Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

The audience erupted in a mixture of applause, shouts and admiration. Klaus's shot was simply extraordinary, and he had managed to hit the golden deer with stunning accuracy, even amidst the chase and time pressure.

Allan, for his part, was speechless as he watched the scene. He had underestimated Klaus's ability for some reason, even though he had witnessed his flawless performance on the circuit, and now he was facing the reality that he had been outdone. Sadness slowly settled in his eyes as he realized that Klaus had conquered the deer, but he didn't allow himself to fight or argue with Klaus about it, because he didn't have time, so he quickly ran back through the forest to find another golden animal to hunt.

Eventually, Allan failed to qualify and the leaderboard for the grand final looked like this:

[First Place - Klaus Park

Second Place - Ethan Williams

Third Place - Maria Gonzales

Fourth Place - Ryan Carter

Fifth Place - Olivia Thompson].

The results of the standings were announced, and the crowd cheered, as there was no doubt that these were indeed the best archers of the day.

Looking out over the crumbling forest, Klaus felt a mixture of emotions, from elation at his victory to compassion for his competitors, including Ethan, who had teased him so much.

On the official broadcast, narrator Peter exclaimed:

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! I confess I had never imagined that an archery competition could be so exciting and complex, with twists and turns and impressive feats from the archers. It feels like we've just seen performances by superhumans. Seriously! What are NIST and Hónghé Holdings teaching in the Special Program?"

"Absolutely, Peter! And I have to extol what Klaus has done here today. Two days ago he was nobody, nobody knew him and nobody knew what to expect from New York, but Klaus Park shows once again how talented he is the reason to be considered one of the most outstanding competitors of this tournament! Many extolled his aim or agility, but he is actually a monster of dexterity!" Caio commented.

"You are completely right. Klaus Park demonstrated exceptional skill and an unwavering mentality. This was a historic moment for the archery competition! I hope he has a reception team, because he's sure to get a lot of job offers!"

Backstage, the Park family was gathered around Klaus, all smiling and hugging each other with joy.

Chun was thrilled, her eyes shining with pride. "Son, you did it! You're in the grand final!"

Michael finally relented and hugged his son tightly. "Congratulations, my boy. We are all very proud of you."

Ard was jumping for joy. "That was amazing, Klaus!!! Hey, Klaus, could you teach me to shoot arrows like you? I want to be an archer as good as you when I grow up!"

Klaus laughed affectionately at his little brother. "Of course, Ard! I'll teach you everything I know, and I'm sure you'll be an amazing archer too!" Then Klaus smiled at his family, feeling a deep gratitude for all the support and love he was receiving. "Thank you all so much. It means a lot to me."

As the family celebrated backstage, two other contestants also approached to greet Klaus.

Ethan extended his hand to him, a sincere smile on his face. "Congratulations, Klaus. You were really amazing out there. I underestimated you, and now I see how talented you are. It was a fair competition, but I will win the final."

Klaus shook Ethan's hand sincerely. "Thank you, Ethan. And thank you also for the fierce competition. It motivated me to do my best."

Maria, the third runner-up, approached to congratulate him as well. "You were phenomenal, Klaus. Your almost perfect score was amazing. Let's have a great final!"

Klaus thanked all the contestants, recognizing the talent of each of them. "You guys were great too. I'm looking forward to the final."

Back at the hotel, the Park family celebrated the amazing day they had. Gathered at a special dinner, they shared laughs and stories, further strengthening the bonds that united them.

That night, as he prepared for bed, Klaus was so tired that he threw himself on the bed and felt like he was lying on cloud nine. However, suddenly his phone rings. Klaus looks at his screen and sees that it is an unknown number, yet he answers.

"Hello, Klaus Park! This is Charles Richards, do you remember me?"

"Oh! Hello, sir, of course I remember."

On the other end of the line, Charles smiled. "How nice! I want to start by congratulating you on your amazing performance today in the archery competition sponsored by Hónghé Holdings. It was simply spectacular! I must say it surprised me."

Klaus thanked him with a smile. "Thank you very much, Mr. Richards. I am very happy with the result too."

"You deserve all the recognition, Klaus. I'm not just calling to congratulate you, though. In fact, I'm anxious to know how our goal is going."

Klaus's expression became more serious. "Sir, I'm sure you can check the level I'm at, but if you'd rather I do the talking, that's fine with me. I am currently level 39. I am using a boost per level tactic, but as you might imagine, I have been very busy recently. I believe the remaining 61 levels can be achieved within two months with full focus."

"Klaus Park, our development team is always watching your exceptional skill and progress, but I believe we cannot wait two months. It is too long. As you can imagine, the more time passes, the more the Evolved gain influence outside of Rise Online and that can be detrimental to the community."

Klaus was surprised and curious. "What are you suggesting, Mr. Richards? Are you saying that I am no longer useful because I took my time?"

"Of course you are, Klaus. However, many powerful people, including among the Evolved, and larger companies are pressing us to know who the hell Kaizen is. You have become stronger than any other non-Evolved player in the eyes of the people and this influence scares them, because they fear what they cannot control or affect.... One month, you have one more month to reach level 200.

"But that's..."

"Everything is already in place to begin research on your brother's case, Klaus. Don't forget what's at stake." Charles continued.

At that moment, Klaus realized that there was nothing he could do to convince Charles that it was impossible for him to obtain so many levels in such a short time while he was reconciling with the Special Program. So he just agreed, because that was his only alternative.

"All right, I'll do my best, Mr. Richards."