A group of young students stood in front of the wall gazing at something with interest. This was what the archery trainer saw when he entered the training area. For a second, he was stumped. His students were never this lazy.
He silently went behind them. "What's got your interest?"
"We're seeing who's got the strength to pull that thing out."
"Yeah... everyone tried. Why don't you..." The student gazed back and realized it was their coach standing there with a smile. "Coach! You're back! We all missed you."
"Looks like you guys have gone lazy the week I wasn't here. Go, ten rounds."
"Ah, man..." The student groaned and moaned but still went to their practice run.
Coach Fan gazed at the new student with interest. "I heard we have a new student. My name's Fan, im your coach. Sorry I wasn't here when you joined us."
"I'm Jian, sir." The kid quickly moved to hide something with his back and smiled at him guiltily.
"And what were these kids looking at?" He pushed the kid to the side, gazing at the arrow stuck to the wall. "What is this? Who did this?"
"I'm sorry! It was me!" the new kid shouted, lowering his head to a bow. "I didn't know i could do this. I'm so sorry. I can compensate the school for this. Please do not chase me out!"
"Oh, okay..." Coach Fan gazed at him with a slight smile. "Join your seniors. I'll take care of this. No compensation needed."
"Thank you so much, sir." The boy ran and joined the others.
Coach Fan's eyes then gazed at the arrow. "This is solid brick. How on earth did he do this..." He tugged at the arrow, but it was firmly stuck there. "Hey, kid!" he called the kid back.
Eyes wide open, the young boy ran up to him. "Sir?"
"Why don't you show me what your seniors have taught you so far?"
"Yes, sir." Like a cute little obedient kid, the boy ran, took his compound bow, and ran up to the targets.
"Wait a second." He rushed to him. "Why did you use this bow? This is a defective bow that's jammed too tight! Chan, did you give this to the newbie? You could have hurt his hand trying to draw this! Do you guys have any sense?"
The other seniors got an earful.
Jian gazed at the bow in surprise. To be honest, it did not feel that tight to draw the bow.
"Um, sir. I can draw it."
The seniors all nodded. "Yes, coach! He can draw it! We have all seen it."
"How can..." the coach gazed his way.
Jian lowered his head slightly.
"Show me."
"Hmm..." He stood in position as he was taught and drew the string back. He did not release it as he did not notch an arrow. "I can do it, sir." He showed the coach this.
The man looked at him with his mouth agape. "A monster newbie... we are in luck! The national selection is just around the corner!!!"
Jian felt a lot of envious gazes fall on him. He shrunk slightly. "No, sir... I don't want to."
"Huh?" The coach just looked taken aback. "What do you mean you don't want to?"
"I don't want to participate in any competitions for a year... I'll do so after that." He gazed at his seniors. Most of them looked satisfied at this.
To be honest, he did not need to go to any because in about five months the alien invitation will start.
"It's crazy to think how much time has passed since my rebirth... and how much I've accomplished." He gazed at the bow with a smile. "Now I have a way to defend us too. God, I wish we can make it this time..."
The training ended. The seniors all crowded beside him. "Why did you reject it? Do you know what a national selection means? You get a free ride to any college you like!"
"I know. But I don't want it." Jian smiled up at them. "I only want to learn this as a hobby and to improve my strength. As for competitions... I don't want to go to any."
"Oh thank God you rejected though. Because as seniors, we only got this one last chance to hit the finals in the selection. If we lose, everything we've betted on is gone."
Jian gazed at the happily chatting group dazedly. "They don't know... all this hard work is useless. The world is going to end... our race is going to suffer a major loss."