High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2023: Chapter 244: The Opening

”So, are we dealing with ghouls tonight?”

Xin Fat Man patiently listened to Zheng Qing’s brief description of the ’meeting’ and satisfactorily summarized: ”Our luck is alright, though we didn’t draw the top prize from Zu Ge, we didn’t encounter the trouble-making Shatak birds, nor did we touch monsters like the Gigantic Absorption Worm or Ancient Leather Giant...”

”Wrong.” Xiao Xiao interrupted Fat Man’s summary.

”Hmm?”

Everyone, including Zheng Qing, turned to the team’s diviner, not knowing what his ”wrong” meant.

”The analogy is wrong.” The doctor pushed his glasses and patiently explained, ”Gigantic Absorption Worms belong to high-tier magical creatures, while Ancient Leather Giants, ghouls, and Zu Ge belong to mid-tier magical creatures, and Shatak birds belong to low-tier magical creatures... In theory, if we encounter Shatak birds, our luck would be best... Zu Ge would be the second.”

The analysis was too rigorous, leaving everyone else speechless.

After a few seconds of silence, Mister Blood Werewolf broke the atmosphere.

”What about Su Councilor?”

Dylan showed no concern about his captain’s encounter or the monsters they might face later, he just cared whether his elegance in the Hunting Ground would be seen by the Upper House Member: ”Will Su Councilor come to cheer us on?”

Zheng Qing recalled Su Shijun lounging on the sofa, wanting to tell Mister Blood Werewolf that she would probably just come to make an appearance.

But considering the morale issue, the captain of the Absolution Hunting Team had to reluctantly nod: ”Yes, Su Councilor asked me to tell everyone she’ll always be watching everyone’s performance...”

...

In the lounge, the beautiful Su Daxu silently rolled her eyes, picked up a strawberry from the fruit plate beside her, and popped it into her mouth.

Li Meng stood proud, straighter than ever.

On the other side, Lin Guo gazed gloomily at the pastry in his hands, longing to make achievements in the Hunting Ground. At his age, his understanding of beauty was far less profound than that of real college students.

...

”Who goes first in the first round?”

Zhang Ji Xin interrupted the topic unrelated to hunting — perhaps he and Zheng Qing were the only ones in the hunting team maintaining a certain level of calm on this topic, although their reasons for remaining calm differed, the red-faced male wizard’s control stemmed from his hunting obsession.

Upon hearing his inquiry, Zheng Qing hesitated, looking around.

The Absolution Hunting Team had seven official hunters, but the standard team for the competition is five-man, which means at least two people have to sit on the substitute bench tonight.

Everyone except Jiang Yu looked eager to try. As the saying goes, catching momentum, the morale is highest during the start of any competition.

”Fat Man and the Monitor will stay, the others go.”

Zheng Qing made a decisive decision after a brief thought: ”Fat Man is the core of our secret weapon, don’t waste too much energy at the start, tonight’s task for you is observation... The Monitor has the most comprehensive performance and a consistently stable state, able to replace anyone on the field at any time, thus you two will sit on the substitute bench tonight.”

The reasons given were very adequate and convincing, and with both Jiang Yu and Zhang Ji Xin immediately nodding in agreement, Xin Fat Man hesitated but could only grudgingly accept the arrangement.

”As for positions.”

Zheng Qing first pointed at Zhang Ji Xin: ”As per the old rules, Elder is the main hunter, Doctor is the Right Aide Hunter, I’m the Left Assistant Hunter, Swordsman the Wandering Hunter, Gentleman the Hunter... tactical arrangements are based on Elder, Doctor is responsible for filling gaps...”

”Dong! Dong! Dong!”

The muffled drum beats echoed over the Hunting Ground, sweeping away the spectators’ noise, the team’s tension, and the oppressive feeling under the accumulated clouds, and then, the piercing sound of the puppet man resounded everywhere:

”Hunting team, in position!”

The audience around the grandstand chanted in unison: ”Broken Bamboo, Continuation Bamboo, Flying Soil, Zhu Rou!”

The clear magic light rose from the stands, sweeping through the entire Hunting Ground, demonstrating the power of ancient hunting blessings, giving every hunter on the field the most sincere blessing.

Zheng Qing gave Jiang Yu a last look, nodded slightly at her, then turned, leading the hunting team through the gate, officially entering the Hunting Ground covered in yellow dust.

...

Unlike most Hunting Grounds they’ve seen before, this selection’s Hunting Ground resembled a large Colosseum, with no towering trees, lush bushes, nor rivers, hills, or complex terrain, only a large, flat, barren land.

There’s about half an inch of yellow dust on the ground, stepping on it feels like a gigantic octopus is sucking at your soles, always giving a sense of anxiety that you might be swallowed by quicksand the next second.

”Equipments check!”

”Report each’s consumption and malfunction items!”

”Environmental monitoring!”

”Constant determination!”

Zheng Qing proficiently issued various commands, while Zhang Ji Xin focused entirely on the surroundings, starting to simulate different tactical arrangements on the sand table.

”Environment remains consistent with the external world, confirming no change in target world.” Xiao Xiao, holding a Crystal Ball in one hand, quickly calculated various constants within the Hunting Ground with the other: ”Confirmed consistent acceleration, gravity...”

”Spell effect determination...”

”Talisman effect determination...”

”Magic Potion effect determination...”

...

”A very exciting start!”

In the stands, the puppeteer danced, performing dizzying moves, his high voice echoing over the Hunting Ground:

”Right from the first moment of entry, the Absolution Hunting Team demonstrated extraordinary professionalism... all orders are well-organized... team actions are orderly... this is a quality many registered hunting teams lack, worthy of winning the freshman competition last year, and participating in the Black Prison battle!”

Responding to the puppeteer were the neatly aligned voices of ’Su Shijun’ in the sky above the Hunting Ground.

”Of course!”

The puppeteer shouted louder, overpowering the fox fans: ”We must also acknowledge that the synonym for ’rules’ is ’rigidity’... wasting valuable opening time on meaningless foundational matters, might it cause Absolution’s hunt to be disappointing tonight? We will see...”

”...We can see that Absolution’s opening unfolds a very standard five-pointed star formation... It’s a formation that won’t go wrong in any environment, having very reliable defense and moderate offensiveness, very hunter-friendly, as long as you possess intelligence above ordinary gorillas, you can comfortably manage this formation...”

”Ghoul spotted!”

”The first prey tonight has appeared in front of the Absolution Hunting Team! It’s a matured ghoul that’s been demonized, with an unsettling canine face and sharp claws... But there’s only one, theoretically posing no harm to Absolution.”

”For Absolution, it probably only counts as an appetizer.”

”Alright, we can clearly see that Absolution’s Wandering Hunter and Hunter have left the formation, protecting each other with a strangulation attack, moving towards that ghoul!”