Chapter 779 Home sweet home
In a way, being back on the Special Program campus was a relief for Klaus. He had only been away for a week, between traveling, the tournament and the war in Rise Online, but that was enough to make him miss the place.
Although for some people it might have seemed like a boarding school, because you needed permission to leave the campus, which wasn't normal even at a high school, for Klaus it was like a sanctuary. He had everything he needed in this place and there was nothing to complain about. What's more, the campus area was so vast that even though Klaus had been there for two months, he had never seen it all.
That way, Klaus and the others had no problem with crowds as they made their way to the Archery Department.
When they finally arrived at the department building, a large hangar on the edge of the large campus lake, and entered, they saw that two other colleagues were already practicing. They were Carrie S. Puma and Lara Cavalcanti.
Carrie was a short girl with short brown hair. Her white skin was like quartz and she always wore only light make-up, with a little deliano in the corners of her eyes. She wasn't very close to Klaus, but she wasn't an enemy or adversary either.
For her part, Lara Cavalcanti, the Department Captain, had a good relationship with Klaus. She taught him some of the archery techniques that helped him the most in the Special Program Tournament. With her dark skin, yellow eyes and white hair, she looks like a character straight out of a game, but she just has a slightly more alternative look.
As soon as the boys entered the hangar, the door made a slight noise as it closed, which made the girls aware of their presence.
The light filtering through the stained glass windows in the ceiling cast a golden aura over the several rows of bows and arrows lined up. Lara Cavalcanti looked up from the bow she was adjusting and smiled warmly at the sight of the newcomers.
Lara, with her outgoing and expressive personality, immediately stopped her training when she saw her colleagues coming. Her yellow eyes sparkled with excitement as she approached, greeting each one enthusiastically.
"Friends!" exclaimed Lara, opening her arms as they approached. "How was your short vacation?"
Klaus smiled and said:
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Captain. Well, I had a hectic break, but nothing beats the excitement of the Special Program. And you, anything new as Captain?"
Lara nodded proudly, "A few changes here and there, but on the whole, everything's going well. What about you guys?" She looked at Andrew, Nathan and David. "How are things going? I heard you'd arrived early, I've been waiting for you to come here."
Nathan, always the most talkative of the group, replied with a confident smile. "I went to California and..."
Lara laughed, appreciating the group's confidence. "All right, all right. I already know what's coming, Mr. Richie."
The way she stopped Nathan from bragging made everyone laugh out loud, especially as his expression of frustration was hilarious.
While Lara continued her animated conversation with the boys, Carrie S. Puma stood silently just behind her, observing the interaction with a neutral expression. Her brown eyes analyzed every movement, but her countenance remained serene.
Lara noticed Carrie's quieter presence and moved back a little, opening the door for her to join the conversation.
"Ah! Carrie! What about you, Carrie? I forgot to ask you earlier. Did you have any interesting adventures during your vacation?"
Carrie nodded slightly, her calm voice contrasting with Lara's excitement. "I went to visit some relatives. Nothing extraordinary, just quality family time."
Lara respected her colleague's way of speaking, turning her attention to the rest of the group. "Well, since almost everyone's back, how about we practice a bit? We need to keep our skills sharp. Klaus, Andrew, Nathan, David, pick your bows and get ready, would you like to join us?" She slipped a hand behind Carrie's shoulder.
"Actually, that's exactly what we came here to do. Nathan said he was unlucky in the tournament, looks like he needs to be put in his place." David joked.
"You did worse than me!" grumbled Nathan.
"But at least I don't make excuses about it!" David replied, laughing in the face of his closest friend on campus.
For the first time in a while since preparing for the tournament, the Archery Department's hangar was filled with a vibrant, energetic atmosphere as they prepared for yet another practice session. They each chose their bow, carefully examining the gadgets available. Klaus opted for a wooden longbow, known for its precision and strength.
For Klaus, everything seemed new for some reason. It was as if he was experiencing every little detail for the first time. While he felt the familiar rough texture of the grip in his hands, the arrows rested peacefully in the quiver on his back.
Lines demarcated the archers' positions, providing a clear view of the track where the targets would appear.
The echo of animated conversations and laughter filled the room as colleagues adjusted their bows and exchanged jokes.
As he positioned himself on the stand, Klaus felt the familiar tension of anticipation growing inside him. The bow rested in his hands like a natural extension of his arms, and he absorbed the feel of the wood under his fingers. The arrows, cold and smooth, awaited their turn in the quiver.
Andrew, Nathan and David chose their bows and lined up next to Klaus. The sun was beginning to set beyond the stained glass windows, casting a palette of warm colors over the hangar. The golden light reflected off the bows and arrows, creating an almost magical scene.
Lara, with her natural authority, said like a born leader:
"Remember, everyone, focus and precision."
With a collective nod, the group showed they were ready. As the electronic countdown began, Klaus selected an arrow, feeling the familiar weight in his hands. He watched the arrow fly in his mind before he even lifted it to fit it into the bowstring. The sharp tip glinted in the soft light, eager to reach its destination.
When the count reached zero and Klaus raised the bow, he too took a deep breath, concentrating on the target that appeared almost five meters in front of him. The surrounding sounds gradually disappeared, replaced by the familiar hum of the string's tension. His body became a perfect extension of the bow, the muscles responding with familiarity to the pull of the string.
In the moment before the shot, Klaus felt the perfect synchrony between mind, body and instrument. His heart beat in rhythm with the string and, in an instant, the arrow sliced through the air with a soft hum. The impact on the target resounded, an audible testament to trained skill, but not Klaus, because his arrow passed a few centimeters further to the right than he had intended, missing the small circular target.
Nathan, seeing that he had hit the first target and Klaus hadn't, exclaimed at the same moment:
"OHH!!! It looks like something complicated has happened there!"
Klaus' mistake and Nathan's comment were accompanied by spontaneous laughter from his colleagues. It wasn't normal for Klaus to miss his first shot and his friends wouldn't pass up the opportunity to joke around a bit.
"Klaus, I think we need to calibrate that bow, don't you? Maybe it's conspiring against you!" Andrew said.
The others laughed, and even Carrie, who usually kept a serious attitude during training, couldn't help but smile. Klaus, on the other hand, accepted the joke and laughed too, but his eyes revealed a determined fire. He quickly raised his bow with an arrow already in place and turned to the target.
"Well, you know that the first shot is just a warm-up, right?" Klaus said, smiling back. "Let's see what I can do now."
His colleagues continued to laugh as Klaus prepared his second arrow. He concentrated, adjusting his stance and aim. This time, he visualized the arrow's perfect path, imagining it cutting through the air with precision and hitting the center of the target. After all, the first step is always mentalization.
Klaus took a deep breath, letting the familiar sensation of the string's tension envelop him. His muscles responded with the same synchrony as before. And then, with a smooth, controlled movement, he released the string. The arrow flew towards the target, drawing a perfect arc in the air, and hit precisely in the middle of the holographic target, destroying it.
This time, the impact was exactly what Klaus had expected and everyone laughed again, but this time at Nathan's dropped jaw, surprised to see Klaus' perfect shot.
…
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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