The next day...
"Raqnid, where are you going today?" Fat asked.
"Oh, I'm going to replace my bowstring," Raqnid replied.
"Broken again? How many times have you changed it? You just replaced it last week!"
"Ah, this string just snaps too quickly."
Raqnid left to find a shop to get a new bowstring. He walked around until he came across a weapons store.
"Maybe I can find it here."
Without much hesitation, Raqnid entered the store. Unfortunately, in the Elf country, bows had specialized shops made just for them. The store owner directed Raqnid to the bow shop.
Raqnid headed to the recommended store, and in front of it, a sign read 'Bow Shop.'
"Welcome!" the shop owner greeted Raqnid as he entered.
"I need to replace my bowstring," Raqnid replied.
"Human!" the shop owner whispered.
The shop owner's friendly face immediately turned sour upon seeing Raqnid. His welcoming demeanor vanished.
"We don't have bowstrings here. Please leave."
"That's at the back, right? Not bowstrings?" Raqnid inquired.
"These are not for sale!" the owner insisted.
*Since I've set foot in this city, why do I keep encountering strange Elves? Yesterday, a woman suddenly cried after seeing my face. Today, this old Elf seems unhappy after looking at me. Is my face really that bad?* Raqnid thought.
"Why aren't you selling them? You have plenty," Raqnid asked.
"Haish! I don't sell to humans," the owner replied.
"Why? Do you dislike humans?" Raqnid inquired.
"No! I don't dislike humans; I just dislike humans like you."
"What did I do?"
*I had a feeling this would happen!* Raqnid thought.
"Because you're weak! You'd be better off quitting being an archer and finding another job."
Raqnid's ears buzzed upon hearing the shop owner's words.
"Do you know I'm weak? Prove it!"
"No need to prove it. When creatures like you become archers, it's proven that archers are weak. Do you know why there are no Hero Archers among the Heroes? Because you're all weak! Archers are a source of pride for the Elf nation. I might consider it if other races became archers, but when it's your kind, I can't stand it. Because of your kind, archers are seen as weak by everyone. Do you understand?"
Raqnid was stunned by the shop owner's words. "I apologize for bothering you," he said and started to leave.
"Huh? That's bow... I think I've seen it somewhere before," the owner mumbled, ignoring Raqnid and taking his bow without permission.
Raqnid was surprised when his bow was stolen, and he muttered some impolite words. "Hey, old man, give me my bow back!"
"How did this bow end up in the hands of someone like you?" the owner asked.
Raqnid snatched his bow back. "Give it back!"
"Do you even know that this bow is not an ordinary bow? It's the 'Mana of Bow,' and it's not for someone like you!"
Raqnid ignored the owner's words and started to leave.
"Wait, I'll replace your bowstring. If you manage to defeat me in a fight."
"Why should I bother fighting with you, old man? It's a waste of time."
"Fine! I'll give you the 'Black String.'"
"Huh? What's the 'Black String'?"
"You don't know the 'Black String'? You're unbelievable! The 'Black String' is a bowstring every archer dreams of. It's one of the most powerful and rare bowstrings in the world. There are only three of them."
"Ah, I see. Okay, bye!"
"Wait! What else do you want?" The old man begged Raqnid to fight him, grabbing his leg.
*Hehe! This short old man really loves my bow!* Raqnid thought.
"Okay, I agree, but I want one more thing as a reward if I win."
"Tell me! Anything!"
"After I win, I want you to kneel and apologize to me and grant one favor I ask."
"Hah! That's not fair at all!"
"Yes or no!"
"Fine!"
The old man then took Raqnid to their battleground, a forest.
*Hehe! This kid thinks I'll let him win. Dream on! In my whole life, I've never lost to another archer. They call me the 'King of Archer'!* the old man thought.
"All right, we're here. We'll see who's faster and more accurate in archery."
Then, the old man produced something.
"Rabbit?"
"Yes! This is a magical rabbit. Whoever can kill this rabbit will win."
"So, whoever catches the rabbit first wins. Seems easy."
"Don't be too confident, kid. This game is not just child's play. Nearly every job uses this game to test their speed. So, the game is upgraded to several levels. The higher the level, the harder it is to catch the target. For slow-moving jobs like tanks and mages, the highest level they can reach is 4. Levels 5 to 7 are for jobs like swordsmen and similar ones. Archers can reach up to level 9. And the last level is 10, which only Assassins can reach. But it doesn't mean every job can reach those levels. Only the truly strong and fast ones can. Some Assassins may only reach level 6, and it's not impossible for a tank to kill a level 10 target. It all depends on one's abilities."
"So, what level is this rabbit?"
The old man smiled, "Level 10."
"What? Level 10! How can anyone catch it? Isn't it for Assassins only?"
"As I said, it depends on your abilities."
"Have you successfully caught this rabbit before?"
"Hahaha! Of course. Hahaha!"
"How many times?"
"Once!"
"Only ONCE! Hey, old man, don't you think you're overly confident? What if no one else can catch it?"
"Why? Are you scared now?" he grinned.
"Haha! Scared! I'm just fighting the old man here why should I be worried."
*That cocky attitude of yours really annoys me. I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget, kid!* the old man thought.
*This old man's face really gets on my nerves.* Raqnid thought.
Both of them were now ready to start the hunt, using regular bows provided by the shop owner. The magical rabbit was released.
"Garggghh!" Raqnid released his first arrow at the rabbit.
*Heh! Looks easy, my arrow is bound to hit.* Raqnid thought.
Shoosh!!!
The rabbit swiftly dodged and darted into the forest.
"Aish! Missed!" Raqnid said.
"Haha! You thought it'd be that easy?" the old man teased.
Both of them used skills to track the rabbit's movements.
[Eagle Eye] activated. This skill allowed the user to see up to 1 km.
[Sniper Eye] activated. This skill allowed the user to see up to 10 km.
In the blink of an eye, the rabbit was already a kilometer away from them.
The old man started to chase after the rabbit with incredible speed, nearly catching up to it. But he turned around and couldn't see Raqnid. "Weak!" The rabbit was right in front of him, and he aimed an arrow at it. "Huh? Hey, what's he doing over there?", the old man surprised.
Suddenly, Raqnid appeared in front of the old man, and they both aimed at the rabbit. Arrows were released. "Ahh! Missed, this rabbit is fast," Raqnid shouted. Then he turned and grinned. "Hey, old man, you must be thinking, 'How did he get there?' right now. Hahaha!... Did you think I'd accept your challenge without a chance to win? I'm not that foolish."
Raqnid quickly moved forward to pursue the rabbit. The old man was surprised by Raqnid's speed.
"How can this kid run so fast? Like an Assassin!" Then he slapped himself. "What am I thinking? Hahaha... What I'm doing? I'm a veteran in this job, I have more experience in battle. Now, I'm the one looking like a kid. In anything, never underestimate your opponent. Okay, kid, I'll show you how a veteran handles this. Hiyarghh!"
Raqnid, who had already moved forward, shot at the rabbit several times but missed each time. Suddenly...
Shoosh!!!
An arrow shot toward Raqnid, but he managed to dodge it. "What's that!" The arrow penetrated through all obstacles in its path.
"Strong Arrow" – a skill that made arrows powerful enough to break through obstacles like large rocks or trees.
"Hahaha! Hey, kid! Did you think I'd let you win? Not a chance!"
"Ciss! Useless old man. DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME?" Raqnid shouted while turning to face the old man.
"Heh! Yes! If you're weak, you might get killed. This is a battle, and I'll do whatever it takes to win!"
"Wahh! This old man is out of his mind! Haishh!"
Raqnid continued to increase his speed in pursuit of the rabbit. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from the old man's view.
"Hehehe! This kid... he can run even faster. YOU'RE IMPRESSIVE, KID! It's been a while since I felt this excited in a fight."
Both of them moved swiftly, chasing after each other. Their attacks were relentless, but they couldn't hit the rabbit.
"How do I attack this rabbit? Every time I try, it easily dodges." Raqnid started analyzing the rabbit's movements, and how it moved and evaded.
Shoosh x5
"ARGHH! This old man really wants to kill me."
Wave after wave of arrows flew toward Raqnid, destroying everything in their path.
Raqnid managed to dodge all the arrows. At that moment, the old man bypassed Raqnid.
"Hehe, impressive dodging, kid."
"Useless old man."
Both of them continued to chase after the rabbit. Raqnid released an arrow towards the rabbit, but the old man's arrow shattered it. "Haish!"
*Relax. I need to think about how to defeat that rabbit.* Raqnid thought.
As Raqnid was lost in thought, the old man released an arrow towards him. "Huh?" The arrow was so fast that Raqnid couldn't fully dodge it. "Arghh!" Luckily, it missed his head but hit his clothes, causing Raqnid to get stuck in a tree.
"Hahaha! What are you daydreaming about, kid?"
"GARHHHGHH!" The arrow was firmly stuck in the tree, and Raqnid couldn't pull it out.
The old man left Raqnid behind and continued to chase the rabbit. "Hehe! You picked the wrong opponent, kid."
The old man had figured out how to hunt the rabbit effectively.
"Now, I just need to use this skill. Anyway, I'm impressed by you, kid, for making it this far. This battle hasn't been fair from the beginning. It was your mistake to agree to fight by my rules. I've played this game many times and know all the rabbit's movement patterns. The reason only Assassins can defeat level 10 is because they can evade detection by the rabbit. The rabbit has a detection radius of 10 meters, so it reacts if it detects anything within that range. It's also sensitive to sounds. Therefore, Assassins need high 'stealth' skills to move undetected. So, I've created a new skill to defeat the rabbit. Hahaha!"
"..... Huh?" The old man turned around. "Ciss, this kid, he's still not giving up." An arrow was behind the old man.
"Let's see what you can do with just one arrow. You've made a big mistake because this area is densely wooded. For archers like us, this kind of terrain is our weakness because arrows get stuck in the trees."
The old man paid no attention to Raqnid's arrow. As time passed, Raqnid's arrow would also get stuck in a tree. The old man carefully assessed the distance to attack the rabbit.
"Huh?" Something felt off to the old man. "Why do I feel like I'm still being followed?" He looked behind.
"Oi! Oi! Why is this kid's arrow still following me?"
The old man then tested the arrow by maneuvering through the trees.
"Hahaha!" The old man laughed heartily after seeing the arrow still following him. "This arrow can keep up with me!"
[Missile Arrow] - an arrow that will follow its target until it hits.
"This kid is really annoying," the old man muttered. He slowed down to let the arrow catch up. Just as the arrow was about to reach him, it suddenly shot downwards.
"Huh? Why?" The old man watched the arrow's movement. "Geergghh! From the beginning, it wasn't aimed at me. Its target is the rabbit!" The old man rushed to chase the arrow. He released an arrow to destroy Raqnid's arrow, but it missed. "Arrows can dodge attacks!" he muttered, perplexed.
"Hehehe! You must be surprised right now, right old man" Raqnid said, still stuck in the tree.
[Missile Arrow] [Ss] - an upgraded version. It can dodge enemy attacks, and the user can set conditions for it.
"Ah! Why is this arrow so fast? I can't catch up like this. I need to act now! Huh?"
The old man was puzzled as Raqnid's arrow didn't attack the rabbit. Instead, it hovered above the rabbit. "Heh! Looks like your arrow isn't working correctly, kid," the old man smirked. He released an attack.
[Invisible Arrow] - An arrow fired will not be visible when 15 meters close to the target.
"Victory belongs to me, kid!"
"Hehe!" Raqnid grinned, still stuck in the tree. "The time has come! Only an Assassin can hunt a level-10 rabbit, right? In that case, I'll become an Assassin."
The old man smiled widely, celebrating his uncertain victory. He stopped chasing and waited for his arrow to hit the target. He watched as the arrow started to disappear after getting 15 meters closer to the target. "Huh?" His eyes widened as he saw something. "Hey, what's he doing over there?"
"Heh! Why are you so happy, old man? The victory isn't decided yet!" Raqnid suddenly appeared above the rabbit, aiming his bow at the target.
[Teleportation Item] is an Assassin skill. The user can teleport to a location item that the user has selected. The maximum range is 5 km.
"Hey, your target is too close, kid! Can the rabbit dodge from that close?" The old man was surprised to see Raqnid suddenly appear.
"VICTORY WILL BE MINEEEEE! ARGHH!!!" Raqnid screamed.
"DON'T DREAM! MY ARROW WILL STRIKE FIRST!" the old man yelled.
Zhoissh!
Boommm!
Whose arrow hit the rabbit first? "Yeahhh!" the victorious cheer rang out.
"You see that! Old man, I won!"
Raqnid had won the battle. His arrow was firmly attached to the rabbit, while the old man's arrow only grazed a small part of the rabbit's body.
*Who is this kid? ... I lost to a brat... I mean, he's stronger than... Heh (smiles),* the old man never expected to lose.
"What now? Kneel and apologize now! Hehehe!"
The old man ignored Raqnid's words and patted him on the shoulder. "Yeah... yeah... I apologize sincerely. You're amazing. Let's go to the shop. I wonder how you managed to appear out of nowhere like that, kid?"
"Oi... oi... you're not kneeling. Don't change the topic."
"Hahaha, it doesn't matter. I'm sincerely apologizing. Come on, let's go to the shop."
In the end, the old man never kneeled to apologize to Raqnid. Raqnid gave up on trying to make him. Raqnid's bow was replaced with the 'Black String' cord.
"Here, it's ready!"
"Wow, what's this... it feels different from before. It's like wearing something expensive."
"Of course, this isn't an ordinary bowstring, you know. Expensive? The value of this bowstring is beyond measure. This bowstring is every Archer's dream..."
"Alright, thank you... I'm heading off now, old man."
"Hey, I haven't finished talking yet. You stubborn kid."
Raqnid started to leave the shop.
"Hey, kid, what's your name?"
Raqnid smiled. "Raqnid!"
"See you again!"
"No, this is the last time. We won't meet again," Raqnid replied and continued on his way.
"I didn't expect someone to defeat me... Maybe I'm getting old... Anyway, we'll surely meet again, Raqnid!"
Raqnid returned to his room. "Why is everyone so quiet?" There was no sign of his companions in the place they were staying.
"RAQNID!"
"Huh? Fat! Why do you look so rushed?"
"Where have you been? I've been looking for you for a while now. Come on, we're running late."
"Going where?"
"To the Elf palace. The Elf King wants to meet with everyone!"
"WHAT!"