The next morning—
Ryan stood in the arena as cold air brushed against his cheek.
He closed his eyes.
Trying to feel the Zenith Flow…
But nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
"Why can't I feel it…?" Ryan muttered, scratching his head in confusion.
"You can't feel it because you're trying to force it."
Marcus appeared behind him, hands clasped behind his back, his voice calm.
"Force it?" Ryan tilted his head.
"Yes… force it."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Zenith Flow is not a power you activate."
He paused.
"It's a state you enter."
Ryan froze.
A state…? What does that even mean?
Marcus didn't explain.
Instead, he held something out—
A blindfold.
"Put it on."
Ryan stared at it… then at his father.
"Why?" he asked.
Marcus' gaze sharpened.
"Because from today…"
"You will train blindfolded."
A brief silence.
"Now. Put it on."
Ryan hesitated… then slowly tied the blindfold around his eyes.
Darkness.
Complete darkness.
And then—
WHOOSH!
Four stones shot toward him at high speed.
Ryan's body reacted instinctively—
He stepped back.
Twisted.
Ducked.
One stone sliced past his head—
But—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The remaining stones slammed into his leg, back, and face.
"Argh—!"
Ryan stumbled and dropped to one knee.
"Get up. Don't think. Don't hesitate. Let your body move on its own."
Ryan gritted his teeth and slowly pushed himself up.
His body trembled.
Don't think… don't think…
Then—
WHOOSH!
Four more stones shot toward him.
Ryan tried—
But I failed.
Thud! Thud!
He was struck again.
He collapsed to the ground.
Ryan lay there, breathing heavily.
His vision—nothing but darkness. His body—aching with pain.
"I can't," he murmured.
Marcus' footsteps echoed as he approached.
"You can."
"No, I can't… I tried! I stopped thinking, but I still can't do it!"
"No. Your mind didn't stop thinking. You were thinking about not thinking."
Ryan suddenly froze.
"There was still hesitation," Marcus continued.
"This time, don't try to dodge. Don't think. Just… let it be."
Suddenly—
WHOOSH!
Four more stones shot toward him.
But this time—
He didn't move immediately.
No deliberate movement.
No hesitation.
No extra thoughts.
He moved.
One.
Two.
Three—
But the fourth stone struck his arm.
His balance broke, and he fell sideways onto the ground.
"AAAHHH!" Ryan cried in frustration. "I was so close!"
"No," Marcus said calmly. "You were not close."
"You only increased your focus. You still haven't touched Zenith Flow."
Marcus paused for a moment, then added,
"But… that is good for your current level."
"Get up. Come with me."
Ryan, still in a low mood, stood up and followed him.
A few minutes later—
Ryan and Marcus arrived near a roaring waterfall.
"Go. Sit there," Marcus said, pointing beneath the falling water.
Ryan, confused but obedient, stepped forward and sat under the waterfall.
The water crashed down on him with immense force.
"Now, throw away your distractions and empty your mind."
"Close your eyes. Focus."
"Stop thinking about Zenith Flow, beasts, and training."
"Just relax your mind."
Ryan did as his father instructed.
He closed his eyes.
At first, the water felt heavy and distracting.
His thoughts kept returning—
Zenith Flow… stones… training… beasts…
But as he adapted—
His breathing became steady.
His thoughts began to fade, not by force, but on their own.
"For the first time, Ryan wasn't trying to empty his mind… it simply became quiet."
As time passed—
Even with his eyes closed, he began to feel things.
He sensed the subtle movement of air.
He felt water droplets striking different parts of his body.
He could even recognize their patterns.
But suddenly—
WHOOSH!
A small rock fell from the top of the waterfall, speeding toward Ryan's head.
Normally—
He would panic.
Or try to react deliberately.
But this time—
He simply tilted.
The rock missed.
His body had moved before his mind.
He didn't even realize it.
It felt natural—effortless—without any deliberate action.
But—
The moment he realized what had happened—
His thoughts returned.
The water felt heavy again.
His mind became noisy once more.
Marcus had been watching the entire time.
He noticed Ryan's movement.
His expression changed slightly.
"So… he touched it."
Ryan opened his eyes and stepped out, confusion written all over his face.
"Something happened," he said. "I didn't think… but I moved."
Hearing this, Marcus paused for a moment before speaking.
"Zenith Flow is not speed.
Not instinct alone.
No reaction."
"It is a state where your body and the world are no longer separate."
Ryan stood still, absorbing every word.
""What you felt… was the first stage—Silent Mind."," Marcus continued.
"Silent mind" Ryan asked, with confusion in his voice.
"Yes ," Marcus replied calmly. "Zenith flow is divided into four stages and what you felt was the first stage."
In this stage,
The mind becomes quiet, your body moves naturally without any unnecessary movement.
Your focus and reaction time increases.
But, "it suddenly disrupted" Ryan asked with confusion on his face.
It is natural, because you cannot maintain this state for a long period of time.
It will automatically be disrupted as your thought process is disturbed.
Dad, "what are the latter stages".Ryan asked with a hint of anticipation.
Hearing this,
Marcus started laughing,"you don't need to know about this right now".
Your task for the next three years is to open the door and master the silent mind.
Ugh! Dad you never tell me about all the things, you always keep it a mystery , Ryan murmured.
Huh! What did you say? Marcus asked with an eyebrow raised.
Nothing!Nothing! Ryan waved his hand.
Then why are you wasting time here, go and sit there Marcus said while pointing at the waterfall.
Above—
A black cat sat quietly on the rocks.
Its golden eyes gleamed.
"And so… he has begun,"
a voice echoed in its mind.