Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 963

Chapter 963 222.3 - The Antagonist

Ethan dashed forward, the floor beneath his feet sparking with the discharge of lightning psions. His spear was gripped in both hands, the tip lowered, crackling with volatile arcs. He didn't waste time feinting-he opened with momentum, with intent.

SWOOSH!

The spear sliced through the air like a bolt unleashed, aimed clean at Victor's side.

Victor shifted.

One step-no more.

His sword came up at an angle with smooth, terrifying grace.

CLANG!

The edge of Ethan's spear met Victor's blade, the force of the impact crackling like a whip through the chamber. Lightning leapt across the clashpoint, but Victor's stance didn't falter.

He twisted.

With a single flick, he redirected the spear's momentum-his wrist rotating just enough to send Ethan slightly off balance.

THUD!

Ethan's boots skidded across the floor, heels digging in to slow himself. But he didn't. hesitate. Already, his hand snapped back, spear spinning once as he regained control. "Thunder Coil."

Electric arcs surged through the haft of his spear, wrapping around it in a spiral of energy. With a hard step, he lunged, twisting the spear into a coiling stab, aimed like a drill toward Victor's shoulder.

ZAAAP!

Victor's eyes sharpened.

He stepped aside-not away. Just to the side, narrowly dodging the coiling thrust. His sword didn't rise to block this time. Instead, he pivoted with Ethan's momentum and used the flat of his blade to push past the strike.

WHUMP!

Ethan stumbled forward, only for a second-only enough to create an opening. Victor raised his blade-

But Ethan spun low.

"Lightning Step."

CRACK!

A burst of thunder exploded beneath Ethan's foot as he vanished in a blink of static, appearing two meters to Victor's side. The dodge wasn't clean, but it bought him space.

SKRRCH!

Sparks danced as he dragged the tip of the spear across the stone floor, and then, using the momentum, he swept it in a wide arc.

Victor caught the motion instantly.

His sword was there again-CLANG! CLANG!

Two precise deflections, using minimal movement. His posture never cracked. He didn't even blink as Ethan pressed forward again.

ZAP-THRUST!

Another lightning-fueled lunge. Ethan's expression now sharpened-not with desperation, but focus. Every strike came faster, more refined, chaining into the next. "Lightning Branch-Third Form."

This time the strike wasn't linear. He feinted high, then suddenly pulled back and snapped the spear around his back in a circular whip, the blade coming up from below.

WHSHHHK-!!

Victor reacted mid-flow.

With one hand, he reversed his grip on the sword, bringing it down into a low guard. CLANG!

The weapons clashed again, sparks flying. The recoil forced them apart for a breath. Huff... Ethan exhaled, lightning now crackling across his arms, making the very air around him hiss.

Victor didn't say a word.

But his sword... lowered.

Just slightly.

And his left foot slid forward.

A shift.

A signal.

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

He's getting serious now.

And in the silence between their next move-

The duel truly began.

Ethan's chest rose and fell steadily, each breath controlled, every nerve buzzing. The lightning psions coiled tighter around his frame now-not wild, but refined, honed into the form of his will. He didn't charge again blindly.

This time, he called upon his bloodline.

"Spear of Hartley-Form Two: Radiant Surge."

CRACK-KRAKOOM!

Lightning erupted from beneath his feet in a spiraling column. Ethan vanished in a blur of light, his form streaking across the arena like a thunderbolt let loose. The spear thrummed in his grip as he reappeared above Victor-spinning, descending.

He struck downward with explosive force.

BOOOM!

Victor moved.

Not dodging-receiving.

He raised his blade and whispered something that barely cut through the sound.

"Sword of Order-First Verse: Still Reflection."

CLANG!

The blow landed-but it was wrong.

Ethan felt it the instant their weapons clashed.

His lightning-his explosive follow-through, the recoil that usually sent opponents stumbling or sliding-it all felt like it evaporated.

ZZZT-SSHHH...

The lightning bled off his spear unnaturally fast, vanishing into the air around Victor's blade like water into sand. No shock. No rebound. No flare of impact.

Ethan's eyes widened,

What was that?

Victor's expression didn't shift. His sword glowed faintly now-not with elemental psions, but with something structured. Like it wasn't just absorbing Ethan's attack-

but redefining it.

Ethan jumped back, landing in a half-crouch. His fingers tingled. The lightning hadn't

just failed to explode-it had felt siphoned.

"Again," he muttered.

"Spear of Hartley-Form Four: Arc Reversal!"

He pivoted, launching the spear in a rapid arc, a curved throw designed to return in mid-air. A high-speed boomerang laced with electrified psions. A classic Hartley strike meant for disorientation and overwhelming angles.

Victor's eyes tracked it calmly.

He didn't step away.

He didn't raise a shield,

Instead, he spoke again-his voice low, resonant.

"Sword of Order-Second Verse: Fractured Line."

SHHNNNK-

He drew a quick slash in the air, and the moment his blade moved-Ethan's spear