Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

Kael and Adalric walked through the silent forest, the only sound being the crunch of leaves underfoot and the rustling of trees in the wind, breaking the stillness. The moonlight illuminated their path, but the surrounding darkness made the environment feel even more threatening. Kael couldn't shake the feeling that the tension in the air was not just from the forest, but from the man ahead of him.

Adalric walked in front, his axe still resting on his shoulder, but his relaxed posture seemed to belie the weight of his presence. Kael felt like the man's eyes were always watching, as though evaluating every move he made.

"You're too quiet, kid," Adalric suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, his deep voice blending with the sounds of the night. "I'm not one to wait long for answers. So let's be clear. Who or what are you?"

Kael paused for a moment, his heart pounding a bit faster. What was he supposed to say? He knew any answer could be a trap.

"I'm just a kid with a goal," Kael replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "And I'm... a mage."

Adalric stopped too, turning slowly to face Kael with a piercing gaze. "Just a mage?" He asked with a slight laugh. "I don't buy that story. You've got more in you, kid. I saw what you did earlier. No common mage has that kind of strength. Either you've got a secret, or you're closer to becoming something big than you realize... besides, your words are full of clear lies."

Kael felt the pressure rise, as though Adalric's words were trying to open a door he'd prefer to keep shut. "I... I'm nothing special. Just an apprentice, and I'm not lying."

Adalric took a step forward, his aura growing denser around him. "Don't lie to me. You feel it, don't you? A mage wouldn't feel the aura of a fighter." He said, his voice now lower and charged with intensity. "I'm no fool, Kael. I can feel the strength you carry. Tell me the truth. What is your true power?"

Kael felt the weight of Adalric's words pressing down on his chest, as if the man had seen straight through his facade. He was silent for a moment, but then took a deep breath, deciding to be as honest as possible.

"I'm a mage, trained by my mother and grandmother. I've never had any martial master, swordsman, or anything like that. I've never even touched a sword in my life." Kael spoke firmly, locking eyes with Adalric. "I may lie about my identity, I may even lie about my surname, but I'm not cowardly enough to lie about my family." He spoke those words with the confidence of a determined hunter, making it clear that, though his story was mysterious, his bond with his lineage was unquestionable.

Adalric smiled with a gleam of respect in his eyes. He understood what Kael was saying: he wasn't the type to hide behind lies for protection. And that, to him, made the situation even more interesting.

"Interesting..." Adalric murmured, almost enjoying Kael's sincerity. "Very well." He flashed a satisfied smile, as if confirming something he had already suspected. Then, without another word, he threw the axe toward Kael.

Kael caught the axe with ease, as if it were a natural motion. However, the weight of the metal was immediately noticeable. The axe was made of Real Steel, and it certainly weighed a ton. Even so, Kael held it as if it were a light object, his inner strength allowing him to wield it without any difficulty.

Adalric watched with an intrigued expression. "If you've never trained your body, never wielded a sword or any kind of weapon... how did you manage to hold this Real Steel axe so easily?" He stepped forward, still observing Kael with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. "A ton... you held it like it was nothing."

Kael, for a moment, was speechless. He didn't know what to say. What was even more surprising to him was that he hadn't even tried to use his full strength when grabbing the axe; he had just reacted instinctively. His body seemed to respond autonomously to the situation, as if some inner force were controlling his movements without him needing to think.

He looked at Adalric with a bewildered expression. "I... don't know how." He replied, "I just... held it?"

'What the hell is this? I thought my Strength Status wasn't even working?! How the hell am I holding a ton like it's nothing?!' Kael's mind was going crazy.

"We came to cut wood, didn't you forget?" Adalric asked with a grin, pointing to a tree. "Go, chop your tree." He ordered.

Kael looked at Adalric with a nervous smile, a little confused by the situation. He didn't exactly know what he was supposed to expect of himself when cutting a tree, but he decided to follow the request. "Sure... cutting wood, right?" He murmured, more to himself than to the knight.

Adalric only smiled, watching Kael with interest. "Go on, kid. Show me what you've got." He crossed his arms and leaned back, waiting to see what Kael would do.

Kael approached a tall, sturdy tree. He placed the axe on the trunk with determination. He didn't know exactly how the process of chopping wood worked, so he used the strength he thought he needed, applying pressure without thinking much. He had no idea how dense the wood would be; he just did what his instincts told him.

When the axe struck the tree, the blade cut without resistance, but it didn't stop there. Kael's strength was far more than necessary to chop through the tree trunk. The blade sliced through the wood with astonishing ease, cutting the trunk in a single motion, but didn't stop there. The force behind his swing was so great that after chopping through the first tree, it continued cutting in a straight line, knocking down another tree behind it, and then another... more than fifteen trees fell in a clean path, as if an invisible blade had sliced everything in its way.

'Holy shit!' Kael stopped, stunned by what he had just done. He looked at the result, the fallen trunks lined up perfectly. A trail of destruction stretched as far as his eyes could see.

"P-shit..." Kael muttered, not knowing what else to say. He was in shock. He never imagined his strength would be so uncontrollable. The feeling of power had been incredible, but at the same time, the impact of the destruction he caused made him feel somewhat uneasy. He never wanted to do something so... massive.

'He doesn't even... know his own strength?' Adalric wondered as he took in the damage Kael had caused. His expression said it all—he had no idea what he was dealing with.

Adalric looked at the scene with a gleam in his eyes. "I knew you had something, but I didn't expect this..." He said, with a smile that mixed surprise and amusement. "You... really don't have any idea how strong you are, do you?"

Kael turned to Adalric, trying to hide his discomfort. "I... didn't expect it to be like this." He was speechless, still trying to process what had just happened.

Adalric simply laughed, a low, grave chuckle. "Well, that kind of power can be both a blessing and a curse, but it's a waste to have so much strength in a blade without control." He said, his smile suggestive.

"I could even train you... but first, you need to tell me who you really are." Adalric said with a smile, clearly interested in training Kael.