Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 711 160.2 - Resting is important

The soft hum of the train blended with the faint creaks of the wooden panels, creating a rhythm that should have been soothing. But for Irina, it was anything but. She shifted again in her seat, adjusting the thin blanket she had brought along. The night had deepened, and the cabin was bathed in the faint glow of moonlight streaming through the rattling window.

She closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to fall asleep. But every bump in the tracks sent a jolt through the seat, every faint groan of the train's old structure seemed amplified in the silence. With an exasperated sigh, she sat up, her hazel eyes flicking to Astron.

He sat across from her, his arms crossed and head leaning slightly against the backrest. His sharp features were softened in the dim light, his usually sharp gray eyes hidden behind closed lids. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm, his expression calm and untroubled.

He's sleeping... Irina thought incredulously, her lips twitching into a pout. Of course, he's sleeping. Why wouldn't he be? He was right-again.

The realization stung, though not as much as she expected. He told me I'd struggle. That adapting to discomfort wasn't as easy as I made it out to be. She sighed softly, leaning her chin on her hand as she studied his peaceful face.

How does he do it? she wondered, her gaze lingering on him. Is it just practice? Or is it something else?

Astron's ability to adapt, to take things as they came without complaint, was

something she envied in moments like these. It wasn't that she couldn't be practical- she was a Hunter, after all-but she'd always valued a balance between efficiency and enjoyment. Yet here she was, unable to sleep because of a rattling window and a hard

seat.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched him. He's probably going to bring this up tomorrow, she thought, her cheeks flushing slightly at the idea. "I told you so," or something equally smug in that calm, unreadable tone of his.

Irina felt a pang of bubbling resentment prick at her chest, fueled partly by her own frustration and partly by the sight of Astron's peaceful sleep. How is it so easy for him? she thought, her hazel eyes narrowing slightly as she glanced at the blanket crumpled in her lap.

Her jaw tightened, and before she could second-guess herself, she stood up with a huff, the sound barely louder than the train's hum. The faint sway of the car as it moved over uneven tracks did little to deter her. The cabin consisted of a block of four seats arranged in pairs facing each other, and while she had originally taken the seat

opposite Astron, she now moved to sit directly beside him.

If he's so comfortable, she thought, her irritation mingling with a touch of childish defiance, then I might as well make it a little harder for him.

The curtain separating their block from the rest of the train's interior swayed slightly as she brushed it aside. Not that it mattered-they had the entire section to themselves. Irina had rented all five blocks around them precisely so they could enjoy their journey in peace. Yet right now, that solitude only served to highlight her restless discomfort.

Sliding into the seat next to Astron, she glanced at him again. His head rested slightly against the seat's backrest, his sharp features illuminated softly by the moonlight. Even now, there was a quiet strength to him, as though nothing could truly disturb his calm.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, her voice too low to wake him.

She leaned back, crossing her arms as she stared out of the window at the darkened landscape. But her gaze kept drifting back to him, her frustration waning slightly as she took in the peaceful rhythm of his breathing.

It's not fair, she thought, her lips curving into a faint pout. How does he manage to make even this look effortless?

Irina narrowed her eyes, her frustration bubbling into a mischievous defiance. He's so calm, so serene... it's infuriating, she thought. Her gaze fell to his face, softened in sleep, and an idea crept into her mind. Before she could think better of it, her hand moved almost on its own, her index finger pressing gently against his cheek.

The faint warmth of his skin caught her attention first, followed by its texture- smooth and soft, as she had expected. Of course, it's soft, she mused. With a face like his and being an Awakened, it makes sense.

But there was something else. While his skin was soft, it wasn't squishy. His face lacked the slight layer of fat that would give it that plush quality. Instead, it was firm, the kind of firmness that spoke of someone who trained their body rigorously, every muscle and fiber in balance.

Her lips curled into a small, triumphant smirk as she pressed her finger a little harder into his cheek, testing its elasticity. The slight resistance amused her, and she found herself pressing again, just a bit more firmly, as if measuring the give and recoil.

"Heh....Now what?"

She leaned closer, her finger now tracing small circles against his skin. There was a strange satisfaction in the act, a way to release her pent-up annoyance while indulging in the rare opportunity to bother him without consequence.

Astron's face twitched slightly, but he didn't stir. Irina froze, her heart skipping a beat as she waited to see if he would wake. When he didn't, she let out a small sigh of relief,n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

her smirk returning as she resumed her exploration.

She poked, prodded, and even tried lightly pinching the corner of his jaw, noting how the firm structure remained steadfast under her touch. Not a single ounce of squishiness, she thought, shaking her head. Just hard angles and that infuriating perfection.

Her finger lingered a moment longer before she leaned back slightly, crossing her arms as she regarded his still-sleeping face. "You're lucky you're asleep," she muttered softly, a faint pout tugging at her lips. "Otherwise, I'd have a lot more to say about how annoying you are."

Just then..... Irina froze, her heart lurching in her chest as a sudden, inexplicable chill washed over her. She blinked, her gaze snapping back to Astron's face-only to find his eyes open, glowing with their unmistakable purple intensity.

"Ah?!" she exclaimed, her voice barely more than a strangled whisper. Her finger was still pressed against his cheek, but now, those piercing eyes locked onto hers, clear

and unflinching.

It took her a moment to process the shift, but when she did, her stomach dropped. His disguise-it was gone. I is usual gray eyes had been replaced by the vibrant amethyst hue she had grown accustomed to seeing only when his true face was revealed. Even his features seemed sharper now, more distinct in the dim moonlight.

How...? she thought, her mind racing. Wasn't he asleep? When did this-

"You weren't exactly subtle," Astron's voice cut through her thoughts, calm and measured as always. His lips twitched faintly, almost as if he were amused, but the sharpness in his tone was unmistakable. "Did you really think I wouldn't wake up if someone got that close to me?"

Irina's mouth opened, but no words came out. Her brain scrambled for a response, but his steady gaze held her captive.

"You weren't even trying to be stealthy," he continued, his voice carrying a faint edge

of dry humor. "If I didn't wake up when something like this happened, I'd be in a much worse state in dungeons."

Her cheeks burned as his words sank in. He's been awake this whole time?! Watching

me?!

"I... I wasn't..." she stammered, pulling her finger back as if it had been burned. Her face was practically glowing with embarrassment now, her hazel eyes darting anywhere but at him. "You-how long-why didn't you say anything?!"

Astron tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze unyielding. "Because I was curious," he admitted calmly. "What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by poking and pinching my face?"

"I—I wasn't—" Irina sputtered, her thoughts a jumbled mess of indignation and humiliation. "You were asleep! How was I supposed to know you were awake?!" "You weren't supposed to," he replied simply, leaning back against the seat as if the entire situation were entirely normal. "But you should've considered the possibility." Irina clenched her fists, her frustration bubbling over. "You're impossible!" she hissed, her voice a mix of outrage and mortification. "You could've just said something instead of... instead of letting me make a fool of myself!"

Astron's lips twitched again, this time unmistakably forming a faint smirk. "And interrupt your little experiment?" he asked, his tone as calm as ever. "That would've

been rude."

"Rude?!" Irina's voice pitched higher, her cheeks still burning. "You're the one who just sat there letting me-"

She cut herself off, burying her face in her hands with a groan. He's so infuriating! she thought, her embarrassment only growing as she replayed the scene in her mind. Astron's smirk faded slightly as he studied her, his expression softening by a fraction. "Irina," he said quietly, his tone losing some of its teasing edge. "Next time, maybe just

ask if I'm awake."

She peeked through her fingers, her hazel eyes narrowing at him. "Next time?" she repeated, her voice dripping with exasperation. "There won't be a next time!"

"Are you sure? Since I really doubt that...."

Irina groaned again. "Bastard."

SWOOSH!

And bam.

She was again on top of him.

"What are you doing?" "Humph....how about this?" "About what?"

"Can you sleep like this?"

"Heh....I will stay like this....Let's see if you can 'adapt' to this one as well then!"

=Irina huffed, her cheeks still warm as she adjusted herself on Astron's lap, straddling him with her legs pointed toward the window. Her head rested against his chest, and she crossed her arms in mock defiance, her hazel eyes daring him to say something. Astron, for his part, stayed remarkably composed despite the sudden escalation. His sharp purple eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at her, his arms resting calmly at his sides. "This case," he began, his voice calm but tinged with a faint note of incredulity, "is not entirely practical."

Irina tilted her head up to look at him, her lips twitching into a triumphant smirk. "Not

practical?" she echoed. "Isn't adapting to strange situations what you preach all the

time?"

Astron raised an eyebrow, the faintest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.

"There's absolutely no reason for me to practice adapting to this particular situation."

Irina grinned, her confidence growing as she leaned back slightly, her hands resting on his chest. "What if I say this is a situation I'll make you adapt to?" For a moment, Astron simply stared at her, his expression unreadable. The train rattled softly, the only sound filling the silence between them. Then, without a word, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back slightly, as if conceding to her antics. Irina's smirk widened, a feeling of triumph blooming in her chest. "Get used to it while you can," she declared, settling against him with a satisfied sigh. Astron let out a quiet sigh of his own, raising a hand to rest gently on her head. He

patted her lightly, his touch surprisingly soft. "Are you a child?" he asked, his tone carrying a faint edge of teasing.

Irina stiffened, her cheeks flushing once again. "I'm not a child!" she snapped, glaring

up at him even as her blush betrayed her.

"You're acting like one," Astron replied evenly, though the slight upward twitch of his

lips gave away his amusement.

Irina pouted, burying her face against his chest to hide her embarrassment. Astron's hand remained on her head, patting her lightly again.

Irina couldn't think of a proper retort, so she simply stayed where she was, her head

resting against him as the train rocked gently along the tracks. Despite her earlier frustration, she found the position surprisingly comfortable. Maybe he's not so impossible after all, she thought, her eyes drifting closed as a small smile tugged at her

lips.

Astron glanced down at her, his expression softening for a moment before he returned his gaze to the window. The faint glow of the moonlight illuminated the cabin, casting a calm stillness over the scene as the train carried them through the

night.