A New Way to Aim
Boom!
Baek Harim's skills were much better than I had expected.
Perhaps it was because I had only prepared myself for the most mediocre of outcomes.
Crash!
Baek Harim's specialty was explosion magic.
Usually, the most common types of magic were fire or frost.
Occasionally, one might see lightning magic, which was considered somewhat unusual.
But explosion magic was something even I had never heard of before.
And yet...
...The destructive power is incredible.
Although his accuracy left much to be desired, the sheer concept of an 'explosion' was terrifying in its own right.
Depending on where it hit, it could blow a target completely to pieces.
Clatter, roll...
Just like that skeleton soldier just now.
The ribcage protecting its mana stone was completely shattered, and its limbs had been blown off to who knows where.
Its skull rolled right up to my feet.
"Incredible," I muttered in admiration.
Baek Harim shook his head.
"That was just a stroke of luck."
"But the skeleton soldier was blown to smithereens."
"...Which is exactly why I said I was lucky."
As if to prove his point, his subsequent attempts went wild.
Bang!
Whoosh!
Rumble!
His explosion magic detonated all over the place, missing the targets entirely.
While a direct hit possessed enough power to obliterate anything, a near miss only delivered a minor shockwave.
Clack!
Rattle!
The shockwave from a missed explosion only managed to dislocate a skeleton soldier's shoulder bone.
This is a bit much.
Though no one said it out loud, it was clear everyone present was thinking the exact same thing.
Even Baek Harim himself.
...Trying to comfort him by saying it's fine would actually be insulting.
It wasn't like we could just ignore the elephant in the room.
"We'll need to work on your accuracy," I said.
"...It is no easy task," Baek Harim replied with a bitter smile.
It was deeply ironic.
This was a man who had spent his life scoring ten after ten after ten, never straying from the dead center of the target.
Yet here he was, being told he needed to work on his accuracy.
It must have been a massive blow to his pride.
"I have researched various methods myself, but unlike fire or frost magic, it is incredibly difficult to hit a target precisely."
That made sense.
Fire and frost magic involved conjuring a projectile like a fireball or ice bolt and launching it forward.
In contrast, explosion magic triggered a detonation at a designated coordinate.
They were entirely different mechanisms.
"Then we'll just have to find a way," I said.
"I have spent ten years looking for a way, but..." Baek Harim trailed off.
Perhaps I was overstepping my bounds.
But since he was already a member of my team, I had to support him.
"Well, you didn't have me during those ten years, did you?"
Just as I had done with Cha Yerin and Woo Jumin, I would push him forward.
Just as I had helped Woo Jumin realize his potential as a healer, I had a feeling I could raise Baek Harim well too.
Though calling it 'raising' a man in his forties felt a bit strange.
His raw ability isn't bad at all...
That alone was enough.
The sheer diligence required to survive as a hunter for ten years made Baek Harim incredibly valuable.
"Alright."
Clack!
I kicked a rolling skeleton skull out of the way.
"Let's call it a day and head back."
Sizzle...
Sizzle...
Premium beef grilled over charcoal.
The savory aroma of the sizzling fat was enough to make anyone's mouth water.
However...
I guess the saying 'when you're feeling down, go get some meat' doesn't apply to everyone...
Baek Harim's expression was utterly gloomy.
Seriously, how could someone look so depressed while grilling high-grade beef?
"This is so delicious!" Cha Yerin cheered.
"Hyung, can we order more meat?" Woo Jumin asked, eating heartily.
"Yeah. Order as much as you want."
Another plate of beautifully marbled Hanwoo beef arrived at the table.
Sizzle...
"How did today feel to you?" I asked Baek Harim casually.
Baek Harim glanced at me, then quietly went back to flipping the meat.
Sizzle...
For someone who wasn't eating much, he sure knew how to grill.
"You were highly skilled," he said.
"Pardon?"
"I mean you, Hunter-nim."
Wait, what?
I had asked him how he felt about today, and suddenly he was talking about me?
Talk about fishing for compliments I didn't even ask for!
"Your individual prowess goes without saying, and your coordination with the other two was flawless."
"Ah, haha..."
This wasn't where I wanted this conversation to go.
I scratched the back of my head with an awkward laugh.
"I only worry that I might be a hindrance to you all..." Baek Harim muttered, looking lost in thought.
Seriously, what on earth did his previous guild do to him to make him this insecure?
He had been a hunter for ten whole years.
And before that, he was a fiercely confident athlete.
He used to be a man whose proud demeanor befitted his status as a national representative.
"There's no way you're a hindrance," I said.
"Is that so?"
Baek Harim downed his brim-full shot of soju in one gulp.
"I still have many shortcomings, but I look forward to working with you."
Unable to hold back any longer, I finally asked, "Why do you think you're so lacking?"
"..."
"I apologize for bringing up the past, but..."
"..."
"Back when you were an athlete, didn't you say 'I will work harder' instead of 'I am sorry'?"
Baek Harim stared at me, wide-eyed.
See? I told you I was a real fan!
"...I realized there are some fields where effort simply isn't enough," Baek Harim said with a bitter smile as he refilled his glass.
"I liked archery because it was simple."
Simple?
"There is a target."
"..."
"And you just shoot at it. That's all."
He was right. When you thought about it, archery was a very straightforward sport.
All you had to do was shoot at the target.
"Once the arrow leaves the bow..."
"..."
"...I already know exactly what will happen next."
Baek Harim gazed into the empty air, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
"But this line of work is different."
He swallowed another shot of soju, his expression darkening.
"I don't know."
"..."
"Anything at all."
He was right. The laws of the Tower were completely different from the laws of the world we knew.
In the Tower, there were no second chances.
"If you miss, you die."
"..."
"That is why I cannot bring myself to say 'I will work harder.'"
What was the point of saying you would try harder to a dead person?
That was why Baek Harim had become so accustomed to saying 'I'm sorry.'
Once I understood the weight behind his words, I couldn't find anything to say.
Sizzle...
For a while, only the sound of grilling meat filled the silence.
Then, I broke it.
"By the way."
"Yes?"
"Speaking of bows..."
Baek Harim looked at me, completely baffled as to why I was suddenly bringing up archery.
"Are you still good at shooting?"
"..."
His face clearly said: Are you really asking me that right now?
"It has been nearly ten years since I last held a bow, so I do not know," he replied quietly.
"Still, muscle memory is a thing."
"I have no desire to pick up a bow again."
"But if you did, you'd still be a great shot, right?"
"..."
Baek Harim's expression grew complicated.
It was a mix of lingering confidence and deep melancholy.
After a long silence, he spoke.
"...Probably."
There was a strange note of certainty in his voice.
And that gave me all the certainty I needed.
"Perfect."
"Pardon? What is..."
"Let's meet up separately tomorrow, just the two of us."
"...Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
I grinned and flipped a piece of beef just before it burned.
"I just had a great idea."
The next day.
I gave Cha Yerin and Woo Jumin the day off.
Though they apparently decided to train anyway, claiming they needed to earn the beef they ate the night before.
"Hunter-nim," Do Sangjin said, handing me a heavy bag.
"Here is the item you requested."
"Oh, it's bigger than I thought."
"Yes. So please be careful with—"
Thud!
Before Do Sangjin could even finish his sentence, I slung the bag over my shoulder.
"Thanks, Sangjin-ssi."
"What do you plan to use this for...?" Do Sangjin asked, looking utterly perplexed despite always carrying out my orders without question.
"I have my reasons."
"I see."
"I'll tell you all about it when I get back."
To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure if this would work either.
If it failed, I'd just pretend it never happened.
If it succeeded, I'd brag about it to everyone.
Heh.
I headed to the Tower entrance to meet Baek Harim.
"Oh, you're already here?"
"Yes."
He had arrived ten minutes before our scheduled time.
This alone spoke volumes about his character.
He was diligence personified.
They say that to truly succeed as an athlete, diligence is even more important than talent.
Looking at Baek Harim, I had a feeling no one could match his sheer work ethic.
"Shall we go?"
"..."
Baek Harim seemed to have already guessed what was inside the bag I was carrying.
Yet, for some reason, he didn't mention it at all.
"Yes. Let's do that."
He quietly stepped into the Babel Tower with me.
Whoosh!
"Whoa!"
Perhaps because of the heavy bag, I lost my balance the moment we entered.
If Baek Harim hadn't caught me, I would have taken an embarrassing tumble.
"Haha. I've never carried a bag this heavy before."
"..."
Baek Harim stared at my shameless grin before asking in a flat voice, "Why did you bring that?"
He sounded like he was curious, yet trying hard to pretend he wasn't.
"I brought it because I have a use for it."
I set the bag down and unzipped it.
"Ooh."
Inside lay a bow and a quiver of arrows.
I picked up the bow and tossed it toward Baek Harim.
Catch!
He caught it cleanly in one smooth motion.
"...What exactly are you thinking?"
"Just warm up a bit. It's been ten years, after all."
"Why? A regular bow is completely useless inside the Tower."
"I know that."
"Unless it's an item obtained from a chest, a normal bow like this is practically a toy. It wouldn't even kill a single goblin..."
Before he could finish, I burst out laughing.
"Of course it wouldn't!"
"..."
"Who said anything about killing monsters with a bow?"
"..."
"You're a mage, Baek Harim-ssi. Obviously, you should be using magic."
"Then why..."
Rattle...
I began slotting the arrows into the quiver.
"What was your weakness again, Baek Harim-ssi?"
"..."
"Should I say it for you?"
"Accuracy."
"Exactly. Your explosion magic is incredibly powerful, but your accuracy is just too low."
"..."
"Which makes it highly inefficient."
"That is correct."
I smiled and handed him the quiver.
"But archery is a sport where accuracy is everything, isn't it?"
"...Yes."
"So I did a little brainstorming."
Baek Harim stared at me, still looking utterly confused.
"From now on," I said, pointing toward the distance.
Skreeech...!
Skeleton soldiers were beginning to emerge from the darkness.
"You won't be targeting them."
"...?"
"You will target the arrow."
"..."
"And explode it."
"...!"
"Do you understand what I mean?"
In an instant, Baek Harim's expression completely changed.
He got it.
"You might not know exactly where a monster will pop up..."
"..."
"...but you know exactly where your own arrow is going to land, don't you?"
"..."
"Am I right?"