Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

After the intense battle, Kael returned to the carriage alone, sitting with a heavy sigh as the vehicle rocked gently along the roads. His body was relaxed, but his mind still buzzed with the adrenaline from the fight. He was feeling the strain of using so much mana at once.

It was something called "Mana Burn," as his grandmother had explained. Despite his control, he wasn't precise enough, and mana burn was something every mage went through. His mana release was higher than normal due to the World Tree Core, but his mana core was still sealed, so his abilities were quite limited.

'I lost a lot of mana... too much mana escaped from my core while I was using those more powerful spells...' Kael thought, looking at his hand which appeared reddened and numb... 'I can't afford to lose mana like this...'

He turned his attention to the System; it was time to see if the extra effort to wipe out all those monsters had truly been worth it.

"I need to balance my stats," he murmured, activating the System with a simple thought.

[You have obtained: 6 E-Rank Souls, and 2 D-Rank Souls]

[Do you wish to absorb the souls?]

Kael merely nodded as he felt the aura invade his body, then the Status notification appeared again.

[Intelligence: +18]

[Agility: +12]

[Endurance: +15]

[Acquired Skill]: Intimidation Aura (Passive) - Emanates an aura that instills fear in lower-level enemies and can destabilize those of similar levels.]

Kael watched the screen with a satisfied smile. The feeling of growth was intoxicating, almost addictive. Each soul he absorbed seemed to shape his body, mind, and essence, making him increasingly powerful.

"Intimidation Aura, huh?" He muttered, pondering how this skill could be useful. Not just for battles, but perhaps even to avoid unnecessary conflicts in the future. "That should make those idiots think twice before messing with me."

[Status]

[Name]: Kael Scarlet (11 years old)

[Physical]: Supreme Soul Hunter

[Strength]: 115

[Agility]: 101

[Intelligence]: 214

[Stamina]: 116

[Mana]: 200

[Blessing]: World Tree (SSS)

[Contract]: Forest Spirit - Umbra (A+)

[Traits]: Charming, Universal Language, Enhanced Vision, Mana Sensitivity, Mana Core Blessed by the World Tree.

[Skills]: Soul Absorption (Lv.1), Soul Hunter (Lv.1), Blade Instinct (Passive), Slashing Shadow Dance (Lv.1), Elemental Manipulation (Lv.10), Shadow Manipulation (Lv.1), Predatory Eyes (Lv.1), Royal Web (Lv.1), Intimidation Aura (Passive)]

Kael leaned back in the carriage seat, reflecting on the fight. He remembered the spark in Irelia's eyes during the battle, the curiosity and fascination she showed. Despite their completely different fighting styles, he felt there was something about her that made him want to keep proving his worth.

'If she was that excited... that man she calls uncle must be dying to confront me,' Kael thought, feeling a slight tension as he recalled Adalric's piercing gaze during the battle.

"I agree with that," the familiar voice of Umbra sounded, breaking the silence of the carriage and surprising him. "That guy must be itching to take you apart with a sword just to figure out what you're made of."

Kael furrowed his brow, glancing to the side where Umbra's spectral figure appeared casually seated as if she owned the place. "Why did you suddenly disappear?" he asked, curiosity clear in his voice.

"Oh, I just didn't want to interrupt your conversation with that crazy little girl," Umbra replied with a mischievous grin, resting her chin on her palm as she observed him.

"Crazy?" Kael repeated, clearly confused. "I didn't see anything weird about her. In fact, she seemed pretty... normal."

Umbra let out a low laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Normal, huh? You really can't see beyond words, can you?"

"What are you talking about now?" Kael pressed, even more confused by Umbra's mysterious tone.

"Well..." Umbra began, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Let's just say that if you'd paid more attention, you would've noticed the damage you caused to that girl's panties. You could practically feel the wetness from miles away."

Kael froze in place, his face immediately turning as red as a tomato. "W-What?!" he stammered, unable to believe what he had just heard.

Umbra burst into loud laughter, clearly enjoying the boy's reaction. "Ah, my dear Kael, you have no idea the effect your little power show had on her, do you? And I'm not even talking about respect or admiration... It's a very different kind of heat."

Kael ran his hands over his face, trying to hide his embarrassed expression. "Y-You... you're just making this up to mess with me!"

"Me? Making things up?" Umbra feigned indignation, placing her hand on her chest as though offended. "I'm only speaking the truth, my dear. If you don't believe me, why don't you ask her directly?"

"No way!" Kael replied immediately, still red-faced. "Where do you come up with this stuff?!"

Umbra simply shrugged, her playful smile still on her face. "You've got a lot to learn, Kael. Especially about women."

Kael closed his eyes for a moment and sighed deeply, trying to contain his irritation. "Go back to sleep, Umbra!" he retorted, his voice filled with nervousness. But it seemed peace wasn't meant to be for him at that moment.

Before Umbra could throw in another tease, a male voice came from outside the carriage. "Young man, we're setting up camp. It's getting dark." It was the knight Kael had helped earlier, informing him of the stop.

Kael opened the carriage door and was greeted by the scene already tinged with the warm hues of twilight. The sun was hiding behind the mountains in the distance, casting long, soft shadows on the road. He nodded in acknowledgment, noticing that the convoy was already organizing for the night. The guards were dismounting and beginning to prepare the ground for camp.

"You heard him, kid," Umbra commented in a tone that was almost bored. "Time for another night adventure. Who knows what could show up while everyone's distracted setting up tents?"

Kael ignored the teasing and got out of the carriage, stretching his body as he observed the activity around him. Irelia was already out of her own carriage, chatting animatedly with some soldiers while casually holding her sword by her side, as if she was always ready for the next battle.

He approached slowly, still trying to shake off Umbra's words and the strange tension that seemed to hang over the convoy. "Need help with anything?" he asked, looking at the soldiers who were setting up a small tent.

One of them shook his head. "We're fine here. But maybe Miss Irelia could use something. She never stays still for long," he said, chuckling quietly.

Kael looked at Irelia, who was now twirling her sword in the air, as if testing movements or simply releasing pent-up energy. He sighed. "Looks like she's really relentless."

"You'll get used to it," Umbra murmured inside his mind, and Kael could sense the amusement in her voice. "Or not. Either way, good luck with that."