Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

The morning light poured into the classroom through the tall windows, casting golden streaks across the desks. The students of HA25 sat quietly, the usual hum of pre-class chatter replaced with a nervous energy. The atmosphere was expectant—Professor Kain's entrance always carried an air of gravitas, and today was no exception.

The door opened with a soft creak, and Professor Darius Kain strode into the room, his tall frame commanding immediate attention. His sharp gray eyes swept across the students as he reached the podium, his movements deliberate and confident. The sound of his boots against the polished floor echoed in the silence.

"Good morning," he began, his deep voice resonating through the room. He placed a sleek tablet on the podium, briefly glancing at it before addressing the class. "I trust you've all had a productive week and have finalized your team submissions."

The students exchanged glances, a ripple of curiosity and apprehension moving through them. Professor Kain's gaze flicked up, meeting their eyes with a slight smile—a rare but genuine expression of approval.

"I'm pleased to report," he continued, "that all team submissions have been reviewed and approved. It seems you've all been responsible enough to adhere to the academy's rules and avoid overlooking the ranking limits or team size requirements."

A faint murmur of relief spread through the room, though it was quickly silenced by Kain's steady presence.

"This is a promising start," he said, his tone firm but carrying a note of encouragement. "It shows that you're taking this course—and its importance—seriously. Keep it that way."

He picked up his tablet, tapping on it to bring up the roster on the classroom screen. The names of the approved teams flashed in neat columns, and the students leaned forward, their curiosity piqued as they scanned the list for familiar names and groupings.

"As you can see," Kain said, gesturing to the screen, "your teams are now officially established. From this point forward, you are accountable not just for yourselves, but for one another. Success or failure will be shared among your team."

He let the words hang in the air for a moment, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room.

"Now," he continued, his tone shifting slightly, "let me inform you about today's schedule. This afternoon, we will commence the first practical session for this course."

The room buzzed with murmurs again, excitement and nervousness bubbling up in equal measure.

Kain raised a hand, silencing the room with his commanding presence. "The session will begin promptly at 2:00 PM. You are to report to the Training Grounds no later than 1:45 PM. Being late will not be tolerated, and excuses will not be accepted."

His gray eyes narrowed slightly, his expression serious. "The practical session will test your ability to function as a team under controlled conditions. It is an introduction—nothing more—but I expect you to treat it with the seriousness it deserves."

Julia leaned over to Ethan, whispering, "Controlled conditions, huh? Wonder how controlled it'll really be."

Ethan smirked but kept his gaze forward, not wanting to draw Kain's attention.

Kain continued, his tone unwavering. "This session is designed to assess your initial teamwork capabilities and provide a baseline for improvement. Do not treat it as a competition. Your focus should be on collaboration, adaptability, and communication. Remember: the battlefield doesn't reward lone heroes—it rewards teams that work as one."

Professor Kain took a step back, his sharp gray eyes scanning the room to ensure his message had settled in. The murmurs of excitement and apprehension faded as the students straightened in their seats, the gravity of his words lingering in the air.

"Now that the administrative matters are out of the way," Kain said, his tone shifting to one of instruction, "let's begin today's lecture."

He tapped his tablet again, and the classroom screen came to life, displaying a detailed diagram of a simulated battlefield. The layout depicted a dense forest, a river cutting through the terrain, and scattered enemy positions marked in red.

"Today's focus," Kain began, gesturing to the screen, "is on field awareness and role optimization. These are the foundations of effective teamwork, and understanding them is critical to your success—both in this course and as hunters."

The diagram zoomed in on a specific section, highlighting a small team of figures in blue attempting to cross the river while under attack.

"Let's start with this scenario," Kain said, his voice steady but commanding. "A team is tasked with retrieving an artifact located across the river. The enemy is entrenched on the opposite bank, and the terrain is uneven, making direct confrontation risky. The team has four members: a Striker, a Defender, a Support, and a Tactician. What's the best approach?"

The students exchanged glances, a few of them already whispering ideas. Kain raised an eyebrow, signaling that he expected someone to answer aloud.

Julia raised her hand, her confident smirk in place. "The Striker should create a distraction, draw the enemies' attention away from the river, while the Tactician coordinates the movement of the Defender and Support to secure the crossing."

"Good," Kain said with a nod. "That's one approach. But what are the risks?"

Lilia leaned forward, her sharp green eyes focused. "If the Striker goes too far ahead or engages for too long, they risk being isolated and overwhelmed. The Defender would need to hold position effectively to prevent that."

"Correct," Kain said, his gaze shifting to the rest of the room. "Adaptability isn't just about having a plan—it's about anticipating the consequences of that plan and preparing contingencies. What happens if the enemy has reinforcements hidden in the forest?"

Ethan raised his hand, his voice calm but thoughtful. "The Tactician would need to account for that possibility before committing to the plan. If reinforcements appear, the team might have to regroup and adjust, prioritizing defense while reassessing the situation."

"Exactly. A rigid team is a dead team. Flexibility is your greatest asset, and it starts with understanding your roles and how they interact."

He tapped the screen, and the simulation played out, showing how different strategies unfolded. As the students watched, Kain highlighted both successes and failures, pausing to point out critical moments where decisions—good or bad—determined the outcome.

For the remainder of the lecture….things continued just like that.

******

As the class ended, the students began packing up their belongings, the tension from Professor Kain's commanding presence slowly dissipating. Julia leaned back in her chair with a long, exaggerated sigh, throwing her arms up in mock frustration.

"Ugh, these classes are going to kill me," she groaned, her blue eyes darting to Ethan. "Do you know how hard it is to sit still for that long and actually pay attention?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, his hazel eyes calm as he replied, "You could try listening for once. You might actually learn something."

Julia shot him a mock glare, though the smirk on her face betrayed her amusement. "Oh, come on, Ethan. Even you have to admit Kain's lectures are like slow torture."

"They're fine," Ethan said simply, gathering his things with a measured efficiency. "You just don't like being told what to do."

Julia gasped, clutching her chest in mock offense. "Me? Not like being told what to do? How dare you suggest such a thing."

While their banter continued, Irina stood silently, smoothing her uniform as she pushed her chair back. Her fiery yellow eyes flicked toward Astron, who was still seated at his desk, calmly reviewing something on his tablet.

Her lips curved into a subtle smirk. Now that her photos with Astron were all over the academy's gossip channels, there was no point in hiding their association. If anything, she intended to lean into it. 'Let them talk,' she thought, her fiery hair swaying as she stepped away from her seat. 'If they're going to speculate, I might as well give them something to speculate about.'

She strode purposefully across the room, her movements deliberate but natural, drawing subtle glances from her classmates. The air seemed to shift as she approached Astron's desk, her confidence radiating with every step.

When she reached him, she placed a hand lightly on the edge of his desk, her amber eyes gleaming with amusement as she tilted her head slightly. "You ready to go?" she asked, her tone casual but carrying a distinct edge of ownership.

Astron glanced up, his sharp purple eyes meeting hers with his usual calm demeanor. "I wasn't aware we were leaving together," he said evenly, though there was a faint flicker of curiosity in his gaze.

Irina smirked, leaning in just slightly. "Well, now you are."

Their interaction didn't go unnoticed. Julia, who had been mid-complaint, suddenly stopped, her blue eyes widening as she nudged Ethan. "Oh, my gods," she whispered, her voice dripping with delight. "She's really doing it."

Ethan glanced over, his expression neutral but his curiosity piqued. "She's not even trying to hide it anymore."

Lucas, who had been quietly packing his things, glanced toward the scene and chuckled softly. "Irina doesn't do anything halfway. You know that."

Back at Astron's desk, Irina straightened, her smirk widening as she noticed the quiet murmurs around the room. She stepped back slightly, giving Astron enough space to stand. "Come on."

But then before she could leave, she had heard something.

"Wait."

It was the voice of someone whom she didn't expect.
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"Shouldn't we talk about the practical session as a team?"

It was Sylvie.