The Transmigrated Author
Chapter 61: Jae Yoona

{Jae Yoona POV}

[Pinnacle Academy Stadium 1 - Arena A: Office Reception]

hmm...hmm...hmm...

A gentle hum escaped Jae's lips as she strolled along the sunlit corridors of Pinnacle Academy.

It was a song without a tune, a melody inspired by the rhythmic tapping of her boots on the polished floor. She had just come back after having her Bow broken from overusage and the staff had made her a new one to use.

"Ah, there you are!" A familiar voice broke through her humming, carrying a cheerful warmth.

Turning, Jae spotted her best friend, Alice, waiting patiently beside the reception desk—a hint of joy coloured Alice's ever-composed features.

"Another one of your songs, Jae? It's a good thing these walls have noise-cancelling walls, you know."

Despite the lighthearted tease, Jae grinned back.

"I'm cultivating an artistic aura of mystery," she declared, mock-offended. "And you, as my most trusted supporter, should appreciate it."

Alice simply smiled, tucking a strand of long, Blonde hair behind her ear. "Of course, of course. I wouldn't question your artistic genius, especially with another victory tucked under your belt."

"Is that so?"

Jae nodded agreeing to Alice's words. Even now, the concept of 'victories' didn't sit comfortably with her.

It was Alice, observant and perceptive as always, who had convinced her to take the tournament seriously. It had been a struggle at first...but somewhere along the way, facing opponents did become interesting for Jae, as an archer aspiring to be a leader of a guild she knew that this event was important for taking those small steps to glory.

The receptionist waved them over with a smile. "Ms. Yoona, Ms. Elizabeth, your weapons are ready for retrieval."

The woman slid Jae's designed bow across the counter. They were practically sisters, this bond was forged over years of growing up together since Alice became a sponsored student of Jae's family while in England.

"Speaking of victories..." Alice started, her voice taking a conspiratorial turn. "Your next match against... hmm, let me check..." Glancing at her watch she checked to see Jae's Bracket.

[Round Of 32 Knockout Stages]

(Left Side Bracket)

Rel Laurence (13)

—————| Winner: Rel Laurence

Sergio Vex (20)

***

Miya Takeo (8)

—————| Winner: TBD

Ben Beal (25)

***

(Right Side Bracket)

Jae Yoona (5)

—————| Winner: TBD

Bazz Wong (28)

"It's Bazz Wong from our class, right?" Alice spoke as she placed her Sabre into its sheath.

Jae checked her own watch, confirming. "Ugh, yes. It's always interesting to try to understand what's going on inside that noisy head of his," she joked. There was no malice in her words, simply a touch of teasing familiarity about their overly enthusiastic classmate.

Alice hummed in agreement. "His enthusiasm definitely precedes him. Remember those class quizzes he slept through? The snoring echoed so well with the instructor's voice, it turned into an improvised duet." A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

Jae laughed, the image flashing in her mind with perfect clarity. The pair continued strolling, moving through the less-populated side hallways. Their footsteps were suddenly drowned out by a swarm of chattering male students – most casting appreciative glances at them as they passed by.

- Are those girls really from our academy?

- Wow... They're beautiful.

- So pretty...

- I wished the third years looked like them...

"What a bunch of weirdos," Jae muttered, rolling her eyes playfully.

Alice changed the topic swiftly, lowering her voice into a near-whisper in Jae's ear. "Speaking of weirdos, I heard a weird rumour…"

Intrigued, Jae leaned in closer. "Oh? Let's hear it," she urged.

"Apparently, Bazz participated in a tournament just a few weeks back. One of those lower-tier leagues at Dawnsblade Arena. Rumour has it, he lost in the quarter-finals…" Alice paused, her voice taking on a dramatic tone. "...to an archer."

Jae raised an eyebrow, surprise playing on her features. "Now that is certainly...interesting." An image of brash, overly confident Bazz losing to another archer was hard to think about knowing well that she was versing him next. "Is there footage?" she asked, curiosity piqued.

Alice offered her a wry smile. "Naturally, I already dug it up. Let's replace a quieter spot, and then I'll give you a full tactical analysis…"

[5 Minutes Later...]

"Argh, Dawnsblade Arena has these awful camera angles," she grunted with a touch of annoyance. "But watch closely…" the scene shifted, and there on the gritty stage was Bazz, facing a lean, looking archer with his hair looking like he just got out of bed.

A burst of cheers greeted Bazz as he leapt into action, launching himself across the battlefield with surprising agility. It seemed the arena's announcer was familiar with his brashness and showmanship. And then, he triggered his Ultimate ability.

"Look!" Jae murmured, leaning forward as the air around Bazz crackled with mana. It shimmered, combined…until it erupted as a massive, swirling fist, aimed squarely at his opponent.

This was 'Gustful Fist', his Ultimate Skill. The raw power was as devastating as it was striking. There was a collective gasp amongst the audience as the massive 'fist' tore across the field towards the smaller archer. Surely, with his back against the wall, there was no way to withstand that direct hit…

And yet. In a move that could be described as either madness or mastery, the unnamed archer didn't dodge. Instead, with an unsettling calm, he raised his hand. Just one hand, as if he intended to stop the onslaught with minimal effort. It seemed ridiculous.

However, as the 'Gustful Fist' came a hair's breadth away from the archer, His hand perfectly timed the attack. There was a ripple, almost invisible to the naked eye, and then the attack wasn't just deflected, it was reversed.

The monstrous gust became a gale turned against itself, and now it was barreling right back towards Bazz.

Jae and Alice watched in fascination. No shouting, no cheering, just an unspoken agreement—this was unexpected. From across the room, there was a muffled thump sound…it seemed even the footage felt sympathy for the way Bazz had been blown back by his attack.

With a click, Alice dispelled the video. "So…" she drawled, tilting her head towards Jae.

"What do you make of that?"

Jae stared at the blank space for a long moment. As a long-time archer, she'd been steeped in tradition, honed to value precision and technique. What she had witnessed felt wildly unorthodox...and, she hated to admit it, brilliant.

She finally voiced her thoughts. "That moment..." she said, brow furrowed in slight concern and even more admiration. "The skill wasn't just deflecting Bazz's attack...it was reversing it. What if," she paused, then a smirk replaced her concern, "...what if there's a hidden rule about 'Gustful Fist' no one knows?"

Alice tilted her head, as her face lit up at the thought. "Are you implying the parry had more to do with technique, an unseen counter to Bazz, rather than pure power?"

Jae nodded, a competitive sparkle appearing in her eyes. "Or some magical item...some equipment trick..." Her mind churned. "If we could understand how that archer pulled it off, it might expose a pattern. It has to be something other than luck. Which means that a monstrous attack won't be what I have to watch out for. "

"Hmm...it wouldn't be unlike Bazz to rely on that attack just a bit too much. That overconfidence is what might trip him up in the end." Alice chimed in, analytical as always.

Jae turned towards her friend, a grin of both relief and newfound determination replacing her previous contemplation.

"Thank the stars… Then I might stand a chance against a bruiser like him. Time for plan B…" she trailed off, then her voice picked up with resolve. "I just have to knock out Bazz before he's desperate enough to even try using that gusty punch of his, right?"

BZZZT! BZZZT!

The silence was broken by a buzz at Jae's wrist. She frowned, reading the notification flashing across her watch.

[Your Upcoming Match Schedule...]

[Round Of 32 Knockout stages:]

[Name: Jae Yoona]

[Matches Completed: 20]

[Match Number: 3]

[Time: 10:30 AM]

[Opponent: Bazz Wong]

[*Please Arrive 15 minutes for inspection.]

"I have to get ready." She glanced at Alice. Despite the sudden change of mood, her voice sounded steadier. That flicker of concern she'd felt wasn't gone, but now it was mingled with a fiery determination that Alice knew well.

"Need that last-minute mental preparation, do you?" Alice's own voice held a note of gentle teasing, even if there was a flicker of concern mirrored in her gaze.

Jae gave her a playful grin. "Just a quick archery-zen moment of pure focus. That and figuring out what kind of crazy opening move I'll need to keep Bazz in place..."

Her gaze then snapped directly to Alice, a rare sincerity replacing her usual smirk.

"You'll be there watching, right?"

A genuine smile broke out across Alice's face. "Wouldn't want to miss it," she said simply. "Now go break his wind, figuratively and literally if you have to."

Jae laughed, tension loosening with her friend's unwavering support. With a quick wave, she was already rushing out the door, readying herself for the upcoming battle.

_______________

Authors Notes:

- When Jae and Alice were watching the playback of Bazz's fight against Rel the reason they were saying the 'unknown archer' was of the distorted audio that was playing through her watch.