Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 777  Chapter 180.1 - Confontration, but girls

The Elemental Chamber hummed softly with latent energy, the crystalline walls refracting moonlight into faintly shimmering hues of silver and blue. Maya stood at the center of her reserved section, the intricate patterns etched into the floor glowing faintly as they resonated with her mana. The air around her was thick with power, yet it felt calming, a sharp contrast to the turbulence within her mind. 
She exhaled slowly, her breath steady but deliberate, as she raised her hand. With a flick of her wrist, a tendril of mana coiled around her fingers, its translucent hue shifting between her natural affinity and the crimson undertones that lingered, unbidden, at its edges. The sight sent a flicker of unease through her, but she steadied her grip. 
'Focus,' she told herself, closing her eyes. 
Her training today centered on refining her mental barriers—the techniques Alden had shared with her over the past two weeks. They had proven effective. The once-suffocating presence of her other self no longer loomed as heavily, the boundary between their minds more defined. Yet, even with this progress, anxiety lingered like a shadow at the edges of her thoughts. 
The runes beneath her feet pulsed as she channeled her mana outward, shaping it into an intricate lattice of light and shadow. She moved with precision, weaving the strands into a controlled spiral that shimmered in the air around her. But her focus faltered as her thoughts drifted. 
'She's quieter now,' Maya thought, her lips pressing into a thin line. The memory of her other self's crimson eyes burned vividly in her mind, their unrelenting intensity still capable of sending shivers down her spine. 'Too quiet.' 
The silence wasn't comforting—it was unnerving. It felt like a predator waiting, watching, biding its time for her to slip. The image of her other self's cruel smirk, the venom in her voice, echoed faintly: 
"You don't deserve someone like him." 
Maya's fingers twitched, and the lattice of mana quivered, destabilizing before fracturing into shards of light. She opened her eyes sharply, her blue gaze narrowing as she steadied her breathing. The failure was minor, but it pricked at her pride. 
The Elemental Chamber continued to hum softly around Maya as she steadied her breathing, trying to refocus. The lattice of mana had dissipated, but th