Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

"And….who is this?"

Lilia immediately noticed the subtle shift in Selene’s demeanor as her sister’s sharp brown eyes lingered on Astron. The glint in Selene’s gaze was unmistakable, and it made Lilia’s stomach churn with irritation. She knew that look all too well—a gleam of interest, curiosity, and something else that could only be described as thirsty. Selene had worn that same expression countless times before when she found someone—or something—she wanted to toy with.

’Of course,’ Lilia thought bitterly, her lips pressing into a thin line. She would.

Astron, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected. His expression was as unreadable as ever, his dark purple eyes calm and detached as he met Selene’s gaze without so much as a flicker of emotion.

"And… who is this?" Selene repeated, her smile widening ever so slightly as she stepped forward, her movements deliberate and graceful. She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over Astron with thinly veiled interest.

Astron’s eyes shifted briefly to Lilia before returning to Selene. His face remained impassive, his tone neutral as he introduced himself. "Astron," he said simply. No elaboration, no flourish—just his name, delivered with the same calm detachment that defined him.

Selene’s smile didn’t falter, but the gleam in her eyes grew sharper. "Astron," she repeated, letting the name roll off her tongue as though testing it. "A pleasure to meet you."

Astron didn’t respond immediately, his gaze steady but uninterested as he looked at her. "Likewise," he said finally, though his tone suggested he was saying it more out of politeness than sincerity.

The surrounding cadets, who had been watching the interaction with growing curiosity, exchanged glances. It was rare to see someone remain so unaffected in Selene’s presence—she had a way of commanding attention and charming those around her without much effort. But Astron… Astron was different.

Selene, of course, noticed. Her smile deepened, and she took another small step closer, her posture relaxed but calculated. "You don’t seem like the type to frequent parties," she remarked, her tone light but probing. "What brings you here, Astron?"

Astron raised an eyebrow slightly at Selene’s probing question, his expression remaining calm and composed. "What do you mean?" he asked, his tone as neutral as ever. "I’m here because I’m a member of the Archery Club."

Selene’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, the faintest flicker of intrigue crossing her face. "A member, you say?" she repeated, her voice lilting with curiosity. She let her gaze sweep over him again, more deliberate this time, as though sizing him up. "I would not have missed… someone like you."

Her eyes lingered a moment longer before she smiled, her tone almost teasing as she added, "A face like this. I suppose you must have just arrived."

"It appears you’re mistaken," Astron replied, his voice calm but firm. "I’ve been here from the start."

Selene tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening as though she found his unflinching demeanor amusing. "Really?" she asked, her tone feigning surprise.

"Yes," Astron said simply, his gaze meeting hers without hesitation.

The tension between them was palpable, though Astron’s calm refusal to engage in Selene’s subtle game only seemed to draw more attention. The surrounding cadets, who had been quietly observing the exchange, watched with growing curiosity, their whispers muted but noticeable.

Before Selene could respond, another voice cut through the conversation.

"Well, this is interesting," Adrian said smoothly, stepping into their line of sight with his usual confident stride. His gaze landed on Astron, and though his expression was polite, there was a faint edge to his tone that didn’t go unnoticed. "Junior Astron… It seems you’ve changed quite a bit."

Astron turned his head slightly, his dark purple eyes meeting Adrian’s gaze with the same detached calm he had shown Selene. "Changed?" he echoed, his tone even. "What kind of change we are talking about?"

Adrian’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach his eyes. There was a sharpness to his gaze as he looked at Astron, his tone light but carrying an undercurrent of challenge. "The kind of change that makes people curious," he said smoothly. "You weren’t like this before."

Astron tilted his head slightly, his calm expression unchanging. "Like what?" he asked, his tone clipped but polite.

Adrian chuckled softly, though there was a faint edge to the sound. "Let’s say… you weren’t this handsome?" His gaze swept over Astron deliberately, his smile turning almost mocking. "Your face has clearly improved."

Lilia stiffened slightly at the remark, her crimson eyes narrowing as she glanced at Astron. But, as always, Astron seemed unfazed. He met Adrian’s gaze with the same detached calm, his voice steady as he replied, "Thank you. And you’re correct. It certainly improved."

The subtle emphasis in his tone didn’t go unnoticed, and a few cadets nearby exchanged glances, sensing the growing tension. Adrian’s smile tightened ever so slightly, the faintest flicker of irritation crossing his face. It wasn’t the words themselves that bothered him—it was the tone. Astron’s response, while polite on the surface, carried a subtle air of indifference, almost as if he were brushing Adrian off entirely.

Adrian’s eyes narrowed just a fraction, though his composure remained intact. "Confidence suits you," he said, his tone carrying a faint edge. "But I have to admit, your demeanor is… different. It’s almost as though you’ve forgotten the usual etiquette between juniors and seniors." Stay updated through

Astron raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression still calm. "Etiquette?" he echoed, his tone neutral. "I wasn’t aware I’d broken any."

The quiet statement was simple, but it landed like a challenge, the underlying implication clear: If you have a problem, say it outright.

Adrian’s smile faltered for the briefest moment before he recovered, his gaze flicking briefly to Lilia, who was watching the exchange with thinly veiled amusement. The tension between sophomores and freshmen had been simmering for weeks, a byproduct of shifting dynamics and competitive rivalries within the academy. Adrian, as one of the more prominent sophomores, was clearly accustomed to deference from underclassmen—and Astron’s calm defiance clearly irked him.

"Let’s just say," Adrian continued, his tone regaining its smoothness, "you’ve become… more noticeable than I remember."

Astron nodded slightly, his expression betraying nothing. "Noted," he replied simply, his tone making it clear that he wasn’t particularly interested in Adrian’s observations.

The air between them grew heavier, the subtle clash of personalities drawing the attention of those nearby. Selene, who had been watching the interaction with quiet amusement, decided to intervene.

"Now, now," she said, her voice light and disarming as she stepped slightly closer to Adrian. "Let’s not turn this into a debate. Junior Astron is clearly… unique." Her gaze lingered on Astron for a moment, the glint of curiosity and intrigue still present in her eyes. "And I, for one, find it refreshing."

Adrian chuckled softly, though the sound lacked genuine humor. "Of course," he said smoothly, his gaze returning to Astron. "I’m sure we’ll all be keeping an eye on you, Junior. After all, someone as… ’unique’ as you tends to leave an impression."

Astron remained silent, his dark purple eyes steady as he regarded Adrian. There was no flinch, no shift in his expression—just the same calm, unyielding demeanor that seemed to quietly assert itself without need for words.

The tension in the air thickened as Adrian’s polite yet faintly hostile words lingered. Before he could continue his subtle provocations, Lilia’s voice cut through the moment like a blade.

"Are you sure you’re just going to keep an ’eye’ on him?" she said smoothly, her crimson eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she fixed her gaze on Adrian. "Because, if I remember correctly, you’ve done a lot more than just keeping an eye in the past."

The sudden shift in the conversation drew attention, murmurs rippling through the surrounding cadets as they sensed the sharp undercurrent in her tone. Adrian raised an eyebrow, his smile tightening slightly as he turned to her.

"What do you mean by that, Lilia?" he asked, his tone measured but laced with curiosity—and a faint edge of warning.

Lilia’s lips curved into a smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "What do I mean? That’s up to you, isn’t it?" she replied, her voice carrying a practiced air of innocence that only made her words more pointed.

Adrian chuckled softly, though the sound lacked humor. "No, no," he said, shaking his head slightly. "You’ve already started. You should finish what you’re saying."

Selene’s eyes flicked between the two, her amusement growing as she sensed the brewing storm. She made no effort to interrupt, instead folding her arms and watching the exchange with the same curiosity that had lingered in her gaze all evening.

Lilia’s smile widened, her tone turning sharper. "Like how you tampered with the conditions of the competitions," she said, her words cutting through the room with precision.

A ripple of gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd, the cadets exchanging glances as they processed her accusation. Adrian’s smile faltered for the briefest moment before he recovered, his expression smoothing out as he met her gaze.

"I’m not sure what you’re referring to," he said lightly, though there was a faint tension in his tone now. "You’ll have to be more specific."

"Do I?"

She just accepted his hostility.

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