Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 926

Chapter 926 213.1 - Aftermath

The air in the office felt heavier once the others left. The faint click of the door closing behind Melanie and Grayson seemed to echo longer than it should have, leaving behind a silence thick with unspoken tension.

Ethan remained standing, his hands still clenched at his sides, his knuckles white from how tightly he had been gripping his own frustration. He hadn't moved. Hadn't spoken. But the anger simmering in his hazel eyes hadn't faded either.

Eleanor sighed and leaned back in her chair, pressing two fingers against her temple as if willing away an oncoming headache. It was only midday, and she had already handled two brawls, four disciplinary hearings, and now this mess. The academy was in chaos, students turning on each other, power struggles happening in every corner. And at the center of it all?

Ethan.

She dropped her hand and finally looked at him. He was still tense, but his breathing was steady—controlled, despite everything. That, at least, was a good sign.

Eleanor sighed. "You're not going to sit?"

Ethan shook his head stiffly. "I didn't do it."

It wasn't an argument. Just a fact. One spoken with quiet, unwavering certainty.

Eleanor's blue eyes studied him for a moment before she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. "I know."

Ethan's posture stiffened just slightly, but his expression remained unreadable.

She knew.

She had known the whole time.

But it didn't change a damn thing.

Eleanor exhaled slowly, watching his reaction. "You're angry."

Ethan scoffed softly, a sharp exhale through his nose. "Of course I'm angry," he muttered. "I got punished for something I didn't do."

She didn't argue. Because he was right.

Ethan clenched his jaw, his voice lowering. "If you knew I didn't do it, why didn't you stop it?"

Eleanor studied him carefully before she spoke. "Because that's how the world works."

The words landed like a blow, cold and absolute.

Ethan's jaw tensed. "That's bullshit."

Eleanor sighed. "No. It's reality."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice quieter but firm. "Ethan, do you honestly think this is the last time this will happen to you? That this was just about some classroom dispute?" Her gaze sharpened. "This isn't about what did or didn't happen. It's about power. Influence. And whether you like it or not, your name is starting to mean something."

Ethan frowned slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

Eleanor's voice remained steady, measured. "Your rank is rising. Fast. Faster than anyone expected. You're outperforming students older than you, making a name for yourself whether you intended to or not. And do you know what happens when people like you rise too quickly?"

Ethan's silence was answer enough.

She exhaled. "People start paying attention. People above you, people below you. And not all of them want to see you succeed."

Ethan finally moved, taking a slow step closer to the desk, his hands still clenched at his sides. "So what?" he muttered. "I'm just supposed to let them do this? Let them step on me?"

Eleanor's gaze didn't waver. "No. But you need to be smarter about it."

Ethan scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't see how staying quiet and taking the punishment helps me."

Eleanor's lips pressed into a thin line. "Because right now, they think they've won. Grayson, Melanie, all of them—they believe they just taught you a lesson. They believe you'll fall in line, that this was enough to break you down."

She tapped a finger against the desk, her blue eyes sharp. "But if you had fought back here? You would've lost more."

Ethan's teeth clenched, but he said nothing.

Eleanor leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "You're frustrated. I get that. But you need to stop thinking of every battle as a fight you can win just because you're right."

She let the words sink in before continuing. "This wasn't about justice, Ethan. This was a game. One they've been playing far longer than you have."

Ethan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His anger wasn't gone—not even close—but Eleanor could see it shifting. Becoming something more controlled, more focused.

That was what she needed.

She leaned forward again. "You're going to face this kind of thing again. Probably many more times. People are going to try to control you, to use your own strength and pride against you. And if you react the way they expect?" She tilted her head. "Then you let them dictate how this plays out."