Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 306

Chapter 306 Chapter 72.3 - Moving Pieces

Emily continued to sit in front of the changing room, her hands clasped together, lost in the echo of Astron's words. His advice had struck a chord within her, making her ponder the decisions she needed to make. The bustling sounds of students changing around her seemed distant as her thoughts consumed her.

"Pride is useless once the regret of not making one's decisions comes over. Doing what you know you need to do is the most important, regardless of how you may be perceived," she mumbled to herself, contemplating the weight behind those words. Astron's eyes, purple and piercing, held a depth she hadn't noticed before as if they harbored knowledge about something more.

Frustration built up within her.

"What does he know about me? Just because he somehow got his grades up or beat me, does he think he knows everything?" She mumbled.

For people like her who used to deal with things themselves, she was rather repulsed by such words.

"Who gives him the right to speak to me like that!?"

She mulled over these questions, her emotions a mix of irritation and curiosity.

As she continued to mumble to herself, one of the girls changing beside her glanced over. "Did you say something?" the girl asked, her voice cutting through Emily's introspection.

Caught off guard, Emily paused, realizing that her inner musings had spilled out unintentionally. She shook her head, offering a forced smile. "No, just thinking out loud. Pay no mind."

The girl shrugged and returned to changing, leaving Emily to confront the whirlwind of thoughts in her own mind.

–RING!

The moment was interrupted by a familiar ring from her smartwatch – a notification that sent a shiver of dread down her spine. As she opened the message, the situation inside the guild unfolded before her eyes. Another member was injured, resignations were looming, and the unsettling atmosphere within the guild painted a grim picture.

"Sigh….."

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. The weight of responsibility pressed down on her shoulders, and the clash of her internal turmoil with the harsh reality of the guild's struggles left her feeling overwhelmed.

"But, what is bugging you will remain if you don't take action."

Yet, the words that had just been spoken seemed to echo in her mind once again.

'…..If I don't take action….' Emily thought inwardly as she looked into the status of her guild.

No matter what she wanted to say, she knew the position they were in wouldn't be solved by their strength alone. She had been in a familiar situation before.

'I really don't want to do it, but if I don't do it, then what will be left after this.'

Even though she didn't want to look weak in front of the person she admired, life had never been lenient to such emotions, and Emily knew what.

"That is right."

With her resolve raised, she left the locker room and headed to her room while dialing a certain number.

*******

Just as Astron had left the new sparring grounds, he was faced with the fiery girl who was waiting for him in front of the entrance alone.

"Yo."

Irina simply raised her head and greeted him.

"…." Astron just looked at her without saying anything; he just nodded.

"Just a note: I am not waiting for you," Irina remarked, trying to clear away any misunderstanding that could occur. "I just finished the fight early."

"I figured that much."

"But, I guess you finished yours early, too. That girl, Emily, was ranked quite high. Did she beat you up that fast?"

"..." At her snarky remark, Astron just looked at her, his face clearly saying, 'Are you serious?'

And Irina was able to see that as well. "I am joking, I am joking. Why so serious?"

"Your jokes aren't funny."

Astron's gaze remained unchanged, and Irina couldn't help but feel a mix of irritation and amusement at his stoic response.

"Funnier than yours."

"This one was a better joke."

"….." At first, Irina didn't understand, but as she grasped the meaning, she shot a glare towards him.

"You….." she began, her words trailing off with an exasperated sigh. "I don't know how Sylvie deals with you all the time."

"Sylvie is not like you," Astron replied, his expression remaining unreadable. "She doesn't make me feel annoyed."

"Well, you're lucky she's not here right now; she'd probably find some weird way to make you smile or something," Irina retorted, folding her arms.

"Is that something you'd want to see?" Astron's question was devoid of any teasing, delivered with a deadpan expression.

"Not really," Irina responded, though there was a hint of a smirk on her face. "I have no interest in your smile."

"Good. Saves us both the trouble."

"But I want to see you flustered at least once," Irina declared, looking at Astron with a competitive glint in her eyes.

Astron, unperturbed, responded, "You won't be able to do it."