Chapter 53: Arrows and Ambition

Chapter 53: Arrows and Ambition

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"The big secret to breaking the rules is to make it look as though you're following them."

– Johan Liebert, (Monster)

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<(Bruce Wayne POV)>

"You still haven't won over your fear brat. You are still holding on to something that is not letting you achieve your full potential, the same thing that is messing up your footwork. Find out what that is and you will be unstoppable once you bring it under control." Ubu remarked while stretching one of his hands towards me to help me up.

Currently, I was lying on the snow while breathing a little heavier than normal due to the bout I just had with the oversized League Henchman. Usually, he wasn't the one responsible for training me but Ra's Al Ghul was busy today for some reason, so I had to make do with his bodyguard as my training partner instead.

"I find your lack of faith in my capabilities disturbing. The only reason you could surprise me there at the end Mr. Loyal Minion was because of your vast experience and because I lost my focus for a split second there. It won't happen again." I declared, confident in my own skills.

There was, of course, a valid reason behind my confidence and that was because I wasn't even using half of my physical abilities. In fact, I had been dominating most of the recent practice fights against Ra's Al Ghul and Ubu for a while now but since I didn't want them to think that I was as good as them in terms of pure skill, I only performed as well as they expected me to.

"It shouldn't, otherwise that would be insulting Ras' teachings in a way. Now, let's return to town. The Demon's Head is probably waiting, he might have a task ready for you." Ubu revealed with a cruel smile on his face like he was privy to some sensitive information that I was not.

"... Sure man, just don't give me that creepy smile. You look like a middle-aged adult man trying to trap an innocent teen in his thirst trap." I shivered as I began to follow him to the primary dojo of Ra's Al Ghul.

Ubu however didn't react much. After that, we both went toward the Demon Head's private dojo where he either only taught the most gifted members of the league or practiced alone.

Today, the dojo seemed quite full with a lot of new faces undergoing training in the dojo, training that would have been considered harsh and inhumane in terms of normal human standards. Ra's Al Ghul himself seemed to be engrossed in training them as he didn't even notice when we entered the dojo or maybe he just didn't care. After all, no one was stupid enough to attack the undisputed leader of the League of Assassins in his own fortress.

All the new members training in the dojo looked quite promising but, the dozens of new members currently training did not catch my attention, instead, it was caught by only one person, a single extremely beautiful-looking young girl who was currently learning archery from Ra's Al Ghul

"This is impossible and pointless. Shooting two arrows from the same bow sounds amazing but I don't believe for even a single second that it is practical in real life. I think we are wasting our time here. Rather I should try to increase my arrow-shooting speed, that would probably make me more useful as a member of the League." The girl calmly stated to Ra's Al Ghul who was overseeing her training.

"Hmm, impossible and useless you say. Maybe I overestimated your value too much 'girl'. I think that the fact that you are among the top archers in the League, or perhaps the fact that you beat your elder sister in long-range combat has gotten over to your head. But unfortunately, you are just proving your irrelevance by displaying your arrogance." The Al Ghul patriarch didn't even stutter while absolutely destroying the girl in front of everyone.Nnêw n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.coms, someone is getting canceled soon," I smirked at the oversized lackey beside me who didn't even react to my statement at all and just continued to stare ahead blankly like he couldn't even hear me.

"Bruce, could you demonstrate your own brand of archery?" Ra's Al Ghul suddenly requested surprising both me and the girl who had been silenced by his heavy insults.

I also didn't want to indulge in a needless chat with him any longer to avoid giving him any excessive information about me that could potentially incriminate me in front of him, so I too silently left.

"You new here?" A husky female voice suddenly stopped me in my tracks outside the dojo as I was leaving.

"I thought he told you to go and train your skills. It seems you are quite a rebellious daughter, aren't you." I smirked.

"What? How did you know...?"

"Observation and deduction. Something I picked up from reading Sherlock Holmes." I answered with a straight face, not giving her a chance to express her doubts further.

"... Whatever. I just wanted to know how you did it. The three-arrow shot. It shouldn't be physically possible. I don't think even my father can do it with that precision. So it makes no sense for you, a new student of his to do it without a single error." She protested, sounding like it was really my fault that she wasn't as good.

'Deep-rooted inferiority complex and daddy issues, huh? Interesting, I wonder if I'll be able to use Ra's Al Ghul's uncaring attitude toward his daughter against him' I thought without letting my thoughts leak onto my face.

"Well, I don't personally prefer archery, so how about this? I will train you and teach you everything I know about shooting arrows and in return, you give me a tour of this place and show me around. It's a good deal and we will both profit from it. You will teach me the inner workings of the League and I'll teach you what I know about shooting multiple arrows all at once." I threw the bait, knowing that she was already caught in it from how greedy she looked at the sound of free training.

I guess, she is as much a training-junkee as me.

"So, do we have a deal, Miss...?" I asked as I stretched forward my hand for a shake.

"Nyssa, Nyssa Al Ghul. And yes, it's a deal. But don't think we are friends or anything now." She huffed before lightly touching my hand in what seemed like a really awkward handshake.

"I think we would have to first work on your social cues a little because that was by far the worst handshake I have ever experienced in my life." I chuckled, which also prompted a small smile to appear on her lips as well, a smile that she very much tried to hide but failed spectacularly.

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