Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

A few days had passed, and the silence of the room was broken only by Kael's heavy breathing.

"Ninety-six... ninety-seven... ninety-eight…"

His hands pressed firmly against the cold, smooth black stone floor, sweat dripping from his forehead in heavy drops. His body still felt the aftereffects of the battle, but his mind… his mind burned.

"Ninety-nine... one hundred."

Kael lay on his back, staring at the ceiling for a few seconds, his chest rising and falling in rapid waves. His arms trembled, his muscles screamed, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop.

"Never again..."

That scene — the blood of the boys staining the ground… the sound of Sylphie screaming his name… the desperation in his own eyes reflected in the mana blades. The memory played on repeat, a nightmare that refused to fade. He could have died. She could have died. If he had been just a little slower, if he hadn't fought with everything...

Kael sat up, grabbing a towel and wiping his face. His recovery room was comfortable, with thick curtains to block out the harsh sunlight and enchanted runes to keep the temperature stable. But everything felt suffocating now. He hated being confined. Hated the feeling of helplessness.

He stood and walked to the corner where he had set up an improvised training space: magical dumbbells of various weights, a pull-up bar fixed magically to the doorway, mats for physical training. He had personally asked for all of it. His body needed to heal, yes. But his mind... needed focus.

"Strength without control is useless."

He recalled the words of that annoying old man, Adalric. They echoed in his mind every time his heart threatened to get lost in rage. But that night... he had no choice. Rage mixed with instinct. It was kill or be killed.

"They weren't human anymore..." he muttered to himself. "They were already dead the moment they took that stuff."

Blazer... He remembered Amelia and Irelia explaining the drug to him...

Just hearing the name sent a chill down his spine. The sensation of those monsters approaching... the way their mana had devoured his body during the coma, like a black hurricane swallowing logic. He would never forget it.

"I need more power. So much more."

Without wasting time, Kael dropped back down and started another set. One. Two. Three. Each repetition was a promise. An invisible scar healing. He didn't want to be a hero. He just wanted to make sure that never happened again.

The door creaked softly behind him.

"Already awake and punishing yourself again?" said a sweet, slightly sarcastic voice.

Kael didn't even look. From the tone, he already knew who it was. "Good morning, Amelia."

She stepped inside slowly, carrying a tray in her hands, a mix of affection and irritation on her face.

"I brought real food. Not those garbage snacks you've been hiding just so you can train more." She glanced at the weights in the corner. "This doesn't look like a convalescent's room."

Kael sat on the floor, panting, accepting the water bottle she offered. He drank eagerly, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I'm fine. I just don't want to… stay still."

"I get it." She placed the tray on the small table and sat in a nearby armchair. "But you can't just train until you break. You'll end up back in that bed… or worse."

Kael glanced at her from the corner of his eye but didn't reply.

Amelia sighed. "They don't blame you, you know? The Director, Lyra, even the other members of the Sword. Everyone knows what you did… was the right thing."

Kael lowered his head, his messy hair falling over his eyes. "I know. But that doesn't change what I saw. What I felt. That won't happen again. Simple as that."

She moved closer, kneeling beside him. "You don't have to carry this alone, Kael."

There was a moment of silence between them. The atmosphere felt heavy, but there was also something intimate, something that didn't need words.

"I…" Kael began, then stopped. "I felt something. In the middle of that fight… like the mana around me was reacting to me. Like something… older… was watching me. From inside them... or inside me." He murmured, "Something's wrong. I'm just preparing for the worst."

Amelia's eyes widened. "You think there was an entity behind it?"

"I don't know. But I felt it. A hunger. A hatred… and a ridiculous urge to destroy everything. It wasn't just the drug. It was like it opened a channel. A door to something… wrong."

Amelia stayed quiet. That was more than she expected to hear.

"Don't tell the Director about this yet," Kael said. "They'll just lock me up because of it. I need to figure it out first. On my own."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. But don't try to do it alone forever."

Kael gave a faint smile. "I know."

Before Amelia could say anything else, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," Kael said, now standing again.

Irelia stepped in, her hair perfectly tied up, a folder of reports in hand. Her eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing Amelia kneeling beside Kael.

"I see I arrived at just the right time," she said, dryly.

Amelia sighed. "Oh, great…"

"I brought the patrol reports. And to make sure you're following medical orders, Kael." Irelia entered with firm steps, but a flicker of genuine concern flashed in her eyes as she saw him sweaty and out of breath. "Which... clearly, you're not."

"I'm fine," Kael replied, this time more firmly. "Better than before. I need to train. Strengthen my mana."

"Then use safe methods. We can activate the moderate gravity chamber tomorrow." Irelia shot a look at Amelia. "And maybe reduce the number of visitors who emotionally overload you."

Amelia crossed her arms. "I thought we agreed to take turns peacefully."

"I am being peaceful," Irelia replied, with a smile laced with just a hint of venom.

Kael raised an eyebrow, massaging his temples. "You two are starting to overload me right now."

Both of them stepped back about half an inch, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry," Amelia said quickly.

"My apologies," Irelia said at the same time.

Kael took a deep breath, looking at the two of them. Despite the rivalry, there was a strange kind of harmony there. And, as irritating as it was, there was also… comfort. Knowing they were there for him. That they cared.

"Here's how we'll do it," he said, drinking more water. "You two take turns. One day Amelia, one day Irelia. Sylphie… when she's better, she can choose her own day too. But no fighting. I'm focused on something bigger now."

The two of them glanced at each other, then nodded.

"Fair," said Irelia.

"Deal," Amelia replied.

Kael then walked back to the center of the room and got into plank position again. Both girls watched with confused expressions.

"What are you doing now?" Irelia asked.

"Starting from scratch," Kael muttered. "Because next time something like the Berserkers happens… I'll crush it before it even touches anyone."

And then, he began counting.

"One... two... three…"

Somewhere hidden within Azalith…

The darkness here was thick, as if the air itself was saturated with corrupted mana. The damp walls, etched with inscriptions in forbidden languages, pulsed faintly under the bluish light of buried crystals in the ceiling.

Three hooded figures were gathered around a circular table made of bone. At its center floated a magical capsule, spinning slowly, containing a black substance that twisted and writhed — as if it had a will of its own.

"So... they failed." The raspy voice of one of them cut through the silence like a rusty blade. "The two subjects couldn't withstand full fusion with the Blazer. Collapsed during the berserker stage."

"It was expected. The second-generation Blazer is still unstable. But the data has been collected. The way Kael's mana reacted to the contamination… was fascinating," said the second, taller figure, with an almost excited tone.

The third remained silent for several seconds before speaking, voice cold as ice.

"Kael Scarlet."

The name lingered in the air like a verdict.

"The heir to the hybrid bloodline. Son of the Chaos Witch, Elion Scarlet." He placed a crystal of observation on the table, activating a floating hologram. The image of Kael doing push-ups in his room appeared, sweat dripping from his body, eyes filled with determination.

"He's getting stronger," murmured the first. "Too fast. He survived a berserker outbreak with two simultaneous targets and even absorbed some of the residual energy."

"That's our fault," said the second. "We included him in the equation merely as an observer. We didn't expect him to… actually fight."

"That makes everything more urgent." The third stood, his cloak rippling with the movement. "Kael Scarlet is an unstable factor. A risk to the project."

"You mean… eliminate him?" the second asked, frowning beneath his hood. "He's popular. The Sword protects him. The heirs are watching him closely. Even the Directorate keeps eyes on him. If Kael dies now, we'll attract too much attention."

"I didn't say eliminate him," the third replied, walking toward a shelf filled with vials of viscous liquids and preserved creatures. "But there are other ways to extinguish a light. Corrupt. Distract. Break."

"You think he can be turned?"

"No. But if he's forced to become a monster… they'll destroy him themselves."

The first one let out a low chuckle.

"A hero turned into a villain… Ah, that will shatter the Sword's morale like a broken mirror."

The second seemed hesitant.

"And what about the girl?"

"Sylphie?"

"Yes. She seems emotionally and… spiritually connected to him. Her mana levels fluctuated during the incident. As if… reacting to his presence."

"Interesting," the third said, picking up a vial filled with a glowing, murky lilac substance. "Perhaps we should start with her."

The first leaned in, his smile widening."If we break the light he protects, perhaps he'll fall into darkness on his own."

The second paused, but didn't argue.

The third returned to the table, placing the vial beside the dark capsule."The next phase of the experiment begins soon. We already have two new volunteers. And this time… they'll have a personal reason to hunt Kael."

"A reason?"

The third revealed two photographs. Both of students from Sword.

"Siblings of the last Berserkers."

A deadly silence fell.

"They want revenge. They believe Kael killed their brothers without reason. We'll give them power… and a target. And let the tragedy write itself."

The first nodded."And if Kael survives again?"

The third turned slowly. Beneath the hood, his eyes glowed with a twisted, purplish hue.

"Then… he will be worthy of meeting Those Who Watch."