Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

"Okay... I'm tired..." Kael murmured, his voice heavy with exhaustion as he leaned on the hilt of the makeshift sword he had used throughout the entire day. The brutal path Adalric had chosen seemed designed to drain every last bit of energy from him.

The familiar sound of the system echoed in his mind:

[You obtained: 20 Rank E Souls, 10 Rank D Souls, 9 Inferior Soul Fragments.]

He wiped his face, clearing the sweat and grime that had accumulated after hours of relentless combat. Every muscle in his body protested at the slightest movement, but he knew he couldn't show weakness. With a heavy sigh, Kael straightened himself, forcing himself to stay upright. His body was on the edge of collapse, but his mind still clung to the fierce determination that had kept him on his feet so far.

Adalric, riding slightly ahead, glanced over his shoulder and smiled upon seeing the exhausted expression on Kael's face. "Tired, kid? That's good. It means you're learning."

Kael snorted, shooting him an irritated glance, though without much strength behind it. "Learning to be broken, maybe..."

Adalric laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the now-silent forest. "No learning without effort. Remember that. If you want to control your strength, first you need to know your limits."

Kael looked at his hands, still slightly trembling after the endless series of battles. It was true that he was stronger than ever, but controlling his strength seemed like an even greater challenge than simply defeating enemies. He couldn't deny that Adalric's words made sense, even though he wanted to throw them back in the knight's face.

"We'll set up camp here," Adalric announced, stopping his horse near a clearing. The area was sheltered by a natural formation of rocks, with tall trees around it, providing reasonable protection from the night winds.

The soldiers quickly began organizing, setting up tents and lighting a fire. Kael, in turn, dropped to the ground near one of the rocks, breathing deeply and savoring the rare moment of rest. He looked up at the sky, where the stars shone brightly, feeling an odd sense of peace that contrasted with the brutality of the day.

Adalric approached, bringing a jug of water and a teasing smile. "Drink. I don't want you passing out before we finish the training."

Kael took the jug with a suspicious look but drank in long gulps, feeling the cool water revive his body. He knew the rest would be brief. Adalric wasn't the type to grant breaks, even to a rookie who had just gone through a monster slaughter.

"You did well today," Adalric commented, sitting next to Kael as they both rested. "Let's take a break. In a few hours, we should reach Azalith."

Kael furrowed his brow but remained silent, waiting for the knight to continue.

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Adalric stared at the flames for a moment before turning to Kael, an unusual gleam in his eyes. "You impressed me," he said, breaking the silence. "I thought this would be just a trivial test, maybe even a way to pass the time. But it's only been six days of training, and you've already surpassed all my expectations. You're a genius, kid."

Kael raised an eyebrow, unsure how to respond to the compliment. Before he could say anything, Adalric smiled ironically and added, "I just hope you stay this naïve. Arrogant geniuses don't last long."

Kael let out a sigh, exhaustion mixing with a touch of humor in his voice. "Got it," he finally said, his voice firm. "But you need to stop pretending to be tough all the time. Everyone knows you're a nice guy. Try acting like one once in a while."

Adalric raised an eyebrow, surprised by Kael's boldness, but soon broke into a mischievous smile. "Oh, you little bastard," he muttered, leaning closer to Kael in a threatening manner.

Kael instinctively braced himself for a strike, but to his surprise, he felt Adalric's hand messing with his hair. The touch was firm but almost paternal, carrying an unexpected dose of affection.

"You really are learning fast," Adalric commented, still ruffling Kael's hair before stepping back with a smile. "But watch your tongue, kid. Respect is still something you need to master."

Kael awkwardly adjusted his hair, trying to hide the slight smile that appeared on his face. "Yes, sir," he replied, with a hint of sarcasm.

Adalric laughed loudly, his voice echoing through the clearing. "You're a lost cause," he said, standing up. "But I have to admit, I'm starting to like this."

"When we get to Azalith, I want to talk to you," Adalric said as he walked off, leaving Kael with no chance to respond...

'He's really a nice guy...' Kael thought before lying down on the ground and closing his eyes...

Kael felt the sunlight warming his face, and the sound of birds filled the air around him. He blinked slowly, adjusting to the brightness of the morning. The ground was still a bit cold under his body, but something else caught his attention. Something—or rather, someone—was lying next to him.

When his eyes adjusted, he saw Irelia curled up beside him, fast asleep. Her golden hair was spread out like a shining veil, and a calm expression rested on her face. She was holding a heavy sword, which seemed too large for her, like an improvised pillow.

Kael stayed still for a moment, uncertain of what to do. He slowly sat up so as not to wake her, but before he could say anything, Umbra appeared, materializing beside him with a mischievous smile.

"Did you sleep well, young master?" she teased, her words full of amusement.

Kael shot a skeptical glance at the entity. "Umbra... what happened here?"

Umbra crossed her arms, eyeing Irelia as if admiring a work of art. "Oh, it was adorable, really. She came last night, holding that huge sword and looking determined. She said something about wanting to talk to you and test your strength, or something like that."

"And...?" Kael gestured to the scene with a hand, clearly asking for more details.

Umbra shrugged, a bigger smile spreading across her lips. "She stood for a good five minutes, striking warrior poses, but then... she just passed out on the ground. I think the sword was too heavy. She ended up falling here beside you and slept without saying a word."

Kael sighed, running a hand over his face, but couldn't help a small smile. "Of course, she did that..."

Umbra leaned in closer to Kael, speaking in an almost conspiratorial tone. "You know, she's getting more and more attached to you. Be careful, or she might start following you everywhere."

Kael ignored the comment and turned to look at Irelia again. He hesitated but then extended his hand and gently poked her shoulder. "Irelia... hey, wake up."

The girl mumbled something unintelligible, moving slightly but not opening her eyes. He tried again, this time shaking her lightly. "Irelia, come on. It's time to get up."

This time, her eyes opened slowly. She blinked, looking confused for a moment before realizing where she was. Upon seeing Kael looking at her, a slight blush crept up her face.

"Kael...? What—?" She looked at the heavy sword in her arms and then at the ground, clearly trying to remember what had happened.

"You came by last night, ready to challenge me or something," Kael explained with an amused smile. "But you fell asleep before you even said a word."

Irelia's eyes widened as she looked at Umbra, who waved in confirmation with a falsely sympathetic expression. "It was the cutest thing I've ever seen," Umbra added, laughing.

"I... I wasn't tired! It was just... a moment of weakness!" Irelia tried to justify herself, but the tone of her voice didn't help much. She quickly stood up, trying to regain her dignity, but the weight of the sword nearly made her trip.

"Do you always carry swords that heavy?" Kael asked, raising an eyebrow as he got up.

"I was training!" Irelia replied, crossing her arms and trying to look confident. "I wanted to test my strength against you, but... I think I overdid it a bit."

Kael chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, next time, maybe leave the sword for another occasion. Or at least choose one that doesn't weigh as much as a horse."

Irelia made a face but ended up laughing as well, realizing how ridiculous the situation had been. "Okay, next time I'll be more careful. But don't think that means I'll stop challenging you."

Kael shrugged, a playful smile on his lips. "I'll be waiting for that."

"Are you two done?" Adalric shouted from a distance, his voice full of impatience. "We've got a long road ahead, and I don't want to wait for a slow couple!"

"We're not a couple!" Irelia shouted back, her face turning even redder.