The World Of Skill

Class Quest

*swish swish*

Arrows flying by hitting their target, and not long after a Level 12 「Frenzied Bear」 fall down and disappear into white lights. It has been 3 days since Ryu learned the arrow creation skill and right now, he is in the middle of his class advancement test.

Each class has a different advancement test. For archers, they are required to shoot at a target, go hunt to collect materials, and finally get recognized by the association.

Looking at his quest window, there’s still a long way to go and changing to his arrow creation skill page, he input the materials and set the automated production to replenish his arrow supply.

“Arrow creation really helps me out. I am able to get my stocks of arrow even in the middle of nowhere like this. *sigh* It’s been a day since I started gathering material for the quest but I am still halfway there.”

Ryu doesn’t have any pressure while playing the game. Even if his level progressing slower than others, he just enjoyed the game. He already fell in love with Green World. He likes how he feels so much closer to nature inside the game, every time the wind rustles his clothes, every monster that he met and hunt, he is already being immersed in the game. 

Unlike those who took the importance of their level and keep trying to find a better strategy to hunt or wanted to be the best inside the game and be top player, Ryu was moving forward at his own pace while taking pleasure in every step he takes.

He wasn’t looking around the net for guides or bugging Ginji to tell him what to do. He is someone who thinks that it is better not to know what’s inside your present before you actually open them. However, he still feels some regret for what happens with Sayu but since he never met her again, he decided to just let it go and move on.

“Yoosh! I have enough rest and it’s time to hunt again.”

Two more days has passed and finally, Ryu can change his job into an archer. He walked back towards Veloz to complete the job change.

“Sir Rusli, I have gathered all the material.”

“Oh, it’s you. Let me check it.”

The NPC is a receptionist at the archer association. He is the one responsible for handling quests. There are eight other NPC like him and they take turns taking the post for 24 hours, 3 in a shift. He tried to talk to them but most of their reply is only limited to quest detail. Either they are not able to give other replies and limited to their task or he hasn’t built enough affinity. Unlike other games where there is an adventurer’s guild that gathers quests, the Green World quest can be acquired by talking with the resident or by taking them at the class association. This is done to make it easier to take a class quest that gives common rank skills. 

“I have already checked it and only there’s no problem. You can now proceed with the last step. Go towards the back to the shooting range where you are first tested. Find instructor Jacob and he will tell you the rest.”

Heading towards the shooting range, Ryu found instructor Jacob easily. A man with sharp eyes and clothed in green.

“Good day sir, I am here for the final step in changing class.”

“Ryu right? I already know all the details from Rusli. Do you know what is required by an archer?”

“No sir.”

“Becoming an archer requires sharp eyes, keen observation of the surrounding, and excellent control of the bow. From the backline, the archer can deal a lot of damage that will help the team. Delivering critical hit towards the enemy weak point is one of the advantages. Hitting the monster’s eye to blind them will be hard to do by frontlines but an archer can do that easily and might change the tides of the battle. Your sharp eyes and keen observation are needed to detect the enemy. Although we’re not as good as 【scout】 in detecting the presence, our sight is one of the best out there. I am not sure why lately no one comes to be an archer despite all of our class advantages. Maybe they just don’t have the skill to aim correctly. Anyway, I will now teach you so you have what it takes to be a good archer. Follow me.”

Ryu nodded and walked behind Jacob to another spot on the shooting range. It was a long corridor filled with holes.

“This is called the hornet’s nest.”

Jacob pressed a button and immediately arrow is launched from one of the holes and passed through to another hole and disappear. At first, it was only one arrow but sooner or later the number grows and it was raining arrow.

“Among the arrows, there is one which is colored red. I want you to pinpoint that arrow and shoot it down. This is a test of your observation and shooting skills. In a battle, can you calmly find your target and shoot despite the obstacle? The time limit is 1 minute and we will start after you take out your bow and take a shooting stance.”

As he said that, Jacob pressed the button again and the arrow rain stopped. Ryu took note of the earlier mechanism and decide that it is better to shot down the red arrow at the first sight when he saw it. The more he waits, the denser the arrow rain is and makes it harder to shoot.

Ryu takes a deep breath and he takes out his bow. Giving a signal to Jacob with his eye, the test is now beginning.

1 arrow, 2 arrow, 15 arrow, 30 arrows, Ryu take a closer look but the red arrow shows no sign of coming out. At the 85th arrows, he finally found it. Predicting the arrow’s trajectory and speed, Ryu launched his own arrow and it flew towards the red arrow. Unfortunately, the arrow missed the target because it isn’t easy to shoot such a small moving target. The good thing about it is the red arrow seemed to be only coming out from that hole and this is now a test of finding out the right tempo to release the attack.

The second arrow still misses the target. The third, fourth, only at the fifth Ryu seemed able to graze it for a bit but then the time has run out.

“Damn. It is really hard. No wonder no one wants to become an archer, even the class change test is hard. I guess I failed the test.”

Ryu put down his bow and walked towards Jacob.

“I’m sorry I failed.”

“Don’t worry, you can try again.”

“Eh, I can try again?”

“Of course, you can try again. No one can do it at their first try and you can try as much as you want.”

Noticing that he can retake the test, Ryu now considers this test is not that really hard. With unlimited retry, sooner or later he is confident that he can clear the test, but if it is even hard for Ryu who is a gold medalist, it seemed impossible to clear for normal people.

“Sir, is it usually this hard to be an archer? If it is, I consider lowering the difficulty of the test. I think the difficulty of the test is one of the reasons why people don’t want to become an archer.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, it wasn’t this hard normally. The test for you is special. For you who has a perfect score at the first shooting test have increased difficulties. Not to mention Tony especially come to the association and request us to pay closer attention to you. Others passed the test just by finding the hole where the red arrows come out. Of course, as the difficulty is increased, the rewards that you get will be better. Or you can choose to take the normal test like the other, I don’t have any problem if you decide to do the normal ones.”

“No sir, let me just redo my test. No need to lower the difficulties.”

Ryu is getting eager just by listening to Jacob’s explanation. Either he realizes it or not, Ryu took pride in his family archery legacy. Moreover, he is one of the best archers in the real world, he won’t shrink from this challenge.

Moving towards the hornet’s nest again, he is ready for the retry.

“Again.”

“Again.”

“Again.”

It looked like that he was so close but failed to hit the red arrow every time. Either it just missed by 0.1 second- or 0.1-millimeter Ryu couldn’t manage to hit it.

“Again.”

Jacob who watched the whole process just nodded silently giving approval to Ryu’s perseverance. Even if Ryu back away from this test and choose to take the normal one, in the end, his unwillingness to give up right now earn Jacob’s favor.

“Ryu, please stop for a moment and come over here.”

Ryu’s eye is filled with unwillingness but he still comes over to Jacob.

“I don’t think that you have poor eyesight since you managed to find the red arrow at the first shot every time. But it can also be said as the reason why you fail. An archer, besides from using his eye to judge the target need to utilize all of his sense. The wind passed by your face can be used to determine the angle adjustment needed to hit the target. You managed to learn how to use your eye and touch senses but failed to utilize one more. Do you know what it is?”

Ryu contemplated for a while but he couldn’t seem to find an answer.

“It is your hearing. Sound can be used to determine whether your target is far or near. However, it can also be used to determine the target movement if it is moving in a set pattern. Try closing your eyes and hear the tempo.”

Ryu closes his eye as Jacob pressed the button again. 

*swish swish*

Ryu’s archery experience can be said mostly made of shooting still an unmoving target. Even when hunting inside the game, he relied on his sight. He never really took it to his heart that this is different from shooting in a competition. There is a various factor that could affect his shot. The wind is stronger than in the enclosed space and sudden movement of the monster. Ryu managed to hit them with his sight and sometimes his skin, telling him the wind direction. However, he never really pays attention to hearing.

*swish swish*

As more arrow is launched, the sound is getting crowded but he could vaguely determine their tempo.

*swish swish*

He opened his eye and tried to synchronize the arrow movement that he saw with the sound that he hears earlier. Ryu’s mouth is opened wide because he realized that somehow, he can see the target clearer and their movement seemed to be slower in his eye.

Ryu looked through the rain of arrow and found the red arrow. Closing his eyes again to determine its tempo and make a shooting stance.

*clank*

The sound of two metals hitting each other can be heard. Jacob let out a smile as Ryu’s arrow perfectly hit the red arrowhead. At the same time, a notification sound can be heard inside Ryu’s head.

「You have learned the skill 《Eagle’s eye》. You have learned the skill 《Enhanced sense》. You have learned the skill 《Pin point》. 」