The tension in the arena crackled as Zack and the archer, Aurelia, locked eyes. Zack's expression remained a mask of serene indifference, while Aurelia's face was etched with a confident grin. "Before we duel," Aurelia announced, his voice ringing out across the ring, "I believe you should know the name of the man who will defeat you. I am Aurelia, a master archer, a symbol of fear to my enemies."
A flicker of amusement danced across Zack's lips. "Defeat me, you say? You're delusional if you think there's anything but a chasm between our power. But, to demonstrate the futility of your efforts, I'll defeat you and toss you from this ring without even drawing my weapon."
A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Aingo, watching intently, muttered to himself, "He must be joking."
Aurelia chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "I appreciate the handicap, truly. But I must offer a word of advice: cockiness and overconfidence..."
"Enough of your blather," Zack interrupted, his voice sharp. "I have more pressing matters to attend to."
With a fluid motion, Aurelia released an arrow, the projectile whistling through the air, aimed directly at Zack's forehead. Zack, reacting with lightning speed, sidestepped the arrow, allowing it to pass harmlessly by.
"You'd best abandon your handicap, child," Aurelia said, his voice laced with condescension. "You have no chance against me. My archery skills are far beyond your comprehension. Do you still believe you can face me unarmed? Choose your words wisely."
Zack, radiating an aura of utter indifference, sighed. "Have I not already told you to cease your incessant chatter? Let us proceed."
Aurelia, his patience wearing thin, nocked four arrows simultaneously. "Very well. But remember, you asked for this." He released the arrows, followed immediately by another volley of four. Zack, his movements fluid and precise, dodged the arrows with effortless grace. The crowd watched in awe, their eyes fixed on Zack's remarkable agility.
Aingo, observing the scene with a critical eye, couldn't fathom Aurelia's strategy. Why continue firing arrows that were clearly having no effect? Surely, he would soon exhaust his supply.
Aurelia continued his relentless barrage, but Zack, moving with increasing confidence, began to close the distance. Suddenly, Aurelia paused, a sly smile playing on his lips. He unleashed three arrows in quick succession. Zack, anticipating the usual trajectory, was momentarily taken aback by the subtle shift in their movement. He was forced to retreat slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his features.
"I've deciphered your movements," Aurelia declared, his voice ringing with triumph. "From now on, I won't miss. I guarantee it."
He fired another arrow, but Zack, calling his bluff, remained still, feigning a dodge to the left. To his astonishment, the arrow changed direction mid-flight, veering left and narrowly grazing Zack's nose.
Zack, his eyes narrowing, fixed his gaze on Aurelia. "What is wrong with your arrows? They're not supposed to do that."
Aurelia grinned. "You're right. An arrow can't change direction mid-air, can it?" He paused, savoring the moment. "Unless you're wielding a recoil bow. This bow was custom-made for me, designed to complement my unpredictable nature. When I fire an arrow, I first calculate where my opponent will be if I aim directly at them. Then, the bow's unique string mechanism alters the arrow's trajectory, ensuring it strikes its target. Ten years of practice, and this is the result. Do you still believe you can defeat me unarmed?"
Zack attempted to advance, but a wave of dizziness washed over him. His movements faltered, his body betraying a momentary weakness.
"Oh, I almost forgot to mention," Aurelia said, his voice dripping with mock concern. "The tips of my arrows are coated with a mild poison. Not potent enough to kill, but sufficient to induce dizziness, enough to make you stumble off the ring. And since my arrow grazed your nose, you've already been exposed. Your chances aren't looking good, are they?"
A hush fell over the crowd, a palpable sense of disappointment replacing their earlier excitement. Rider, unable to contain himself, scoffed, "And after all that boasting, he's not as strong as he claimed."
In the pavilion, Leo's face was etched with concern, but Bell remained impassive. "Don't be foolish," Bell said, his voice calm and steady. "Zack is far from defeated. This is nothing. That man is like an insect to him."
Back in the ring, Zack wiped the trickle of blood from his nose. "Ah, so you study your opponent's movements before employing your trick arrows, and you resort to poison. A true coward's arsenal. But if you wish to witness true understanding of an opponent's fighting style, I'll gladly oblige."
He resumed his advance, his gait steady and deliberate. Aurelia, his confidence wavering, stared at Zack in disbelief. "How are you not affected by the poison?"
"This poison is nothing," Zack replied, his voice flat. "Since the age of six, I've been subjected to far more potent toxins as part of my training. You could say I'm immune."
Aurelia, his composure crumbling, took a step back. He loaded another arrow, aiming for Zack's head, anticipating his usual dodge to the right. But Zack continued his advance, ignoring the approaching projectile. To Aurelia's bewilderment, the arrow veered right, missing its target.
Aurelia's mind raced. How did he know? Is he playing mind games? He fired another arrow, this time aiming left, hoping to confuse Zack into dodging into its path. But Zack remained unfazed, the arrow passing harmlessly by.
Aurelia unleashed a barrage of trick arrows, each one designed to exploit Zack's perceived patterns. But Zack, his movements now unpredictable, evaded them all, steadily closing the distance. Sweat beaded on Aurelia's brow, his confidence replaced by a growing sense of dread.
He fired one final arrow, this one a straight shot, hoping to catch Zack off guard. But to his utter astonishment, Zack caught the arrow mid-flight, his fist closing around the shaft inches from his face.
The crowd erupted in a thunderous roar. Rider, his eyes wide with disbelief, turned to Aingo. "Is it even possible to catch an arrow like that?" Aingo, equally impressed, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Zack.
Aurelia, realizing he was out of arrows, lunged at Zack, his fists flailing. Zack, with effortless grace, sidestepped the attack and, with a swift motion, plunged one of Aurelia's poisoned arrows into his back.
Aurelia, his face contorted in pain, gasped, "How... are you even human?"
"You said you needed to understand your opponent's fighting style for your trick arrows to work, correct?" Zack said, his voice calm. "To counter that, I simply changed my own style, anticipating your calculations. I did the opposite of what you expected, and I thought the way you would be thinking. It's quite simple."
With a flick of his wrist, Zack sent Aurelia tumbling from the ring. The crowd roared its approval, and even King Neon applauded, declaring, "So, Zack is as formidable as Bell promised."
Zack, his face devoid of emotion, scanned the crowd. His eyes met Bell's, who gave him a subtle nod of approval. Zack, surprised by this rare display of recognition, was interrupted by a soft touch on his arm.
The old man he had seen earlier stood beside him, his hand resting gently on Zack's shoulder. "Well done, boy. You're stronger than I gave you credit for."
Zack tensed, instinctively stepping back far away from him drawing his sword. How did he approach without me sensing him? If he had wished, he could have pushed me off the ring. He stared at the old man, his mind racing. Who is he?
The old man, unfazed by Zack's reaction, simply stared back, the chipped plate of alcohol held loosely in his other hand.