Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

"Already over... where is my mother?" Kael thought...

Faen appeared in front of him with an arrogant, almost disdainful smile. Her eyes were filled with insane pleasure as she watched the boy with his "girlfriend," as if the scene were nothing more than a form of entertainment to her. Her blade was clean, gleaming in her hand as if the battle against Eva had been nothing more than a game.

Kael felt a rising rage take over his body. He didn't know what to do. Eva, the person who could protect them, who had always shown her strength, was now there, practically at Faen's mercy.

"No... You won't do anything more!" Kael shouted, his voice filled with a courage he didn't even know he had. The anger and fear for Eva and Sylphie merged into a single, powerful desire to fight, to resist, no matter what happened.

Faen laughed, as if it were the funniest thing she had ever heard. "Ah, how cute. But you have no idea what you're up against, do you?" She shook her head slowly, watching the situation as if waiting for something even more tragic to unfold.

Faen's strike was about to fall upon Eva, a lethal blow that would make the end of this battle even more cruel. The tension in the air was palpable, and Kael, paralyzed by the scene, felt the weight of helplessness engulfing him. He knew he couldn't let Eva fall, but he didn't know what else he could do.

That was when the light around him began to distort, as if space itself was bending to respond to something. Suddenly, a giant message appeared before him, in bright red letters that cut through the air with an imposing authority.

[Do you wish to gain more power?]

Kael froze, his eyes fixed on the screen as his mind processed the words. He didn't know what it meant, but deep within his soul, he knew that his answer would be crucial. His rage, frustration, and fear were merging into a single, powerful scream inside his mind.

'Yes, I want it...'

The response came almost involuntarily, as if it had already been there, waiting to be released. The desire to protect, to be stronger, to no longer be weak, dominated his body, and his answer echoed throughout the vastness of his mind.

The message blinked briefly, as if waiting for confirmation, and then another one appeared, more urgent and imposing.

[Do you hate being weak?]

Kael didn't hesitate, his eyes narrowing with anger and determination. He felt the weight of what was happening—Eva was dying before him, and he couldn't do anything. Not anymore.

'Yes, I hate it...'

The moment he gave the answer, something indescribable occurred. The pressure around him increased, and a wave of invisible power began to pulse through his body. It felt as if something was breaking within his essence, an ancient and deep energy flowing through his veins.

[Initiating Supreme Soul Hunter System.]

The words appeared like a final command, echoing through his mind as an overwhelming sensation enveloped him.

Then, a series of messages began to appear before him.

[System Activated.]

[Status]

[Name: Kael Scarlet]

[Physical: Supreme Soul Hunter]

[Strength: 4]

[Agility: 5]

[Intelligence: 3]

[Resistance: 4]

[Mana: 50]

[Blessing: World Tree (SSS)]

[Traits: Charming, Universal Language, Enhanced Vision, Mana Sensitivity]

[Skills: Soul Absorption (Lv.1), Soul Hunter (Lv.1)]

Kael barely had time to read all of this when another, even more urgent message appeared before him.

"Do you wish to use the collected souls to strengthen your abilities?"

Kael stared at the messages in confusion. At first, he didn't understand what these "souls" meant, but after a moment of reflection, he remembered.

His mother, Elion, had killed countless people that day when he was just a newborn, and more recently, Eva had decimated the slave mercenaries. Those souls were now in his hands, ready to be used.

[Do you wish to use the collected souls to strengthen your abilities?]

[Yes] / [No]

Kael took a deep breath. The rage and pain that consumed him transformed into focus. He was no longer hesitant. Not when Eva was hurt. Not when Sylphie was in danger. He was no longer the weak boy who feared his own limits. He was a Hunter now.

With a firm decision, he tapped the [Yes] option, and instantly, the energy of the souls began to flow through his body. He felt a wave of power coursing through his veins, and the light around him seemed to intensify, reflecting the new power he now possessed.

The souls of the mercenaries, magical creatures, and innocent humans materialized into ethereal forms, swirling around him before being absorbed into his body. The pulsing and wild energy seemed endless, filling every cell of his being.

[You gained 30 Strength Points! | 25 Agility Points! | 20 Mana Points!]

[Special Ability - Hunter's Fury Unlocked!]

As he absorbed the souls, the increase in strength wasn't immediate in terms of physical capability. His body wasn't yet ready to support such power. Instead of feeling an immediate boost in his physical strength, Kael realized the energy now flowed within him differently: his mind was sharp, his focus immense, but his body was still incapable of handling all that power.

When he tried to move, the first impulse of his mind was to rush forward against Faen, but the coordination of his small body couldn't keep up. He tripped over his own feet and nearly fell, his head spinning slightly from the effort. His strength wasn't in his legs, which still couldn't support the impact of such a violent movement. The energy pulsed inside him, but his body was far from being able to match his mind.

"D-damn it..." Kael groaned, feeling the uncontrolled energy, and forced himself to focus. He still didn't have full control over his body, but his determination hadn't waned. He wasn't going to be defeated again. Not this time.

Faen observed the child, seeing him stumble. She hesitated, partly due to her surprise. The power emanating from him was palpable, but his appearance and movements didn't match the intensity of the energy he now possessed.

"Your body... is just a baby!" She muttered, confused, but at the same time, cautious. She knew she couldn't underestimate him any longer.

Kael, still feeling the souls' energy within him, began to control his mana differently. He couldn't use brute physical strength in this small body, but he could feel the currents of energy flowing through him and direct them in more subtle ways. He couldn't cast complex spells yet, but his mana manipulation skills began to adjust. His reincarnated mind wasn't limited by the fragility of his physical body, but rather by the lack of motor development and resistance in a baby's form.

He began to release small concentrated mana beams, not with the intensity of an experienced warrior, but still in a way that was threatening.

The beams weren't enough to directly hurt Faen, but they were enough to keep her at bay.

A burst of mana was fired, hitting a nearby tree, which split in half, the crash echoing through the forest.

Faen stepped back slightly, surprised by the power the small baby was able to generate.

'Come on! Aim right!' Kael despaired, despite his physical situation, he didn't give up. He knew the fight couldn't be won in the conventional way, but his mind still had the focus necessary to use mana more strategically. He desperately needed time.

With the fury of seeing Eva wounded and the helplessness of being trapped in a fragile body, he finally found a new way to channel his energy, even though his physical coordination wasn't up to his thoughts. He still couldn't fight like an adult, but he would use his mana to protect those he loved, no matter the cost.

Faen looked at the baby before her, seeing how he was starting to adapt to the situation, but still incredibly fragile. She couldn't deny that he had some sort of growing power, but deep down, she knew he was just a child. No matter how much he fought or how much magic he had, he was a baby. Nothing else mattered.

She smiled maliciously, fully aware of her superiority. "Sorry, it's not going to happen, kid." Her voice was cold, and as if she had been waiting for this moment, something invisible and fierce grabbed the baby's legs with brutal strength, immobilizing him. The pressure of her magic seemed insurmountable, and any attempt to resist felt pointless.

Kael was completely trapped. He looked at Faen, his infant body stunned by the force of the magic, his mind screaming to break free, but unable to react. The magic seemed to nullify any attempt at action. He felt that, no matter how much he wanted to protect Eva and Sylphie, it wouldn't be possible.

"No matter how much you fight… You're just a baby, Kael," Faen whispered, her voice icy as she advanced, ready to deliver the final blow.

But before she could strike, a tremor coursed through the air, a sense of violent change in the environment, as if reality itself was distorting around her. Faen stopped, her expression hardening as the presence of something… or someone… began to take form.

Suddenly, a deep voice filled with hatred cut through the air. It was a voice that seemed to echo from the very shadows of the forest.

"I try to control myself… But it's time to end this rotten world so my son can live safely."

Faen quickly turned, her eyes meeting a towering woman who seemed to have emerged from the abyss itself. She was nearly two meters tall, and her presence was overwhelming. The red dress she wore seemed to be burning in an unusual way, with flames that didn't consume but intensified her power. The woman's hair was on fire, as if the flames were an extension of her own essence, and her eyes overflowed with a deep hatred, something Faen had never witnessed in her life.

The woman seemed to have been forged by rage and fury itself. Every word that came from her mouth was loaded with a mortal weight, an intensity of anger accumulated over an entire existence. For a moment, Faen faltered, something deep inside her being touched by that insane presence.

"Who… who are you?" Faen asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and surprise. She never imagined encountering someone who radiated so much hatred and power.

The woman slowly advanced, not taking her eyes off Faen. Her steps echoed like a promise of imminent destruction. "A mother, worried about her son."

---

More character images at:

Discord: discord.gg/C9C9x5wE8U

Did you like it? Add it to your library!

Don't forget to vote to support the book if you like it.