Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The next morning arrived with a soft, golden glow that bathed the open field in front of the house. Kael was ready, his backpack adjusted on his back, and his posture straight, exuding confidence. Still, there was a subtle tension in the air as Elion watched him in silence.

She approached, each step heavy with conflicting emotions. Her eyes studied Kael's face as if she wanted to commit every detail to memory. Finally, she stopped in front of him, the wind playing with the loose strands of her hair.

"So, this is the day," Elion began, her voice softer than usual. "You're going to Azalith, and I won't be there to protect you."

Kael gave a small smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Mom, you've already done more than enough to prepare me. I'll be fine."

She crossed her arms, her gaze turning serious. "I know you're strong, Kael. But strength isn't everything. Azalith isn't just a school to learn magic and skills. It's a battleground—socially, politically, and sometimes literally. You'll meet people who won't hesitate to step on others to reach the top."

"I know that, and that's why I'm going all in," Kael responded, his voice filled with determination. "I won't hide. I won't pretend to be something I'm not. They can try to bring me down, but they'll realize I'm stronger than I seem."

Elion smiled faintly, but there was worry in her eyes. "Remember who you are, what it means to carry the Scarlet bloodline. Never lower your head, but don't let pride blind you either."

She then extended her hand, and from a blue portal, she pulled out an old-looking pendant. In the center was a glowing crystal that seemed to pulse with energy. "This belonged to your grandmother. It's a protective amulet. No matter how powerful you are, there will always be situations where you'll be caught off guard. Use it wisely."

Kael accepted the gift, holding it carefully. He looked at Elion, realizing how much this gesture meant to her. "Thank you, Mom. I promise I'll honor our family."

Elion hesitated for a moment, then pulled him into a tight hug. "Kael, remember: I'll always be here, cheering for you, even from afar. And please... try not to destroy the entire academy on your first day, okay?"

Kael laughed as he hugged her back, the warmth of the gesture contrasting with the slight teasing in his voice. "No promises."

Elion slowly released him, but her eyes sparkled with a mix of pride and sadness that seemed to pierce through Kael's heart. "It's time," she said, her voice heavy with emotions that Kael couldn't ignore.

Before he could take another step, Elion unexpectedly bent down to his height. Her sudden action made Kael furrow his brows, confused.

"Are you okay, Mom?" he asked, but his question died in his throat when she came even closer. The proximity was intense, almost suffocating, and her eyes, filled with emotions Kael couldn't interpret, locked with his.

"Mom...?" He tried again, his voice hesitant. That's when Elion completely surprised him, leaning in and pressing her lips against his.

Kael's world stopped for a moment, his mind spinning in a thousand directions as he tried to process what had just happened. He felt the warmth of the kiss, the unexpected sweetness and the intensity that seemed to transcend anything he could understand. 

'Incestuous Yandere!!!' Kael was startled, even though he had enjoyed his mother's kiss. 

Elion pulled away slowly, his eyes now calmer, but still carrying an intense glow that Kael didn't know how to define. "Remember that, Kael," she whispered, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips. 

Then, leaning close, she brought her lips to his ear, her voice coming out in a whisper carrying a tone that made Kael's heart race. "When you grow up... we'll do things much kinkier than a kiss." Her voice was sweet, but filled with a possessiveness that sent shivers down his spine. 

She pulled away slowly, but her eyes, deep and dark like two black holes, stared at him with intensity. "Just come back to me, Kael," she said, with a dangerous mixture of gentleness and authority, as if his fate was sealed by her words. 

Kael stood still, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions that saying goodbye to his mother had caused. 

"I-it's okay," Kael replied, his voice faltering slightly as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks. He looked away, trying to hide the obvious blush on his face. 

Elion, who rarely showed any sign of vulnerability, looked surprisingly similar. Her own cheeks were slightly flushed, and she avoided facing Kael directly, pretending to adjust her hair as if that could disguise her expression. 

For a moment, the silence between them was palpable, charged with emotions and unspoken thoughts. Despite all the intensity of their gestures and words, both now seemed strangely shy, as if the weight of what they shared was both natural and incredibly challenging to accept. 

"Well..." Elion broke the silence, his voice lower and more hesitant. "Don't forget to write to me... and to come back stronger." 

Kael nodded, a slight, nervous smile appearing on his lips. "You got it, Mom." He took a deep breath, straightening his shoulders, as if preparing for the next stage of his journey. 

Kael walked along the road that would take him to Azalith Academy, his mind still spinning with recent events. The tight embrace, the intense words and that kiss... It all weighed heavily on his mind, so that he didn't know whether to laugh or just freak out. 

After a few minutes of silence, as the landscape around him seemed to blur, he finally let out a long sigh, tilting his head back as if trying to release all the accumulated tension.

"My mom... she's a crazy pervert..." he muttered, his voice carrying a mix of exasperation and amusement. A crooked smile appeared on his lips as he shook his head, thinking about how impossible it was for anyone else to have a mother like Elion.

"Who in their right mind would do something like that before saying goodbye to their son?" he wondered, laughing quietly to himself, though his face still burned with embarrassment.

Still, Kael knew that as chaotic and unusual as she was, Elion deeply cared for him. Maybe, he thought, that's what made everything so complicated.

"Well... I'd better get used to it. If Azalith Academy is even half as complicated as my mom, I know I won't have peace," he murmured to himself as he adjusted his backpack and quickened his pace, leaving the familiar home behind in search of the next chapter of his journey.

"I wonder how strong I'm going to get..." he smiled, looking at the System notification.

[Computing Hunt...] 

[You Hunted: Elion Scarlet] 

[Hunt Complete] 

[Rewards being calculated...] 

[Hunt Level Too Great to Reward User] 

[Due to the Extreme Achievement, the Soul of Elion cannot be bound to the User. Looking for loopholes...] 

[Looking for...] 

[Due to the Extreme Achievement, the Soul of Elion has been Rejected for Binding to the User] 

[Due to the Extreme Achievement, the System offers the skill 30 points in all Status] 

[Status] 

[Name]: Kael Scarlet (11 years old) 

[Physical]: Supreme Soul Hunter 

[Strength]: 80 

[Agility]: 75 

[Intelligence]: 198 

[Endurance]: 70 

[Mana]: 200 

[Blessing]: World Tree (SSS) 

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

[Skills]: Soul Absorption (Lv.1), Soul Hunter (Lv.1), Blade Instinct (Passive), Dance of Cutting Shadows (Lv.1), Elemental Manipulation (Lv.10), Shadow Manipulation (Lv.1)] 

---

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.