Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Nathan looked a little embarrassed by Klaus and David's words, but still maintained a defensive posture. "Well, maybe I misjudged without knowing the game," he admitted, looking at Klaus with a slightly more respectful expression. "But I still think it's easier to hit those shots in a game than in real life."

Klaus smiled and replied, "Sure, it's true that skills in a game don't always translate directly to real life, it's just that it's not that simple when it comes to Rise Online."

Klaus surprised Nathan and David by saying that he played Rise Online, after all, he did not aesthetically appear to be a nerd, with his broad shoulders and seemingly defined body.

Also, Klaus had recently gained a reputation on campus as a very athletic guy with impressive strength, and Andrew told his roommates about the time some idiots tried to bully Klaus and he didn't even show any concern. Not to mention that they all thought that Klaus had managed to win Ashley over with just a few words that night at karaoke, so Klaus was already a hero to them.

If they found out that Klaus was actually not just a low-level Rise Online player, as he claimed to be to his roommates, they would probably go crazy.

Anyway, after the short discussion about his video with Nathan and David, Kaizen knew that he could not be alone to think about strategies for the next day, so even though he was a little tired, he went to the campus archery department's hangar, which was open twenty-four hours a day.

As Klaus entered the hangar, he was greeted by the characteristic smell of wood and leather, mixed with the faint scent of bow resin. He felt at home, as if this room was where he was supposed to be at this moment.

There were several stands with bows of different styles and sizes, arrows lined up in quivers, and the practice stands at the end of the hangar.

Klaus picked up the type of bow he had been using lately, a light bow, held it familiarly and began to examine the arrows available to him. There were many different arrows, with more flexible shafts or shafts made of different materials. After choosing a few to test, he positioned himself in one of the booths, took a deep breath, and placed the first arrow.

The sound of the bow being drawn and the arrow cutting through the air was like a melody to him. He was fully focused on his target. For several minutes, Klaus continued to shoot arrows, adjusting his posture, his breathing, and his aim with each attempt. He was determined to improve his skills and overcome his limitations.

As he practiced, Klaus also reflected on his day. He rode for miles, then met up with a teammate from the past, and after four hours of the tournament, when he was already mentally exhausted, he saw Emma. It was definitely too many events for one day. He was so lost in his thoughts, so focused on improving his archery skills, that he did not notice the captain of the archery department, Lara Cavalcanti, enter the hangar.

Lara was a tall, athletic woman with dark skin and light hair and eyes, known for her outgoing personality and enthusiasm for archery, and she silently approached Klaus, taking the moment to scare him.

With a loud scream, Lara jumped after Klaus, causing him to jump and release the arrow he was about to shoot. Surprised, Klaus quickly turned around to see Laura laughing with her hands on her waist.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Wow, Klaus, you're so focused that you didn't even hear me coming," Lara said, still laughing. "You must be really focused to outdo your captain if you didn't even notice my dramatic entrance."

Klaus laughed and rubbed his hand over the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, Lara, I was so focused that I didn't even notice. I'm practicing a bit."

Lara nodded and looked at the target hit by Klaus' arrow. "It looks like your training is paying off. Your shots are as accurate and fast as ever."

Klaus thanked her, feeling flattered by the compliment from Laura, who was a talented archer.

Next, Lara didn't miss the opportunity to tease him.

"But Klaus, what are you doing here? I didn't expect to see anyone else here on a Saturday night. You're not very popular, huh?" Lara said, teasing him with a playful smile.

Klaus dropped the bow on the stand and gave her a mischievous look. "Like I said, I'm just concentrating on getting better. Archery is a new passion for me, so it's no surprise to find me here. And you, what brings you here on a Saturday night? I bet you're not very popular either."

Lara smiled and shrugged. "Well, I guess the same thing that brought you here. To train and improve my skills. After all, the pursuit of perfection never takes a break, does it?"

Inevitably, Klaus laughed and agreed.

"You have some spare time now? How would you like to make a bet?"

Klaus agreed with a smile. "Sure, a friendly competition wouldn't be a bad idea. It would be nice to have someone to challenge me and help me become even better."

Lara smiled as well. "Great! Then let's have a competition. Whoever hits the most arrows in the center of the target in three rounds wins, and the loser owes the winner a request."

"No problem, because that will be a complete victory for me."

The two archers stood at their respective stands, exchanged glances, and greeted each other with friendly smiles, wishing each other good luck. They were determined to do their best as two bachelors while most of the young people on campus were having fun in the city.

...

Edited by: DrHitsuji

If you want to see original illustrations of Rise Online characters, consider helping me on pa treon: Pa treon.com/NandoFalske

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https://discord.gg/bpqq9u4gS8

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