Forced to Change the Story

Abel was now wearing the armor Kyle gave to him. It was a blue and green armor with very think plates. Even though Abel was wearing it, it didn't feel like anything was on him.

On the center of the armor was two symbols.

"Those two symbols are runes. One of them is a defensive rune which won't be broken from the possessed demons of the first floor. The other is a lightweight rune so it won't weigh you down." Kyle explained.

The bow was very plain looking, however it was extremely well made.

With his bow in hand, he followed Jess to a redish looking boulder. Jess was going to be his teacher for bow training.

"Well Abel, from now on you will call me Master Jess!" Jess said with pride.

She was very excited to teach someone about the bow, after all, most people would choose to use swords, spears, or axes as weapons.

Abel felt a little uncomfortable about calling Jess master, but he didn't have time to worry about the small details with his life on the line.

Jess stood beside Abel, her arms crossed, an old bow slung over her shoulder.

"First lesson," Jess began, tossing a arrow to Abel, who caught it awkwardly. "Stance. If your foundation's weak, everything else falls apart."

Abel nodded and positioned himself, his boots sinking slightly into the rough red dirt. Jess stepped forward and nudged his foot with hers. "Too narrow. Widen your stance, stay grounded. Your balance comes from here." She tapped his knee lightly. Abel adjusted, his movements deliberate but clumsy.

"That'll do," Jess said.

"Next, the grip. Hold it strong, but don't choke the life out of it. The bow's an extension of you." Jess demonstrated, wrapping her fingers around the handle, her grip relaxed yet controlled. Abel mimicked her, adjusting his fingers as she corrected him with quick taps.

"Better," she muttered, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. His hands moved as if they'd done this before.

"Arrow nocking." Jess handed him an arrow and guided his hand to the string. "See that little groove? That's your anchor point. Always nock the arrow there. Get it wrong, and your aim will be trash, unless you have a artifact that helps you control the arrow."

Abel slid the arrow into place, recieving slight help from Jess. Jess watched him for a beat, silently impressed. She shook it off. "Now the draw."

She stood beside him, pulling her own string back in demonstration. "Use three fingers. Index above the nock, middle and ring below. Smooth pull, straight back. No jerking, no wobbling."

Abel followed her lead, the bowstring drawing back in a clean, fluid motion. Jess blinked. "Not bad," she said, masking her surprise. "You've done this before?"

"No," Abel replied, his voice steady but puzzled. "Why am I doing it right?"

Jess nodded slowly, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

"Aiming," she continued, stepping back. "Don't overthink it. Pick a spot on the target, line up the arrow with it. Your eyes do most of the work."

Abel locked his gaze on the middle of the boulder, adjusting his aim slowly. Jess opened her mouth to offer corrections but stopped. His posture was damn near perfect and he was in deep concentration.

"And release," she said quietly, almost reluctant to interrupt his concentration.

The string slipped from Abel's fingers, the arrow slicing through the air. It struck the boulder with a sharp crack, splintering slightly as it lodged itself slightly outside the center. Abel lowered the bow, a faint look of disappointment on his face.

"Jess, he's better than you, and he's been learning for ten seconds," Vince remarked as he leaned casually against his spear.

Jess's face flushed a deep red, a mix of embarrassment. "It's because I'm an amazing teacher!" she shot back, crossing her arms defensively.

They repeated the same process another three times and eventually Abel perfectly pierced the center of the boulder.

"That kid's definitely a genius. I've seen the Elites in the Divine Academy, and none of them come close to his speed of learning," Valerie remarked as she watched Abel nail another shot with precision.

"Maybe he just has a natural talent for bows," Vince suggested with a shrug, "or he's done this before."

"He hasn't done this before," Kyle said. "He's clueless about everything Jess says at first but still manages to pick it all up like he's done it a hundred times. It's not about talent for the bow it's his comprehension."

Valerie nodded in agreement. "It's like your mind, Vince. You remember everything you want to and can process information faster than any of us or anyone else for that matter. You see every detail and come up with a plan in no time. Abel's gift isn't talent for a specific weapon it's his ability to comprehend."

"Such high praise for the so called dimwit," Vince teased, smirking at Valerie.

"You're still a dumbass," Valerie retorted without missing a beat.

Meanwhile, Abel was entirely focused on learning from Jess. They moved from practicing with stationary targets to live demons that roamed the first floor.

Though his first shots were shaky, it didn't take long for Abel to adjust. After a few attempts, he had perfected the art of aiming under pressure.

Jess even attempted to teach him how to use a dagger, despite admitting she wasn't particularly skilled with it herself.

Abel absorbed the techniques she demonstrated with ease, understanding and replicating movements as though they were second nature.

Within an hour, Abel had gone from a complete novice to confidently shooting at moving targets with rapid fire accuracy, hitting most of his arrows with pinpoint precision. His progress left the group impressed.

Abel sat down to catch his breath, preparing for his next lesson which was handto hand combat with Vince, who was the best fighter in the group. As he rested, his mind wandered.

'I didn't notice it at first, but all of this seems… easy to me,' Abel thought, staring at his hands. 'Even though I barely understand half of what Jess says, it's like my body just knows what to do. It's still me, but at the same time, it's not…'

The realization hit him fast. 'This must be the special gift the author was talking about.'

Back on Earth, Abel knew he wouldn't have been able to learn the bow—or anything this complex—within a month, much less an hour.

He couldn't be sure if this was a misunderstanding and this new body of his was just naturally this skilled, but one thing was clear, this wasn't normal.

Taking a deep breath to clear his head, Abel stood and approached Vince.

Vince was leaning lazily against the boulder, his arms crossed and his expression indifferent as Abel stepped forward. Despite his slim build, there was an air of complete confidence about him, like he had already figured out the outcome of any fight before it began.

"Alrighty, Abel," Vince drawled, pushing off the boulder and strolling into the center. "Lesson one, fighting is like a game of chess. Stay two steps ahead, or you're gonna get your ass handed to you." He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, moving with a relaxed ease.

"Stance first. Can't fight if you're tripping over yourself." He gestured vaguely at Abel's feet. "Show me what you got."

Abel planted his feet, remembering the ufc and boxing matches he saw. Vince tilted his head, studying him like a puzzle. "Terrible. You're thinking too much about standing still." He stepped forward, gently prodding Abel's shoulder to test his balance. Abel wobbled.

"See? You're a statue right now. Loose, but not sloppy. It's all about options—being ready to strike, dodge, or retreat at any moment." Vince positioned Abel's feet with a quick nudge of his boot. "Front foot forward, back foot angled. Weight balanced, knees soft. Feel it?"

Abel's body adjusted, his stance near perfect.

Vince gave a small nod. "Better. Stance is your foundation, so don't get lazy about it. Now, let's throw some punches." He raised his fists, but his stance was casual, like he wasn't even trying.

"When you punch, use your whole body, not just your arm. Shoulders, hips, legs it's all connected. Efficiency is key." He demonstrated with a slow jab, the movement so fluid it was almost lazy. "See? No wasted energy. Every move has a purpose."

Abel mimicked the motion, his strikes stiff at first but improving with each attempt. Vince watched, his sharp eyes catching every detail.

"Not bad, but you're still too rigid. Relax. Punching's not about brute force it's about timing and precision. Aim for the spots that matter like the chin, solar plexus, liver, et cetera."

Vince stepped back and dropped his arms to his sides, his body loose and ready. "Alright, let's add some movement. I'll throw slow punches and you dodge. Think of it as a dance, not a brawl."

He threw a lazy jab at Abel, which he clumsily avoided. Vince laughed his ass off, shaking his head. "Haha! You're dodging like you're trying to jump out of the way of a truck. I don't blame you, im built like a truck, but anyways, small movements. Stay light on your feet."

After a few more rounds, Abel began to move more naturally, his body finding a rhythm.