Nocking an arrow, he fired at the nearest target. The arrow moved so fast that none of those who were watching could keep up with its movement. In the blink of an eye, the arrow had torn through the target and kept going, before finally lodging itself in a tree.
"So powerful!"
"Did you see that?"
"Of course I didn't, it was moving too fast."
"Nice shot." Lady Ellen commented.
The watchers were impressed by the performance of the bow. Only the boss lady noticed that the arrow had gone through the bull's eye. This did not stand out in any way. Everyone present was an elite in one way or another, hence they had seen someone hit the bull's eye.
Next, Barda took out 2 arrows and nocked them both at once. This action drew the spectator's attention, as they realized they were about to see something they don't see so often.
"Is he going to make the shot?" Someone asked Batoo, as he had seen them walking and talking together.
"How am I supposed to know, do I look like a fortune teller to you?"
"If he does make the shot, you know what that means."
Barda's intention was clear. He was going to attempt to shoot both targets at the same time. It was a complicated shot with so many variables in place, and if he did make the shot on both targets, then it would show that he had some skills.
The one most intrigued by this was Sten. For the longest time, he had been the leader of all ranged attackers in the adventurer team. This was not an easy post to come by, and the only reason he got it was because he was by far the best shot in the adventurer team. His preferred weapon was also a bow.
He had been very curious about the bow and its functionality. Unlike many in Crane City, he had had the pleasure of shooting with a metallic bow, and he knew their strengths and weaknesses.
Bronze was a new creation in the world, and so far there was only one equipment of bronze, the bow. Barda hadn't even named the metal he'd 'created' yet.
After the first shot had been fired, Sten had complimented the power behind the shot. In his eyes, if someone couldn't make the first shot, they didn't deserve to hold such a weapon.
Seeing Barda's new stance, he had to admit he was curious. He too could shoot multiple arrows at once, and he knew more than most just how difficult it was. One had to account for both shots individually then collectively if they even hoped to hit any of the targets.
Another reason for him being intrigued was that he knew Barda would fall under his command. He had been the one to command Batoo, another bowman, to chaperone Barda. In battle, the team's ranged attackers fell under him, so he needed to know what each of the adventurers was capable of.
Barda seemed to focus. At that moment, complex calculations were going on in his head as he mapped out the flight path of each of the arrows, factoring in the wind direction and strength. He didn't need fancy equipment to measure any of these since his body censors were feeding him all this information.
Tang!
The familiar sound like the plucking of a guitar string sounded. Seconds later, the report of both targets being struck was heard. Like the first shot, both arrows went through the targets and had to be stopped by a tree trunk, but not before they had dug themselves deep.
"What do you think of his performance?" Lady Ellen asked her vice-commander.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Lady Ellen raised her eyebrow. For Sten to say that about someone, they must have done something worthwhile. By this time, Sten had been mildly impressed by Barda's performance. There were still areas he felt the boy needed to improve, but he had the foundation right.
Everyone applauded. Even Sten was impressed. Barda's performance with the bow had been top-notch. In such a group, might was right. With such a demonstration, the future was looking bright. Barda had proven that he was a true elite, deserving to be among them, but he was not done yet.
When Barda pulled out another arrow, everyone wondered what he was trying to do since he had shot all the targets.
"Is he going to repeat?" One person asked.
"He must know it is pointless, right?"
"Without a target, what is he going to do, shoot into the sky?"
The person who asked that question was dumbstruck as he watched Barda do exactly that. Barda had done all that in one fell swoop. He didn't even take time to aim or look. He simply nocked his arrow and pulled.
"Is this a measure of distance or what?" The bowmen continued to discuss among each other.
"What do you mean?" Batoo asked. He was relatively new to the team and still learning his craft. That also explained why he was a bottom feeder who got the work others didn't want, such as playing chaperone to the new guy.
"Given how long it remains in the air before coming back down, one can gauge how much power was behind the shot," The bowman explained. "However, since the bow is that strong, is this a demonstration of the bow's strength or the archer's?"
The bowman's name was Enoch. Much like Sten, he was considered a genius and was quite knowledgeable in all matters archery. His talent ranked among the top 10 in the adventurer team and top 3 among the Ranged attackers. He had been second only Sten.
At first, he had adopted a superior air to Barda, whom he viewed as nothing more than a country bumpkin. However, this bumpkin's performance was good enough to impress him. He too could shoot multiple arrows, but his limit was 2. The fact that he had learned such a move was what made his talent so praised by others.
Now as he watched Barda's performance, he had realized that his position was in jeopardy, causing him to lash out. He knew that if it was him up there, there wasn't much he could have done differently.
Sten's eyes seemed to grow in size as shock registered in his face. He hadn't been sure of what Barda was trying to do, but he was more perceptive than Enoch. He hadn't rushed at speculating, but on seeing the results, to say that he was shocked would be an understatement.
A black object fell a few feet from where Barda was standing. Looking on, many were shocked that it was a bird, a raven to be precise. Only then did people understand. Barda had shot down the bird as target practice.
"Impossible!"
"How?!"
"It must have been a lucky shot, otherwise what other explanation is there?" Enoch said. "I dare you to repeat it."
2 things came out clearly when Barda made his shot. The first was that he had taken down a moving object. While target practice was all well and good, no living being stood and waited to be shot if they could allow it. Shooting down a moving object was easier said than done, especially one as small as a raven.
The second was that Barda didn't take time to aim before shooting. This was also the most impressive thing and the reason for Sten's reaction. Barda hadn't even looked up when he made the shot, yet it had found its mark nonetheless.
This was an important skill for an archer to have. Very rarely did one have the time to aim before firing, especially under fire. To be able to do so with such smooth movements showed that one was a bonafide elite, one deserving recognition.
Following Enoch's outburst, Barda looked up at the skies, trying to spot a bird. At that moment, an osprey was flying by. When he saw it, his eyes locked on it for a brief moment before turning his attention back to Enoch's.
Eyeing the challenger, Barda allowed an easy smile to appear on his face. He seemed non-threatening but Enoch felt as though he had been locked on by a demon, causing him to retreat involuntarily.
Barda didn't break eye contact but his hands moved like snakes. His bow was raised, an arrow nocked and fired in under a second. He then put his hands down and waited, still looking into Enoch's eyes. Barda had to admit he loved the look of fear behind those eyes.
Enoch, curious whether the arrow had found its target, found the willpower he needed to break eye contact. Just as he was about to raise his head, he felt a wet object fall on him. The bird had landed squarely on his head, and the arrow had pierced his cheek. It wasn't a deep wound, but it did cause him to bleed slightly.