Showdown

~~~🛠️~~~

Two days had passed since the first victory at the harbor. Two days that had passed like a sigh for the townspeople, still between relief and fear. Like an eternity for Rei, who barely let himself rest. By day he worked nonstop in his makeshift workshop inside the castle. By night, he gave himself to Ettor's discipline and Leonoris's lessons.

Rei swore that not even in Gorō's workshop—whom he missed more each day—had he worked so hard. Though he knew it wasn't true, he couldn't deny the effort he was making, especially when there was no room for error. Either he beat those pirates, or he was finished. And the people of Kounaria would pay for his uselessness.

That noon the sun beat hard against the white walls of Luminas. Rei came out of the workshop covered in oil stains and sweat. With a crooked grin and one of his new creations under his arm. He had a target in mind.

He didn't take long to find it. Nessus was in the central courtyard practicing with his bow against straw dummies. The blond youth whistled confidently. Every arrow hit the bullseye like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Malakh.”

Nessus turned his head slightly, raising a brow.

“Malakh? What’s that?”

“Wasn’t it your middle name?”

“I wish it ‘had been,’” he complained with a little pout. “It still is.”

“I see, ‘Malakh.’ The falcon that never tires of flying,” Rei explained with the half-smile that was fast becoming his habit. “Or rather, a peacock. All noise and colors… let’s see if you’re as good at keeping your feathers neat.”

Nessus burst into laughter and lowered his bow, amused.

“Is the copper making you lose your mind?” he teased, caught off guard.

“Didn’t you catch what I said?” Rei shot back, proud of his sharp tongue and acidic humor.

“Oh, I did. You’re not as clever or as cool as you think,” Nessus winked. “But I didn’t expect the Hero to dare provoke me. What’ve you got there?” He pointed with his chin at Rei’s arm.

“My new launcher, Lord Solaris. The evolution of my primitive design. It shoots projectiles faster than any human arm. How about I pit it against your ‘sacred bow’?”

For the first time in a long while, Rei felt proud and confident of one of his inventions from the very start. He had built a pneumatic launcher, far more refined than his earlier improvisations. It had a short, reinforced iron barrel and a trigger mechanism tied to a double spring. He had even added a valve system that compressed air in a chamber. Its appearance was rough, as if cobbled together from whatever was at hand—because it was—but its adjustments gave it unmatched precision and power.

The blond clicked his tongue, entertained.

“You’re challenging me to a shooting contest?”

“Exactly. You with your bow, me with my launcher. Whoever hits the most targets wins.”

“And what are we betting?” Nessus asked, already intrigued, because if anything amused him more than winning, it was winning with stakes. "Because I don't play without a fair prize."

Rei thought for a moment, his grin twisting.

“If I win… you’ll come with me to study other civilizations when this is over. I need to learn what races live in this world, or I’ll be caught clueless again like the other day.”

“Eh? And why would I want to learn that?”

“You don’t. That’s the point.”

Nessus narrowed his eyes, evaluating him.

“Risky. And if I win… you’ll have to admit before the entire guard that Nessus is the most skilled and intelligent in the Kingdom, even more so than the ‘brave Hero who faced the pirates.’”

A fire lit in Rei’s chest. From the guards’ reports, he knew people had changed their opinion of him after that small victory against the pirates. He was no longer “the one humiliated by Malbrine” but rather “the one who faced Malbrine,” even though he hadn’t fought him directly. For a beaten-down people like those of Kounaria, seeing someone rise up for them was like witnessing a light sent by Solaria herself.

Rei nodded, extending his hand. They shook firmly, sealing the deal amidst laughter and the expectant curiosity of the few guards and servants who had begun to gather.

“Deal.”

“And you’ll wear the Seagull Hat,” Nessus said quickly, glancing at one of the guards. “Go fetch it.”

“The what?” Rei frowned, but Nessus’s cherubic grin quickly dispelled his doubts. “Doesn’t matter. I’m going to win anyway.”

The inventor’s confidence had returned.

~~~🏹~~~

They set up three targets in a row: wooden boards painted with red and black circles, nailed to posts at the far end of the courtyard. The distance was considerable—forty to sixty paces—enough to demand real aim.

Ettor watched from the shadows of the corridor, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Inside, though, he wondered if Rei had lost his mind. With each day, he understood the stubborn, genius Hero less.

“Go ahead, inventor,” Nessus said, conceding the first turn with theatrical flair.

Rei breathed deeply, loading the projectile. He had redesigned his metal cylinders for greater accuracy and, for practice, crafted some without tips. He loaded one of those, and with a squeeze of the trigger, the launcher released a sharp hiss. The projectile whistled through the air and struck the outer circle of the first target. Not the bullseye, but a clear hit.

Applause from the guards filled the air, feeding the ego of an inventor who was starting to recover it.

“Not bad!” Nessus clapped the air. “Though if you aim like that at the fifty-pace target, your shot will end up in Drakhania.”

“It’s my first shot with this model,” Rei retorted, adjusting the valve. “A bit more pressure to the right, and it’s done.”

The second shot followed. This time, the projectile buried itself in the circle at fifty paces, closer to the center. Rei smiled to himself, proud, as fresh applause rose.

“Not bad at all,” Nessus admitted with genuine surprise. “That difference was from adjusting the air? And you say you don’t know magic.”

“It’s not magic,” Rei replied, already aiming for the third target. “It’s craftsmanship. And I am Kashiwa Rei, the greatest craftsman in Kyoto.”

The target was far, but not impossible. He breathed, calm, visualizing a perfect line. He had it. He held his brea—

“Let’s double the bet, ‘craftsman of Kiokio.’”

Rei snapped back to reality and turned toward him.

“What?”

“Three classes on Civilizations for me, and you wear the Seagull Hat for a week. Don’t be scared, ‘peacock,’” Nessus shot back.

Rei only winked and nodded. He was confident in his launcher’s performance, and he knew he wouldn’t miss. He breathed again, held…

And missed. The projectile sailed just past the board, bouncing in the grass behind.

“Damn it!” Rei gritted his teeth in frustration.

“Rule number one: Never let your opponent distract you,” Nessus mocked. “Three shots, two hits,” he judged, as though presiding over a duel. “Not bad for a novice.”

“Tch, I’d have hit it any other time. And you still have to shoot. Let’s see how the peacock does,” Rei said, handing over the turn.

“With pleasure, Hero of Kiokio,” Nessus deliberately mispronounced again.

He stood with the natural ease of someone who had held a bow since he could walk. He nocked the first arrow, drew the string, and whispered softly:

“Solaria, guide my shot.”

The arrow glowed white under the watchful eyes of the guards before it soared with a soft hiss. The wood cracked as the arrow pierced the bullseye dead center.

“Perfect!” one guard cried, and applause swelled.

The second arrow was just as precise, sinking into the middle of the second target. They were now tied. Nessus didn’t even blink; only a sly smile crossed his lips.

“I’m a prince and a noble, after all, Hero,” Nessus declared grandly. “So if I miss and we tie, I’ll grant you the victory. Either I land this, or I’m condemned to my mother’s and sister’s dull lectures.”

Rei gave a half-skeptical, almost condescending nod, grateful for the gesture. But he remembered Nessus’s own words and knew it was time to act.

He watched Nessus critically, waiting for the moment his muscles prepared to release. Just a little longer, just a little more…

“Malakh!” Rei shouted.

A shiver ran through Nessus, and the arrow flew visibly wide to the left. There was no way it could hit the sixty-pace target.

“Ah!” Nessus smacked his forehead. “I missed.”

“What a shame,” Rei mocked—though he was the only one who made a sound.

Why was he the only one? Maybe because everyone else knew it wasn’t over. Still covering his face, Nessus let out a predator’s smile.

“Lies.”

As he uncovered his face, everyone witnessed the impossible curve of the arrow, as if alive, striking the target so hard it toppled the board.

“I never miss,” he finished.

The guards’ cheers resounded through the courtyard as Nessus laughed, bowing as though he had slain some ancient monster. Rei, in stark contrast, was pale, tense, speechless.

“...Ah.” He dropped to his knees, utterly defeated. “Damn it…”

Nessus approached, bow slung over his shoulder, wearing a triumphant grin.

“It’s not your fault, Rei. It’s just that I never lose at this. You should’ve picked another prey.”

Rei looked up, half annoyed, half amused, then joined his laughter. Damn, he really did enjoy spending time with this nuisance, even with death looming over them.

“But it was a good fight,” Nessus added. “Every day, you manage to impress me more. You’re clearly not the same fool who made a spectacle of himself at your presentation.”

Nessus extended his hand and helped him up.

“Don’t remind me,” Rei muttered, taking it and standing.

“That much I’ll admit. You’ve got guts to challenge me with that iron contraption. And you almost won. Not many can hit even the first target.”

“Next time won’t be ‘almost,’” Rei said, tucking the launcher under his arm and gazing at the horizon, his body still buzzing. “And when that day comes, Malakh, you’ll have to admit in front of everyone that the Hero defeated you.”

Nessus gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder and laughed heartily.

“I hope you try. I love impossible challenges. And I love winning bets even more.”

Rei let out one last laugh—this time, nervous.

“Wait a second. That hat thing wasn’t real, was—”

Before he could finish, Nessus, as agile as a cat, leapt on him and dropped a hollow piece of cloth over his head, covering his eyes.