Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 668

Chapter 668 147.3 - Chamber of Emberheart

The moment Astron stepped into the chamber, the searing heat pressed down on him like a physical weight, saturating the air with an intensity that would have crushed lesser men.

The room was bathed in a deep red glow, the shadows shifting and dancing along the walls as small tongues of fire licked at the edges of the stone. Yet, for all its warmth, he knew instinctively that this was only the beginning. The true test had yet to reveal itself.

He moved further into the room, his steps careful and measured, and settled in the lotus position at the center of the chamber.

Closing his eyes, he began to steady his breath, allowing his awareness to expand, His mana senses unfurled slowly, reaching out like invisible tendrils to probe the

environment.

The ambient mana here was thick, dense with the potency of generations of Emberhearts who had faced these flames, and he could feel the lingering echoes of their battles imprinted on the very air.

The formations carved into the walls were intricate, a latticework of glowing runes that pulsed with restrained energy, holding back the flames from overtaking the room entirely.

He recognized them as a containment barrier-designed not to suppress the fire entirely but to temper it, to keep it just at the edge of tolerance. He observed the patterns, noting the subtle fluctuations in their glow, a rhythm that seemed to echo the heartbeat of the chamber itself.

'So, this is how they regulate the fire,' he thought, admiring the craftsmanship in the formations.

The runes appeared ancient, etched with a precision that spoke of countless hours spent refining and perfecting each line, each symbol. He could feel the strength of the barriers surrounding him, designed to shield only this small area for initial acclimation.

Despite his calm exterior, he remained vigilant, attuned to every shift in the air around him. He knew that the trial would begin in earnest soon, that the flames would test him, pushing beyond the barrier, seeking to consume him as they had all who had entered here before. His mind replayed Irina's words:

- "Don't resist the flames outright... Let them test you. Accept their intensity, but don't let them consume you."

As he sat, he adjusted his breathing, inhaling slowly and deeply, allowing his mana to align with the rhythm of the chamber.

He could feel the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on him, an almost sentient. force that sought to gauge his worth.

The trial was more than just withstanding flames; it was a confrontation with something deeper, a force as ancient as the chamber itself, one that would strip him to his core to see if he could endure.

Seconds ticked by in silence, the only sound was his slow, controlled breathing. And then, with a sudden surge, the formations around the room dimmed, the protective glow receding as the true trial began. The flames surged, advancing toward him with unrestrained fury, licking at his skin as the heat intensified.

Astron steadied himself, letting his mana flow smoothly through his body, fortifying his spirit against the overwhelming heat. He reminded himself of Irina's advice-to yield to the flames, to let them probe his defenses without fully surrendering. This was a test of resilience, of his ability to endure and adapt, not through sheer force but through balanced acceptance.

As the fire crept closer, he could feel the first tendrils of heat curling around his body, scaring through his defenses.

"Grrrr..."

The pain was immediate, raw, and unforgiving, but he held steady, letting the flames weave around him, studying the sensation as if it were a curious intruder. He felt his mana react instinctively, pushing back just enough to maintain his boundaries but not resisting outright.

The room pulsed with energy, testing him, measuring his spirit. Each flicker of flame seemed to probe deeper, burning through his mana and reaching toward his essence. Yet, he remained still, his expression calm, his focus unwavering as he settled into the rhythm of the flames, matching their cadence with his own.

'This is just the beginning,' he reminded himself, feeling the weight of the challenge settle upon him. The true heart of the flames lay further within, beyond the outer layers that merely probed. Here, he was but at the threshold.

******

The flames crawled closer, and as they did, the silence around me deepened. It's strange how, when left in silence-true silence, with only the heat pressing down and no distractions-thoughts creep in unbidden.

Most people fear the quiet more than they care to admit. They fill their lives with noise, with flashes on screens, messages to respond to, and voices echoing in their minds. Anything to escape that solitude.

Because when it's just you, stripped of every distraction, every responsibility, you're left with only your thoughts. And that... that's where it gets dangerous.

For those who carry regrets, the silence is a mirror, reflecting every failure, every

moment they wish they could bury. In times like these, distractions are a comfort, a way to avoid looking too closely at what festers beneath the surface. Phones, screens, constant interaction-it's an escape.

A wall they've built against the echoes of their own voices. But here, in this chamber, no such escape exists. The flames strip you down, leaving nothing to hide behind.

The heat bore down on me, like a hand pressing into my chest, and I could feel my defenses stretch thin. Memories surfaced, fragments of the past... a reminder of what drove me here in the first place.

I forced my breathing to remain steady, in sync with the rhythm of the flames, trying not to let those memories dig too deep. Because the truth was, I knew that feeling too well. The need to keep moving, to fill every moment with something tangible, something that kept me from the silence.

But here, with the fire pressing against my skin, burning into me, I couldn't afford to run from my own mind. The flames seemed to sense it, to push me toward that place, to make me face every weakness, every regret. My chest tightened, the heat digging past the layers of mana I'd reinforced, reaching into something deeper, something I could barely defend.