Chapter 223: Caught in the Trap
Chapter 223: Caught in the Trap
"Then, what about you, Miss Elysia? You say it as if you... You will not run with us?" One of the students, who was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, asked in confusion.
"I'm going to run away, but after I check around here first. I will help the students who accidentally entered this cursed forest." Elysia shook her head. There were things she needed to confirm before she would make the decision to run away.
"It's useless. Three of our friends have died. Those terrible beasts are monsters. Damn it! The teachers and instructors said that in this forest, there are no beasts above level 30, but the truth is bitter." The dejected male student emphasized his words. He seemed to harbor regret and sadness.
"No, I'm just going to go around for a moment to check on students who need help. You seem like a combination of five groups that happened to meet in this forest? Quick, please come out one by one. I know what I'm doing." Elysia answered and shifted the topic so that these students immediately carried out her request.
"Yes, you are right. We are a group that accidentally met in this strange forest." The other students confirmed Elysia's words. She had no idea that Elysia was using it only as a diversion.
"Then, thank you for your help, Miss Elysia. Please run as soon as you check that there are no more students around. You can't save everyone." A student expressed his gratitude and advice before he squatted out. Then, several other students followed after.
"Miss Elysia. Even though you are talented, you are no match for those monsters. There are many of them. I hope you know your limits and immediately save yourself." The girl, who looked like she was about to cry, gave her advice before she left, too scared to stay here a little longer.
Honestly, she was amazed by Elysia's heroic spirit but also felt pity if the best seedling had to fall in the hands of those terrifying monsters.
The next few students also delivered a few words to Elysia before they went through the invisible hole in the transparent wall. They couldn't overthink because of the fear from the previous tragedy. They only knew that they needed to return immediately and report to the authorities.
Until there, only Elysia and Vanessa were left behind. Elysia finally let out a sigh of relief. She managed to save the students from the hands of those cursed monsters.
"All right, let's explore this area for a moment." Elysia carried Vanessa before flying into the sky in an invisible magic blanket.
Resounded in her mind about what the students just said... She couldn't save everyone, and some students were already dead before she even arrived.
Even so, she needed to make sure of a few things while looking for Evelyn's group if they accidentally got into this cursed forest before she reorganized this dome barrier.
In another place outside the invisible dome barrier, a group of students was casually walking through the forest. They had just defeated a level 10 beast, and they were currently looking for another prey.
"Ow! What is this? A wall? The forest is clear in front of me, but there is an invisible wall here? Who would dare to put up a barrier carelessly here?" Brian stroked his forehead, which hit the invisible wall.
"Haha, maybe there are students who set traps while hunting using magic devices? Then, let's take another path." Ashton made a suggestion as he walked forward after shifting a few meters to the side. His fate was no different from Brian's. He hit an invisible wall too.
"Damn! This is too much. What kind of trap did they set?" Ashton was annoyed. With resentment, he hit the invisible wall in front of him strongly.
Not the expected result, he was thrown to the back and fell on his butt.
"Wahaha! Stupid. Well, this transparent barrier is kind of ridiculous. It can also bounce back power. Interesting." Brian laughed with the three members of his group, and he came to a conclusion.
"Tch. Is this the pre-announced hunting test boundary? Isn't it a river? Why has it turned into an invisible barrier?" Ashton stood up in style, wondering what had happened.
"Wow, this barrier can also reflect magic." David muttered in amazement at the results of his experiment. His magic just bounced off like a ball hitting a wall.
"Sigh, there's no point lingering here. Come back. We'll hunt elsewhere. We still have plenty of time, but I want to return at noon with 100 points in our pockets huahaha! Come on, warriors. Follow your experienced captain!" Brian announced and turned around. He said it as if he was the best at hunting, whereas Ashton was the most experienced and skilled in the field.
Like that, some of the other groups had no chance to enter the cursed forest beyond the barrier. Luck for them because they didn't have to face the tragedy and fear of the terrible monsters.
Meanwhile, from some distance from the invisible dome, a group of girls was hunting with traps. They did that to speed up their hunting rather than relying solely on hunting weapons.
"Hehe, the trap is ready. All of this has also been named for our possession. Nobody will ever dare to take our prey. What about your traps?" Evelyn looked at her trap with pride. It was worth it that she brought some rope for this.
"En, I've made a few traps around here. A few holes camouflaged by dry leaves, and make sure not to step on them. It's ten feet deep." Maggie reminded the others with a smile as she walked over.
"Well, I'm done. But, I put it there, some distance away." Betty replied as she sat on the rock. She was done with her trap a few minutes ago.
"Yes, we just finished. We wanted to catch the big one with the trap nets there. I hope the fresh meat bait can lure a level 30 beast." Joanna and Lana waved their hands from a distance. They had just finished with their trap.
"Perfect. While we wait for our traps to come to fruition... Let's hunt elsewhere. We have to find 80 more points by three o'clock." Evelyn clapped her hands with satisfaction.
Of course, her invitation was approved by her group members. The four of them were girls who obeyed her if it was a good thing.
"Nee, Miss Evelyn. Are the animals and beasts that are the target of hunting in this test something the academy has prepared beforehand?" Lana suddenly asked curiously.
"Ah, I also thought. Suppose this forest is an ecosystem in the wild. In that case, hunting with nearly 300 hunters will endanger the ecosystem in this forest, right?" Betty put her finger to her chin as if she was thinking something.
"Well, it looks like Lana's assumption is correct. Perhaps, most of the animals in this 40-kilometer forest area are something the academy has prepared. The instructors have confirmed that there are only animals no more than level 30 in this test area, so we can draw a provisional conclusion with just that." Evelyn also made an assumption from the information she knew. It was predictable.
At that moment, Evelyn looked up at the clear but cloudy sky. She wondered how Elysia was doing.
As soon as Evelyn's group was walking away... All of a sudden, there was a noise from a distance. Something was fast approaching, and maybe it was some beast or something.
Evelyn and the girls got ready with their bows from a distance. Realized that their prey was approaching and seemed to be heading for their trap.
*Thud* *Bang* *Bam*
Their traps caught something quickly and easily. However, none of the girls knew what kind of animal in it. It was not just one, but several of them.
With great joy and enthusiasm, Evelyn and the girls approached with swords in their hands. They got a lot of points at once from this trap plan. Maybe they could return to the gathering place soon.
"Ptui... It hurts. What's this? Who foolishly set a trap in the path I'm going to go through!?" Serena spat because of the dry leaves that accidentally entered her mouth.
"Cora, Nico, Zofia, are you there? Anyone, hurry and get me out of here! I need to come back as soon as possible!" Serena cried out for help from a reasonably tall tree branch. She tried to squirm to break free, but it was difficult to move.
How could her servants help her? They fell into a hole in the ground with no chance to scream, tired of running to follow their master.
"Oh? I thought we got some big prey. Instead of getting serenity because of the many points we got, it's Serena... So regrettable." Evelyn sighed in disappointment.
Instantly, she remembered one thing. If Serena was here, then her best friend would be around too. Maybe Elysia fell into a hole or got caught in another trap?
"Come on, hurry, check out our catch in other traps." Evelyn just left Serena in her animal trap. She needed to help Elysia as soon as possible. How could she let her best friend get caught in her group's trap?