Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 253

Chapter 253 Chapter 59.2 - Before the trip

The moment Eleanor left, all the students became in an uproar.

"I can't believe we're actually going there! Do you think we'll see real ghosts?" whispered one student, wide-eyed with a mixture of fear and excitement.

"Real ghosts? Come on, it's probably just some magical illusions. This is a test, right?" replied another, skepticism evident in their voice.

A group near the back of the room was engrossed in heated speculation about the practical challenges they might face. "I heard Phantom's Land messes with your perception. We better be prepared for some mind-bending stuff."

Of course, things like this were bound to happen, and this was a reaction that I had expected from the start.

After all, not many students knew about the Phantom's Land, and people certainly had the conception of either exaggerating things or downplaying things when it came to supernatural events.

The idea of visiting ghosts itself was out of the ordinary, after all.

'Well, it was kind of expected that our mission would be just observing.'

Again, things like fighting with ghosts or solving the situation of Phantom's Land were way out of any academy students' league. Even seasoned Hunters would have a hard time dealing with ghosts since they are rather in the area of magic, and not many mages have both the power and the desire to solve it.

There were some that came to my mind from the game, but I knew almost all of them were nearly impossible to find traces, let alone meet or see.

Looking around, I scanned the whole student group. I was already ready after all, and had nothing to do until we left.

The room slowly settled into a low hum of discussions as students exchanged theories and shared stories they might have heard about Phantom's Land. The atmosphere became charged with a blend of excitement and tension, and I sensed that the next hour would be a mix of preparation and speculation.

At that moment, my eyes met with Ethan, who was already about to leave.

'He handled it well enough.'

Even though Ethan was the protagonist, he wasn't strong from the start and needed some interactions to get stronger. This was the type of character he was, and it was about one of those times he got one of them.

His way of handling things certainly clashed with mine, but that was what made him Ethan, after all.

"What are you thinking about?"

Just at that moment, our party leader came to me.

"Nothing."

I shook my thoughts, turning my head to the newcomer. There stood our fiery magician leader with her haughty expression.

Well, whether it was her usual face or her haughty face…..That was something even she probably didn't know anyway.

"Yeah, just nothing. Sounds like you."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing."

"..."

Irina suddenly approached me in a swift movement, her fiery red hair somehow feeling a lot more colorful.

Without a word, she casually sat down beside me, her expression unreadable. The air around us seemed to crackle with the tension that usually accompanied her, but something was kind of different as well.

"You seem lost in thought," she remarked, her eyes fixed on the room where students were still buzzing with anticipation.

"I was just observing the chaos," I replied. "Phantom's Land has certainly stirred up quite the reaction."

We both were well aware of where we would be going, so after my initial warning to her, we were ready for the upcoming exam.

She sighed, her gaze finally shifting to meet mine. "It's expected. People fear the unknown, and this place is the epitome of it."

"Unknown….Certainly a scary word."

"Unknown people tend to be scary, too."

"Is that so?"

"It is."

"But, isn't it our human nature to hide things?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"There was a saying from my hometown that still resonates with me."

At the mention of my hometown, Irina's eyes perked up. Well, I guess choosing that word wasn't wise, considering my situation as an orphan, but then there was no other way to explain the situation I was in.

"I was ashamed of myself when I realized life was a costume party, and I attended with a real face."

Irina looked at me, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and understanding. "The person saying that was wise."

I nodded my head in agreement, acknowledging the wisdom behind those words. "Yeah, they were. Sometimes, simplicity carries profound truths."

She smiled a rare, genuine smile that softened her usually forced and intense features. "You surprise me sometimes, you know that?"

Looking at her like that, I suddenly realized that she looked kind of pure when she smiled. I guess even the fiercest woman in the world somehow became soft from time to time.

I shrugged. "Life tends to be full of surprises, even for someone like me."

"Even for someone like you. You think you are different than others?"

"Am I not?"

"…..Well, you certainly are not normal."

The word normal itself was something that could never be defined. A person could be normal in one place of the world and would be considered crazy in another.

After all, the human mind is diverse, and this is what makes us individuals.

Once that individuality was lost, then from now on, humans would no longer be considered as separate beings but just numbers.

"Hey." A soft voice interrupted our conversation, and I turned to see Sylvie standing there, a small smile playing on her lips. Her presence had a calming effect, a stark contrast to Irina's fiery aura.