High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2031: Chapter 252: The Last Three Minutes

The twelfth round of ghoul attacks was settled by the Absolution Hunting Team in nineteen minutes and thirty-six seconds.

As the yellow dust rose again, spraying out over four thousand ghouls for the thirteenth round from those ’black throats’ beneath the tombstones, only thirteen minutes remained until tonight’s selection tournament ended.

The Absolution Hunting Team seemed on the brink of victory.

Yet no one felt excited.

Everyone was already exhausted, the dizziness from magic fatigue made Zheng Qing feel as if everything around was swaying. The fresh magic power poured into his stomach during the brief rest seemed not his own, barely refreshing his parched spirit, yet under the spell’s guide, it cheered, leaped, and rushed out once more.

As quickly as they came in.

The magic left without a speck of dust, only leaving behind a more weary body and an even more numb mouth.

The little stronghold built by the Absolution Hunting Team, as if a reef in a surging black sea tide, or like a lamp in a storm, weak but stubbornly pinned at the hunting ground’s edge, seemingly about to be swallowed by those ever-marching ghouls at any moment.

But this next moment stretched on, second after second.

Twelve minutes.

Eleven minutes.

Ten minutes.

Nine minutes.

The black tide retreated suddenly without a trace.

The young hunters of the Absolution Hunting Team couldn’t bother to investigate whether the ghouls harbored any new schemes, they simply seized the time, counting down while with trembling hands they helped Xiao Xiao prepare new magic potions.

Even Xiao Xiao, due to extreme mental exhaustion, made several very basic errors during the preparation, wasting quite a few batches of finely ground bold hemp.

Eight minutes.

Seven minutes.

”What are they doing?” After gulping down the magic potion, the stimulating liquid slid down the student’s throat causing a shiver. He finally gathered some energy to carefully observe the ghouls congregating afar.

”Praying, sacrificing, or offering.”

Xiao Xiao glanced at the crystal ball on the ground, her voice a little hoarse: ”... When a group of sentient beings gather and conduct some eerie ceremony in a language no one understands, it’s one of these possibilities.”

No sooner had she spoken, a chilling aura spread from the center of the ghoul herd and tombstones to all directions, swiftly enveloping the entire hunting ground.

In an instant, Zheng Qing felt as though he’d plunged into an ice cave, his whole person frozen solid; or like being petrified by a Gorgon’s gaze.

Deep within his soul, the green snake coiled on the Forbidden Curse Tree lifted its head in surprise, flicking its tongue, as its red-blue cross-eyed gaze flitted across the sky of the heart lake.

The boy regained control of his body in a flash.

Resisting the fear signals from his body, he forced himself to lift his eyelids, looking at the entity seemingly capable of freezing all in sight. He then saw a heavy black shadow.

Thousands of ghouls lay prostrate within that shadow, seemingly dissolved, as haphazard ruined tombstones stood like sturdy bones supporting the shadow.

From one end to the other, the shadow filled the entire hunting ground and, under the support of ghoul bodies and those tombstones, extended skyward—the young wizard couldn’t discern if it was corporeal or a phantom existence—it seemed like a huge octopus, or a bloated giant dragon, its body curled up, the intense black constantly rolled out from the ’black throats’ under the tombstones, swirling, whirling into vibrant energy vortices, gradually filling and clarifying its form.

For a moment, the boy seemed to see His true form.

It was a kind of demon-like giant without limbs or eyes, extending its body, sucking away all temperatures from all directions, plunging the entire hunting ground into a penetrating cold akin to death and void.

”Zul·Baha·Sal!!”

The black shadow emitted an inexplicable roar, the sound was very unpleasant, yet unexpectedly carried a trace of warmth, enabling several young wizards to barely regain consciousness.

”Merlin Above!”

Mister Blood Werewolf, disregarding a conflict of faith, drew a cross on his chest, staring blankly at the enormous figure filling the hunting ground, muttering: ”... What am I seeing?”

”Shit!” Zhang Ji Xin cursed without restraint.

”I’m sure, that’s not shit.”

Doctor Xiao pushed up his glasses, correcting earnestly: ”Looks like this is the final boss prepared by the school for all the hunting teams... it’s an ’extra challenge’... judging from His aura, it should be a shadow belonging to some entity of the starry sky.”

”But it’s not the finals yet!”

The red-faced male wizard’s tone sounded incredulous: ”We are merely a small five-person hunting team! Why would we encounter such an existence in such a low-tier match!”

”Theoretically, our best choice now is to surrender, concede, and exit the stage.”

Xiao Xiao continued to analyze in a hoarse and calm voice: ”They’re not prey prepared for us... definitely not... perhaps even the examiners didn’t expect an ordinary hunting team could last till the final few minutes. Out of forty-seven hunting teams, most should have been eliminated by the ghoul tide in the eleventh, or even tenth round.”

”They certainly didn’t expect it!”

Zheng Qing’s face appeared somewhat pale, a side effect of excessive magic power consumption manifesting: ”Who prepares this for a normal selection tournament... this was just the first selection tournament! It’s a mess.”

He had wanted to say ’that thing,’ but considering the grandeur and unpredictability of the starry sky entity, the boy eventually chose to compromise, opting for a more tactful statement.

”I dare bet, tonight’s going to be a nightmare.” Mister Blood Werewolf continued muttering.

”You should be grateful we’re encountering such a monster in the Dreamland.” The red-faced male wizard tightened the gloves on his hand, spat viciously on the ground.

Pa!

A Fu Bullet struck the black shadow, the sound was pitifully small, like a tiny pebble fallen into Lin Zhong Lake, without stirring a ripple.

”Tell me, Captain, is that the extent of your Fu Bullet’s power?” Mister Blood Werewolf’s sharp-accented voice sounded somewhat distorted.

”I’m afraid so, Mr. Tabbot!” Zheng Qing rotated the cartridge, weakly replying: ”... Unless we want to lose our qualification for violating the rules.”

”No cancellations!”

The red-faced male wizard glared at Dylan before earnestly looking at Zheng Qing: ”We’ve endured an entire evening! There’s no reason to lose our score due to rule violations at the last minute!”

”Excellent!”

Mister Blood Werewolf retorted angrily: ”Anyway, I run faster than both of you! I can flee a bit farther while it eats you guys... hope you forget this when you’re having nightmares.”