Dreambreaker : The extra from 2393

Chapter 65: A lesson in archery

Noah's POV(Point of View):

Rows of bullseye targets were placed in the archery section, each positioned 2 meters away from each other.

The ground in this section was covered with lush carpets of grass.

There were different starting lines a person could choose from, ranging from 10 meters to 80 meters away from the targets.

The archery section was separated from the rest of the gym by a transparent glass wall that had 'entrances' to allow entry without any doors.

I walked over, holding my bow in one arm, and arrived at a specific archery spot about 10 meters away from where Emily was shooting.

'I have never held a bow in my life before this', I thought to myself.

I examined the bullseye target board—I didn't know what they were called.

For reference, Emily was using a flat bow while I, on the other hand, was using a recurve bow.

What is the difference?

I don't know, well I didn't read the manual — ahem.

"."

I thought a recurve bow looked cool, so I bought it without much consideration.

I placed an arrow on the string and stood straight, without assuming any specific stance. What's the need for a stance?

I aimed at the target while holding the bow and started retracting the string with the arrow still in it.

Kkrrrrk!—It made a strange sound as I drew back the string, but for some reason, I wasn't able to fully draw it back, and it was putting a lot of pressure on my shoulder blade.

Chukh!—I let go of the string, and the arrow went straight at the target —swiiiish! Tak!

At the same time, I felt a little twinge on my left forearm, but I didn't mind it.

Instead of hitting the target, the arrow hit the wall behind it.

"."

Why did that happen?

I kept trying and trying, but most of the time, it didn't hit the bullseye at all.

Forget the bullseye! It wasn't even hitting the gold! No, it was going way off; sometimes it hit the mat or the white parts, which were basically 1 point!

Frustrated, I pulled back the string once again when suddenly, "You're doing it wrong, you know?" A voice came from my right.

The words cut through the air, drawing my attention to the source.

Turning my head gradually to the right, I found myself locking eyes with a mesmerizing pair of golden orbs—Emily stood there, a mere 3 meters away, her arms folded across her chest, her gaze etched with disapproval.

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, I questioned Emily, "What exactly am I doing wrong?"

In response, she simply pointed towards my torso.

"The way you're standing and holding the bow is not right—no, forget that. What are you doing with a bow anyway? Didn't you used to use a machete?" She asked, sounding confused.

"Well, I decided to learn archery as well", I replied with a shrug.

Emily sighed and shook her head as she began walking towards me.

But soon she noticed something.

Pointing at my left arm, her frown deepened.

"Noah, you're not wearing an arm guard?" she questioned, gesturing towards my exposed forearm.

"Arm guard?"

Her exasperated tone indicated disbelief as she repeated, "You don't know what an arm guard is, do you?"

Attempting to save face, I quickly replied, "Of course, I know what an arm guard is".

'I didn't'

In a knowing tone, Emily began to explain, "When you shoot the bow, the string can create friction against your arm, it can cause injuries. That's why wearing proper gear, like an arm guard is important."

'Ah, that explain the twinge I was feeling on my left arm!'

Luckily, Nano seemed to have healed it instantly, leaving no marks on my arm.

Gently, Emily plucked the recurve bow from my grasp, her voice carrying a tone of authority—"You're using a recurve bow, you see", she pointed her finger directing towards my legs.

My eyes instinctively followed her gesture, downward towards my posture.

"That's not a good stance. If you stand upright, you won't be able to draw properly, nor maintain the necessary balance. This will not only strain your shoulder blades but also cause your shots to miss the mark."

She began to lecture me on archery for whatever reason...not that I mind it.

She positioned her right leg behind her, her upper body and chest slightly turned towards the right.

With her left arm firmly gripping the bow, she tilted it at a slight angle.

Drawing my attention once again, Emily pointed towards the middle section of my bow. "Notice the shelf instead of an arrow rest?" she asked like a teacher.

"For optimal results, I recommend using feathered arrows and tilting your bow slightly like this", she demonstrated.

Gracefully, Emily effortlessly pulled back the bowstring, the sound of tension resonating in the air.

Chukh!—The arrow soared through the air with a swift —Swiiish!

Finally, it found its mark right at the bullseye, hitting the target dead center.

I couldn't help but let slip a comment under my breath, entranced by the elegance of her beauty and form. "Beautiful", I murmured, unaware that the words had escaped my lips.

Instantly realizing my slip-up, I mentally cursed myself, feeling embarrassed.

"Beautiful?" Emily questioned, her eyebrow arching mischievously, a smirk playing on her lips.

Maintaining a placid expression and refusing to let my emotions betray me, I quickly responded, "I mean, your form was beautiful."

But soon my attention quickly diverted towards the glass wall situated a few meters behind Emily, which separated the archery section from the rest of the gymnasium.

To my surprise, at least ten curious faces were peering through the glass, watching our every move.

Noticing my distracted gaze, Emily turned around, "What on earth are you all doing there!"

-""Waaah!""

-"She saw us!"

-"She saw us!Run!"

They scattered away hastily.

I couldn't help but shake my head at their foolishness.

But this whole encounter made me realize something—I had misjudged Emily.

Despite my initial assumptions, she turned out to be genuinely kind.

She was different from what I had thought her to be.

I mean I somewhat knew she was good hearted from the but I didn't believed her to be this ...kind.

But I cannot be friends with her..

I can't allow myself to befriend her!

No...

She was a main character.

I have to draw the line right here and now before it becomes worse...

"You know what? I don't need your help", I replied to Emily, my tone icy and distant.

Snatching the bow from her grasp, I asserted, "Next time, don't disturb me while I'm practicing."

Emily appeared taken aback, a mix of confusion and sadness flickering in her eyes due to my sudden change in behavior.

Without offering any further explanation, I hastily left the place.

Yet...an uneasy feeling tugged at my chest, almost resembling sadness.

Well I was a person with strong moral principles afterall. Berating a girl who was only trying to help me must be the cause of my sadness.