Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 171

Chapter 171 Chapter 38.3 - Second Period

"Rank 970. Ethan Hartley."

The moment Eleanor revealed Ethan's rank, a stunned silence enveloped the room. Whispers that had been circulating about the surprising jumps in ranks ceased abruptly.

All eyes were on Ethan, who tried to maintain his serious expression but couldn't hide the subtle glint of pride in his hazel eyes.

"Ethan's in the top 1000? Seriously?"

"He climbed over 1000 ranks in just one semester?"

"How did he even—"

The small attention that students paid to Astron immediately disappeared. All of the attention was on Ethan.

This improvement in the ranks had never been seen before in the academy. This success was something that didn't even make any sense.

Whispers of disbelief and opposition echoed through the classroom as the reality of Ethan's jump in rankings sank in.

"This doesn't make any sense. How did he—"

"I call BS. You can't just climb a thousand ranks in one semester. They are probably making an exemption for Ethan because he is a Hartley."

Accusations and skepticism filled the air, creating a tense atmosphere. The disbelief in the room was palpable, and Ethan's quiet demeanor only fueled the suspicions.

Eleanor, sensing the unrest, raised her hand for silence. "Enough. The rankings are accurate, and accusations without evidence are baseless. Focus on your own progress and improvement instead of speculating about your peers."

As Eleanor quelled the rising dissent, a tense silence settled in the room. Most students heeded her advice, quieting their speculations and returning their attention to their own thoughts.

However, amidst the subdued atmosphere, a girl with a contemptuous gaze raised her hand. Eleanor, acknowledging her, nodded for her to speak.

The girl, her voice edged with skepticism, questioned, "Professor Eleanor, with all due respect, isn't there a protocol for such drastic rank changes? It's not about accusing anyone, but shouldn't we understand how someone jumped over a thousand ranks in one semester, especially in one mid-term? We all have been notified that we will be entering the dungeons, whose levels are adjusted according to our ranks. All of us here could get a high score if we had entered the low-level dungeon Ethan did. It's highly irregular, and we deserve an explanation."

Eleanor's eyes glinted for a moment, acknowledging the valid nature of the question. The skepticism in the girl's inquiry was not lost on her, and she understood the need for clarity.

"You bring up a valid point," Eleanor responded, her tone measured. "The Academy takes into account the adjusted difficulty of dungeon exploration based on the students' ranks. In Ethan's case, the dungeon assignment was indeed one with a lower difficulty level. However, his achievements went beyond the levels of the lower-rank dungeon on the first day."

She paused, ensuring she had the attention of the entire class. The skepticism in the room lingered, but Eleanor continued with a tone of authority.

"Given the perceived ease of the initial assignment, the Academy deemed it necessary to evaluate him under more challenging conditions. As a result, Ethan underwent an additional test where he entered the same dungeon as higher-ranking students. But because you had already taken the test, he went in alone, and you were not aware of that."

She observed the expressions in the room, gauging the impact of her words. The students, though still skeptical, now faced a more nuanced explanation. Eleanor's explanation shed light on the fact that Ethan's abilities were tested under varied circumstances, addressing the concerns about the apparent ease of his initial dungeon assignment.

"This decision was made to ensure a more accurate assessment of his capabilities," Eleanor added. "The Academy's priority is to provide a fair and thorough evaluation of each student's potential. Ethan's exceptional performance under these circumstances has led to his commendable rise in ranks."

She let the information settle before moving on to the next set of announcements.

"I see….So that was where you were at that time." Julia mumbled to herself. "You rascal, you were planning to give us a surprise, huh?"

"If he went under another test, then it makes sense."

"I knew the academy was fair anyway."

The students, though not entirely convinced, seemed more accepting of the explanation.

"Now, I am going to follow with the ranks. Are there any objections?"

Eleanor's gaze swept across the room, inviting any objections or comments before proceeding further. The silence hung briefly, broken only by the rustling of papers and the occasional creaking of chairs.

"No objections? Good."

She resumed announcing the rankings, moving through the list with methodical precision. The tension in the room gradually eased as students focused on their own names, discussing their positions in hushed tones.

"Sylvie Gracewind. Rank 971."

"Lucas Middleton. Rank 85."

"Julia Middleton. Rank 60."

"Carl Braveheart. Rank 42."

"Lilia Thornheart and Irina Emberheart share rank 3."

The revelation of shared ranks prompted a hushed buzz of curiosity. Eyes turned towards Lilia and Irina, recognizing their equal standings.?However, none of the two seemed to be satisfied with the results they had gotten in their exams.

Lilia seemed unbothered, while Irina seemed angry as her hands were clenched.

"Victor Blackthorn and Seraphina Frostborne share rank 1."