NFBE Chapter 216 Archery Competition
Chapter 216 Archery Competition
Chapter 216 Archery Competition
"Why do you think he called us over?" Alice asked, using her magic to clean the sweat off her body.
“I don’t know,” Morse replied, though he knew why Adrian had called them over, but he didn’t intend to say.
"Really?" Alice narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly not quite believing it.
Morse didn't intend to persuade her; he simply shrugged and walked out of the training room. This short period of time was already deeply imprinted in his mind, ready to be replayed at any time. His goal had been achieved, and that was enough.
"Ugh……"
As Morse left, she sighed softly, but said nothing and simply followed behind.
As Morse and Alice walked toward the center of the archery club, the other members had already gathered there, while Alice was lost in thought.
'Was that just my imagination?'
She wasn't sure, but she always felt that Morse's gaze was following her, even when she was demonstrating her most complex skills.
She was proud of her eyesight and memory, and recalling what had just happened, she realized it wasn't as Morse had described.
She had a premonition, a feeling she didn't want to dismiss as a coincidence.
"Ugh……"
Ultimately, she could only put the matter aside for the time being, telling herself that she needed more information before she could make a judgment.
When they arrived at the meeting point, Adrian stood at the front waiting for everyone to gather. His tall and imposing figure was intimidating, and his gaze swept over the crowd.
When her gaze swept over Alice, she felt a chill run down her spine. Because of the guild, she often interacted with people, and she was naturally aware of that kind of look.
"You hate him?" Morse suddenly asked.
"Hmm?" From Alice's observation, this guy rarely spoke on his own initiative.
"What do you mean?" She frowned, clearly taken aback by his words.
"Are you going to play dumb?" Seeing Morse's relaxed attitude, she realized that her thoughts had been seen through.
“You’re quite perceptive,” she admitted.
“We shooters are usually very sharp,” he said casually.
"..."
“However, I must say, he’s quite bold to look at the goddess Alice with that kind of gaze.” Morse’s tone was laced with sarcasm, but Alice didn’t seem to care. Adrian’s gaze clearly indicated that he wasn’t afraid of her.
“Indeed, these people need to be properly educated,” Alice replied coldly.
“I agree,” Morse nodded.
“You speak as if you have a lot of experience.” Alice squinted at him, testing his reaction. If she had the opportunity to recruit him in the future, such small details would be important.
"No comment," Morse replied curtly.
"You're so boring," Alice sneered.
“I hear that phrase all the time,” Morse said dismissively.
"From whom?" Alice asked curiously.
"Does it matter?" Morse countered.
"Is it unimportant? I feel like everyone you meet would say that." Alice shrugged.
“I don’t know many people, so it doesn’t matter,” he said.
“Your ‘kindness’ is truly boundless.” Alice smiled and shook her head.
As they chatted to pass the time, the club members arrived one after another, and Adrian also prepared to begin.
"Cough cough!"
Adrian drew everyone's attention with a magical cough, a way for him to demonstrate his abilities. Amplifying one's voice with magic is a rather advanced skill that many students don't fully master until their third year.
"It seems everyone has arrived."
Adrian's stern voice echoed in the room as his sharp gaze swept over each student, assessing their progress and dedication.
"The archery club is more than just a gathering place; it's a place of rigorous training and continuous improvement," he solemnly declared, emphasizing their commitment to the club.
He then praised the progress of some members. “I have noticed that many people have made significant progress in their skills. Your dedication will not be overlooked. The club’s facilities are there to help you, and those who make full use of these facilities have already shown commendable results.”
Adrian's gaze shifted slightly, focusing on Morse and a few other members. "However," he continued, his tone becoming sharper, "some people are making slow progress."
His gaze swept across the room, and the atmosphere instantly became tense. The students exchanged uneasy glances, wondering who he was referring to.
Morse remained calm. He had anticipated this situation. Even though he hadn't completed all the side quests in the game, the information provided at the beginning of the guild made it clear what was going to happen next.
Adrian's gaze swept across the students as he continued, "Let me make this clear: the Archery Club is not a charity. It is maintained by the efforts and support of those who have dedicated their lives to archery, and falling behind will not be tolerated."
His words put pressure on the students, and the room was filled with a sense of urgency.
"Now, let's talk about one of our club's important traditions: archery competitions."
Adrian brought up another topic, and a murmur of discussion immediately filled the room. Everyone knew that the club's competitions were very strict, which was one of the reasons why the Archery Club was considered too harsh. Most clubs only checked students' skills, but the Archery Club had extremely high requirements for the performance of each member, and those who did not meet the standards would be eliminated.
Adrian explained the importance of the competitions, stating that they would serve as a standard for evaluating each member's progress and dedication.
“Next weekend, we will be holding a series of competitions that will not only test your archery skills, but also your adaptability, accuracy, and performance under pressure,” he explained in detail.
He cast a challenging glance: "These competitions will determine who stays and who gets eliminated. It's a harsh reality, but it ensures that only the right people can continue to represent our respected community."
He concluded, “Be prepared and give it your all. Remember, in the Archery Club, excellence is not an option, but a standard that everyone must reach.”
As he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room reached a fever pitch. The students knew they were about to face a formidable challenge, and the future of the archery club would be determined by these competitions.
Only Morse knew that this would be the starting point of all events.
He thought to himself, watching Adrian leave, this match would be the starting point of the story of Alice the Bow Queen.
"Annoying." Alice's eyes flashed coldly as she stared at Adrian's departing figure with a gaze as sharp as a knife.
......
Sylvie has been feeling strange lately, especially after that trip.
Many things happened that day that she never expected: Mason revealed his true identity as a demon contractor and ambushed them.
Morse nearly lost his life again.
She also witnessed the masked man kill Mason right in front of her.
None of these things could be erased from her mind; they constantly troubled her, even when she forced herself to take tranquilizers to calm herself down.
She still came to the same conclusion: she was weak.
Both mentally and physically.
She possessed unparalleled power, she knew it in her heart, but at first she lacked the courage to use it.
But not anymore. She decided to spend her time training, both to get rid of that feeling of powerlessness and to escape those memories.
After returning, she focused on training her magic and physical strength, even reducing her sleep time to four hours, which required the help of sleeping pills.
She knew it wasn't good, but she was willing to pay any price for it until she got used to it.
"Huh...huh..."
Like now, after running for an hour, she closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. Her muscles were screaming, telling her she needed to stop, as were her lungs and heart.
"Ha ha……"
Her chest heaved violently.
"cure."
She closed her eyes, concentrated, and skillfully mobilized the magic within her body, healing all her fatigue. The muscle pain disappeared, and her heartbeat slowed down.
Sylvie.
An unexpected voice broke her concentration. She opened her eyes and saw Jasmine standing in front of her, her face full of concern.
“Sylvie, you’re pushing yourself too hard,” Jasmine said gently, offering a reproachful rebuke.
Sylvie gave a resolute smile, reassuring her: "This is the price I have to pay. I can't let myself slack off any longer."
Jasmine sighed, squatted down to be at eye level with her, and said, "Becoming strong doesn't mean forcing yourself. You also need to take care of yourself."
She looked at her friend, her eyes filled with worry.
'I've been lazy for too long,' Sylvie thought to herself as she stood up.
"I'm fine, don't worry," she said softly, then slowly walked to the dressing room to change. She had more important things to do: to see that person.
Jasmine could only watch her retreating figure with worry.