Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

[Mia's POV: ]

"Captain, do you need anything? Just tell us if there's anything you need."

"Take care of yourself first everyone. The second round will be the real challenge."

"Yes, captain!"

The first round had finished a while back and the break also ended after a while so the second round was about to start soon, and, it wouldn't be something as simple as creating a general catalyst.

'Not that the first round was anything simple in the first place.'

It took me a long time to finish the thing that I was doing myself and though my unique skill doesn't have anything like a cooldown time, the sheer amount of mental strain it puts on my body is so great that without the strange dull red potions vice-captain gave me, it would have been impossible for to even continue with the competition in that state of mine.'

It's a dangerous skill, that's why I always save for the last, however, the unique training we all went through increased my mental power as well as my soul quality. 

It even gave me enough strength to be able to use this dangerous skill of mine twice in a single day after a little rest, however, with the potions and all, I don't even have to worry about the recoil.

'I can use the skill at least three times with the dull red potions, recover my mental stamina with the dull yellow potion, and get almost all of my Mana back after only drinking half of the dark blue potions.'

Those things are phenomenal, and they are so strangely crafted that even though I know what they are, their composition, and the things that could have been in use in creating these things, it is impossible for me, or perhaps ninety-nine percent of the beings in this world to get their hands on the things that these potions are made of.

And, even if one gets their hands on those things, I have no knowledge of a method other than a unique skill like mine that could be used to reverse engineer these potions.

'They are just, absurd. And amazing.'

I don't know which dungeon or dragon lair he looted to get these things but if he tells me that he actually Created these things, imma gonna have to beg him to take me in as his disciple.

"Huuuuu. But let's not think about that for now."

The first round just ended and all the houses did very well. Unexpectedly so.

'Only the captains know what the other houses did to prepare themselves for the competition, what methods they used, or what things they used for the preparation, however, even with the little information leak they couldn't prevent, I had concluded that at least thirty percent of the students from other houses wouldn't make it past the first round… however, I was wrong.'

Just like our house, the other houses had prepared thoroughly for this competition and they weren't holding back in showing what they had prepared at all.

They were all giving their all, as if their lives depended on it, especially [Turtle defenders].

'The Dark Society is understandable at one point since their lives actually depended on their results. Everyone in the school already knows just how scary Uriel gets when she is in her house captain mode.'

She is a bad kind of perfectionist who believes in brute forcing her way to perfection with absolute, one-sided power. And she is damn good at what she does. To the point vice-captain once told us if she really, really wants to do something, nothing in this entire world, this realm, this very reality would be enough to stop her.

She was smart, strong, and capable, and when she was with her people, she was also the most genuine person one could find. Perhaps, that was the very reason the vice-captain and she were together.

'They look lovely together… haaaa…'

How would it be if we had met earlier than he met her? Would… we be anything more than This?

I wonder…

And, I am certainly not the only one who wonders about these kinda things. 

He's… irresistible.

'But, he belongs to someone else. And, everyone knows he has no earthly desire to have anything more than her.'

The way he looks at her, the way she looks at him… that look is something any human, any living being couldn't have even after yearning for it for an eternity.

'To have someone look at one that way, is a privilege only a few in this world could have. Will I get that privilege? I have no idea…'

But, well, as the person closest to me once told me, "The World is full of uncertainties. Even the most certain thing like time, this reality, to this life we have, is founded on the law of eternal uncertainty".

Nothing is certain, even the best predictions don't have a certain chance to come true.

'Just like that person…'

I glanced across my shoulder and there she was, sitting with Prince Charles, someone famous throughout the world as the eldest prince of Roxanna, as the youngest discoverer of twenty-one natural dungeons, three natural boundaries, and one ancient site.

Everyone knew him since there was a certain someone in his adventurer party who practically recorded everything they did and published for the world to see, read, and experience for themselves. 

He is famous, and, when a famous person like him is someone in a grand competition like this, no one that knew him would consider this to be a small thing.

'He had an adventurer party of the most skilled people with him even though many of the things he did were something he did by himself. However, his desire for the finest talent is something known throughout all the three continents.'

Everyone knew the moment they saw her with him, she was something. Someone who had his direct backing. However, not even I, much less the masters and grandmasters oldies present here might have predicted she would create the God's blood of all the things in this grand world.

'And with that absurdly amazing method at that.'

I don't know who she was where Prince Charles found her, but, I know one thing and that is after seeing her create just one thing, I have relearned one of the most important things in my life: "Limitations are for losers".

Creating something as difficult as God's blood without any dedicated technology, without any specific material, or by using the power this land was bestowed with, were all the things I wasn't even thinking about before I saw her make that golden slab.

'I have never successfully synthesized the Good's blood myself, but, I have seen many create it myself. I know how it feels to create something like that with one's own hands, I know that feeling very well.'

Even a grandmaster who has created God's blood a few times in their lives creates it once again, they would feel the joy of their life once again. They would relive the moment they had succeeded in creating it the first time, they would feel the joy of being a creator, an artist, and an Alchemist once again.

'But, when she created that thing, she was calm. One can tell she was feeling the joy of having done something incredible, but she was calm.'

And that… is what I would call hot.

She looked as young as me, not that old from her looks. She looked to be human but my senses weren't certain so I can't say with certainty, not that it mattered in this place. She was smart, she was daring, she was awesome, but, that wasn't going to stop me from going for the top spot in this competition.

'I made a promise to him. We all did.'

Dark Society was aiming to do better than any other house, Fascinated Mages were doing their best to not fall behind anyone present here, Eternal Tigers were giving others an unexpected competition with all their members passing the competition without any incidents, Fusion Stardust was doing so well the other alchemists were complimenting their methods already, and True Dragons weren't falling behind anyone when their captain was with them.

But, they all were aiming to win against the other houses since they knew they couldn't go past the second day, or the fifth round on the third day at most.

Aqua Mirrors, Turtle Defenders, and, we were different in this matter. 

'We had something we must do here, Quin's house was aiming for a higher realm out of their respect for their captain, and who knew what threat Prince Alpheus had used that his house members had put their lives on the line here. Some of them didn't even care when they were hurt or failed the production of their first product.'

There was no desire, or determination in their eyes. Nothing like hope or faith. 

They just did it because they had to do it. 

There was fear, anxiety, and a kind of negative emotion I didn't think I would see in students of the greatest academy in the world.

'Prince Alpheus… I don't know if he is the reason they are like this, but, that negativity that is so solidly planted inside them isn't something that could be stopped with anything anymore.'

It's a madness that will drive them even against their wills until they achieve their goals, or push themselves to the brink of death while doing so.

It's not something good. However, it isn't something that can stop us either.

We will do what we have to do. What we can do. All that we could do for that single goal.

[ "We would be starting with the second round of the competition in thirty minutes. Those who have passed the first test, please make your way to the new workstations, and those who could not pass this year, we applaud you for your efforts. May the following years bring more positive results to you all!" ]

The second round would decide what happens from tomorrow's team rounds. And, even though I have faith that the others will pass one way or the other, I am certain it won't be something as easy as the first round…

They will struggle, and face difficulties with some of the processes, however, if they follow the teachings of the Vice-captain… everything will be alright.

I have faith in them, and what we have learned.