Sayo Hokuto's character quote: "Archery is not about hitting the target, but about piercing through destiny even in the unseen fog."
[Late Night: Outer Edge of the Shinonome Exercise Ground: Rainforest Area
At the end of June, Dongyun entered the rainy season. The rain was light but continuous, like fog.
The first phase of the joint foreign tactical exercise began with the participation of the Bow and Arrow Department. However, this was not an ordinary competition; it was a "hidden mark warfare exercise" presided over by Acting Funk, the director of discipline.
Conditions: Unknown terrain and target points; actual combat formation squad; hit five hidden targets within a limited time.
Environment: Night, rain, and fog; illusion interference on.
Opponent: The Magic Department Reserve Team provides Illusion Maze Suppression.
Saya Kadodo led the team, which included Ruri Shiratori, Haruna Kanzuki, and first-year shooter Amakura Kain, to the game.
"This is a test of your new system," Funk announced. Funk announced with a blank face. "The target is somewhere in the rainforest. I set it, and it's been interfered with by an illusion. You have two hours." "
Saya put on night vision goggles and stood at attention.
"Let's go."
[First Arrow in the Mist]
After only thirty seconds in the forest, the rain and fog, mixed with the illusion, formed an irregular refraction and confused the sensor. Conventional infrared sighting was almost ineffective.
Hunting Yin exclaimed, "It's all shadow targets!" "I've seen at least ten points of light!" "
Guanyue shot an arrow and pierced the rain curtain — "Smack!" The arrow broke, but didn't hit any real target.
Shiratori whispered, "The type of illusion is 'projection residue + auditory confusion,' and you can't judge it by sound alone, Saya!" "
Huangtang Shaye closed his eyes, took the arrow in reverse, and suddenly came out of the string.
—Buzz!
A glimmer of light pierced, and the phantom dissolved.
She whispered, "Arrows don't come from the eyes; they come from the heart." "
The first target confirmed the hit.
[Archery Coordination · Trinity]
Entering the second forest area, the illusions began to distort their sense of direction and spatial orientation. Pathways twisted like mazes, causing the team to temporarily separate.
Kuan Yue reported, "I suspect I am encountering the 'Refracted Target' illusion. I am unable to lock onto the objective."
Sha Ye ordered through the communicator, "Activate 'Rift Flow Coordination Mode.' I will lead the sense of direction sharing. Bai Niao will assist with map modeling. Kuan Yue will monitor the anomalous winds."
They activated the archery coordination array, merging and transmitting their data.Shou Yin looked on in astonishment as the three executed a tactical coordination that seemed like "shared senses": Sha Ye guided the path, Bai Niao corrected the arrows, and Kuan Yue anticipated the interference from the wind domain. In just three minutes, they consecutively hit three targets.
"So this is the Archery Department's combat system?" Shou Yin murmured in near reverence.
[The Fifth Target in the Rain]
The last target was hidden deep within the forest. The rain had become a curtain, and the illusion began to employ emotional interference, blending in auditory hallucinations and past memories.
Shou Yin suddenly froze in place, her expression dazed. "Mom?"
The illusion attacked her emotional recognition mechanism, causing psychological interference.
Kuan Yue shouted, "Don't look at the source of the sound! Close your eyes and use the 'Blind Domain Sensing Technique' we've trained!"
Shou Yin struggled to maintain her consciousness but saw Sha Ye quietly standing in front of her.
"Don't be afraid."
She shot an arrow into the air toward the empty space in the rain, but the next second, the arrow curved back and hit a tiny spot hidden by the illusion in the rain.
"Bang!"
Fifth target: hit confirmed.
—Mission accomplished.
The First Victory Against Magic After leaving the forest, Feng Ke stood in front of the exercise platform holding a recorder and said lightly, "You used a nonlinear tactical coordination and bow synchronization system with an illusion resistance index of 72%. This is not a student-level performance." He looked at Saya. "You have passed the first trial set by Yomi Aoi." Houdo Saya wiped the rain from her forehead; her gaze remained calm. "My arrow has not yet reached its destination."