Standing fifty meters away from the target, Leo calmly reached for an arrow from the quiver slung over his back and nocked it to the bowstring.
"What?"
Grant's eyes widened in disbelief. Was Leo seriously trying to hit the target from that distance?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a sharp thwip sliced through the silence. The arrow glinted as it cut through the air, then slammed into the center of the target with a jarring impact. The wood shuddered. A heartbeat later, the sound reached them—thud.
"!"
Grant's heart skipped a beat. Was that… a bullseye from fifty meters?
Helen stared, stunned speechless.
Unfazed, Leo drew a second arrow and let it fly.
Thwip!
Thud!
Bullseye again. The second arrow landed flush against the first.
Grant's jaw fell open. One shot could be luck. Two? And Leo was still going?
Expression calm as ever, Leo loosed a third arrow.
Thud!
Bullseye.
Then a fourth. A fifth.
By now, sweat dotted both Grant's and Helen's brows. From disbelief to jaw-dropping awe, they were left speechless—until even shock gave way to numb acceptance.
Unbeknownst to them, Warren, Zhao, and the others had also gathered nearby, frozen in place with stunned looks of their own. They had expected Leo to be good, but this?
This was something else.
It was like watching a walking cheat code—bullseye after bullseye.
Zach stood silently at the side, the corner of his mouth twitching.
So this is what he'd gathered the whole family to show off?
Damn kid… and he actually pulled it off.
Leo finally turned, a faint smile on his lips.
"Dad, I should be able to join the hunt tomorrow, right?"
Silence.
Even Zach's jaw dropped.
Grant gave a wry smile. What else could he say at this point?
Skill aside, Leo had only been training for two or three days. This level of mastery was unbelievable.
Helen opened her mouth, then closed it again. She had no words.
"I think... we should still be cautious."
Zach's voice broke the silence. His tone was serious as he looked at Leo.
"The wilds aren't like this camp. Beasts out there don't stand still like target boards. It's dangerous. I say give it a few more days."
"Yes, yes!"
Helen immediately jumped in, clearly still rattled.
Grant's eyes flickered. He seemed to agree.
But Leo shook his head. "I understand your concern, Uncle Zach. But can't I hone my skills out there too?"
Zach blinked.
He… had a point.
No training beats the real thing—whether it's archery or spearwork. Everyone knows that.
"As for danger—where isn't dangerous these days?"
Leo looked straight at Grant. His gaze said it all:
So, Dad—what reason is left to refuse?
"…Alright."
Grant exhaled deeply, finally nodding. "You can come with us tomorrow."
"Grant!"
Helen yelped in protest.
Grant shook his head gently, turning back to Leo.
"If you're heading out, don't train too late tonight. Get some rest."
"Got it." Leo grinned.
On the way back, Helen grumbled, "How could you agree to this? He's not even fully grown. What if something happens?"
Grant sighed. "He'll have to go eventually. You saw how good his archery is. If he can take down even one beast, it'll ease the pressure on the entire camp."
Helen went quiet.
"…Then promise me you'll keep him safe."
"Unless I'm dead," Grant said firmly.
But deep down, he wasn't exactly confident.
As Zach had said, real beasts weren't static targets. They fled the moment they sensed danger—and they were fast. Most people couldn't even catch up.
Worse were the ones that didn't run.
Sure, Leo could hit bullseyes from fifty meters… but could he do it in a real battle? Against a charging monster?
Still, having Leo in the hunting party would lift everyone's spirits. Even if he missed, no one would blame him.
Back at the training ground—
Zach looked conflicted. "So you're joining the hunt… and you didn't think to run it by me?"
Leo scratched his head awkwardly. "Uncle Zach, it just came up over dinner. I haven't had time to talk with you yet."
"You're still too impulsive," Zach sighed. "Another few days of practice wouldn't hurt."
"There's no time left, Uncle Zach."
Leo's tone was gentle, but the words landed heavy.
Zach's expression dimmed. The mood turned heavy.
Leo didn't like being the cause of that. He quickly forced a smile. "Uncle Zach, can I count on your help training tonight?"
"It's just a small favor."
Zach didn't argue further. Limping off, he prepared for another round. He knew what Leo was doing—changing the subject on purpose. But in the face of the camp's struggles, what else could he do?
At the very least, he could help with training.
The next four or five hours flew by. Everyone—Zach included—was exhausted, but no one complained. They rotated shifts, helping Leo with moving-target practice.
A few considered joining Leo on the hunt. But in the end… none had the guts.
Thunk!
A dull thud echoed.
A warm surge rushed through Leo's body.
He had leveled up.
Leo opened his Status Panel.
----------------------
Skill: Basic Archery – Lv.4 (0%)
— Trait: Reinforce Body Lv.4
— Trait: Iron Arm Lv.4
— Trait: Slowfire Lv.4
— Trait: Mounted Aim Lv.2
----------------------
Mounted Aim Lv.2 now granted a 60% accuracy bonus against moving targets—a tremendous boost for tomorrow's hunt.
But something else caught his eye.
Slowfire Lv.4
According to the system, he now had a 120% hit rate against stationary targets.
…120%?
What was the point of going over 100? Wasn't a guaranteed hit good enough?
No… something didn't add up.
Leo furrowed his brows.
Maybe this percentage wasn't about the actual chance to hit.
Maybe it was just a theoretical number on the panel—not reflective of real-world targeting.