Chapter 68: The Hunt (19)


    “Aaaaah!”


    *Sphhhlt!*


    A bloodied figure brought his bare hand out of the chest of an orange d student, leaving a gaping hole behind on the Institute student’s chest. The body slumped to the ground while the bloodied figure walked on.


    “Well done, master.” A charming but submissive voice entered the blood covered young man’s ears.


    “This martial skills this boy learned are not half bad. You did a good job fetching such a nice body.” He looked at the blue ring on his right ring finger.


    “It was my duty, master. Let’s leave this wretched hidden dimension.” The ring vibrated.


    “Sure, let’s go. The blood eclipse will take ce 5 dayster. We have to each the Western teleportation circle by then.”


    They headed West, where the other students were heading.


    ******


    The Ivy Marshes.


    *Ssh. Ssh*


    “Hah. Hah.” Dolf Ironcross was panting as he ran through the swamps for his life. Two students from the Institute were chasing him. Their faces betrayed an extremely level of hate as they chased the white and blue d Academy student.


    ‘I did not do it!’ Tears escaped his noble eyes.


    A few hours ago, he was wandering through the marshes. Coincidentally, at the Southern outskirts of the marshes he spotted some corpses. The two male corpses were normal. But the female hanging on the tree- he got goosebumps just visualising her condition. How could anyone do that?


    And even more coincidentally, and of course unfortunately, two level 3 Institutes students came out of nowhere and spotted him with the corpses. They looked at the carcasses before looking at him. They were so incensed that it looked as if they were going to chew him alive.


    He tried to exin that he did not do this. It was obvious- the corpses were partially rotten; they were killed at least twenty days ago. But they cared little about his bbering. He killed her like that or not, it was without question that one who did the deed was none other than a student from the Academy, or that bitch from the Cadet College of Darkshore.


    So, they began to chase him while Dolf ran for his life.


    ‘Why?’ He looked at the sky and cried. ‘Why me?!’


    He got teleported into a red zone. He barely survived and ran into a level 4 student from the Empire. He barely escaped and for thest one week or two, he met only magical beasts and enemy students; not a single ally came into his sight. And now? This!


    Now, he had only one chance of survival, to run West- toward the teleportation circle.


    His only wish- not facing the apocalypse during his journey.


    ******


    One day left before the Fleeting Land closes down for four more years.


    Isabe was running through the yellow grounds of the Hellish Depths. She had been running for an hour at full speed. Being pressed for time, she had no other choice. She devoured recovery potions one after the other- all high level ones.


    But this time, she was able to run a bit easier than the first day she was here. She was carrying less load.


    Her quiver- was empty.


    ******


    Thest day of the Hunt; the lunar eclipse would ur tonight, and everyone will be teleported back to Ervilia. The past week, the numbers in the camp more than tripled; it was somewhere near one hundred and fifty now. And a few more hours remained for the remaining students toe in; it was still the afternoon.


    “Howe no one of our ss has arrived yet?” Cornelia was a bit worried. They were her ssmates after all. She was sitting at a corner of the camp


    “I don’t care about Dolf, and I trust in Isabe. It would be a loss if something happened to Sirius though.” He was lying on ‘his’ mat with his eyes closed.


    *Whoosh*


    Suddenly the curtains opened. A ck haired elegant young man with eyes of the same colour stepped into the room.


    Adrian opened his eyes and looked directly into the neer’s eyes. A smile formed on his face, sending chills down ‘Sirius’s’ spine.


    ‘Interesting.’ He closed his eyes again.


    Two hourster. The curtains opened yet again as another one stepped in.


    The ‘most noble’ of the ssroom looked as if he were a destitute beggar. His hairs were messed up, clothes were torn and his whole body was dirty and stinking. He panted as he dropped to the ground.


    “Only Isabe’s left now.” For thest few hours, Cornelia had been sitting at the exact same spot.


    Evening.


    *Whoosh*


    Isabe entered the tent. Now, the whole tent was full with the five participating second years of the Academy.


    “Young master!” Her shout disrupted the quiet environment but none minded whatsoever.


    Adrian had yet to open his eyes. “You are tired. Go and take some rest.”


    Isabe nodded. She approached her friend and sat beside her.


    “Hey, how was your adventures?” Isabe asked.


    Cornelia only smiled wryly in response. ‘Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!’ She screamed at her dear friend in her heart.


    “Do you have any healing potion?” She politely asked Isabe.


    “Why? You are hurt?” Isabe squinted as she examined her friend.


    ‘Bitch! You have no idea!’ She again smiled wryly, barely holding her tear back from flowing out. She reached out her hand and beckoned with her fingers.


    Isabe was not able to find any external injuries. But she handed a healing potion to her nheless.


    Before she could pass it to Cornelia, Cornelia snatched the vial and gulped the green contents within.


    “Aaaaaaah!” She moaned in pleasure. It feels so good. “Got any other.”


    “No, this was thest one.” Isabe shook her head.


    “It’s a pity.” Cornelia too, shook her head.


    “And why are you sitting here, in this corner?”


    ‘Bitch! Ask that young master of yours! I was not able to stand up for thest three days. I can’t!’


    “Are you crying?” Isabe’s question took her by surprise. She checked felt something wet on her cheeks. She quickly wiped them off.


    “Nah. I just remembered how I almost died a couple of times.” A smile again surfaced on her face.


    Isabe sat down beside her and gave her a tight hug.


    “Nononono!” Cornelia panicked. But s, it was toote.


    “Aaaaaaaaaaaah!” The whole camp heard her scream.


    Three hourster.


    The curtain slowly opened.


    A burly young man peeked through the curtains, he was the same one who hade to notify them to assemble back at ‘the gate’.


    But his slow movement attracted the attention of everyone nevertheless. Sirius’s blood besmirched face, Dolf’s almost lifeless eyes, Isabe’s nonchnce and Cornelia’s eyes that betrayed the will to devour him alive sent multitude of shivers down the poor fellow’s spine. And he did not even dare to look at Adrian’s eyes.


    “Ahem. Pardon my intrusion. It’s time; the supervisor is ordering everyone to assemble on the Circle.” He then slowly closed the curtains before running away.


    ‘What the fuck is wrong with that batch?’


    All of them slowly stood up, except Cornelia of course. Isabe supported her up and put Cornelia’s arm around her shoulder.


    Everyone gathered on top of the teleportation circle. It waspletely identical to the one they had seen back at the ruins in Nemphis.


    The night was red just like fifteen days ago. But soon, ck enveloped the redness as the second moon on the sky invaded the blood red one.


    Adrian looked to the North East onest time. “Goodbye!” He muttered under his breath.


    Soon, the one hundred and sixty six persons standing on the circle vanished.


    ******


    Midnight.


    The Grand Imperial Institute.


    Unlike the teleportation circle at the Confederation, the teleportation circle of the Empire was in the premises of the Grand Imperial Institute.


    There was a huge building surrounding the teleportation circle. A few teachers were sitting a few meters away. There were some high ss nobles sitting alongside them.


    “Just a few more minutes.” The middle aged Lecturer Feather was shaking her legs while taking deep breaths at regr intervals.


    “Rx, Lecturer. You know that we are going to ‘win’. Why are you so worried? I am sure at least half of the Confederation students are dead.” Professor Rodney, the white haired old man, cheered.


    “He is right.” A golden haired middle aged man sat alongside them. “Harry is the one the leading this time. You know of hispetence more than I do.”


    Lecturer Feather sighed. “I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.” She said. “Something is just… gnawing at my heart.”


    “It’s time.” An orange masked man said calmly.


    Everyone looked at the teleportation circle. Nothing happened.


    Thirty seconds passed. Nothing happened.


    A minute passed nothing happened.


    Two minutes. Three minutes. Four minutes. Five minutes passed. Still- nothing happened.


    There were no blinding lights, no thumping sounds of falling students, and most important of all- there were no students.


    Everyone present had their whole body trembling; sweat drenched their skin and clothes. Some even were breathing unevenly.


    Something was wrong- terribly wrong!


    “Professor Rodney! What are you sitting there for?!” The masked man shouted. He lost his calm countenance. “Go check if everything’s fine with the circle!”


    “Ye… yes!” The old man nodded rushed towards towards the circle. He took his time to examine everything. But he was not able to find anything.


    “Nothing is wrong with the circle. I have checked.” He said.


    “Are you sure?” The masked man’s whole body was trembling uncontrobly.


    “Yes, I swear on my loyalty to the Empire.”


    The masked man sighed.


    The golden haired man asked the masked man, “What the hell’s wrong? MY SON IS IN THERE!”


    “I know. I know. Something must have happened at the Fleeting Lands. Something terrifying must’ve happened!”