Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 376 (Part 1):

*Fwoosh!* An arrow sliced through the air, piercing the center of the target with ease.

The Crown Prince’s first arrow, fired with careful precision, struck its mark and quivered slightly.

It was a display of pure archery skill, devoid of any hint of *Vis*.

“As expected, Your Highness is a master archer.”

The praise didn’t feel like flattery. A satisfied smile appeared on the Crown Prince’s lips.

For someone more akin to a civil official, this was the only martial skill he could showcase to the knights. And since this singular skill was exceptional enough to draw admiration, it was only natural for him to feel a sense of pride.

“Who’s next?”

The Crown Prince had already hit the bullseye with his first shot. Naturally, the next person to step up would feel the pressure.

“Surely this isn’t the end, is it?”

Asuka, suddenly uneasy, asked.

“The rules state that each person takes turns firing five arrows. The result is determined by the average score.”

The Crown Prince pointed at the distant target with his finger. The target was marked with concentric circles, starting from a large outer ring and gradually shrinking toward the center.

The center was worth 10 points, while the outermost ring was worth 1 point. Five shots—it wasn’t a small number of chances.

“I’ll go next.”

Anthony stepped forward willingly. His arrow scored a decent 8 points.

Levi’s arrow followed, scoring a 9. As each of them achieved good results, Asuka’s expression grew increasingly tense.

The wind wasn’t particularly strong, but for an ordinary person, hitting a target at such a distance without the aid of *Vis* was no easy feat.

Yet, the Crown Prince, who rarely lifted anything heavier than a pen, and the young noblemen, whom Asuka had underestimated, managed to do just that. Asuka raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Have you been practicing archery all day or something?”

There was no trace of magical energy. The arrows flew, curving slightly under the influence of the wind.

It was a pure archery, free from any manipulation. Levi calmly replied.

“Archery has become a basic skill for nobles in the Empire these days. Since His Highness the Crown Prince often hosts small archery tournaments, mastering archery has become quite fashionable.”

It seemed everyone had been diligently honing their skills to impress the Crown Prince—not just the young nobles, but even the Imperial knights exuded confidence.

“Now that our two friends have taken their turns, how about you, Asuka? Why don’t you give it a try next?”

The Crown Prince suggested with a glance. Asuka hesitated, and a teasing voice immediately followed.

“You’re not afraid of embarrassing yourself, are you?”

Asuka wouldn’t be Asuka if he didn’t rise to the challenge. He accepted the bow and took his position.

No *Vis* was allowed. For Asuka, whose talent in wielding *Vis* far surpassed his pure swordsmanship skills, this was a significant restriction.

He carefully aimed the arrow at the target.

‘Please, just hit it!’

Sweat dripped down his back from the tension.

A gentle breeze was blowing, just as it had when the previous two had shot their arrows. If he aimed at a similar angle, it should work. He had that much sense, at least.

Asuka released the bowstring almost instinctively.

*Fwoosh! Thud!* The arrow flew and, fortunately, hit the target.

“6 points.”

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and gave a simple evaluation, as if to say, “Is that all?”

For Asuka, who had only hoped to avoid the embarrassment of missing the target entirely, this was a relief. A 6 meant he was at least closer to the center.

Asuka grumbled in response.

“It’s my first time without using *Vis*. This is decent, right?”

The remaining four attempts felt like a heavy obstacle, but he had at least cleared the first hurdle.

Now it was the knights’ and Helmut’s turn. The Imperial knights scored high consecutively.

Ralph, like the Crown Prince, effortlessly scored a 10. Asuka was in last place.

‘Please, Helmut!’

He didn’t have the same obsession with being top of the class as Alea, but it was only natural not to want to be last. Asuka stared intently at Helmut, silently willing his friend to fail.

Since the knights had gone first, Helmut’s turn naturally came last.

After watching the last knight score a 7, Helmut silently accepted the bow.

The air seemed to be sucked in as even the slightest movement from him drew everyone’s attention.

The Crown Prince, who had seemed indifferent until now, asked.

“You’re Asuka’s guest. Have you shot a bow before?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think you can win?”

“Of course.”

There was no need for lengthy boasts or arrogant posturing.

Helmut’s brief reply exuded a confidence bordering on pride.

In front of the Crown Prince, most would show at least a hint of humility, but Helmut seemed completely unaware of who he was speaking to.

To say he would win was to imply he would defeat the Crown Prince, and yet he made the claim so casually.

The Crown Prince’s eyebrow twitched.

“You think you can beat me, just like that?”

“I’ve never lost in a competition.”

Helmut calmly replied as he drew an arrow from the quiver.

Unlike Asuka, he had some experience with hunting. And there was one more thing.

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