Adventurer of Many Professions

During her practice, Arya began to pay close attention to the position of the bowstring as she pulled it back, seemingly trying to memorize the right angle and strength by watching the bow's position. But Raymond quickly stopped her.

"Why are you trying to remember the position of the longbow and the bowstring? Won't that help me master my power faster?" Arya asked, clearly confused.

After all, if she could just memorize the position of the bowstring and how many centimeters the arrow penetrated, she thought she could easily repeat the process. Every time she shot, she'd just need to focus on the bowstring and longbow to gauge her strength.

Raymond shook his head, his expression serious. "If you only use this longbow, and if it doesn't change, then yes, that might work. But there's a problem: The elasticity of the longbow will change the more you use it. And the same goes for the bowstring."

"As the bow gets more use, it will wear down. It will need repairs or eventually be replaced. When that happens, will the position you've memorized still be accurate?" Raymond asked. "Especially the bowstring, it's the most easily damaged part. Once it's replaced, the force you need to pull it will change. The position you remember now won't be the same anymore."

Arya frowned, trying to digest what he was saying. Raymond continued, "And even if the longbow doesn't break, as your strength increases, you'll eventually need a stronger bow. You can't afford to start all over and memorize a new position every time that happens."

Arya was quiet, unable to argue with his logic. "So, what should I do?" she asked.

Raymond gave a small nod. "You need to rely on your senses. Feel the strength in your arm. Remember how much force you used each time. That's the key. It's not about memorizing the position of the bowstring, it's about internalizing the feeling of your strength."

He paused and added, "Yes, it's difficult at first, but once you master this technique, you'll be able to feel how much force you used regardless of any changes to the bow or bowstring. It won't matter if it's replaced; your ability to feel your own strength will remain the same."

Arya understood now. She stopped focusing on the position of the bowstring and, instead, began paying close attention to the sensations in her arm as she shot each arrow. It was a different kind of focus, one that she would have to practice until it became second nature.

Although it was challenging and there were still many mistakes, Arya made remarkable progress. As an experienced archer, she had a natural talent for the craft. In less than an hour, she was able to consistently control her strength, sending the armor-piercing arrow deep enough into the tree trunk to reach five to six centimeters.

"Good job," Raymond said. "Next, try to control the strength so the arrow penetrates seven to eight centimeters."

This new goal was significantly more difficult. To drive the arrow that much deeper into the tree trunk required far more strength, and with the number of shots Arya had already taken, she was beginning to sweat heavily.

Raymond noticed her fatigue and immediately called for a break. He knew that pushing her too hard too soon wouldn't help her progress. After all, growth in training doesn't happen overnight.

"Let's take it slow," he suggested. "We have plenty of time. The commissions we're working on aren't too difficult, and there's no immediate need for perfect control or excessive strength. Even in the future, when we take on 'bronze-level' commissions, I can make sure you stay safe, unless something unexpected happens."

Arya nodded, understanding Raymond's point. As an archer, she knew she could master this quickly, especially if she kept practicing under Raymond's guidance. Archery was her craft, after all, and she had the innate talent for it. It would be unreasonable to think she wouldn't improve fast with focused effort.

Raymond also understood that once someone awakens a profession, they not only gain the skills of that profession but also its natural talents. Proper training could enhance those talents, though skill development takes time. Mastering a skill in a year is considered impressive, and being able to master two in the same period would mark someone as a true prodigy.

Arya had only just awakened, and while she couldn't expect to gain her skills and strength immediately, Raymond knew the potential was there. The issue, however, was that Arya's abilities were still developing, and currently, she was the team's weakest link.

But that didn't mean she was expendable. Arya's potential was no less than that of Sally or Philorene. It was just that she was the newest addition and hadn't had time to grow yet. But even in her current state, Arya was invaluable to the team.

That was why Raymond wanted to help her improve as much as possible, by strengthening her skills and preparing her for when she could comprehend more advanced techniques.

Arya was on the same page. When the team suggested recruiting a warrior for protection, she didn't hesitate. She wanted to ensure she wasn't the team's weakness and immediately asked Raymond to teach her some close combat skills.

Raymond noticed her determination to become stronger and not drag the team down, so he agreed to help. They would work on her melee combat abilities and, of course, continue refining her archery skills.

While Arya rested, Raymond massaged her sore, numb arms, helping her recover between practice sessions. The rest of the afternoon passed with Arya working on her archery and Raymond periodically assisting with massages to relieve the tension.

Before they left, Raymond grabbed his weapon, the Dark Moon, and made his way to a nearby tree. He began cutting it down, and Arya watched in confusion.

"Raymond, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm preparing a target for your close combat training," he explained, while deftly slicing through the tree's branches with the Dark Moon.

With the sharpness of the blade, he quickly removed the branches and chopped the trunk into four or five pieces, each about the height of a person. As he worked, he also began to shape each stump into a practice target by adding fixed limbs.

"It's all coming together," Raymond said. "Once I finish this, I'll install the fixed limbs properly, but I need to return to make sure everything's secure."

Arya blinked, impressed. "I didn't expect you to be this thoughtful."

Raymond grinned. "This is just the beginning. Once we've worked through the fixed target skills, I'll fight you myself and give you some practical training."

No matter how much you practice, it's all for nothing if you don't apply it in real situations.

"Actual combat!" Arya's eyes brightened.

While she was eager for one-on-one practical lessons with Raymond, she knew it wasn't quite time for that yet. She was still a novice at close combat, and sparring with Raymond would be pointless. To truly improve, she had to master the basics first and then test them in real-world scenarios to identify her weaknesses and refine her technique.

"We've put in a lot of work today, so how about we skip cooking tonight and just grab something to eat?" Raymond suggested as he slung the tree stump over his shoulder. He gestured for Arya to pick up the four limbs on the ground, and the two of them made their way back to the town of Wittes.

"Sounds great!" Arya agreed without hesitation.

Even if Raymond hadn't mentioned it, Arya would've suggested eating out. After spending the whole afternoon practicing archery, she was exhausted, especially her right arm. Despite Raymond's massages, which helped ease the tension, she still didn't want to move her arm any more than necessary.

The two of them made their way back to town, but as they passed through the streets, curious glances followed them. Some onlookers stared at Raymond carrying the stump and Arya holding the limbs, clearly puzzled by what they were up to.

When a few adventurers recognized them, their confusion grew.

"What's Raymond doing with that piece of wood?" one asked.

"Maybe they're preparing firewood for winter," another suggested.

"That could be it," someone else agreed.

This conclusion seemed plausible, considering Wittes was located in the southern part of the Atlantis Empire, and though it wasn't as cold as the northern regions, winter here could still be harsh. The south of Atlantis was known to be unexpectedly colder than the north.

Raymond, on the other hand, wasn't bothered by their speculation. He just smiled and kept walking, knowing that their curiosity would soon be forgotten. Arya followed him silently, grateful for the brief respite from training.

By the time they reached their house on Red Rose Street, they carried the stump upstairs and began assembling it in the utility room. Raymond found some nails and fixed the limbs into place, creating the makeshift training target he had planned.

Once they were done, they quickly took a shower. After a long day of practice, Arya felt the need to freshen up. She'd been drenched in sweat and didn't want to risk encountering anyone with the lingering smell. On the way back from the suburbs earlier, she'd kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with the adventurers who were talking about her.

Luckily, when she and Raymond had walked by, people moved aside, and no one got too close. Arya was relieved, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of embarrassment. If someone had noticed the sweat on her, she wouldn't have known where to look.

Raymond, of course, wasn't aware of her self-consciousness. Even if he had been, he would've just smiled. He didn't detect any unusual odor on her; after all, body odor tends to come from people who don't bathe regularly. Those who are clean and bathe often don't carry that sour smell. Arya's worries about her body odor were completely unfounded.