Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 896

RING!

Emily’s smartwatch vibrated against her wrist, the sharp sound cutting through the silence of her room. At first, it was just a notification, but before she could even check it, another sound followed—her smartwatch ringing.

Her brows furrowed. A call? At this hour?

As she glanced at the screen, her breath caught. The name displayed sent a jolt through her chest.

Liora.

Her father’s secretary. The one who handled all guild-related matters and urgent calls.

A sudden feeling of unease crept into her stomach as she swiped to accept the call. "Liora?"

The voice on the other end was frantic, distressed—nothing like the composed professionalism Liora always carried.

"Miss Emily! It’s—it’s bad! Your father, the Guildmaster, and Team 3—they were attacked!"

The world around Emily froze.

Her grip on the smartwatch tightened as her heart slammed against her ribs. "What…?" The word came out barely above a whisper.

"Guildmaster Anderson is alive, but barely! His injuries—Emily, his injuries are severe! The healers are doing everything they can, but it’s bad. It’s really bad."

Emily felt her knees weaken. The breath in her lungs vanished, replaced by a crushing pressure in her chest. Her father—strong, unshakable, the very foundation of Azure Crest—was barely holding on?

"No—no, wait, what happened? Who attacked them? How—" Her voice wavered, but she forced herself to ask.

"We don’t know all the details yet," Liora said, her voice uneven. "It was an ambush. The attackers vanished before we could identify them. We just—we just need you to come. Now."

Emily didn’t think. She didn’t hesitate.

"I’m on my way."

The moment she ended the call, she was already grabbing her sword, shoving on her coat, her body moving before her mind even fully caught up. Her thoughts raced, her pulse thundered in her ears.

Father…

He was still alive. But for how long?

Emily practically threw herself out of her dorm, her legs moving on instinct. Her mind was still reeling, struggling to process Liora’s words, but her body didn’t wait for permission—it knew where she needed to be. Now. Immediately.

Her breathing was uneven as she rushed through the academy corridors, ignoring the curious glances from students she passed. She had no time to care. Her father—

A sharp pang of panic clenched at her chest, and for the first time in a long while, she felt like she was suffocating.

Her hands trembled as she reached for her smartwatch, forcing herself to focus. She needed to tell Ethan. He needed to know.

Even though she had been trying to handle things on her own, even though she didn’t want to rely on him too much—this time, she couldn’t.

She felt like she could collapse at any moment, and that feeling was... strange.

Emily pressed Ethan’s contact, her fingers feeling clumsy despite the urgency. The dial tone rang, and for the first time, she found herself praying he would pick up immediately.

"Come on, Ethan… Pick up," she muttered under her breath, her heart pounding violently against her ribs.

The moment the call connected, she heard his voice—steady, familiar, and grounding.

"Emily? What’s wrong?" His tone shifted the instant he heard her shallow breaths, the tension in his voice clear.

She swallowed, trying to steady herself, but it was impossible. Nothing about this situation was steady.

"It’s my father," she said, her voice barely holding together. "He—he was attacked. He’s in critical condition."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. A silence that stretched just enough for Emily to feel the weight of it.

"I’m coming," Ethan said immediately, his voice firm, no hesitation whatsoever.

And somehow, just hearing that made the panic in her chest ease—just a little.