Chapter 6: Your Legs Are Weak (1)
Anis squinted, trying to see the person at the door. It was a young man with silver hair and golden eyes smiling. He was so handsome that he would stand out even in a crowded street. His playful smile and cheerful demeanor seemed that he was happy to see Anis.
The man, who had entered the training room without permission, waved casually, causing Anis’ handsome face to frown.
Who is he, and why is he acting like he knows me? I’ve never seen him in my life.
Anis racked his brain, wondering if he had forgotten or something, but he was certain it was their first time meeting.
First of all, his attire isn’t noble-like. And the way he walks is utterly lacking in dignity. He looks like an outsider, yet the soldiers just let him in?
Seeing that the soldiers were standing at the door and looking this way, it was clear that the man wasn’t an intruder. But since Anis couldn’t consider him an ally, he stopped the man.
“Stop. Who are you?”
However, the man didn’t stop walking, as if he didn’t hear Anis.
Maybe I was too quiet.
Anis thought perhaps he had lost his voice due to the strenuous training, so this time he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Stop! Who are you?”
This time, his voice echoed through the training room. There was no way the man hadn’t heard him. However, the man still didn’t stop and continued approaching with a carefree smile.
Is he deaf?
Anis decided to be prepared, gripping his arrow as he faced the man. The man, who stopped five steps away, exuded a peculiar aura.
How strange. It’s the first time I’ve met him, but he feels familiar. Hm? Wait, his eyes…
The descendants of Sefira shared a common trait: they had a blend of purple and gold in their eyes, which the man before him also had. Golden irises, which were reminiscent of a sunlit wheat field at sunset, and gem-like purple pupils—these were eyes that only a member of Sefira could possess.
“Are you Anis?” the man asked.
Anis was irritated with the man’s impoliteness, but he bit his tongue as there was someone who came to mind.
“Are you Keter by any chance?”
“Judging by how you are answering a question with a question, you must be Anis.”
Keter was relieved when he saw Anis. He had reddish-brown hair that reached just above his ears, eyes that showed suspicion and wariness, and a slightly furrowed face that looked cool rather than frightening.
Anis was a bow maniac who spent his entire life pursuing more strength until he was exhausted. Although they had only exchanged greetings, Keter was convinced that the “Anis” from the past and “Anis” of the present were exactly the same person.
It would be a shame to just leave right away.
Anis’ hands were covered in blood, his hair was disheveled, and there was a hint of madness in his eyes… but compared to Anis in the future, he still seemed human.
In my past life, Anis couldn’t overcome his limits and eventually went mad…
Keter stared at Anis’ fingers discreetly and saw that all ten were still intact, meaning he hadn’t completely lost his mind yet.
A smile crept up on Keter’s face. If someone needed help, he would assist them; even if they didn’t want it, he would still help. That was the way of Liqueur’s Solver— a service that sought out his clients. That was his secret to making a living in Liqueur.
“How did you know I was here?”
Anis’ voice was filled with hostility, clearly suspicious of Keter.
“I was just passing by the area. It was a coincidence. Whoo~ Did you do that to the shield? That’s some impressive power.”
Anis’ expression did not soften.
Passing by the area? A coincidence?
This made no sense, but considering Anis’ ambitious nature, he was more bothered by the last part of the comment.
“It may look impressive to you. Now leave, you’re being a nuisance. I’ll forgive your intrusion this time.”
“I didn’t mean that as a compliment. It means you’re being foolish because you’re only focusing on power.”
“...!?”
Criticized out of nowhere, Anis clenched his fists.
Creak!
He gripped the iron arrow so hard that it bent in half.
“What do you know about shooting a bow to spout that kind of nonsense?”
In the Lillian Kingdom, it was illegal for commoners to possess ranged weapons unless they were soldiers, nobles, or licensed hunters. Of course, it didn't matter if one wasn’t caught, but given the size and presence of a bow, it wasn’t easy to hide it. As such, it was true that most commoners, including Keter, never had an opportunity to shoot a bow.
Keter shrugged.
“It’s not enough to kill people, right? Unless it’s for monsters since they move on instinct.”
Anis frowned as Keter, unlike his attitude, was being surprisingly logical. By nature, Anis was competitive and hated losing, even in an argument. Naturally, he immediately countered Keter’s point.
“You’re wrong. I emphasize the power of the bow to make it meaningless for the knights to block the arrow.”
“Think about it carefully. Why do you think knights can block arrows?” Keter retorted quickly.
“Do you think I’m an idiot? It’s obviously because they can see the arrows,” Anis replied.
“You are an idiot. If they can see the arrow, why don’t they dodge it instead of blocking it? It’s because blocking is easier than dodging. Now, let me ask you again. If you shoot that incredibly powerful arrow, will the knights try to block it or dodge it?”
“...!”
It was common sense, but Anis realized it only now. No matter how powerful the arrow was, it was meaningless if it didn’t hit. However, it was an inevitable misunderstanding for him, as he had seen knights easily blocking arrows countless times. Thus, he mistakenly believed that training for unblockable arrows was the best way to deal with knights.
Keter drove the point home to Anis, who had just realized this uncomfortable truth.
“All fighters go through the same trial and error. When they face opponents who can easily block their attacks, they pursue overwhelming power that can’t be blocked. However, they realize in real combat that even overwhelming power is meaningless if it doesn’t hit. So, the first thing an archer should pursue is accuracy; power comes after that. How about that? Did I sound like someone who has shot an arrow or two before?”
Arrows were always at a disadvantage compared to other martial arts. Once an arrow was shot, that was the end of it; the archer could no longer intervene. Moreover, to fully utilize its power, one condition must be met: the archer must be in a safe situation. On the battlefield, there would be high walls and infantry to protect the front.
But if the archer was alone and fighting against a swordsman of similar skill level, the archer would never be able to win. While they might be able to defeat an ordinary person, anyone sufficiently trained could easily follow an arrow’s movement with just their vision and reflexes.
Moreover, arrows could only be shot in a straight line. Although they could arc, the path was predictable and lacked variation, which meant it was simple. While this could be an advantage, it was a fatal flaw in one-on-one combat.
Anis believed he could compensate for this flaw with sheer power. In certain situations, this might be the right answer, but for the Sefira family, which was politically isolated and lacking allies, it was neither suitable nor sufficient as a primary strategy.
Having been criticized by Keter, Anis trembled in frustration. He knew this, as did every member of the Sefira family and every archer who trained in archery: power and variation could not coexist in archery.
The Sefira family boasted a three-hundred-year history, but they had yet to solve this problem. It was because there was no need. In the past, during frequent wars, archers were never isolated. There were always knights risking their lives to protect them and also high, strong walls. At that time, the family’s reputation was extremely high, and they were favored by the queen.
It had only been thirty years since large-scale wars diminished into small-scale regional wars, and it had only been ten years since the Sefira family fell out of favor with the queen and began being attacked by other nobles. No one, including the previous patriarchs and Besil, the current patriarch, anticipated such a decline for the Sefira family.
By the time they recognized the deteriorating situation and began developing archery specialized for personal combat, it was far too late. They lacked the time, resources, and manpower.
When Anis bit his lip and stayed quiet, Keter added, “No matter how powerful the shot is, it’s pointless if it can be dodged, so stop wasting your time on useless training. Instead, think about how to actually hit a knight with your arrows.”
“...”
Anis glared at Keter with anger. If Keter had only insulted his pride, he might have let it go, but to let Keter mock his archery and the family’s secret techniques, without knowing the family’s circumstances? Disrespecting Sefira was intolerable.
“You think it can just be dodged? Fine. Try dodging this.”
Anis drew an arrow from the quiver at his waist. Though his words were emotional, he showed rationality by removing the arrowhead, showing that he only intended to give Keter a scare. Of course, it could be dangerous if he hit a vital spot, but Anis had no intention of going that far.
In the blink of an eye, Anis had nocked the arrow and aimed it at Keter’s thigh, the area known to cause the most pain.
Thwack!
An arrow shot instantaneously at extremely close range—no ordinary person would even be able to react to it, but Keter dodged it easily by shifting his left foot.
“Too slow.”
“You’ve got the skill to back up your arrogance at least.”
Anis grabbed three arrows simultaneously and removed the arrowheads before firing them all at once. Anyone who has ever held a bow would know how difficult it was to shoot three arrows simultaneously. Moreover, the arrows weren’t just shot—they were fast and accurate. They aimed for Keter’s shoulder, abdomen, and calf, all areas that were hard to dodge.
If that was all, Anis wouldn’t be a descendant of the Masters of Archery. He quickly drew another arrow, ready to shoot again if Keter managed to dodge.
However—
Swish!
Anis’ eyes widened in shock, as Keter had dodged all three arrows by twisting his torso while walking toward him. Even while marveling at Keter’s flexibility to perform movements impossible for human joints, Anis didn’t forget to shoot the arrows.
Voosh!
Anis shot another arrow at Keter, who was now right in front of him. It required extraordinary composure and courage to do so, but—
Smack!
Keter deflected the arrow with his left palm at point-blank range.
“...!”
Then, Keter grabbed Anis’ bow with his right hand. It was quick, but it was laughable to Anis.
Is he trying to play a tug-of-war with a bow?
Anis found Keter’s attempt at a strength contest amusing. An archer’s strength was concentrated in the upper body, especially the arms and shoulders. In terms of sheer physical strength, an archer often surpassed a typical swordsman. There was no reason for Anis to avoid this confrontation—in fact, he welcomed it.
Creak!
The bow, caught between them, bent as if about to snap. Anis expected this to be easy… until he felt he was gradually pulled forward. Flustered, cold sweat ran down his back.
How can a commoner have such strength?
Anis hurriedly used aura as he felt like he was going to lose. Aura, a power that allowed one to transcend human limits, enhanced the user’s physical abilities by at least twofold.
Creak!
Although Keter was superior in pure physical strength, Anis began to slowly gain the upper hand as he used aura.
As expected.
But just as the bow was being pulled towards Anis, Keter suddenly released his grip, diving into Anis.
Predictable!
This move was also anticipated by Anis. enhancing one’s physical abilities with aura meant more than just increased strength; reflexes and dynamic vision also improved. Anis, who had extensive combat experience, was prepared to counterattack, aiming his knee at Keter’s abdomen.
So, he thinks archers are weak in close combat.
Anis never underestimated Keter. Despite his shallow and vulgar tone, Keter’s body was that of a seasoned warrior. That was why Anis had decided to use his aura as soon as he began to lose the strength contest. However, he didn’t anticipate that Keter’s combat smarts would far exceed his own.
Keter reacted as if he was expecting Anis’ counterattack.
Thud!
Keter hooked his right leg on Anis’ left leg to trip him. With his right leg in the air for a knee attack, Anis lost his balance completely and fell backward.
“...!”
Even so, Anis quickly reached out to grab Keter’s collar with his enhanced physical abilities to try and reverse the situation, but Keter, anticipating this movement as well, struck Anis’ fingers with his fist.
Thud!
Anis ended up collapsing on the ground. As he was always full of competitive spirit, he immediately tried to stand up, driven by his determination to win.
Creak!
Keter, who snatched the bow when Anis was on the ground, aimed it at him. There was no arrow, but it was clear what it meant: Anis’ complete defeat.
Keter clicked his tongue and said, “Your legs are weak.”
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