Chapter 446: The Challenge
Hayley’s POV: +8 Pearls
I turned to Kirsty and proposed, “How about we make a three-part challenge, where the first two to win?” She nodded, agreeing without hesitation. I pointed to the areas around us. “We’ll do shooting, rock climbing, and the 800-foot obstacle course. Is that alright?” She simply responded, “No objections.”
With the competition set, anticipation spread through the crowd. The instructor stepped forward, his voice firm. “I’ll officiate to make sure everything stays fair.” “Okay,” I replied. “Sure,” Kirsty agreed. Both Kirsty and I nodded in agreement, and the instructor continued, “Let’s begin at the shooting range.”
A cheer went up from the onlookers—finally, a real competition! No more drills! Excitement was palpable as some spectators even shifted into their wolf forms, playfully running around.
We walked toward the shooting range, where the instructor explained the rules. “You’ll stand 30 feet from the target, taking three shots each. The one with the highest total score wins.” He handed us both specialized handguns. With steady hands, we prepared to aim.
“No backing out now, Hayley,” Kirsty sneered, her eyes narrowed. “Remember, if you lose, you’ll have to remove your mask in front of everyone.”
She fired, hitting the target with precision. The checker called out, “Nine points!” I took a steady breath, aimed, and fired. “Nine points for Hayley!” the checker shouted, and the crowd erupted in cheers. “Go, Hayley!” Loretta’s voice rang out, encouraging me. Some spectators shouted for Kirsty, “Go, Kirsty!”
Kirsty smirked as she readied her second shot. “9.5 points,” the checker called. I aimed for my second shot, and the checker confirmed, “9.5 points.” We were tied now, and Kirsty’s face hardened as she prepared for her third shot.
The checker’s voice was filled with excitement. “Ten points! Kirsty, ten points!” Kirsty beamed with a victorious smile, shooting me a taunting look. “One mistake, Hayley, and you lose.”
I remained calm, focusing on the target as I took my shot. “Ten points! Another ten for Hayley!” the checker announced. The crowd cheered loudly. “Way to go, Hayley!” Loretta shouted. Kirsty shot me a glare of disbelief. I could see her tension growing—her body was starting to shake from the nerves.
She had been so confident of her victory, but after three rounds, we were tied. That meant we were heading into an additional round. Her calmness faltered, making way for mistakes. Kirsty aimed again, and this time her shot landed at just 9 points. Frustrated, she snarled, her wolf claws gripping the gun tightly as if it were the cause of her frustration.
Now, it was my turn. I took a steady position, focused on the target, and released my shot. It soared straight toward the bullseye… “Ten points! Hayley wins this round!” the checker called. Kirsty’s face twisted with anger. Her glare could have burned through me, her eyes full of fury.
“Hayley, you’re incredible!” Loretta cheered, rushing to hug me. Then, turning to Kirsty with a teasing smirk, Loretta added, “You lost. Do you see now what Hayley can do?”
Kirsty’s hands clenched into fists, her voice dripping with venom. “This is just the first round! It’s best of three, remember? Winning one round doesn’t mean anything. We still have two more! Don’t get too cocky!”
Loretta sighed, shaking her head. “Kirsty, you won’t get it until you lose completely, will you? Don’t worry. Hayley’s going to teach you a real lesson.” Her words only ignited Kirsty’s fury further. Ignoring Loretta, Kirsty shot me a determined look. “I’ll see you at the rock climbing wall. This time, I won’t lose.”
With a huff, she straightened up and walked away with confidence. Loretta, clearly annoyed by Kirsty’s attitude, stuck her tongue out at her. “Hayley, teach her a good lesson! Show her she can’t just keep running her mouth!”
I smiled and nodded before following Kirsty to the rock climbing wall. It was the tallest one at the school, towering at an impressive 150 feet. After securing our harnesses, we waited for the instructor’s cue. As soon as he gave the signal, we both began climbing nearly at the same time.