Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257 Chapter 60.3 - Phantom's Land

After Astron's initial explanations and their observations about the Phantom's Land, both Sylvie and Irina couldn't help but shudder a little.

'If this is how it feels to be around the phenomenal….'

A new feeling of respect bloomed in Irina's heart. She had always been arrogant thanks to her lineage and thought being a mage was relatively easy, but looking at it like that, those who worked in places like this needed quite a strong will and mental.

'But, what is our purpose here.'

Even if the academy wanted them to observe things, this place seemed rather different compared to the pieces of training before. Rather than focusing on combat, this time, they were in a place where the purpose was lost.

"Let's return."

Astron mumbled. At this point, in Phantom's Land, the air grew colder, and the mystical atmosphere intensified. The townspeople also were hurriedly retreating indoors, following the local tradition as the clock ticked closer to 06:06.

"Okay."

There were some other students as well.

"Why are they leaving?"

"What is with the issue here?"

Though most of them were looking around with surprised faces, it seemed they were rather clueless about this part.

'Well, they will learn sooner or later anyway.'

As the trio began their journey back to the bungalow, they noticed an unusual change in the atmosphere. The fog, which had previously been a mere backdrop, started to thicken with every passing second.

It clung to the surroundings like a dense curtain, obscuring their vision and creating an unsettling ambiance.

"This fog is getting thicker. Is this part of the usual phenomenon here?" Sylvie questioned, her gaze fixed on the ever-increasing density of the mist.

Astron furrowed his brow, observing the phenomenon closely. "It's not usual." His purple eyes were narrowed, but Irina felt like he wasn't as tense as he should be.

Being within his team for a long time, she knew how he acted whenever he was unsure of something, and this wasn't the case right now.

'Well, if he hadn't noticed something, then we should be fine.'

She reassured herself. He was unusually perceptive most of the time, so she had at least this much faith in his judgment.

As they ventured further, the fog became so thick that their surroundings turned into an impenetrable veil of gray.

Visibility was reduced to a mere few feet, and the air grew colder, carrying an eerie stillness. The sounds of footsteps echoed like ghostly whispers in the dense fog.

"Check the compass."

She opened her watch and chose the option of home. As the compass appeared, it showed the direction of their home. They had already tested it before leaving upon Astron's request, so they were sure that it worked.

Navigating through the thick fog with the assistance of the compass, the trio managed to reach the bungalow not long after. The enchanted device proved to be their guiding light in the murky surroundings.

Upon entering the bungalow, they felt a sense of relief as the fog's oppressive presence was temporarily held at bay.

"Haaaah….." The first one to relieve was Sylvie. Irina also wanted to do the same, but she refused to show weakness before this guy.

The interior offered a familiar sanctuary, and the trio decided to take a moment to gather their thoughts on the couch.

"So, what do you guys think?

"Not sure."

"Let's wait for a little while," Irina mumbled. "But stay alert. I feel like something will happen."

Just as she said, the timer on the wall steadily counted down the minutes, and as it finally reached 06:06, an inexplicable transformation occurred.

SWOOSH!

The mist that had veiled the landscape outside suddenly turned dark, as if the sky had plunged into night within moments.

CREAK! CREAK!

The abrupt change was accompanied by strange noises emanating from the darkened mist. Whispers echoed, and indistinct voices filled the air, creating an unsettling symphony that resonated through Phantom's Land.

SWOOSH!

Silhouettes, barely visible in the pitch-black mist, began passing through the windows of the bungalow. Eerie sounds echoed, filling the air with an otherworldly symphony. The trio, Astron, Irina, and Sylvie, exchanged uneasy glances as the mysterious figures moved silently around them.

The unsettling atmosphere escalated as the windows began to shake violently as if they were about to shatter. The trio sprang into action, rushing to close the heavy lids of the windows to ward off the impending threat.

"Quickly! Seal the windows!" Astron commanded, his voice calm despite the surreal events unfolding.

Irina and Sylvie followed suit, hastily securing the windows to keep whatever lurked outside from entering. The shaking intensified, accompanied by a chorus of haunting whispers that seemed to seep through the smallest gaps.

"What...what are these things?" Sylvie questioned, her voice barely audible over the disconcerting sounds.

Astron, his eyes focused and intense, scanned the room. "Phantoms." He replied.

"These are phantoms?"

"High likely."

Even though they researched before coming here, there wasn't much-published information about both phantoms and how Phantom's Land worked. This wasn't a touristic place, and the government-controlled the information network about this one.

"I see."

Sylvie nodded her head, understanding.

CREAK!

The creaking sounds continued for a little while as the silhouettes surrounding them continued their movements.

However, at this point, they had gotten used to it. Even though it may have been a little overwhelming at the first minute, they were future hunters and had seen their fair share of weird things.

Irina couldn't help but ask, "What should we do now?"

Now that they couldn't go out, there wasn't much they could do after all.

Astron glanced at his watch, his purple eyes focused on the enchanted timepiece. "We wait. This seems to be part of the phenomena Eleanor mentioned. As long as we keep the windows closed, we should be safe."

He didn't see any signs of phantoms inside, and the academy should give the students at least this much salvation.

GRUMBLE!

Just as he spoke, a distinct sound echoed in the room, cutting through the eerie ambiance. It was the unmistakable grumbling of a hungry stomach.

Everyone turned to look at Sylvie, who appeared slightly embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about that. Guess I'm hungrier than I thought."

Irina couldn't help but smirk, finding the timing rather amusing.

GROWL!