Reincarnation Of Audemars - Chapter 113

After lunch, I told the children to gear up as we would be going through some of the stations as well as try their hands at the new weapons. The children slung the two Assassin’s compact crossbows at their sides and had strapped their throwing knives set on their chest and the new dragon fang dagger at the front, near the sides as well.

I lead them to the archery lanes and since there was no enemy, they can’t regard the round target 35 meters in front of them as one. I told them the main aim is to hit the bullseye and were told this repetition is 400 bolts per day.

Next is the flip pop up targets where they need accuracy hit of 25/25 after I had pressed the archery targets and it went back into the floor and was presented with a set of flip pop up targets across the archery lanes.

This flip target has a small half foot disc that would flip 90 degrees to make it visible and then flip back when the timer is up. 25 targets, each randomly appearing for 2 seconds and repetition is required in a prone, crouch, shooting from the hips and standing position. Altogether it would be 100 hits per person with a repetition of 4 times which makes them shooting for 400 bolts.

These flip pop targets are also meant for throwing knives and they were shown how to handle one and 3 types of throwing techniques for close range, medium-range and long-range throws. To hit the target is one issue as they had not used the throwing knives before and will rely on the archery targets instead. A set of 6 knives for 10 repetitions.

Then I moved them to the centre where I pressed a button and the wingchun statues sank into the floor and a pop-up design of a set of partitions, dead ends and maze-like structure. It was a FIBUA concept where one needs to be able to distinguish enemy and hostages and innocent bystanders.

(FIBUA is Fighting In Build Up Area)

A sensor invisible to the eye would detect a trainee’s movement and a life-size flip target would appear at random. A total of 25 flip targets would appear and it would be randomly picked. They would employ their bolts without a piercing head and this was readily changed by replacing the first bolt on the crossbow and the rest will follow.

This would be a single pass and it depends on the accuracy and timing for each ‘kill’. A scoreboard and timer were shown next to the entrance as one exits the FIBUA they can see their scored and timing.

I reminded the children to slip their “live’ bolt into their backs so that they would change it back once the training is finished. “Hmm, I should have a signboard to remind them to change to a dummy one before entering and change to their live one afterwards. I wouldn’t want them to be shooting at a raging bull and ends up shooting blanks that will tickle their nostrils and their assholes, in the case of Jane and Kayla.”

*Ding* I heard what you said. Initialising signs to be placed at entrance and exit. You’re welcome.

“Eehh… I haven’t thanked you and yet you already acknowledge it. Hehe… Thanks a lot, system.”

“Alright children, you may begin for your archery shots now. 400 bolts. Dead centre. 35 metres. BEGIN…” I instructed and I took lane 5 and began to shoot from my crossbow too. Since I have not shot for quite some time, my first 2 aims were off target and once I had squared it off, all 398 bolts were smooth. After 50 shots, the children stepped in a pedal in front of their feet and a fresh target appears.

Their Assassin’s compact crossbow had a faster reloading time than mine and when I had hit the 300th bolt, they had completed their 400 and waited for me to finish up before we changed to the flip pop up target where it was one session per person. After each turn, the whole line up proceeded for another 3 times, making it a total of 500 bolts during that time.

I noticed that everyone was taking their training seriously and there was no giggling or snickering among them. They shot every single bolt with precision. After that, we moved to the FIBUA where there some dummy bolts and they slipped one into their crossbow before they pulled the drawstring. That was the only time they had to manually eject and insert the bolt.

I demonstrated using one of the compact crossbow and when a short whistle was blown I rushed into the corridor and targets flipped to expose themselves.

There were targets of men in a black and white striped shirt and holding a dagger, there was also an old lady with a walking aid which I didn’t shoot, of course. Some full-size targets, some half-size depicting that they were crouching and some only a quarter target as if they were peering behind a door or a wall.

There are also 4 random targets, with a hostage and the target that is meant to be shot was only the size of a melon head peering just on the shoulder next to the hostage’s head. I nearly hit the hostage and after I completed it, it was a score of 25/25 with a timing of 2 min and 23 seconds.

It was Adam’s turn, followed by Ingles, Jane and Kayla and their timing was slightly above mine at 2 mins and 59 seconds at the most. Surprisingly those children still did not laugh or joke around even in the FIBUA and this shows that their acceptance was very high towards their training regime.

After everything had been completed, Patricia was calling to us from the rooftop and it was time to break our training sessions. Swimming time…

“Let’s break for the day. Remember to run 13 laps, clear the obstacles, then shoot at the archery targets, then the flip targets and lastly the FIBUA.”

“Yes, Daddy…” the children chorused.

“The moment you reach the archery position, all of you might have exerted your energy and the heaving breathing and panting would be an obstacle. By the way, have you all changed the bolts back to their originals, right?”

“Yes, Daddy…we had reloaded back the originals right after we step out of the FIBUA. luckily the dummy bolts have orange tips so we would know if our crossbows are alive or dead… Hehehe” Kayla replied when she mentioned her crossbow as being ‘dead’ instead of ‘inactive’.

“Also it could be done counter clockwise, you can do the FIBUA first, flip targets next and then the archery targets. Most importantly you had gone through all the stations and after the next 2 days, you would meet Quest Master Becky for your next quest.”

“Yes, Daddy… By the way, would the hoodlums strike back in Auntie Becky’s quest? I mean… Quest Master Becky’s?” Jane asked as we walked up to our rooms and the children were removing all their weapons off their holsters including the unused throwing knives and their daggers.

“Definitely… Apply what you had learnt in FIBUA on that quest. Remember Hit fast, hit hard and kill swiftly and silently.”

“Alright Daddy…we will always keep that in mind,” replied Ingles as they bounded off to change into their swimming suits.

I too changed and went upstairs to the rooftop and join Patricia as she frolicked in the jacuzzi and enjoying her afternoon dip as the sun wa setting on the horizon.

The children were taking their turns at the vertical drop water slide and Adam was wearing those bright yellow arm floats because he can’t swim. How could he be an Adventurer and each time has to avoid bodies of water to cross? Does he expect a Tanuki on every corner to assist him to cross a river or a stream? Hmm…

“D A D D Y…W H E E E E E E…this is so much fun…!!! The rush of adrenaline on the vertical drop and then the water slide brings you all around the castle before dropping you across the water, skimming like a flat stone… “saif Jane as she emerged on the shallow end and when it was Adam’s turn… He was basically flapping on the surface of the pool after he was ejected from the end of the slide.

Everyone was screaming with joy even Patricia was having a go at it. After being persuaded by the children, I too had gone to the top of the slide, placed myself inside the so-called capsule and then was vertically plunged before I slid away around the castle and ejected into the pool. Hah hah hah… Of course, the water slide is a made of transparent tubing so no one would fall off the 3 storey castle.

After splashing around for an hour and feeling rejuvenated since I release some Psi Energy Healing Spheres inside the pool and this relieves the sore muscles that I had not been exercising them for a very long time. Little did I recall when was the last time I used physical strength to exert myself.

We dabbed ourselves dry afterwards and hung the towels to dry and not leave them on the deck chairs like most people do since we do not have a housekeeper yet.

“Mummy, could you bring the children out to the Northern Forest tomorrow after lunch for their levelling up? I have something that I need to do and I would like to meet some of the nobles in either the Northern or Southern side and after that, I would be joining all of you there.” I suggested as we all walked down after our swim and changed back to our regular everyday clothes.

As they heard they are going to the Northern Forest tomorrow, it leaves them excited knowing that the fact they would be levelling up. They remembered that I told them, once they had reached Level 5, we would start recruiting new members in and they have a responsibility to mentor those new adventurers.

This mentoring would be done right after they had performed their daily tasks. Upon realising that tomorrow would be another day if grinding and levelling up, the children were very delighted and looked forward to the day. As usual, they helped in the kitchen to prepare dinner for the 8 of us and decided that we are going to have a simple meal of garlic butter fried rice instead.

A meal is still a meal and no matter how simple or elaborate it is, the main thing is ‘A Family That Eats Together, Stays Together’