Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 726

Chapter 726 165.2 - Fine

The questions from the reporters grew more insistent, their voices rising into a cacophony that grated on Irina's already thin patience.

"Miss Emberheart, is it true your presence here endangered civilians?"

"Are the Emberheart family's rivals responsible for this?"

"What does this say about your ability to protect those around you?"

Irina's flames flickered faintly at her fingertips, her hazel eyes blazing with barely restrained anger. She took a step forward, her frustration threatening to boil over as the barrage of accusations and insinuations refused to relent.

"Enough," she snapped, her voice sharp and commanding, but the reporters only surged closer, sensing an opportunity.

Before she could unleash her temper further, Astron moved smoothly in front of her, his steps deliberate and his presence unmistakable. His tall frame and calm, steady demeanor were enough to make the reporters hesitate for a fraction of a second-but it was his face that truly froze them in their tracks.

Gone was the unremarkable, forgettable visage of his disguise. His true face, with its sharp jawline, piercing purple eyes, and an almost ethereal quality, was now fully visible. The crowd seemed to collectively draw a breath, stunned into brief silence. One of the reporters, a younger woman, visibly blushed, her microphone trembling slightly in her hand. "Ah..." she stammered, her previously aggressive tone faltering. "W-who...?"

Astron's calm, unwavering gaze swept over the crowd, his sharp eyes cutting through their shock like a blade. When he spoke, his voice was low but carried an undeniable weight, silencing any murmurs that had begun to creep back into the crowd.

"Enough," he repeated, his tone firm yet controlled. "This is not the time for baseless speculation or harassment."

The reporters blinked, startled by the quiet authority in his voice.

"There are civilians recovering from a traumatic event

"There are civilians recovering from a traumatic event," Astron continued, his voice steady but carrying a quiet intensity that cut through the stunned silence. His sharp purple eyes swept over the reporters, each gaze held captive by his unwavering presence.

"The assailants who orchestrated this attack were vile," he said, his tone low but carrying an edge of restrained anger. "They had no regard for the innocent lives inside that museum. They sabotaged the security, targeted civilians, and created a situation that muscum. They savolagen une security, tai geitu civians, diu citattu a situation where their escape mattered more than the lives they put at risk."

The reporters shifted uneasily, some lowering their microphones slightly as Astron's words struck a chord.

He took a deliberate step forward, his calm demeanor unshaken as he continued. "Whatever their motives may have been, it's crucial to distinguish the evil ones from the victims. The civilians inside weren't targets-they were collateral to the assailants, disposable in their eyes. Yet you're here, questioning the people who stood between them and death?"

Astron's gaze moved to the younger reporter, who flinched under the weight of his stare. "This isn't about politics or rivalries. This is about lives-people who were terrified, injured, and could have died. Miss Emberheart and I risked our lives to protect them. If you're so eager for answers, maybe you should ask the people we shielded from falling debris and unchecked magic why they're alive right now."

He paused, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he pulled back his sleeve, revealing bruises along his arm. "Do you see this? These are from the fight. Both of us stood on the front lines against an enemy who came prepared to counter us. We didn't do this for fame or recognition. We did it because it was the right thing to do, because that's our job as Hunters-to protect."

The reporters murmured among themselves, their earlier fervor tempered by guilt and uncertainty.

Astron's voice softened, though the intensity in his gaze didn't waver. "So before you aim your questions at us, remember who the real enemies are. Direct your energy toward finding answers that matter-who orchestrated this, why they attacked, and how they can be stopped. That's your responsibility, not trying to vilify the people who stood in their way."

Irina watched Astron with a mixture of admiration and faint irritation as his calm, commanding voice rolled over the crowd of reporters. His sharp purple eyes carried a weight that seemed to silence even the most insistent questions, and the confidence in his tone left no room for doubt or speculation.

"This guy... He really is good at speaking to a camera,' she thought, her gaze lingering on his composed expression. She crossed her arms, feeling the faint ache in her shoulders and the persistent sting of her own exhaustion. The sparks of irritation she'd felt earlier ebbed as her thoughts turned inward.

I've seen this before. Back when he was working with that other guild."The memory came unbidden-a clip from an interview Astron had done just two weeks ago. Back then, he'd spoken with the same clarity, weaving his words in a way that left no cracks for critics to exploit. 'He was good then too-calm, precise. Like he already knew what they'd ask and how to answer.'

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she considered the similarities. 'And now he's doing the

same thing. Handling this mess like it's just another job, not even letting them get close enough to needle him. A flicker of admiration passed through her chest, quickly followed by a pang of irritation at herself for feeling it. I could do that too. But not now. Not when my body feels like it's been through a grinder.'

She shifted her weight, trying to ease the tension in her legs as the reporters fell quieter, their earlier fervor replaced by a hesitant, almost guilty silence. Astron's words had landed hard, cutting through the chaos with that maddening calm of his. Irina sighed inwardly, her gaze dropping briefly to her own hands. The faint flickers of flames at her fingertips had dimmed, a sign of how drained she truly felt. I'm not in the mood for this. My head's pounding, my body's screaming at me to rest, and here he is, standing tall like none of it even touched him.'

Her eyes flicked back to him, taking in the way the light caught on his features, accentuating the faint bruises on his arms and the sheen of sweat along his jawline. For some inexplicable reason, he seemed almost shiny, as if the chaos around them had only highlighted his presence instead of dulling it.

'He really is something,' she thought begrudgingly, though the corner of her lips twitched as if wanting to smile. Always calm, always steady. It's annoying sometimes, but in moments like this... it's reassuring.'

As Astron finished speaking, the reporters murmured among themselves, their microphones slowly lowering as guilt and hesitation tempered their aggressive questions. Irina let out a slow breath, her frustration giving way to a tired sense of

relief.

Astron turned slightly, his gaze meeting hers briefly. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was a faint flicker of something in his eyes-perhaps a silent check to see how she was holding up. Irina straightened instinctively, masking her fatigue with a sharp glare.

"I guess that's one way to shut them up," she muttered, her tone edged with mock

exasperation.

"It worked, didn't it?" he replied evenly.

Irina rolled her eyes, but her irritation lacked its usual bite. 'Of course it worked. It always works when he does it.' She crossed her arms again, her fingers brushing against the faint bruises along her side. Fine, let him handle this. I'm too tired to care freeweɓnovel.cøm

right now.'