Martian Archer

The practical exams were about to begin.

Leon Ortez stood in the massive Horizon Academy Training Grounds, surrounded by hundreds of aspiring archers.

The sky was a deep shade of blue, the artificial clouds floating above, casting shifting shadows on the metallic terrain.

Holographic target drones hovered in the air, the academy's training AI scanning each competitor.

"This is it. No more theory. Just action."

A robotic voice echoed through the loudspeakers.

"All examinees, report to your designated zones. Practical Exams begin now."

Test 1: Accuracy Trial

The first test was simple:

30 arrows.

Three distances.

Hit the bullseye as many times as possible.

Leon swallowed hard.

The competitors next to him adjusted their high-tech bows with precision, activating their auto-aim features.

Leon, meanwhile, had only Hugo's handmade bow—a custom but fully manual weapon.

No auto-aim. No laser-guided sight. Just instinct.

"BEGIN."

Leon drew his bowstring and fired.

His first five shots barely hit the outer rings.

His tenth shot landed closer, but he was still struggling.

" Damn it. This is bad."

He adjusted his stance, focused on his breathing, and took his time.

By his last ten shots, his score improved slightly, but it wasn't enough.

The final rankings appeared on the holographic board.

> Leon Ortez - Rank 96/100.

"Bottom five…"

Leon clenched his jaw.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

The next test was already starting.

Test 2: Speed & Agility Trial

For this challenge, competitors had to:

Run an obstacle course while shooting moving targets.

React quickly to surprise elements.

Finish within 3 minutes.

The buzzer sounded.

Leon sprinted forward.

The terrain was rough—jump pads, laser barriers, rotating platforms.

But this was where his Martian upbringing gave him an edge.

On Mars, you had to move fast to avoid unstable ground, dust storms, and sudden sinkholes.

Leon dodged low-hanging barriers, leaped over pitfalls, and slid under rotating beams.

His shots weren't perfect, but he managed to hit enough moving targets to score decently.

By the time he crossed the finish line, the rankings updated:

> Leon Ortez - Rank 35/100.

Leon grinned.

"That's more like it."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathing hard.

Test 3: Smart Bow Trial

This was the most humiliating test yet.

Competitors were handed Smart Bows—top-tier weapons with:

Auto-aim.

Predictive targeting.

Guided arrow technology.

"The bow will do the work for you," the instructor explained. "All you have to do is fire."

Sounds easy, right?

Not for Leon.

The moment he activated the bow, it went haywire.

The auto-aim was too precise, constantly adjusting in ways that felt unnatural.

His first shot missed completely.

His second shot hit the wrong target.

By the end, he was so frustrated he nearly threw the bow away.

"Give me a normal bow any day over this crap."

His final ranking?

> Leon Ortez - Rank 99/100.

"…Great. Back to rock bottom."

The Final Test Approaches

Leon sat on a metal bench.

"This isn't going well…"

"Oi, Martian!"

Leon looked up.

A group of elite students walked past him, sneering.

"You're a joke," one of them scoffed. "How did you even get in?"

Leon ignored them.

But he felt their words sting.

Suddenly—

A hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Kid."

Leon turned.

Hugo stood there, grinning.

"I gotta say… You really suck with Smart Bows."

Leon scowled. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"But hey…" Hugo smirked, crossing his arms. "You're still here. That counts for something."

Leon nodded slowly.

He wasn't the best.

But he wasn't quitting.

Next up—the final exam.

A team-based survival battle.

Leon took a deep breath.

This was his last chance to prove himself.