Chapter 598 Arrow Encounter
The narrators were confused when Allan Barry's arrow was hit by something in the middle of its trajectory to hit the deer, because all the cameras were fully focused on the lad.
"What!? What happened!?" Narrator Peter exclaimed.
Caio, the commentator, was also surprised and tried to understand what had happened. "It looks like Allan's arrow was deflected in the air, but I can't pinpoint what caused it! It was something extremely precise!"
As the audience and the narrators tried to understand what had happened, the cameras switched to a digital map of the forest showing the location of the competitors and next to Allan's icon was Klaus' icon.
Allan, for his part, was confused and visibly shaken by the fact that his arrow had been deflected by a seemingly impossible shot. He looked at his surroundings and saw Klaus, who was a few meters ahead, and realized that the archer was nocking another arrow
"You... you did that?!" Allan shouted, still not believing what happened.
The deer heard Allan's shout and started running away, which made Klaus let out a sigh of exasperation as he saw his chance to hit the golden animal slipping away again. He knew he had to act fast now if he wanted to reach the deer once more.
Klaus quickly readied his bow and started running, because he didn't want to lose sight of the deer.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Allan asked, annoyed, as Klaus started to run.
With a brief glance at Allan as he ran, Klaus replied with a serious tone:
"I saw that deer first. So if you don't want to compete, don't go after my hunt."
Ard, who was watching everything with admiration, realized that the situation was getting tense between Klaus and Allan. He gripped his mother Chun's arm anxiously.
"Mom, what's going on? Are they fighting?" Ard asked.
Chun looked at the little one calmly, trying to explain the situation. "It's not really a fight, son. It's a competition, and the two of them are fighting to see who can hit the golden deer first. Klaus is just protecting what he sees as his chance to score."
Ard was still worried, but he could also see the cheer in Klaus' eyes. "But what if they fumble and end up missing their chance?"
Chun smiled, understanding his son's concern. "Your brother is a very talented archer, Ard. I'm sure he'll know how to handle the situation and won't let anything get in the way of his goal."
Meanwhile, Klaus Park continued his pursuit of the golden deer, focused on making up for lost time after the incident with Allan. He wanted to allow for distractions and strove to keep control of his thoughts, but this challenge was proving harder than he had expected and the weight of the possibility of not qualifying for the final because of luck was starting to get annoying.
Allan, for his part, felt challenged by Klaus' attitude. He was not willing to give up the opportunity to score and secure his place in the final either. So he too continued to chase the deer, keeping close to Klaus.
The crowd watched expectantly as the situation became even more exciting. Two skilled archers, both competing to hit the same target, created an atmosphere of fierce competition. As Klaus ran through the simulated forest, he used his experience to make quick decisions, which Allan was obviously not used to.
The chase continued for another two minutes, with Klaus and Allan running through the simulated forest, dodging holographic trees until a warning resounded through the gymnasium, letting them know there were only 5 minutes left.
At that moment, Klaus caught a glimpse of the golden deer and picked up the pace.
While Klaus was used to challenging situations and had a deeper knowledge of the simulated forest, Allan was clearly feeling the pressure and getting out of breath. He was running behind Klaus, trying to keep up with his pace, but he was losing ground fast and his breathing was heavy. He knew he needed to calm down if he was to stand any chance.
On the other hand, Klaus didn't tire, using his agility and intuition to adjust his route.
As the chase continued, the narrator said on the broadcast:
"Time is running out, and only two competitors are through to the final so far. Contestants who have not yet managed to hit an animal will not get overtime! This is shaping up to be one of the most exciting challenges we've seen today!"
Caio, the commentator, agreed. "Indeed, Peter! Klaus and Allan's skill and determination are proof of that. Both are trying their hardest to secure their scores and a place in the grand final!"
As the cameras focused on the contestants, tension intoxicated the air. Time was running out.
Suddenly, Klaus spotted an opening between the trees, a golden opportunity to shoot his arrow, and stopped running.
Allan didn't understand when he saw Klaus stop and smiled, thinking that this was his chance to overtake him. Then Allan ran past Klaus and said:
"Thanks for making it easy!"
For his part, Klaus didn't even mind the comment, for, heart racing, his focus sharpened and he, knowing that this was the crucial moment, raised his bow which already had an arrow poised for an opportunity like this. Smoothly, Klaus pulled back the bowstring, aiming masterfully at the golden deer, calculating the distance and speed of the animal, adjusting his aim with dexterity. In an instant, the arrow was released, cutting through the air swiftly towards its target.
The arrow flew past Allan, who was very surprised to see the arrow and passing between the trees the arrow met its destination with a perfect impact, hitting the golden deer full on. An intense glow enveloped the animal, making it even more majestic. It took a few staggering steps before being engulfed in an explosion of light, as if merging with the ether in a sublime farewell.