Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 749

"Astron."

Sylvie’s voice broke through the quiet hallway, steady but with a slight tremor that betrayed her nerves. She saw him pause mid-step, his head tilting slightly as he turned to face her. His calm, gray eyes met hers, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to still.

"Sylvie," he said evenly, his tone soft but carrying its usual weight. He acknowledged her with a simple nod, his gaze steady yet somehow different—sharper, more defined. Or was it something else entirely?

Sylvie’s breath hitched as she took in his features. She had noticed them before in passing—the faint change in his posture, the subtle confidence in his demeanor—but now, standing directly before him, the difference was undeniable. There was something new about him, a quiet intensity that bordered on… charm? The line of his jaw seemed more pronounced, his expression more refined, his presence more commanding. It wasn’t just physical—there was an aura about him, something she couldn’t quite put into words.

For a fleeting moment, she felt herself falter. Her lips parted slightly, but the words didn’t come. She quickly shook herself, forcing her thoughts back into focus. This wasn’t the time to lose her composure.

"Where are you going?" she asked, her voice firmer now, though her pulse still raced beneath her calm exterior.

Astron studied her for a second, his gaze unwavering but not unkind. "To the cafeteria," he said at last, his tone as steady as ever.

"The cafeteria?" Sylvie echoed, her mind racing. Her nerves flared, but she pushed through, unwilling to let the moment pass. "Then… may I come with you?"

Astron raised an eyebrow slightly, the faintest hint of curiosity flickering in his expression. "Are you hungry?"

"I am," Sylvie replied quickly, then added, "I didn’t have a good breakfast." It was a lie, but one she didn’t feel the need to justify. She met his gaze, willing herself to appear composed even as her heart thudded in her chest.

For a moment, Astron simply looked at her, his expression unreadable. Then, with a small nod, he turned and gestured down the hallway. "All right. Let’s go."

Sylvie fell into step beside him, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly in the otherwise empty corridor. Her grip on her bag tightened as she tried to steady herself, the faint hum of her [Authority] at the edge of her awareness. She could sense his calm, measured emotions—quiet and steady like a still lake. It was grounding in its own way, even if it made her feel a little self-conscious.

As they walked side by side, Sylvie found herself glancing at Astron now and then, the silence between them stretching out. It wasn’t uncomfortable—at least not for him. His steady, unhurried pace and calm expression made it clear he was perfectly fine with the quiet. But for Sylvie, the silence felt heavier with every passing second, pressing against her like an unseen weight.

She knew Astron wasn’t much of a talker. He never had been, not in the classroom or outside it. But now, with so much she wanted to ask him—about the academy, about Irina, about himself—the quiet felt stifling.

Her grip on her bag strap tightened as she tried to think of something to say, something casual that wouldn’t feel too intrusive. Finally, she took a deep breath and forced herself to break the silence.

"What do you think about the recent changes at the academy?" she asked, her voice light but steady. "It’s been a lot, hasn’t it?"

Astron glanced at her, his purple eyes calm and unreadable, before returning his gaze to the path ahead. "It has," he said simply, his tone thoughtful.

Encouraged by his response, Sylvie pressed on. "I mean, with the new curriculum, the increased security, and all the changes to the tournament schedule, it feels like everything’s shifting all at once."

Astron nodded slightly, his gaze distant as he considered her words. "The academy’s adapting," he said after a moment. "They’re preparing for something it appears."

"Something?" Sylvie asked, tilting her head curiously. "What is it?"

Astron shrugged, his expression as calm as ever. "That’s something we’ll find out sooner or later," he said. "At the end of the day, we’re the ones being trained for it."

Sylvie nodded slowly, his words settling heavily in her mind. She didn’t press further, sensing that he wouldn’t elaborate even if he knew more. Astron wasn’t one to speak unnecessarily, and she had come to respect that about him, even if it left her with more questions than answers.

As they continued walking, the weight of his statement lingered between them. Sylvie’s thoughts drifted to her training over the break, the headmaster’s grave expression as he explained the shifting tides of their world. He hadn’t been explicit—Jonathan rarely was—but the undertones of urgency in his voice were impossible to miss.

"Sylvie, the world is not as stable as it seems. Changes are coming—greater than what you’ve seen, greater than what you can imagine. You must be ready to face them, to rise above them. That is why I’ve pushed you so hard."

Those words had stayed with her, resonating alongside the newfound power of her [Authority]. She had felt it in every fiber of her being during those grueling sessions, in the way her connection to the ancient force she wielded had grown sharper, more defined. The world was changing, and she was changing with it—whether she wanted to or not.