Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 466 105.2 - What it means to be a Genius

<Stealth Training hall, 12 P.M>

The training area was silent, the dim lighting casting elongated shadows across the floor. Astron stood at the starting point, feeling the weight of Kennet's gaze on him. Today was the day of the first-stage examination, a test to prove his mastery over the basics of stealth and presence suppression.

"Ready, Astron?" Kennet's voice cut through the silence, calm yet commanding.

Astron nodded, his focus sharpening. This was the culmination of weeks of intense training, and he was determined to succeed. Kennet moved to a control panel, activating the intricate wards and sensors scattered throughout the obstacle course.

"Remember," Kennet said, his eyes fixed on Astron, "this is about more than just physical agility. You must blend with your surroundings, making your presence indistinguishable from the environment. Move slowly and deliberately, maintaining your mana flow in harmony with the ambient energy."

Taking a deep breath, Astron closed his eyes briefly, centering himself. His breathing slowed, his heartbeat steadying.

As the course began, he stepped forward, each movement calculated and precise.

********

The Exam

The first obstacle was a series of narrow beams, each one lined with delicate sensors. Astron rolled his foot from heel to toe, imagining the floor as water beneath him. His steps were light, silent, and deliberate. The beams didn't shift, and the sensors remained inactive.

Next, he encountered a wall with hidden pressure plates. He visualized his mana as a calm stream, flowing gently through him and blending with the environment. With each breath, he felt the subtle shifts in the ambient mana, adjusting his flow to match. He scaled the wall, careful not to trigger any hidden alarms.

Halfway through the course, Astron faced a field of laser sensors. Their faint hum was almost imperceptible, but with his [Perceptive Insight], he could sense their presence. He minimized his mana output, blending with the surrounding energy, and moved through the lasers with fluid grace.

Finally, he approached the last section—a series of shadowed alcoves and moving platforms. This part required perfect timing and balance. Astron took a deep breath, his focus unwavering. As he navigated the platforms, he felt his presence dissolve into the shadows, becoming one with the environment.

Reaching the end of the course, Astron stepped into the final alcove. The sensors remained inactive, and the wards were undisturbed. He turned to face Kennet, who had been watching closely.

'What is this…..' Kennet could not believe what he was seeing. He had been taking a close look at Astron's prowess for a long time as he got his attention. That was why Kennet was sure that he was not like this yesterday.

'His body…..It has changed…..Just like his mana….' Whatever the reason was, the kid's steps and presence became more silent, and the change was a drastic one.

'With this pace, he can even finish the second stage in just one day.' Kennet's eyes were narrowed, his expression one of intense scrutiny. Slowly, a smile spread across his lips. "Well done, Astron," he said, nodding in approval. "You completed the course without setting off a single alarm. Your control over your presence and mana flow is impressive."

'In any case, it is not my place to inquire about his secrets. Everyone here has one or two at least.'

Kennet walked over, his demeanor shifting to one of a mentor ready to impart further wisdom. "You've mastered the basics, but now we move to the second stage. This will require a deeper understanding of your environment and more advanced techniques."

He paused, his gaze piercing. "First, let's discuss enhancing your sensory awareness. In advanced stealth, it's not enough to blend in; you need to anticipate and adapt to changes in your surroundings. This means extending your perception beyond the immediate area."

Kennet raised his hand, demonstrating with a flow of mana. "You must learn to project a field of awareness around you, sensing disturbances in the ambient energy. This will allow you to react instantly to threats or changes, maintaining your stealth even in dynamic situations."

Astron watched intently as Kennet manipulated the mana, creating a subtle ripple in the air around him. "This is called the [Aura of Silence]. By projecting this field, you can dampen your presence and any sound you make, making you almost undetectable. It requires precise control and a deep connection with the ambient mana."

Kennet's eyes met Astron's, serious and focused. "Practice this technique in the coming days. Focus on expanding your awareness and maintaining the harmony of your mana with the environment. Remember, true stealth is not just about hiding; it's about becoming an invisible part of the world around you."

"I understand. I will do my best."

*******

After finishing his training for stealth techniques and having his meal, Astron made his way to the familiar training room where he would be working with Reina.

As he approached the door, he already knew there would be a new challenge awaiting him. He extended his [Perceptive Insight] and began to decipher the psion line near the doorframe, filtering out the ambient mana and focusing on the unique thread.

'What would the password be this time?' he wondered, predicting Reina's tendencies. 'Considering what kind of passwords she has been using, this time it must be.' He thought as he predicted.

'Took you long enough.'

Sure enough, as he deciphered the psions, the password revealed itself: [Took you long enough].

Even if he could predict the password, he wanted to take up the challenge and make sure he was getting better for every practice.

With a click, the door's lock disengaged, and the screen displayed the familiar message: [Access Granted]. Pushing the door open, Astron stepped inside. Reina was already there, waiting for him with a neutral expression, though her eyes betrayed a hint of anticipation.

"Impressive," she remarked, noting his quick entrance. "You're getting faster at this."

Astron nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Miss Reina."

"Let's begin immediately," she said, gesturing for him to follow her deeper into the room.

 They moved to the center, where the intricate runes and glyphs awaited. Without wasting any time, Reina created several complex psion lines, each interwoven with multiple threads of varying resistance and flow.

"Today, we'll continue your practice with filtering and assimilation," she instructed. "Just like yesterday, this time, too, I want you to handle multiple threads simultaneously and adapt to their unique characteristics."

Astron nodded, focusing his mind. As he extended his mana threads to interact with the psion lines, he subtly expanded his mana all across the space, using the ambient mana as a conduit. He felt the energy in the room shift, harmonizing with his own.

Reina's eyes widened slightly as she observed this. She recognized the technique instantly. "Astron, have you learned [Aura of Silence]?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of disbelief.

Astron nodded, maintaining his focus. "Yes, I learned it today."

Reina shivered slightly at his response. [Aura of Silence] was known to be a complex technique, usually requiring a long time to master. The reason for that was not because the technique was hard but because it would be the first technique that the trainees would be learning in terms of stealth and mana.

That was why she was having a hard time understanding what she was seeing, as supposedly, according to Kennet's observations, this must be his first time mastering it, too.

Yet, Astron had not only learned it in a single day but was also using a slightly altered version in this space. While [Aura of Silence] typically created a field of perception around the user, Astron had taken it a step further, creating a field of impact around him.

The 'impact' was not that strong. At least not enough to affect the physical objects, alter them, or smash them.

But, it was enough to deal with the low mass-energy like the small mana psion particles themselves. And this was what today's training was about.

She watched in awe as Astron's mana threads wove seamlessly into the psion lines, filtering and assimilating multiple threads simultaneously with remarkable precision. The ambient mana in the room seemed to resonate with his energy, creating a harmonious flow that enhanced his ability to decipher the intricate patterns.

"You've taken [Aura of Silence] and adapted it to your unique abilities," Reina observed, her voice filled with admiration. "Creating a field of impact around you... that's impressive."

Astron continued to work, feeling the threads of mana become part of his own flow. "Thank you, Miss Reina. It felt like a natural progression during my training."

'The natural progression during your training….Are you clueless of the feat that you have just achieved, or are you just boasting…I can't tell.'

The fact that this kid's face never even changed slightly was sometimes irritating. Being his teacher of some sorts Reina wanted to see the happiness that her student would display when he had successfully learned something.

But that was not the case.

'Now I can see why Garrett did not like training this kid too much. It feels like talking to a wall. No reaction or anything, just absorbing knowledge and techniques. Almost as if he is not a human.' Reina nodded, somehow feeling pitiful for the kid. After all, how could she not feel pitiful when this kid was ripped apart from the things that he wanted the most? "You're progressing faster than I anticipated. Let's push this further."

But she was not someone who would mix feelings with her work.

For the rest of the session, Reina challenged Astron with increasingly complex psion lines, each requiring a higher level of filtering and assimilation. Astron's expanded field of impact allowed him to handle the challenges with newfound ease, his [Perceptive Insight] guiding him through the intricate dance of mana.

As the training continued, Astron's understanding and control deepened. He could sense the subtle nuances in the flow of mana, harmonizing with the ambient energy and integrating it seamlessly into his own.

By the end of the session, Reina's expression was one of approval. "Indeed, you have almost mastered everything for deciphering and filtering. This pace is even faster than what I had initially thought. Not bad, young man."

Reina said as she looked into his eyes. "Also, congratulations on your new rune."

"Thank you, Miss Reina."

"No need to thank me, thank Dakota instead. She was the one who pushed hard for you to get that rune." Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Miss Dakota…. I understand I will do that."

"Good. Now, you will most likely receive a new addition to your training; it will be related to your new rune. Hope you will make the most of it."

"I will."

"That is a good attitude."

With that, Astron left the training room.