Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 406: Are you tired?

Several hours passed.

The sun had already shifted position in the sky when the final sound echoed through the arena—not of impact, nor of explosion, but of a body hitting the ground with a dry, definitive thud.

Exelia fell on her back.

Her arms spun out to the sides, the sword slipping from her fingers and stopping just inches from her hand. Her chest rose and fell too quickly, the air rushing in irregular bursts, burning her lungs as if each breath were made of glass.

She lay there.

Looking at the sky.

The arcane crystal columns surrounding the arena still pulsed, but now at an erratic rhythm, some cracked, others completely extinguished. The black ground was marked by deep furrows, invisible lines that only existed because Kael had decided they would. There was no ice. There was no fire.

Only absence.

Exelia let out a hoarse laugh, almost a choke.

— Damn it… — she murmured, wiping the sweat from her eyes with her forearm. — You… have too much stamina…

She tried to sit up.

Her body protested immediately.

Muscles trembling, joints burning, her aura responding with a delay, as if too tired even to obey. Exelia gave up and fell back against the cold stone, cursing under her breath.

— Damn it… — she muttered. — This isn't fair.

Kael was a few meters ahead.

Standing.

Breathing deeply, but controlled.

There were marks on him — superficial cuts, the fabric of his kimono torn in several places, his hair held back by sheer willpower. His body ached, yes. Each muscle carried the weight of hours of continuous combat.

But he was still standing.

And that… said it all.

Kael walked toward her with slow, careful steps, as if any sudden movement could shatter the fragile balance he had found. He stopped beside her and looked down.

"You pushed yourself too hard," he said, not as a provocation, but as a statement of fact.

Exelia snorted.

"Of course I pushed myself." She turned to face him, her eyes half-closed in the light. "You don't stop. You don't tire the normal way."

She took another deep breath, panting.

"I can keep up with your technique. I can read your movements." A crooked smile appeared on her lips. "But your body… your body just keeps going."

Kael frowned slightly.

"I felt you slowing down."

"Obviously." She laughed humorlessly. "My body is still… a body. Muscles. Nerves. Irritatingly real biological limits."

She raised her hand, vaguely pointing at him. "—Yours hasn't been playing by the same rules for hours, Kael."

He remained silent.

The truth settled heavily in the air.

Exelia closed her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply, trying to reorganize her own aura, but it came in irregular, tired waves, like a sea after a storm that lasted too long.

"—I can fight against you," she said, opening her eyes again. "—But I can't do it indefinitely. My body can't keep up with the rhythm of your 'field.'"

She made air quotes with her fingers, irritated.

"—Every time I enter it, it's like swimming against a current that doesn't tire."

Kael crouched beside her.

"—This wasn't supposed to become a test of endurance."

Exelia turned her head, facing him directly.

"—But it did." A tired, yet sincere smile. "—And you passed with flying colors."

She let out a long sigh and looked back at the sky.

"I hate to admit it…" she murmured. "But if this fight went on for another hour… I would lose. Not because of technique. Because of exhaustion."

Kael rested a forearm on his knee.

"I didn't feel that exhaustion the same way."

"I know." She laughed again, more weakly. "That's exactly the problem."

Silence fell between them, heavy, but not uncomfortable. Just real.

After a few seconds, Exelia spoke again, her voice lower:

"This completely changes how you're going to fight from now on."

Kael nodded.

"I can't gauge confrontations the old way anymore."

She turned her face to him again.

"And we're going to have to rethink training. Strategy. Exposure time." She grimaced. "Because if you fight seriously near allies for too long… they'll fall before the enemy."

Kael clenched his fist slightly.

"I don't want this."

"I know," she replied. "But wanting doesn't change physiology."

She held out her hand, still lying down.

"Help me get up. Before I stay here too long and decide the floor is comfortable."

Kael gently took her hand and pulled her up slowly.

Exelia sat up first, taking a deep breath, then stood with his help. Her legs still trembled, but obeyed.

She rested her arm on Kael's shoulder for a second longer than necessary.

"Next time," she said, with a tired, defiant smile, "we'll need breaks. Or I'll start training just to survive you."

Kael smiled slightly.

"I promise to try not to break you in the process."

"Try, huh?" She raised an eyebrow. "You're terrible at that."

He chuckled softly.

The arena remained silent around them, marked by hours of something that was no longer just training.

Kael remained silent for a few seconds after the low laugh faded.

Then he tilted his head slightly, observing Exelia more attentively than he had since the end of the fight. The way she shifted her weight to one leg, her still uneven breathing, the fatigue hidden behind her proud posture.

"...And so," he said, too casually for someone treading on dangerous ground, "are you calmer now?"

Exelia blinked.

She turned her face slowly to meet his.

"What?"

"You know," Kael continued, in that irritatingly calm tone. "Considering you've spent the last few hours trying to kill me with everything you've got… minus a year and three months in a coma."

She stood still for half a second.

Then she let out a short, dry laugh.

"No."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Not even a little?"

"Not remotely," she replied, crossing her arms with difficulty. "If my body were keeping up with my rage, you'd be buried under this new arena right now."

He smiled.

"Good to know."

"Don't encourage that," she muttered.

Kael took a step closer.

Exelia realized too late.

Before she could react, Kael simply slipped one arm under her knees and the other across her back, lifting her off the ground with absurd ease.

"KYAA—?!"

The scream came out loud, sharp, and completely unworthy of the kingdom's most feared general.

"KAEL—!" She automatically clung to his kimono. "—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

He didn't even flinch.

"Taking you away."

"LET ME GO NOW!"

"No."

Her eyes widened.

"No?!"

"No," he repeated, starting to walk towards the arena exit. "You can barely stand. Your body is at its limit, your aura is unstable, and you're still pretending you don't need rest."

"THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO PICK ME UP!"

Kael looked down, serious for exactly two seconds.

"Yes, it does."

"NO, IT DOESN'T!"

"It does because I survived your apocalyptic attack. That grants me temporary privileges."

"That's not a thing!"

"I just made it up," he replied calmly.

Exelia blushed.

Not with anger.

"IF ANYONE SEES THIS—!"

"The arena is empty," Kael said. "And even if it weren't, I wouldn't care."

"I DO CARE!"

She tried to struggle. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Her body responded with an immediate protest, her muscles threatening to lock up.

Kael instinctively tightened his arm around her, holding her more securely.

"Exelia."

She stopped.

"If you fall now, you'll hurt yourself. And I really don't want to have to carry you to the infirmary after you faint on the way."

She closed her mouth.

The silence lasted three steps.

"…Where are you taking me?" she asked suspiciously.

Kael tilted his head slightly.

"To take a bath."

Exelia froze.

"…What?"

"A bath," he repeated. "You're covered in sweat, arcane dust, aura residue, and…" he paused briefly, "honestly, you smell like someone who's been fighting for hours without stopping."

"KAEL!"

She lightly punched his chest, more out of embarrassment than force.

"THIS IS EXTREMELY INAPPROPRIATE!"

"I'm not saying I'm going in with you," he replied with a half-smile. "Although, considering the state you're in…"

"DON'T EVEN FINISH THAT SENTENCE!"

Her face was completely red now, the heat rising to her ears.

"I can walk by myself!"

"You can't," he said immediately.

"YES I CAN!"

She tried to free her legs.

They failed miserably.

Kael sighed, clearly amused.

"See?"

"SHUT UP!"

He chuckled softly.

"You attacked a man in a coma as soon as he woke up. I think carrying you to a shower is a fair consequence."

"THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

"Yes it does — he said." It's post-traumatic recovery. For both of us.

She hid her face in his shoulder for a second, murmuring something unintelligible.

"What did you say?" Kael teased.

"I SAID YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"

"I already knew that."

They crossed the corridor leading to the inner quarters, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly. Exelia was still rigid in his arms, trying to maintain as much dignity as possible in a completely hopeless situation.

"Kael…" she spoke more softly, after a moment.

"Hm?"

"When I said I wasn't calm…" she hesitated. "I wasn't kidding."

He nodded, serious again.

"I know."

"So you don't think this is… too soon?" she asked, avoiding looking at him.

Kael replied without hesitation:

"I think you need to rest. And I don't think you'll do that alone."

She bit her lip.

"…You're unbearable."

"I know that too."

But his tone was gentle.

Firm.

Present.

And, against her will, Exelia relaxed a little in his arms.

Just a little.

"…If anyone mentions this later," she murmured, "I'll deny everything."

Kael smiled.

"Of course."

"And I'll kill you."

"Fair enough."

He continued walking.