Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 833 - 193.1 - Selene.

Chapter 833 - 193.1 - Selene

The match continued, but my focus wasn't entirely on it anymore.

Not because it wasn't interesting—on the contrary, it was playing out exactly as expected. Lilia had realized her mistake, figured out the interference, and was now seething at the obvious manipulation happening right in front of her. But what could she do? The battlefield had never belonged to her in the first place.

And Selene... Selene was enjoying it.

I knew that without even looking at her.

Still, I kept my gaze fixed on the match, my arms crossed loosely as I leaned against the pillar, observing the subtle shifts in the flow of the fight. But then—

"Do you think life is fair?"

The voice was smooth, lilting with casual amusement.

I didn't react.

Not immediately.

Because that was a stupid question.

Instead, I remained where I was, my gaze unmoving, uninterested. I wasn't obligated to answer something so blatantly baiting.

Selene, however, was not the type to tolerate being ignored.

"Isn't it a bit rude to ignore a lady when she's speaking?" she mused, her tone carrying just the faintest hint of mock offense.

My expression remained neutral. I tilted my head slightly, shifting my gaze only after a deliberate pause.

"Were you talking to me?" I asked, my voice calm, unreadable. "I thought it was someone else."

A soft chuckle. "Surely you jest," she murmured, her brown eyes gleaming with quiet amusement. "Do you sense anyone else near us?"

Of course not.

Selene knew exactly what she was doing. The space around us was clear—while the other cadets were absorbed in the match, she had positioned herself precisely so that only I would hear her.

She wanted this conversation.

And that meant she wanted something from me.

Selene Thornheart. @@@@

00:35

I exhaled through my nose, finally shifting my full attention to her.

Selene Thornheart.

Up close, she was an entity of pure control. Every part of her was meticulously measured—the way her small frame carried itself, the way her shoulders barely moved when she breathed, the exact tilt of her chin as she maintained eye contact. She was deliberate. Every step, every glance, every faint twitch of her fingers—it all served a purpose.

And I saw it all.

My perception was sharp, honed by experience and something more, something instinctual. I caught the minute shifts in her weight as she stood, the barely-there flick of her fingertips as if adjusting invisible threads, the near-imperceptible rise and fall of her chest that never quite matched the rhythm of a truly relaxed person.

She was playing.

Not just with Lilia.

Not just with Adrian.

With everything.

With me.

"You're watching carefully," she noted, tilting her head slightly. Her voice was soft, but it carried weight. "What do you see?"

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I observed a little longer.

Her balance was perfect—no unnecessary movements. Her pulse, as far as I could tell, was even. There was no stiffness in her shoulders, no hint of nervous energy in her fingers. She was comfortable.

That was dangerous.

She had likely read into it. Considered what kind of relationship I had with Irina. And now?

She was testing me.

'To what end?' I wondered.

I kept my expression impassive, my stance unchanged. But inwardly, my mind was working through the possibilities. If Selene was trying to see how I reacted to this, it meant she was assessing something. Maybe my discipline. Maybe my usefulness.

Or maybe... she just wanted to see how much she could make me dance.

I exhaled slowly, tilting my head just slightly, meeting her gaze fully.

"This figure of yours is indeed quite nice," I said evenly, watching the flicker of amusement in Selene's brown eyes.

It wasn't a compliment. Not really. Just a simple acknowledgment, delivered with the same detached calm as everything else I said. But I knew Selene. I knew how she operated. And I knew exactly what response she was going to give me.

Sure enough, she stepped forward.

Just close enough.

Just enough to test boundaries.

Fine-tuned control, as always.

"Then," she murmured, her voice carrying a faint, playful lilt. "Fine things should be tasted, don't you think?"

Her brown eyes gleamed with something unreadable—something dangerous. A challenge. An invitation. A trap.

Predictable.

I tilted my head slightly, exhaling through my nose in quiet amusement. "Fine things should be tested," I corrected smoothly. "But one must first check if they are poisonous."

A brief pause.

Then, laughter.

Soft. Light. But carrying weight.

Selene placed a hand against her chest, her posture remaining effortless, the faintest shift in her expression betraying intrigue. "Poisonous?" she echoed, feigning surprise. "How cruel. Do I seem so dangerous to you, Astron?"

I met her gaze fully, allowing the silence to stretch just a second longer than necessary. "No," I said finally. "Danger can be obvious. You, on the other hand, prefer to work in ways that don't leave traces."

Another flicker in her eyes.

A moment of intrigue.

Then, another step.

Closer now.

A fraction too close for casual conversation.

Her presence was carefully controlled, her every movement measured. This wasn't just seduction—it was something more than that. Something deeper.

She was playing with possibilities.

She was seeing what I would do.

"Well," she said lightly, her voice a purr of amusement. "Poison can be pleasant in the right doses, can it not? Sometimes, it even makes life more exciting."

That depends," I said smoothly. "Some poisons take effect immediately. Others linger, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

Selene smiled.

A slow, knowing curve of her lips.

A pause.

Then—

"Ah, but isn't that what makes it fun?" she mused. "The uncertainty? The risk?" Her gaze flicked over me again, deliberate. "Tell me, Astron. Do you fear taking risks?"

"Everyone takes risks. Only those who are wise never take risks they don't control."