Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

"But still….I am quite curious."

Alden turned to Maya, his sharp blue eyes softening just a touch, though the intensity of his curiosity remained. "Aside from the challenges you two have faced together, Maya... what makes him different from others?" His tone was calmer now, but the underlying seriousness in his words couldn't be ignored.

Maya hesitated for a moment, her thoughts racing. This was the question she had anticipated but had hoped to avoid for just a little longer. Alden wasn't simply asking out of curiosity—he wanted to understand the depth of her connection to Astron, to see beyond the surface.

She glanced at Astron, who remained composed, quietly watching the exchange unfold. He wasn't one to offer much unless asked directly, always calculating, always careful. That was one of the many things she admired about him. It was also one of the things that made him difficult to explain to her brother.

Taking a breath, Maya chose her words carefully. "Astron is... different because of the way he handles himself, brother. It's not just about his skills or the fact that he saved my life, though that in itself is significant. It's the way he approaches everything with a level head, the way he sees the world." She paused, her mind reaching for the right explanation. "He's unlike anyone else I've met. His actions are calculated, and his decisions are made with precision. He doesn't act rashly, nor does he let emotions cloud his judgment. In a world where many rely on brute strength or sheer power, Astron stands apart because of his mind."

"Ho?"

Alden's gaze remained fixed on her, his expression unreadable. He was listening intently, waiting for more.

"And," Maya continued, "there's something else. When I'm with him, I feel like I can rely on him—not just in combat but in understanding things that others might overlook. He... sees things differently, and that has made all the difference in how we've navigated the situations we've faced."

Alden raised an eyebrow, still skeptical but intrigued. "You speak highly of him. But trust, Maya, is not something to be given lightly. Do you believe he will continue to prove himself worthy of it?"

Maya nodded without hesitation. "I do. He's earned that trust, and I believe he will continue to do so."

"Interesting. You said he approaches everything differently, and he sees the world beyond what many see. Can you please elaborate?" Alden's curiosity was evident, though his tone remained calm and measured.

Maya paused, considering how best to explain it. "It's just as I said. Astron sees what many tend to overlook. Where most people might focus on the immediate problem, he's already thinking several steps ahead, analyzing details that others would miss entirely. From where a normal person might draw one conclusion, he can draw three, or even more."

Alden's expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of interest in his eyes. "So, he's observant, then."

Maya nodded. "Indeed. He notices the little things—the subtleties in people's actions, the patterns in how they react. And he uses that understanding to make decisions that others might not even consider. It's not just about what's happening at the moment but how that moment fits into a larger picture. It's what's kept us safe more than once."

Alden leaned back, his eyes once again drifting toward Astron. "Being observant can be a powerful trait," he mused, his voice thoughtful. "It's rare to find someone who can see beyond the surface, who can calculate multiple possibilities with such precision. That's not a skill you simply pick up—it takes time, experience, and a particular mindset."

He folded his arms across his chest, studying Astron more closely. "If what my sister said is true, you may give me an example then?"

Astron's violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he met Alden's gaze. The room was quiet, the tension palpable as Alden leaned back, waiting for a response. Astron didn't flinch under the scrutiny, but rather embraced it, allowing the ambient mana to flow into his senses. His eyes, now shining faintly with mana, began to absorb the details that lay hidden beneath the surface. He focused on Alden, filtering through the layers of normal and special mana traces that clung to his clothes and form.

"A simple example?" Astron's voice was calm, but his eyes gleamed with insight as he began to speak. "Let me start with the most obvious—your attire, for instance. You recently attended a meeting, likely formal. The fold lines on your shirt and the slight stiffness at the collar tell me that much. However," he paused, his eyes flicking to a subtle mark on Alden's cuff, "the mana traces clinging to your clothes suggest that before that, you spent some time in a place where earth-metal attributed mana is abundant. Judging by the distinct concentration and type of mana, I'd wager a mine. You didn't linger long, but long enough for the traces to stick."

Alden's eyes darkened slightly, but he remained silent, allowing Astron to continue.

"Now, there's more," Astron said, his voice steady but his words sharp. "I see you're a perfectionist—everything about your appearance screams of precision. Your clothes, despite having traces of that meeting and the mine, are immaculately kept. You make sure that no part of your attire is out of place, and your shoes are polished to a shine, though they've seen recent activity."

Astron's gaze briefly flicked to Maya, who watched silently, her expression unreadable, then back to Alden.

"And yet, there's a personal matter," Astron added, his tone still calm but the implications unmistakable. "The faint scent lingering on you, barely noticeable to most, is of someone else—a woman, to be precise. Judging by the distinct scent of high-altitude air and faint traces of her mana, I would say this occurred recently, possibly on an airship. Your secretary, perhaps? The connection is… intimate."

Alden's brow furrowed, but his expression remained otherwise impassive. Astron was not finished.

"And lastly," Astron's eyes narrowed, honing in on an almost invisible tremor in Alden's left hand, "you've developed a dependency on a certain substance. The specific residue on your fingers and the faint trembling are telltale signs. You likely consume it daily, in the morning. It's controlled enough that you function normally, but the signs are there."

Astron's eyes glinted with a deeper understanding as he took in the final layer of his deduction. His voice lowered, but the intensity in his words sharpened.

"The substance you've grown dependent on," Astron began slowly, "isn't just any common stimulant or recreational drug. No, it's far more sophisticated than that." His gaze flicked back to Alden's trembling hand, then up to meet his eyes again. "It's [Varexium], a high-end drug that's both rare and… dangerous. It's not something the average person can even access, let alone afford. Only those with the right connections can get their hands on it, and only a select few can endure its long-term use without severe side effects."

Alden's eyes narrowed slightly, though his face remained unreadable. His fingers unconsciously flexed as if testing the stability of his hand, the tremor now more evident in the stillness of the room. He didn't speak, but his silence was telling.

"You likely use it to enhance focus or endurance," Astron continued, his tone measured. "A drug meant to sharpen the mind, to keep you functioning at peak performance. However," his gaze flicked to the slight discoloration at the edges of Alden's fingernails, "even Varexium has its cost. It's addictive, and it leaves traces—not just on your body but in your behavior."

Maya's breath hitched slightly beside him, though she kept her composure, listening intently. Alden, however, remained stoic, the barest twitch at the corner of his mouth betraying his reaction to the revelation.

Astron pressed on, "You must have powerful contacts to source it. But no matter how controlled it may seem now, the dependency will only deepen with time. And the people who deal in this particular substance? Well, they're not the sort to let their clients walk away freely."

A heavy silence filled the room as Astron finished, his words lingering in the air like a subtle challenge. Alden's sharp blue eyes bore into Astron, their previous amusement now replaced with something far more calculating. He seemed to weigh the young man before him, assessing the accuracy of his words and the implications of what had just been revealed.

Finally, Alden spoke, his voice low and deliberate. "You know your substances well. I'd be curious to know how you came across such knowledge... but that's a conversation for another time." His tone was even, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "It seems you've done more than just protect my sister. You've clearly learned how to navigate certain… circles."

Astron remained silent, simply meeting Alden's gaze without wavering, waiting to see what would come next.

Maya's gaze slowly shifted from Astron to Alden, her expression torn between disbelief and concern. She had known her brother to be secretive and, at times, indulgent in things most wouldn't dare touch, but this was different. "Brother… is that true?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, Alden said nothing, his sharp blue eyes narrowing slightly as he met her gaze. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed—a low, amused chuckle that echoed through the room, breaking the tension. He leaned back in his chair, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Maya, dear," he began, his tone light but laced with something darker. "No matter how superhuman someone might appear, in the end, we all have our addictions. Our crutches. It's human nature, after all. Some are more obvious—some can be hidden behind polished exteriors and perfect performances—but they're always there. Mine just happens to be a bit... refined."

Maya's breath caught in her throat at his words. Her brother's nonchalance, his almost casual admission, felt like a slap to the face.

Her gaze drifted toward Astron, who was quietly sitting across from her, composed as always, silently eating his meal with the same meticulous care he applied to everything else in his life. Her heart tightened. There was her addiction, sitting right in front of her.

Alden smiled knowingly as he watched the subtle exchange between Maya and Astron. There was a quiet understanding in the way Maya's gaze lingered on Astron, and Alden, ever perceptive, didn't miss it. His earlier skepticism began to shift into something more nuanced—an appreciation, perhaps, for the weight of the bond between them.

Leaning back in his chair, Alden spoke, his voice carrying an amused edge, "Well if your combat capabilities are as sharp as your observational skills, I suppose I can't complain too much. Though it seems you're already proving yourself in ways I hadn't anticipated."

Astron, composed as ever, gave a slight nod. "Of course, Lord Evergreen. I am a student of Arcadia Hunter Academy for a reason, after all." His voice carried a quiet confidence, not boastful but assured.

But at the same time, it also served as a warning.

'You have tested me enough; now cease your constant reprimanding tone.' And Alden was someone who could read between the lines. It was the basic quality for a person who was now leading the family, after all.

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