Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

The silence that preceded the next clash was almost unnatural. No drums, no goblin screams, just the sound of the Lord's harsh breathing and Kael's controlled breathing as he steadied himself in his stance, golden sword gripped firmly.

The air vibrated between them.

Kael knew he couldn't simply trade blows until the end. The Goblin Lord wasn't just brute strength—he had monstrous endurance and an axe whose cursed energy seemed to devour everything it touched. If he tried to win by strength alone, he might be crushed.

He took a deep breath. "Calm. Rhythm. Mistakes. I just need an opening."

The Lord roared and lunged forward. The ground cracked beneath his weight, each stride a burst of force. The axe descended in a vertical arc that would have split a horse in two. Kael didn't attempt to block. He spun to the side, sliding his feet across the still-smoldering ground, and counterattacked, aiming for the exposed armpit.

The blade sank deep, but not deep enough. Black flesh split, thick blood gushed, and the Lord responded with a brutal headbutt.

Kael raised his arm, deflecting the blow, but the impact still knocked him back two meters. The clang of his armor echoed through the clearing.

The goblins roared in unison, vibrating for the first time since the battle began.

Kael spat blood onto the ground and regained his stance. "Right. He'll try to break me with pressure. But every strike he makes leaves his torso exposed…"

The Lord advanced again. The axe came in a sideways arc, too fast for a creature of his size. Kael raised his sword, absorbing the impact, then slid the blade down the axe's handle until it struck the enemy's hand. A clean cut sliced ​​open three fingers, eliciting a guttural roar.

Kael wasted no time. He whirled, his sword arcing upward, aiming for the neck.

The Lord retreated too quickly for his size, the axe intercepting instinctively. The clash produced black and gold sparks. Both were thrown in opposite directions, leaving furrows in the ground.

The tension mounted.

Kael's eyes shone, but sweat beaded on his forehead. His arm vibrated with the effort of each block. The Lord smiled, showing bloodied fangs.

"He takes pleasure in this…" Kael thought, gritting his teeth. "Then I'll use it against him."

The Lord charged forward, raising his axe in both fists. Kael stood still, feigning exhaustion. As the black blade descended, instead of blocking, he rolled under it. The blow struck the ground, creating a crater. Just as his enemy was pinned for a second, Kael spun and drove his sword into his thigh.

The scream shook the clearing. The Lord staggered, but responded with a devastating kick that struck Kael in the chest.

The young man flew five meters, landing among the charred remains of a hut. He coughed up blood, the metallic taste filling his mouth. His ribs burned.

"Damn it… he's too strong to prolong this. If I miss once, it's over."

He limped to his feet, breathing heavily, but his gaze still fixed. The golden sword flickered, as if fueled by its wielder's determination.

The Lord advanced again, limping but still imposing. His wound bled, but it seemed only to fuel him, as if each drop made him angrier.

Kael raised his sword, guard high.

It was time to turn the tide.

The next clash caused the air to explode. Sword and axe met, and the waves of energy slammed into the surrounding goblins, knocking dozens to the ground. Kael slid down, trying to sever his enemy's tendons, but the Lord spun brutally, the axe slicing in a semicircle that nearly split Kael in half.

He blocked, but was thrown backward. He rolled to the ground, rising immediately, only to dodge another downward blow. The axe tore a hole in the ground, sending rocks flying.

Kael took advantage. He leaped over the embedded weapon and used the handle as leverage, running to the Lord's shoulder. His blade flashed and came down against his neck.

A golden flash cut through the night.

But the Lord moved in reflex. The blade penetrated part of his shoulder, drawing a torrent of blood, but missed his throat. The monster's free arm caught Kael mid-air and slammed him into a tree.

The impact shattered the trunk. Kael rolled on the ground, coughing up blood, his entire body screaming in pain.

For a moment, the goblins howled, believing their lord had won.

But Kael rose again. He was trembling, bleeding, but his eyes were even more intense. He took a deep breath and steadied his sword before him.

"You don't understand... I will not fall here."

The Lord came again, roaring. The axe came down in a brutal blow. Kael didn't flinch. He charged forward, clashing sword against blade. The impact unleashed a burst of energy so intense that the surrounding trees toppled.

Kael twisted his fist, redirecting the axe's force to the side. He took advantage of the tiny opening and drove his sword into the Lord's abdomen. The enemy roared, but delivered a headbutt that split Kael's lip.

They were both bleeding. They were both gasping. They both knew a single mistake would decide everything.

Kael took a step back, wiped the blood from his mouth, and analyzed. "He's slower... wounded, but still dangerous. I need to force a definitive opening."

The Lord raised his axe, preparing one final, crushing blow. Dark energy enveloped the blade, distorting the air. It was a final technique, an execution destined to split the world in two.

Kael took a deep breath. His golden aura grew like an erupting sun.

The goblins instinctively retreated, dazzled by the intensity of the light.

The Lord roared and attacked.

Kael also advanced, not to block, but to slash. The sword swung in a perfect arc, guided not by force but by absolute precision.

The impact was apocalyptic. The ground ruptured, the clearing lit up like day.

The black axe cracked.

And the golden blade passed cleanly through the Lord's neck.

For an instant, time stood still.

The monster's colossal body continued to move, but its head, severed in a phenomenal gash, spun in the air, its crimson eyes still wide. The black aura dissipated in ethereal screams, as if a thousand trapped souls were being freed.

The head fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

The body collapsed immediately afterward, shaking the earth.

Silence.

The goblin army, which had roared and howled throughout the battle, now stared in utter terror. The throne of bones remained empty, and the Lord's blood flowed like a black river across the clearing.

Kael remained standing, sword in hand, his body covered in blood, his chest heaving. He looked at the shocked horde and raised his still-dripping blade.

The golden aura exploded again, and his voice echoed like thunder:

"Who else?"

No goblins answered.

In seconds, chaos gave way to flight. Thousands ran, howling in panic, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. The clearing, once a battlefield, was now only silence, fire, and bodies.

Kael took a deep breath. His sword dripped blood, but his posture remained erect. He walked to the Lord's head, grabbed it by the bloody hair, and raised it before the moon.

"The end." And in that moment, the night bowed before him.

And of course… it wasn't just for Kael that it was night…

The night in the tavern was strangely noisy. Not by the regulars—miners, hunters, and merchants who occupied the corners with clinking mugs—but by the trio seated at the central table.

Irelia, Sylphie, and Amelia were flushed, their cheeks heated by alcohol, each one slouching more than the last. Half-empty mugs of mead and wine piled high on the table like trophies from a private war.

From the counter, Reven watched the scene with his hand resting on his chin. His narrowed eyes revealed a single thought: Why in the name of all the gods did I give them alcohol?

"He didn't even look back…" Irelia stammered, her arm resting on the table, her forehead pressed against the wood. Her black hair was disheveled, falling to her shoulders. "Not a wave! Nothing!"

"Selfish…" Sylphie finished, pointing her empty mug at the ceiling as if it were a formal accusation against the heavens. "So selfish!" Leave three wonderful women here, alone, and go face… I don't know what!

"Goblins, I think," Amelia said, trying to sound sober. Her attempt failed miserably when her eyes blurred and she nearly fell out of her chair. "But that doesn't matter! What matters is that he went without us. As if we were… I don't know… dead weight!"

"Not dead weight!" Irelia jerked her head up, her eyes narrowed with drunken rage. "I'm a living sword, a storm of blades! I could have made a difference back there!"

Sylphie slammed her hand on the table, nearly knocking over the mugs. "And me with my magic! I could have illuminated everything! But no… the great Kael, the shining hero, has to do it all alone."

Amelia crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks like a disgruntled child. "He doesn't trust anyone. That's the problem. He carries the world on his shoulders and forgets that we want to carry it too."

Reven sighed deeply. She walked to the table, bracing her hands on the sticky beer surface. "You three are too drunk."

"We're conscious!" Sylphie snapped, raising her finger, only to knock over her own mug. The golden liquid spilled across the table, and Amelia desperately tried to catch it with her hands, giggling like a child playing with water.

"Aware of how stupid Kael is!" Irelia added, raising her voice. "He thinks he's protecting us, but he's only hurting us."

Reven closed his eyes for a moment, massaging his temples. It wasn't just the alcohol talking. Those words carried real weight, pent-up resentment.

"Listen…" she began, but Sylphie interrupted.

"No! You don't understand, Reven!" The mage, visibly drunk, pointed directly at the innkeeper. "He could have at least looked at us before he left. That's all! One look. One… see you later."

Amelia finished in a lower tone, almost a whisper: "As if we were truly important."

There was a brief silence. The noise of the other patrons seemed distant.

Reven pulled out a chair and sat with them, crossing his arms. "Stop acting like children!"

The three stopped, looked at Raven… "But we're kids" they said together…