The Useless Prince Is A Gangster
Chapter 55. The Cage Of Hunted

Chapter 55: 55. The Cage Of Hunted

The forest was completely dark, the sky covered by a dome.

It looked like the entire area had been sealed off, trapping everyone inside. Every group in the forest stopped what they were doing, staring up in disbelief. Fear spread through whispers as the unnatural sight sent chills through them.

Lucian’s group stood frozen, their faces pale. He gripped his sword tightly, his voice quiet. "What is this...?" he muttered,to.

Elsewhere, Velmira’s team started upward. Her eyes were wide, her fists clenched around her staff. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "This isn’t normal..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

_____

Leo’s group also stood still, watching the dark dome above.

"Activate your bracelets." Leo broke the silence, his tone firm.

"What are you talking about?" Varkas asked nervously, his face confused.

"Activate your emergency bracelets!" Leo snapped, his urgency cutting through their hesitation.

They hesitated, their fear turning into panic as Rowan frowned, folding his arms. "Why? What’s happening?"

Leo’s eyes glared at him. "Something worse is coming—"

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. At first, it was small vibrations, but the shaking quickly grew stronger.

The earth rumbled violently, the trees swayed as cracks formed in the ground. The students turned toward the source of the sound, their eyes wide with terror.

From the forest came the sound of splintering wood and crashing trees. Something enormous was approaching, tearing through the forest the monster emerged, breaking through the treeline with terrifying power.

It was massive—almost twelve feet tall—with metallic spikes jutting from its armored hide. Its glowing red eyes burned with rage, and each step crushed the earth beneath it. The students froze, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.

"Scatter!" Leo yelled, snapping them out of their shock.

The boys darted out of the way, their movements clumsy with fear. But Olyraa stayed rooted to the spot, her staff trembling in her hands. She couldn’t move, couldn’t react as the creature charged straight for her. Its heavy frame barreled forward, gaining speed, and its glowing eyes locked onto her. She thought this was the end.

Then.

A massive arc of flames shot through the air, slamming into the beast’s side with explosive force. The fire blinded the creature, causing it to stumble, giving Leo time to act.

He dashed forward, pulling Olyraa out of its path just in time and placing himself between her and the monster.

Leo stood tall, his sword drawn, flames running along its blade with fire mana. He glanced back at Olyraa, his tone steady but commanding. "Go to the others. Now."

She nodded shakily, stumbling to her feet before running toward the group. She cast a quick glance back, watching Leo stand in front of the towering beast.

His grip on his katana tightened.

"Elynn," he muttered under his breath. "Scan the target."

The glow of Elynn’s analysis appeared in his vision as her voice began.

[Scanning target...]

[Identified: Ironmaw Behemoth]

[Classification: A-ranked monster]

[Attributes: Massive size, metallic spiked hide, devastating charge, armor, shockwave.]

[Weaknesses: Slow to maneuver, vulnerable to lightning mana targeting joints or mouth, limited endurance after repeated charges.]

The Ironmaw Behemoth shook off the flames, its glowing red eyes locking onto Leo.

In its vision everything is black and white, but humans glowed red, but Leo’s light was overwhelming, almost blinding.

The monster roared loudly, shaking the forest. The students hid in the bushes, covering their ears, watching nervously.

Leo switched his katana to lightning mana. Blue sparks crackled along the blade as the beast charged. Leo sprinted forward, his boots pounding the ground—thud-thud-thud. At the last second, he leaped into the air, lightning surging through his legs, propelling him high above the monster.

Mid-air, Leo swung his katana—CRACKLE!—a jagged bolt of lightning hit the beast’s shoulder.

The blue light burned through its armor, and its front leg buckled. Leo landed smoothly, his katana glowing brighter.

The Behemoth stumbled briefly but recovered, turning back to Leo with an enraged roar.

_____

The forest entrance filled with tension as staff and professors gathered before the massive dome that had saperted the entire area.

Its surface shone with an unnormal blackness, pulsating very slightly. Murmurs spread through the crowd, but no one ventured any closer.

One professor eventually broke forward, resting their hand against the dome, before flinching almost at once.

"It’s... like iron," the professor muttered, their voice laced with disbelief. "What is this thing?"

Rin stood among the crowd. "What could it be?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Liana, standing nearby, glanced at her in concern but remained silent.

Professor Gidon strode forward. "Clear the way!" he ordered, his voice cutting through the murmurs. The crowd parted immediately, giving him space. Without hesitation, Gidon summoned his soul resonance—a massive battle axe materialized in his hands, its surface glowing with a fiery red aura.

With a roar, Gidon swung the axe with all his strength. The force of the blow sent a shockwave rippling outward, making the gathered people shield their faces as dust and energy scattered around them.

When they finally looked back at the dome, their hearts sank. Not a single scratch marred its surface.

Gidon’s grip tightened on the axe, his jaw clenching. "No way..." he murmured. "Not even a dent?"

"Of course it wouldn’t," an aged voice rang out, firm and calm. Heads turned as Principal Veymoor approached, his long robes billowing slightly as he walked. Behind him, Professors Avoor, Vaelem, and Isolode followed, their expressions a mix of concern and fear.

Veymoor wasted no time. "How many groups are trapped inside?" he asked.

Gidon straightened, his voice steady but heavy. "Ten groups entered the forest today. Most of them are first-years."

Veymoor’s face darkened. "This is a crisis," he declared.

Gidon asked sharply, "What is this dome? What’s happening here?"

"It’s the Cage of the Hunted," Professor Isolode said, stepping forward, her blue hair shimmering faintly in the dim light. She placed a hand against the dome’s surface.

"The Cage of the Hunted?" Gidon repeated, frowning. "What’s that?"

"It’s a forbidden ritual," Isolode explained, her hand still resting on the dome. "Designed to trap a target in a confined space while summoning waves of monsters to hunt them down."

Vaelem stepped closer, his tone matter-of-fact yet grim. "The dome will only disappear once the target is killed—or the caster is eliminated. Until then, no one can enter or leave."

Veymoor’s gaze hardened as he turned to Gidon. "Who must be the target?"

Gidon hesitated, his grip tightening on the haft of his axe. Finally, he spoke, his voice heavy with reluctance. "Leonhardt Caulem... He’s inside."

The crowd fell into stunned silence.