Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 851

"You’re early."

Ethan scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward at Eleanor’s remark. He couldn’t exactly admit that he came early out of fear of upsetting her, right? That wouldn’t exactly help his image.

So, instead, he did what anyone would do in his situation—he made something up. "Well, you know," he said, forcing a casual grin, "figured it wouldn’t hurt to get familiar with the place before we start."

Eleanor turned from the console, finally removing her sharp gaze from the screen to look at him directly. "That is a good attitude."

Ethan laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Well, that worked better than I expected.

With Eleanor’s gaze now off him, he let his attention wander back to the facility. The more he looked around, the more questions flooded his mind. This place wasn’t just big—it was cutting-edge, packed with high-grade equipment that even the academy’s standard training halls didn’t have.

His curiosity won out. "Professor," he started, glancing back at her. "What is this place? I mean, I’ve been at Academy for a while now, and I’ve never even seen this building before."

Eleanor studied him for a moment before responding. "That’s because it’s not part of the standard curriculum."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "So it’s special, then?"

For a split second, Ethan could have sworn he saw a faint smile tug at the corners of Eleanor’s lips—subtle, almost imperceptible, but there nonetheless.

"Indeed, it is a special place," Eleanor said, her tone composed yet carrying an edge of something unreadable. "It is quite durable."

Ethan blinked. "Durable?"

Eleanor didn’t elaborate, simply turning back to the console and continuing her work as if that answer was sufficient.

And that was when Ethan felt it—a vague, creeping sense of unease. Why would she specifically mention durability? He had a bad premonition, like something very unfortunate was about to happen to him in this room.

He glanced around again, his hazel eyes sweeping over the high-tech combat arenas, the reinforced plating on the floors and walls, the faint hum of mana-infused machinery. Just how intense is this training going to be?

Still, pressing Eleanor for details felt like a bad idea. She’s not going to explain anything unless she wants to. And if she wants to keep it a mystery, that means it’s better for my sanity not to know.

So, instead of dwelling on it, he decided to pass the time with some safer questions.

"This whole mentorship thing," Ethan started, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It all feels kind of sudden, doesn’t it? Like, one day we’re just cadets, and then next thing we know, we’re personally chosen by the Eleanor White."

Eleanor didn’t look up from her console. "The Academy regularly selects cadets with potential for specialized training."

Ethan tilted his head. "Yeah, but normally, students apply for mentors. We weren’t exactly given a choice here."

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Eleanor glanced at him, her sharp gaze unreadable. "Does that bother you?"

Ethan paused, then grinned. "Nah, not really. Just curious. It’s not every day someone gets thrown into an elite program without warning."

Eleanor didn’t respond immediately, but there was something in her gaze—something measuring, as if she was deciding how much to say.

Finally, she replied, "Potential is wasted without guidance. Whether you applied or not, the decision was made because you and Astron showed results."

Ethan absorbed that, the weight of her words settling in. It wasn’t just about recognition—it was about expectations. They weren’t chosen because they were lucky. They were chosen because someone expected something from them.

Before he could respond, the heavy doors behind him slid open again.

Astron had arrived.

Ethan let out a small chuckle. "Took your time, huh?"

Astron ignored him, his sharp purple eyes scanning the facility just as Ethan had before. But unlike Ethan, he didn’t ask questions. He simply observed, his expression calm but unreadable.