Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

<Thursday Morning, Arcadia Hunter Academy>

The sun rose over Arcadia Hunter Academy, casting a golden hue across the sprawling campus. The amphitheater buzzed with excitement as students and spectators alike gathered for the highly anticipated duels of the day.

Today, the spotlight would be on the higher-ranked students, those with ranks of 500 and above. These duels were expected to be more intense and skillful, showcasing the best of the best.

The stands filled quickly, the air thick with anticipation. Families, friends, and mentors found their seats, eager to witness the prowess of the academy's elite. The buzz of conversation filled the air as people discussed the upcoming matches and their predictions.

"Today's matches are going to be incredible," one student remarked to his friend, excitement evident in his voice.

"Absolutely. I've been waiting to see the top students in action," his friend replied. "There's a lot of hype around these duels."

At precisely 9:00 AM, the Headmaster's voice echoed through the amphitheater, calling for attention. "Welcome, everyone, to the fourth day of our Final Exam duels! Today, we will witness the skill and determination of our higher-ranked students. Let the duels begin!"

The audience erupted into applause, the energy palpable as the first duel was announced.

"Our first duel of the day is between Rank 500, Leona Jackey, and Rank 480, Darius Gerken. Contestants, please step into the arena!"

Leona, a tall and agile student with flowing silver hair, stepped into the arena with a confident stride. She wielded a pair of slender, enchanted daggers that gleamed under the morning sun.

Opposite her, Darius, a robust young man with fiery red hair, brandished a large broadsword engulfed in flames. The contrast between the two fighters was striking, both in appearance and fighting style.

The crowd watched in hushed anticipation as the two combatants took their positions. The announcer's voice rang out again. "Are both contestants ready?"

Leona and Darius nodded, their eyes locked onto each other with focus and pride.

"Begin!"

As the duel commenced, the shadows within the amphitheater stirred. A group of individuals cloaked in a simple attire moved with practiced stealth, their presence unnoticed by the excited spectators.

This fact was almost understandable. Since there were many simultaneous duels happening at the same time, many onlookers felt the need to travel from one arena to another, making this a common occurrence.

Yet their goals were a bit different.

Since they were agents of an organization named Valkara, they were tasked with a dual mission: to identify potential candidates for corruption and to plant demonic seeds.

These seeds, imbued with a new type of magic that emitted incredibly low wavelengths of mana, were untraceable. They resonated with the emotional fluctuations of the students in the duels, making them vulnerable to corruption.

They have been planning this operation even before the start of the semester since they were very well aware of the big shots in the world and their heirs.

The fact that many different heirs would be attending the Arcadia Hunter Academy this year and the academy's traditional duels were widely known.

From this point on, it wasn't hard to infer that this event would be widely known. But, in fact, even before that, he had already informed them about this operation.

He reveled; they listened.

The head of the group, a tall figure with piercing eyes, scanned the crowd and the arena, his gaze sharp and calculating.

The first three days. They were not doing anything, only observing the academy. Just in case a variable can occur, they were making sure.

It was also not efficient enough to attack in those days since the damage wouldn't be enough. The risk of being caught was also higher, making it an obvious choice.

'As expected, the number is quite high right now. They prepared well, but it is also all according to the intel.'

Such an operation would never have been possible without an insider, after all.

Under the eyes of one of the strongest beings in the world, deceiving it was almost impossible.

[Spread out and begin the operation,] he commanded in a hushed tone.

His first group of subordinates nodded and dispersed, blending seamlessly into the throng of spectators.

They moved with purpose, discreetly slipping the demonic seeds into the pockets and bags of unsuspecting onlookers. The seeds were small, barely noticeable, yet their effects would be profound. This group had been active from the first day of the duels since these demonic seeds were newly produced products and almost impossible to detect.

Meanwhile, the leader focused on the second phase of their mission.

He discreetly signaled to another group, who began to mingle with the crowd, subtly implanting organic transplants into the onlookers. These transplants were a precursor to the attack they planned to carry out, ensuring that when the time came, chaos and panic would spread rapidly.

Yet, they hadn't realized one thing.

There were certain people watching them. People who were already informed that something would happen.

And those certain people were tracing them from the start.

********

<Thursday Afternoon, Arcadia Hunter Academy>

The amphitheater was abuzz with excitement as the next highly anticipated duel was announced.

This match promised not only a display of exceptional skill but also a clash between two prominent guild heirs.

"Our next duel features Lucas Middleton, ranked 85, versus Vincent Hale, ranked 54. Contestants, please step into the arena!"

The crowd's murmurs of excitement grew louder as Lucas Middleton stepped into the arena. His white hair shimmered under the sunlight, and his striking blue eyes held a steely determination.

He was incredibly handsome, with a slender but toned physique. In his hand, he held a sword of extraordinary craftsmanship, a special artifact of the Middleton Household, rarely seen by even the most esteemed guests.

Opposite him, Vincent Hale strode confidently into the arena. With his muscular build and intense gaze, he exuded an air of power and readiness.

Vincent, the heir to the Tasty Gods guild, a rival of the Middletons, carried a formidable double-edged axe, a weapon that symbolized his guild's strength and resilience.

Though he used a rare weapon, this particular heir of the Tasty Gods was known for his bloodthirstiness and berserk skills.

He was rumored to be the slaughterer of the monsters in the dungeons.

The crowd could feel the tension between the two combatants, knowing that this duel was more than just a test of skill; it was a battle of pride and legacy between two powerful families.

After all, this was the reason why Lucas had chosen Vincent. Normally, he was supposed to be Julia's opponent on the other timeline, and Lucas had seen the fight beforehand.

Julia easily bashed Vincent, destroying him. The fight wasn't even close. And the fact that there was a rivalry between the two made it more popular, increasing Julia's fame.

But this time, things were bound to be different since he had chosen Vincent instead, stealing the opportunity.

'If she can do it, I can easily do better.'

Essentially, the victory was simply on his hands. Since, from the parallel world, he already knew Vincent's style and the way he fought. Though even if he didn't know, he was pretty confident that he would end it faster.

Rather than fighting with brute force, Lucas' style was different.

He threw a quick look at the person sitting in the front lounge.

A person that was sitting as if the world was serving him. Sharp like a blade, as if he can cut everything. A demeanor of seriousness and mightiness.

Fergus Middleton.

His father.

The person whose words still haunted him to that day. The very person who made this hole in his heart was the reason he never felt satisfied with himself.

'Just watch. I am going to show you the true heir.'

Even at this age, he was still unable to forget those looks that were given to him.

"Are both contestants ready?" the announcer's voice boomed, disrupting his thoughts.

'What are you doing, Lucas? Focus.' Lucas and Vincent nodded, their eyes locked onto each other.

"Begin!"

The moment the signal was given, Vincent charged forward, his axe raised high. Lucas, displaying remarkable agility, sidestepped the initial attack, his sword gleaming as he countered with a swift strike aimed at Vincent's side.

CLANG!

Vincent's axe met Lucas' sword with a resounding clang, the force of the collision sending sparks flying. The crowd erupted in cheers and gasps, their excitement palpable as the duel began in earnest.

Vincent, known for his brute strength and aggressive fighting style, swung his double-edged axe with relentless power. Each strike aimed to overpower Lucas and force him onto the defensive. His muscles bulged with every swing, his movements precise and calculated.

"I still have not forgotten that time."

Vincent was the first one to open his mouth, his eyes locked on Lucas. There was a clear smirk on his face, but his eyes were serious.

"Me neither."

After all, while their families were rivals, these two were also the same.

"That is good. Because, you are going to pay back for what you did."

At that time, when Tasty Gods were expanding their business, they had assigned the area to Cale Vale, Vincent's brother.

And they were allies with the Middleton Family.

"We didn't do anything."

"Lies. It was your family's sword. Everyone knows about it."

And Cale Vale was killed by someone from the Middleton family.

SWOOSH! The axe was once again swung. The speed of the axe was so fast that the onlookers were having a hard time sensing it.

But more importantly, the strength behind the strike even split the air across the blade, sending a shockwave enhanced by mana.

CLANK! Lucas, however, was prepared. His style was one of agility and precision, using his opponent's strength against them. He deftly dodged Vincent's powerful swings, his movements fluid and graceful.

CLANG! SWOOSH! CLANG!

His sword flashed in the sunlight as he parried and countered, each strike aimed to exploit the gaps in Vincent's defense.

"She is punished for it."

The murderer was easily found. After all, there was a handful of people who could kill the young prodigy Cale, especially cleanly.

It was his friend.

Sarah Middleton, Lucas' half-sibling from another mother.

A genius of the sword.

And the traitor of the family.

"Her head should be rolling down, just like my brothers."

But she wasn't executed. She escaped from her punishment officially.

"It was supposed to be, but she escaped."

"You let her escape."

And, of course, the Vale family could never escape such a result since the fact that their son died while the perpetrator escaped.

From that point on, the rivalry began.

"We did not."

"Lies."

"Nothing will be able to convince you."

"There is only one thing that can convince me. It is the head of that bitch."

As Vincent's words echoed through the arena, Lucas maintained his focused expression, meeting his opponent's gaze without flinching.

The tension between them was palpable, fueled by their families' bitter history and personal animosities. Yet, behind Lucas's steely exterior, thoughts churned.

'He still remembers,' Lucas thought, recalling the history between their families and the tragedy that had sparked their rivalry.

He knew Vincent harbored deep resentment, justified in his own way by the loss he had suffered. Sarah Middleton's actions had forever changed the course of their families' relations, casting a shadow over their interactions.

But still, that didn't mean they were supposed to be enemies. In fact, it was the reverse.

'Hero Butcherer.'

Since in the future that he had seen, Vincent became a major villain, almost killing Ethan.