Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 848 - 196.4 - Gaze

Chapter 848 - 196.4 - Gaze

"Only yours…."

Julia's grin widened.

"This guy ignores the questions or others most of the time and doesn't let other people enter his personal space. But he doesn't do that with you? I guess those pictures were there for a reason."

Irina's cheeks flushed the faintest shade of pink, her expression stiffening at Julia's pointed words. "It's because you guys are always messing around with nonsense," she retorted quickly, her voice sharper than necessary.

"Eeeeh? Really?" Julia drawled, her grin only widening at the rare sight of Irina's slight fluster.

Before Irina could shut down the conversation further, Julia smirked and smoothly stood up from her chair, striding over to Astron's desk with all the confidence of a predator closing in on prey. She propped herself up onto the edge of the desk, legs swinging slightly as she tilted her head at Astron with exaggerated curiosity.

"Then, Mister Cool, would you mind if I joined the discussion?" she asked, feigning innocence.

Astron, who had already predicted this outcome, barely spared her a glance. He simply rolled his eyes, adjusting his tablet. "Everyone here knows you don't like theory. Don't take me for a fool."

Julia placed a hand on her chest in mock offense. "Wow. Harsh."

"It's not harsh. It's the truth," Astron said plainly. "I know you. You avoid theory like the plague."

Julia huffed. "So what? Just because I don't like something doesn't mean I—"

"Just because you don't like something, doesn't mean you can't do it, indeed," Astron interrupted, his voice as even as ever. "But knowing you, you will definitely not do something you don't like."

Julia froze, her mouth slightly open as if she had been about to continue her argument—but then she closed it.

From across the table, Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "He figured you out."

Lilia smirked slightly, watching Julia's expression shift between denial and reluctant acknowledgment.

"Admit it," Ethan added, clearly enjoying this moment. "You got cooked."

Julia groaned, dragging a hand down her face dramatically. "I did…"

Lilia chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "That might be the first time I've seen you get outmaneuvered in an argument."

Irina, now fully composed again, let out a small scoff, crossing her arms. "Told you it was nonsense."

Julia, still pouting in defeat, glanced at Astron with narrowed eyes before sighing in exaggerated frustration. "Fine, fine. Mister Cool wins this round."

Astron, of course, remained entirely indifferent to his supposed victory, already shifting his attention back to his reading.

Irina, watching all of this, exhaled quietly. But despite herself, she found it slightly amusing. She had known Astron for a while now, but even she hadn't expected him to shut Julia down so thoroughly.

Julia slid off Astron's desk with a dramatic sigh. "You know, Astron, for someone who ignores people most of the time, you sure don't hesitate when it comes to making very specific observations."

Astron didn't even look up. "I only state what is obvious."

Julia shot a glance toward Irina, her smirk making a slow return. "Ohhh, I bet you do."

Irina immediately tensed. "What now?"

Julia only winked before stretching her arms behind her head. "Nothing, nothing~ Just making a note for later."

Irina narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but Julia merely hummed, already moving to her next train of thought.

Meanwhile, Ethan and Lilia exchanged a glance before shaking their heads in amusement. This group never changed.

The conversation gradually shifted as the group settled back into a more relaxed rhythm. Julia, having recovered from her minor defeat, swung her legs idly as she leaned back against Astron's desk.

"So, any bets on who's getting which mentor?" she asked, her voice dripping with curiosity. "I mean, let's be honest, this whole mentorship program is probably rigged for the top-ranked cadets to get the strongest hunters."

Ethan shrugged. "Not necessarily. I heard they try to match students based on their skills and potential rather than just ranking."

Lilia tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. "Yeah, but let's be real. If someone like Victor Blackthorn doesn't get a high-profile mentor, I'll be shocked."

Irina leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "It depends on the mentor too. Some of them might prefer to train someone with raw potential rather than someone already expected to be at the top."

Julia smirked. "So, what, are you expecting a 'mystery underdog mentor' situation? Because that would be fun to watch."

Lucas exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "I just hope I don't end up with someone who's going to make my life hell."

Julia shot him a mischievous grin. "Lucas, every mentor is going to make your life hell. That's the whole point."

Lucas groaned. "Yeah, yeah, but there's a difference between training and torture. Some of these pro hunters are psychopaths."

Ethan nodded. "True. Some of them have reputations for being relentless. Remember last year? Some poor guy got assigned to an ex-military hunter who made him run ten kilometers every morning before training even started."

"Could be worse," Julia mused, glancing toward Irina with a teasing look. "You could end up with her mom."

Irina shot her a glare, her golden eyes narrowing. "My mother doesn't take students."

Julia laughed. "Yeah, yeah, but if she did? You'd probably be the only one walking out alive."

Irina rolled her eyes. "I'm not even entertaining that thought."

Irina, watching the group bicker, was about to add something when the classroom's atmosphere suddenly changed.

The lighthearted chatter faded into murmurs as the sharp click of heels echoed from the hallway.

A familiar presence approached.

In perfect timing, the door swung open.

Professor Eleanor stepped into the room, her sharp gaze sweeping across the students like a cold gust of wind. She carried her usual air of quiet authority, her posture rigid yet elegant as she moved toward the front of the class.

The room immediately fell into silence.

"Good," Eleanor said simply, her crisp voice cutting through the air. "At least you all know when to shut up."

Julia muttered something under her breath, earning a quick elbow jab from Ethan.

Eleanor placed her tablet on the podium and let the silence linger for a moment before speaking again. "Today's lesson is not just another lecture. As you all know, this session will finalize your mentorship assignments. These placements have been carefully considered based on your performance, skills, and potential."

She met the eyes of several students, her expression unreadable. "Some of you may find yourselves surprised by your assignments. Others may feel dissatisfied. Regardless of your personal feelings, these placements are final. Your mentors have been chosen because they see something in you—whether you recognize it or not."

A quiet tension settled over the room as students exchanged glances, anticipation thick in the air.

Eleanor glanced down at her tablet. "Now then. Let's start our lesson."

Eleanor's cold, calculating gaze swept over the classroom, ensuring that every cadet was paying full attention. No one dared to even whisper.

"For starters of our lecture today," she started, her tone sharp and precise, "let me remind you that artifacts, formations, and tactics can only take you so far. A hunter's true strength is not dictated by tools but by their ability to adapt and survive."

She tapped a command on her tablet, and the large holo-display at the front of the room flickered to life. A glowing diagram of combat stances and movement sequences appeared. The lesson shifted swiftly into analyzing real battle formations—covering positional play, coordination, and practical reinforcement techniques that most of the mentors in the program would expect their cadets to already understand.

For the next hour and a half, Eleanor's lecture demanded absolute focus.

Despite the anticipation buzzing beneath the surface, the cadets hung onto every word.

She broke down team coordination scenarios, pointing out common errors in engagements, then shifted into advanced defensive techniques that complemented mentor-specific training styles. It was exhausting but valuable, with even Julia—who usually groaned about long lectures—actually taking notes.

*****

The tension in the air shifted as the class neared its final moments.

Eleanor finally stopped speaking and tapped on her tablet once more.

A single notification rang out across every cadet's device.

Mentorship Assignments Finalized.

She will say this while looking towards Ethan.

The class went dead silent as students hastily unlocked their portals to check their results.

Eleanor stepped back, folding her arms as she scanned the room. Her expression was unreadable, her stance firm. She was waiting.

Waiting to see if there would be complaints.

All around the classroom, murmurs erupted.

Julia, who had been watching her screen with sharp curiosity, suddenly let out a loud whistle.

"Hoooh! Well, would you look at that!"

She tilted her screen toward Ethan, smirking. "Guess who got your aunt?" She will say this while looking towards Ethan.

Ethan glanced at her screen, eyebrows raising slightly. "Guess you won your bet."

Julia grinned victoriously, but across from her, Lilia calmly scrolled through her own results.

"Selena Vayl," she murmured, nodding slightly. "Expected, but I won't complain."

Ethan, of course, already knew his fate.

Mentee: Ethan Hartley

Mentor: Eleanor White

He sighed quietly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Lucas chuckled beside him. "Still feeling lucky?"

Ethan shot him a look. "Not one bit."

Silence.

Julia, who had been leaning back casually, suddenly perked up, grinning like a wolf.

"Ohhhh," she hummed. "You two really are stuck together."

It was directed both to Astron and to Ethan…