Leon stepped off the space bus
And into another world.
The air was the first thing he noticed. Crisp, fresh, and real. It rushed into his lungs, filling him with something he had never felt before.
" So this is what real air feels like…"
He took a shaky breath, his head spinning slightly from the purity of it. On Mars, the air was thin and artificial, recycled endlessly through the domes. Every breath had a slight metallic taste, a reminder that their oxygen was nothing but a product of the machines that controlled their lives.
But here-
Here, the air was alive.
Then he looked up.
And for the first time the sky was blue.
On Mars, the sky was always red, sometimes tinted a dirty brown from the pollution that clung to the dome's edges. The artificial lights mimicked the sun, but they were cold, flickering, never quite right.
But here-
The real sun shone down, its warmth touching his skin like something out of a dream.
Leon's hands clenched into fists. This wasn't a dream.
This was Earth.
As Leon stepped forward, the city around him came to life.
Massive skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass walls reflecting the endless blue sky. Some buildings hovered above the ground, floating on anti-gravity technology that Mars could only dream of.
Trains glided silently through the air, moving at impossible speeds on invisible tracks. Holographic billboards flashed advertisements for luxury goods, military academies, and even virtual reality vacations.
Everything was clean. Pristine. Perfect.
And Leon—
He didn't belong here.
People passed by, dressed in high-quality fabrics, polished uniforms, and sleek suits. Their hair was neat, their posture straight, their expressions indifferent.
And then there was Leon.
His Martian clothes were faded and worn, patched up from years of use. His boots were scuffed and covered in Martian dust. His accent—rough, clipped, different from the smooth, proper tones of Earth's citizens—stood out immediately.
He felt the stares.
Some curious. Some disgusted.
A group of teenage students in polished uniforms whispered and laughed as they passed by.
"Look at him."
"Is he from the colonies?"
"He stinks like metal."
Leon clenched his jaw but kept walking.
Let them talk.
He wasn't here to impress them. He was here to become an archer.
And nothing was going to stop him.
After asking around, Leon finally stood in front of his destination:
> MILITARY ARCHER REGISTRATION CENTER
A massive building with golden insignias and a holographic banner welcoming new recruits. Soldiers and archers in sleek, high-tech armor walked in and out, bows strapped to their backs.
Leon felt his heart race.
This was it.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
The registration hall was packed with young archers, each wearing high-end gear. Some had custom bows with energy-infused arrows, others wore enhanced visors that corrected vision.
Leon walked up to the counter.
A woman in a navy-blue uniform barely looked at him. "Name?"
> "Leon Ortez."
She typed something into her terminal. "Qualifications?"
"…I can shoot arrows really well?"
She stopped typing. "…Excuse me?"
Leon straightened. "I'm an archer. I want to join the military."
The woman stared at him, then at his clothes, then back at him. "Where are you from?"
"…Mars."
Silence.
She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I see. You don't have any proper training, no official records, and no academy experience. You're not qualified."
Leon's stomach dropped.
"What? But—I've trained my whole life!"
She shook her head. "That doesn't matter. You need certification from an approved Archery Academy. No exceptions."
Leon took a step back. "But—"
"Next!"
A soldier nearby a tall man in full armor leaned against the counter.
"Tough luck, kid."
Leon turned to him, frustrated. "There has to be another way."
The soldier smirked. "There isn't."
Then, after a pause, he added—
"…But if you're serious about this, go to an academy. Prove yourself. If you survive that, maybe we'll talk."
Leon's fists clenched.
An Archery Academy.
He had just escaped Mars. He had just risked his life. And now they were telling him
He wasn't good enough?
He felt a mixture of rage and excitement.
"Fine."
"If that's what it takes—then I'll do it."
Leon stepped out of the building, staring up at the endless blue sky.
His journey wasn't over.
It was just beginning.
Next stop—Archery Academy.