High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 1423: Chapter 170: Invader

The moonlight dimmed, and the shadows of the night deepened.

In an unknown corner of the depths of Silent Forest.

Beside a small campfire.

A gray-skinned Gouzi, who had been dozing off in front of the fire, suddenly perked up its soft ears, then stood up and glanced into the distance. Around it, several female Houdou, also napping, curled their tails curiously, thinking that this new member had thought of some interesting new game.

But unexpectedly, the newcomer, with a stride as if renouncing all kins, sauntered towards the deeper part of the forest. Past a clump of bushes, a flash of moonlight, and the gray figure had disappeared without a trace.

Leaving behind several female Houdou looking at each other in confusion.

...

Elsewhere in Silent Forest, far from this spot, under a small hill.

During the day, having just dug up a large pile of coal from the hillside, the Houdou, disregarding the thick night and their tired bodies and minds, gathered to sing and dance, and started devouring the newly lit coal fire.

The pale blue flames blistered the mouth corners of many young little Houdou, yet none of them were willing to give up the delicacies at their lips. Including the late-joining gray-skinned Gouzi.

It was showing everyone how to swallow a piece of coal bigger than its head with one small mouth.

The blazing coal was stuffed into its mouth, its neck tilted back, exerting a swallow. Suddenly, a huge lump emerged on the slender neck of the Gouzi, eliciting amazed tsk-tsks from the onlookers.

As the lump slowly sank towards the stomach, the performer suddenly stopped swallowing, turned its head, and looked surprised in the distance. Moments later, there was commotion under the hill.

Because the performing gray-cloaked Gouzi, under everyone’s watchful eyes, disappeared with a snap, as if it had been burst by the burning coal.

...

There was another gray-skinned Gouzi, kneeling in front of an old Houdou whose teeth had all fallen out.

It had knocked its head on the ground thousands of times, imploring the old Houdou to take it as a disciple.

The old Houdou was inwardly thrilled, but outwardly sternly refused, listing all the ways the gray-skinned Gouzi did not fit the traditional image of a Houdou. Such as its fur color being too light, the gifted coal being too little, eyes always wandering, and so on.

Right when it was ardently listing these faults, the kneeling Gouzi suddenly stood up, turned its head to look into the distance.

Then it turned around, lifted its hind legs, and hissed.

It splashed the old Houdou’s head and face, then ran off with a dash, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

...

Similar scenes occurred in various corners of Silent Forest.

Wherever there was a gathering of Houdou, a grayish Gouzi would appear. Earlier, they had blended into the Houdou groups using various methods, but at a certain moment, they simultaneously chose to leave.

With each disappearance of a gray figure.

The aura on Furry Bean next to Buck became incrementally clearer.

However, this subtle change was not noticed by the young Houdou, or Mr. Buck. The only thing he could perceive, was the increasingly tense atmosphere in the forest, and a quieting environment.

The night wind halted its steps, the rustling whispers of the leaves quietly vanished, and Katydid and Weaving Maiden also closed their mouths, hiding silently under the rotten branches and withered leaves, cocking their ears to listen to the unfamiliar footsteps in the forest.

Crack.

That was the sound of a dried twig being stepped on and broken.

Buck and Furry Bean turned their heads simultaneously, looking towards the direction of the sound. Under the dim moonlight, only the mottled tree shadows slightly swayed on the ground.

Nothing unusual.

Just as Buck was about to retract his gaze, those slightly trembling tree shadows abruptly expanded, and in an instant, two tall figures stepped out from those shadows into the moonlight.

The one in front had black hair and blood-red pupils, his body draped in a vivid red robe, with a filthy red ribbon tied around his exposed wrist; its purpose unknown.

Following closely behind was another figure, similar in stature to the first, wearing a plain moon-white robe, barefooted, stepping on the dirty forest floor, yet remaining spotlessly clean. However, what was most striking was its face.

It was an empty face. Like a new moon, pure like fresh porcelain, devoid of any features or eyes, except for two red glows bursting through where the eyes should have been, resembling distant red lanterns seen through a screen.

These two uninvited guests were none other than Nikita and No Face.

Buck lowered his body, his muscles tensed, a threatening growl emanating from his throat. His forked, slender tail swirled in the air like a scorpion’s sting, piercing the air and emitting a disturbing whizzing sound.

Furry Bean’s reaction was a bit less intense than Buck’s, perhaps because it didn’t plan to be responsible for the Calamity Fight Group behind it, or perhaps because it was confident in escaping from these two strangers. In any case, without any psychological burden, it appeared much more natural in front of the guests, gaining a higher regard from the lady walking in front.

”This little dog is not bad,” Nikita looked at Furry Bean appreciatively, ”Having it lead this ragtag bunch might bring us some unexpected surprises.”

No Face’s twin red glows briefly brightened and dimmed, remaining silent.

Furry Bean glanced warily at it, then turned to look at Nikita.

It was certain that the owner of those snake molts was this bizarre individual in front. But it was unsure whether it could take them away because the aura of the beautiful Female Demon next to them held a hint of danger.

Nikita narrowed her attractive red eyes, spread her arms, and took a deep breath.

”An aroma to remember.”

She muttered, seemingly talking to the two dogs in front of her, yet it sounded more like she was talking to herself, ”For most Magical Creatures, the Silent Forest is like a paradise. Abundant food, the protection of schools, allies found, comfortable living conditions... everything one could need.”

Furry Bean made no comment; it just carefully surveyed the Female Demon in front of it, contemplating where to bite down to shred her to pieces most rapidly.

It wasn’t worried that its hostility would attract special attention from the Female Demon.

Because it wasn’t a dog.

At the very moment the Female Demon appeared, not far from the two dogs, Houdou Camp had already received the alarm. Along with the Female Demon’s speech, the dark night began to flicker with pairs of crimson eyes.

The moist air began to mix with the smell of sulfur.

The previously calmed winds also started flowing again, becoming hotter than before.

The Female Demon seemed oblivious, still eyes closed, softly murmuring:

”...The only problem is, when you are too close to the light, your eyes will sting; when you live in paradise, your spirit will feel fatigued, forgetting its own purpose... Does anyone still remember the Glory of Houdou? You once swept fires across a thousand miles, bringing fear and turmoil to the Wizards; you also once swallowed the heavens, biting off half of the moon. Look at you now, merely a bit distant from the volcanic crater, turned into a bunch of complaining little women.”

”Like a group of abandoned pets.”