Chapter 427

But Tiffany and the others immediately fired back in unison, “Shermaine’s not going to lose!”

After the first arrow, something fierce had been awakened in Judy. Or rather, it was the sense of danger beneath Shermaine’s calm, unruffled exterior that set her off. Athill crept into Judy’s gaze. She refused to let someone like Shermaine exist in her world, someone who threatened her without even trying. She needed to crush her, completely, without mercy.

They stood only a few steps apart. Shermaine could feel the heat rolling off Judy like a storm front. She gave a soft laugh, unbothered.

If you want to become truly powerful, you first have to acknowledge that there are people out there stronger than you. That’s the only way you’ll keep growing. If you can’t, you’ll stay stuck where you are, and the gap will only grow wider.

Of course, Shermaine had never once believed herself to be ordinary. From the day she was born, she saw herself as one of the elite. Others might be strong, but she was stronger. Put her in a match, and she’d rise above the best. If human potential could be ranked by genetic code, she’d sit at the pinnacle.

This match didn’t pressure her. In fact, she was enjoying herself. She let her body guide the shots, every arrow landing dead center with effortless precision.

Judy, sensing the momentum, pressed on. The next four arrows were all perfect scores. But there were eighteen in total. Human focus wanes. No one can maintain peak form forever. Even royalty, once bathed in glory and might, eventually fades into ruin.

By the tenth shot, Judy’s form began to dip. Her arrow wobbled slightly in the air, not enough to miss, but not enough to impress. It landed in the yellow ring, 9.5.

She frowned. One imperfect shot, and the margin for catching up shrank drastically. Annoyance flickered across her face. But then, Shermaine shot.

Her arrow scored a 9.0, just inside the yellow ring, lower than Judy’s. Judy’s lips curved faintly. So Shermaine was slipping even faster than she was. That changed the odds. It was a promising turn.

Archery wasn’t just about precision. It was about physical condition, stamina, timing. Everything mattered.

Shermaine glanced at her score without much reaction. It hadn’t been a lack of focus. Her stomach had cramped slightly just before the shot, and her hand had trembled. The pace of the horse, the jarring rhythm of the saddle… none of it was gentle. And for someone pregnant, no matter how strong her mind, the body had its limits. Shermaine was no exception.

But the discomfort passed quickly. Eight arrows remained, and that was more than enough. The first one had slipped through her fingers, but the next eight could still turn a profit.

The sun was rising higher now, scorching in its intensity. And the wind was growing fiercer by the minute.

Chapter 477

The light was almost blinding. Judy narrowed her eyes, misjudged the release, and loosed the arrow too soon. It sliced through the air and landed, clean, but underwhelming, in the 8-point ring.

‘Damn this sun,’ Shermaine cursed inwardly.

Back in the Kingdom of Xyperia, they had no real sun, only artificial light. She wasn’t made for this kind of blinding brilliance. Judy’s skin was already flushed deep red under the harsh light. In winter, no less. Her cheeks stung like they were being peeled raw in the dry air.

Between Basterel and Ustrana, she much preferred the latter. Still, Shermaine had faltered earlier. Surely this time, she’d do even worse.

Just as that thought settled, Shermaine, quiet and composed, drew her bow and released. The red-feathered arrow soared, cutting the air with startling grace, and struck the yellow ring.

Another perfect score.