Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

"We need to stop it," Irina mumbled to herself, the urgency of the situation pressing down on her invisible form. The realization of the impending threat, the dangerous force beyond the portal, fueled her determination.

"But how?"

But then, a new question presented itself: How? How could she, in her intangible state within this higher-ranking dimension, intervene and put an end to the entity's machinations?

Panic flickered in her invisible eyes as she looked around frantically, searching for a way to take action. The vastness of the higher dimension seemed to close in on her, leaving her feeling both trapped and desperate.

"There must be a way out; there has to be," Irina repeated to herself, her voice carrying a note of urgency. She desperately wished for an exit from this place, a path back to her reality where she could use the knowledge she had gained to prevent the unfolding catastrophe.

Her mind raced, considering the possibilities. Could she manipulate the dimensional fabric and return to her world? Was there a key to unlock the invisible barrier that confined her in this space? The answers remained elusive, and frustration mounted as she struggled to find a solution.

In her quest for escape, Irina's thoughts echoed with determination. "Think, think. There has to be a way out. I can't let this threat manifest."

As she searched for an exit, the developing portal seemed to pulse with ominous energy, a stark reminder of the imminent danger.

"If what I think is correct, then the stronger the mana of the people inside, the more energy that thing can absorb."

She realized that by coming to Phantom's Land, the academy actually presented the entity with the energy it needed.

"That was why…"

She was safe now that she was outside of the constraints of time and space. After all, she was in a higher dimension.

"Wait…A higher dimension?"

At that moment, she caught on to something that she had overlooked.

"How can I, just a human, exist in this place?"

Irina's invisible form seemed to hover in contemplation as she questioned the very nature of her presence in this higher dimension. According to the Diverging Dimensions Theory, she was aware that beings from one dimension couldn't naturally bypass the rules of that dimension and enter another without external influence.

A realization dawned upon her, and a shiver ran through her intangible form. There was something external at play, something that defied the established rules of dimensional travel. It became clear that her existence in this higher dimension wasn't solely a consequence of her own actions; an external force had facilitated her entry into this realm.

"Someone… or something is keeping me here," Irina muttered, her invisible brows furrowed in thought.

The enigma surrounding her presence deepened as she grappled with the realization that she wasn't alone in navigating the mysteries of this higher dimension.

A surge of uncertainty washed over her. The nature of this external force, its intentions, and the role it played in the unfolding events remained obscured. It added another layer of complexity to an already intricate situation.

"Why would something want me here? What purpose does it serve?" Irina pondered aloud, her thoughts a swirl of questions.

'Hmm.....?'

Amidst the swirling questions and uncertainties, Irina felt a peculiar sensation, as if an invisible thread had connected her to something beyond the confines of the higher dimension.

"This…."

A subtle pull drew her attention, and instinctively, she followed the intangible link, hoping it might unravel the mysteries surrounding her existence in this enigmatic space.

As she pursued the connection, the landscape of the higher dimension seemed to warp and twist, responding to the invisible force guiding her. The shift was disorienting, yet Irina pressed on, driven by the need for answers.

In a surreal moment, the ephemeral surroundings transformed once again, revealing a familiar scene. The shifting hues and indistinct forms coalesced into a recognizable time-frame – Astron's.

The link that pulled her through the dimensions seemed to converge with the events unfolding in Astron's time frame.

"Astron…."

Then, she realized.

"He was the target of spell….."

The spell 「Phantasmic Transfer 」seemed to be something that had a special target, and she knew it was Astron. If that spell was what brought her here, the target of that spell was likely the reason why she was able to stay here.

"The law that is pulling me to my dimension is being negated by the pull that connects me to Astron."

If that is the case, then there was only one thing she needed to do.

"I need to sever the connection."

The realization hit Irina like a bolt of clarity – the key to severing the connection between her and the higher dimension lay in Astron. As she contemplated this, the invisible thread binding them felt stronger, pulsating with a mysterious energy that bridged the gap between their worlds.

"How do I sever this connection?" Irina muttered to herself, her mind racing through possibilities. The connection seemed to be tethered to Astron's soul, a lifeline that transcended the boundaries of their respective dimensions.

Astron's soul, anchored in the parallel dimension, was the focal point that kept Irina bound to this surreal space. If she could somehow facilitate Astron's return to his world, it might disrupt the connection and allow her to escape the clutches of the higher dimension.

"I need to find a way to bring Astron back," Irina concluded, her invisible form tinged with determination.

After all, if what she thought was correct, then the residential souls in the parallel world were the ones that lost their consciousness in the real world. If that is the case, if she could somehow make him return, then thanks to her connection with his soul, the laws that were pulling her would no longer be in a stalemate, and she would escape.

"But how?"

Then, that question arose. How could she bring him back? What could she do? What made someone return from there?

"How did Sylvie make me return?"

Sylvie's power made her return from her unconscious sleep, and she needed to know how she did.

"My dream..."

She forcefully tried to remember what happened when she was unconscious.

Irina delved into the recesses of her memories, attempting to recollect the details of her return from unconsciousness. The process was akin to navigating through a fog, with the specifics eluding her grasp. Frustration threatened to take hold as she strained to remember the events that transpired during her dream.

"What happened in that dream?" Irina muttered to herself, the invisible furrow on her brow reflecting her internal struggle. Calling it a dream was wrong, and she knew that, but that wasn't important now. The memories felt distant, almost as if they were deliberately shrouded in a haze.

She replayed the moments leading up to her awakening, grasping at the fragments that lingered in her mind. Faces, places, and emotions flickered like ephemeral shadows, refusing to coalesce into a coherent narrative.

"No, I need to remember," she insisted, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. The dream held the key to understanding how Sylvie's power had facilitated her return.

In the midst of the mental turmoil, a lone detail emerged from the fog – a fleeting image of a cute squirrel. The memory, though vague, held a peculiar significance. As Irina strained to recall, the image of the squirrel morphed in her mind, transforming from its natural appearance into a shining yellow hue.

"A yellow squirrel?" Irina mumbled, the revelation sparking a glimmer of recognition. The color, the transformation – it hinted at something beyond the ordinary.

"A trigger…."

Then she realized….When she got out of there, the squirrel turned yellow. It was a trigger for her, as she liked cute things.

"Sylvie's power did let her bypass the restrictions and activate a trigger in other dimensions…."

Irina whispered to herself, the realization unfolding like a puzzle falling into place. The trigger, symbolized by the yellow squirrel, was a key element in transcending the dimensional barriers.

In her newfound understanding, Irina discerned that she needed a similar trigger for Astron, something that could resonate across dimensions and prompt a response in the parallel world. However, the question remained: What could she use as a trigger? How could she reach into Astron's life and make a meaningful connection?

Then, inspiration struck. If she wanted a force that could effortlessly traverse dimensions unaffected by their constraints, she needed to rely on a power that transcended the limitations of the physical realm.

"Telekinesis."

The word resonated in her mind as a solution. Irina realized that 「Telekinesis」, the power to move and manipulate objects with the mind, could serve as the bridge she sought.

Unbound by the restrictions of dimensions, 「Telekinesis」 could potentially reach into Astron's world and influence it in a way that would serve as the trigger for his return.

Determined to put her idea into practice, Irina focused her thoughts on using her 「Telekinesis」 to reach into one of the time-frames of Astron.

"I can do it….."

For some reason, she could feel the mana around herself, and without even activating any magical circuits inside her body, which hadn't even existed, she used mana with her intent.

The abstract nature of the higher-ranking dimension responded to her intent, granting her the means to manipulate the ethereal threads of connection between the worlds.

"What?"

However, as she extended her influence, attempting to move an object in Astron's world, Irina encountered an unexpected challenge.

"It is not enough."

The power of her 「Telekinesis」 wasn't as potent as she had hoped, and her control over it was less than proficient. The connection between the dimensions resisted her efforts, and frustration crept in.

"Right now, I can't do it."

However, Irina was not one to give up easily.

"Again."

It was a failure.

"Again."

It was a failure.

"Again.

In the timeless and spaceless realm she found herself in, she persisted. Again and again, she attempted to bridge the gap, refining her control over the invisible force of 「Telekinesis」.

"Again."

After numerous attempts, Irina began to grasp the intricacies of her power in this higher dimension.

"No….This is not good…Even if I had finally mastered 「Telekinesis」 at that point, I would be too far in it….."

She predicted that, once successful, the strain on her consciousness might render her a lost cause.

"I need to keep everything simple….so that I shouldn't even need to think."

Undeterred, she set a specific goal for her intervention.

"The watch."

Before she came here, Astron and they found out something about Phantom's Land.

'06.06'

When the time hit 06.06, everything had changed.

"I will need to do it."

With unwavering determination, Irina focused on Astron's watch in his home.

She aimed to keep it unmoving once it hit the timestamp 06.06, a symbolic and meaningful moment for Astron.

The ethereal connection resonated with her intent as she directed her 「Telekinesis」 towards the watch, attempting to freeze time at the designated instant.

"Again."

The timeless space quivered with her efforts, each attempt carrying the weight of her determination.

"Again."

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Again.

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Again.

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Again.

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As the iterations continued, Irina's connection with reality blurred. The endless attempts fused into a ceaseless stream, and at some point, she lost track of what she was doing.

The only focus remained on her 「Telekinesis」, concentrated on the watch suspended in the timeless void before her invisible form.

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Again.

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Again.

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Again.

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Again.

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Again.

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Until she had finally succeeded.