The lady approached the two men locked in conversation and remarked, "It appears you two are at it again." Ray, with a smile, responded, "Aunt Joan, how went your mission?"
Note: Maria Joana de Gray, known as Joan the Spear who Pierced the Heaven (26), is a warrior of extraordinary skill. Armed with a spear, she is one of the mightiest in her class and the younger sister of Kleinth Eivhan de Gray and is one of the people who saved Ray from the Hod.
Joan, weariness etched in her expression, sighed, "Oh, the usual. Nothing much to do when you're just giving commands."
Kleinth countered with a grin, "Come now; being a commander is the best; you get to lead and relax at the same time."
"It's easy for you to say," Joan retorted, her voice tinged with irritation, "since you took a whole damn year off after THAT mission."
The siblings continued their spirited exchange until Ray intervened, "Alright, dad, stop bickering with Auntie. I'm off to take a shower."
As Ray departed the training ground, Kleinth called after him, "Oh, I almost forgot; tomorrow is the admission exam for the Academy of Valor. Do your best, son."
Note: The Academy of Valor is an academy that seeks to produce students that have the potential for greatness and power to save lives. It is one of the greatest academies in the world and is considered the best and the hardest because the rate of the student who was able to pass the entrance exam each year is only 1%.
Pride shone in Kleinth's eyes as Ray replied, "Of course, dad, I will do my best."
Once Ray was out of sight, Joan turned to Kleinth, her voice laced with concern, "Do you really think he can pass?"
Kleinth smirked confidently, "Why even ask when you already know the answer?"
Joan, still worried, replied, "He can't shoot straight, Kleinth. The kid has literally zero aim, even if the target is just 5 meters away."
Kleinth's pride did not waver. "You are right, but when it comes to determination and vigor, he surpasses anyone. Have you forgotten that he mastered every marksmanship technique? The kid even created his own."
As Ray walked down the hallway, he glanced at his hand, a wave of doubt washing over him. "Seven years since I was saved and adopted. Seven years of training, but why... why can't I have the accuracy of a true marksman?" He sighed, disappointment heavy in his heart.
Flashback------
"All right, Ray, pick your path. Fighter? Marksman? Mage? Tank? Assassin? Or support?" Kleinth asked the young Ray. Without missing a beat, Ray replied with a smile, "I want to be a marksman, just like you, Dad."
"Great choice. Looks like I'll be your teacher then," Kleinth responded with a proud grin.
Kleinth poured everything into teaching Ray—every technique, every secret trick he knew. Within a year, he was blown away by Ray's quick mastery of nearly 90% of what he'd taught. However, as the years passed, a harsh reality emerged. Ray's marksmanship just wasn't up to par. He could only reliably hit targets within a 100-meter range, and even then, he often missed.
More years passed, and Ray's talent didn't improve. He was painfully aware of his shortcomings and began to doubt himself. But instead of giving up, he doubled down, training harder and pushing his intellectual limits. He studied until he could practically recite the dictionary, learn multiple languages, and devour the entire encyclopedia. But none of it mattered; his marksmanship remained stagnant, and the frustration gnawed at him.
------ Current
After stepping out of the shower, Ray headed to his room, a sense of determination in his stride. He walked over to his bed, grabbing his weapon. A gun he named Path Seeker, his pride and joy, lay waiting. This was no ordinary weapon. Ray had spent countless hours customizing this gun, a Glock 19, pouring his passion and technical skills into every modification.
He named it Path Seeker—a fitting title for a tool designed to help him find his true aim. The gun was outfitted with cutting-edge technology, including a scope capable of reaching distances up to five kilometers. A silencer, which could muffle sound by 99%, rendered his shots almost completely silent. The accuracy enhancements he had added were supposed to give him an edge, boasting a precision rate of absolute 50%.
Ray admired the sleek, dark finish of his creation, running his fingers over the barrel. Each modification was a testament to his relentless pursuit of perfection. Yet, despite all the advancements and the sophisticated technology, there was one thing he couldn't upgrade—himself.
He picked up Path Seeker, feeling its familiar weight in his hands. The cold metal against his skin was a reminder of the many hours he had spent training, striving to improve his accuracy. He had thought that by enhancing the gun, he could overcome his limitations. But every time he aimed and fired, he was reminded that the problem wasn't the gun—it was him.
Ray sighed, his breath heavy with frustration. He had invested so much in this journey, but the results were always the same. The frustration gnawed at him, but it also fueled his resolve. He knew he couldn't give up. There had to be a way to bridge the gap between his aspirations and his reality.
Another day had dawned, and Ray found himself standing at the imposing gates of the Academy of Valor, his heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety. The air around the academy buzzed with an aura of power and prestige, emanating from the strong and formidable figures that populated the grounds. As Ray observed his peers, he couldn't help but feel a pang of inferiority. These were no ordinary applicants; many were descendants of heroes who had fought in the greatest war in history, a war so brutal it had been etched into the annals of time as the worst period to live in—the era of the Demon King Behemoth, the Sin of Sloth.
Ray's self-doubt gnawed at him. Could he, an ordinary young man with no legendary lineage, truly stand a chance against such extraordinary competition? His mind swirled with these thoughts as he wandered through the academy, taking in its grandeur and the weight of its history.
Lost in his musings, Ray accidentally bumped into someone, the impact sending him sprawling to the ground. It felt as though he had collided with a boulder. Dazed, he looked up to see a face twisted in disgust glaring down at him.
"What are you looking at?" the man snarled, his tone dripping with disdain.