Normally, a person under pressure and with insufficient strength wouldn't be able to even reach the hundred meter mark at the Archery Range. And judging from the wobbly arrow that Dan shot, it would never reach its mark.

Even if it had enough force to reach the dummy, the trajectory of the arrow alone which was far above the dummy's head will still cause it to miss.

Clyde inwardly smirked, with his two decades of experience. He felt pretty confident of himself. Glancing at the commander and his son. His expression flickered when he noticed that the two remained unperturbed. A smile lifted on their lips as they stared at the flying arrow.

'Why are they so confident?' Doubts filled his mind. But when he returned his gaze at the range, he dispelled all of his suspicious when he noticed that the arrow even deviated from its original path, swerving slightly to the right.

'Judging from this angle, It will never hit the mark,' He deduced in his heart.

But what everyone didn't expect was when the arrow reached the fifty meters mark before the dummy. It suddenly dived downwards and turned left, striking the dummy right on its abdomen.

'What the...' Clyde's expression blanked. All other soldiers who thought the same as him also turned incredulous, after all, it was the first time that they saw such a strange occurrence.

Commander Zaramias chuckled. Sweeping his gaze, he announced, "First of the three exchanges. Winner, Dan Longinus."

All eyes glanced at Commander Zaramias. Although they had their grievances about the strange matter. Since the Commander itself announced his decree. They wouldn't dare to question it.

Clyde clicked his tongue, his expression remained stoic. But deep inside, he was unwilling. 'To think that a boy-toy like him defeated me?' It was a great humiliation for him.

Dan didn't say anything. Picking up his bow, he placed a single arrow on the string, but when he nocked it, Clyde noticed that when Dan nocked his arrow, he twisted the bowstring around it as he aimed.

Clyde didn't only have brawn without brains. He knew that Dan's way of nocking the bow had something to do with that strange movement of the arrow. However, since he wasn't really that knowledgeable when it comes to bow drawing techniques. He didn't recognize Dan's techniques.

Dan glanced at Clyde, a small smile lifted on his lips. The technique that he utilized was called the String Twisting Hurricane Technique recorded inside the Longinus Clan's Library. When Dan asked the System's help. It quickly proposed this technique which didn't need much arm strength to accomplish.

The reason why Zaramias didn't do anything towards this peculiar phenomenon was that he recognized the technique that his son used. He didn't understand it himself but he felt like his son had become more mature these past years as if he became a new man without him realizing it.

Both compet.i.tors nocked their arrows and the surrounding area turned stiff. Everyone's eyed stared at Dan, void of disdain that they had for him earlier. Instead, they antic.i.p.ated him using that unique technique once again.

With a whistling cry, both arrows flew towards their targets. Dan's arrow still looked wobbly, but no one dared to underestimate it. Cylde tightly clenched his fists, his eyes s.h.i.+ning in a solemn light. Even if he lost the Archery Compet.i.tion, there's still the Swordplay and Strategy part and if he won those two, he would crush Dan under his foot.

As expected, Clyde's arrow barely struck the shoulder's of the dummy while Dan's arrow went deep into its left chest. Everyone cheered and since Dan won the second round, they would now proceed at the next challenge. Strategy.

"I will be the one who will pose the questions, both compet.i.tors, stand before me!" Zaramias announced, the Strategy contest was an impromptu contest where they would answer Zaramias question within ten seconds. It could be considered as the hardest part of this test, and one it would only take one mishap for you to fall this test.

The soldiers moved closer, not wanting to miss a single detail of their answer.

Seeing that Dan and Clyde stood upright without a hint of expression on their faces, Zaramias nodded his head, before saying, "You are the commander of a certain battalion inside a certain City. The city is the last stronghold of the entire empire and if it falls down, the empire will soon follow."

"Your enemies are at your door, but you only have three thousand soldiers left, and your enemy has a hundred thousand. What are you going to do?" Zaramias stopped, he stared at Clyde as the latter nodded his head, stepped forward and said, "Commander, I would first evacuate all of the citizens of the City and then fight my enemies to death! Even if I die, at least I can still bring some of them with me and save my fellow citizens in the process!"

The soldiers nodded their heads in admiration towards Clyde's answer. Not only he saved the citizens, he also valiantly fought to the death against the intruders! It could be said that this answer of his was an admirable one, and struck deep within the soldier's hearts.

Zaramias nodded his head, turning towards Dan. He said, "The question for you will be the same as Clyde, you have ten seconds to answer."

Dan's lifted in a smile, walking forwards, he announced, "Commander Zaramias, you said that the City is the last stronghold of the empire, right?" Zaramias replied with a nod.

"Then, What I will do is since everything falls when the stronghold dies, I will arrange every citizen, may it be men or women, with the exception of children, to pick up their swords and rise to fight against those intruders that dared to defile the land of the Emperor." His tone turned solemn, and an indescribable air of beguilement surrounded his body as he continued, "Even if we fall, I will not hesitate to cause further destruction by poisoning their wells and burning all of rations inside the City, so that even if they win the war, they will never be able to take advantage of the structures that we built, and that they would still start from Zero if they want to settle on our land."

The entire training ground became quiet. All eyes focused on Dan with a light of disbelief within their eyes. They had never expected, even in their dreams that someone whose age was decade lower than them would possess such a keen insight and wisdom along with sufficient ruthlessness towards not only himself but his enemies!

Zaramias stared at Clyde. The latter bitterly chuckled, bowing his head down, he clasped his fists together before he respectfully said in a clear voice: "This humble one, Clyde Barthos, greets the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army!"