High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1822: Chapter 43: Departure

”Boom! Boom!”

”Receive heaven’s favor, protect its command!”

After Professor Charles raised his magic wand and said the last two sentences, the dozens of large drums surrounding the First Square resonated in unison twice. Simultaneously, the black-robed and grey-robed wizards standing behind the professor also raised their law books or wands and chanted the blessing words:

”Receive heaven’s favor, protect its command!”

Golden spell light, accompanied by sunlight, scattered down from the sky, making it difficult to distinguish which was sunlight and which was spell light. Yet, the surge of excitement and courage from within was undeniably real.

Feeling this encouragement, the students of Jiuyou Academy all bowed their heads, the students of Alpha clapped in unison, the blue robes of Starry Sky Academy stomped their feet wildly, while the monks of Atlas bowed their heads and prayed with the professors on stage.

When Zheng Qing bowed his head, he heard a classmate whispering nearby:

”So, what exactly are we supposed to do in this trial?”

”Sounds like it’s similar to hunting...”

”I heard from my brother that their trial used to be like wilderness survival... They were thrown into the depths of the Silent Forest, where the wood seemed drenched in water, and even the Fire Spell couldn’t be lit, so they had to eat raw food for a week. When they returned, the school hospital found their stomachs full of parasites.”

”How miserable... I wonder what our trial will be like after the reform this time.”

”Don’t worry, I brought kerosene this time, it’ll light even if it’s water!”

”Is kerosene considered contraband?”

”I confirmed with that big parrot, it’s not...”

Zheng Qing couldn’t help but tilt his head, wanting to see who was speaking. But all he could see were large billowing sleeves, like fabric swaying on a clothesline, obscuring his view.

In this moment of tilted curiosity, the bowing ceremony ended, and the students straightened their bodies again. Meanwhile, the black-robed and grey-robed wizards at the front raised their law books again:

”Sound the county drum! Flutes and pipes ready!”

The spell light danced, outlining the shadows of various instruments in the air. With the corner of his eye, Zheng Qing spotted large drums, reed pipes, chimes, copper plates, wooden flutes, long zithers, golden bells, bamboo tubes, horns, long and short trumpets, and dozens of other instruments hanging in the sky, dazzling and overwhelming.

Before he could count how many different instruments there were, he heard the front stage chant again in unison:

”Start the performance now!”

”The drums resonate grandly, play the drum simply! The pipes murmur gently, its sound is profound! Harmonious and balanced, follow our cymbal sound! Loud and clear its voice, solemn and harmonious!”

Accompanied by the chant, numerous instruments played together, and the world was immediately engulfed in a bewildering music.

Yes, bewildering.

As the saying goes, ’Excessive colors blind the eyes, too much sound deafens the ears’, overly ornate and complex music can leave one at a loss.

Zheng Qing could feel the music was lovely, seemingly melodious, yet at times clear and resonant; somewhat winding, yet orderly and majestic; initially bright and high-pitched, but upon closer listen, seemed like haunting melodies - the timbre was so mixed yet so captivating that Zheng Qing even felt the seed sprouting deep within his soul tremble slightly in response.

Amid the music, the blessings of the black-robed and grey-robed wizards at the front did not cease; instead, their voices grew even more bright and high-pitched:

”Since ancient times, the ancestors have acted!”

”With reverence morning and night, adhere to duties diligently!”

”Offer my regular sacrifices!”

”Ancestors listen!”

”Come to feast!”

”Grant boundless blessings!”

...

...

”Stay alert, fatty, follow the team in front!” a somewhat anxious voice suddenly rang out, sounding especially jarring amidst the grand music of heaven and earth. Simultaneously, Zheng Qing felt his robe sleeve being forcefully tugged:

”And you, follow along!”

Unaware, Zheng Qing nearly stumbled from the pull.

Coming to his senses, he noticed the classmates around him were lining up in orderly ranks under the assistant’s commands, running towards the end of the square.

Looking around, it resembled streams of ants foraging.

The one pulling him was also an acquaintance, Astronomy Class 08-1’s practice teacher, Assistant Hilda. But unlike usual, today Assistant Hilda had fewer bronze pins, buttons, and rings on his face and robe, making him look a bit unfamiliar.

”Where to?” Zheng Qing asked dazedly after running along with the team for a few dozen steps.

Nobody answered his question.

No need to answer.

Because following the team to the end of the square, turning a corner, Zheng Qing saw rows of low, small doors. In front of the doors stood senior students who urged the newly-arrived second-year students to enter in sequence, with the respective class nameplates hanging above the doorframes.

”Trial Card!” an older student blocked the dazed Zheng Qing at the door, shouting loudly into the young man’s ear: ”No card, no entry!”

Zheng Qing felt he was really about to go deaf.

He fumbled in his grey cloth bag for a while before finally finding his card and handing it over.

A faint light glinted, confirming the young man’s identity.

”Good luck.”

The older student handed back the bronze card, patted Zheng Qing on the shoulder comfortingly, and gestured for him to hurry through the door. He then turned to complain to another older student beside him: ”The school is too exhausting... I feel like I need to thoroughly clean my ears when I get back.”

”Earn some hard-fought credits,” answered another voice, seemingly saying something else, but Zheng Qing didn’t catch it because he had already set one foot over the threshold, and the sound entering his ears was crackling, like a broken radio.

Whether it was the music reverberating in the First Square, the conversations of the older students, or Assistant Hilda’s reprimands, everything became scattered.

Until he stepped over the doorframe and entered the narrow door, the noise that had filled his ears finally dissipated completely. As if he had taken his first breath after nearly drowning, or truly woke from a nightmare, Zheng Qing finally felt alive again.

He had never realized that sound could be so tormenting.

The young man propped his hands on his knees, glancing around.

Everyone was like him, panting heavily.

”Don’t block the doorway, find a spot and sit down!” Assistant Hilda pushed the young public student vigorously and shouted sternly: ”There’s a seatbelt on the seats, fasten it tightly!”

Only then did Zheng Qing notice they had entered a long and dimly lit room. On the walls to either side hung many thick rope nets, resembling fishing nets; overhead, two rows of candles hung inverted from the ceiling, emitting bright flames; on each wall’s side stood a wide bench, which was uncomfortable to sit on, feeling cold and metallic to touch; and the air was filled with a mix of butter and rusty metal smells, making it hard to discern whether they were in a kitchen or an alchemy workshop.

The Hunters of the Absolution Hunting Team settled on the benches according to the assistant’s instructions, fastening the seatbelts behind them. The fatty and Zhang Ji Xin sat on the outermost side, while Li Meng and Jiang Yu sat on the inside.