Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 777 Chapter 180.1 - Confontration, but girls

Chapter 777  Chapter 180.1 - Confontration, but girls

The Elemental Chamber hummed softly with latent energy, the crystalline walls refracting moonlight into faintly shimmering hues of silver and blue. Maya stood at the center of her reserved section, the intricate patterns etched into the floor glowing faintly as they resonated with her mana. The air around her was thick with power, yet it felt calming, a sharp contrast to the turbulence within her mind. 
She exhaled slowly, her breath steady but deliberate, as she raised her hand. With a flick of her wrist, a tendril of mana coiled around her fingers, its translucent hue shifting between her natural affinity and the crimson undertones that lingered, unbidden, at its edges. The sight sent a flicker of unease through her, but she steadied her grip. 
'Focus,' she told herself, closing her eyes. 
Her training today centered on refining her mental barriers—the techniques Alden had shared with her over the past two weeks. They had proven effective. The once-suffocating presence of her other self no longer loomed as heavily, the boundary between their minds more defined. Yet, even with this progress, anxiety lingered like a shadow at the edges of her thoughts. 
The runes beneath her feet pulsed as she channeled her mana outward, shaping it into an intricate lattice of light and shadow. She moved with precision, weaving the strands into a controlled spiral that shimmered in the air around her. But her focus faltered as her thoughts drifted. 
'She's quieter now,' Maya thought, her lips pressing into a thin line. The memory of her other self's crimson eyes burned vividly in her mind, their unrelenting intensity still capable of sending shivers down her spine. 'Too quiet.' 
The silence wasn't comforting—it was unnerving. It felt like a predator waiting, watching, biding its time for her to slip. The image of her other self's cruel smirk, the venom in her voice, echoed faintly: 
"You don't deserve someone like him." 
Maya's fingers twitched, and the lattice of mana quivered, destabilizing before fracturing into shards of light. She opened her eyes sharply, her blue gaze narrowing as she steadied her breathing. The failure was minor, but it pricked at her pride. 
The Elemental Chamber continued to hum softly around Maya as she steadied her breathing, trying to refocus. The lattice of mana had dissipated, but the residue of her frustration lingered. Her fingers flexed at her sides, the faint crimson undertone in her mana still gnawing at the edges of her thoughts. 
'Why does she care so much about him?' Maya wondered, the memory of her other self's voice echoing louder now. 'Why does it matter if he only sees me and not… her?' 
The questions felt like cracks in her resolve, and for the briefest moment, she wondered if her other self's obsession stemmed from a truth she refused to admit. 
But before she could dive deeper into that unsettling thought, her smartwatch vibrated against her wrist. The unexpected sensation broke her concentration, and her gaze snapped to the glowing screen. 
Amelia. 
Maya frowned, her brows knitting together. Amelia never called her during training sessions unless it was important. A flicker of worry ignited in her chest as she accepted the call. 
"Amelia?" she asked, her tone calm but edged with curiosity. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?" 
Amelia's voice came through immediately, breathless and tinged with urgency. "Maya! Hurry—check the school forum! Astron… something happened to him!" 
Maya's heart skipped a beat, her mind instantly sharpening as the words registered. "What do you mean?" she asked, already swiping her smartwatch to open the academy's public forum. "What happened to Astron?" 
"I don't know all the details," Amelia said quickly. "But there's a video—it's bad, Maya. Just look." 
Maya's fingers moved swiftly, navigating to the trending section of the forum. At the top of the page was a headline in bold: 
[Violence in the Academy] 
Her breath hitched as she opened the post. A video clip began playing, and Maya's chest tightened with each passing second. 
The footage was grainy, taken from someone's smartwatch, but the events were unmistakable. A group of students, both seniors and some from her own year, surrounded Astron in one of the academy's open training fields. They moved with aggressive intent, their voices a cacophony of taunts and jeers as they cornered him. 
Maya's sharp eyes picked out a familiar face among the crowd—Victor, one of her classmates, someone she had sparred with on occasion. He stood at the forefront, his expression twisted with malice as he shoved Astron back with a glowing fist charged with mana. 
Maya's fingers curled into tight fists as the video continued. The unfairness of the scene sent a surge of anger coursing through her, and when Victor landed a particularly vicious strike that sent Astron stumbling, Maya closed the video abruptly, unable to watch any further. 
"Where is he now?" Maya asked, her voice low but carrying an edge of steel. 
"I think they took him to the infirmary," Amelia said quickly. "Maya, are you—" 
"I'll handle it," Maya interrupted, her tone firm. She ended the call without waiting for a response and turned on her heel, her steps quick and purposeful as she left the Elemental Chamber. 
The cool evening air bit at her skin as she strode through the academy grounds, her thoughts a storm of fury and resolve. The sight of Astron being assaulted burned in her mind, fueling her determination. 
'They'll answer for this,' she thought, her jaw tightening. 'Every single one of them.' 
But for now, her priority was Astron. Whatever state he was in, she needed to see him—and she needed to see him now. 
As she approached the infirmary, the faint glow of its lights visible in the distance, Maya's grip on her emotions steadied. She would confront Victor and the others soon enough, but first, she needed to make sure Astron was safe. 
As Maya entered the infirmary, the sterile scent of antiseptics and mana-infused salves greeted her senses. Her sharp gaze swept across the room, instantly locking onto Astron, who sat composed on one of the cots. His violet eyes flicked to her, his expression unreadable but attentive. For a fleeting moment, relief coursed through her. He appeared unharmed—or at least as much as one could be after what she'd seen. 
But her moment of reprieve was short-lived. Standing beside him, a striking figure with fiery hair and an aura of brazen confidence, was Irina Emberheart. 
Maya's heart skipped, then tightened. Her vision tinged with a faint redness, a heat that rose unbidden as she took in the scene. Irina's posture was unrelenting, her arms crossed as though she had claimed the space around Astron. 
'This…' 
The thought clawed at her mind, but she shoved it aside with practiced resolve. Maya strode forward, her gaze cold and steady, locking onto Astron. The rest of the room—the medics, the quiet murmurs of patients—faded into the background. 
"Junior!" Maya's voice cut through the room like a blade, calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. 
Astron inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her, but before Maya could step closer, Irina moved. 
The fiery-haired junior stepped between them, her amber eyes meeting Maya's with a defiant glint. The tension was palpable, the room holding its breath as the two women stood face-to-face. 
"Senior Maya," Irina said evenly, her tone polite yet laced with an unspoken challenge. 
Maya's gaze flicked to her briefly, then returned to Astron as if Irina's presence were inconsequential. "Junior Irina," she replied, her tone cool, bordering on dismissive. 
Irina didn't flinch, holding her ground as she spoke again. "What are you doing here?" 
Maya's gaze didn't waver as Irina's question hung in the air. The fiery-haired junior stood firm, her amber eyes gleaming with an unspoken challenge. For a moment, Maya considered brushing past her entirely, but the subtle tension in Irina's stance demanded a response. 
"I'm here to check on my junior," Maya said evenly, her voice calm yet carrying a distinct edge. Her piercing blue eyes flicked briefly to Astron before locking onto Irina again. "After all, it's my responsibility to ensure his well-being." 
Irina raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint, almost smug smile. "Rest assured, Senior. He's in safe hands. With me here, nobody can touch him." 
The words struck an unexpected chord within Maya. Though Irina's tone was polished, there was an undercurrent of possessiveness that grated against her nerves. Maya's lips pressed into a thin line as she stepped closer, closing the distance between them. 
"And yet, here I am," Maya replied coolly, her voice steady. "Because it seems the situation warranted it." 
Irina's smirk widened slightly, though her eyes narrowed. "You're mistaken if you think I can't handle this. I was already making sure he's fine, while you were taking your sweet time." 
Maya's gaze hardened a flicker of something unfamiliar stirring in her chest. The words weren't just defiance; they carried a weight of intent, as though Irina was deliberately drawing a line. 
Maya's gaze darkened as Irina's words settled into her chest like a taunt she couldn't ignore. Her jaw tightened, and for the briefest moment, a thought crystallized in her mind, sharp and clear. 
'This wench.' 
The realization struck her with an almost visceral intensity: Irina was coveting him. That fiery-haired junior, with her confident stance and deliberate words, was laying claim to something—no, someone—that Maya wasn't willing to let go unchecked. 
The thought churned within her, igniting a storm that she could barely contain. It's annoying. The words echoed in her mind, repeating like the relentless beat of a drum. 
Annoying. Annoying. Annoying. Annoying. Annoying. 
Her lips curved into a sharp, humorless smile, but the tension in her posture betrayed the turmoil simmering beneath her cool facade. A faint vein pulsed at her temple, her body betraying the anger she fought to suppress. 
"It appears," Maya began, her voice deceptively calm, "that you have a misconception of me, Junior. I am not someone who takes 'sweet time.'" Her words carried a dangerous edge, one that made the medics subtly glance at each other, sensing the growing tension. 
Irina didn't falter. If anything, her smirk deepened, her amber eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and defiance. "But you were awfully late for someone who doesn't take their 'sweet time,'" she replied smoothly. Then, as if aiming for the jugular, she added, "Or do you imply that you don't value him enough?" 
The words hit like a dagger, precise and unrelenting. For a split second, Maya's composure cracked, her breath hitching imperceptibly as the sting of Irina's remark lanced through her. 
Value him enough? 
The accusation was baseless, yet it clawed at her resolve, planting a seed of doubt that she couldn't ignore. A faint crimson light flickered at the edges of her vision, her other self stirring in response to the emotional storm Irina had unleashed. 
Annoying. 
Maya's hands clenched at her sides, her fingernails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her emotions in check. But the sensation of loss—of being challenged in a way she couldn't rationalize—gnawed at her mind, threatening to pull her under. 
'Why don't you just kill her?'  
And suddenly a dangerous voice echoed in her head.