Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 734 167.2 - Return to the Academy

encouragement, "this strength is a tool, not a trophy. Don\'t get comfortable. Growth doesn\'t stop just because you\'ve leveled up."

Ethan nodded, the weight of her words settling in his chest. "Got it, Aunt Kaya. Thank you for everything"

As he turned to descend the trail, Ethan couldn\'t help but smile to himself. Finally, home.\'

The path down the mountain was steep, but Ethan moved with practiced ease, his movements sure and steady from weeks of Kaya\'s grueling training. The once-daunting terrain now felt almost welcoming, as if the mountain itself acknowledged his progress. His bag bounced lightly on his back as he picked up his pace, the thought of returning to the Hartley Manor spurring him onward.

\'A real bed. A bath. Full technology again. The thought sent a ripple of excitement through him. Living under Kaya\'s watch had been an experience-brutal, relentless, and entirely devoid of comfort. She hadn\'t allowed anything beyond the essentials. No entertainment, no social media, no distractions. \'She called it purification... and maybe she was right.\'

Despite the hardships, Ethan felt lighter, as though shedding those conveniences had cleansed something inside him. He hadn\'t realized how much noise filled his life until it was gone.

But even as he reflected on this newfound clarity, a pang of longing stirred in his chest. He quickened his steps, feeling his heart rate pick up for a reason unrelated to the descent. His friends came to mind-Julia, Lilia, Lucas, Carl, Irina-and, unbidden, Jane.

Her name lingered longer than the others, and with it came the memory of her tearful smile when he had saved her. His face flushed as his heart thudded in his chest. \'What is wrong with me?"

He shook his head, trying to dispel the thought, but it lingered stubbornly. I told her I\'d be gone for training. She understood... but what if-no. She\'s fine. She\'s strong.\' Even as he reassured himself, the worry crept back in.

A breeze rustled through the trees lining the trail, and Ethan picked up his pace until he was nearly jogging. The path opened up, and the familiar sight of the Hartley Estate came into view. The sprawling grounds were a welcome sight after weeks of rugged terrain and makeshift accommodations.

With a burst of energy, Ethan broke into a full sprint. The ache in his muscles from training, the weight of his bag-none of it mattered. The wide, open fields leading to the manor felt like freedom itself, and he reveled in the sensation. \'Almost there.\'

The grand Hartley Manor stood tall, its pristine facade gleaming under the midday sun. Ethan slowed to a stop at the main entrance, panting slightly as he took in the sight. \'Home.\'

He stepped inside, his boots clicking softly against the polished marble floors. The familiar scent of lavender and cedar filled his senses, a comforting contrast to the earthy, sweat-soaked reality of the past month. A servant approached, bowing politely.

"Welcome back, Young Master Ethan. Shall I prepare a bath for you?"

Ethan couldn\'t suppress the grin that spread across his face. "Yes, please. And make it hot"

As he ascended the grand staircase, he reflected on the solitude of the past weeks. Kaya\'s strict regimen had left no room for indulgence, and he hadn\'t dared to question it. \'She\'s an S-rank hunter for a reason. If she thought was necessary, it probably was.\'

Still, the idea of sinking into a hot bath, surrounded by the comforts of home, felt almost surreal.

The bathroom was a haven of luxury, its modern fixtures gleaming under soft, ambient lighting. Ethan sank into the steaming water, the heat enveloping him like a warm embrace. He let out a sigh of relief as the tension in his muscles began to melt away. "This... this is heaven.\'

For a few moments, he allowed himself to simply exist, his thoughts drifting. But as the water soothed his aching body, his mind wandered back to his friends-and to Jane.

As his gaze wandered lazily around the bathroom, his eyes fell on the counter where his smartwatch rested. It had been placed there by the maids, likely when they were preparing the bath. The sleek device gleamed under the soft lighting, a small but sharp reminder of the world he had momentarily left behind.

Ethan reached over, droplets of water trailing from his hand, and picked it up. The screen lit up as soon as he tapped it, and a flood of notifications erupted across the display. He blinked in surprise as the device buzzed incessantly in his hand, the sheer volume of updates almost comical.

\'What the...?"

The screen scrolled through an endless list of messages, pings, and alerts, the overwhelming stream of activity making him feel a strange mix of excitement and unease. He hadn\'t realized just how much he\'d been cut off from everything.

Social media updates flashed before his eyes-likes, comments, and posts from friends and acquaintances. His inbox was equally chaotic, filled with messages he hadn\'t

seen.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"This feels... surreal.\'

Ethan opened his messaging app, his thumb hovering for a moment before diving into the chaos. Group chats were alive with activity, and he scrolled through the backlog of messages, catching up on conversations he\'d missed.

One particular group chat caught his eye, the name flashing with familiarity: The Chaos Squad. He opened it, greeted by a flood of messages.

[Julia: Yo! Anyone wants to come? Let\'s meet this weekend?]

The message was from four weeks ago, and seeing it felt like unearthing a memory frozen in time.

[Lilia: I wnta to emoe, but I cna\'t emoe.....]

Ethan chuckled softly. It was a typo, clearly mocking Julia\'s message, and seeing the banter between the two brought a wave of nostalgia. It was as if nothing had changed

in his absence.

[Lucas: Guys, stop being weird in the chat. You\'re scaring away the normal people.]

[Julia: What normal people? You mean YOU?]

[Lucas: ... I walked into that one.]

The back-and-forth felt familiar, grounding. Despite everything, their dynamic

remained unchanged.

Ethan scrolled further, noticing several messages addressed to him directly.

[Irina: Ethan? Are you alive?]

[Lucas: I told you he\'s training with his scary aunt. Leave him be.]

[Lilia: Or maybe he\'s hiding from us because he knows we\'d roast him for skipping

practice.]

Their teasing brought a small smile to his face, but his heart skipped a beat when he spotted Jane\'s name in the chat.

His heart thudded louder, the warmth from the bath suddenly feeling more intense.

Jane..."

He switched to their private chat, the last message from her standing out.

[Jane: Good luck with your training! I\'ll be waiting to hear all about it when you\'re

back. :)]

The simplicity of her words made them all the more impactful. He reread them a few times, a smile tugging at his lips. She really... cares.\'

Ethan stared at the screen of his smartwatch, his thumb hesitating over Jane\'s name in the chat. The memory of their last conversation replayed in his mind, her soft smile and the gentle encouragement she had offered before his training.

\'I promised I\'d call her.\'

The thought made his chest tighten, and for a moment, he considered putting it off. The warmth from the bath was doing little to calm the sudden rush of nerves. \'Get a

grip, Ethan. You\'ve faced Aunt Kaya for a month. This is nothing.\' Resolving to follow through, he tapped the call button. The ringing tone echoed in his ears, a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation building with every second. He leaned back against the edge of the tub, clutching the smartwatch as if it might steady

him.

"Hello?" Jane\'s voice came through, soft and familiar, and immediately, Ethan felt a

sense of ease wash over him.

"Hey, Jane. It\'s me," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

There was a pause, and then her tone shifted, a mix of relief and warmth. "Ethan!

You\'re back! I was starting to think you forgot about me."

Her playful jab made him chuckle, though his heart beat a little faster. "I didn\'t forget. I

just got my smartwatch back-fresh off the mountain."

"Mountain?" she echoed, the curiosity in her voice unmistakable. "I thought you were just training. Did they send you on some kind of wilderness survival trip?"

"Pretty much." Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, even though she couldn\'t see him.

"My aunt-Kaya Hartley-was in charge. She doesn\'t believe in \'easy! Let\'s just say I\'ve been running up cliffs and dodging attacks for weeks."

Jane laughed softly, the sound light and genuine. "Sounds intense. And here I thought my life was tough. You okay?"

"Yeah, I\'m fine. Sore, but fine," he replied, his tone softening. "How about you? How\'ve you been?"

"Oh, you know," she said, her voice turning a little quieter, "just surviving the semester. It\'s been... interesting."

The hesitation in her voice didn\'t escape him. "Jane, is everything okay?"

There was a moment of silence before she answered, her tone lighter but still a little

guarded. "It\'s nothing major. Just the usual academy drama. Nothing you need to worry about."

Ethan frowned. \'She\'s holding back.\' But he didn\'t push, knowing Jane well enough to

understand that she\'d open up when she was ready. Instead, he shifted the topic. "I missed talking to you."

The words slipped out before he could stop them, and he immediately felt his face heat

up. \'Smooth, Ethan. Real smooth.

On the other end of the line, Jane\'s breath caught for a moment. When she spoke

again, her voice was softer. "I missed talking to you too."

His heart thudded in his chest, and for a moment, he didn\'t know what to say. The comfortable silence that followed felt more meaningful than any words could have

been.

\'Right.....\'

Just like that, the conversation continued.