Chapter 237 Chapter 54.3 - Archery Competition
"Then, let the competition begin...."
The air was charged with anticipation as the first student, a slender figure with a quiet demeanor and glasses, was called forward.
As my gaze focused on him, I couldn't help but notice a slight nervousness in his stance.
'Indeed, he is really nervous.'
His slender body seemed to carry the weight of expectation, and his glasses added a touch of vulnerability.
One would normally think he was someone who wasn't perfectly specialized in the art of archery, but the small muscles underneath his clothes were saying otherwise. Though, without a keen eye, one wouldn't see it, thanks to the fact that his clothes were baggy.
'Let's see how he will fare.'
Observing him closely, I wondered how he would fare in the archery evaluations and if he would be able to showcase the precision and adaptability that Adrian had emphasized.
'This will also act as a good way to see the general level.'
It was good that I wasn't called first, as that would make things a little more uncomfortable.
Adrian, with his authoritative presence, stepped forward, suggesting to the nervous student that he should start. He explained how this part of the competition would work, revealing that each participant would be given ten different arrows and a common bow to ensure fairness.
"After that," Adrian continued, "I will signal the target placement, and the environment between the target and archer will change constantly. Your ability to adapt will be crucial."
He gestured toward the second-year mages, indicating that they would be responsible for altering the environment during the competition.
"Keep in mind that precision and adaptability are key. Let's see how you handle it."
Hearing those, I nodded inwardly. This was the type of test both me and others were expecting, so we weren't much surprised. However, of course, those who could see the truth would fare a little.
'He indirectly said the environment is in the control of mages he called.'
In a sense, he held the power to control the difficulty of the test.
'Well, not that it matters much.'
Adrian signaled to the young man, prompting him to step forward and take his place on the archery grounds.
With a determined nod, the student grabbed his bow, his focused expression betraying a hint of nervous anticipation.
"He is pretty good."
As he carefully notched his first arrow, a subtle yet skillful manipulation of mana began to emanate from him. From how he handled things, in my eyes, he was better than my last group.
'Well, I guess we are starting with a good piece.'
The air around him seemed to respond to his command, creating a subtle shimmer that hinted at his proficiency in mana manipulation.
The spectators also observed in silence, captivated by the young man's display of skill.
"He's not just a novice; look at how he manipulates mana."
"Did you see that? The way he controlled the arrow's trajectory with his mana?"
It was evident that he was not just a novice; his controlled mana manipulation spoke volumes about his training and dedication.
SWOOSH!
With a steady breath, he released the arrow. It soared through the air, navigating the changing environment that the second-year mages manipulated.
The tension in the air reached its peak as the arrow approached the target, and a collective breath was held.
THUNK!
The arrow struck the target with precision, earning a murmur of approval from the onlookers.
"Well done."
"He did hit this time."
The young man's expression remained focused, a mix of determination and relief evident in his eyes as he didn't stop.
After he hit the first target, it immediately disappeared, and another appeared, this time in a distance farther away.
SWOOSH!
He released another arrow once again at a speed that was commendable. This time, his arms were holding the bow, and the bow itself was charged with mana as the range of the attack was no longer in the normal physical range.
It was a pretty general technique widely used to increase the speed of the arrow.
THUD!
His attack once again hit the target, but this time, it was slightly off the mark.
SWIRL
It was because of the small change in the air between the target and himself. With my eyes, I could see the wind positions being manipulated.
'Mage has started.'
The amount wasn't seemingly huge, but the mage skillfully enough to control it precisely to generate a force of wind enough to disturb the path of the attack.
"Tch."
The guy clicked his tongue as he also realized that the mage was disturbing him.
'He is using his skill.'
Undeterred, the archer decided to employ a skill. His body emitted a faint glow as he activated a particular ability.
It wasn't a good choice to reveal one's skill that early, in my opinion, and most of the experienced audience seemed to think the same.
'After all, the mage will also realize.'
This was a test. A test to see one's adaptability to different conditions. Immediately using your skill rather than finding your own solutions first meant you were reliant on your skill and weren't creative enough to finish on your own, and that was a minus point.
With newfound confidence, he fired another shot. However, the distance to the target had increased, and this time, the mage added a new challenge by creating a swirling wind that veiled the target.
The arrow sailed through the air, skillfully navigating the wind disturbance, but the added difficulty was evident.
THUNK!
The arrow hit the target, though not as cleanly, just as before.
As the competition progressed, the targets continued to appear at greater distances, and the mage cleverly introduced various environmental challenges. Rain poured down, fog enveloped the area, and gusts of wind altered the trajectory of each arrow.
At the end of the three shots, the archer was decided to be challenged further.
Moving targets emerged from the fog, and, undeterred by the obscured visibility, he aimed and fired. Two arrows found their mark, hitting the moving targets with impressive accuracy, but the third one missed.
Adrian stepped forward, signaling the conclusion of the test.
"Well done. Your adaptability and marksmanship have been tested thoroughly today. You may return to the group."
As the archer returned, the audience exchanged murmurs of analysis and opinions, contemplating the strengths and weaknesses displayed during the test.
"I think he relied too much on his skill. Not a good move in my book."
"True, but did you see how he adapted to the changing conditions? That takes skill." "I agree, adaptability is crucial. But using the skill so early might show a lack of confidence in his own abilities."
"His marksmanship is commendable, though. Those moving targets in the fog—impressive!"
My ears picked some of the words from the ones taking notes to check him, and just as they had said, his performance wasn't bad.
He clearly showed how it needed to be done, though it wasn't anything impressive. But what was more important was the expression on Adrian's face.
'Let's wait a little longer.'
As the anticipation lingered, another contestant was called forward.
This time, a boy with a handsome face and a confident smile stepped into the center. Some of the students recognized him as the ace of a particular class, murmuring his name in recognition.
"Isn't that Alex? Was he on this club?"
"You know him?"
"Yes. He's the ace of Class HC101!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, I heard he's got some serious archery skills from my girlfriend there. Let's see if he lives up to the hype."
Alex confidently took his place, and Adrian nodded, signaling the commencement of the test.
'This will show the difference.'
In a sense, this scene would show what was going to happen with the test now. If what I had in my mind was correct, then things would be different from the student before.
Adrian's signal prompted Alex to grab his bow, his confident smile undeterred. As he prepared for his first shot, I couldn't help but notice a subtle glance he threw towards the mage.
'Interesting.'
Alex commenced with the test, and his first three shots were smooth, hitting the targets with impressive precision.
However, as the test progressed, the atmosphere shifted. The mage subtly manipulated the environment, creating changes that were too unnatural but subtle enough not to draw attention.
'He's making it difficult without making it obvious.'
The audience, including Alex, seemed oblivious to the subtle manipulations. His next shots, though accurate, lacked the smoothness of the initial ones.
It was evident that the changing conditions were affecting his performance, and the challenges were becoming more pronounced.
THUD!
As the last arrow hit the final target, Alex released a heavy sigh.
'Why couldn't I do it just in the training?'
It seems he had thought like that. This was the reality of this sad world. It was never meant to be a fair competition from the start, and Adrian was just proving that.
After all, even though he had called many other sponsors and the ones he was close to, he also didn't want to make the talents shine too much. In a sense, this was his goal.
This shatters the confidence of possible future contenders for the Bow Emperor title and blocks their paths.
The world was such a place.
"That bastard….This is rigged…."
At that moment, I heard a voice coming from my side. Turning there, I noticed a girl with red hair and bright green eyes looking at me, though her face was covered with a mask and a hoodie. It seemed she didn't want all that attention until she competed.
'When did she come here?'
I asked myself. It was highly likely that I had lost myself in the observation and hadn't noticed her approaching.
"Sneaking upon people from behind is not good," I mumbled.
"I didn't sneak upon you. It was just that you didn't notice."
"Really?"
There was no way I wouldn't notice a random person approaching me unless they hadn't hidden their presence. However, I wasn't in the mood to bicker right now.
"Yes."
"If you say so."
"But, what do you think about this competition," Lilia asked, her bright eyes looking for a reaction.
Knowing her character and how she thinks, I knew right now she was testing me.
"What do you mean?"
"….You really don't know?"
"Don't know what?"
"…Never mind."
I didn't dislike talking with Lilia or her presence. Even though at first she was a little annoying, people with highly competitive spaces tend to cultivate such traits to survive, so I didn't mind.
But I also don't like revealing everything instantly.
'Let's see how long her talent goes.'
Testing one's limits of talents is also important, especially considering Lilia is an important figure in the future. This will also give me a good idea about the general level of the main cast.
"But, how do you think you will fare?"
"Me? I don't know. I think I will do enough."
"Enough? What is enough for you?"
"Enough to not get expelled from the club?"
"Is it your criteria?"
"Why? Is it bad?"
"Those who don't fare to be the best will never improve."
Hearing this, I nodded in acknowledgment. In a sense, this was true, especially for those who did everything with pure passion and abhorred strong egos.
"True, but not everyone seeks the same path. Some see these types of things merely as tools, stepping stones for their goals."
At the end of the day, I never wanted to be the best Archer in the world, nor did I want to be on the top. All those were meaningless for me anyway.
'I am just here to take my revenge.'
It was nothing much and nothing less.
Lilia raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by my response, but before she could continue, Adrian's voice cut through the conversation.
"Astron Natusalune. Come forward."
It seemed my time had come.
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