Chapter 268 - 267 : End of the Treasure Hunt (3) Final

Chapter 268: Chapter 267 : End of the Treasure Hunt (3) Final

Jasmine stood near the center of the chamber.

Her hands were still raised.

Her face was pale.

Her mana was almost completely depleted.

But her eyes remained cold.

She had created an enormous ice barrier that covered nearly half the chamber.

Several students who had charged too close were caught within its range.

Frost climbed over their legs.

Ice wrapped around their weapons.

Some were completely trapped before they could react.

Jasmine slowly lowered her hands.

Her breathing was heavy.

Even the mana Rubina had restored had already been consumed.

"It is up to you guys now."

Evangline immediately saw the opening.

She raised her Desert Eagle.

Then she started firing.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Her bullets did not target the Chimera.

They targeted the attacks aimed at it.

A lightning arrow exploded before reaching the monster.

A fireball was destroyed in mid-air.

A wind blade was intercepted.

A dark spell shattered.

Evangline precisely destroyed every attack that could have landed the final blow.

The chamber filled with explosions.

"That bitch is stopping us!"

"Take her down!"

"Kill Celestias Academy first!"

But Arthur and Victor had already moved.

Their bodies became blurs.

They sprinted toward the Chimera.

Using its frozen legs as footholds, they climbed toward its massive upper body.

The Chimera sensed them.

Its serpent head turned.

Its jaws opened.

Fire exploded outward.

Arthur and Victor immediately jumped apart.

The flames passed between them.

They landed on opposite sides of the Chimera’s shoulders.

Mana gathered around both of them.

Victor’s eyes became cold.

"Ruler of Eclipse."

His talent activated.

The terrain beneath the Chimera shifted.

Massive black spikes erupted from the ground.

They pierced upward around the monster’s legs and body, locking it in place.

The Chimera roared.

It struggled violently.

But the spikes held.

Victor raised his sword.

"Dark Sword, Fourth Form."

Darkness gathered around his body.

His skin seemed to melt into shadow.

A massive amount of dark mana wrapped around his blade.

"Shadow Severance."

Shhk!

Victor swung.

The Chimera’s goat head was cleanly severed from its shoulder.

Dark blood sprayed across the chamber.

The monster screamed.

Arthur watched Victor’s technique.

Then his gaze shifted toward his own katana.

"Let’s try this."

[ F-Rank Talent: Imperfect Imitation is in use. ]

Arthur tightened his grip.

Darkness gathered around him.

But it was deeper than the darkness surrounding Victor.

The shadows throughout the chamber began moving toward Arthur.

They wrapped around his body.

For a moment, he felt as though he had become one with the darkness itself.

Then his body vanished.

Arthur reappeared beside the Chimera’s main serpent head.

His katana flashed.

Slash!

The blade cut cleanly through the serpent’s neck.

The massive head flew through the air.

The Chimera released one final roar.

The sound shook the entire chamber.

Then its enormous body collapsed.

BOOM!

The monster crashed into the ground.

Its HP bar reached zero.

{ A-Rank Dungeon Boss: Infernal Chimera Defeated. }

{ 5 points awarded to Celestias Academy for defeating an A-rank monster. }

The chamber shook once again.

A massive gate appeared 50 meters away.

It led toward the only exit from the dungeon.

The gate began glowing brightly.

But Arthur barely noticed.

A new notification appeared before his eyes.

[ Your understanding of shadows has increased. ]

[ Shadow System has reached Level 2. ]

[ Shadow Summoning Capacity has increased. ]

[ You can now summon 20 shadows. ]

Arthur’s eyes widened.

His Shadow System had leveled up.

His summoning capacity had increased.

But before he could think about it further, Victor looked toward him.

Victor’s mouth hung slightly open.

He had seen Arthur copy Shadow Severance.

After watching the technique only once.

But Arthur had not merely copied it.

He had used it with an even deeper darkness.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

Arthur finally came back to his senses.

’This is not the time.’

He looked across the battlefield.

They still needed the crystal.

They still needed to escape.

They still needed to win.

"Victor. Evangline."

Arthur’s voice became sharp.

"Cover me with whatever strength you have left."

They nodded.

Victor raised his sword.

Evangline loaded another modified magazine.

They immediately moved to stop the other academies from reaching the pedestal.

Victor blocked the students attempting to approach the crystal.

Evangline fired at anyone who came too close.

Arthur’s eyes shifted toward Ava and Eva.

The twins were already approaching the crystal.

They moved quickly.

Their hands were almost touching it.

Arthur ran.

But he did not run toward the crystal.

He ran toward Rubina.

She was still standing near the pillar where she had concealed herself.

Arthur stopped beside her.

"Rubina."

She looked toward him.

"As soon as I disappear, grab the crystal and run toward the exit."

Rubina blinked.

"What?"

Arthur pointed toward the glowing gate.

"Do it."

Then Arthur raised his voice.

"Everyone, head toward the exit now!"

Jasmine, Evangline, and Victor heard him.

They immediately stopped fighting and ran toward the exit gate.

Christopher’s eyes widened.

"Everyone, stop them!"

The other academies rushed forward.

But Arthur raised one hand.

Ice mana surged from his body.

A massive ice barrier erupted between the other academies and the exit.

The students crashed into it.

Some immediately tried to break through.

Others began casting spells.

But the barrier bought them the few seconds Arthur needed.

Victor, Jasmine, and Evangline reached the exit.

Rubina looked toward the pedestal.

Her expression became confused.

"But where is the crystal?"

Before she could think further, Arthur whispered.

"Blink."

[ Blink has been activated. ]

Swap.

Arthur vanished.

At the same instant, the crystal vanished from the pedestal.

In Arthur’s place, the crystal appeared.

Rubina’s eyes widened.

"Huh?"

She quickly grabbed the crystal.

Then she understood.

Arthur had swapped places with the crystal.

Rubina turned and immediately ran toward the exit.

Her teammates were already waiting ahead.

Meanwhile, Ava and Eva’s hands had been only inches away from the crystal.

Then it disappeared.

Arthur suddenly appeared before them instead.

His katana was already drawn.

Neither twin had enough time to react.

They could not block.

They could not retreat.

They knew they had lost.

But Arthur did not attack.

Instead, both twins suddenly fell into his arms.

One landed against his right side.

The other against his left.

"Eh?"

Both girls gasped.

Their eyes widened as they looked up at Arthur.

Arthur smiled.

Then his body vanished again, leaving behind only a faint blue trail.

"What just happened, Sister?" Eva asked.

Ava stared toward the exit.

"I have no idea, Sister."

The twins stood there in stunned silence.

They had failed to claim the monster-kill points.

They had failed to claim the crystal.

And somehow, Arthur had hugged both of them before disappearing.

Behind them, Christopher screamed.

"Nooooo!"

Meanwhile, Arthur and his team successfully passed through the exit gate.

The Golden Colosseum erupted with cheers.

Celestias Academy had claimed the first crystal.

And with it, the first major victory of the Inter-Academy Tournament.