Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest-Chapter 420 95.5 - I am here [Interlude]

<Valerian Federation. Linnungham State, Two weeks ago>

The room was dimly lit, with only a soft, warm glow emanating from a single bedside lamp, casting elongated shadows against the walls. The air was thick with the scent of expensive cologne and a hint of perfume.

In the center of the room, on a luxurious bed draped with satin sheets, lay a man with a lean, sculpted build. His face was chiseled and handsome, and he exuded confidence even in repose.

Beside him stood a woman with incredible beauty, her silhouette striking against the muted light. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her eyes, gleaming with an enigmatic allure, were fixed on the man before her.

"God, I hate them all," the man began, his voice tinged with frustration. "My boss, my coworkers—they just keep piling work on me. Do they think I'm some kind of machine? Every random task, every little thing that goes wrong, it's always my responsibility to sort it out."

The woman listened intently, her presence a calming force in the room. She gently ran her fingers through his hair, her touch soft and soothing.

"Mhmmm…..That feels good…."

It was evident that she was good with her fingers. Her voice, low and sultry, wove through the air like a warm embrace. "Tell me more," she murmured, her tone inviting him to continue.

"They wouldn't be able to do anything without me," he continued, his voice growing more impassioned. "I'm the one who keeps everything running smoothly. They don't appreciate the effort I put in or the hours I work. It's like they don't even see me. And that woman! Even after all those things I am doing for her, she refuses to acknowledge anything. Not even a word of appreciation. You bet she even looks down on me just because her father is a high-ranking executive."

The woman's lips curled into a subtle smile, though her eyes remained sympathetic. She leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear. "It's their loss," she whispered in her voice, a blend of reassurance and temptation.

"Yeah…..."

The man answered while his body slowly relaxed and his breathing slowed down.

"But I heard you have even investigated what happened in that cursed land."

"Cursed Land?" the man asked, puzzled.

"Yes, the place where everything was covered with fog," the woman replied, her tone still sultry.

"Phantom's Land," the man named the place, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you talking about that place?"

The woman nodded, a slight smirk playing on her lips. "Yes, that's the one."

The man nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was one of those who investigated that place." Suddenly, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How did you know that I—"

Before he could finish his question, the woman grabbed his lips and sealed his mouth with hers. They shared a long and erotic kiss, their breaths mingling in the dim light. When they finally pulled apart, the man's eyes had lost their light, as if he had been enchanted or drugged.

The woman's voice was soft and commanding as she asked again, "Tell me about the investigation in Phantom's Land."

The man, now entranced, began to speak. "We investigated the place and discovered that the phenomenon that bugged the government for at least fifty years was actually related to a demon. An ancient demon, on top of that."

The woman smiled as if she had expected this answer. "What happened to that demon?"

"The demon was killed by Academy students," the man replied.

The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Academy students? They killed such a demon?"

The man started to speak again, but his body convulsed as he showed signs of resistance. The woman's long fingers caressed his body once again, her eyes glowing bright purple. The man relaxed and continued talking obediently. "Three students from Arcadia Hunter Academy reportedly killed the demon on their own. They were rewarded for their accomplishment, though it was hidden that they killed a demon."

The woman's eyes narrowed in thought. "Who were the ones that killed the demon?" she asked.

The man's eyes glazed over as he conjured three faces in his mind, and the woman easily found their faces.

The woman studied their faces, memorizing them with a cold smile.

"Even though the academy students were talented, from the data that I measured, it was highly unlikely that they could achieve such a thing. The demon was too strong. I suspected that there was someone else there, but their traces were fully covered, and no proof was left. The investigation was soon covered up, and it was stopped."

The woman's smile deepened, her eyes reflecting a mixture of satisfaction and intrigue. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice a soothing balm to his entranced mind. "You've been very helpful."

As the man drifted into an enchanted sleep, the woman stood up, her silhouette a dark shadow against the dim light.

"These three faces, huh?" She mumbled as she waved her hand. A black smoke rose from the man's mouth after he fell asleep, not knowing he would forget everything by tomorrow.

"Let's see if they were really the ones."

On the document she had on her watch, three faces and three names could be seen.

Irina Emberheart.

Sylvie Gracewind.

Astron Natusalune. "Students of Arcadia Hunter Academy."

******

<Arcadia Hunter Academy, Friday 9 A.M>

The bustling grounds of Arcadia Hunter Academy were alive with the energy of the duel between the two strongest mages of freshmen.

In the midst of the crowd stood a woman with an eye-catching presence, her sultry body, showcasing attire, and raven-black hair setting her apart.

Beside her was a young man, his demeanor confident and inquisitive.

"So, what do you think about the duel between the two greatest mages of our generation, Sophia?" the young man asked, his voice tinged with excitement. He was Zark Muckerberg, a scout for a newly rising guild. He turned to the woman with curiosity, eager to hear her thoughts.

After all, she was his girlfriend of one year, and she had been with him for a long time. There were many different times that she had given her own ideas, which turned out to be the best decision that he had made.

The woman referred to as Sophia, kept her gaze fixed on the arena where two students were locked in a heated magical duel. Her eyes, cold and calculating, focused on one student in particular—a young student with fiery hair and amber eyes who moved with fierce determination and grace.

"They are incredible," Sophia replied, her tone measured. "Both possess immense talent and skill."

Yet, inwardly, her thoughts were far from impressed. She recalled the conversation with the man whose memory she had wiped clean.

He had claimed that Irina Emberheart, one of the students before her, was part of the group that had killed the ancient demon.

'There is just no way that Belthazor can be killed by this girl. No matter how pathetic he is.' But as she watched Irina now, Sophia could see that the young woman didn't have the necessary strength to accomplish such a feat.

'Something is not adding up. But, it seems there was really someone who was hiding behind and working behind the scenes.' Something was being hidden.

'But well, isn't this more exciting? After all, I really want to see who that person is. So that I can eat them before my lady does.' She licked her lips with a slight smile.

'And it seems the opportunity will reveal itself soon.' Seeing all the familiar energy surrounding her, she couldn't help but lament.

'Humans surely have a way of inventing all these new things. If not for them directly planting one to me, I would not have sensed what was happening.' She thought after looking at the seed on her hands.

Zark, unaware of Sophia's inner turmoil, continued to watch the duel with fascination. "It's hard to believe they're still students," he remarked. "The future looks bright for the Arcadia Hunter Academy."

Sophia's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Irina's every move. "Indeed," she murmured. "But there are always layers beneath the surface, hidden truths that need to be revealed." f𝐫e𝚎we𝚋n𝐨𝘃el.𝗰𝗼𝐦

After the duel ended, suddenly, many explosions started happening everywhere across the place.

–BOOM! And seeing that everything was starting, the woman instantly disappeared.

"Sophia? Sophia? Where are you? Urghk–! My head….." Zark's voice faded into the chaos.

In the midst of the chaos, 'Sophia,' or, originally known as 'Zafira,' moved towards the arena, keeping herself hidden. As she reached the arena, smoke covered the area, and she saw the two students lying on the ground, unconscious after the duel that had tired them to the maximum.

She moved to capture Irina Emberheart, but just at that moment, she sensed the barrier that had been formed over the academy. The spatial barrier would make it impossible for anyone to leave using teleportation. Thus, she decided to let things go for now, as it wouldn't be wise for her to reveal her identity just to capture Irina Emberheart. But as she saw the two professors approaching the students, she had an idea.

'This barrier is no ordinary one,' Zafira thought, studying the intricate patterns of the spatial distortion. 'Someone has gone to great lengths to ensure no one escapes. Interesting.'

As the professors neared the unconscious students, Zafira's mind raced. She needed to find a way to get close to Irina without arousing suspicion. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for an opportunity.

'Perhaps a little subterfuge is in order,' she mused, her lips curling into a cunning smile.

Zafira quickly slipped into the shadows, her form blending seamlessly with the smoke and debris. She moved closer to the professors, overhearing their frantic discussions.

"Get them to the infirmary immediately," one professor ordered, his voice urgent. "We need to stabilize them before anything else happens."

The other professor nodded, beginning to cast a levitation spell to carry the students.

Zafira waited until the spell was in place, then made her move. With a subtle flick of her fingers, she sent a tiny, almost imperceptible burst of dark energy towards the spell. The energy seeped into the magic, embedding itself deep within the spell's matrix.

And then, in an instant, something different happened.

"Huh?"

As one of the professors exclaimed, suddenly, the target of the spell had changed.

From the two students that they were ordered to care about to their own selves.

–SWOOSH! Following that, the two professors flew uncontrollably from arena two and outside of the academy. And in the midst of the chaos, no one noticed what was happening to them.

'That should do it,' she thought, satisfied.

'Now. Let's see if Irina Emberheart is really hiding her strength or if someone else was there.'