Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest - Chapter 769

Chapter 769: Chapter 177.3 – Formation
Irina’s fiery yellow eyes narrowed as she watched Julia stride purposefully across the room, her every step oozing confidence. The scrape of Julia’s chair against the floor felt like a provocation in itself, and Irina’s irritation flared like embers catching wind. She didn’t miss the way the room fell silent, every student hanging on Julia’s bold declaration.

“Astron. Join my team.”

Irina clenched her fists, her fiery hair shimmering faintly as her temper simmered. ‘That snake,’ she thought, her gaze locked onto Julia. ‘She’s already making her move. Brazen, arrogant, and completely ignoring who he is.’

She took a slow breath, trying to steady the fire threatening to erupt. Irina knew Astron—knew his preference for staying out of the spotlight, his deliberate attempts to keep his achievements subdued. Julia’s forwardness would only draw more attention to him, and that thought alone made Irina’s annoyance spike. ‘He hates being the center of things, and this idiot is painting a target right on him.’

Astron’s calm response didn’t ease her frustration. His measured tone, the way he didn’t immediately reject Julia, made her jaw tighten. ‘Of course, he’s not going to agree right away,’ she reminded herself. ‘He won’t like how public this is. Still… I should’ve been faster.’

The thought grated on her. Irina had known from the moment the team assignment was announced what she needed to do. Astron and Sylvie were essential—no question about it. Neither of them deserved their low ranks. Astron’s precision, adaptability, and raw talent were undeniable. Sylvie’s unusual [Authority] and sharp instincts made her a wildcard with unparalleled potential. Together, they were game-changers.

‘Astron and Sylvie must be recruited no matter what.’ The thought repeated like a mantra in her mind. They weren’t just valuable assets; they were the key to ensuring her team dominated. Their lower ranks meant there would still be room for stronger cadets, creating an unbeatable combination.

But now Julia had thrown herself into the mix, brazenly coveting Astron right in front of everyone. Irina’s frustration bubbled higher, but beneath it, a flicker of confidence remained. ‘Astron won’t choose her. Why would he, when he can be on my team? I understand him better than she ever could.’

As the interaction between Julia and Astron played out, Irina’s sharp mind worked quickly. She had to secure her position, and she had to do it without appearing reactionary. Confidence was key, and she wouldn’t give Julia the satisfaction of seeing her rattled.

‘Let her play her little game,’ Irina thought, her smirk returning faintly. ‘Astron won’t be swayed that easily.’

Her focus shifted briefly to Sylvie, who sat quietly at the edge of the room. The girl’s sharp gaze flickered with curiosity as she observed the unfolding scene, her quiet presence a stark contrast to the chaos around her. Irina’s determination solidified further. ‘Sylvie, too. She’s not just talented—she’s dangerous in the best way. With the two of them, my team will dominate.’

Irina straightened in her seat, her fiery aura settling into something more controlled as she formulated her next move. Julia’s theatrics might have drawn the room’s attention, but Irina wasn’t going to let her dictate the game.

‘Let’s see how confident she feels when Astron chooses my side.’

Irina leaned back slightly, her sharp yellow eyes never leaving Julia and Astron. The embers of her frustration simmered, but the fire in her chest burned brighter than ever, fueled by resolve. It wasn’t just about securing the best team—it was about ensuring Julia knew exactly where she stood.

As soon as Professor Eleanor’s lesson ended, Irina stood with purpose, her fiery yellow eyes locked onto Sylvie’s desk at the far end of the room. Her competitive spirit burned brightly, and she wasted no time weaving through the dispersing students to reach her target. Sylvie, seated calmly as she packed up her things, glanced up in mild surprise as Irina appeared before her.

“Be on my team,” Irina said directly, her voice steady and confident. There was no preamble, no room for negotiation in her tone. She wasn’t asking—she was offering.

Sylvie blinked, her sharp eyes flickering with a mix of curiosity and hesitation. She looked down at her hands for a moment before meeting Irina’s gaze again. “That… are you sure you want me on your team?”

“Yes,” Irina replied without hesitation.

“But…” Sylvie’s brows furrowed slightly, her voice quieter now.

“Is something the matter?” Irina’s fiery hair shimmered as she tilted her head slightly. “Why are you hesitating? If there’s a problem, say it.”

Sylvie hesitated, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her desk. Finally, she sighed softly. “I promised Jasmine and Layla. We agreed to stick together.”

Irina’s sharp gaze flicked to the student seated beside Sylvie—Jasmine. She recognized her, vaguely. The two of them were almost always together, their camaraderie clear in the way they worked and studied side by side. Irina had noticed them before, though only in passing.

‘So that’s Jasmine,’ Irina thought, her eyes narrowing slightly. But then her mind snagged on the second name. ‘Layla? Who’s that?’

It wasn’t unusual for Irina to miss details about her classmates. The academy was massive, and she didn’t waste energy keeping track of every single student. Still, Sylvie’s mention of Layla piqued her curiosity. Whoever she was, Irina hadn’t deemed her important enough to notice before now.

******

Sylvie blinked, caught completely off guard as Irina Emberheart—the Irina Emberheart—appeared at her desk, her fiery yellow eyes blazing with purpose. For a moment, Sylvie could only stare, unsure of what to say. Sure, she and Irina had worked together last semester and had done well as a team, but she never expected Irina to come directly to her like this. It felt surreal, almost overwhelming.

“Be on my team,” Irina said, her tone steady and commanding. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty. She wasn’t asking; she was making a statement.

Sylvie’s mind raced as she processed the words. She glanced at Irina, her [Authority] humming faintly in the back of her mind, picking up on the cascade of emotions radiating from her. Pride—blazing and unshakable. There was an edge of arrogance too, but not in a way that felt dismissive. Trust, though surprising, was there, clear and solid. And beneath it all, a faint, unexpected warmth of happiness and expectancy. It was as if Irina saw her not just as a teammate, but as someone she genuinely wanted on her side.

It made Sylvie’s chest tighten in a way she didn’t quite understand.

“I…” Sylvie hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of her desk as she tried to find the right words. “I didn’t expect you to… I mean, are you sure you want me on your team?”

“Yes,” Irina said firmly, cutting through Sylvie’s doubt without a second thought. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Sylvie opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Jasmine leaned forward from the desk beside hers, her wide eyes darting between the two. “That… Are you really Irina Emberheart?” she asked, her tone equal parts awe and skepticism.

Irina tilted her head slightly, her fiery hair catching the light as she fixed Jasmine with a sharp but curious look. “Hmm? What does that mean? I am Irina Emberheart, of course.”

“…Right,” Jasmine muttered, clearly at a loss for words. Her gaze shifted to Sylvie, her expression practically screaming, What is happening right now?!

Sylvie felt her cheeks warm slightly under Jasmine’s stare. “Irina, I…” she started, but her voice faltered. She hadn’t even fully processed what was happening. Why would someone like Irina—so confident, so proud—go out of her way to approach her like this? Sure, they’d worked well together before, but this felt different. It felt… personal.

As if sensing her hesitation, Irina straightened slightly, her fiery aura softening just a fraction. “If there’s a problem, just say it,” she said, her tone still direct but with an undercurrent of patience.

Sylvie sighed softly, her fingers tracing the desk’s surface. “It’s not that I don’t want to… It’s just…” She hesitated, glancing toward Jasmine for support before continuing. “I promised Jasmine and Layla. We agreed to stick together.”

Irina’s sharp gaze flicked to Jasmine, who immediately stiffened under the scrutiny, and then to an empty seat nearby. “Hmm… Layla? Who’s that?”

“She’s one of my teammates,” Sylvie explained, her voice steadying slightly. “We’ve worked together a lot. We’ve kind of… formed a group.”

Irina’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger but in thought. Sylvie could almost see the gears turning in her head as she weighed the information.

“Hmm… Are you sure you guys want to stick together?” Irina asked, her tone probing but not dismissive. “What are your occupations?”

Sylvie hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Jasmine, however, jumped in before she could. “Wait, wait, wait,” she said, holding up a hand. “Are you seriously evaluating us right now?”

“Of course I am,” Irina said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “If Sylvie is promising loyalty to a team, I need to know its value.”

Jasmine’s jaw dropped slightly, her expression a mix of disbelief and admiration. “You’re… actually serious. You’re really Irina Emberheart.”

“I already said that,” Irina replied, her tone bordering on exasperation. “Now, are you going to answer my question, or should I make my offer directly to Sylvie?”

Sylvie felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as Jasmine stared at her with wide eyes. “Sylvie,” Jasmine whispered, leaning closer. “What did you do to get her attention?”

“Nothing!” Sylvie hissed back, her cheeks burning. “I didn’t do anything!”

Irina watched their whispered exchange with a faint smirk. “So?” she prompted, her sharp eyes locking onto Sylvie once again. “What’s your decision?”

Sylvie swallowed hard, her mind racing. The emotions radiating from Irina—confidence, trust, expectancy—were almost overwhelming. She had no idea how to respond, but one thing was clear: Irina wasn’t going to leave without an answer.

“Sigh…..”

Sylvie let out a long, deliberate sigh, her shoulders rising and falling as she tried to compose herself. The weight of Irina’s intense gaze was almost suffocating, but she wasn’t about to let herself get completely overwhelmed. “Alright,” she said softly, glancing at Jasmine. “Jasmine, go ahead.”

Jasmine blinked, looking between Sylvie and Irina, before crossing her arms and stepping forward. “Fine,” she said, her tone somehow cheerful.

Though it was clear that she was a little overwhelmed.

Jasmine cleared her throat, clearly trying to project confidence even though Sylvie could sense her nervous energy. “I’m Jasmine,” she began, offering a small, almost defiant smile. “and I’m a swordsman. Well, more like a jack-of-all-trades with a focus on agility and close combat.”

Irina’s sharp yellow eyes assessed Jasmine with a quick, calculating look. “A swordsman?” she echoed, her tone neutral but not dismissive. “What about your rank?”

Jasmine hesitated briefly but squared her shoulders. “Middle of the pack,” she admitted. “But I’ve been training a lot, and I’ve worked with Sylvie enough to know we make a great team.”

Irina raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment further. Her gaze flicked to Sylvie, as if silently evaluating the dynamic between the two of them.

Before Sylvie could say anything, a familiar voice interrupted. “Hey! Did I miss something?”

Layla’s cheerful tone broke the tension as she approached, her bright smile lighting up the room. She looked between Irina, Jasmine, and Sylvie, clearly curious about the situation.

“You’re just in time,” Sylvie said, relief evident in her voice. “Irina’s… asking us some questions.”

“About what?” Layla asked, tilting her head as she slipped into the conversation.

“Your occupation,” Irina said bluntly, her fiery gaze locking onto Layla.

“Ah….Well, I am a tank.”

It appeared that she was a tank.

‘Eh?’