The air in the academy felt different after the duel.
Kael walked the stone corridors in silence, his body sore but energized. Whispers followed him like shadows—some in awe, others in contempt. The "sickly noble" had defeated Aric Dorne in open combat, and the social order had cracked. That kind of defiance didn't go unnoticed in a place like Ardent Academy.
He returned to his dorm late, only to find his door cracked open.
He entered cautiously. Everything inside was untouched except his satchel. Its flap was open, and the scrolls within had been moved.
"Someone was here," Kael muttered.
"Warning," the Soul Devouring System chimed in his mind. *"Residual soul aura detected. Target unknown. Recommend increased vigilance."*
Kael clenched his fist. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone tried to get to him—not just students like Aric, but something deeper. Hidden hands were moving. And he wasn't strong enough yet.
Not yet.
---
The next morning, Kael stood in the training yard before dawn. Alone.
He stretched slowly, focusing his breath, guiding his soul energy inward. The system responded instantly.
"Accessing skill menu… Initializing Soul Refinement Mode."
A new interface appeared—pulsing with faint glyphs and options he hadn't seen before.
- Soul Core Stability: 64%
- Skill Tree Available: Adaptive Combat, Soul Mutator, Devourer's Will
- Warning: Soul Overuse may destabilize host. Proceed with caution.
Kael selected *Adaptive Combat*, and a jolt of information filled his mind—memories of blade forms, dodge patterns, and energy flow. He practiced alone for hours, guided by the lingering instincts of the souls he had consumed.
Each movement became sharper, faster, cleaner.
---
By midmorning, Elira arrived.
She stood silently for a moment, watching his fluid strikes, the way his footwork danced across the stone floor.
"You don't stop, do you?" she asked, a half-smile on her lips.
Kael paused, catching his breath. "Stopping is what got me killed once. I won't let it happen again."
Elira approached, holding out a small cloth bag. "Food. And healing tinctures. You'll need both if you keep pushing yourself like this."
He took it, brushing her fingers for just a moment—a spark passed between them, barely visible, but unmistakable.
"Thank you," he said, softer this time.
Elira hesitated. "There's something else…"
She glanced around. No one nearby.
"I overheard something last night. A few second-year students were talking in the greenhouse. They mentioned your name. And someone else's Inquisitor Nomel."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "That name again."
"I don't know who he is, but they said he's here. Watching the students. Looking for someone with… soul-borne power."
Kael felt a cold weight settle on his shoulders.
He remembered the name from his past life. Nomel had worked with the empire's darker branch those who hunted unnatural gifts. The kind Kael now possessed.
"Then I need to stay ahead of him," Kael said. "I'll need to hide my growth… and keep getting stronger."
---
That night, Kael didn't sleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged in his room, eyes closed, soul energy pulsing around him like a low-burning flame. The system guided him deeper into the *Devourer's Path*, unlocking passive traits and enhancing the Soul Core's capacity.
His stats ticked upward slowly:
- Strength: 30
- Agility: 25
- Vitality: 27
- Soul Sense: Active
- New Trait: Echo Memory – (Gain glimpses of soul targets' final thoughts)
With each hour, his awareness sharpened. His senses reached out into the dormitory halls, and for a moment, he felt something strange something… watching.
"Foreign presence detected," the system warned. "Unknown entity near outer wall. Signature faint. Suggest investigation."
Kael rose, cloak drawn tight. If this was Nomel… or something worse… he couldn't ignore it.
---
Outside, the night was still. The academy grounds were quiet, cloaked in silver moonlight.
Kael crept along the outer wall until he saw movement—a hooded figure slipping through the shadows near the alchemy building.
He followed silently, soul energy suppressed. When the figure paused to scan the area, Kael activated *Soul Sense*.
A chill ran through him.
"Soul aura: Mutated. Identity: Unknown. Classification: Crimson Path Cult."
His blood froze.
They were already here.
The cult that had once tried to harvest Kael's soul had found the academy.
And they were searching for him.
---
To be continued in Chapter 6…