Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 925

Chapter 925 212.8 - Shifting Pillars

A sharp breath tore through Lilia's lungs as her consciousness clawed its way back to reality. Pain laced every inch of her body—her ribs ached with every shallow inhale, her arms felt like dead weight, and the coppery taste of blood lingered on her tongue. The cold ground beneath her sent shivers through her battered frame.

She barely registered the sound of hurried footsteps.

"Lilia!"

The voice was sharp, edged with alarm and unmistakable fury. Strong hands grasped her shoulders, carefully turning her over. Her vision flickered, her head pounding as she blinked up at the stern face of Instructor Ethan.

His usual composed demeanor was gone—his brown eyes burned with anger.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded, his voice tight with restrained rage.

Lilia exhaled slowly, gathering enough breath to respond. "I… was attacked."

His jaw clenched. "Attacked? Here?" His gaze flicked around the training ground, his sharp eyes taking in the shattered stone, the remnants of mana residue lingering in the air. His grip on her tightened slightly, his fury barely contained.

She forced a weak smirk, though it hurt. "Yeah. Apparently, the archery club is more intense than I thought."

Ethan wasn't amused. "Enough. Can you stand?"

Lilia tried to push herself up, but pain shot through her ribs, sending a sharp gasp from her lips. Ethan didn't wait—he scooped her up effortlessly, his expression thunderous.

"We're going to the infirmary," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

******

By the time Lilia had been settled in the academy's infirmary, her wounds being treated by the healers, Ethan had already begun investigating. His anger hadn't lessened—if anything, it had sharpened into something lethal.

Minutes later, he returned, his expression unreadable. "We pulled the surveillance footage."

Lilia forced herself to sit up despite the pain, her crimson eyes watching him carefully.

"And?"

Ethan's hands clenched into fists.

"There is no footage." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

She narrowed her eyes. "What?"

Ethan exhaled sharply, his tone clipped. "The cameras in the archery grounds were conveniently under maintenance at the exact time of your attack. Every single one of them."

Lilia stared at him, her mind processing the implications. This wasn't just an ambush—it had been planned from the start.

Ethan's voice was dangerously calm. "This isn't a coincidence."

Lilia let out a slow breath. "No. It's not."

Silence stretched between them. Then Ethan pulled out his communication device, his fingers tightening around it as he issued a single command.

"Call Adrian. Now."

Lilia exhaled as she leaned back against the infirmary bed, her body still aching from the brutal beating she had endured. The healers had done their work—her wounds were stabilized, and the worst of the pain had been dulled—but she was still sore, her ribs throbbing with every breath.

The infirmary wasn't quiet.

Far from it.

Around her, the large room was filled with other injured students—most of them freshmen and sophomores. The tension was thick in the air, punctuated by hushed whispers, occasional groans of pain, and the sharp, wary glances exchanged between the two groups.

Another fight must have broken out.

Lilia's gaze flickered over to a group of freshmen on one side, their uniforms stained with dirt and blood, some sporting visible bruises and bandaged wounds. Across from them, a cluster of sophomores sat with equally battered expressions, their glares sharp, muttered insults barely concealed under their breath.

She had heard the murmurs before—the ongoing confrontation between the two groups was getting worse. What started as small rivalries had escalated into more open hostility, almost like someone had been pushing them into conflict.

Lilia didn't need to guess who.

Her jaw tightened. Selene.

Of course, she wouldn't act directly. But stirring discord? Fostering division? That was how she played the game.

Lilia's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ethan's voice.

"Adrian. Now."

The device in Ethan's hand flared with a mana pulse, signaling a connection. A few seconds later, a voice came through the communication line.

"Instructor Ethan?"

Adrian's voice was as composed as ever, though there was a note of curiosity in his tone.