If the starting villages were the required textbook for a class, then the major towns were the entire library—a dazzling and diverse collection, each one wildly different from the next.

  Stonehaven served as the central hub for fifty different starting villages. Situated on a vast plain, it was surrounded by territory teeming with vicious beasts and deadly predators. Even the monsters closest to the town’s walls were level 12 or higher.

  Because of the steep difficulty curve, most new arrivals made a beeline for the class halls to train their first skills, then immediately used the portal to travel back to Village #9999 to grind in the new dungeon.

  Skills in Godpath were numerous and could be learned through a variety of channels. But no matter the source, every skill had one strict requirement: they all consumed Skill Points.

  The primary way to acquire these points was by leveling up. One level gained meant one Skill Point earned. This made every choice critical.

  Kael, for example, currently had two skills:

  [Double Shot]: Fire two consecutive shots at a target. The second shot deals 80% damage.

  [Precision Shot]: Take careful aim at a target’s weak point. Has a 33% chance to deal triple critical damage.

  [Double Shot] was a basic skill, costing one Skill Point. [Precision Shot], however, was an upgraded version of the base [Aimed Shot] skill, costing a hefty three Skill Points.

  Upon arriving in Stonehaven, Kael didn’t head for the class halls. Instead, he turned and walked towards the southwestern corner of the town. His target was a legendary skill, one that cost a staggering four Skill Points.

  After a ten-minute walk, he arrived at a small house. It was a modest building with just two rooms and a kitchen, but it had an enormous backyard containing a small archery range. Kael didn't go inside. He walked straight to the range, picked up a practice bow, and began to shoot.

  While Godpath was praised for its breathtaking realism, some aspects still operated on game logic. Archery was one of them.

  In combat situations like leveling or PvP, the system didn’t require a player to have perfect aim. As long as you were generally facing the target, an aim-assist system would automatically correct the arrow's trajectory to ensure a hit. Outside of combat, however, that feature was disabled. For someone who didn't know the first thing about archery, hitting the bullseye from twenty yards away would be an incredibly difficult feat.

  Yet Kael, with no system correction, hit the bullseye with every single arrow.

  He shot tirelessly, his movements fluid and efficient.

  Ten arrows.

  Fifty arrows.

  One hundred arrows.

  After he’d landed his 300th consecutive bullseye, a slow, steady clapping sound came from behind him.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  Kael felt a flicker of excitement. He’s finally here.

  He lowered his bow and turned around. An old man with thick white hair stood in the doorway, a look of genuine admiration in his eyes.

  Kael walked over and nodded respectfully. "Sorry to disturb you, sir. I saw the archery range in your yard and couldn't help myself."

  The old man stroked his beard, a warm smile on his face. "No bother at all. It’s a pleasure to watch a marksman at work. May I ask your name? Who taught you to shoot like that?"

  "My name is Dawnbreaker," Kael replied with a slight bow. "And I’m self-taught."

  The old man’s smile widened. He turned and called back into the house, “Sophia, come here a moment!”

  A few seconds later, a graceful and composed young woman emerged from the doorway. She looked no older than eighteen. She walked to the old man’s side and took his arm, her tone gently chiding. “Grandpa, you came out again? I thought I told you to rest inside.”

  The old man patted her hand and pointed at Kael. “This young man has quite the arm. Why don’t you have a little friendly competition with him?”

  Sophia’s gaze fell on Kael. Noticing how handsome he was, Sophia felt a faint blush touch her cheeks. She produced a beautifully crafted bow from her inventory and walked toward him.

  She turned to her grandfather. “How should we compete?”

  The old man glanced up at the sky, where a small flock of birds was flying overhead.

  Kael and Sophia understood immediately. Both nocked arrows and drew their bows.

  Kael targeted the birds and unleashed his [Double Shot].

  Swish! Swish!

  Even though it was a system skill, it still required him to aim manually.

  Seeing Kael fire two arrows, Sophia looked slightly unimpressed. She drew a single arrow and let it fly with what seemed like casual indifference.

  Whoosh!

  After the three arrows fell back to earth, Sophia let out a sharp whistle. “Cooper!”

  A hound bounded out of the house, racing to where the arrows had landed. A moment later, it returned with all three clutched gently in its mouth.

  Kael’s two arrows had each pierced a bird. Sophia’s single arrow had skewered two.

  Sophia patted Cooper’s head, then looked at her grandfather with a smug grin. Clearly, her skill was superior.

  The old man stroked his beard and nodded slowly. “Not bad. I declare it a draw.”

  Hearing the verdict, Sophia stamped her foot lightly. “Grandpa, how is that a draw? You’re being biased!”

  The old man ignored his granddaughter’s pouting. “Your technique is comparable. Now, let’s test your power.”

  He waved his sleeve, and a sudden gust of wind swept through the yard, magically depositing two thick wooden posts in front of them. “Whoever’s arrow sinks deeper wins.”

  This time, Sophia went first. She took a deep breath, drew her bowstring back to its absolute limit, held it, and released. The arrow shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

  CRACK!

  The arrow didn't just hit the sturdy post; it blasted straight through it and buried itself deep in the ground behind it. She lowered her bow and looked at Kael with an air of pride. How can you get deeper than all the way through?

  Kael drew his own bow, Whisperwind. He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the target.

  The moment he released the string, the air seemed to crackle with lightning, and a faint rumble of thunder echoed as the arrow flew—a triple damage crit.

  BOOM!

  A deafening crash echoed through the yard. The wooden post didn't just get pierced; it exploded into a shower of splinters. Where it had stood, there was now a deep crater in the ground.

  Sophia stared at the scene, her jaw slightly agape. She then ran to her grandfather, a playful glint in her eye. “Well, we both shot through the wood, so… it’s a draw!”

  “Haha!” the old man roared with laughter. Kael couldn't help but smile.

  “To have such skill at your age is truly rare,” the old man said, looking at Kael with newfound respect. He took the bow from Sophia’s hands. Then, from seemingly nowhere, his other hand produced a small handful of sesame seeds.

  With a sudden flick of his wrist, he tossed the hundreds of tiny seeds into the air. In the same fluid motion, he nocked an arrow, drew, and fired.

  He shot a single arrow up towards the cloud of scattered seeds. It looked unremarkable, carrying none of the sheer force Kael’s shot had possessed.

  And yet.

  Just as the arrowhead was about to reach the seeds, it blurred, impossibly splitting into hundreds of phantom shafts of light. Each shimmering copy targeted a single sesame seed, striking every last one without a single miss.