Chapter XV: Hunter's Game

Today is the long awaited Hunter's Game. We are now in front of what they called Forbidden Forest. The place looks creepy. The smell of miasma is all over the place. I could hear the loud chirping of birds inside as if they are in chaos.


There was a tunnel-like entrance and it was covered with darkness, but I felt a familiar aura that was protecting the whole place.


Headmaster is here with us and I don’t know where are the Elites as of the moment.


"Good morning. I am Headmaster Laurent and I am glad to see you all.” He looked around us with a slight grin in his lips.


"Look at your wrist my dear students," he said.


Suddenly our left wrist lit up and I was amazed to see a wristwatch attached to it. It was silver in color and had our last name written on the screen and at the bottom was the word total kills.


“That will record how many creatures you will get killed in ten hours. You have to survive when you are inside, just press the red button and you will get yourself inside the forest. Good luck!” Just like the Elites, he left us here in the ground.


Moments have passed and other students decided to start the game.


We would stay inside for ten hours, and during those times I will try my best to avoid those creatures. Maybe I'll just look for a place to hide so no one gets hurt. Just ten hours, that was just fast.


“Good luck, Amaris. Be careful…” Mathilda said and she is obviously nervous. "Everything inside is evil, and you have to defeat them."


I carefully lift up her eyeglasses. “Thank you, Mathilda. You too, be careful.” I kissed her cheek. "All right, you go first."


She hugged me once again before deciding to press the red button. She instantly vanished in front of me, when I looked around there were very few of us who left out here.


Those students are just like me, still have doubts if we will continue.


“Give them strength to continue.” I whispered to the wind before pressing the red button on my wrist.


I felt the portal sucking into my consciousness and when I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the dark forest.


It is out of reach of the sun because of the huge trees that almost seize the whole place, but I noticed that most of them are dry and almost dying. No, the place is already dead after all.


The atmosphere seems scary but sadness dominates me more this time. I don’t see any live flowers. There were no animals scattered around. I'm the only one here and I don't know where the others have landed.


I continued to walk and trying not to make any noise but the dry leaves I’m stepping into are not helping me at all. I am silently praying for my fellow students that they would be able to return to school safely.


I stopped when I heard a crack coming from behind me. I alerted all my senses and waited for it to show itself, and I was not disappointed there. A huge werewolf jumped in front of me.


“A beautiful creature,” he said while intently looking at me.


Its eyes were so red. Its entire body is covered with black fur and its fingernails and toenails are long. Saliva is also dripping from his mouth, as if he is very hungry and looking for something to eat. It also has a long horn and an SS+ marked on his forehead.


“Look, I mean no harm. I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I'm leaving…” I bowed a little, being submissive to this very huge creature.


I didn’t hear any response from him so I already turned my back, but I wasn’t able to take a step when he jumped once again blocking my way.


"No one's leaving." He growled that could be heard in the whole forest.


I took a step backwards as he began approaching me, and started to ran away without looking back.


“Run, Amaris!” I need to run for my life. I won’t be able to hurt him so I’ll just run away.


I heard his loud howl again and I could feel it running fast towards me. I no longer knew where I was going just to get away from him. I was about to turn again when it appeared just right in front of me.


"You can't run from me." His laughter turns into a loud growl. Anyone who’s sleeping will probably be awake.


“Let me just have a taste of you. You look delicious, little creature.” His let out his pointed tongue and it almost reach the tip of his nose, his mouth is dripping.


"I'm sorry but I am not delicious…” I shook my head as if I can convince him. “If you want, I could cook for you so you don’t need to eat me. Don't worry, my Mamita taught me how to cook and she said I'm good at it!”


I smiled at him but he just growled at me. His saliva spattered around.


"You're kidding me, kid!" His eyes dilated, getting impatient with me.


“No! I'm true to my words! Just don't eat me. I am tasteless!” Honestly, I'm really willing to cook for him. In the next few days, I will also cook for Mathilda and the twins.


"Besides, I'm not a child anymore, I'm already twenty-three!"


"Shut up!"


I was left speechless, why is he so angry? I'm just explaining, and I'm not going to lie to him.


"I hate creatures like you," he added.


He got even angrier and aggressively ran towards me. He was about to grab me but fortunately I avoided his attacks.


I slipped myself through between his legs, and carefully walked away from him. He quickly rushed again but I was just so quick in dodging it. I could see his every move no matter how fast he was, so it wasn’t that hard for me to avoid.


“F*ck! I want to f*cking devour you!" I can already feel the annoyance in his voice.


"I don't want to hurt you, so please, let me go…"


“You’re kidding, young lady! Creatures like you must disappear from this world! We alone have the right to live and rule here!” He growled and after that, there is a simultaneous howling around coming from various creatures that seemed to be just nearby.


And I wasn't mistaken, innumerable werewolves appeared just behind him. They have the same appearances and just like the first one, they all have SS+ marks.


Oh my god, what am I going to do?! When I killed them, I knew my conscience would not put me to sleep. But if I don't find a way, I will die here.


They were all staring at me and seemed ready to devour me.


“Good, Alfred. You caught a very beautiful creature…” said by the one with a long scar on his left cheek.


“Of course, Lino. And I will be the first to taste her!”


I winced. I told him I doesn’t taste good, why is he so hardheaded?


I heard the commotion of the others which was a sign that they did not agree with what the man said.


"Don't be selfish, Alfred." Someone grabbed his collar and was about to throw him away when someone meddle in.


“Stop fighting! Everyone can have a taste, so we have to start now!” They jumped at the same time that caused a slight shaking of the ground.


“Excuse me…" I was not disappointed when I got their attention. “Please, let me stay here for ten hours and I won’t harm anyone from your race. I don't want to be the Best Hunter, so please allow me to stay here quietly.” I pleaded once again. Trying to save their lives from my own hands.


I am not doing this for me, but for their own safety.


“No one will stay alive, little creature! Everyone who enters here will die.” The biggest of them all growled at me, looks like he doesn’t like what I have said.


“But I still don't want to die. Mamita will be sad.” She doesn’t even know that I got into this game.


"What do we care about your Mamita, huh?" He spat with no remorse. "We will make sure she disappears from the world as well."


I couldn't help but give a second look to the one who said that.


They are so disrespectful! No one can touch my Mamita as long as I’m alive!


“The Moon Goddess is worthless just like these creatures that she created! You are very beautiful young lady, but you will also be lost in this world!” He let out a deadly grin but that doesn’t even make me flinch.


"All right, kill her and all the students inside the forest!” They started to make a noise, being happy with what’s happening.


I am no longer enjoying this. I don’t like what they are planning to do, and suddenly the happy faces of Mathilda and my classmates entered my mind. I tightly closed my eyes, I have no choice but to finish them. I have a very long patience but they are just putting it into waste.


I heard the sound of the bones as a sign that they were beginning to transform into wolves. I watched them transform into their wolf form and I can't help but to grin when nothing changed. They gave each other questioning looks.


"What is happening?" I heard someone asks in confusion.


Others tried once again, but they all failed. I could see the astonishment on their faces. Even if they shed blood, nothing will happen.


"What did you do!?" The wolf named Alfred angrily spat at me.


I shook my head in response, I wasn’t doing anything yet.


"You will pay for this!" He motioned his underlings to attack me.


They all howled and rushed at me at once, and I do nothing but watch them move. I warned them, but they didn’t listen.


They were less than a meter away when they violently knelt in the ground at the same time.


"No one's transforming in front of me." I felt the color of my eyes intensify as I looked at them. There is a strong breeze rushing around me.



"And no one's disrespecting the Moon Goddess in my face!"



Who are they to disrespect their creator? I felt inexplicable anger for these creatures.


"Kneel," I gritted my teeth when I saw some of them trying to look at me.


I could see their suffering as they knelt and almost fell to the ground. I gave them few chances but they wasted it.


“W-who are you? What kind of creature are you?” Their leader asks. His arrogant face was replaced by suffering.


“You are the u-unknown kind, right? They will kill you when they find out there is someone like you in this world.” He tried so hard to laugh.


“No one will know,” I whispered and I am sure no one heard it.


When I opened my eyes again, ashes were being blew away by the wind. The traces of the SS+ werewolves vanished in an instant.


"Three hundred points added to Amaris Atkinsons…" announces by the device I am wearing on my arm.


A sad smile crept in my lips. I have nine more hours to stay here inside, and I fear for the lives of the creatures I will encounter.