Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 823

’Still…..she pays more attention than I thought,’ I mused, narrowing my eyes slightly. Not that it mattered in the long run. Eleanor was safe. She was someone who understood the weight of secrets and the value of silence. If there was anyone in the academy who wouldn’t let a slip of knowledge become a weapon, it was her.

Even so, her move had consequences. Being placed under her direct mentorship would shift the spotlight in my direction, however subtly.

’This will bring some eyes on me,’ I thought, though the corner of my lips twitched faintly at the irony. ’Not that it matters. Irina’s already doing a fantastic job of that.’

The image of her flashed briefly in my mind—her amber gaze with her usual fiery hair.

’I am sure she was even happy with those pictures spreading out.’

That was so like Irina after all, and I didn’t mind it. In fact, it gave me somehow another cover to use, if I utilized it cleverly.

’A boytoy….Doesn’t sound good and honorable, but will be effective nonetheless.’

I let out another breath, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the desk. The faint glow of my desk lamp illuminated the scattered notes and reports I’d been working on earlier, though my focus wasn’t on them now. My mind was elsewhere, sorting through the implications of Eleanor’s decision.

She’d called it mentorship. But what it really was—a test. A challenge. A deliberate move to push me out of my shadows and into the light.

’She’s curious,’ I realized, my fingers steepling as I rested my chin against them. ’She wants to see what I’m hiding.’

Not that I blamed her. If our positions were reversed, I would’ve done the same. Eleanor wasn’t someone who overlooked potential, and she wasn’t someone who ignored anomalies. And I… well, I wasn’t exactly the most transparent cadet in the academy.

The question was: how far would she go to see through me?

’Curiosity,’ I thought again, letting the idea roll around in my mind as I stared at the faint glow of my desk lamp. My fingers tapped lightly against the wood of the desk, a rhythm that mirrored my spiraling thoughts. Eleanor wasn’t just curious for curiosity’s sake—she wanted to see how far she could push me, to measure me against whatever expectations she had.

The question wasn’t why she’d decided to mentor me. That was clear enough. No, the real question was: how much could I gain from this?

I leaned back in my chair, the weight of that thought settling over me. If it were before, I wouldn’t have hesitated to refuse the offer outright. The idea of revealing too much, of stepping into the spotlight, went against everything I’d built. Staying in the shadows, moving unseen, had been my strategy from the start. And it worked.

But that was before.

Before I’d tasted the rapid growth that came with real guidance. Back in the organization, it had been the same. I’d fought against it at first, convinced that my talent alone was enough. But under the right mentorship—strategic, methodical guidance—I’d grown faster than I could have imagined. Concepts that would have taken weeks, maybe even months to master on my own had become clear in days.

And Eleanor White wasn’t just any mentor. She was one of the most talented Hunters in the history of the Human Domain. Her insight, her precision, her methods—these weren’t things you could replicate on your own.

’If I let her push me,’ I mused, my fingers stilling against the desk. ’If I let her challenge me, teach me, and refine me…’

The potential was undeniable. My talent was a weapon, sharp and lethal, but raw in places. With Eleanor’s guidance, that weapon could be honed to perfection.

’It’ll be risky,’ I thought, my eyes narrowing slightly. ’But worth it.’

I let out a slow breath, my decision settling in my mind. ’Let’s see it, then, shall we?’

Pushing myself up from the chair, I walked over to the small bookshelf by the corner of the room, pulling out one of the thick volumes I’d been studying. The weight of it felt grounding, a reminder that no matter how far I’d come, there was still more to learn.

Just as I was about to return to my desk, my smartwatch vibrated against my wrist, the soft buzz breaking the quiet. I glanced down, tapping the screen to bring up the notification.

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Archery Club Notification

Meeting scheduled: Tomorrow at 14:00

All members are required to attend. Please confirm your availability.

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I raised an eyebrow as I stared at the notification on my smartwatch.

’I see… So Lilia’s plot will start acting,’ I mused.

But then, my eyes flicked toward the corner of the display where the date was neatly printed.

’That’s earlier than it should be.’

According to the game, the Archery Club meeting that triggered this chain of events wasn’t supposed to happen until the latter half of the semester. It had been a key moment—carefully timed and perfectly placed to align with the unfolding narrative. Yet, here it was, thrown forward into the semester as if someone had shuffled the pieces of the timeline without regard for where they landed.