Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 458: Find the vampires and understand what’s happening.
Kael stood on the edge of one of the tallest buildings in the imperial capital, the cold night wind gently tugging at the fabric of his clothes as his eyes scanned the city below with calculated attention, as if trying to see something no one else could see. The city seemed tranquil at first glance—lit streets, guards patrolling at predictable intervals, taverns still open with scattered laughter echoing through the night—but that was only the surface, a convenient illusion. Beneath that carefully maintained order, something was stirring. Something wrong. And Kael felt it clearly. Vampires didn’t disappear like that without reason, and when they appeared in human territories, even more so in a scattered, hidden way, it was never random. He closed his eyes for a moment, expanding his perception, trying to capture any distortion in the surrounding mana, any presence that deviated from normality. But it was like looking for needles in an entire field of iron. Many signs, few answers.
Then he felt it.
A presence he knew all too well.
Before he even opened his eyes, a gentle warmth enveloped his back, contrasting with the night’s chill, and then soft arms slid around his body, enveloping him from behind with absolute familiarity, as if that were exactly where they belonged. A warm breath brushed his neck, followed by a light, almost provocative kiss, and then a soft voice echoed both in his ear and directly in his mind.
"Did you miss me?"
Kael opened his eyes slowly, without moving, but a soft sigh escaped his lips.
"You took your time."
Inari chuckled softly behind him, the sound laden with lightness and a touch of amusement, as if she were pleased with his reaction.
"I know," she replied, sliding her face against his neck for a moment before pulling back just enough to look at him in profile. "Sorry."
Kael turned his face slightly, observing her out of the corner of his eye. Inari was as beautiful as ever—or perhaps even more so—her long hair falling like silk, her eyes carrying that ancient, shrewd glint, and behind her, almost invisible, the ethereal silhouettes of her nine tails rippled gently, as if made of pure energy.
"Where were you?" he asked directly.
She tilted her head, a smile slowly appearing on her lips.
"Taking care of some... pending things."
Kael narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What kind of things?"
Inari moved closer again, resting her chin on his shoulder, her gaze fixed on the city.
"Things you wouldn’t want to get involved in right now."
The vague answer made Kael let out a small sigh, but before he could insist, she continued:
"But that wasn’t all."
He remained silent, waiting.
"I managed to speak with Yggdrasil."
The effect was immediate.
Kael turned completely to face her.
His normally controlled eyes widened for the first time that night.
"Did you succeed?"
Inari nodded slowly, pleased with the reaction.
"I did."
"And then?" he asked, his voice quicker, more urgent than before. "Sylphie... is she alright?"
For a brief moment, Inari just observed him.
And then she smiled.
"She is."
The answer came out simply.
Directly.
But its weight was enough to make Kael release the breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding.
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
"She’s alright," Inari repeated, softer now. "More than alright, actually."
Kael frowned slightly.
"What does that mean?"
"It means she’s progressing," Inari replied. "Fast."
She took a small step back, her eyes gleaming with a certain pride.
"Very close to achieving godhood."
Kael remained silent.
That was no small thing.
"And... did she say anything?" he asked after a moment. "About me?"
Inari tilted her head to the side.
"Yggdrasil said she can’t give many details."
The answer came carefully.
"But...?"
She moved closer again, lightly touching his face.
"But she’s following her path."
Kael closed his eyes for a moment.
It wasn’t exactly the answer he wanted.
But...
It was enough.
"Good," he murmured. "It’s enough to know she’s alive."
Inari smiled softly, leaning in to kiss him again, this time longer, but still light, almost comforting.
"Everything’s alright," she said, resting her forehead against his for a second. "You did what you could."
Kael opened his eyes again, his gaze now more stable.
"And you?" she asked, stepping back slightly. "What are you doing here alone in the middle of the night, looking like you’re hunting something?"
He looked back at the city again.
"Vampires."
Inari arched a slight eyebrow.
"Vampires?"
"They’re moving through the capital," Kael explained. "But not as invaders. As refugees."
"Hm."
She stood beside him, observing as well.
"And others are hunting them," he continued. "Executioners."
Inari let out a small sigh.
"That explains the agitation I felt."
Kael looked at her.
"You noticed?"
She laughed.
"I notice a lot, Kael."
Then, without further warning, she took a small step forward.
And her aura changed.
It was subtle at first.
But it quickly expanded.
An ancient presence.
Immense.
Her mana began to spread through the city like an invisible tide, flowing through the streets, gliding between buildings, passing through walls, completely ignoring any mundane barrier. It wasn’t aggressive. It wasn’t oppressive. It was... dominant. As if the city itself were being enveloped by something that existed long before it.
Kael remained silent, observing.
He knew better than to interrupt.
Inari’s eyes shone softly, taking on a more intense, almost golden hue, as her awareness extended even further, reaching every corner, every shadow, every point where the energy deviated from the norm.
For a few seconds, nothing.
Then, a slight smile appeared on her lips.
"I found it."
Kael turned his face immediately.
"Where?"
She pointed slightly with her chin, towards the outskirts of the city.
"A small bar."
She closed her eyes for a moment, refining her perception.
"Discreet. Poorly lit. Frequented by people who prefer not to be noticed."
"How many?"
"At least six."
Kael frowned slightly.
"All vampires?" — Yes.
She opened her eyes again.
"And hiding very well what they are."
Kael let out a low sigh.
"So it’s a meeting point."
"Probably" agreed Inari. "Or a temporary shelter."
She glanced at him sideways.
"What do you intend to do?"
Kael was silent for a moment.
Observing the city.
Thinking.
"First... observe" he replied. "If they are refugees, attacking solves nothing."
Inari smiled.
"And if they aren’t?"
Kael didn’t hesitate.
"Then I’ll take care of it."
The air around them seemed to cool slightly.
Inari observed him for a moment, assessing.
And then shrugged.
"Makes sense."
She approached again, casually linking her arm with his.
"Want company?"
Kael looked at her.
For a brief second.
"You’re already here."
Her smile widened.
"Great."
...
The bar was hidden on the outskirts of the capital, away from the busiest streets, where lighting was scarce and the presence of guards practically nonexistent. From the outside, it looked like just another abandoned establishment, with old boards nailed to the windows and a fallen sign hanging from a single rusty chain. The kind of place no one would look at twice—precisely for that reason, it was perfect.
Inside, however, the atmosphere was far from empty.
The lighting came from a few candles scattered irregularly around the room, their flames flickering with each draft of air that escaped through the cracks in the aged walls. The smell of old wood, dust, and cheap alcohol hung in the air, but beneath it was something denser... ferrous. Blood. Not recent, but ingrained.
Six figures occupied the space.
Scattered, yet connected.
All with the same aura—contained, controlled, but impossible to completely hide. Vampires.
One of them leaned against the counter, his arms resting on the wooden surface as he stared at the bottom of an empty glass, as if searching for answers there. Another remained seated in a chair near the wall, head bowed, fingers drumming irregularly on the table. Two others were near the window, glancing out at constant intervals, alert to any movement.
And there was tension.
Real tension.
"This has gone too far."
The voice came from a tall man, dark hair pulled back, his eyes gleaming with barely contained irritation. He paced back and forth, firm steps echoing across the wooden floor.
"The king... has completely lost control."
"Be careful what you say," replied a seated woman, without raising her gaze. Her voice was low, but carried a clear warning.
"Control?" — He laughed, without any humor. — He’s executing children.
A heavy silence fell.
No one there dared deny it.
"It’s not just children" said another, older one, his voice hoarse. "It’s everyone he decides to call "impure blood."" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮
"And who decides that?" the first one retorted. "Him? Or whoever is whispering in his ear?"
This made some eyes rise.
There.
That’s where the real problem began.
"Do you still believe that?" asked the woman, finally raising her face. Her crimson eyes were tired, but attentive. "That someone is manipulating the king?"
"I don’t believe it" he replied, stopping walking. "I know."
Silence returned.
Heavier.
More dangerous.
"The king may be grieving," he continued, now more quietly, "but he wasn’t... this."
He opened his hand, as if trying to find words.
"He wasn’t irrational. Not in this way. Not to the point of destroying his own kind."
"Grief changes people," said one of those near the window.
"Not like this," the man retorted immediately. "This isn’t grief. This is manipulation."
The woman sighed slowly.
"You’re saying someone killed the queen... and now they’re manipulating the king to eliminate anyone who might threaten that control?"
"Exactly."
The candles flickered more strongly for a moment, as if the atmosphere itself reacted to that conclusion.
"And the princess?" asked the eldest, finally raising his gaze.
This time, everyone was silent.
"She’s still alive," the man said with conviction. "I feel it."
"Feeling isn’t enough," the woman replied. "We need facts."
"We need to find her," he insisted. "Before they do."
"And do what?" another interjected. "Take her back? To that hell?"
The man hesitated for a moment.
"No."
That answer came from another voice.
Lower.
Firmer.
Everyone looked to the darkest corner of the bar.
There, sitting alone, was the sixth vampire. Until then, he hadn’t said a single word. His eyes were partially hidden by shadow, but the crimson glint was visible.
"We’re not going to take her back," he continued. "We’re going to protect her."
"Protect... against the king himself?" someone questioned, incredulous.
"Against whoever is behind this," he corrected.
Silence returned to the room.
"If what you said is true..." the woman began, looking at the man who was accusing her of manipulation, "then the queen’s death wasn’t an accident."
"It wasn’t," he stated. "And neither was Elizabeth."
The name hung in the air like a blade.
Some looked away.
Others clenched their fists.
"That girl..." one of them murmured. "She can barely feed herself."
"Exactly," the man replied. "And yet, they chose her as the culprit."
"Because she’s convenient," said the vampire in the shadows. "Weak. Nameless. Without allies. Easy to turn into a symbol."
"’Unclean blood,’" the woman murmured bitterly.
"A mark," he said. "Not of impurity... but of exclusion."
The tall man resumed walking, slower now.
"They’re eliminating everyone who doesn’t fit in," he said. — Everyone who doesn’t blindly follow.
"And us?" someone asked.
He stopped.
"We’re next."
The sound of the wind rushing through the cracks seemed louder at that moment.
"Then we have two options" said the woman, finally standing up. "Run... or fight.
"There’s no running anymore" replied the vampire in the shadows. "They’re already hunting outside our territory."
Everyone knew that.
Everyone had seen it.
"Then we fight" said the tall man.
"First" corrected the older man "we find the princess."
"And then?"
The silence stretched for a moment.
Heavy.
Loaded.
"Then..." said the vampire in the shadows, his eyes gleaming slightly "we find out who killed the queen."
