Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 444: War Imminent.

Hadrian stood for a few seconds, walking slowly to the high window of the hall. The light curtains moved in the gentle breeze, but the Emperor’s face was too serious to match the tranquility of the scene. He stood there, observing the imperial gardens, before speaking again.

"We are investigating," he said, without turning around. "But everything points to one specific possibility."

Kael looked up, attentive.

"Vampires." The word hung in the air with a strange weight. It didn’t sound mystical. It sounded political.

Kael blinked once. "...Vampires?" he repeated, testing the sound of the word.

Hadrian nodded slowly, still with his back to him.

"Humans and vampires haven’t gotten along for a long time," he continued. "In fact, they never have. We’ve only learned to coexist... under very specific terms."

He then turned, resting a hand on the windowsill.

"For them, humans are food. That’s not an insult. It’s biology. It’s nature." His gaze was direct, without judgment. "But no species likes to be constantly reminded that it’s at the top of the food chain just because we allow it."

Kael frowned. "You think they’ve grown tired of being suppressed by human strength."

"Exactly," Hadrian replied. "Humanity has grown too fast. Magic, technology, alliances. We’ve created a world where ancient predators have come to live in the shadows. Watching. Waiting."

Kael crossed his arms. "Is that... reasonable?" he questioned. "Or are we talking about an overly convenient assumption? Vampires are always the prime suspects."

Hadrian didn’t seem offended. On the contrary, there was approval in his gaze.

"That’s a fair question," he said. "And it was the first thing I asked." He walked back to the table and sat down. "But the Intelligence Department has been tracking movements for months. Altered night routes. Entire communities in the East relocating. Water sources drying up—literally."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Literally?"

Hadrian nodded. "Human villages have found bloodless bodies. No signs of struggle. No looting." He paused. "Just... drained."

The silence weighed heavily. "They are the most likely candidates," Hadrian concluded. "By far."

Kael took a deep breath and nodded slowly.

"I’ve never seen a vampire," he admitted.

Hadrian gave a half-smile.

"Understandable. They live in the East. And after the treaty I orchestrated myself, they hardly ever appear in human territory." The smile faded. "The nations made sure to leave them at a complete disadvantage."

Kael tilted his head. "How so?"

"Territorial restrictions. Trade limitations. Prohibition of access to human magical academies. Constant surveillance." Hadrian listed coldly. "In diplomatic terms, we call this a ’containment agreement.’"

"And in practical terms?" Kael asked.

Hadrian stared at him. "An elegant leash."

Kael remained silent.

"They accepted," Hadrian continued. "Because they had no choice. The alternative was outright extinction." He sighed. "But resentment doesn’t disappear. It festers."

Kael ran a hand over his chin, thoughtfully. "So you think this is a blow against you."

"Against me," Hadrian confirmed. "Against the image of control. Against the balance I represented for decades." His gaze hardened. "Probably unresolved resentments finding an opportunity."

Kael leaned back in his chair, his gaze distant.

Vampires. The word echoed again in his mind, but now laden with old images. Fragments of a past life.

Gothic castles. Creatures with red eyes. Absurd speed. Superhuman strength. Immortality shrouded in romantic curses. Anime, series, books. Vampires were almost always... strong. Ridiculously strong.

He frowned.

"Hadrian," he said slowly, "this may sound ignorant on my part, but..." He hesitated. "How exactly did humans suppress vampires?"

The Emperor tilted his head slightly, curious. "Interesting question."

"Theoretically," Kael continued, choosing his words carefully, "vampires are fast, strong, difficult to kill. Sometimes... unstoppable." He took a deep breath. "How did Humanity manage to put them at a complete disadvantage?"

Hadrian observed Kael for a few seconds, as if deciding how much was worth revealing. Then he smiled slightly.

"Because this world is not a myth," he replied. "It’s a battlefield."

He stood again, walking slowly across the hall.

"Vampires are strong individually," he explained. "Very strong. An ancient vampire can decimate an entire village alone." He raised a finger. "But Humanity doesn’t fight as individuals."

Kael listened intently to every word.

"We fight as systems," Hadrian continued. "Armies. Information networks. Specialized mages. Enchanted weapons designed specifically for them." He gestured broadly. "While vampires evolved to survive the night... humans evolved to plan for the next day."

Kael absorbed this in silence.

"Furthermore," Hadrian continued, "we discovered their weaknesses too early. Blood isn’t just food. It’s addiction. Control a source... and you control the creature."

Kael felt a subtle shiver.

"So you surrounded them."

"Yes," Hadrian replied without hesitation. "We cut off routes. We regulated territories. We created cities where vampires couldn’t enter undetected." He stopped walking. "And, most importantly, we ensured they never united."

"Divide and conquer," Kael murmured. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Exactly," Hadrian confirmed. "Rival clans. Ancient bloodlines filled with internal hatred. They were never a unified nation."

Kael was silent for a few seconds.

"Until now?" he ventured.

Hadrian didn’t answer immediately.

"That’s the concern," he finally said. "If someone managed to unite clans. If someone managed to transform resentment into direction..." He pressed his lips together. "Then we’re not talking about isolated revolts. We’re talking about something bigger."

Kael felt the weight of the conversation settle on his shoulders.

"A war," he murmured.

"Perhaps," Hadrian replied. "Or something that tries to be."

Kael closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Images flashed through his mind: Amelia studying politics late into the night, Eva moving in the shadows of power, Adalric insisting he needed to understand the game.

None of it seemed like a coincidence now.

"And where do I fit into this?" he asked.

Hadrian looked directly at him again.

"You’re a variable," he said. "Connected to the Witch Queen. Connected to Eve. Connected to Amelia." A half-smile appeared. "And honestly, you scare a lot of people."

Kael let out a humorless laugh.

"Great. I always wanted to be scary."

"Don’t underestimate this," Hadrian warned. "Vampires respect real power. Not titles. If they know you’re involved, they might back down... or accelerate."

Kael tilted his head.

"So you want me to keep an eye on you."

"I want you to understand what’s happening," Hadrian replied. "And decide for yourself when to act."

Kael nodded slowly.

"I don’t like this," he admitted.

"No one who truly thinks likes this," Hadrian said.

Silence settled in again, heavy, laden with possibilities.

Kael opened his eyes, his gaze now steady.

"If vampires are moving," he said, "then this isn’t just a human problem."

Hadrian smiled slightly.

"Exactly."

Kael took a deep breath.

"Then I need to learn more," he concluded. "About politics. About vampires. About wars that begin before the swords."

Hadrian nodded, satisfied.

...

The imperial hall remained silent after Hadrian’s last word. Not a comfortable silence, but the kind that seeps into thoughts, announcing that something was already in motion, regardless of the wills involved.

Far away.

Beyond human borders. Beyond official routes. Beyond even the shadows where spies used to hide.

There was a place where light was unwelcome.

There were no torches. No crystals. No visible stars. The ceiling of that space seemed nonexistent, swallowed by a darkness so dense it felt heavy. The floor was cold, of ancient stone, marked by symbols erased by time and blood.

In the center, a wide circle.

And around it... eyes.

Only eyes.

Red. Scarlet. Crimson in different shades, some bright as newly lit embers, others opaque as old wine. They didn’t blink. They didn’t need to.

A voice echoed first, low, controlled.

"So... he knows."

The eyes to the left of the circle narrowed slightly.

"The Emperor always knows. That was never the point."

Another voice replied, deeper, laden with something that wasn’t just anger, but centuries of accumulated weariness.

"He’s known too much for too long."

There was a collective murmur, like a whisper scratching stone. Eyes shifted, focusing on the center of the empty circle.

"And yet," said a female voice, cold as ice, "he still breathes."

A brief silence followed.

"For now," corrected another.

The name wasn’t spoken aloud, but everyone there thought of it.

Hadrian.

"The treaty was a mistake," growled a younger voice, laden with impatience. "We accepted crumbs. Dry territories. Blood counted. Constant surveillance."

"It was survival," someone from the other side replied. "Or would you rather remember how it was before? When they hunted our children like animals?"

The young man’s eyes gleamed brighter.

"And now they do the same. Only with white gloves."

The circle seemed to contract.

"Enough," said the first voice, firmly. "We don’t gather to lament the past."

There was silent agreement.

"The signs are clear," she continued. "Humans believe we are fragmented. That we still fight between clans. That we are incapable of unity."

One eye laughed. A dry, unpleasant sound.

"Let them continue to believe that."

A shadow moved in the center of the circle. Not a defined shape, but something denser than the surrounding darkness.

"The preparations are almost complete," announced another voice. "The blood routes are secure. The human observers disappeared without raising suspicion."

"And the East?" someone asked.

"Ready," came the immediate reply. "The old houses answered the call."

This provoked a more intense reaction. Some eyes widened. Others narrowed, cautious.

"Even them?" someone murmured, incredulous.

"Even them," confirmed the female voice. "Resentment speaks louder than pride."

There was a pause.

"And the other one?" asked a low, almost careful voice. "The one who walks between witches and humans."

For a moment, no eyes moved.

Then, slowly, several turned to the same invisible point in space.

"Kael."

The name seemed to alter the air.

"He is a risk," someone said.

"He is an opportunity," corrected another.

"He hasn’t chosen a side yet."

"And that’s exactly what makes him dangerous," replied the first voice. "Creatures like that... break balances."

Silence returned, heavy. "Don’t touch him," the female voice finally decided. "Not yet."

"And the Emperor?" the youngest insisted.

There was a collective glint in the red eyes.

"The Emperor is just a man," the leader replied. "And men bleed."

The shadow in the center of the circle seemed to pulse.

"Prepare yourselves," she ordered. "Not for a battle. Not yet."

"Then for what?" someone asked.

The answer came calmly. Precisely. Frighteningly right.

"For a war that begins before any sword is raised."

The red eyes faded, one by one.

And the darkness became absolute again.