I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapter 9 Archery Club

Archery club?

Naruto Uchiha glanced at Hikaru Tanaka with some surprise, unable to imagine him drawing a bow and shooting an arrow, and casually said, "I am a little curious about archery, but I don't plan to join the club."

He believed that participating in club activities was meaningless and a waste of time; he would rather use that time to learn or practice ninjutsu.

"Uchiha, have you forgotten? Jinguji High School's motto is 'Well-rounded in both academics and extracurricular activities.' In addition to academic performance, they also value performance in club activities. The school requires students to participate in at least one club activity."

"Is it that troublesome?"

"Since you have to join a club, why not consider our archery club? I went straight from junior high, so I know Jinguji very well. I'll check out the archery club after school, and if I don't like it, I can check out other clubs."

After thinking for a moment, Uchiha Naruto agreed: "Then... I'll have to trouble you."

He wasn't entirely uninterested in Japanese-style club activities, but he was worried that they would interfere with his studies and training. Having a well-informed local like Tanaka Hikaru to guide him would save him some unnecessary trouble.

Jinguji High School dismisses students at 3 PM, just like other schools. It's the beginning of the new school year, the best time of year for club recruitment, and upperclassmen can be seen handing out flyers everywhere along the school roads, making it quite lively.

"Koshien! Koshien! Shall we all march into Koshien together?"

"Sweat it out, ignite your youth! You absolutely must come check out the track and field department!"

"The tennis club is recruiting! You'll get personal guidance from handsome seniors, and our instructor, Ms. Kujo, is a stunning beauty!"

The archery club is located deep within the school, along a winding path, at the end of a tree-lined path.

Unlike ordinary clubs, the archery club has very high requirements for its space; only a large enough area can be reserved on the edge of the campus to serve as a dojo.

Led by Tanaka Hikaru, Uchiha Naruto easily found the archery dojo. At the entrance of the dojo, they heard a clear "clang" of the bowstring, followed by a barely audible "pop" of the bow hitting the target.

I took off my shoes at the entrance and walked into the archery dojo wearing only socks, stepping on the paulownia wood floor.

Naruto Uchiha curiously looked around the archery dojo. Archery, like kendo, is a sport with a strong Japanese character, and this was his first time visiting an archery dojo.

Entering through the foyer, you'll see a row of bows over two meters long and arrows of various weights and sizes displayed vertically on the wall directly opposite you. Perpendicular to the foyer is the shooting range.

The target range is estimated to be 30 meters long and 20 meters wide, occupying two-thirds of the training ground.

On the wall opposite the shooting range, there are several calligraphy scrolls and banners. From top to bottom, they read "Truth, Goodness, and Beauty" and "Shoot with Accuracy." At the bottom are the Eight Etiquette Rules for Archery, which are a must-have in every archery dojo. These are simple diagrams and introductions of the eight movements in archery.

A girl with a single ponytail, dressed in a white top and black bottom kyudo hakama, gracefully drew her bow and arrow. Behind her, several freshmen, clearly there to visit, knelt on the floor in a formal sitting posture.

"Kyudo doesn't require much strength. Just hold the arrow high. In Kyudo, you shoot by pulling the bowstring down with the muscles in your back. It's okay if girls aren't very strong. You don't actually need to use too much strength in your arms." The girl with the single ponytail pulled the bowstring behind her ear, and after drawing the bowstring, she aimed the arrow at the target.

"A student just asked me if nearsightedness affects archery. Actually, archery doesn't have strict requirements for eyesight. Archery focuses on posture. If your posture is stable and you find the right way to generate power, hitting the target will be a natural outcome. That's what it means to hit the target with a perfect shot!"

"Like this!"

The girl with the single ponytail shot an arrow, which, although it didn't hit the bullseye, did hit the inside of the target.

Her movements were as fluid as flowing water, her archery posture was elegant and beautiful, and the girl had fair skin and a beautiful face. Her long, raven-black hair, reaching her waist, was tied into a ponytail and hung down her back. She had a pure temperament and was already close to the Yamato Nadeshiko type, which made her even more elegant.

The visiting first-year students clapped and cheered enthusiastically.

"Isn't that great? The girls in the archery club seem to be at a very high level. The hakama outfit provides the highest level of bonus, just like the shrine maiden outfit, which gives at least a 20% increase in charm."

Tanaka Hikaru nudged Uchiha Naruto with his elbow and whispered to him.

"The archery club captain, second-year student Yashiro Saki, you can't tell right now because she's wearing a chest protector, but actually, tsk tsk tsk, I've seen her in her casual clothes, she's at least a D cup. Uniform, long black hair, athletic girl, Yamato Nadeshiko—she embodies multiple attributes. Yashiro Saki is undoubtedly an A-rank beauty on my list. So, are you interested in joining the archery club now?"

Naruto Uchiha was already used to Hikaru Tanaka's lewd remarks and didn't bother to comment, but he had to admit that the girl's movements while shooting arrows were very elegant.

"Be careful of the bowstring snapping back and hitting your chest after you release the arrow. Girls must remember to wear a breastplate." Yashiro Saki's cheeks flushed, as if she was a little embarrassed.

"The archery club at Jinguji Temple doesn't have a long range, only a close range of 28 meters. See that wall behind the target? That's called Azuchi. It's there to prevent the arrow from flying off the target. Although the bow isn't very powerful, the arrowhead is still very dangerous. If there are people in the shooting range, it's absolutely forbidden to hang the bow. After nocking the arrow, it's strictly forbidden to point the arrow at anyone, and it's absolutely forbidden to shoot at someone else."

"Anyone want to try it? We have lightweight bows for beginners, ranging from 6kg to 10kg."

"I'll do it! As for the communal bow, there's no need; I have my own bow and arrows."

Tanaka Hikaru stood up abruptly, carrying his own black quiver that was over two meters tall.

"Oh, it's Tanaka-kun. Although you're also a first-year student, you've already submitted your application to join the club. It seems you have experience with archery. Well then, you can join us."

Saki Yashiki gave a somewhat forced smile, her eyes flickering.

She still remembered the lewd look Tanaka Hikaru gave her yesterday; he was practically a scavenger. If the archery club's boys' team wasn't so short of members, they wouldn't have considered someone like him.

Tanaka Hikaru walked to the shooting range and took out his bow and arrows from his quiver. His own fiberglass reinforced plastic bow was clearly much more advanced than the bamboo communal bow used at the dojo.

After grasping the bow, Tanaka Hikaru changed his previous frivolous and slick expression and became serious. From the initial footwork to the drawing of the string, his movements were methodical and precise.

Although her posture was far less graceful than Yashiki Saki's, it was clearly not at the level of a beginner.

Uchiha Naruto was secretly surprised. He thought Tanaka Hikaru was there for the beautiful girls in the archery club, but he didn't expect that he himself had some skills.

You really can't judge a book by its cover...

But will it hit the target?

With a crisp snap, the arrow struck the target. Tanaka Hikaru's arrow not only hit the target, but also hit the bullseye!

"How was my archery... cheers for me!"

Tanaka Hikaru put down his bow, struck a somewhat smug pose, and looked quite pleased with himself.

Naruto Uchiha's expression was somewhat strange. Although the arrow had hit the bullseye, something was off.

"Tanaka-kun, you're really lucky. It's a pity you were in third position but hit the target in fourth position. That doesn't count as a point."

A smile appeared on Yashiki Saki's face. Missing the target with an arrow is common, but this is the first time she has ever seen an arrow hit the target in a different position.

That's incredibly stupid.

Tanaka Hikaru, with his thick skin, showed no sign of embarrassment. He shook his head and sighed, "I wasn't in good form today and couldn't unleash the true strength I've gained from years of honing my archery skills. Oh well, today isn't the time for archery."

"Uchiha, I'll lend you my bow and protective gear. Try it out."

(End of this chapter)