Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

In the wide arena, two young ones stood with rational minds and calm hearts, looking at each other, already reading every potential move of the other party.

The old referee held a magic horn that would mark the start of the long cherished battle of the girl and the excited boy prised as a hero was smiling at this very moment.

His stance was flawless, with no openings, no hesitation, no fear, or no doubt of what was going to happen.

He could see things, as well as understand, read, process, think, and remember everything he had experienced.

His face was smiling, and the radiant expression on his face was enough to show just how fired up he was.

On the other hand, the girl had a calm expression.

Her thoughts were clear, her mind locked on her target, the fire burning in her eyes transparent, and the hand on her weapon was ready for the attack at any given moment.

Even when not looking at the referee, she knew what was happening in all the places in her wide field of view.

Her senses were sharp like a wild animal on its hunt.

She could also see think and process everything about the battle that was going to happen.

The battle had yet to start, but she had attacked this opponent a few times through her eyes, micro-movements, and imagination but, as if already knowing what was going to happen, he counted dodged or blocked with his bow alone.

He had yet to even touch his arrow in this image battle, but he had also yet to attack.

Even after her [Wild instincts] and [Battle wisdom] were in effect, he countered her attacks with no problems at all.

But the real attack had yet to come from him and she knew the moment the battle starts, she either had to attack with all her might or defend with all her being.

Attack... or defense.

This was the only thought on her mind, and if any other inexperienced person was in her shoes, just the fact that she was thinking this deeply against an archer would be laughable to them.

But they would be fools to not notice the surprised reactions of even the highly experienced people who had seen wars and even more in their life surprised like that.

And this was no normal surprise.

This was utter awe. And they can't help but be surprised like this.

The form her opponent had right now was just flawless... no opening or a chance of attack would be a small world for this absurd mastery.

And he was an archer, no less.

An archer scaring a swordsman from just their stance was absurd in the first place, and even if she can't fully believe her own self, there was no doubt in her mind that they were right.

And after thinking of many scenarios and coming to a conclusion, she chose the defense while clenching her teeth.

This was frustrating, but if she really wanted any chance against this person, there was no way but to give the first attack to him and start from the point where the attack was still on the way.

She was on her own instincts now and she had given all the control of this body to her mind.

She had one goal this day, and not just this day... she had one goal for her whole life now.

She didn't know it before, but after knowing things, after this opponent, her brother had disappeared, got away from them, seeing all the changes made her mind clear.

Even in his absence, he was a thread that bound everyone in the family from falling apart and everyone just knew, even she just knew, that he will come back.

And when that happened, and she saw the changes in her family, her parents, and her life, she started to look up to this person.

More than anything, more than even her own grandpa, the one who taught her everything.

She looked up to her little brother more than anything in the world and his ideals.

She was a person with a hot temper at some times but, in actual life, she was a thoughtful person who understood things perfectly.

She understood the things, the changes, the impact, and just how great it was to actually give people hope even while not being there.

And that was the time... she found her own goal.

It wasn't actually protection, like her brother she looked up to.

It also wasn't to surpass this brother of her like the little mage that made him his goal.

But her goal... it was to become a person who can give others a light of hope, a fire in the endless darkness.

Candlelight that brightens the room full of despair and helplessness.

She envied him endlessly; she envied him while still admiring everything he had done in his presence and absence.

To give this big family of different people the same hope and light that she can't even think about… she envied him for that.

He was a great person, someone others would naturally like, just like her grandfather.

She also wanted to become at least someone who was looked up to by others, at least a person who can help those in need, those weaker than her, or those who had lost all hope.

That was the kind of person she wanted to be... maybe a hero? Or maybe something more than an empty name of 'hero'.

She wanted to be a unique individual just like him, and at the same time, her own self.

It was still far away, but she knew where she was going and where she had to go now.

And on that path, there was one thing she had to do as soon as possible.

Fight the one who made her realize what she wanted.

Just fight him, and see for herself just what this start of her goal was.

She knew just from this small interaction of imagination fight that she wasn't there just yet.

She had a long way before she reached the strength this brother of hers obtained after almost dying many times over.

They all knew just what kind of state his soul had been through and if we were talking about the 'soul', there was no way for her to even understand what kind of pain, suffering, or anguish he had been through in this time he was away.

He was going to tell them soon, but, before she heard it herself and broke down for the first time in her life, she wanted to finish this fight, this wish she carried in her heart, and know the difference between strength.

His goal was the protection of his family, but that didn't mean he had any obligations or need to protect someone random in this whole wide world.

It wasn't who he was, and she knew it.

But she wanted to protect everyone she could.

She knew this was going to be the toughest task she could think of in her life and even her grandfather warned her about the things that will come in her path.

But... she was clear.

There was him protecting this family she loved more than anything else and so she can do whatever she wanted.

But… there was still time and a long way before she went on her own and start her journey.

She understood she was still young and, although she was strong, she was not even near this bastard's level.

Though she was thinking deeply about the upcoming fight right now, the thinking wasn't actually her forte.

Her swordplay was free, and almost entirely focused on her special 'feel' and talent for the sword.

Her skill of wild senses complimented things her perfectly and the battle wisdom made it possible for her to make the right calls before the actual battle.

Though the imaginary attacks had failed, the actual battles had yet to start, and she was ready for anything he was going to throw at her.

The fight was going to start. She was ready; he was more than ready, and the referee had asked if they were ready.

She started breathing deep and warm breaths, and he started changing the defensive stance to an attack stance in that split second, and even at this moment, she tried to attack with imagery but, his nigh-perfect defense still didn't have any holes.

He blocked all three super-fast attacks while not even being in the position to defend and the moment the referee pressed the horn and vanished from the battleground, his stance finished and she took out her sword to block the certain rain of arrows that were going to come her way.

'Short range multifire: Spray.'

'Defensive swordplay, third form, fortress!'