Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 666 147.1 - Chamber of Emberheart

"What would you have me do, Madam?"

"One day in the Chamber of Emberheart."

"Mother!" Irina's voice cut through the room, a mixture of alarm and frustration flashing in her eyes. Her objection was immediate, her voice tinged with concern that she could barely contain. "You can't seriously expect him to endure that. The Chamber isn't something just anyone can withstand. Even our family members, who have natural resistance to fire, face difficulty with its intensity." She looked to Astron, a hint of worry in her expression. "Even I... one of the most skilled of our family, struggled in that place."

The Matriarch's gaze shifted to her daughter, her expression a cold mask of authority. "Exactly, Irina. If this young man truly deserves the access and privileges you've asked of me on his behalf, then he should be capable of enduring what we endure." Her voice held a steely edge, firm and unwavering. "And if he cannot, then it will be a clear indication that his place is not beside an Emberheart."

She turned back to Astron, her gaze piercing. "The Chamber of Emberheart is not a test of simple strength or resolve-it demands resilience and adaptation. It will push you to your limits, and it does not forgive weakness."

Irina opened her mouth to protest again, but the Matriarch silenced her with a raised hand. "Irina, you yourself spoke highly of him, vouched for his capability. Do you not believe he can rise to this challenge?"

Irina hesitated, torn between her trust in Astron's resilience and the harsh reality of the trial her mother proposed. She knew the Chamber's intensity, the way its flames seemed to consume even the strongest minds. She had survived it, but it had been a grueling ordeal, a test even for those whose very blood carried the Emberheart flame.

"But....mother..."

"Do not worry. I am not stupid." The Matriarch's gaze shifted back to Astron, her expression stern yet calculating. "Since you are an outsider," she said, her voice cool and resolute, "I will not expect you to endure the Chamber as one of us would. You will be tested at the first level only. One day-no more."

Irina's eyes widened, her worry plain, but she knew better than to argue further. Her mother's decision was final, and beneath her composed exterior, Irina understood her mother's reasoning. This test was inevitable, a calculated move she had likely intended from the beginning. For the Matriarch, it was a twofold purpose: if Astron truly proved himself, she would be forced to acknowledge him, however begrudgingly. But if he failed, the experience would serve as punishment-a harsh reminder to Astron for daring to challenge her authority, and to Irina, a warning of the cost of misplaced loyalty.

Irina cast a glance at Astron, who met her gaze briefly before nodding, calm and resolved. She could see that he understood the stakes just as well, that he saw this not only as a test but as a challenge to stand on equal footing with the family she'd been born into.

The Matriarch's voice softened, though her words were as unyielding as ever. "Consider this, Mr. Natusalune, both a trial and a lesson. If you can withstand even this single day, I will grant you the access Irina has requested. If not..." Her words trailed off, the implications unmistakable.

Astron nodded once, his tone steady. "Understood. I have no intention of backing away."

A faint, cold smile appeared on her lips. "Then I suggest you prepare. You will enter the chamber in one hour.""

As the Matriarch left the dining room, her cold parting words lingering in the air, Irina's gaze immediately turned to Astron, her expression clouded with concern. Her mind raced, grappling with a mixture of frustration, worry, and self-doubt that threatened to overwhelm her composure.

'How could he possibly withstand the Chamber of Emberheart?" The Chamber was an ordeal few could endure, even those born with the Emberheart flame coursing through their veins. Irina had barely survived her own trial, and she had the inherited resilience of her family. But Astron-an outsider with no natural resistance to fire- was being expected to last a whole day within its relentless heat.

'This is madness,' she thought, bitterness pooling in her heart. She felt an intense resentment rising within her, directed first at her mother, whose calculated cruelty had led to this. Her mother's unyielding standards, her disregard for Astron's well-being-it was all a display of power, a reminder that she controlled everything, even her daughter's choices.

But her frustration didn't end there. She felt anger at Astron too, who hadn't backed down despite her warnings.

He could've backed down swallowing his pride, but instead, he'd faced her mother's challenge with that same infuriating calm. His resolve, his unshakable confidence-it. was as though he didn't even realize the risk he was taking.

And then, a deeper resentment twisted inside her, one that she turned inward. She felt a sting of self-reproach for being unable to stop her mother, for being forced to sit by and watch as he stepped into a trial she knew was meant to break him.

"Why didn't you refuse?" Her voice was low and strained as she looked at him, her eyes reflecting the depth of her worry. "Astron, this isn't just some simple test. The Chamber... it's meant to push you beyond your limits. It's unforgiving."

He held her gaze, his expression as steady as ever, though she could sense the quiet resolve behind his calm exterior. "I know," he replied simply, his tone reassuring. "But this is my choice. If I want to be taken seriously, I need to prove myself."

Irina bit her lip, feeling the weight of helplessness press down on her. "But you don't have to do this," she murmured. "This... this is my family...."

Astron's gaze softened, and he took a small step closer, his calm demeanor anchoring her even as her emotions churned. He didn't know why, but seeing her down like

this....

For some reason, he felt really uncomfortable.

PAT!

His hand instinctively reached out for her head, who had been looking down.

"Irina," he said gently, "this is as much about you as it is about me, now." Astron's hand rested gently on Irina's head, a comforting warmth that steadied her despite the storm of emotions twisting inside her. He looked down at her, his gaze unwavering, a quiet strength that she couldn't ignore.

"You must have known," he murmured, his tone gentle but resolute. "From the very start, the Matriarch had this in mind. Sending me to the Chamber was always her plan. No matter what we did or said, this was bound to happen."

Irina looked up, her eyes teary, but her expression was one of realization. "So... there was only one way to avoid this." Her voice was soft, filled with a sadness she hadn't let herself feel until now.

Astron met her gaze, nodding. "Yes. And that way was for us never to meet."

His words settled heavily between them, but then he added, his voice softening, "But I

don't regret it."

Irina's eyes widened, a surprised blush spreading across her cheeks. She could feel her heart racing, and before she could process the overwhelming warmth that his words stirred in her, she instinctively buried her face in his chest. This infuriatingly calm, insufferably steadfast... She couldn't even finish the thought, feeling her checks grow hotter as she struggled to find her composure.

After a moment, she managed to breathe, murmuring quietly, "Right? What am I even doing?" She took a deep, steadying breath, her embarrassment mingling with a renewed sense of strength. She wiped away the faint traces of her earlier tears, her resolve hardening once more as she looked up at him.

"I don't regret my decision either," she said, her voice steady, filled with a quiet determination. "No matter what happens in that Chamber, I'm glad we met."

"Heh.....You have returned to yourself."

Astron's faint, reassuring smile was the only response she needed. However, what she wanted wasn't there.

'This guy.....He really should smile more.....'

With this deadly face, she really wouldn't be able to keep herself down, but so what?

Though, eventually she felt like dying of embarrassment.

"Cough.....It wasn't because of you, or anything! Don't get it wrong!" And she could

only resort to her usual way of acting.

"Really.....?"

Astron didn't need to smile for Irina to see the amusement in his eyes. He was calm as

ever, but she could tell he was enjoying this, the faint glint in his gaze enough to make

her huff in annoyance.

"You bastard... you really make me worry all the time," she muttered, lightly hitting him on the chest. Her hand barely made an impact, but it was enough to convey her

frustration.

Before she could pull away, Astron caught her hand, his grip gentle yet firm. His hand was cool to the touch, and the sudden contrast sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. He leaned in slightly, his voice calm but edged with a teasing undertone. "Isn't that good?" he murmured. "Better than not thinking about me at all, right?" Irina glared up at him, but her heart raced, his words lingering in her mind. She pulled her hand back sharply, only for a playful idea to spark. Without a second thought, she leaned forward and bit his finger, quick but enough to make her point.

The surprise flickered in his eyes, though he didn't pull away. Instead, he watched her with that same unflinching calm as she smirked, feeling a triumphant satisfaction at having thrown him off-balance, if only for a moment.

"Thank you for the meal-," she said, her tone cool, though her cheeks were still faintly flushed. And with that, she turned and quickly left, her steps brisk as she tried to regain her composure, leaving him to process her unexpected act of defiance.

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