Scumbag Fate System

Chapter 130: What Am I Here For?

Day Fourteen.

Rika drew her bow and focused on the target across the training field. The arrow materialized between her fingers, formed from pure magical energy. She took a breath, calculated the distance, and released.

The arrow curved off its intended path and dissolved against the barrier wall with a faint shimmer.

She stared at where it had gone. She wasn’t just missing but going completely off target by several feet. Her calculations had been perfect, her form was correct, but somehow the arrow had still gone off course.

Silence settled across the training field.

Alice blinked from across the arena. "Uh, was that a trick shot or something?"

Rika lowered her bow slowly. Her voice came out quieter than she intended. "No."

Sirin didn’t comment right away. She just watched with those observant blue eyes that seemed to see too much. Rika hated that look. It meant Sirin had noticed something was wrong and was trying to figure out what.

But Reinhard was the one who really worried her. He stood off to the side with his arms crossed, and Rika could feel his gaze on her even without looking directly at him. He had probably noticed she wasn’t focused on the target. That she hadn’t been focused properly for a while now.

"Again," Sirin said calmly.

The targets shifted across the field.

Three appeared this time, moving at staggered intervals to make things more challenging. Rika drew another arrow and tried to clear her mind. She needed to focus and to prove she could do this.

She drew the bowstring back and paused. The first target was moving left, she calculated the trajectory, and released.

Miss.

The arrow went wide by at least two feet. Rika’s stomach sank as she quickly drew again for the second shot, but this one was late. By the time her arrow reached where the target should have been, it had already moved.

The third shot barely grazed the edge.

That wasn’t her level.

Not even close to her normal accuracy, and everyone knew it.

"Close range drill," Sirin called out.

The training field changed configuration. Now the targets didn’t just move but attacked back with simulated strikes that came fast and unpredictably. Rika had to dodge while shooting, which required split-second timing and spatial awareness.

She moved as the first projection flashed toward her, but she was half a second too slow. Her body felt heavy, like her mind and muscles weren’t communicating properly.

Another projection appeared from her blind side. She should have sensed it and reacted.

But she didn’t.

The strike came directly at her.

Then Reinhard was there.

His hand caught her shoulder and pulled her back. The simulated attack passed through empty air where she had been standing just a moment before. The projection shattered harmlessly behind them.

Rika’s heart races in realization as she glances at where the attack landed.

It would have hit.

Even had her bleeding by a good amount if Reinhard hadn’t stepped in.

Everyone had seen it happen and knew she had failed to react in time.

"I had it," Rika said, but even she didn’t sound convinced.

Reinhard looked at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read. "No," he said simply. "You didn’t."

The blunt honesty stung more than any criticism would have.

Rika went still.

She wasn’t offended exactly or even defensive. Just quiet because he was right and they both knew it.

"Take five," Sirin said after a moment.

No one argued with that.

The training session had clearly gone wrong, and continuing would just make things worse.

Rika walked off first, moving faster than usual. She needed to get away from the pitying looks and the concerned stares. Needed space to think without everyone watching her fail.

She heard footsteps behind her but didn’t turn around. She already knew who it was. Reinhard had that particular steady walking rhythm that she had memorized without meaning to. He didn’t rush to catch up or call out to her immediately. He just walked beside her in silence until finally she couldn’t take it anymore.

"Say it," Rika said without stopping.

"Say what?" Reinhard asked.

"What you’ve been thinking all day."

More silence.

Then Rika stopped walking and turned to face him. The words came out flat and too clean, as she had already said them to herself a hundred times. "I shouldn’t be here."

Reinhard didn’t react immediately, and he just watched her with that same steady gaze. "Explain."

Rika let out a small breath and gestured back toward the training field. "You saw it. I’m the slowest one out there... The weakest." She paused, hating how true the words felt. "I can’t keep up with any of you."

Her hands tightened slightly at her sides. "I thought I could. I really thought if I just tried harder, trained more, pushed myself further, then maybe I could reach your level. Or Alice’s. Or even just keep pace with Louis."

She shook her head. "But I’m not like you guys... I can’t raise my level to everyone’s level in a month."

She tried to summon her magic, which flared up a purple-flame aura, but then it became unstable and burst into simmering lights.

Even her magic was reflecting her doubt now.

"Why am I even going on this expedition?" The question came out barely above a whisper.

There it was.

The core fear she had been avoiding for days.

Not jealousy or insecurity about her skills. This was about purpose.

About whether she had any right to be part of something this important when she was clearly the weakest link.

Reinhard stepped in front of her. Not close enough to crowd her space, but close enough that she had to look at him instead of the ground.

"You’re wrong," he said simply with no hesitation.

Rika frowned slightly. "What part?"

"All of it." Reinhard raised a brow. "What do you think the most dangerous thing we will encounter up at the mountain?"

"The fiends-"

"Wrong. It’s the Void Distortions that will be constantly appearing."

Rika’s eyes widened as that was the truth. There would be a lot of Void Distortions appearing on the mountain.

"We can only know when they will appear because of you. Know where they are coming from because of you." Reinhard pause. "And know how to avoid them because of you. No one can do this job but you, Rika. Not me, not Yor, and not the two professors. Only you."

He took another step closer. "And your Precognition? I’m sure you understand how useful it is,"

"But you can do it–"

"I can, but I can’t always do that." Reinhard pointed out, making Rika pause. "Unlike me, you are always observing and keeping track of the area around us."

Rika furrowed her brows and said. "But that isn’t much..."

"But it’s. Without a person like that, something could ambush and catch them unaware." Reinhard closed his eyes and muttered. "And it could lead to a tragedy."

Rika stared at him. "I...You really think I can help prevent that?"

"Of course, because it’s you." Reinhard smiled at her.

Rika trembled before clenching her fist. She didn’t respond instantly, but Reinhard’s words did get her thinking that maybe he was right. Even if she was the weakest in the group, her awareness and own ability won’t bring everyone back.

"Will... Will I really not be a burden?"

Reinhard paused before chuckling. "I was scolded before."

Rika blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Yor," Reinhard said with a faint smile. "She told me I rely too much on myself. That I try to carry everything alone."

The shift in tone caught Rika off guard. She hadn’t expected him to bring up a personal conversation like that.

"She was right," Reinhard continued. "I do try to handle everything by myself. I push too hard because I think if I’m just strong enough, I can protect everyone without help."

He looked directly at Rika. "That’s why I need you there."

Need, not want, or think she would be helpful.

But he believes she is a necessary person.

"So I don’t have to carry everything alone." Reinhard gently flicked her forehead, making her gasp. "So, you aren’t a burden."

Rika felt something shift in her chest. A weight she hadn’t realized she was carrying started to lift slightly.

"You’re not extra weight," Reinhard said firmly. "You’re the one who makes sure we don’t collapse under our own stubbornness. You notice things the rest of us miss because we’re too focused on the obvious threats. You provide perspective when we’re too close to a problem to see it clearly."

Rika stared at him while processing everything he had said. It wasn’t instant; she didn’t suddenly feel completely better or completely confident. But something had definitely shifted in how she saw herself.

"You really think that?" she asked quietly.

"I know that," Reinhard said with absolute certainty. "No... We know that."

Rika’s shoulders loosened slightly.

Not fully.

The doubt was still there, lurking in the background. But it felt more manageable now and less overwhelming.

"Then I’ll try again," she said.

Reinhard nodded once. "That’s all I’m asking."

They walked back to the training field together in comfortable silence. The others had continued practicing while they were gone, but Sirin noticed their return immediately and gave Rika an encouraging smile.

Rika raised her bow again.

This time, she didn’t aim at the target in the traditional sense. Instead, she closed her eyes and just felt the space around her. Felt the air currents and felt the distance between her and the target.

Felt the future pressing against the present moment.

Then she released the arrow.

It curved through the air in a perfect arc and struck the center of the target with a solid impact.

Sirin watched from across the field with a faint knowing smile. "Good."

Rika opened her eyes and stared at the target in surprise. That had felt different. More natural. Like she had finally stopped fighting against herself and just let her abilities flow.

Four days left until Silent Peak. Four days to keep building on this feeling. To trust that she had value beyond raw combat power.

She glanced at Reinhard, who had returned to his own training with a satisfied expression. He had given her exactly what she needed. Not false reassurance or empty compliments. Just the honest truth about her actual value to the team.

Rika drew another arrow and fired.

This one hit the target, too.

Maybe she did belong here after all.