High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2205: Chapter 426: Raising the Price

Three witches wearing raven masks raced down from the distant treetops, landing in front of four two-headed ogres, their billowing cloaks kicking up flurries of snow like white sand, shrouding their figures in a veil of mystery.

The cloaks of these ravens were woven from black feathers, the long, dark crow feathers are dense yet smooth, distinct from one another, standing in stark contrast against the silver-white world around them, making them appear like real, large crows against the pristine snow.

It was a witch who questioned, numbered Zero Five, standing at the forefront of the trio.

The leading hoop-headed ogre among the quartet didn’t immediately respond to her query. Instead, it slightly raised its chin, glanced at the witch standing beside another raven numbered Zero Three, and said with amazement, ”...I always thought that the lower your number, the higher your rank. I’m surprised that I was wrong.”

The mocked Crow No.3 seemed oblivious, with its head tilted upward, staring blankly at the witches bound in mid-air.

Number Five Crow impatiently interrupted, ”A number is just a number, there is no rank between us! Don’t change the subject... Why didn’t you act according to the pre-arranged plan!”

The hoop-headed ogre lowered its head, hiding the newly-grown head under its jaw in the shadow, chuckling, ”Just as you said, your plan is your plan... what has it got to do with us?”

The witch’s breath caught in her throat, and she was about to argue with increasing annoyance when a bright green flame suddenly appeared in front of her right shoulder, transforming swiftly into a small green bird with clear features, fluttering its wings and chirping out a report:

”School Guardian Array states normal conditions, no abnormal fluctuations detected!”

Following closely, one green flame after another appeared out of thin air, transforming into little green birds, circling around Number Five Crow, chirping, passing one current message after another:

”...All patrol teams are outside the safe range!”

”Magic shielding effective, hunting competition liaison completely severed!”

”Teakwood has been delivered to the target area!”

”Deer Complex has been delivered to the target area!”

”Sleeping spell is effective, no targets observed to be awake!”

”You Yao Qi Team and YPO Team jointly supporting Thomas Patrol team, all three parties met... Number Eleven two-headed ogre failed to release true form... All three teams relatively far from the target area, risk level: low!”

”Judgement Team has taken the bait... moving away from our target area, risk level: low!”

”The School Hunting Team is identifying the Judgement Team traces, maintaining level: concerned!”

”Absolution Hunting Team has anomalously stopped outside the support range, not upgraded to Second Rank Formation... Su Councilor movements not observed... risk level: suspicious!”

”Xiangqi Team lost traces in the depths of the Silent Forest, no anomalies found, risk level: concerned!”

”Zhang Yu Patrol team trapped within the inverted Five Elements Ice Mirror Array, risk level: concerned!”

”Starry Sky Team led into the icy maze, risk level: low!”

”Hilda patrol...”

”Atlas Hunting Team...”

Crow No.3 finally withdrew its gaze from the mid-air, took a step forward—the action making the four ogres shift their focus away from the chattering green birds to him—he stood before Number Five Crow, speaking calmly: ”Although it wasn’t according to plan, since the target is already achieved...”

”Their carelessness might completely expose us!” said the witch angrily behind him.

”How do you know they’re careless?”

Crow No.3 glanced at his companion, signaling her to remain calm—a look of alertness appeared in the witch’s eyes as she faced the ogres—and then Crow No.3 turned back, coldly staring at the hoop-headed ogre before him and said flatly: ”...Since the target is achieved, as agreed, we will remove the bindings from these Righteous Bodies... Additional rewards managed by the Wandering Wizard, you can freely claim them with these emblems.”

As he spoke, he opened his palm, revealing a stack of approximately inch-long oak plaques, etched with densely packed spells inscribed using Yin Yang methods, their surfaces enveloped in a faint gray glow.

The hoop-headed ogre extended a palm as large as a fan to receive the plaques, weighed them in its hand, and threw them casually to the three ogres behind, then looked playfully at the ravens before him.

”Do you think this little gold is enough to send us away?” It spoke fluently, yet restricted by this body’s influence, the voice inevitably came across as rough and grating, making one frown.

Crow No.3 gave him a deep look, drawing out the law book hanging from his waist.

The action immediately made the other ogres nervous, forgetting the plaques they were playing with, each raising their spiked wooden clubs, lowly growling at the ravens.

Almost simultaneously, far away in the treetops, shadowy figures resembling ravens emerged; the two companions behind Crow No.3 also took a step back, grabbing the law books at their waists. Even the flock of chattering green birds fell silent in unison, quietly hovering above the witch’s head.

”Everyone relax.”

Crow No.3 halted his actions, gesturing slightly for calmness with a hand, staring intensely into the hoop-headed ogre’s eyes while slowly unfolding his law book with one hand: ”...As I mentioned earlier, as agreed, these Righteous Bodies are also yours... I need the law book’s aid to lift the magical seals on these Righteous Bodies.”

As the law book automatically flipped to a certain page, a vague aura silently surged towards the four ogres, but only one ogre had a peculiar dark red mark flash across its forehead.

Crow No.3 paused momentarily, his expression unchanged.

He didn’t show any sign of anything unusual, yet as the ogre, whose forehead bore the odd mark, let out a restless growl, the hoop-headed ogre standing at the forefront let out a deep, gruff laugh.

”Apologies.”

Its laughter seemed to carry an intractable sticky phlegm, making one nauseous upon hearing: ”We can release the magical seal ourselves... These Righteous Bodies won’t be refused.”

As he spoke, a horrifying aura flashed across it, the green birds hovering above the witch’s head fell in panic, sprawling across her shoulders and cloak.

Great Wizard Rank!

Crow No.3 felt his heart sink, though he wasn’t sure if the opponent was already a Great Wizard before joining this operation, or if it reached the realm of Great Wizard by accident through this experimental body Righteous Body; either way, it was bad news for them.

Before he could decide how to respond, the hoop-headed ogre pointed to Zhu Si, who was bound mid-air by chains, and said, ”Since we don’t need you to release the seal, let her replace the other part of the reward.”