Published at 25th of March 2019 07:17:00 PM Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - The Returners Promotion Battle (5)

In any case, they managed to accomplish their first goalget the party

together . Unfortunately, they had been fighting the entire time, and were

exhausted . After casting detection magic constantly, Romantica was looking

much worse for wear . Desir motioned towards a tree stump and spoke . For

now, lets rest . The party cleared out the fallen leaves and sat down .

After sitting down, each of them opened up the packets supplied by the

academyinside were two energy bars and a bottle of water . Desir took out an

energy bar and started eating . He grimaced in response to the taste, but it was

no time to be picky .

His eyes wandered over to Romantica . She went through her energy bar slowly,

melting it in her mouth . The girl who always grumbled about hard food was

nowhere to be found . Pram also noticed this sudden change and stopped eating .

Romantica, noticing their stares, stopped eating in embarrassment . What are

you looking at? she asked .

Are you alright, Miss Romantica? questioned Pram .

Mm? What are you talking about?

Desir had a knowing smile on his face . Looks like youre completely used to it

now . There shouldnt be any problems even if we leave you in the Beta Class

now .

Dont be ridiculous! exclaimed Romantica . She threw her food packet at

Desir .

Desir deftly caught the packet, and buried the remainder of the partys packets

to hide their tracks . After they finished eating, they enjoyed their momentary

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break before returning back to reality . Desir grabbed a stick and took this

opportunity to explain his plans:

There are two ways for us to enter the Alpha Class . First, we are among the

last 9 survivors . Second, we clear the Shadow Worlds quest and take 1st place .

As Desir explained their goals, the wind bit into their skin and the drizzle

coated the plains . Romantica, intently listening, offered her own rebuttal . But

you said the second way was impossible .

Desir quietly drew 30 lines on the ground, before crossing out 4 of them .

Correct . With our power, it would be difficult to do so whilst taking attacks

from the other parties at the same time . It really is impossible, explained

Desir . Pram and Romantica nodded in response . But . . . think of what our

objectives are . Our objective isnt 1st place, but 9th place or higher . So our most

important objective is to eliminate the competition . Desir crossed out more

lines on the ground, one by one . 24 people remain . As each party is working on

the quest, they will undoubtedly get into fights with each other . If we take that

opportunity to eliminate 15 people, it wont be that difficult to enter the top 9 .

The stick stopped drawing, and 9 lines remained on the ground . Desir circled 3

of them . If we think about it like this, our goal isnt as hard as it seems .

Pram nodded in agreement . I seeso thats the plan .

A torrent of rain washed over the land . The sound of raindrops pattered against

the leaves and resounded across the entire forest . Their party was truly lucky

theyd found a place to rest where they could avoid most of the rain .

Unfortunately, that was where their luck ended .

A clear bell rang out and the party all turned towards the northeast

simultaneously . The peals could be heard over the rain . Romantica, what time

is it? asked Desir .

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1 oclock, responded Romantica .

It was starting . An announcement played in Desirs ears .

The time has come to test your knowledge . The Privius Clock Tower has been

activatedit creates a demon once every hour .

The clock strikes 1, and the sin of cunning crawls out from the depths of hell .

The Killdra Mouse has been summoned .

The quest has begun .

[Survival: Demons live in the forest . Survive and defeat the demons . ]

Kiaaaaaaaak-! A sharp cry rang out, followed by dozens of similar screams in

response . The first cry alone would make anybodys heart palpitate and shoot

right out of their chest, but the chorus of monsters would make a persons heart

stop .

Everyone, get back . Desir ordered the team and hesitantly rose up . The leaf-

covered dirt shifted, thumping up from the ground . It looked like the spirits in

the dirt were dancing with the raindrops .

Eugh, the smell! Romantica complained as she pinched her nose . Shed

smelled this beforethe smell of rotten meat and blood, pungent enough to

paralyze a persons sense of smell . She tried to recall the smell . It was definitely

when they were cleaning the training ground . . . A shiver ran down her spine .

By the first demon, they cant mean . . .

Squeak-! A red blur burst out of the rumbling dirt .

Romantica held her shaking hands together and screamed . Rats!

It was a rat with jagged teeth, covered with red flesh . It looked as if a child had

molded it out of clay . The slow contractions of its stomach matched its

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heartbeat . An exoskeleton covered its entire body, starting from the two horns

sprouting on its forehead . Demon was the only word Romantica could muster

to describe the creature .

Your prior knowledge has revealed the identity of this monster . Killdra Mouse .

2-star demon . This monster commands countless rats, consuming human flesh .

After determining a target, it never gives up on its prey .

Squeaaaaak-! The Killdra Mouse cried out, and its ear-splitting scream

reverberated across the forest . Tremors broke out yet again, the ground

bursting at the seams trying to contain the pressure . The bulging ground

exploded, and black creatures emerged from the dark crevasse .

Rats . Thousands of rats swarmed out from the hole, and they squirmed and

scurried like one massive organism .

Romanticas face was pale, and she was frozen in place . Her breathing became

heavy, and she had no idea what to do . Desir pulled sharply on Romanticas

arm, and turned around to run away . The tidal wave of rats crashed in the

direction of their party .

The squealing rats cries pounded against Romanticas eardrums . She trembled

in terror . Im going crazy . Im going crazy . Im going to go crazy! If she got

swept up by these rats, she might really go insane .

They kept running, but the plague of rats were incredibly fast . If they slowed

down for even a second, the slew of rats would consume them .

Huk . . . huk! The wind bit at their skin, and the crunch of the leaves rang with

each step . Trees flew in and out of their peripheral vision as they desperately

tried to get away . With each tree that they passed, a booming sound rang out

behind them . If they looked back, they could see the tree ground into dust by

the black swarm .

[Blow Wind!]

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Romantica flung a spell at the mess of rats, but it had very little effect . For

every rat blown away by the spell, a dozen rats came to take their place . The

current situation was extremely bad for the three of them . The ground was

slippery, and the densely packed trees made getting away several times more

difficult . The group was losing their breath, and growing more exhausted with

each passing second . On the other hand, the rats continued barrelling down on

them, with no sign of stopping .

Were blocked off! said Pram . An enormous tree appeared their path, fallen

on its side . Fragments of ice glittered on its stump . Desir immediately

recognized this tree .

The tree that fell during my fight with Lapras . Of all times, why now! Desir

estimated it to be 1 meter tall . Pram didnt hesitate, vaulting over the tree and

landing lightly on the other side . The problem was Desir and Romantica, who

were mages . Desir let go of Romanticas handit would only impede their

movement . They had to run as fast as possible to make it past .

3 . . . 2 . . . Each second was precious . They sprinted to the foot of the tree and

Desir contracted his leg muscles with all of his strength .

1 . . . now! Desir kicked off the ground, and flew in the air until he landed on the

other side . Looking to his side, Romantica landed face-first in a puddle . Shed

caught her leg on the tree as she jumped . The last hint of reason fell away as

Romantica felt an imminent sense of foreboding looming over her . With a

thunderous slam, the giant tree exploded into pieces, as the wave of rats rushed

forward . The party was barely three steps ahead of the rats .

Were going to get caught! Romantica shrieked .

Desir had to quickly come up with a solution . Itll be over if we kill the Killdra

Mouse!

And wheres that! shouted Romantica .

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In the swarm of rats! said Desir .

You idiot! How are you going to kill a rat in THAT? retorted Romantica .

The monsters main bodyit was definitely possible to find it in the swarm . It

had an unusual form, so they would be able to tell the Killdra Mouse apart from

the other rats . Unfortunately, because it was buried in the wave, it was

impossible to aim an attack at the main body alone .

But what if we can draw the Killdra Mouse out?

The squirming rodents were nipping at their heels, and there was no time left

to run . There were even rats scrambling over the backs of the swarm to make

headway for fresh meat . Some of the rats climbed onto the partys shoulders

and began gnawing into their skin .

They was no time . Desir breathed out deeply . I have to draw the Killdra Mouse

out from the swarm . Hed use it . The reason the monster was chasing them . Just

before the rat wave reached them, Desir bit down on his thumb, and blood

spurted out of his finger . Immediately, he thrust out his finger and a stream of

blood flew across the air .

A figure rocketed out of the wave, careening at the glistening red liquida red

rat, covered in a black exoskeleton .