Graduation from the Great Bow's Nest
It had been a year since Adel entered the Great Bow's Nest, and summer had arrived.
"That's all for today's training. You'll have a week off for rest and recovery, so make the most of it."
"Yes, sir!!!"
Myurn, standing on the training ground platform, sheathed his bow as he spoke. The trainees below placed hands over their hearts and bowed in salute.
"Thank you for your hard work!!!"
Adel's skin, once pale, had taken on a deep tan over the year, and thick calluses now covered every joint of his fingers.
Finally over? Adel, this guy's training isn't doing much for you anymore.
The desert heat was scorching, nearly unbearable, but Kalderet, watching from the corner of the training ground, spoke in a lazy drawl as if unaffected.
You've already surpassed him. No need to keep hiding your strength. The kids here might not notice, but even he seems to have caught on a bit.
Adel shrugged subtly at the voice echoing in his mind.
"Haa... it's finally over."
"Yeah. Thought I was gonna die today."
As Kalderet said, training at the Nest had started at dawn and dragged on until late afternoon. Once it ended, the exhausted trainees collapsed onto the sandy ground without a second thought.
Nearly twenty kids around Adel's age had gathered around him, but only three—including himself—remained standing when it was done.
Hmm.
In truth, Myurn's training had a notorious reputation even within the Nest. These were the tribe's most talented youths, handpicked for their potential, yet dropouts were common every year.
No surprise there. The numbers halved in just one year.
Even those sprawled on the ground had shown impressive grit to last this long.
And those two are as expected.
Adel glanced at the other two, who—like him—hadn't collapsed and were catching their breath.
"Adel, extra training today too?"
One of them spoke up, noticing his gaze.
"Of course."
"Ugh... you're relentless."
The girl shaking her head with a downturned mouth was none other than Nazan's daughter, Kasla.
"You say that, but you'll join too. Everyone here knows you two sneak in extra practice after hours."
The remaining boy, polishing and maintaining the bow he'd used in training, chimed in.
"Harun."
She turned to him.
"It's tough keeping up with the top students as a slacker. Can't grind like you guys, so I'm off to eat and nap."
He said it casually, but Adel and Kasla knew better than to take it at face value.
"Harun, you still haven't fixed that habit. To survive the desert, you need more fighting spirit."
Myurn tossed in a comment as he left the training ground.
"H-ha... sorry, sir."
"It's fine. We all know he's all talk."
Kasla shot back at the laid-back boy with mock scolding.
And rightly so—Harun was one of the three still standing.
If Adel forms a hunting party, those two would be top candidates.
Myurn thought back to the promise from a year ago.
"I'm heading out. Take your time with dinner. Can't afford to slack with goals right in front of me."
Adel shrugged and grinned at her pout.
"Me too. Last day using the Taeo Cave, after all. Looks like you'll eat alone, Harun."
"Urgh..."
As he passed, Adel added,
"Oh, you. For Neulsi, curl your right fingers more inward. Otherwise, it'll snap awkwardly and ruin your precision."
"...!!"
Harun couldn't hide his shock at Adel's parting words.
"How did you..."
"Hiding it so poorly just makes it obvious. Better to own it like us and say you're training on the side."
Neulsi—one of the Ulan tribe's desert archery techniques. It unleashed arrows at overwhelming speed, like crashing waves, piercing targets with relentless force. It demanded immense power as a foundation, paired with the composure to keep the arrowhead steady.
"Good luck."
Adel flashed a pleased smile at Harun's stunned expression.
Harun Serpent.
Despite hailing from the Garam Archipelago—a sea realm, not the desert—his growth brought Adel genuine joy.
He's playing lazy because of Kasla. He knows he's already surpassed her.
Kasla, Nazan's daughter, was exceptionally talented too. She wielded a bow like her father, but deep down, she knew her true gift lay with the sword.
But her pride won't let her, with her dad leading the Gal Black Crows.
Changing Kasla's mind would take time. Adel planned to guide her slowly.
Harun was different. He'd already gripped the bow tightly, harboring a deep interest he didn't show.
Grow Harun to provoke Kasla.
That was Adel's strategy.
Their exploits in his previous life were etched deeply in his memory. With his help, they'd achieve far greater heights this time.
Watching them grow would be entertaining in its own right, Adel mused.
"Heila."
"Yes, Adel-nim."
"I'll be later than usual today."
"Yes, since it's your last day."
"Yeah. Go ahead and eat dinner without me."
"I'll wait and eat with you. Meals alone aren't as fun. I packed some lunch just in case."
"Then you rest up too."
Adel took the lunchbox from Heila and grabbed a few training swords.
"Yes. Um... mind if I practice swordplay too?"
"Of course. I'll check your form when I get back."
She nodded eagerly at his reply.
After the Tomb Tournament, Heila had continued as Adel's attendant. But once Hien permitted her access to the Taeo Cave, her nights freed up. Adel had ordered her to train her swordsmanship while waiting, guiding her in spare moments.
With a solid foundation, her skills had surged over the year—reaching upper-level hunter prowess, if not quite squad leader caliber.
Sending her to the colosseum later could be fun. Plenty of useful gains there.
With Harun and now Heila's promising growth lightening his mood, Adel left the barracks.
* * *
Wuuuung.
The massive iron door groaned open, revealing a cavern bathed in blue light.
No sunlight reached the Taeo Cave, but artificial windows poured in glow from spirit light rocks called Yeongchwi, emitting pure spiritual energy.
"Hoo..."
Adel inhaled deeply. The cave's dense energy spun his internal aura at breakneck speed.
Krriiik.
He drew the bowstring with all his might, curling his fingers inward as he'd advised Harun.
Kraaak...!!
The bow, seemingly at its limit, bent further, on the verge of snapping.
Pakaaaang---!!!
The arrow flew with a piercing whistle, slamming into the target on the wooden frame.
Thuk...!!
Boom!!!!
It punched straight through the target and the thick tree behind, spiraling on impact. The wood twisted like a vortex before shattering into splinters.
"Hmm..."
His drawing hand throbbed.
This devastating shot was none other than Neulsi, the technique Harun had been practicing.
The arrowhead's faint milky glow is shifting gray. You've stepped into mid-tier aura.
"Yeah, barely got my foot in the door."
One step up in a year. The cave helps, but you knew how to handle aura from the start.
Adel nodded.
He'd mastered high-tier aura in his previous life.
I never quite reached the pinnacle. Wonder if this time...
"Aura's foundation is solid, but my body's still lagging. Maybe two Neulsi shots at best. Thought I'd tempered decently over the year... still a ways to go."
Despite his words, satisfaction lit Adel's face. Neulsi was an advanced technique few upper-level hunters could wield.
Impressive enough. Smart not to use the relic from Hien. It'd ease things now but stunt your physical growth.
"True."
When we first met, you were a thunderbolt-headed fool who couldn't take even a drop of my blessing.
Kalderet approached with a splinter from the shattered wood in his mouth. He tossed it to Adel, who casually lobbed it into the air.
Now you're grown enough for a trickle of my blessing. Add aura, and you could crush a mid-god contractor.
Leaping lightly, Kalderet caught the airborne splinter in his jaws and repeated the game, looking every bit the playful pet—but clearly enjoying himself.
Few in the tribe could match you now. Your punk brothers are out. Maybe that Merka guy could give you a run?
"Yeah. Physical stats have jumped noticeably. If this were Yoyeon bow, the blessing would've let me squeeze out a few more shots."
Adel eyed his current bow—a standard trainee practice model. Even Ulan training bows outclassed city forges, but after countless artifacts in his past life, it felt lacking.
As Kalderet says, the gap with Merka is even now. He's graduated ahead, earned Desert's Grace, and contracted low hunting god Kindel.
Blessings and god contracts were worlds apart. Blessings could be used without contracts, but contracting meant wielding a god's power directly—like partial descent—yielding far greater might than mere borrowed strength.
Brother contracted Kindel young, a prodigy. Might've awakened aura by now.
Hien had contracted Kindel too, gifting Nazan a blessing-infused bow.
If memory serves, he even reached mid-god Kirundel... Might not contract yet, but could channel blessings like me.
Five years from now—the peak of Merka's meteoric rise, before his poisoning death. His most radiant era.
Even to Adel, that Merka had seemed fully awakened, absorbing everything at blinding speed.
If he'd lived, high-god Kilderen might've been next. Hien's prime heir.
Adel sighed softly.
Merka's death was fated. And only Adel knew—so only he could prevent it.
He's a good guy. With him, Ulan grows faster. Conquering remaining desert tribes accelerates.
Yet he was Adel's greatest rival. Removing him would ease seizing Ulan's power—like Syrin might.
Syrin preferred ruling over serving.
"Hmm."
Adel idly drew the bowstring, mind troubled.
No need fretting years ahead. You and Merka have a bigger mountain first.
Kalderet watched him.
The tribe lord's still kicking. No room for showboating.
"Fair point."
Adel wryly smiled. Both he and Merka had to climb Hien before vying for the throne.
"Adel!!"
Then—Harun's voice from outside.
Taeo Cave was restricted; visitors were rare. Harun's presence meant trouble.
"What's up?"
"Myurn wants you. We're picked for the winter prep subjugation."
Subjugation: large-scale monster hunts to stock the tribe for the year, not small game.
"You too?"
"Yeah, and Kasla."
Adel grasped the summons' meaning.
Finally...
The chance Hien promised a year ago.
Adel nodded.
"Last day in the cave. Tell him I'll finish training first."
"...Huh? Syrin's there too, I think. You sure?"
Harun blinked in surprise.
"Yeah? Tell him to wait."
Adel replied calmly to his reaction.
"Where's the subjugation, anyway?"
"Gotta ask Myurn for sure, but... sounds like Shallon?"
Adel's steps halted as he turned.
"Shallon?"
"Yeah. Why?"
His eyes gleamed.
So it was this day.
The event flashed in his mind.
To Adel, this subjugation was no longer just merit-building.
Shalon's great disaster...
It would shake the tribe to its core.