Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 770 Chapter 177.4 - Formation

Chapter 770  Chapter 177.4 - Formation

Irina's sharp yellow eyes widened slightly as Layla's words sank in. 'A tank? We have a girl tank?' The surprise registered clearly on her face, though she quickly schooled her expression back into her usual confidence. Tanks were rare, especially at the academy. Most vanguards were swordsmen or spearmen—damage dealers who relied on brute strength or agility. Pure tanks, those who specialized in soaking damage and holding the front line, were almost unheard of. 
And a girl tank? That was even more uncommon. Most female students leaned toward rangers, swordsmen, or mages, leaving the more physically grueling roles to their male counterparts. 
For a moment, Irina just stared at Layla, her mind working rapidly as new possibilities unfolded before her. 'A healer and enchanter like Sylvie, paired with a tank and a vanguard? That's nearly optimal. Add Astron's precision and adaptability, and the team could be unbeatable.' 
"Wow," Irina said finally, her tone betraying a mix of genuine admiration and amusement. "You guys can really stick together." 
Sylvie blinked, her hesitation softening into curiosity as she tilted her head. "What do you mean?" 
Irina crossed her arms, her fiery hair shimmering as she leaned slightly closer to the trio. "I mean, with you as a healer and enchanter, Layla as a tank, and Jasmine as a vanguard, you already have a strong core. It's a near-perfect layout on paper." 
Jasmine looked between Irina and Layla, her expression flickering between pride and disbelief. "You… really think so?" 
"Of course," Irina said with a faint smirk. "Tanks are rare enough, but pair one with someone who can reinforce and heal? That's efficiency. And having a close-combat vanguard round it out. You three clearly work well together." 
"I wasn't expecting this, but I'll admit—it's better than I thought." 
Sylvie raised an eyebrow, still uncertain. "So… what's your plan, Irina?" 
Irina's smirk widened as she leaned slightly closer to Sylvie, Jasmine, and Layla, her fiery confidence radiating with every word. "You guys, join my team," she said, her tone commanding yet oddly warm. "With the four of us, we'll be unstoppable." 
Sylvie blinked in surprise, Jasmine tilted her head curiously, and Layla's expression shifted to thoughtful consideration. Irina let the silence hang for a moment, her sharp yellow eyes locking onto each of them in turn as if daring them to refuse. 
"Think about it," Irina continued, crossing her arms. "Tanks are rare, enchanters who can heal are even rarer, and you've got a solid vanguard in Jasmine. Add me to the mix, and we're already ahead of most of these teams." 
Sylvie hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of her desk. "You really think we're that good?" she asked, her voice quieter now. 
Irina tilted her head, her smirk softening slightly. "I don't think—I know. And here's the kicker: if I manage a high rank even with team members who are lower-ranked, my grades will skyrocket. The system rewards teams that outperform expectations, and with you three, we'll blow past everyone else." 
'And with that guy… everything fits quite well,' she thought, the image of Astron flashing briefly in her mind. His precision, adaptability, and understated brilliance would round out the team perfectly. The idea was almost too good to pass up. 
The only thing that slightly bothered her was that the team would be an all-girl setup. 
'Not that it matters,' she thought, brushing the concern aside. 'As long as they're competent, I couldn't care less…..right…' 
Somehow, Irina started finding this not that good. 
'Now that I think about it, this may not be that good of an idea….' 
She started doubting her decision. Remembering how Astron was taking all that attention to himself. 
Jasmine exchanged a glance with Layla before looking back at Irina. "All right," she said cautiously. "We're interested. But… who's our last team member?" 
But it was already too late to back up anyway. 
Irina's smirk deepened, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. "You'll see." 
Before anyone could ask further, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her fiery hair catching the light as she moved with purpose. The trio watched her leave, curiosity and anticipation hanging in the air. 
"Well," Jasmine said, breaking the silence, "she's… intense." 
Sylvie chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That's one way to put it." 
Layla crossed her arms, a thoughtful smile tugging at her lips. "I don't know. I think she might just be the push we need." 
The three of them exchanged a look, a silent agreement passing between them. Whatever Irina had planned, it was not like they would get a better team. 
****** 
Irina stepped out of the building, the sunlight reflecting off her fiery hair as she scanned the courtyard. The soft hum of her smartwatch was the only sound accompanying her purposeful strides. The message she had just sent— "Wait for me." —was short and direct, but it conveyed all she needed Astron to know. 
And, as expected, there he was. 
Astron stood a short distance away, leaning casually against a low wall with his usual composed demeanor. His sharp gray eyes flicked toward her the moment she stepped into view, their unreadable calm contrasting with the faint irritation flickering in her fiery yellow gaze. 
'Of course, he looks perfectly at ease,' she thought, her steps quickening as she approached. 'Meanwhile, I'm the one cleaning up the mess left behind by his nonchalant attitude.' 
Stopping just a step away from him, Irina crossed her arms, her lips curving into a faint scowl. "You," she began, her tone sharp but not quite angry, "you're awfully good at causing me headaches without even trying, you know that?" 
"Good afternoon to you too, Irina." 
Her scowl deepened slightly, though her irritation was more habit than genuine anger. "Don't 'good afternoon' me," she huffed, jabbing a finger in his direction. "What was that in the classroom? Letting Julia make such a bold offer in front of everyone?" 
Astron tilted his head slightly, his expression as calm as ever. "Letting her? I didn't realize I was responsible for her actions." 
"You didn't reject her outright," Irina countered, her yellow eyes narrowing. "You know how much attention you've been avoiding, and then you just… entertain her like that? Do you want to be at the center of the academy's gossip mill?" 
Astron's purple eyes met hers, steady and unflinching. "I didn't accept her offer, either." 
Irina let out an exasperated sigh, her hands dropping to her hips. "That's not the point. The point is you're supposed to be on my team. Our team." 
For a moment, Astron simply studied her, his gaze flicking briefly to the smartwatch still on her wrist, where her earlier message glowed faintly. Then, with an almost imperceptible sigh, he pushed off the wall and stood straighter. "I take it you've already started recruiting?" 
"Obviously," Irina said, her tone softening slightly as she straightened her posture. "Sylvie's in. Jasmine and Layla, too." 
"Sylvie, Jasmine and Layla…..Hmm…" Astron echoed, a faint note of curiosity entering his voice. "You recruited a tank?" 
Irina nodded, her lips curving into a small, triumphant smile. "A proper tank. Rare, isn't it? Add Sylvie's healing and enchanting to the mix, plus Jasmine's vanguard skills… It's shaping up to be a perfect team. All it's missing is you." 
Astron shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. "You really are lucky. The fact that you just wanted to recruit Sylvie and somehow ended up with a tank and a swordsman to round it out? That's impressive." 
Irina's confident demeanor faltered for the briefest moment, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. She quickly recovered, lifting her chin slightly as if to brush off the subtle embarrassment. 'How does he do that?' she wondered. 'He wasn't even there, and yet he's pieced it all together like he saw the whole thing.' 
"But," Astron continued, his tone thoughtful, "are you sure this is the best course of action? I'm pretty sure there are plenty of higher-ranked students who'd want to join your team. Why insist so much on Sylvie?" 
At that, Irina's lips curled into a smirk, her fiery yellow eyes gleaming with confidence. "Let's call it intuition." 
"Intuition?" Astron echoed, raising an eyebrow. His sharp purple eyes locked onto hers, the faint glow behind them giving him an almost otherworldly air. He studied her closely, his gaze steady and penetrating, as though peeling back the layers of her thoughts. 
Irina held his gaze, though her heart beat a little faster under the weight of his scrutiny. The intensity of his stare wasn't something she could ignore, but she refused to waver. Her smirk remained, though a flicker of unease crept into her chest. 'Why does it feel like he's looking straight through me?' 
After what felt like an eternity but was likely only a few seconds, Astron's expression softened, and he gave a small nod. "Okay," he said simply. "I trust your judgment." 
The words, spoken with such quiet sincerity, caught Irina off guard. Her smirk faltered for a moment before returning, wider and more genuine this time. "Heh…" she let out a soft laugh, her voice tinged with satisfaction. "You'd better. I always know what I'm doing." 
Astron tilted his head slightly, his gaze still calm but carrying a faint trace of amusement. "We'll see." 
Irina crossed her arms, her fiery confidence returning in full force. "Oh, you will. Just wait and watch, Astron. This team is going to blow everyone else out of the water." 
Astron's lips quirked into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk at Irina's declaration. "Is that so?" he said, his tone neutral yet carrying a subtle edge of amusement. 
Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel, his cloak shifting lightly with the motion. "Then I'll leave it to you to prove it," he added over his shoulder as he began to walk away. 
Irina's fiery yellow eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him go, her arms still crossed. 'Always so infuriatingly calm,' she thought, her lips twitching into a wry smile. "You'd better not forget," she called after him, her voice carrying a mix of authority and playful defiance. "I'm counting on you, Astron." 
He raised a hand in a casual wave but didn't look back. "I wouldn't dare," he said, his tone light but steady. 
As his figure disappeared into the distance, Irina stood there for a moment longer, the heat of her competitive resolve flickering like embers in her chest. 'He trusts my judgment,' she thought, her smirk softening into something more genuine. The thought warmed her in a way she didn't entirely understand. 
Taking a deep breath, she spun on her heel and strode back toward the academy building, her fiery hair catching the sunlight as it swayed with each purposeful step. 
"Just wait, I will crush every one of you."