Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 610

Chapter 610 135.8 - The Banquet

"Let me escort you outside for some air," Astron said quietly, his voice steady but laced with the protective tone that suited his role, but at the same time, it also felt genuine to Maya.

He gently guided Maya toward the exit; his arm still wrapped protectively around her waist. Their departure was graceful, calm, and without any hint of the underlying tension that had nearly overtaken the situation moments ago.

To anyone watching, it appeared as if Maya, overcome by the intensity of the evening, needed fresh air, and her ever-dutiful escort was simply helping her along.

Zharokath's gaze followed them for a brief moment longer, his smirk still in place, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He believed the situation was under control, that Maya was slowly falling into his grasp. The demon was completely oblivious to the fact that, in the blink of an eye, something had been done to him—something subtle, something he wouldn't notice.

Astron's movements had been flawless. With the precision of a master, he had slipped a small, barely perceptible object onto Zharokath's clothes. It was nothing overt, nothing that would draw suspicion immediately, but its purpose would soon reveal itself in time.

As they passed through the grand ballroom, the eyes of various guests briefly flicked toward them, but there was no suspicion in their gazes—only polite curiosity. Lady Evergreen, the esteemed guest, was simply unwell, and her guardian was assisting her. It was a perfectly reasonable sight, one that fit the roles they were playing to perfection.

However, on the side of Maya things were a little different. She leaned into his support, but it wasn't just for the act anymore. Her head began to spin, the grandeur of the ballroom fading into a hazy blur, and her breathing became shallow, each breath feeling heavier than the last. She could feel an intense heat rising within her, her senses sharpening painfully, and beneath it all, the gnawing hunger—something darker, more primal—began clawing at her insides.

Her vampiric tendencies, usually under her control, were flaring up in a way she hadn't experienced in a long time. The urge for blood was almost overwhelming.

She clenched her teeth, fighting the feeling, but her fangs began to press painfully against her lips. It was more than just the usual hunger. This was something deeper, something darker—her demonic side.

'No... Not here. Not now,' Maya thought desperately, her steps faltering as her legs felt weaker. The hunger was unlike anything she had felt before—it wasn't just a need, it was a demand, a raw, consuming force that screamed for blood.

Her body was heating up, every nerve on fire, and she could feel the demonic energy coursing through her, amplifying the hunger tenfold.

Astron felt her weight shift, her body sagging slightly against him, and his expression, though calm, flickered with concern. He leaned closer, his voice low and steady. "Senior….. Is it?

Maya couldn't find her voice. Her throat felt tight, and every word she tried to form died before it left her lips. She clutched at his arm, her fingers tightening around the fabric of his jacket as she fought to keep herself together.

"I see…." Astron's arm tightened around her, sensing the growing unease. He guided her out of the ballroom, their exit still graceful but now filled with more urgency. As they reached the open air of the garden outside, the cool breeze hit Maya's heated skin, but it did little to quell the storm inside her.

"Senior," Astron said again, his voice more insistent but still calm, "look at me."

Maya's mind was a swirling storm of fear and hunger, the intensity of it all threatening to pull her under.

But beneath that hunger, a darker fear took root. The fear that her control, which she had fought so hard to maintain, was far weaker than she had ever realized.

If Zharokath had been able to affect her so easily, to stir the demonic energy within her so effortlessly, what did that mean for her future?

'I'm not ready,' she thought, panic creeping into the edges of her mind. 'I thought I had control, but...'

It was a wake-up call and, at the same time, a reminder of how dangerous a real demon was. Even just without not showing his powers fully and barely sending demonic energy into her, she was feeling this much effect.

The realization hit her harder than the hunger itself. It wasn't just that she was a vampire struggling with her natural instincts—it was that the demonic energy inside her was something she barely understood. Something she hadn't mastered. The idea that someone could so easily manipulate that part of her made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

Astron's voice cut through the haze, sharp and steady, grounding her for a moment. "Senior," he said again, his calm yet insistent tone breaking through the chaos. "Look at me."

Maya forced her eyes to focus on him, though it was difficult. Her vision wavered, and the world around them seemed to pulse with her frantic heartbeat. She could see the concern in his violet eyes, but also something more—trust. He wasn't afraid of her, even though she could feel herself slipping. He was right there, steady as ever.

Astron, I—"

"Don't be sorry. This time, it is because of me."

Astron's words were spoken quietly, almost as if he was mulling them over for himself. His tone was calm, but beneath it, there was a weight that Maya had never quite heard from him before. "This time, it's because of me," he said, his violet eyes flickering with a subtle, internal conflict. "I should have handled this alone."

Maya's breath hitched as she caught the faint guilt in his voice, her fingers tightening against his jacket. His words hit her harder than she expected, and the growing storm inside her shifted, not because of Zharokath's influence, but because of Astron's.

"No," Maya snapped, her voice firmer than she intended. She straightened, though her body still trembled from the lingering effects of the demonic energy.

Her eyes, still glowing faintly with hunger and frustration, locked onto Astron's, her expression fierce. "This isn't on you. I chose to be here. I wanted to be here."

Astron's gaze remained steady, but there was a flicker of something—perhaps doubt, perhaps resolve—as he listened.

Maya could see the gears turning in his mind, calculating, always planning his next move. But this time, his cold logic felt wrong to her, and the idea that he thought he should bear this burden alone only stoked the fire inside her further.