Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player



During the demonstration with holograms, the narrator explained more about the rules of the Rotation Challenge and how the competitors would be judged based on accuracy and the number of rings crossed during the minute-long test.

Although he was just a mere spectator this time, Klaus understood the expression of pressure on the faces of several contestants, as they all knew that this was a drastic turnaround from the previous challenge or even compared to any ordinary challenge. Still, he was curious to see how the archers would handle this new and challenging task, after all adaptation is something that must be tested, and perhaps that was the intent of the second challenge of the first and second phase.

As the competitors prepared for the next challenge, the mood in the gym was a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

The moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived, and the first competitor stepped onto the rotating platform. His name was Abao Liu, and he was doing very well in the first challenge, considering his position.

The lights focused on Abao, and the spotlights illuminated the holograms of the floating rings. The audience held its breath in anticipation.

The competitor climbed onto the rotating platform, placed an arrow in the bow and pulled the bowstring, already anticipating when the rotating motion of the platform combined with the constant change of targets would begin.

As the turntable began to move, Abao Liu adjusted his posture, maintaining his balance naturally. The holograms of floating rings flashed around him, each a different size and score, all around him in 360 degrees. Finally, as the countdown to the start came to an end, Abao focused his attention on all the larger rings, and as one of them passed through his field of vision, he released the arrow.

The arrow sliced through the air and pierced the ring, drawing cheers and scattered shouts of encouragement from the crowd.

Abao continued to launch arrows, adjusting his aim according to the speed and rotation of the rings. Each shot was a battle against time and the unpredictability of moving targets. Some arrows missed, others hit the smaller rings, racking up valuable points, and most of them passed so close that it was frustrating for the boy.

Abao's skill was evident, but from his expressions, this was not a comfortable challenge. The platform was spinning, causing a bit of vertigo, and because everything was in constant motion, moving in any direction was even trickier, not to mention that the smaller targets looked more like blurs. Still, the audience watched in awe, recognizing the effort required to meet this unique challenge.

The minute flew by, and as the countdown came to an end, Abao lowered his bow with a nervous smile. He stepped down from the platform and thanked some of the crowd for their support.

Then Lara, one of three representatives from the New York Archery Department, one of only two campuses with more than two competitors in the individual category, stepped onto the rotating platform with a confident stance. Her almost white hair shone under the lights, and her almost yellow eyes were focused on the holograms of rings floating around her. Her beauty was unusual, with an air of femininity unlike the ordinary.

Lara lengthened her arms, stretching, and pulled on the bowstring, testing its elasticity, ready to take on the challenge.

As the countdown ended and the platform began to rotate, Lara quickly adjusted her position with grace. Unlike Abao, she left only one foot moving in sync with the movement of the platform, and the other foot she used to be able to turn her body more easily, as if dancing in harmony with the rotation. The holograms of the rings flashed across her vision and she chose the medium-sized targets carefully, because they were neither easy to hit nor difficult.

Every arrow Lara shot was a demonstration to all of her dexterity. Her face was expressionless, even in the face of the complexity of the challenge. She wouldn't shoot as long as she wasn't sure she would hit, so she didn't waste any more time than necessary to score.

The crowd was quickly captured by the beauty and subtlety of Lara, who looked like someone extremely hardworking, no wonder the silhouette of her body was so beautiful, especially her broad back.

On her turn, the minute seemed to pass slowly as her movements were fluid and she seemed to be in total control, even with the platform in constant motion. As the final seconds approached, Lara released her last arrow, aiming at one of the smaller targets that passed her sight several times.

As the countdown came to an end, Lara lowered her bow and stepped down from the platform with a serene smile. She looked out at the audience, receiving warm applause and admiration. Klaus applauded too, impressed by his colleague's elegance and talent. Of all the people he knew, Lara was probably the person who trained and practiced the most, only her talent was rarely shown.

When Lara stepped down from the platform, the serene expression on her face showed that she was satisfied with her performance. The warm applause she received was well deserved, and Klaus joined in, recognizing the level of skill she had demonstrated.

As the Rotation Challenge continued, each competitor brought a unique approach to the task. Some handled the spinning platform with more ease than others, while others seemed to be struggling to keep their balance. The ring holograms continued to float, posing a constant challenge to the archers trying to hit them.

Then, abruptly it was Max's turn to step up onto the platform. Some people were confused, because they thought he would be one of the last, but there was no specific order, whoever felt most confident got in line.

Klaus noticed that the crowd immediately started paying attention, because of the amazing performance in the first challenge.

Max was about to face a challenge that required not only skill, but also the ability to deal with the unpredictability of moving targets. Klaus wondered how Max would do, considering the unique approach he had demonstrated earlier.

Max stepped onto the platform with a determined expression. He showed no sign of nerves, just complete focus, and to everyone's surprise, he placed three arrows on the bowstring, which made the gymnasium almost come crashing down with elation.