Chapter 8: Expanding knowledge (2)

Chapter 8: Expanding knowledge (2)

Chapter 8: Expanding knowledge (2)

Jake lived on the outskirts of the big city.

The archery club he had decided to try out was even farther away from downtown, but it was the closest one to his home, which would save him a few precious hours spent on getting there and coming back.

The club was just a few bus stations away.

"It should be here," Jake said. He entered the building that looked nothing special on the outside and could have been said to be some factory's hall.

The archery club's posters told him that he had arrived at the right place. Inside was a simple receptionist room and a woman behind the desk that seemed to have been bored for hours.

She had her blue eyes cast below, watching something on her phone. She hadn't noticed Jake yet as she wore headphones, and her entire attention had been stolen by whatever was playing on her screen.

The woman appeared in her late twenties, with blonde hair tied into a low ponytail resting on her shoulder. She supported her pretty face on her hand while lost in the show.

Just like Jake, she appeared pale, but that could have been because of the virtual reality game that had confined many people in their houses, regardless of age.

There was a chance she practiced the archery indoors, too.

Jake came close, and his presence finally got into the woman's view. She looked up and blinked a few times, not believing that someone had come to her club.

She asked, "You must be Jake, right?"

Jake nodded, "Yes. I think we talked yesterday. I've come here to learn and become the best at archery."

She whispered, "It wasn't a prank?"

Jake heard her, "It must have sounded like a prank, but I'm serious about it. I came here to study archery under Mrs. Ingrid."

Once he sincerely told her that, the lady stood up and looked into his eyes, matching his line of sight. She was quite tall for a woman, but not taller than Jake.

"If you're serious about it, then you're to call me Master, not Mrs. Ingrid," Ingrid said, surprising Jake.

Expecting her to be the receptionist and lacking in the proper honorifics for the archery club, Jake corrected himself with a smile.

It was also great that he could cut to the chase and speak about what interested him the most.

Since it didn't seem like he took any offense, Ingrid nodded and opened the door to her left.

He followed what he had learned in the game world and let the arrow go.

It hit the shooting target seamlessly.

Because of the vast room, the echo of the arrow's flight and hit rippled across it a few times. It drummed in Jake's heart and head, filling him with much more satisfaction.

He curved his lips and stared at his target for a few seconds before showering his master with his passion.

Ingrid seemed to have noticed her younger self in those green eyes as she broadly smiled, "You have won my respect."

Afterward, Ingrid took the old recurve bow and put one of her knees on the wooden floor, "This is the modern form used in archery contests."

She drew the arrow with her back straightened and her prominent chest puffed out.

Her little fingers let the arrow go.

BANG!

Waves of strength swept through the room, bobbing in Jake's heart.

What a strength!

What a form!

What a precision!

"Master, when do you think I'd be able to pick up the recurve bow in the game world and real life?"

"Hmmm... what's your level in the game world?"

"I'm level three now!"

"You just began the gaming?"

"I've been up in the tutorial island for a month now."

"...I see. Keep building your muscle memory with the long bow for now, then."

"Got it!"