Developing the Board

"While the bigwigs of the Zodiac Warriors were huddled together devising their next brilliant strategy, Eiko was out there on her journey to become a full-fledged adventurer," the old man said, chuckling to himself.

"Hey Grandpa, why are you following that kid?" the child asked, curious.

"What kid? No, no, she's over 50 years old," the old man replied, still snickering.

"But she looks like my sister, you know? Flat chest, short stature, and acts like a little kid," the child said.

"Where did you learn all those big words, kid?" the old man asked, trying to keep a straight face.

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"For the next test, we'll be conducting an archery assessment," the instructor announced.

"Archery test... can I use my bow?" Eiko pondered to herself.

"You can either use your customized bow or borrow one from the Adventure's Guild for free," the instructor explained.

"Yes! I can use my own!" Eiko thought excitedly.

"We'll begin the assessment immediately. Andromes, Albana, Cirius, Eiko! Please head to the archery hall for your assessment," the instructor called out the names.

The four candidates promptly made their way to the archery hall.

"Next up! Ella, Fira...." the instructor continued.

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...

"Hmm, they all use different kinds of bows," Eiko thought to herself as she observed the candidates. "Andromes uses a short bow, Albana uses a long bow, and Cirius uses a compound bow."

"I want each of you to go stand in the designated spots over there, and they will take over from there," the instructor said, gesturing towards the targets.

As the candidates made their way to their spots, the instructor called out, "Andromes, what's your bow type and arrow of choice?"

"I'm using a short bow with a short arrow," Andromes replied confidently.

"Great. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and take your shot," the instructor said, watching as Andromes took his stance.

After Andromes let his arrow fly, the instructor assessed his form and placement. "Your posture was a bit off, and you didn't fully utilize your fingers. Your stance was also off-balance. I'd give you a 76 at best," the instructor said.

Andromes looked visibly disappointed, but Eiko couldn't help but think that it was still good for a beginner.

"Next up is Albana," the instructor called out.

"Yes!" Albana replied eagerly.

"Albana, what's your bow type and arrow of choice?"

"I'm using a long bow with a wooden arrow," Albana replied confidently.

"Great. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and take your shot," the instructor said, watching as Albana took her stance.

After Albana let her arrow fly, the instructor assessed her form and placement. "Your posture was off, and your stance was also off-balance. The only thing you did correctly was hitting the mark just below the bullseye, but you're brute-forcing your way through. You'll get exhausted in battle if you don't fix your posture. I'd give you an 84 for now," the instructor said.

"Next!" The instructor shouted, signaling for Cirius to take her turn.

"Cirius, what's your bow type and arrow of choice?"

"I'm using a compound bow with aluminum arrows," Cirius replied confidently.

"Great. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and take your shot," the instructor said, watching as Cirius took her stance.

After Cirius let her arrow fly, the instructor assessed her form and placement. "Your posture was good, and you fully utilized your fingers. Your stance was also elegant. But unfortunately, you closed one of your eyes. An enemy could get you from your blind spot if you keep doing that. I'd give you a 95, good job for now," the instructor said.

"Ah, it's my turn now," Eiko thought to herself as she stepped forward upon hearing the instructor's call of "Next!"

Approaching the spot, the instructor raised an eyebrow and asked, "Eiko, where's your bow?"

"Oh right," Eiko replied, closing her eyes and focusing on her thoughts. A root emerged from the mark on her right wrist and snaked up her arm, extending toward her palm. As the root reached her hand, it transformed before her eyes, taking on the form of a sleek and powerful bow.

"Whooa," the other candidate exclaimed in amazement at the sight.

"The bow had an asymmetrical shape and measured over 2 meters in length," the instructor noted to himself.

"What's your bow type and arrow of choice?" the instructor asked.

"An asymmetrical traditional long bow, and for my arrow of choice, air," Eiko replied.

"Could you repeat your arrow of choice?" the instructor asked, sounding confused.

"Air," Eiko repeated.

"Okay, I don't get paid enough for this as the top 3 archer in this continent. Just take your shot," the instructor said, sounding exasperated.

"Got it," Eiko said, aiming with her bow.

As she drew back the bowstring, a soft, ethereal hum emanated from it, accompanied by a swirling gust of wind that enveloped her. The wind then gathered and transformed into a thin, imperceptible arrow.

"Her pose, the way she held the bow... Sagittarius?" the instructor said to himself, catching a glimpse of what he thought might be the best archer he had ever seen.

As Eiko released her shot, the resulting impact was devastating. A huge wind wave blasted outwards, nearly knocking over the instructor and all the other items in the room. The arrow hit the bullseye dead on and went straight through the walls.

"What was that? Archery hall alpha, is there any problem there? You almost hit me," someone shouted from the next room, clearly startled by the unexpected disturbance.

As the other candidates whispered among themselves, the instructor called out to Eiko. "Eiko, come here first. I want to talk with you privately."

Her heart sank as she approached the instructor, "Eh? Is there where he's going to fail me on the test? Do I need to pay for the destruction I have caused? I can't burden Mika more! Should I just drop out?" Eiko thoughts to herself.

"It's about you, or specifically your bow. Can I ask you some questions?" the instructor said, breaking Eiko's train of thought.

"Erm... Sure, I guess," Eiko replied, still unsure of what was about to happen.

"Where did you get it?" the instructor asked, referring to the powerful bow that had caused the destruction.

"From my master. It was just a fragment, but I awakened its full potential," Eiko replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Alright. Do you know how to make a smaller and less powerful kind of shot?" the instructor inquired.

"Not yet, but I believe I will be able to," Eiko said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

The instructor paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate something.

"How about this," he finally said. "I will be your personal trainer, and I want you to master that bow. We can start training here for the first three months and then move on to a more advanced facility once you get better."

Eiko was taken aback.

She had expected the instructor to scold her or even fail her for causing so much destruction, but instead, he was offering to train her.

"Erm, I'm traveling with my master," she said hesitantly. "I don't think I can make him wait that long."

The instructor nodded as if he had anticipated this objection.

"How about you ask your master if he would allow you to stay here and train with me for a while? If he agrees, you can stay in the academy's dorms, and I'll provide you with everything you need to master that bow. And if he can't wait, I'm willing to travel along with you and continue your training on the road."

She couldn't imagine asking her master to wait for her while she trained with someone else, no matter how good the instructor was.

"I guess I'll ask him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The instructor smiled warmly. "Good. And don't worry, Eiko. You have a rare gift, and I believe that you can become the greatest archer of our time. All you need is the right training and guidance."

Eiko nodded, feeling a newfound sense of determination.

As she left the archery hall and walked back to her dorm, Eiko's mind raced with questions and possibilities.

She quickly made her way back to her room and sat down at her desk and took out a piece of paper, then began to write a message:

"Dear Master,

I have just finished the archery test, and I have some news that I would like to discuss with you. During the test, I used my bow to its full potential and caused quite a bit of destruction. The instructor has requested to speak with me privately, and he has offered to train me personally to master the full potential of my bow. He suggested that I stay here for three months to train, and if that is not possible, he is willing to travel with us to continue my training.

I am not sure what to do. On the one hand, I do not want to delay our journey or burden you. On the other hand, I feel that this training could be extremely valuable, and it would be a shame to pass up such an opportunity.

Please let me know your thoughts on this matter. I will wait for your response before making any decisions.

Sincerely,

Eiko"

After finishing her message, Eiko carefully rolled it up and sealed it in an envelope.

She then tied the envelope to a rabbit and instructed it to deliver the message to her master.

Watching the rabbit disappear into the forest, Eiko felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of being separated from her master.

However, she quickly pulled herself together and returned to the archery hall where the instructor was waiting for her.

"Have you sent the message to your master?" the instructor asked as Eiko approached.

"Yes," Eiko replied. "I sent it with a messenger rabbit. It should reach him by tomorrow."

The instructor nodded, seeming pleased with Eiko's prompt response. "Good. Now, let's begin our training," he said.