Vol3 Chapter 13 Borrowed

The archer barely had time to react.

BOOOOOOM!

The stone beneath his feet exploded as Amos crossed the distance in an instant.

"Wha—"

The bow snapped upward on instinct, but it was too late. Amos’s fist halted just an inch from the archer’s face.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The archer stopped cold. His companions did too. Even the nearby applicants in the midst of battle slowed instinctively, feeling the weight of the smiling blond noble’s presence. Amos glanced at the bow, then back at the archer.

"Can I borrow that?"

"..."

The archer blinked.

"What?"

Amos sighed.

"I've been running around all day."

He stretched his shoulders.

"I'm tired."

"..."

"So, I've decided."

He casually took the bow from the archer's stiff hands.

"Time to switch builds."

Click.

Flash.

The archer vanished. Amos was now holding the longbow.

"..."

He weighed it once.

"Mm."

Not bad. Not as good as the family’s training bows, and certainly nowhere near the treasures in Kyros Treasury, but good enough. Nearby applicants exchanged glances.

"Did...did he really need to ask before eliminating him?"

"I don't think so..."

Amos reached down, grabbing the fallen quiver. Few arrows left.

"That'll do."

He slung it over his shoulder before casually sitting atop the ruined wall.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Applicants below stared.

"...Why is he sitting?"

"I don't know..."

Amos rested one leg over the edge of the wall.

"So much running around." He yawned. "Being active is tiring."

He drew the bow, mana flowing quietly into its wooden limbs. His emerald eyes scanned the battlefield—applicants weaving through ruins, groups clashing, others lying in wait for ambushes. Time itself seemed to slow.

"...Found you."

His finger released.

TWANG!

The arrow vanished through the air.

An applicant in the middle of chasing someone suddenly froze.

"...Huh?"

CLACK!

Flash.

The applicant vanished before he even realized what had happened.

"..."

"..."

A student nearby slowly pointed toward Amos.

"A headshot?" Amos nodded to himself. "Convenient."

He grabbed another arrow.

TWANG!

Flash.

Another applicant disappeared.

TWANG!

Flash.

Another.

TWANG!

Flash.

"..."

"..."

"..."

People slowly stopped fighting. Applicants hiding behind walls cautiously peeked out.

"He's shooting around."

Amos calmly reached for another arrow.

"No need to chase everyone."

TWANG!

Flash.

"Now this is much more efficient."

He leaned comfortably against the broken wall.

"This is the life."

***

Far above, the viewing hall had become strangely quiet.

"..."

"..."

"..."

One professor rubbed his forehead. Russell laughed.

"I was wondering when that would happen."

The younger professor blinked.

"He's not even pretending anymore."

On the screen, Amos lazily sat atop the highest ruin like he had claimed ownership of it.

Anyone who entered his field of vision lost their head within seconds.

TWANG!

Flash.

TWANG!

Flash.

TWANG!

Flash.

The elimination counter began falling at an alarming rate.

Remaining Applicants

367

...

361

...

354

***

Back on the battlefield, Amos propped his chin in one hand.

"..."

Another applicant sprinted across an opening.

TWANG!

Flash.

"Next."

A team of six tried to sneak behind a collapsed tower.

TWANG!

TWANG!

TWANG!

Flash.

Flash.

Flash.

The remaining three immediately raised both hands.

"We surrender!"

Amos blinked.

"Why would you do that?"

"..."

"Actually, never mind."

TWANG!

Flash.

The last three vanished at once, and Amos grinned with satisfaction.

"Being a sniper really suits me."

Far away, Chester smashed another applicant through a wall before looking toward the shrinking battlefield.

"...?"

He watched another three flashes erupt almost simultaneously.

"What the hell is he doing now?"

Amos reached for another arrow, his fingers brushing against the smooth wood. He stopped for a moment.

"..."

Only one arrow remained. Amos glanced into the quiver that is now empty. His eyes fell to the lone arrow resting between his fingers.

"...Already?"

He frowned, surprised at how quickly the arrows had disappeared. Some had struck down contestants, others missed as their targets dodged at the last second. One clanged against a shield, and another—bizarrely—was halted midair by a flying frying pan, a sight Amos still couldn’t comprehend. What the fuck is even is that. Now, only a single arrow remained as his emerald eyes scanned the battlefield.

Remaining Applicants

327

Amos rested his cheek against one hand.

"..."

Only twenty-seven to go. Technically, he could just stay put. The exam would be over soon anyway. Down below, everyone was already at each other’s throats, the boundary squeezing the fight into pure chaos. At this pace, hitting three hundred was guaranteed. So—Amos might as well wait, take it easy, save his strength, and do the sensible thing.

"But that would be boring."

His gaze swept over the battlefield once more, then halted. Slowly, a smile spread across his face.

"...Actually."

Only one arrow remained. It’d be a shame to let it go unused. More importantly, Amos’s eyes swept over the battlefield, landing on several familiar faces. The big players. The ones who had somehow made it through everything up to this point. Amos slowly sat upright.

"Let's test something."

Definitely not Estelle. She stood off in the distance, surrounded by injured applicants, tending to someone’s wounds yet again. Amos skipped over her without a second thought. The medic was off-limits. His eyes shifted to the others."Who first?"

His eyes stopped on a familiar green-haired figure.

"You."

Aurelia Maria Edward moved gracefully through the ruined plaza, her demeanor as serene as if she were wandering through a garden. Amos raised his bow, and mana began to gather.

TWANG!

The arrow whistled through the battlefield, a blur to most of the onlookers. Aurelia came to an abrupt halt, frozen mid-step.

"...Hm?"

A magic circle formed beneath her feet, and a dozen floating sigils sprang to life around her. The incoming arrow collided with one of them.

CLANG!

Its trajectory bent unnaturally before spiraling harmlessly into the sky.

"..."

Aurelia blinked.

"...Hmmn?."

She looked toward the distant ruins.

"Someone just tried to take me out."

Then she simply continued walking.

"...Oh."

Aurelia stared directly at him.

Even across the battlefield.

"..."

"..."

Amos smiled and gave a small wave, but Aurelia’s expression remained unchanged. Then, another magic circle appeared beside her, prompting Amos to duck instantly.

BOOOOOOM!

The top of the wall behind him exploded.

"..."

Amos slowly raised his head.

"Aight my fault."

He sighed.

Just as he was about to toss the bow aside, something caught his eye—an arrow lodged in the stone wall below, a remnant of an earlier shot from the archers. Amos blinked."..."

He smiled.

"Recycling."

He jumped down, pulled the arrow free, returned to the wall, and immediately scanned the battlefield again.

"Next."

His gaze found Chester. The muscle-headed battle maniac was laughing while charging through three applicants.

"HAHAHA!"

Amos sighed.

"So noisy."

TWANG!

The arrow shot straight toward Chester's badge.

At the last second—

BOOM!

Chester stomped down on a chunk of broken wall, and the blast hurled him sideways into another applicant. An arrow sliced through the space he’d just vacated, striking the unfortunate person behind him, who vanished in an instant.

"..."

Chester didn't even notice.

"NEXT!"

Amos stared.

"Lucky."

He nodded.

"Definitely lucky."

Another discarded arrow lay close by, and Amos bent down to pick it up.

"Again."

His gaze drifted to Elodie and Edith, who were making their way through the narrow streets with a small group. The twin sisters stayed close, Elodie smiling as she struck up a negotiation with another cluster of people while Edith walked quietly beside her, a notebook tucked under her arm.

TWANG!

The arrow shot toward Elodie, but Edith’s pink eyes flicked over. Without a word, she stepped forward, her magic swatting the arrow aside. The impact barely made her budge. She cast a quick glance at the distant ruins.

"..."

She calmly jotted something down in her notebook, and Elodie peeked over.

Someone is trying to shoot you.

Elodie giggled.

"How troublesome."

They kept walking, while Amos quickly crouched down behind the wall.

"Next."

Another arrow.

Willow.

"Surely I won't miss the fourth time."

She walked alone through the forest edge. Amos drew again.

TWANG!

The arrow soared through the air. Willow didn’t glance behind her. With ease, she drew her sword in one smooth motion.

Slash.

The arrow split cleanly in two, the halves dropping harmlessly at her sides. Without breaking stride, she slid her blade back into its sheath.

"Hold on, that was fire."

Another arrow.

Lucra.

The dragonfolk girl stood by a crumbling pillar, her eyes scanning the battlefield as if searching for something. She moved on, sniffing curiously around another ruin.

"Mmm......Where are you...Fellow dragon..."

Amos smiled.

TWANG!

The arrow shot toward her. Lucra tilted her head.

"...Hm?"

Whoosh.

The arrow flew past her cheek. She frowned.

"Big bug?"

She continued searching.

Another arrow.

Frida.

Amos immediately regretted choosing Frida.

"..."

There were seven of her. No, nine. Wait… twelve? Fox beastwomen darted across the battlefield in all directions. Some fought, others fled. One lounged atop a wall, while another seemed preoccupied with eating. Amos narrowed his eyes.

"...Which one?"

He watched as one Frida vanished, another took her place, and three passed right through each other.

"..."

Amos raised the bow anyway.

"Fine."

TWANG!

The arrow went straight through Frida, and the image faded away—just an illusion. Amos stared in disbelief as another Frida appeared on a different rooftop, waving at him. Without hesitation, he reached for another arrow.

TWANG!

That Frida disappeared as well, and then a third one emerged from behind a pillar.

TWANG!

Gone. A fourth sat on a wall.

TWANG!

Gone.

At fifth—then Amos paused.

"..."

He glanced at his dwindling stash of scavenged arrows, then back at the army of Fridas.

"No."

One Frida smiled, another waved, and a third blew him a mocking kiss from across the battlefield. Amos pointed at them.

"Not worth it."

All twelve Fridas looked offended. Amos turned away.

"Next."

Then he spotted green hair, long ears, and a bow—it was Mira. Amos smiled.

"Perfect."

She moved alone through the battlefield, leaping over shattered stone and firing at the enemies below. Amos lifted his bow. Mira froze. Her ears gave a twitch.

"..."

Amos drew his weapon. Mira turned to face him. Their eyes locked across the chaos of the battlefield.

"..."

"..."

Amos smiled.

TWANG!

At the exact same moment—

TWANG!

Two arrows streaked across the battlefield, racing straight toward each other. Amos’s eyes went wide.

CLACK!

Arrow met arrow, the clash splintering both shafts in midair, scattering fragments between them.

"..."

"..."

Mira lowered her bow with deliberate ease. Amos mirrored her movement, lowering his own. From across the distance, Mira offered a small, subtle smile—just enough to be noticed. Amos simply stared.

"Show-off."

Mira’s ears twitched, and she turned away. Amos quickly reached for another arrow, but his fingers came up empty.

"..."

He checked the quiver, empty. Scanning the rooftop, there wasn’t a single arrow in sight. Peering over the edge, still nothing.

"..."

Amos sat down, the longbow resting across his lap, his eyes drifting toward the dwindling count of remaining applicants.

Remaining Applicants

312

"..."

He waited.

BOOM!

309

Flash.

Flash.

306

A distant scream. Another explosion.

303

Amos rested his chin on his hand.

"..."

Flash.

Flash.

Flash.

The number changed.

300

A great magical tone echoed across the entire simulation.

WHOOOOOM!

Every applicant froze.

The battlefield fell silent.

Amos looked at the number.

"..."

He looked down at the bow in his hands.

They had not survived this far because of luck.

His gaze moved across the battlefield one final time.

"...They're really good."

A pause.

Then Amos looked at the bow again.

"..."

His expression became thoughtful.

"Or..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"...maybe I'm not as good with a bow as I think."

Amos considered this possibility very seriously then shook his head.

"No."

The simulation began glowing around him.

"Definitely the first one."

Flash.