The day after he returned to the Special Program campus, Klaus dove headlong into training and preparations for the NIST National Tournament, which was in two weeks' time.
As he agreed to participate, Miss Isabella Nairn gathered the entire archery team of the department for a joint effort focused on improving everyone's technical skills and endurance.
The entire campus archery department was to take part in the competition, so everyone was to participate in the training as well.
By coincidence, Klaus and Carrie S. Puma were the first to arrive in the department hangar. They chatted for no more than five minutes and soon began to practice. Next came Benito and Clifford, who still had a certain anger towards Klaus, Andrew and the others, but they were very close to Carrie, so they were cordial this time.
Finally Andrew, David and Nathan arrived still sleepy, and to make matters worse they were being dragged along by Lara Cavalcanti, as she found them hiding in a coffee shop on the way. Lara didn't even allow them to have coffee so that no one would be late.
Klaus and the others laughed at the plight of his roommates, as well as laughing at how badly they were aiming during the first few rounds.
Now that he should take things more seriously, Klaus finally decided to change from his light bow to a medium bow and that made all the difference.
With a light bow, he could shoot quickly, but the intensity and strength of his shots were lower than those of people weaker than himself, like Nathan for example.
With the new medium bow, Klaus felt the additional weight in his hands and noticed a significant increase in his strength and accuracy. He began to hit targets more consistently and to shoot arrows with greater destructiveness. The weight was more pronounced, providing a sense of solidity and firmness. It was as if the bow and he merged into one.
Logically, with the light bow Klaus was able to shoot three times faster, but his strength and intensity were not fully aligned. He could shoot several arrows, but the power behind them was much less.
Now, with the new medium bow, Klaus felt he had found the perfect balance.
On the third round of shooting in the booth, he lifted the bow, adjusted his stance, and took a deep breath. It was time to take his skills to a new level. With a graceful, controlled movement, Klaus pulled the bowstring to its limit and let the arrow fly.
The sharp hiss of the arrow filled the air as it headed toward its target. The impact was impressive. The arrow knocked into the center of the target with admirable precision. Making both Klaus smile, feeling excited, and also Isabella Nairn, who was watching eagerly, after all she was the one who suggested he use a sturdier bow.
Moreover, the rest of the archery team saw it too, and a murmur of surprise and admiration spread through the hangar. Everyone was impressed by Klaus' skill and precision. At the end of the round, they gathered around him, watching him with wide eyes and slapping him on the back with encouragement.
Carrie, with her confident demeanor and a hint of pride, applauded enthusiastically. "Amazing, Klaus! You have mastered this new bow with ease. Your accuracy is breathtaking."
Benito and Clifford ignored their pride for a second, and Benito exclaimed, "I've never seen someone hit the center of the target so hard. You really outdid yourself!"
Clifford nodded, his eyes gleaming with fascination. "I'm impressed, Klaus. You've raised the bar. With you on our team, this tournament could really come to us."
Andrew, David, and Nathan were also impressed.
"HAHA! Looks like dating Ashley gave you a confidence boost, huh?!" Nathan slapped Klaus on the back, making him a little shy.
Lara, ever attentive, cracked a mocking smile. "Hmm? Klaus is dating the campus muse? Ohh... Not bad, not bad at all!" She nudged him with her elbow.
Klaus felt a flush on his cheeks as the others laughed and joked with him. Although he was a little embarrassed by the comments, he was comfortable.
The break came to an end and Isabella gathered the team to resume training. Everyone returned to their seats, eager to continue honing their skills. The atmosphere was full of energy and determination.
As the afternoon turned into evening, the archers continued to train tirelessly. The arrows cut through the air, finding their targets with precision.
Klaus, with his new medium bow, led the group in hits, demonstrating his dexterity.
Night soon came, and the moon shone in the starry sky. Despite this, Klaus' mind was focused, and his movements flowed with impressive grace and precision, no wonder he didn't even see time passing.
The other team members watched in amazement at Klaus' endurance. They could feel the change that was taking place in Klaus, both in his posture and in his abilities. The atmosphere was one of respect and they shared the same goal: to bring the NIST National Tournament trophy to the Special Program campus. But Klaus was so different from other days, so determined, that the others began to wonder if there was something else at stake.
Slowly, some members started to go, all impressed by the dedication of Klaus, who hardly stopped to rest, not least because as the training continued, the voices of the others to him soon blended with the sound of arrows being released and the impacts on the targets.
Isabella interrupted the training when there were only Klaus and Laura still left in the hangars. She congratulated them both on their progress and said that they shouldn't overdo it because the next day they would be training again.
As he walked to his room, Klaus realized that he was so focused on his training that he forgot that he should log on to Rise Online to check if the new shipment of steel had arrived at the store. And while he was thinking about it, his cell phone vibrated with a new notification, this time from Ashley.