Chapter 109: Challenged

Kwan won against the aspiring hunter with seventy-eight: seventy-two targets hit.

Kwan walked down the aisle of stones and walked past other participants as he saw Ned seating atop the stone pavement.

"Two hundred silver," Kwan said. Rotating his shoulder joints after a long aim. He sat next to Ned. "I can choose to stop now, but that would be a shame."

"Not bad with the bow," Ned said. His dusky blue eyes were gazing at the black-masked participant. He gazed too long, he knew something was off about Swift. His build was slim, his movements were forced, but, more focused than Kwan. Way more.

The first level ended up with less than a hundred participants passed. Ned assumed swift was on the top.

"Are you permitted to use magic during the game?" Ned asked. Piquing his curiosity.

Kwan drummed his fingers on his knees. Ned wasn't sure if he needed to ask the same question twice. "No," Kwan said eventually. "That's the good thing about this game, even us—Hollows could join. It's pure bow skills."

He really doesn't know. Ned thought. "Let's hope you practiced enough."

"I did," Kwan said. Feeling proud of himself as he straightens his slouching back. "I practiced bow, I almost slept with it." He laughed, scratching the back of his messy hair.

After a minute of preparation, level two was about to start. Kwan eyed Rag as if he was his only enemy on the game. Rag won by ninety-six target against his lousy opponent at level one.

The organizers tallied scores, prepared the arena, and announced. Level two has begun.

Kwan walked down the aisle of cold stone. Same for the rest of the participants.

The dome was now jammed with onlookers, mostly gamblers, willing to take a risk and be a one-time silver hoarder.

The dome was fan-shaped sloping down the massive arena. The Forgotten King constructed the dome-like a fighting pit but was renovated to accommodate the Chance Arrow game.

Kwan reached the arena clinching on the bow. The range was the same, the time was the same—two minutes of sand, pouring inside an hourglass.

The base of the log was attached in mechanical gear, and someone must have constructed it to move in a random way. While the target, a spherical glass, was fixed atop the log. The target moved, sometimes fifty meters, sometimes a hundred.

Kwan, who has participated in the game in a number of times, seemed that the target moved slower this time. Perhaps due to his countless training. It shows when he shot the moving targets with accuracy.

Moments passed, Kwan nocks another arrow. Released, hitting the target moving sideways.

His opponent, a kid, a little older than Ned, shot a target while biting a skin under his lips. He missed. He draws another and nearly hit the target. He was frustrated, he pulled arrows after arrows. He hit and missed.

As the hourglass emptied two-minute sand. Kwan won the first round of level two. Hitting fifty targets, and missing by ten. Against his opponent, who hit targets for only thirty times, mostly missing the rest.

The level three begun with less than fifty participating members left.

At level three, targets moved the same, but the range was extended by three hundred meters. An increase in range does not affect Kwan's performance. Fifty-four, less missing. Against his opponent of the north slum of Bogaressi.

Both were determined to get out of the slum, but, only one won. Kwan's enemy lost at thirty and more missing.

One-hundred silver coins turned two-hundred. Two-hundred turned four-hundred. Four-hundred turned eight-hundred.

Kwan gave Ned his winning bet which was four-hundred and will give the bow after he was finished with the game, either win or lose, Ned gets to keep the bow.

"Will you be my Spotter, Ned?" Kwan said. Hesitating to give the four hundred silver coins. 

Ned received the coin without batting an eye at Kwan. Not towards Kwan, but his eyes gazed at the sitting Swift, not far from the arena.

Ned was there for the resources. Back at the Empire of Sskat, all the resources he needed were provided by the Empire. He didn't bother about resources before. But slowly learning the ways of the people of the empire. He knew, that the great success of conquering, skirmishes, and war with other races was only due to the great role of resources.

And one thing he learned was that resources were needed be it traveling, fighting, war, or simply throwing a mere party to boost the soldier's morale. Resources come in many different forms, it has one value: for survival.

Some part of Ned wanting to leave, he got enough resources to last a couple more months. Silver to maintain his House for as long as he wants. But, some part of him, the old part of him, wanting something more. A part of him that needed to be challenged.

[Even without my help, Ned. You could win the game.]

ICE prompted. Somewhat encouraging him even more.

[You could keep the resources. And let Kwan pay for the rest.]

[And the man seemed to interest you. Why not challenge him?]

He seemed to be different from the rest. Kwan was okay, he was a kid, so he needed more training. But, the Swift guy? He was proficient with a bow. And some part of me wanted to challenge him. Ned responded in his thoughts. He puffed his chest out, he has decided. He will evaluate more of this Swift guy.

Kwan stood across Ned. He was waiting, and it doesn't matter how long. He would try to convince Ned. Kwan needed a Spotter after level three. Since the target will start to move faster, and he got to expand his energy from focusing. Which, he had a hard time if he was alone.

"Fifty-fifty, I get to have the recurve," Ned said, laying terms he could pull off. "And, I get to challenge Swift."

At first, Kwan nodded. The first term somewhat a bit hard for him, since he joined to earn silver as many as he could. But, still, at fifty-fifty, winning one thousand six hundred after level five was still a big amount for him. The second term was talked about.  But, the third? Kwan's heart stopped beating for a mere second. He knew, that his skills were on par, if not less, against Rag.

Some people watched, not to enjoy the game, but to watch Swift's performance with awe. People even bet for Swift if he could miss by one. Some bet if he could pass level five without a single miss.

And here comes Ned. Wanting to challenge Swift, that even rookie hunters had a hard time challenging him. "Are, are" Kwan said, confused or disturbed. "Ned, winning at level five is enough. I planned to stop at level five, Ned. I wasn't even sure if we could pass level five. But, you? Challenge Swift?"

Ned reached the trembling hand of Kwan and gave the silver back. Gesturing Kwan to bet eight-hundred silver coins at level four.

Kwan wasn't sure if he should be joyous or sad.

The two stepped in the arena. Swift tilted his head slightly seeing Ned joined the game, he stood, followed Ned and Kwan.

Their opponent was a rookie hunter. A wooden necklace hung his neck. A longbow was his choice of weapon. He got a Spotter. Same as Kwan, only, Ned was Kwan's Spotter.

"Ned" Kwan said, with his height, he slightly looked down at Ned, he waited for the fourth level to start. Ned stood beside him. "Spotter's role was simple"—giving the Oculus hanging on his waist to Ned"—the range was farther this time, so I needed someone to spot some targets. With the Oculus, it helps you find targets faster. Just tell me where, and I'll hit the rest."

The cylindrical tube wasn't that much different to Cas'a, the way they were used was the same. But, Kwan's Oculus was the simplest one. It doesn't contain added effects when mana was injected.

Level four, increase range by four hundred meters and targets moved faster. Kwan's eyes squinted with the moving that blurred his vision. Kwan took a deep breath, nock an arrow, stretched the string, exhaled, then released. Kwan missed the first shot. His opponent smirked.

The rookie hunter took his time. He was focused than Kwan, may be determined. He released an arrow, hitting the target that moved like a coiling snake. The target, shattered, before the broken glasses could reach the cold floor. The rookie hunter released another arrow. Hitting another target in less than three seconds.

Kwan was startled. He was overwhelmed by the speed and the range, he thought that they must have changed the speed at level four.

Ned tapped on Kwan's shoulder. "Focus," Ned said under his breath. "Do not think about your opponent. Focus on the tip of your arrow. Then release."

Kwan hit the target. He heaves a sigh of relief. He shot another one, hitting the target once more.

"Thirty met to your right," Ned said. Eyeing the cylindrical glass with care. "Going forward, forty, fifty."

The target shattered. Kwan was focused on both the target and Ned's voice.

"Sixty met behind," Ned said. Giving Kwan an easy target. "It moved to your right at twenty met. Thirty, forty, it's going farther."

Doesn't matter, Kwan hit the target. The two worked as one. With Ned giving Kwan an easy target, he never missed.

He throws a gaze at Ned, Kwan was surprised with himself that he could shot at different angles, only with the help of Ned.

"Focus, Kwan," Ned said under the tube. For Kwan, the targets were a blur. For Ned, the targets were slow. "Three hundred met to your left. Moving farther. Focus and hit before it leaves your comfort range."

Kwan shuddered, how could Ned knew his comfort range. He shook his head, he focused. And shot the farthest target he could see. He hit that target.

The two duos wiped clean the nearest target, which resulted in aiming the farthest target. With Ned's help, Kwan believed in his aim.

Seeing Kwan hitting the blurring targets without a miss their opponent lost confidence, and focus. He couldn't relax, his aim faltered.

Although Kwan hit the target with accuracy, he was still slow according to Ned. Kwan's aim was slow that Ned had the time, a lot of time, to glance at Swift.

Swift didn't budge on his spot. With his left arm aiming, the mechanical crossbow, attached on his wrist, kept on firing the targets at a constant rate of fire, and accuracy.

For one, Ned learned something about Swift, if he could afford a mechanical crossbow, he sure came from a House, lesser, probably medium. If he came from a well established House, then, he was there, not for the prize, but for the challenge.

Two hundred targets, in two minutes. Swift surely won the fourth level. His opponent didn't even bother to battle him for the second time. They all lost hope knowing that their opponent was Swift.

Kwan moved from side to side looking for a proper angle before hitting the target. Participants were allowed to move as long as they do not advance further at the given red line. He won against his opponent with an overwhelming score of seventy against twenty. Kwan could almost yelp in excitement. This was his best record at the fourth level. He sure did thank Ned.

After another overwhelming victory. Kwan proceeds to the fifth level. The fifth level for Kwan could be his demise—or rise.

He swallowed a lump of saliva. He could see now that it was his demise. Coincidentally, his opponent was Rag.