Chapter 86 – ８６ – Training Methods for Throwing and Shooting Events

Sports Festival Arc

“Uh, the usual classroom is fine, right?”

“Yes, the usual spot is perfectly fine.”

“Suzu should be handling the application right now,” Iro added.

Since the meeting had wrapped up smoothly, we immediately set off to begin practicing for the Sports Festival.

Our destination was the usual classroom.

Let’s see… what was it? Apparently, by using various pieces of equipment, it was possible to practice certain events even within the confines of a small classroom.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Naru. I’ve secured both the application for classroom use and the permission to use the equipment.”

“Thanks as always, Suzu.”

“Hehe, it was nothing.”

And so, Suzu, who had been acting separately, joined us, and we arrived safely at the classroom.

We stepped inside.

“So, how do we actually practice?”

“Um, hold on a second.”

The events we were participating in for this year’s Sports Festival were as follows:

Naru: 10,000m, Forced Breakthrough, Special Duel (Pro Wrestling)

Suzu: Curve, Discus Throw, Special Duel (Pro Wrestling)

Ichi: Stepping Stones, Target Shooting, Scavenger Race

Marie: Dance, Javelin Throw, Scavenger Race

Of these, the 10,000m, Curve, and Dance could be practiced at the shared training grounds once we stepped outside, so those weren’t an issue.

As for the Special Duel (Pro Wrestling), we just needed to prepare for a duel as we always did.

Regarding the Scavenger Race, it seemed that raw physical ability—without activating Masquerade—was actually more important, so we were told we should train by running in our natural bodies.

Forced Breakthrough… well, I guess that’s just a matter of seeing how it goes once we’re in it.

That left the remaining events, which were apparently the ones we could practice in the classroom using the equipment.

Following Suzu’s instructions, Ichi and Marie fiddled with this and that to get things ready… and then, a Barrier similar to the ones used to enclose a duel stage deployed.

“Okay, setup complete. Um, Ichi, could you step inside so I can explain?”

“Understood.”

Ichi entered the Barrier, activated Masquerade, and took on Fas’s form.

“Now, we’ll begin the Target Shooting practice. Three… two… one… start!”

“Firing.”

Fas fired her crossbow toward the Barrier.

Suddenly, something like a target appeared on the inside of the Barrier, looking like a painting on a wall. When the bolt from Fas’s crossbow touched the Barrier and disintegrated, it flew into the painting and hit the target within the image.

Points were added.

“Is this… like a subspecies of AR?”

“Yep, that’s exactly it,” Suzu replied, confirming my observation.

AR… Augmented Reality.

It is a technology that expands reality by overlaying data created with CG onto a real-world scene.

By utilizing this, the academy apparently observes the movements of the person inside the Barrier and projects the calculated results onto the Barrier, allowing it to be used for certain types of training.

Right now, it seemed to be recreating the target for shooting—including the distance—on the wall of the Barrier, and then calculating and displaying the result of Fas’s crossbow attack.

“If we didn’t do it this way, things like the Javelin Throw would be too dangerous to practice,” Iro noted.

“The number of people doing it spikes only during this season, and we can’t just increase the staff, space, or equipment,” Suzu added.

“Ah, I see. That makes sense now that you mention it.”

If asked why such technology was necessary, the answer was simple: to secure practice space, tools, personnel, and safety.

To begin with, the movements involved in throwing and shooting events are the kind where, if an accident occurs and you take the hit with your bare body, a catastrophe is inevitable.

However, for students of Duel Academy, participating in these events is limited to the Sports Festival period, with a few exceptions.

Even though Duel Academy is a national institution, they aren’t affluent enough to hire specialized personnel just for this. The best they can do is strictly enforce the use of Masquerade when entering the competition area.

Furthermore, throwing and shooting events fundamentally require vast amounts of land.

For efficient practice, one would ideally want multiple plots of land for the same event, but for the reasons mentioned above, there isn’t enough room to secure that much space.

However, they can provide as many plots of land as needed for duel practice.

As a result of these circumstances coinciding, and because the technology had various other applications, the AR-based training ground for throwing and shooting events was conceived and implemented.

At least, that’s what Suzu and Marie told me.

That said, since it cannot accurately simulate the effects of wind and gravity, nor can it reproduce the actual weight of a shot put, they mentioned that one should practice with the real thing at least once.

The utility of this technology was apparently limited to confirming basic form.

“Phew. That went well.”

“Good work, Fas.”

While we were having that conversation, Fas finished her target shooting.

As for the record… I didn’t know if it was good or bad because I hadn’t properly checked the rules.

However, judging by the expression on Ichi’s face as she deactivated Masquerade and stepped out of the Barrier, it didn’t seem to be a bad result.

“Next is Marie.”

“Right. After that, I’ll try the Discus Throw.”

Marie stepped into the Barrier and began her Javelin Throw practice.

Apparently, through some application of the Barrier, the projectiles could be reproduced in a form that lacked lethal capability.

While Marie was practicing, something occurred to me, so I asked Suzu.

“By any chance, can we practice Forced Breakthrough here too?”

“Hmm, I guess you could say yes… but it just plays the images and sounds of a massive amount of incoming attacks. I think it’s only useful for getting used to the sight so you don’t panic. It can’t even create wind.”

“Hmm, I see. Still, I think it’s better than doing nothing, so I’ll do it later.”

“Got it, Naru. I’ll get it ready.”

Apparently, the Forced Breakthrough practice with this equipment was only for getting a first-person sense of how fierce the incoming attacks would be.

However, speaking as someone who tried it after Marie finished her javelin practice and Suzu finished her discus practice… I can definitively say that it was a sight I was glad to have seen beforehand.

I want to make that very clear.