The herald raised the golden staff, his voice echoing through the stadium:
— The Sixth Trial of the Eleven! In honor of Marcos Fernandes, of the House of the Wild!
The crowd erupted in applause. The banner of the House of the Wild — a black field bearing the silver wolf — waved high above the arena.
— Only artillery weapons are allowed: bows, crossbows, slings, and mana projectiles, — declared the herald. — Close combat is forbidden. Any violator will be disqualified.
The cages opened. The arena was flooded with black wolves, small ogres, and packs of savage beasts.
Each competitor received a bow and a full quiver — identical, so there would be no excuses.
---
?? Sarya Veyrunn — The Huntress of Autumn
The trumpet sounded. Sarya moved with perfect precision.
Every step already calculated, every arrow knowing its target before leaving the string.
A black wolf leapt at her — the arrow pierced its eye before it even touched the ground.
An ogre lifted its club — three quick shots hit its throat and chest.
The crowd roared.
— The Huntress of Autumn! — shouted elven voices.
— Beautiful! Magnificent! — cried the humans, even demi-humans clapping.
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Sarya didn’t react. No bow, no smile — just her amber eyes, cold and focused, searching for the next target.
---
?? Leli Fernandes — The Surprise
Leli, smaller than most competitors, gripped her bow tightly.
Her face flushed red, but her eyes burned with determination.
The first arrows were hesitant… but soon found their mark on mid-sized beasts.
One wolf down. Then another.
She spun lightly, dodging and firing in rhythm.
The once-indifferent crowd started to cheer:
— Who’s that?
— That’s one of the Fernandes sisters!
With each hit, Leli’s confidence grew — and so did the roar of the stands.
---
?? Valen Rowan — The Poisoned Pride
Tall, at 1.92 meters, with his Autumn cloak swaying, Valen shot with raw strength and skill.
His arrows struck cleanly into mid-sized prey.
But as he fired, his eyes kept seeking one person — Sarya.
Each time she felled a greater beast, his smile tightened.
— That boy’s got talent, — murmured nobles.
— But he’s nowhere near the huntress, — others replied.
Valen’s teeth ground harder with every cheer that wasn’t for him.
---
?? Akemi and Besouro — The Resilience
Akemi shot calmly — not flashy, but steady, landing consistent hits on mid-level monsters.
The crowd hummed in approval.
Besouro, meanwhile, seemed to fight against his own bow.
His arrows were strong but wild.
Yet when he missed, he charged forward to protect others, shielding them with his own body — even without a blade.
The audience applauded his courage, even as his score remained low.
---
?? Aerya Summer — The Style of the Summer
The elf of Summer moved with elegance.
Her arrows formed patterns in the air, each surrounded by a faint golden aura.
She couldn’t match Sarya’s sheer volume, but her beauty in motion drew sighs from the crowd.
---
? Lukas Fernandes — The Last Place
Lukas raised his bow.
The first arrow missed completely.
So did the second.
A black wolf charged — he stepped back and tried to use the bow like a staff.
The crowd burst into laughter.
— Look at the chocolatinho!
— Can’t even hit a barrel!
Arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.
When beasts closed in, he swung his bow to push them back — no real damage.
Sweat dripped down his face.
He didn’t give up… but he couldn’t score either.
---
?? The End of the Hunt
When the final trumpet sounded, the scoreboard ignited across the sky:
1?? Sarya Veyrunn — 10,000 points, all large prey.
2?? Leli Fernandes — a stunning surprise.
3?? Valen Rowan — solid, but overshadowed.
4?? Aerya Summer
5?? Akemi
6?? Besouro
7?? Lukas Fernandes — nearly no points.
The arena erupted in laughter and scorn:
— The failure stays a failure!
— A general among the Copas? Hahaha! Can’t even shoot straight!
Their mockery echoed through the air like a show made just to humiliate him.
End of Chapter 11
