“The rules are simple! The person with the largest catch or kill wins the annual hunt! You have until the sun sets! Let the games begin!” Huntsman Damian shouted at the top of his lungs. This older, well-equipped, man was standing before an enormous crowd. It was that time of year. The time when monster activity reached its peak, the summer solstice. Hunters all across the world used this day to find rare prey. Adventurers gained an enormous amount of experience.

Xander and his team…didn’t utilize this day to its full amount. They had no idea about the day’s significance. The group was still missing many basic utilities, like how to read the local language. They hadn’t even left the town they first started in, Initium Novum. There was plenty to learn. While everyone else did their own thing, Xander took the day to train. He needed to improve himself.

His few skills were great, but they could be better.

Huntsman Damian finished his speech, though Xander tuned it out. The crowd promptly dispersed. Some went south to the Evergreen Forest for quick kills. Others went north to the Hydra Mountains for more difficult, and rewarding, targets. Lastly, there were the people that stayed behind. These teams were discussing the best options. There wasn’t enough time in the day to go to both areas. After much deliberation, the number of teams faded to nothing.

Soon, a lone archer was all that remained.

“A slime isn't gonna cut it here. I gotta run through the forest if I want anything worthwhile.” Xander thought to himself. He sprinted off to the woods, hoping to find something that would avoid placing in last. The likelihood of him winning was next to zero. Xander could barely eliminate a single slime with his entire party providing support. Defeating teams of seasoned adventurers was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Regardless, Xander gave the competition his all. The Evergreen Forest was full of various monsters. He was bound to find something. Slimes of various colors bounced around the nearby field. Some lone dire wolves walked around, but the larger packs were nowhere to be found. Giant toads roamed the forest, though they stayed closer to the lake within it. Xander had no chance against anything bigger than him. Minutes quickly turned into an hour before he found something at his level. He readied his bow and targeted a wandering turkey, but another arrow pierced it before he could fire his own.

“Sorry, newbie. Better luck next year.” A hunter shouted. He was dressed with high-end equipment, but anyone could tell he didn’t earn it. This was a trophy hunter. He was the kind of person that was extremely wealthy. He didn't need to enter the annual hunt for the prize money. He just wanted to take down the rarest creature. If he ruined the day for those less fortunate than him, it was even better. The trophy hunter left with a mocking laugh, not even bothering to retrieve his kill.

Xander fell to his knees. He felt hopeless. He was far too under-leveled to challenge anything within the forest. The roaming birds were closest to his skill level, but even those were rare. Most were immediately hunted by the other participants of the hunt. This turkey was the only one he managed to find. It could take hours to find another one foolish enough to waltz around during the summer solstice. Xander felt the dread looming over him. It was a mistake to enter the hunt. Who was he kidding? It’s not like the system would give him the game-winning prize.

No, he would take it for himself.

“SKILL [ENHANCED EYESIGHT] HAS LEVELED UP.”

Xander could see it. The most well-hidden bird. It sat near the top of a tree. Its feathers perfectly matched the foliage behind it. Spotting it would have been impossible for anyone without his skill. A sly grin appeared across Xander’s face. He had no time to spend on regrets. Nothing would change if he waited. He nocked an arrow and aimed for the sky.

“[Accurate Shot]!” Xander shouted in desperation. He didn’t care about anything else. His sole desire was to hit something that would win the competition. Of course, even this bird wouldn’t be enough, but that didn’t halt his growing determination. The arrow flew through the sky. As per the skill’s requirements, the arrow’s flight was adjusted to guarantee a successful hit. It was perfectly aimed to pierce through its prey until…

“[Laser Arrow]!” The trophy hunter called out his own skill. This skill enhanced the arrow, making it shoot in a straight line and with blinding speed. A trail of light followed his shot as it soared through the air like a bullet. It pierced through the hidden bird before Xander’s arrow could reach it, pinning it to the tree. Another mocking laugh escaped the trophy hunter. He was more than pleased with himself. Xander was frustrated and ready to give the man an onslaught of insults, but Genesis’s voice stopped him.

“ERROR. SKILL [ACCURATE SHOT] MUST HIT THE DESIRED TARGET. SAID SKILL HAS FORCIBLY EVOLVED TO ACCOMMODATE. SKILL [SNIPE] ACTIVATED. RECALCULATING RESULTS…”

Xander looked back at his arrow as it flew into the clouds. His measly bow couldn’t have possibly sent something that high. Not even a high-tiered bow with skills to boost its power could pierce the heavens. It was obvious that Genesis had taken over. The bystander, however, could only assume it was some amazing hidden skill.

The two stared at the clouds, marveling at the impeccable shot. Even the trophy hunter was impressed for a fleeting moment. That awe quickly turned into disgust over feeling inferior to a novice hunter, but it was about to get much worse for him. The clouds grew dark, and a thunderous roar echoed through the area. Every monster went into hiding. Even some hunters started to shake in their boots.

“SKILL [SNIPE] SUCCESSFUL. CRITICAL HIT. DAMAGE INCREASED BY ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.”

The clouds parted as a massive figure dove to the earth. Its head was jaded with large horns. Wings that spanned a mile were torn from battle. The scales on its body were damaged from both magical and physical sources. It couldn’t stop its descent, so the wyvern reared its head and roared one final time before crashing into the earth. The collision shook the ground, knocking over trees and people alike. The city could have easily been destroyed had it landed any closer.

The trophy hunter turned his head to Xander, reveal a face of both terror and amazement. In the distance, several huntsmen were riding toward the two. Huntsman Damian led the charge. He had an intense look on his face, but it was more out of shock than concern. The group knew where the final arrow came from. They knew what took down that pre-injured beast. They knew who won the annual hunt. Within moments, they surrounded Xander and the trophy hunter. Not knowing what just happened, Xander asked an obvious question.

“So…did I win?”