Chapter 245
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: The Ancient Predator Emerges
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“How…… did you do it?”
Basara Krevad glanced at his friend, pale under the crushing mana pressure, and broke out in a cold sweat.
It felt utterly different from the previous mana measurement.
Her impassive gaze, perched atop the mountain of monsters looking down, instinctively overwhelmed him, like an illusion of pure dominance.
“Do what?”
“These monster golems. You took them all out, right?”
“……Yeah. I did.”
“These monsters here. They weren't all gathered in one spot.”
At Basara's question, she pondered briefly before answering indifferently.
“I interfered. I hijacked the control waves aimed at the monsters and lured them here.”
She spoke casually, as if it were nothing, but Rubas sharply inhaled.
“Crazy…… Is that even possible? What kind of monster are you……”
“I don't want to fight people. The professor said I can't fight humans yet. Especially awkward ones like you guys who are half-strong.”
He'd rarely been treated like the weak one in his life.
Both boys were unmatched among their peers.
Even at the same realm, the spear arts of the Spear Star lineage they'd learned, and the vast magic of the magic noble house, gave them overwhelming odds against equals.
But not now.
No sense of victory stirred at all.
Their fighting spirit, burning just moments ago at the thought of clashing if they met, vanished forcibly.
“If we're still fighting…… I'll give it a shot.”
Dozens of pure white mana orbs floated up around her, like she was casually offering to remove all his chariots and cannons in a game of go.
That was when it happened.
Kuooooong!!!!
A massive roar echoed, and a ferocious wind whipped from deep in the forest.
Startled, the three whipped their heads around, then lost all words at the absurd mana flow emanating from there.
“Just now…… what was that?”
Ashuria's eyes widened as she stared into the distance, while Rubas collapsed to his knees, trembling violently.
“Fuck. What the hell is this……”
“Hey…… hey! What's wrong with you!”
“Insane…… How is that mana? Who the hell cast that ridiculous spell……”
The sky rippled next, unleashing thousands of lightning bolts in unison.
Even Basara, a magic novice, felt chills dome his skin at the sheer overwhelming magic.
“Hey…… hey. Rubas Hontail. What the hell is that?”
To that question, Rubas wiped the pouring sweat and slowly opened his mouth.
“I've never seen or heard of anything like it…… Can you even call that magic?”
To Rubas, the situation was utterly bewildering. The mana swirling around Ashuria had been enough to overwhelm them both, yet this was incomparable—an enormous surge that made him shrink instinctively.
“Something must've happened……”
Unaware of the details, they had no way to grasp it.
That was when it happened.
“H-Hey?! That crazy bitch is heading where?!”
Ashuria suddenly floated into the air and shot toward the lightning-struck spot.
Rubas and Basara stared blankly before chasing after.
“Hey! That's the exam boundary! Grab that crazy bitch!”
“You wanna go out too?!”
“After seeing that insane magic, you still say that?! I get she's strong, but those traces—get close and who knows what'll happen!”
“Screw it. With that boom, they won't keep the exam going!”
It was a delusion.
Both boys knew at a glance it was a dangerous place.
Leaving the warded exam field for there? Clearly insane.
Without a second thought, the boys pursued Ashuria across the boundary.
Of course, her speed was tremendous, making it hard to catch up.
As the distance didn't close, Basara yelled.
“Hey Rubas! That air burst spell!”
“On it!”
Panting as he caught up, he activated a magic circle. An air shockwave exploded at Basara Krevad's feet, launching him like a bullet.
Accelerating sharply, he soared and snatched the airborne Ashuria.
“What?”
“What kind of crazy bitch are you?! Do you even know where you're rushing into!”
Landing with her grabbed, Basara shouted. She stared quietly with her lusterless eyes and asked.
“Here? Hmm…… the forest?”
“Ha…… we're in deep. Whatever. Hurry back. If we go now, it'll be fine.”
“I have to…… see that……”
At her words, the late-arriving Rubas scowled.
“What crazy talk is that? You think you'll survive going there?”
“It's that person…… It has to be. I need to see it. To know where my limit reaches.”
We don't care who "that person" is. The boys thought, dragging Ashuria along.
“Damn crazy bitch.”
“Let go. He said I can't fight people 'cause I can't control my strength.”
“What nonsense. You gonna say that during the exam? Planning to come last?”
“Doesn't matter. Ranking's not my concern.”
Watching her squirm pinned to the ground trying to escape, the boys shook their heads.
“I don't know about anything else, but yeah, you're nuts enough to feel the wall. Why'd you even come to the academy?”
“A promise. But he said I decide what I do inside.”
Her unhesitating reply silenced the boys briefly.
Soon, Rubas spoke.
“Hey. We gotta get back before it's too late. Professors will cut us some slack hearing this.”
As they dragged her by the scruff, about to head back.
The compliant Ashuria suddenly let out a short gasp.
“There.”
“Enough. Just walk faster.”
“Why are you…… heading that way?”
Rubas and Basara scowled at her question.
“What're you……”
To their following query, Ashuria slowly extended her hand toward the empty air.
The space she pointed to was nothing.
But glancing back, then turning away, something unbelievable happened.
“What…… is this.”
Grrr……
Bam!!!
What they saw was a massive maw of an unidentified creature slowly emerging from thin air.
Light refraction rippled like invisibility lifting.
“Wha…… crazy…… what is……”
Kwaaang!!!!
The two boys had no time to react. Ashuria's hasty spell shattered and dispersed instantly.
And in a flash, the three were swallowed into its maw.
The tent brimmed with chaos.
Upon my return, all eyes fixed on me like I was a monster.
“What's with everyone?”
“That spell you just showed…… what was it?”
“It's iffy calling it magic. Just spread lightning properties wide.”
“Bit rude to ask, but…… are you really human, Young Master?”
“Yeah. Human, sure?”
The magic professors sighed in disbelief.
“Hoo……”
“What even to call this……”
“Professors. I don't plan to draw aggro with stares.”
Not hiding, but don't spread it—my nuanced intent made the flustered professors nod.
“Then, the stampede gate's fully cleared?”
“Not a single escapee. Though the Demon Realm side bugs me. Not that far.”
“Do Demon Realm beasts come outside territory?”
I pondered his question.
Then slowly replied.
“While checking Black Forest once, saw in a monster report—specific traces.”
“Traces? What kind?”
To the dean's query, I recalled.
“Bizarre five-pronged drags on ground, hundreds of meters long. Or forest sections vanished like evaporated, sharp boundaries.”
“Ah. Yeah, got such reports……”
“That's Berga.”
At "Berga," professors flinched.
“Berga?”
“Berga? That ancient lifeform?!”
“Evidence points to it. Problem is, it's sensitive. Unclear its reaction to this stampede gate.”
“Hoo…… Never seen a confirmed sighting……”
“It manipulates body light refraction to vanish. Shows in hunt or battle, but usually hides, leaves traces.”
Its sheer size helps too.
“Chance it moved……”
“Eh. Distance to Demon Realm aside, doubt it'd come here. Probably nothing.”
“True. If by some miracle, we'd know quick. Unless a cadet breaks rules and exits boundary—who'd do that?”
The exam area had barriers blocking outsiders.
Even Berga couldn't breach silently.
“Right. Cadets can't leave safe zone anyway. Unless…… Cadet Ashuria suddenly gets a wild hair……”
“H-Ha…… Dean!! Big trouble!!!”
Then, a vice-professor checking the field yelled, face ashen.
“What? Monsters escape?”
“N-No, stampede fully eradicated. Area's black lightning blocks entry now.”
“Then what's the issue.”
“That…… Cadet Ashuria breached the barrier and left.”
Some professors dropped what they held with a clatter.