Perspective: Hana Takayama
Hana couldn't help but wonder why the Archer class didn't have a calm, well-structured, glamorous academy in every city — like the ones Healers and Mages did.
It felt… unfair.
If such a place existed, she could've happily gone along with Eleanor, Cassandra, and Matteo to the city.
She could be in some bright classroom right now, shooting arrows at fixed targets under supervision, learning techniques in a clean, safe environment.
But no.
Reality for her class was different.
There she was, running desperately through the forest, trying to protect her fragile life from enemies that seemed to multiply with every step.
Not that she disliked forests — quite the opposite.
Nature had always had a special charm for her: tall trees, fresh air, the distant sounds of hidden creatures.
If someone asked for her top three favorite places, forests would definitely make the list.
The problem was the residents of this particular forest.
They were… a little excessive. Overreactive, overly aggressive, and definitely not the welcoming type toward a lone player carrying a bow.
And that very exaggeration had led her to her current situation — arrows fired in haste, breath ragged, footsteps pounding on leaf-covered ground as creatures emerged from every direction, as if the very forest itself rejected her presence.
Alessio had said all of this was "necessary training."
At that moment, Hana seriously started doubting that tank's intentions.
Maybe he just wanted to see her sweat and panic.
Maybe it was his cruel idea of entertainment.
Anything… but actual training.
One thing she knew for sure — if she kept running like that, sooner or later she'd have no energy left to fire even a single arrow.
Well… to be fair, Alessio wasn't exactly the type of person who barked orders and expected blind obedience.
Of course, if someone asked Cassandra, she'd probably say he was exactly that kind of person — but Cassandra had a little problem with following orders from anyone, so Hana didn't consider her the most reliable source.
Her own view of Alessio was different.
To her, he felt more like a lawyer.
Someone who laid out his arguments slowly and in detail, explaining exactly why he believed his reasoning was correct.
And that was exactly what he'd done that morning.
First, he explained that the title they'd all earned was far too rare to waste.
They needed to treat it as a valuable resource — an early advantage that could define their group's future.
Hana completely agreed. At that moment, she was ready to embrace anything that would help her grow faster inside the Tower.
Then Alessio began distributing instructions, assigning each of them to the roles he believed would make them stronger as a team.
His logic was simple: the group had two Mages and no Warrior.
That created a gap that needed to be filled through specific specializations.
Matteo, the bespectacled mage, was the first to receive his "mission" — develop a more defensive build.
Hana mentally applauded that decision. After all, Cassandra was physically incapable of committing to anything remotely related to defense.
Matteo didn't look too thrilled at first either.
But that only lasted until Alessio added one crucial detail: if he followed that path, he'd eventually reach a level where he could even build robots in-game.
Matteo's eyes lit up instantly, and a wide grin spread across his face. From that point on, there was zero resistance.
Cassandra, predictably, complained about following orders.
But since Alessio made it clear her role would focus on attack — with full freedom to burn everything she wanted — she seemed satisfied enough not to argue further.
Eleanor, always kind and composed, was sent to the Healer academy.
According to Alessio, her focus shouldn't just be healing but mana maintenance — because, as he said, if everything went according to plan, their team wouldn't be bleeding much anyway.
Eleanor accepted his reasoning with her usual gentle smile, happy to support the group more efficiently.
And then there was Hana.
With no Warrior on the front line, Alessio believed she'd inevitably end up fighting alone.
That's why her path should be that of a Hunter — someone able to survive in dangerous situations while consistently dealing damage to the enemy.
It was a pleasant image in her mind.
Independence. Mobility. Power.
Hana liked the idea of being that free piece on the board — a point of impact that didn't need constant protection.
The problem, as she quickly discovered, was the training required to reach that goal.
And that training… didn't take long before even she started classifying it as a bit extreme.
After all, it was that "training" that had put her in this situation — running for her life through the forest, chased by enraged beasts, heart pounding and lungs burning.
Not that she intended to let things stay that way for long.
Even though the number of monsters was absurd — and each one looked furious enough to rip her apart — their movements no longer seemed as chaotic as before.
Slowly, they began to make sense.
More predictable.
Easier to read.
Hana started noticing the rhythm hidden beneath their savagery.
The heavy thud of paws on leaves, the tension in their muscles before a leap, the moment of hesitation when they shifted direction.
It was almost like hearing a beat — an unseen rhythm that guided the dance of her attackers.
Her heart still pounded, but her eyes were adapting.
Fear was giving way to something else.
Focus.
Her bow was steady in her left hand.
The wood seemed molded for her grip — each fiber familiar, almost comforting.
In her right hand, an arrow rested between her fingers, the metal tip reflecting what little light made it through the canopy.
She could feel its weight — light enough to fly, heavy enough to kill.
She took a deep breath.
The forest air was thick and damp, but it filled her lungs with energy all the same.
Hana raised her arm, drawing the string back.
The sound of the bow stretching sliced through the air — a dry snap echoing among the trees like a warning.
Maybe it really was time to stop running.
To stop letting the forest decide her fate.
Maybe it was time to show those monsters that a new force had awakened among the shadows of the woods.
And that she wouldn't be hunted so easily.