Chapter 182: Team (2)
Jake logged into the game.
He decided not to ditch his classes this time. He believed that he'd be able to give up on his college the second his esport career became profitable. If that were the case, it'd not hurt him to attend a few more classes.
Something interesting may come up during those classes.
That said, nothing peculiar occurred in the college today.
Therefore, Jake was more excited to enter the game and continue his training!
He appeared in Viktor's workplace. For a second, Jake was confused about it.
He recalled most of his time with his friends and how they indulged in alcohol and dishes.
Though Jake's unique constitution had turned shots into wine, the base of each drink still gave him a different taste.
It was a fun time for him.
'Oh, right. I told everyone that I loved them again and wanted them to hear the melody of my soul. It's so cringe-worthy, but I like the sound of it. No one will know about it,' Jake thought. Because of that, I ended up in Viktor's workplace. I shot a few arrows, and that's it, right?'
Jake opened his game system and looked over at the notifications.
It was too early to call it a normal routine, but it would surely become one soon, as Jake could now earn bonus stats from other arches.
His legendary class should notify him when someone from Ethan's group creates their own skill with his blueprint.
For that reason, Jake would often check his notifications from now on.
'Huh? I've learned The Rapid Release Skill?' Jake thought as he stood agape. He clicked on the notification, which unfurled into a wide screen on which Jake could see The Rapid Release's Skill Description.
[The Rapid Release Skill(Epic)(Active Skill)(0 MP): an archer class/subclass skill that allows the user to take arrows from the game system's inventory and immediately nock them for rapid release. It saves time, so an archer doesn't have to reach out for an arrow inside the quiver or inventory.]
Its information was pretty simple.
That said, it was an epic skill, which meant there were weaker versions of it, each with more blatant weaknesses.
Though Jake couldn't see any weakness of this epic version, he wondered what the legendary grade of The Rapid Release Skill would do.
'It takes no mana because it's similar to Master's trick, right?' Jake thought.
He wasn't particularly on the spot this time. The weaker skill versions swallowed up some mana, but only the epic grade didn't. It could be said that the epic grade of this skill was the best version of The Rapid Release that all archers of the past had been dreaming about, while the legendary grade was something yet to be unlocked, even by Viktor.
'If I learn Master's trick on a higher level, I won't really need it, right? Unless I somehow get my hands on the legendary grade of it,' Jake thought.
Although he had thought about this skill this far, Jake hadn't gone to practice it yet.
'Viktor said that the trick to The Rapid Release Skill is hand signs. The basic arrow—the four-bladed arrow—shouldn't require any hand signs because it's a commonly used arrow by me. For blunt arrows, I should slightly lower my thumb a little, I guess… that will be the muscle memory to take out blunt arrows,' Jake thought.
Jake took out the bow and tightly grasped its handle as he had constructed himself.
The Formless Soldier Form put him into his strongest!
Jake closed his eyes.
Recalling how he was drunk yesterday and even for the first time, Jake did his best to remember how his drunk self utilized his hidden potential.
Fog obscured the memories of that drunk battle against the group of players and his neat grasp of The Rapid Release Skill tomorrow, though.
Jake mentally did his best to blow it away.
But even if it was impossible, Jake still remained focused and did his best to get into that mood.
Meaning he was going for the muscle memory more than his memories!
His mind might have forgotten about his wonders, but the body, which he had been honing since the start of his archer adventure in the new world, shouldn't let that muscle memory slip away!
A sudden silence draped Jake.
He couldn't hear or sense anything.
And then, the electrifying bolt went through him. It tore through his brain, heart, soul, and flesh.
He opened his eyes.
Before he could have noticed, he was drawing his highest anchor, with the arrow threatening to obliterate anything before him.
He let it go.
He exhaled.
In that short moment that seemed like an eternity, Jake had used The Rapid Release Skill without the help of the system! He wasn't even drunk! For the first in his gaming career, Jake used skill with his will alone!
It felt beyond pleasant.
'Archery is so damn cool!' Jake thought.
A cold reality echoed behind him, then.
"You used the gift," Viktor said, his arms crossed.
Jake turned around and smiled. "I was drunk… sir."
He even became more formal with Viktor than he should have!
It was something that Viktor hated as it used to remind him of his lineage.
He didn't care much about it nowadays.
"Drunk?" Viktor asked.
Without asking for Jake's explanation, he took him to Master Aaron's workplace.
The old man was currently busy with new projects, which were part of Asta Bow's Household's Comeback Plan!
Their existence was also to help Jake.
"Why are we here?" Jake asked.
Ignoring him, Viktor asked the old man. "Can alcohol bring out the hidden potential?"
Master Aaron side-glanced at the duo and said in a short but sharp voice, "Nani?!"
Jake thought, 'How many weeb players has he met already?'
Viktor narrowed his eyes at the old man.
Aaron coughed and said, "There was an item that my master could only craft when he was drunk. Alcohol is said to be the poison of truth, as it often betrays what's hidden in our hearts! But that's as far as the normal alcohol goes!"
Viktor asked Jake, "What did you drink today?"
Master Aaron chimed in, "He seems sober to me."
Jake rolled his eyes at these two.