Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 156: Bad Feeling.

Kael walked quickly down the corridor, his steps heavy as if each one carried the weight of a world on fire. He didn't look sideways, nor did he look at the students who watched him with fear and respect. He was in a state of internal turmoil, emotions crashing inside him like waves against rocks. His heart was still beating fast, his mind tormented by the feeling of helplessness that had consumed him since the attack on the girl. The weight of that fight, the anger burning inside him, the feeling that nothing made a difference. Nothing was enough.

Nothing!

He entered the training room, slamming the door shut, the sound of the impact reverberating throughout the room. The air was cold, the room empty except for the combat equipment and Kael's sword, which was resting on a stand to the side.

He gripped it tightly, wielding it with sweaty, trembling hands. The cold metal did nothing to calm him down. His frustration grew with every breath.

"I'm useless," he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. Kael's gaze was fixed on the sword, but his mind was flashing images. Gods, blood, magic, students, monsters. He had the feeling that he was at the center of something much bigger, something that challenged him at every corner. But he wasn't ready, he wasn't powerful enough. He wasn't good enough.

Frustrated.

Ahri entered the room, silent as ever, her magical presence filling the room. She knew where Kael was going, she knew he needed space to deal with his feelings of guilt and anger. But she couldn't stay silent for long.

She walked over to him, her golden eyes shining softly in the darkness of the room. She knew he was in a fragile state, and that worried her. Kael didn't usually show weakness. Not with her. But now he was more distant, more closed off.

"Kael... you need to calm down," she said softly, stopping a reasonable distance away. "I understand that you're frustrated, but this anger isn't going to get you anywhere."

He didn't look at her straight away. His hand gripped the sword even tighter, his fingers white from exertion. His shoulders were tense, the anger in his body visible.

"I can't do this anymore," his voice was rough, almost broken. "I feel like nothing I do is going to change things. I'm just... running around in circles. And people are still suffering for this shit."

Ahri stepped forward, her posture calm and graceful, despite the tension in the air. She didn't try to get too close, just reached out towards him, offering what consolation she could. Her voice was soft now, like a quiet sigh.

"You're not useless, Kael. You are fighting a war that cannot be won alone."

Kael turned to her, his red eyes flashing with frustration.

"I'm tired of this! I'm tired of feeling weak, of not being able to protect people, of always feeling like I'm failing!"

He dropped the sword with a sudden movement, making the metal clang against the ground.

Ahri was silent for a moment, her gaze sharp, calculating her words. When she spoke, it wasn't with empty words of consolation, but with a truth that only she could deliver.

"Kael... life isn't just about winning, about being strong. You carry a huge weight, and it's normal to feel that way. But that's not all. You're more than that. You have something that others don't have. And that's what's going to make the difference."

Kael looked at her, still clenching his fists. He wanted to believe her, but the pain, the anger, still consumed him.

"I don't know what to do anymore," he said with a broken voice. "I try... I try so hard, but I still feel like I'm just a puppet, a piece in a game I can't understand."

Ahri took a step closer, her golden eyes fixed on his, deep as oceans.

"You're not alone, Kael. And you are not a piece in the game. You are the master of your own destiny. You just need to accept that."

Kael looked at her, a mixture of frustration and doubt still visible in his eyes.

Ahri smiled softly, her expression serious but full of understanding. She hadn't expected him to accept everything right away. That wasn't how things worked, especially when it came to Kael.

"You have more than you realize, Kael. Sometimes the greatest powers aren't in magic or strength. They lie in the will to keep fighting, even when it seems impossible. And you already have that."

Kael looked at her for a moment, and for an instant, something shone in his eyes. Perhaps it was hope. Maybe it was a new determination.

He wasn't there yet. He didn't feel strong enough yet. But maybe, just maybe, he could start to believe what Ahri was saying. That he wasn't alone. And that maybe, just maybe, he was stronger than he had imagined.

"I'll try," he muttered, the anger still burning, but now accompanied by a quiet determination. "I don't know if it will work... but I'll try."

Ahri smiled, her golden eyes softening.

Ahri approached without haste, her golden eyes still fixed on his. There was a tenderness there that she rarely let show - a silent affection reserved only for Kael. The tension in his shoulders was still there, visible, as if he were carrying the weight of an entire world. And perhaps he was.

She said nothing more.

She just wrapped him up in a hug - firm, welcoming, warm like a forgotten home.

Kael couldn't resist. His body relaxed involuntarily as he felt the warmth of her touch. That moment was in no hurry, it needed no explanation. It was just... comfort. Ahri's nine tails moved gently, some curling around him, others swaying in the air like a protective dance.

And there, in the middle of that embrace, Kael's face nestled instinctively against her lap, pressed against the soft fabric of her arcane robes.

Ahri smiled with amusement and affection.

"You really are no good..." she whispered mischievously, as she stroked his unruly hair with her slender fingers. Her touch was light, almost hypnotic, charged with mana and tenderness.

Kael grumbled, almost sulkily, without raising his face. "It doesn't even begin..."

"But it's true. He gets all grumpy... and then he turns into a wounded kitten on my lap." She laughed softly, and the sound seemed to light up the air around her. "If anyone from Sword saw that, you'd be screwed."

"Let them try to comment on it," he replied, finally lifting his gaze a little. "I'll drag everyone around the school by the hair too."

Ahri laughed elegantly, her white fangs showing discreetly. "Ah, my brutal hero..."

They stood there in silence for a moment longer, just feeling each other's presence.

Then she pulled away a little - just enough to look him right in the eye, her face so close that their breathing mingled.

"You don't have to carry all this yourself, Kael."

He looked at her in silence, his eyes still dark, but less heavy. Less lost.

"I know... it's just not easy."

"I'm dangerous too, remember?" Ahri winked at him, her playful tone returning. "If I have to take down half this academy with you... I'll do it."

Kael laughed lightly, dryly, but truthfully. "You have a strange talent for making me less screwed up than I was."

Ahri smiled wider, and one of her fingers reached up to touch his forehead, as if to erase the shadow that still remained there.

"That's my gift. Making monsters feel like they still have a heart."

Kael stared at her for another second, then nodded slowly.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm with you all the way."

[Another Place...]

The darkness gives way to a silent hall, vast and ancient - living stone walls covered in centuries-old tapestries, arcane symbols pulsing faintly beneath the surface. The air there is dense, charged with ancient power, but also with an unusual calm.

In the center of the room is a round black marble table, finely carved with runes that glow a soft purple. On it, delicate china, steaming cups of tea... and two women.

On one side, Eva - upright, elegant, wearing a black tunic with silver details, her dark brown hair tied up in a simple bun. Her eyes, however, are firm. Clear. Filled with a restrained restlessness.

On the other side, Eleonor - the Witch Queen. Kael's grandmother. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Her presence is... impossible to ignore.

Not because of her appearance, for she seems calm, serene, almost gentle. A woman with red hair in elaborate braids, skin as pale as the moon and eyes of a vivid, unfathomable gold. Her dress is made of shadows sewn with star threads, and her cup levitates gently between her fingers, as if the world itself danced around her at will.

They are sitting face to face. Like queens at peace - but with secrets between the words.

Eva stirs the tea in her cup, the clink of the spoon echoing softly through the room. Finally, she sighs.

"Kael is... unstable," she says, looking directly at Eleonor. "You know that. You know it better than anyone. He's suffocated by what he feels. With what he can't do. With what he can't... be."

Eleonor doesn't answer right away. She just sips her tea with unearthly elegance, her gaze wandering towards one of the enchanted glass windows that shows the starry sky - even though it's daytime outside.

"He's young," she finally replies. His voice is soft, but carries a weight that could crush armies. "And youth always believes that carrying the world is synonymous with strength."

Eva clenches her fists slightly, but restrains herself.

"And yet he can't use even half of what he has. Not a tenth."

Eleonor shifts her gaze back to her.

"Why is his power sealed?"

That question hangs in the air like a suspended sword. And Eleonor... falls silent.

For long seconds, all that can be heard is the subtle sound of tea being stirred.

Until, finally, she rests the cup on the saucer with a soft click.

"Because..." she begins, with an almost resigned tone, "I ended up teaching you too much."

Eva raises an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden sincerity.

"Teaching too much? Eleonor, you're one of the most careful minds in the arcane world. You don't end up doing anything. What's wrong?"

Eleonor interlaced her fingers on the table, her gaze now on the cup, as if it held memories she'd rather forget.

"When Kael was little... he learned quickly. Too quickly. Not just the techniques, not just the rituals... he understood the essence. The intention behind magic. The nature of shadow, of the abyss, of manipulation..." she pauses, her eyes becoming distant "...and he didn't hesitate."

Eva swallows dryly.

"You were afraid of him."

"I was afraid for him." Eleonor corrects, with a firm tone. "The path I walked is made of bones and decisions that don't come back. I saw... what absolute magic does to a young soul. So I sealed his mana. I tied up the flow. I created limits. Because if he woke up with everything... at that moment, there would be nothing left of who he was."

"Does Elion know about this?" asked Eva.

"Who do you think put the seal on him?" Eleonor asked, looking deep into her eyes. "She never wanted to teach him magic, because she already knew the outcome."

"What the fuck..." Eva spoke...