscles, energy channels, and veins emit a strange sound. His clothes shred as the true energy poured out of him. ‘Balance pills always were better than spirit pills!’ thought Zephyr. Under the effects of the Way, Zephyr quickly regained himself, satisfied with his product’s effectiveness. Zephyr knew, if he had a pill oven to refine the balance pills, he would have soared past his current state. Zephyr let out a roar similar to a dragon’s, calming his spirit down. He had to control his true energy flow. Before long, Zephyr realized that someplace in his body, a strange energy condensed. “What… what’s this?!”

Chapter 11 Chapter 11

Zephyr was taken aback as he noticed this strange energy. He quickly focused on the phenomenon. He instinctively let out a great howl- no, a roar, a draconic war which rang throughout the forest. “This… is it a scale?” Finally, Zephyr realized what he had been looking at, a dragon scale. The scale was barely visible, a projection of his energies, from which vibrated great draconic power. “Oh, this is great! My Might has finally started to take form! This is just the first of many!” Zephyr barely contained his excitement. For a brief moment, Zephyr felt as though he was unworthy of such an ancient and mighty power. Mastery over The Way of The Dragon allowed the user to transform themselves into a dragon. It began with a single scale, then, finally materializing into an epic beast — the strongest of all — a dragon. Even though it was just a single scale, it still immensely amplified the user’s defenses, a terrible power to hold indeed. “Still… it’s barely a scale, just a brief projection, my energies still aren’t strong enough to fully incorporate and realize a fully-fledged dragon scale. If I don’t master this soon, I will never get stronger,” Zephyr sighed after calming down. “I’ll have to work and train harder, the road to becoming a dragon is one I must walk alone.”“Unless…” Zephyr’s gaze turned towards the horizon and stared out into a mountain range, having an epiphany. Even though he stood on Khan grounds, not all belonged to the Khan. This hill was part of an expansive mountain range, one that was barely explored, barely traveled. It was still full of dangerous beasts and unexplainable risks. Till now, nobody in Starlight city had the power to fully conquer and explore the mountain range. “If the memory of my past life serves me right, somewhere deep within this range is what I need to help me conjure my scales!” Zephyr exclaimed, once again he found his mind fantasizing about the powers a dragon could offer. Conquering a dragon’s Might would allow anyone to be the strongest fighter there ever was, a fighter without an equal, destined to have intense, legendary battles. In his previous life, Zephyr followed his master around and travelled the lands. He had seen all styles and powers; nothing was new to him now. Sadly, in his past, his energy reserves and channels were severely damaged, he could not learn nor train as he watched them with envious ambition. “I guess I’ll use this then!” Zephyr thought of a move – Earthquake Fist. Earthquake Fist was a commonly practiced move, it was mostly disregarded as a lower tier skill, however, Zephyr knew of its value well. To be more accurate, Earthquake Fist should be first known as the Earth-shatterer instead. Only those who have fully mastered Earthquake Fist could move on to discovering the mystical Earth-shatterer move. Unfortunately, for as long as there can be, many practitioners have never achieved mastering Earth-shatterer, oftentimes they regarded its predecessor as nothing more than common rubbish. If it wasn’t for Zephyr’s previous master, even he would not have considered Earthquake Fist as nothing more than common rubbish either. ‘Given my current state, Earthquake Fist would suit me best,’ thought Zephyr, face filled with determination. He began activating the steps in his mind, feeling it within himself as he passed the intuitions necessary throughout his body. After a while, Zephyr let out a coy smile, and started to take physical steps, with each step, the ground rumbled. Earthquake Fist was a clumsy skill, yet, it gave the user immense strength, every thrust of one’s fist could puncture the air, creating loud sound bursts, as though it was quaking the ground around them.

Chapter 12 Chapter 12

The night came and went. When dawn broke, a breeze whistled through the hills behind the Khan household. An agile shadow zoomed through the foliage, the thick bushes doing nothing to impede him. Following the whistle of his movements, Zephyr came to an abrupt stop and found himself standing upon a large boulder. “Take this!” Zephyr felt his energy transfer into his right hand and immediately formed a great fist, mercilessly sending it the boulder’s way. “Quake before me!” A loud blast ensued, and a terrible crumbling sound followed. When the dust settled, all Zephyr saw was a gaping hole through the boulder. “Again!” With another huff, Zephyr unleashed a volley of his blows, cascading upon the boulder’s face. With his volley completed, Zephyr stared at the intricate webbing that plastered the boulder’s face, hundreds if not thousands of fine cracks riveted throughout the stone before it crumbled in on itself, turning to dust. “Earthquake Fist might seem simple, but it sure has a lot of punch to it, anyone would be wise to fear those who have a grasp on this.” Zephyr nodded as his face filled with delight. “Besides, once I master this, Earth-shatterer will take down all before me.”“In my current state, I could even take on fighters of Strength level seven!”“Once I master Earth-shatterer, even Strength of level eight fighters would be no more than a hassle!” said Zephyr, a big smile plastered on his face. However, he remained composed as he knew better. Lincoln had been reclusive as of late, he was trying to break through to a new level of Agility. Were he to succeed, Zephyr’s plans would be ruined. Although Strength and Agility differed in rank by a spot, their difference in battle power was night and day. “I need to work harder!” said Zephyr through clenched teeth and fists, heart filled with determination. … Time passed as usual, and Zephyr’s training intensified as the days went. His training became more and more rigorous, so much so that he even used a waterfall to help strengthen himself to train harder. However, when the ninth day came, Zephyr did not train; Lewis had arrived with news. In Zephyr’s shack, Lewis respectfully bowed to him, as usual, the man was petrified of the one standing. Although Zephyr was still a Strength of level six, the aura that surrounded him implied otherwise. “Damn it, he’s gotten stronger!” Lewis thought as he silently praised himself for his earlier choice. “What is it, Lewis?” Zephyr asked calmly. “My lord, what I’m about to say is closely tied to you,” Lewis’ eyes finally showed some respect, even with a tint of fear. “Oh?” Zephyr was curious and let him continue. “My lord, you must know, the great Khan once betrothed a suitor for you when you were young. She was named Aurora, heir to clan Greenwood of Euphoria. Zephyr knew that name, he knew said person. In his previous life, Zephyr had met Aurora. However, it was back then when Zephyr lost all respect from his clansmen, it solidified him as the joke of the Khan. “She’s arrived, hasn’t she?” … Dawn broke, and the entire Khan clan was up and in arms as they hurriedly prepared for Aurora’s arrival. The servants had prepared a fanciful feast in preparation, everyone was busy. Such a grand banquet was a rare sight to see, even the ostracized Zephyr was invited to attend.

Chapter 13 Chapter 13

The grand hall of the Khan was expansive, by the time Zephyr arrived, the place was filled to the brim. Seated at the spot of reverence was a middle-aged looking man with a prim and proper visage. All smiles with him until his eyes laid on Zephyr. There he sat, the Khan regent — Mist Khan. On his left sat his people, while on his right sat a group of people who were differently dressed, they were not Khan. On that row, sat a girl who looked around the age of 16 with enchanting beauty. Her posture was elegant, and she carried herself like so. Every man around the room had their eyes on her. “Aurora Greenwood!” Upon laying his eyes on her, Zephyr could not help but notice the butterflies that formed in his stomach. Although Zephyr himself was quite the suitor, he had to admit that Aurora’s beauty was truly mesmerizing, none could think of anyone to compare. Zephyr stood at the back of the hall, avoiding attention, nonetheless, his special relations would draw attention anyway. Among them, a 20-year-old man jested at Zephyr upon seeing him, “Hey, ain’t this the bastard Zephyr? I have to admit, it takes balls to show up here.” Hearing this wave of sarcasm coming his way, Zephyr gave a bittersweet sigh and turned his attention towards the heckler. “How could I not? How could I not come when I heard Puck Khan, was attending as well?” Puck Khan, Mist’s son. Seeing as how his father was now regent, Puck took it upon himself to claim the title of new heir to the Khan. Puck was stunned when he saw Zephyr’s calmness after being chided, this daze did not last long though. “B*stard! Stop dreaming Zephyr, I’ve become the new heir! A b*stard like you should know his place, how dare you speak to me like that!” Puck was no longer heckling, he was now threatening Zephyr. His threats were loud and clear, and it drew everyone’s attention towards him. Upon seeing Zephyr, Aurora could not help but give a coy smile. “Haha, lady Greenwood, it’s been over 10 years since we last met, I’ve never once imagined you’d grow up to be this stunning,” applauded Mist, not before he gave Puck a stern look. “Lord Khan, you’re overcompensating!” replied Aurora gleefully, her voice as soothing as it was ethereal, though, it carried little to no warmth. Mist was not pleased that Aurora Greenwood acted so cold towards him. Regardless of how he felt, he kept a warm farce, “I heard lady Greenwood had apprenticed at an Academy, was it true?” Upon hearing this, the whole hall rattled with voices. The Khan elders were all taken by surprise, this news was huge. The Academies were places where the greats would gather; a long heritage that outlasted most clans. “That is right, I’ve been an apprentice at the Boundless Academy since three months ago!” Everyone gave Aurora a quizzical look of disbelief. “The Boundless Academy? Is it really the Boundless Academy? One of the five greatest institutions?”“Incredible! Most people would have struggled to even enroll into a standard Academy, yet here lady Greenwood had enrolled into the Boundless Academy.”“The Boundless Academy only accepts people of exceptional talent; lady Greenwood must be a prodigy!”“She’s both an angel and a devil!” Listening in, Zephyr thought to himself that being in an Academy, much less the great five, was not what it was made out to be. “Congratulations lady Greenwood!” applauded Mist, his tone audibly humbled. Mist knew that for her to enroll at the Boundless Academy was no small feat. “Actually, I’m here on some old business!” rang Aurora, turned her gaze towards Zephyr.

Chapter 14 Chapter 14

Mist was confused, but quickly feigned a smile, “Zephyr boy, come here.” It was unbelievable, the usually cold and resentful Mist greeted Zephyr with warmth and welcome. “I wish to speak to him in private!” Aurora stood up and demanded coldly. Mist would not dare deny her request, and hurriedly allowed it, “Of course, Zephyr boy, lady Greenwood is an honored guest, treat her well.” … At a small terrace, Aurora examined Zephyr before she spoke coldly, “You know why I’m here, don’t you?” Zephyr offered a small smile, “Yes, I know. You’re here to cancel our wedding, isn’t it?” In his previous life, Zephyr was utterly grief-stricken, yet, no, he was nothing but calm and collected. Aurora was taken aback by the calmness of the man who stood before her, “Aren’t you mad? Don’t you hate me?” she asked. She could not help but gazed at Zephyr with a quizzical stare. “Why would I be? If we aren’t fated to be, then that’s that! Besides, you even saved me the embarrassment of publicly cancelling it, I should be thanking you,” he replied, taking the time to appreciate the beauty of the person standing before him. Aurora really was beautiful, but even so, nothing could waver his heart. “Do you really think so?” Aurora asked once more, unsure of things. Before she arrived, she had pondered the detrimental effects of cancelling their wedding, what that would do to Zephyr. She even thought up a proper script to ease the blow. However, she never once considered that he would be so calm about it, this left her clueless. At this moment, Aurora felt a sliver of interest towards him. “She’s great!” exclaimed Zephyr. Even though he had ancient Might, he recognized that Aurora was the prodigy daughter. She was barely 16 and had reached a level far beyond what was possible, she truly had no equal. After their discussion, they continued to talk for a while before Aurora took her leave back to the Khan hall. “Here, take these pills, hopefully they may help you in your travels!” Aurora handed Zephyr a box with 20 crystalline pills. “Woah, are these rejuvenating pills?!” The Khans clan’s eyes widened at the sight, unbelieving of what had happened. The pills were pearl white, with a smooth surface, and had a nice smell to it, one sniff was enough to rejuvenate someone. Rejuvenating pills were considered a high-tier commodity, it was already a huge boon to Agility fighters, much less Strength fighters. “One of these would be worth 20,000 gold pieces! And there’s 20 right here!” Puck, pure shocked at this point, while Zephyr remained calm. To Puck, Zephyr was unworthy of these treasures, even if he were to accept them, Puck was sure he was able to get them from Zephyr easily. Zephyr remembered his current state — a Strength of level six, were he to use these pills, he would reach a Strength of level nine easily. For one to reach a Strength of level nine in Starlight city, they would be known as the best fighter around. “Zephyr boy, hurry up and thank lady Greenwood for her gracious gift.” Mist noticed Zephyr’s unmoving lips, and started to get antsy. He knew that one pill could vastly improve all the fighters in Starlight, much less 20 of them. Mist himself was at a Strength of a level nine fighter, almost peaking into Agility. Were he to use a few of these pills, he would definitely break through. Either way, these 20 rejuvenating pills would be a great boon to him and his son, Puck. “Thanks, but no thanks,” Zephyr replied calmly with a grateful smile hung across his lips. “What?!” Everyone present was utterly shocked to their cores, even Aurora herself was taken aback.

Chapter 15 Chapter 15

“Zephyr, you idiot! Have you gone mad?! This is Aurora’s gracious gift to you, and yet you reject her?” Puck, unable to contain his rage, screamed out, barely being able to stop himself from snatching the pills right then and there. Aurora realized what was at stake, she was a smart girl after all, and felt regretful for her actions. It seemed as though Zephyr was not well-received around here, if she knew about this earlier, she would have handed the pills to him earlier at the terrace. “Alright, if you ever need help, do visit me at the Boundless Academy!” Aurora spoke with a caring voice and kept her pills. Puck was absolutely livid, his fists clenched, eyes red with anger. Puck danced around the idea of killing Zephyr right then and there, Zephyr had denied him a great opportunity. Zephyr on the other hand, maintained his stoic look. If Aurora Greenwood was not here, Puck definitely would have taught Zephyr a terrible lesson. “I’ll take my leave then, please carry on without me!” stated Zephyr, he gave both Mist and Puck a cold look before he left the banquet hall. … “Lewis, I’ll be leaving the Khan household for about two months. Please protect Leah, if anyone asks, tell them that she’s gone home to visit her family,” Zephyr called out to Lewis after returning to his shack. “Why… what happened?” Lewis asked with feigned uncertainty. Even though he was not allowed into the hall, he could have guessed what had transpired. “Lewis, I have a glorious purpose ahead of me, if you do your part, I assure you there will be a place for you by my side,” said Zephyr reassuringly. “Fret not My lord, I will protect Leah with all my life, I won’t disappoint you.” Zephyr nodded, he had to go. After he gave Leah some parting words, he hastily left the Khan household. Zephyr flew through the thick brushes, understanding the need for speed. He sped through the forest like a shot of lightning, he needed to escape now! Assuming that Mist and Puck did not already hate him prior, they would now, and will definitely harm him. As a pill-maker himself, he understood how valuable those pills were. For Zephyr to reject 20 rejuvenating pills without consideration, how could Mist be forgiving for this atrocity? He knew that once Aurora Greenwood left Khan grounds, Mist would send his men after him. Just as he suspected, not long after Zephyr’s departure, Puck had led a 10-man party to Zephyr’s shack. “The b*stard’s gone!” All he saw as an empty run-down shack, Puck could not help but cursed out loud. “Hunt him down! The b*stard probably escaped into the backwoods, he couldn’t have gotten far! Hunt him down and bring him back, I want to teach this f*cker a lesson!” Puck was absolutely livid over the near-instantaneous loss of 20 rejuvenating pills. “Yes sir!” replied his men as they embarked on their task immediately. Among them, nine men were at a Strength of level six, with one being a level seven. The hunting party was Puck’s personal entourage, a courtesy of his father’s wishes. Within the forest, Zephyr ran like the wind, similar to an arrow being set loose through the trees. His speed was immaculate, one could barely make out his shadow, much less his silhouette. This was Zephyr’s specialty after all. He had trained for this, once he got his momentum going, it was nigh-impossible to catch up, much less catch him. ‘I need to be faster, Puck would not give up so easily!’ he thought as he sped up his already amazing pace. Suddenly, a loud crash rang out behind him. A huge tree crashed down and shook the land.

Chapter 16 Chapter 16

“Here they are!” Zephyr flashed a wry smile, wondering if he could ever catch a break. He quickly ducked into the bush nearby, carefully hiding himself between the reeds. Although using Lightfoot was crucial to his escape, it used too much of his true energy to operate consistently. Were Zephyr to be caught without enough true energy, it would not bode well. A quick sliver of shimmering light flashed across Zephyr’s eyes, followed by a cracking of bark, and whipping of vines. A great tree fell, and before it stood a middle-aged man, hands clasped around the handle of a sharp sword. Behind him, nine other men ensued, faces full of bloodlust, “Linus!” Zephyr thought to himself after he scanned the entire crew before his gaze finally settled on the man who felled the tree. Linus was Puck’s greatest underling, a fighter with immense skill, a Strength of level seven. ‘In my current state, I could probably take Linus on, but going against 10 fighters at once, I will definitely get my ss kicked… no, I can’t risk it!’ Zephyr contemplated. Zephyr hesitated for a bit, before he took flight deeper into the forest. “There he is!” Seeing Zephyr appear, the 10-man crew immediately leapt after him. A gleam of light shined through the forest, and a sharp blade cut the great oak beside Zephyr in two. Zephyr had dodged Linus’ assault, but the look on his face gave much suggestion to what he would do next. “You little sht, save your energy, you’ll never escape! Just give up and come quietly, apologize to Master Puck, and he might even let you live!” screamed Linus, it shook Zephyr’s core. “F*ck off, eh?!” retorted Zephyr as he accelerated his Lightfoot technique, and sped towards a hill crop. There it was, his destination — the Feather Forest. Zephyr morphed into an afterimage and left his pursuers stunned. “D*mn it, the little sh*t escaped into the Forest!” Seeing Zephyr’s afterimage slowly dissipate, the 10 pursuers were at odds with how to proceed. “Linus, should we enter?” asked one of the pursuers. They all stared at Linus, waiting for his answer. “Don’t be stupid, that’s the Feather Forest right there, full of monsters and whatnots. Beasts stronger than ours, we couldn’t possibly go in.” replied Linus warily, “Heh, that b*stard went in, he’s probably not coming back. However, just to be sure, we’ll have to stay here for a while,” he paused, looking into the Forest. Within the Forest lived a great beast, one of the greatest beasts in this world. It was of a strange shape, but had a variety of terrible powers, such as lightning breath, or hypnosis… They are cruel in nature, often reveling in sadistic effects. Greater beasts may even take on a human form, with full capability of replicating even the greatest techniques. The Feather Forest lay next to the hills behind the Khan household, often a site to stray away from due to its dangerous nature. The moment Zephyr escaped into the Forest, it meant only one outcome: dinner. However, Zephyr already had plans to enter the Forest, for it held something he needed. For Zephyr to fully realize his draconic powers, he needed to enter this specific Forest. Somewhere within the Forest lay true draconic power. Zephyr had gotten word of this in his previous life. Were it not for this tidbit, he would not have dared set foot into the Forest so lightly. “O great beasts of the Forest, great and terrible ones, hopefully you aren’t unfortunate enough to meet me!” Zephyr laughed sarcastically. The beasts of the Forest themselves had their own categorical system, a nine-tiered system whereby tier one was the weakest and tier nine was the strongest, there were even rumors of an ‘emperor’-tier beast roaming about, the strongest of the strongest. “They aren’t following me anymore, aren’t they? I suppose they aren’t without merit, knowing the dangers of this place,” sighed Zephyr, relieved at the thought of not being chased. After catching his breath, Zephyr cautiously scanned his environment. The air within the Feather Forest was different, full of malice and horror, a truly unpleasant place. ‘This place stinks of blood and rot… no wonder it’s so feared,’ Zephyr thought morbidly.

Chapter 17 Chapter 17

Zephyr treaded on carefully, all the while practicing the Way. After half a day, he travelled about 40 miles, going deeper and deeper into the Forest. The air grew thicker and more malicious as time went by, it would have sent anyone within into an alarmed rate. Even though it was noon, the Forest remained dark and mysterious. Zephyr only knew of the true draconic energy being present within the Feather Forest, but as to its whereabouts, he was clueless. He had to manually locate it. Suddenly, Zephyr heard the sound of rushing water — loud and powerful — much like a tiger’s roar. ‘That must be a waterfall!’ Zephyr thought excitedly. He quickly rushed towards its source. After about 10 minutes, he finally arrived before the waterfall. Zephyr raised his head to gaze upon the water, observing it’s windiness, comparing its shape and flow to that of a dragon. Zephyr could not help but drink from the refreshing stream as it rejuvenated his senses. After he washed his face, Zephyr took note of his surroundings. He noticed how tranquil the surroundings were, how fertile the land was, and detected the potent flora around. “No,” he frowned, although it was tranquil, the air was dense and foreboding, “it’s too quiet!” The type of silence he experienced made Zephyr uneasy. A loud hiss rang out behind him, with malice and intent, alluding to being targeted. “Lightfoot, go!” Zephyr did not have time to think, he had to get out of there. Just as he dodged out of the way, a flash of green light appeared and brought upon an intense pungency, it shot at the rock that Zephyr was seated on. Immediately, the rock rotted and corroded, it revealed a new hole, all the while as green smoke fizzed. Terrible venom! Seeing how it missed its attack, a great shadow burst forth from the waterfall as it revealed itself to Zephyr. A great serpent appeared, it’s length unaccounted for, it’s color green, it’s mouth glistened with red and green liquid, a terrible sight. “A beast!” Zephyr immediately started to run. The beast was named Emerald Serpent, although it was a tier one beast, it’s strength was amazing, and very venomous. Just a drop was enough to kill a man. Moreover, the Serpent had iron-like scales. Unless the opponent was an Agility fighter, no one had any chance against it. The thought of the Serpent’s power only hastened Zephyr’s Lightfoot. The Serpent chased after Zephyr, unwilling to let its prey escape as it constantly spewed venom. Everywhere the venom touched, it corroded almost immediately and released puffs of green smoke. Suddenly, a tree fell before Zephyr, blocking his path, it’s trunk corroded by the venom. The Serpent capitalized on the opening and went for Zephyr’s skull. Zephyr steadied himself, powering up with true energy. His right foot fell and shook the earth, cracking it open, and followed it with a right hook. Zephyr unleashed his Earthquake Fist. At his strike, a sonic boom emerged. “Dumb snake, die!” yelled Zephyr, quickly reconstituting Lightfoot, he was not sure if he would be so lucky the second time. Zephyr spied for a weakness in the Serpent, and quickly struck upon finding it. His strength pierced the Serpent’s hide, cracking its scales and his fist found a way into the beast’s insides. The beast let out a screech of pain. Before Zephyr could celebrate, a great tail swung by and sent him off his feet. It felt as though a mountain had struck him. Zephyr spat out fresh blood. Another blow came and sent Zephyr flying towards a large tree. He flew about 90 feet before he touched the ground. Before letting out a sly smile, Zephyr coughed weakly.

Chapter 18 Chapter 18

“D*mn it, I’m barely there! If only I could materialize a single scale, I could have easily killed that monster!” Zephyr lamented at the reality of it. The Emerald Serpent rose from its stupor and let out a tremendous howl, once again it locked its gaze upon the young man. “I have an attack on it’s weak spot, I have to try again!” Zephyr gritted his teeth and hastily evoked the Way, healing his battered body. Zephyr ignited Lightfoot, he was prepared to attack again. The Serpent launched its tail at Zephyr, this was it! “Earthquake Fist!” Zephyr anchored himself into the ground, rolled back a punch, and locked the connection at the Serpent’s weakest point. The beast was dealt with a mighty blow, it careened and howled in agony, venom leaked from its mouth uncontrollably. Zephyr had blasted a hole right where the Beast’s weak point would be. With one last howl, the beast turned to Zephyr, fear now overtook its composure, and retreated swiftly. “That was close!” Zephyr sighed as he struggled to catch his breath, body drenched with sweat. He thanked his lucky stars that the Emerald Serpent had a fatal weak point, otherwise he would not have been so fortunate. After all, he was just a Strength of level six, he was nothing compared to the beasts of Agility in this Forest. Suddenly, before Zephyr could recuperate himself, a booming voice rang throughout the Forest. ”Die!” A great flash of light shined through the trees, and without a moment’s notice, the Emerald beast was sliced into many different pieces. A group of five appeared after that, their leader, a young man around his 20s. He carried an elegant blade of jade with snake ornaments, bearing looks that carried few emotions. On his brow was a tattoo in the form of a snake. Zephyr felt a sense of danger from this man. The rest of the group were men in their 40s, though they looked to be his underlings, their power could not be underestimated. “There’s an outsider here… Find him and kill him, we mustn’t let anyone know I’m here!” The young man took notice of Zephyr, a surprised look waved over his face, before it quickly turned into a daggered stare. “Sir, yes sir!” answered the two men behind him, and immediately went for an attack. “These guys must be from the Winged Serpents School!” Zephyr made the realization as soon as he spotted the tattoo on the man’s brow, knowing this, he did not hesitate to flee. The Winged Serpents was a thousand-year-old school with great powers. In his previous life, Zephyr’s master even came to blows with them. The Winged Serpents were a terrible, sadistic school, an evil commune of wicked fighters, many would see them bereft of this land. “The sword… the sword he held was full of mystical power… can it be? Can it be the Winged Serpent heirloom – the Ouroboros Blade? In that case… that man must be…” Zephyr suddenly realized who he was. In his previous life, there was a prodigy in the Winged Serpents, Kerr. Kerr was an astounding martial artist; it was said that he was already an Agility fighter when he was young. His powers did not stop growing, and had only exacerbated with time, making him one of the best fighters around. It was said that Kerr’s power was so because when he was 20, he achieved some draconic energy. From there, he evolved beyond his snake-ish ways, and took on the Might of a dragon. ‘This b*stard must be Kerr, the heir to the Winged Serpents!’ Zephyr thought. “If that’s the case, he must know where that draconic energy would be! I must follow him!”“Where do you think you’re going?!” Zephyr’s train of thought was interrupted by a loud bellow from behind. He wondered what was about to happen next.

Chapter 19 Chapter 19

Zephyr turned back to look, seeing two silhouettes race up against him, their true energies bursting at the seams. The silhouettes morphed into snake-like beings, and dodged in and out of sight with deadly intent. “If I want to trail Kerr, I must first kill his lackeys!” Zephyr turned around, focused his energy, and disappeared deeper into the Forest. “Son of a b*tch! The runt’s got a few tricks up his sleeve, we’ll have to split up!”“We have to get him! No one can know of master Kerr’s presence here! No one!”“Indeed, we must kill him!” The two of them then splitted up, taking wide angles on Zephyr’s trajectory… Zephyr’s speed increased with each passing moment until he was nothing more than afterimages, and zoomed through the Forest. After a while, he slowed down and came to a halt, deep within the trees, hoping to have lost his pursuers. However, Zephyr knew that the two hunters were powerful, more powerful than he was; they would catch up soon. ‘If I have to fight, it would be a tough one. However, were I to retreat, I would never get better!’ Zephyr thought frustratingly. “Both of them are tough, but if I took them on one at a time, maybe I could do this!” Zephyr frowned, he suddenly remembered a certain skill and proceeded to invoke it. “Ha! There you are!” Suddenly, a cheery chuckle came closer and closer. One of the hunters appeared before Zephyr, his energy manifesting itself as a serpent and took on the silhouette of a cobra, staring Zephyr down. “Hmph, what’s there to brag about? I wasn’t even running!” Zephyr retorted with a smirk. Before he even finished, Zephyr had already pressed the assault. “Heh, a measly Strength of six dares to attack first? Why, aren’t you a suicidal one!” Seeing Zephyr’s challenge, the hunter immediately changed his tune. He raised his right hand, and sent forth serpent-like energy which spiraled towards Zephyr. A loud hiss scathed through the trees, the attacker’s energy instantly surrounded the area in a smokey dome. “Earthquake Fist!” Zephyr was not retreating, he steeled himself, he was not backing down. Although Earthquake Fist was a common technique, in Zephyr’s hands, it was a force to be reckoned with. The two matched blow after blow, within the dust cloud, only shadows could be made out. Anything bar the large, the deafened sounds of their blows that connected were hard to discern. The trees which surrounded them shuddered at each blow. “A Strength of level eight sure is something… I’m having a hard time taking him on!” Zephyr started to balk; he felt his hands going numb from the volley. Regardless, he would not back down at all. All this while, his Earthquake Fist was entering a new stage, he felt as though the technique had more to give, but needed one last shift, Zephyr had an idea… “You’re just a pesky Strength of level six, yet, here you are, withstanding me… you sure are something else!”“Were you to continue your training, I bet you’d be limitless! Alas, you just had to p*ss me off!” The man flashed a small smile, and put his hands together, a look of decisiveness fell on his face. “This is where it ends boy!” The man summoned his true energy, and manifested them into two great snakes — almost life-like. He swiftly followed up with precise movements, much like how a snake would coil about its prey, frighteningly quick. The man decided then and there, Zephyr would be no more. Zephyr felt a great force as it came down upon him, yet he disregarded it. Despite the crushing pressure, his mind was calm, and his heart was solid. Zephyr harnessed Earthquake Fist for a counterattack, but in that moment, he realized something… “Die!” The man’s smile became larger, in his eyes, Zephyr had just been crushed by the snakes he conjured, but before he confirmed his kill, Zephyr broke free from his restraints, bright streams of light were pulsing out of his eyes.

Chapter 20 Chapter 20

“Ha, I finally got it!” Zephyr said as his hearty laugh rang about. Right then, his aura changed. “Earth-shatterer!”“Impossible!” The man’s look changed swiftly, unable to comprehend how this pest-like fledgling could emit such powerful energies. The force was as if a hill had struck thee, and shook the earth. All the man could see was a frightening fist come his way, and brought with it the power of the Earth itself. “This is where it ends!” Zephyr’s tone was calm, yet it was cold and decisive in his actions. The power behind his punch was unimaginable — like the powers of the ancient, capable of cracking the Earth. The manifested snakes were shredded into pieces, like paper, nothing could stop its journey. The man could do nothing but stare at the unrivalled power headed his way. A loud booming noise echoed throughout the Forest, vibrating the air. “Im… Impossible…” The man struggled, his eyes wide with tiny streaks of blood that leaked out. His gaze could not leave Zephyr, he could not comprehend the power which exploded from the young man. His lips moved, yet no words were uttered. At his chest, a bloody hole bled profusely. He knew, no matter how much he struggled, he could not stop the blood from flowing. All he could do was stare meekly before he slowly collapsed onto the ground, unmoving. “Not bad, not bad at all!” exclaimed Zephyr, who nodded approvingly. He felt his body has changed in fortitude since then. Every fibre of muscle in his body felt powered, a power which was further imposed upon with limitless reserves. This reserve must be Focus! Focus was a mystical element. In the martial arts world, there were many skills and techniques under each fighter’s employ, and Focus was an element that better allowed the user to exponentially enhance their fighting capabilities. Focus itself could be further categorized into different styles: blade, polearm, staff, halberd, fist, palm, etc. The Focus that Zephyr noticed was Focus of the fist! Earth-shatterer had granted Zephyr it’s inherent Focus, a clumsy yet barbaric trait, it allowed its users to further enhance the power of their blows. “Earth-shatterer’s Focus is amazing, all I did was summon an ounce of it and yet my power had risen manifold!” Zephyr was ecstatic,and hoped to see more Earth-shattering action. … The Feather Forest was a dark and empty place, often smelled of blood and rot, a terrible place to be in. A rustling sound forced its way through the Forest, a silhouette akin to faded lightning barreled through the trees, true energy encompassed the figure, and decimated the trees before him. “You little runt, show yourself!” the man called out, voice full of anger. He had nothing but bloodlust within him and thought nothing good. He was the other hunter that was pursuing Zephyr. He was not going to make the same mistakes his partner did, he longer underestimated his opponent's power, in fact, a look of worry painted his face. In just half a day, he had witnessed the power unleashed by this Strength of level six fighter. The thought of his hidden abilities sent a shiver down the hunter’s spine. “How on earth did this runt manage such powers? How did he acquire the strength to perform such feats?” The man could not stop thinking about it, his mind grew more and more wary. In the martial arts world, most people accept that although one may differ in a single level of skill with another, their powers are greatly different. However, the hunter now wondered how accurate this concept was. A Strength of level six just bested a Strength of level eight without much difficulty. Not only were they two levels apart, following the status quo, the other hunter should have easily wiped Zephyr. But that was not what had happened. ‘Sht! I must report back to master Kerr. Facing his wrath may be more desirable than whatever I’m hunting!’ he thought to himself as he quickly turned his heels. No sooner had he turned, a streak of energy suddenly appeared, coming his way. Faced with greater odds, the man could not help but felt his fear rise within him. He turned to face his attacker, only to see Zephyr coming at him with fists raised, Zephyr’s intentions were clear. “Fck!” The man spat through gritted teeth, and hastily dodged the fist, he knew better than to take the hit head on. “Die, c*nt!” The man launched his counterattack, he covered himself in the visage of a viper, and rushed towards Zephyr. Zephyr huffed, he did not falter, in fact, he armed himself as he rushed to meet his aggressor. “Earth-shatterer!” He sent a powerful strike towards his attacker; nothing could have blocked the force coming its way. Met with such an immovable force, the hunter found himself dumbfounded as to what to do next, incidentally, he slowed down. Both fighters exchanged blows, each step a well thought out move, it left nothing to chance; lest their opponent press the advantage. Before Zephyr sent a full-forced attack towards his opponent, he screamed a war cry.