SWNOVELXO Chapter 736 - 167.4 - Return to the Academy
Chapter 736 - 167.4 - Return to the Academy
The garden's lively energy abruptly stilled, like the moment before a storm. The chatter that had filled the air just seconds ago seemed to vanish, leaving behind an uncanny silence. The group exchanged uncertain glances, the shift in atmosphere unsettling.
"Is it just me," Julia whispered, her voice uncharacteristically quiet, "or did it just get eerily quiet?"
"It's not just you," Lilia replied, her gaze scanning the crowd. "Something's... off."
Their attention, like the rest of the students in the garden, was drawn toward a figure walking down the central path. The air around him seemed to command silence, as though even the garden itself dared not intrude on his presence.
"Who's that?" Lucas asked, his voice low but filled with curiosity.
The figure approached with an unhurried stride, his posture exuding an effortless confidence that bordered on regal. Cold, piercing purple eyes scanned the crowd, sharp and unyielding like twin amethysts. His skin was unblemished and pale, like porcelain untouched by imperfection, and his features were sharp enough to seem almost sculpted—a jawline that could cut glass and a nose that added to his aristocratic air.
The whispers began, soft and hushed, as students leaned into each other, trying to piece together the enigma before them.
"Did we have someone that handsome here?" one student murmured.
"I've never seen him before," another whispered, their tone tinged with disbelief. "He looks like he stepped out of a painting."
"Is he new?" someone else ventured, their voice trembling slightly. "No way he's been here all this time without anyone noticing."
The uniform of the Arcadia Hunter Academy fit him perfectly, tailored in a way that elevated its already prestigious design. The golden insignia on his shoulder glinted in the sunlight, and the subtle crest on his chest marked him as a student of the Hunter Department. Yet, something about the way he carried himself suggested he was more than just another cadet.
The group's collective gaze fixed on the approaching figure, their jaws slackening in disbelief. For a long moment, no one spoke, as if the very air had thickened, demanding silence.
"Wait…" Julia finally broke the spell, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that… Astron?"
Ethan blinked, his mind struggling to reconcile the figure before them with the classmate they had known. "There's no way that's him. Right?"
But as the figure drew closer, there was no denying it. The sharp purple eyes that seemed to pierce through the very soul, the stark contrast of black hair and pale, almost radiant skin—it was unmistakably Astron. Yet, at the same time, it wasn't.
"It's him," Lilia confirmed, her voice steady but tinged with disbelief. "Those eyes… there's no mistaking them."
Lucas frowned, his arms crossed as he scrutinized Astron. "But how? He didn't look anything like this before."
"Forget looking like this," Carl added, his brow furrowing. "He didn't feel like this before either."
Indeed, the Astron they knew had been quiet and unassuming, blending into the background with a pale complexion and dark hair that, while striking, didn't draw much attention. Now, it was as though he had stepped out of an artist's imagination, his features impossibly refined and his presence exuding an ethereal, almost magnetic quality. Even the sunlight seemed to favor him, catching on his skin in a way that made it appear to glow faintly.
Julia was the first to recover, though her words did little to dispel the astonishment. "Okay, but what the hell happened to him? Did he fall into some kind of magical beauty fountain over the break? Is that a thing?"
Julia shot him a half-hearted glare before her gaze returned to Astron, her expression growing comically exaggerated. "I mean, come on! Look at him. It's like he went from 'mysterious loner' to… I don't even know, some kind of... uh…"
"Prince of Darkness?" Lilia offered, smirking. "With those eyes, it's hard not to think of something dramatic."
"More like a celestial model," Julia muttered, still staring unabashedly. Her expression turned playful as she leaned closer to Ethan and stage-whispered, "Is it just me, or does he have this… thing now? Like, whenever you look at him, it feels weirdly… nice?"
Ethan rolled his eyes. "That's probably some sort of passive mana effect. You're not actually drooling, are you?"
Julia blinked, startled, and then wiped at her chin in mock panic. "Am I?!" When she found nothing, she grinned sheepishly. "Just kidding. But seriously, Ethan, how are you not freaking out about this?"
Lucas interjected with a thoughtful tone. "If it is a passive effect, it's one hell of a subtle one. I'd guess it's not intentional."
"Intentional or not, it's working," Julia quipped, crossing her arms. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think he's trying to show up Victor Blackthorn. Honestly, the vibe is there."
The comment drew a chuckle from Lilia. "Oh, Victor's going to love this."
Astron came to a halt a few steps behind the group, his posture straight but relaxed, his piercing purple eyes scanning the garden with quiet indifference. As usual, no one lingered too close to him. Though his transformation had clearly captivated the crowd, it was as if an invisible wall kept them from stepping any closer.
Julia leaned toward Ethan, whispering, "He's doing it again."
"Doing what?" Ethan asked, though he already knew the answer.
"That thing where he just… stands there, looking like a brooding novel protagonist," she said, gesturing subtly toward Astron. "You know, the 'I don't need friends, but you're all welcome to admire me from a distance' vibe."
Lilia smirked, her gaze flicking toward Astron. "It's not just a vibe anymore. It's practically his aura. Look at everyone—they're dying to talk to him, but they can't seem to bring themselves to move."
And she wasn't wrong. The once-bustling garden had shifted, with students unconsciously giving Astron a wide berth. Some stole glances, others whispered, but no one dared approach. It was a stark contrast to Victor Blackthorn's presence—where Victor drew people in like moths to a flame, Astron exuded an aura that kept them at bay, a subtle but undeniable edge of intimidation mixed with allure.
"Victor V2," Lucas murmured under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. "But scarier."
Ethan stood quietly, his brow furrowing as he studied Astron. It wasn't just his new appearance or the subtle shift in his demeanor that unsettled Ethan. There was something else—a presence, a weight, that hadn't been there before.
'This feeling…' Ethan thought, his stomach tightening. It wasn't fear exactly, but there was no denying the sense of danger that radiated from Astron now. 'Did he get stronger? Strong enough to make me feel threatened?'
It was a question Ethan wasn't ready to answer aloud, and he kept his expression neutral as his gaze returned to his transformed classmate. Astron's aloof demeanor hadn't changed, but there was a new confidence behind it, one that bordered on unapproachable.
"Man," Julia said, breaking the silence with her usual dramatic flair. "If he wasn't already the loner type, this would definitely do it. Who's gonna have the guts to talk to him now?"
"Not me," Lucas muttered, crossing his arms. "I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that's Astron."
"Do you think he even notices?" Lilia asked, tilting her head thoughtfully. "He's got this wall around him, but I can't tell if it's deliberate or just… him."
Carl, who had been observing quietly, finally spoke. "It doesn't matter if it's deliberate. People won't approach someone who feels that untouchable."
Julia snorted. "Yeah, well, it's their loss. If Astron's been holding out on us, he owes us some answers."
Ethan didn't join the conversation, his mind too preoccupied with the sensation lingering in his chest. The aura Astron carried wasn't just unapproachable—it was dangerous. The kind of danger Ethan had only felt a handful of times before, and never from someone in their class.
'Just how much stronger did he get?' Ethan wondered, his instincts screaming that Astron wasn't the same person they had known. He wasn't sure what Astron had gone through during the break, but one thing was clear—he hadn't just changed. He had evolved.
For now, Ethan kept his thoughts to himself, unwilling to disrupt the easy banter among his friends. But as they made their way toward the academy building, he couldn't shake the growing unease in the back of his mind.
Astron's transformation wasn't just physical. Something deeper had shifted, and Ethan knew that before the semester ended, they'd all find out exactly what it was.
Julia's playful grin faded slightly as her sharp blue eyes caught something unusual—a subtle but undeniable smile playing at the corner of Irina's lips. It wasn't her usual fiery, expressive reaction, which Julia would have expected by now. Normally, Irina would have already chimed in with her take, likely teasing or commenting on Astron's dramatic transformation.
But not this time.
Irina stood with her arms loosely crossed, her gaze resting on Astron with an air of quiet familiarity, almost as if she'd been expecting this. The faint curve of her lips wasn't surprise—it was more like… amusement or maybe pride?
"Hmmm…" Julia tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she studied Irina. Something wasn't adding up. Then, like a spark igniting in her mind, realization struck. Her grin returned, wider and more mischievous than ever.
"Irina," Julia drawled, her voice dripping with mock suspicion. "Don't tell me… you knew?"
The group turned almost in unison, their attention snapping to Irina, who immediately straightened, her subtle smile faltering under the sudden scrutiny.
"Knew what?" Irina asked, though the slight upward lilt of her tone betrayed her.
Julia's eyes gleamed with triumph. "You totally knew about this, didn't you? About him—" she gestured dramatically toward Astron, still standing a few steps behind them, his aloof demeanor unchanged. "You met him in the break, didn't you?"
Irina's lips twitched ever so slightly at Julia's relentless gaze, the faintest flicker of something crossing her face. It was subtle, but it was enough.
Julia's eyes lit up like a predator catching the scent of prey. "Aha! I knew it! You did meet him during the break!" she exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at Irina.
The group turned their focus entirely to Irina now, their curiosity piqued.
"So?" Julia pressed, her grin widening mischievously. "What's the story, huh? Why did you meet up? Did something happen? Did you two—" she wiggled her eyebrows dramatically, "—have a moment?"
Irina didn't flinch under Julia's verbal barrage, her composure unusually steady. Normally, such teasing might have elicited a flush of red or a quick, sharp retort, but this time, she remained calm, her expression neutral.
"Yes," Irina said simply, her tone measured. "We met during the break."
Julia blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the straightforward response. "Wait, that's it? You're just admitting it?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Irina shrugged, crossing her arms loosely. "Is it wrong for us to meet?"
Julia stared at her, her jaw slackening slightly at the uncharacteristic response. "Heeeeeeh…" she finally let out, drawing the word out as she leaned closer, scrutinizing Irina's face. "You're being way too calm about this. No blush, no stammering… What's going on here?"
Lilia chimed in, her tone curious but amused. "It's true. Normally, you'd be all flustered by now, Irina. Did something happen?"
Irina met Lilia's gaze, her yellow eyes steady. "What exactly are you implying?"
Julia wasn't about to back down. She placed her hands on her hips, her smirk turning playful. "I'm not implying anything. I'm just saying… you're acting a little different, that's all. And you've been awfully quiet about Astron's whole glow-up. Don't tell me you had something to do with it?"
"I didn't," Irina said firmly, though there was a faint trace of amusement in her tone. "But we did meet, and yes, he's changed. That's all there is to it."
"Uh-huh," Julia said, clearly unconvinced. "And how did this little meeting happen? Was it planned? Or did you just coincidentally bump into each other while, I don't know, climbing mountains or something?"
"No comment."
Yet, a pair of emerald eyes were watching everything….