Kael was back on his horse, calmly watching the system. The surrounding landscape seed quieter now, with the sound of hooves echoing through the valley as the group made their way back.
"Let's see..." He muttered and looked at the ssage.
[Six Rank D souls have been absorbed!]
[You have received: 18 Strength points]
[You received: 24 Stamina points]
'Hm... as I imagined, it depends on the type of monster I kill... They were golems, they had almost no speed, and they didn't use magic, so the System will always extract whatever is most consistent with the monster or person... that's good information.' Kael thought, analyzing correctly...
'Everything is already over 100 points...' He said, looking at the current Status.
[Status]
[Na]: Kael Scarlet (11 years old)
[Physical]: Supre Soul Hunter
[Strength]: 133
[Agility]: 101
[Intelligence]: 214
[Endurance]: 140
[Mana]: 200
[Blessing]: World Tree (SSS)
[Contract]: Spirit of the Forest - Umbra (A )
[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), Slashing Shadow Dance (Lv.1), Elental Manipulation (Lv.10), Shadow Manipulation (Lv.1), Predatory Eyes (Lv.1), Royal Web (Lv.1), Intimidation Aura (Passive)]
'Still don't have any sword skills... that Grip skill must not be completed yet. That's why it doesn't even show up in the System's Status.' He continued to explore... However, that feeling of calm wouldn't last long.
Adalric was at the front of the caravan, his eyes scanning for any suspicious movent on the road. He knew the route they had chosen was dangerous, but he hadn't told the rest of the group. It was part of Kael's test.
"It's too quiet..." Irelia comnted, riding beside Kael. Her eyes were scanning the forest around them with suspicion.
Kael noticed the tension in her voice and felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at Adalric, who seed even more alert. It was as if the knight was waiting for sothing to happen.
And then, it happened.
A whistle cut through the air, followed by a tallic sound. An arrow hit the ground just ahead of Adalric's horse, forcing him to stop. Within seconds, several hooded figures erged from the forest, surrounding the road. There were at least fifteen of them, ard with swords, axes, and bows. Their eyes glead with clear intentions.
"Well, what do we have here?" one of the bandits mocked, stepping out of the shadows. He was a tall man with a scar crossing his face and worn leather armor. "A caravan full of fools. Leave your belongings and maybe we'll let you live."
Adalric dismounted slowly, as if not concerned in the slightest. He looked at the bandits and smiled, that confident smile that irritated every enemy. "You have two options," he said, his voice calm but full of authority. "Leave now and live to tell the story… or die."
The bandits laughed, but there was sothing in Adalric's posture that made so of them hesitate. Kael, however, was already analyzing the situation. He could feel the bandits' auras... none of them were particularly strong, but they had numbers on their side.
"Kael," Adalric called, not taking his eyes off the bandit leader. "This is part of your training, you can use magic, there are plenty of idiots."
Kael blinked, surprised, but nodded. He dismounted from his horse and drew the steel sword he was still carrying. Irelia, beside him, gave him a worried look.
"You're going to fight alone?" she asked.
"That's what he wants," Kael replied, nodding toward Adalric. He took a few steps forward, positioning himself between the bandits and the caravan. "Do you really want to do this?" he asked, his voice carrying a tone of warning.
The bandit leader laughed. "And what are you going to do, kid? Fight us all alone?"
Kael didn't respond. He gripped the sword tightly, his aura starting to manifest around him. It was a nearly tangible feeling, sothing even the bandits could sense. So instinctively stepped back, but the leader didn't flinch.
"Kill him!" he shouted.
The bandits advanced.
Kael waited for the first bandit to approach, easily dodging the swing of a sword. With a quick move, he counterattacked, his blade cutting through the enemy with surgical precision. The man fell to the ground before even realizing what had happened.
The second bandit attempted to attack from behind, but Kael spun around, using the montum to strike, instantly disarming him. He finished the movent with a kick that sent the man flying back, colliding with two other bandits.
Adalric watched with his arms crossed, a satisfied smile on his face. "He's starting to understand," he muttered to himself.
Kael continued his dance among the bandits, every move calculated. He was applying everything he had learned in the past few days: control, precision, and balance. Where before he might have relied on brute force, now he used strategy.
A taller bandit advanced with an axe, shouting. Kael sidestepped and used his blade to cut the weapon's handle before landing a precise blow to the man's side. Another tried to attack him with a dagger, but Kael knocked him down with a straight punch, his relentless strength sending the bandit flying backward.
The bandits began to hesitate. This young, seemingly inexperienced figure was defeating them one by one without even appearing tired.
"Cowards!" the leader shouted, furious. He drew a longsword and charged directly at Kael. "If you can't do anything, I'll finish him myself!"
Kael raised his sword, prepared for the confrontation. The leader was more skilled than the others, his movents fast and precise. But Kael had sothing he didn't— the ability to read movents through aura. He observed every attack, dodging at the last mont and counterattacking with strikes that forced the leader to retreat.
"You... are not human," the leader gasped, his eyes wide, the expression of disbelief clear on his face. "What are you?"
Kael simply smiled, his cold, calculating gaze fixed on the defeated leader. "Huh?" he responded, as if answering a trivial question. "I'm just a hunter."
With a swift motion, he disard the leader with ease, the man's sword flying from his hands and clattering to the ground. The leader fell to his knees, unable to rise, his eyes still locked on Kael, but life quickly draining from his body.
The remaining bandits, seeing the defeat of their leader, recoiled, their faces now filled with fear. "It was just a damn test," Kael said, his voice calm, as if nothing more than a routine task. He raised the sword and, with a single precise motion, decapitated the leader, the sound of steel cutting through flesh echoing across the field.
The remaining bandits, seeing the fate of their leader, ran in desperation, fleeing into the forest like rats abandoning a sinking ship. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire
Adalric watched the entire scene in silence, a growing smile forming on his face. He knew Kael possessed uncommon skills, but seeing the coldness with which the young man handled the situation impressed him more than any sword strike.
"Hmm... as always, cowards," Adalric murmured, his voice filled with disdain as he watched the fugitives disappear into the forest. He then turned to Kael, his penetrating gaze fixed on the young hunter. "Have you killed humans before?" he asked, the tone curious, but also evaluative.
Kael wiped the blade of his sword, looking at Adalric with an unwavering expression. "Monsters and humans are the sa. There's no difference. Both live, and both die."
Adalric grinned widely, his eyes shining with approval. He placed a firm hand on Kael's shoulder, a gesture that seed more of recognition than consolation. "You're starting to understand," he said with a satisfied smile. "That's the ntality of a real hunter."
Kael nodded in silence, absorbing the words. He didn't feel any remorse or regret; the fight was simply what he did, and he had been trained to view enemies in a practical, detached way. To him, those bandits were rely obstacles to be removed, nothing more.
"Let's get going," Adalric said with a definitive tone, as if the battle was already over for him.
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