Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

"Before you leave, I've prepared a few things for you," Elion said as she opened a small, glowing blue portal. From it, a heavy backpack fell gently into her hands, and she extended it to Kael.

"Honestly, I considered teleporting you directly to Azalith, but your grandmother insisted that you should find your own way. I know I can be overprotective..." She gave a small, melancholic smile before sighing. "But I won't always be by your side."

Kael watched his mother carefully. There was something different about her in that moment, something more serious and intense than he was used to. When she lifted her gaze to meet his, her expression was filled with concern and something else... a weight he couldn't identify.

"Azalith," she began, her voice firm, "is the place with the highest concentration of promising youth in this world. Each of them is special in some way, with talents and abilities that could change the continent's fate." She paused, as if organizing her thoughts before continuing. "And because of that, you need to know something important."

Kael furrowed his brow. The tension in the air grew with every word, and he felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed the gravity of the moment.

"Azalith will be more than just a place to learn or train. You will be entering an environment filled with alliances, rivalries, and interests that go far beyond what you can imagine." She hesitated for a moment, and then her expression changed. It was something Kael had never seen before: a mix of regret and determination.

"Kael... I need you to understand." Her voice grew quieter, but still carried an unwavering strength. "Your mother, boy... is hated by many beings in this world."

Kael blinked, surprised, the weight of her words hitting him like a wave. "Hated? But why? What did you do?" he asked, unable to hide his confusion.

Elion gave a small smile, but it wasn't one of amusement. It was a bitter smile, filled with stories she seemed reluctant to share. "I did what needed to be done. What I believe is right. But the choices I made created enemies, Kael. Many enemies. Some powerful, others... persistent. And even though you have nothing to do with this, the blood that runs through your veins is enough to attract trouble."

Kael remained silent, processing his mother's words as his heart and mind weighed the burden of the choice before him.

"But, of course, there's an alternative." Elion said, her voice taking on a softer, almost hesitant tone. She crossed her arms and looked at him seriously. "You could try to enter as a low-level student, take the admission test, and live a discreet life. Your name is known by no one except the director and your grandmother. If you change your surname and choose a simpler profile, you could avoid many problems... maybe even live a peaceful life."

She watched him expectantly, as if waiting for him to consider the proposal, to accept the safer path. But Kael felt a strange mix of emotions. The suggestion seemed so... disconnected from what he knew he was. And then, the System decided to manifest with its usual irony.

[Choice: Be a Loser and live a miserable life, or... Be the grandson of the Fairy Queen and the Son of the Witch of Chaos.]

As he read the message, a smile began to form on Kael's face. He already knew which path he would choose. There was a flame burning in his chest, ignited by the years of grueling training alongside his grandmother. He didn't care about difficulties. He didn't fear the weight of a name.

In an instant, the memory of Eleonor's words echoed in his mind, the ones she had spoken after years of mockery and challenges: "Be proud. You are strong."

It was all he needed to decide.

Kael raised his eyes to his mother, an intense and unwavering gleam reflected in his gaze. It was a look filled with determination, but also something deeper, something that made Elion's heart tremble: a possessive, almost predatory gaze, as though he were about to devour the entire world, and she was the first to witness that hunger.

"I think you're mistaken about one thing," Kael finally said, his voice full of conviction. "I would never pretend you're not my mother."

Elion felt the impact of Kael's words, like thunder resonating in her soul. The strength of that overwhelming gaze, filled with determination, struck her with an intensity she hadn't expected. For a moment, conflicting emotions surged within her—pride, admiration, and something deeper, hard to name. The boy in front of her, the one she had protected, trained, and sometimes even spoiled, now exuded a confidence that seemed to rival her own.

And then, as if to seal the moment, the System manifested with its cold objectivity:

[You have selected the "Supreme Hunter" difficulty, the most difficult difficulty in the world.]

Kael read the words with a defiant smile, and a thought sliced through his mind like a sharp blade: "Fuck it, I refuse to be miserable like in my past life."

While Elion still seemed to absorb everything she had just heard, Kael took a step forward, closing the distance between them. He extended his hand, gently holding hers, but with enough firmness to convey his commitment.

"I would never do anything against who I am, mother." His voice softened now, but no less resolute. "And I would never pretend you're not my mother... No matter what happens."

Elion blinked, surprised by the intensity of his words. Before she could react, Kael continued, his expression becoming slightly embarrassed as he briefly averted his gaze.

"Well... and, besides, you have high expectations for me, right?" He murmured, almost as if confessing something. "I still remember what you said to Grandma."

Elion looked at Kael with a curious expression, trying to understand what he meant. His tone, confused and a little flustered, made her raise an eyebrow, but she didn't want to interrupt him.

"Huh? What did I tell your grandmother?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to the side. The glint in her eyes showed that she was genuinely interested. 

Kael scratched the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. He looked away, trying to find the right words. "Ah... well, you know... When you said... that I'm worthy of having you..." He spoke quickly, and his voice dropped at the end of the sentence, as if he was embarrassed. 

Elion paused for a moment, surprised by Kael's words, before starting to blush... She sighed, still blushing, "Oh, so you were listening to that conversation? I thought you were asleep!" She said like a little girl in love. 

Kael, not knowing how to react to his blushing mother, blushed even more, but forced himself to continue. "Well... I still don't know what 'incest' is, but... if it's anything to do with having you for myself... then I need to stay strong to be worthy." He said, his eyes steady, still trying to disguise his shame. 

Elion froze for a moment, the word "incest" echoing in her mind. She knew Kael had a sharp mind, but she never imagined he would jump to this kind of conclusion. 'It's a good thing he still doesn't know what incest is...' She thought, 'But it's good that his mindset is like that... Mom's happy,' Elion thought. 

'Of course I know what incest is, I'm just trying to see if that's what she really wants...,' thought Kael, feeling the weight of embarrassment as he realized the seriousness of the situation. He was trying to understand his own feelings, but that didn't make things any easier. 

Elion looked at Kael with a soft smile, the tension dissipating as she shook her head, a touch of exasperation in her gaze. "Darling... I think you're too young to know what incest is..." She said, smiling blushingly. 

Kael felt an involuntary giggle forming, but the restraint in her expression was almost instantaneous. 'Too young, but you're blushing just to hear it, mother... yandere.' He thought, with a touch of humor and inner irritation, realizing how embarrassed she was to be having this conversation... 

"Don't worry, Mom, we're going to commit a lot of incest!" Kael said jokingly, to tease his mother even more. 

---

More character images at:

Discord: discord.gg/C9C9x5wE8U

Did you like it? Add it to your library!

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