The path of the Soul Emperor

Chapter 14

Alex and the group were moving on foot, surrounded by lush green forest on both sides.

Their quest was to eliminate the Orc Village located just outside Juran Forest—a relatively straightforward task, considering that almost everyone in the group was a C rank.

Although Alex wasn't fully a C rank yet, his physical stats were still at D rank, but his skills allowed him to bridge that gap, even surpassing typical C rank capabilities.

As they walked, everyone was talking and getting to know each other, while Lisa and Mia tried to ignore one another. Alex, however, was lost in his own thoughts.

One day earlier…

When Alex, Stella, and Lisa arrived in Sarios City, they stopped to eat. Ava observed the three, noting how Alex seemed to have a stronger presence than before.

Her short black hair and emerald eyes gleamed with a bright luster as she thought, 'He's definitely changed.'

"You've changed a lot, Stella," Ava remarked, noticing her evolved form as a Kajin.

"I know, right? Anyway, how have you been?" Stella asked.

"Much worse, but for now, I'm good," Ava replied. She then looked at Lisa and asked, "So, who's this?"

"Lisa," Alex replied while eating.

"You seem to be building a little harem, don't you, little human?" Ava teased.

"Well, it isn't my fault," Alex chuckled, which made Ava laugh as well. "So, how is your search going? Any results?"

"I did find something. My brother, who was transported to this city, is going to be auctioned," Ava said.

She felt both impressed and puzzled. Alex had used his Arcane mana to create a sound barrier around them, preventing anyone nearby from overhearing their conversation.

The source of her confusion lay in the energy Alex was using. It was similar to mana, yet somehow different.

Choosing to ignore it, she continued, "The auction is happening later this week, so I should be able to find him."

"Do you need my help?" Alex offered.

"No, I'm good," Ava replied.

Alex nodded and added, "If you do run into trouble, don't hesitate to reach out." Ava didn't respond as Lisa chimed in.

"You mentioned the auction is happening later this week, right?" Lisa asked, and Ava nodded.

"Are you talking about the boy who can use any artifact regardless of the conditions?"

Ava sighed. "Yes, that's my little brother. How do you know about that?"

"At first, I planned to steal him so he could use the Vampire Progenitor necklace to heal my Wind Spirit," Lisa admitted.

Ava's eyes grew cold as she released a faint killing intent, staring directly at Lisa. "Oh, is that right? And how do you feel about that now?"

Lisa, unfazed by Ava's hostility, replied, "Then I met this freak of nature"—gesturing towards Alex—"who has some ability that can affect the soul."

Ava pressed further, her gaze icy. "And if that hadn't happened?"

Lisa looked back, her eyes equally cold, but before she could say more, Alex clapped his hands, smiling brightly. "Alright, girls, this isn't the time for that."

"Anyway, Ava, do you know of any adventurers who could help us with something?" Alex asked.

"What do you need help with?" Ava inquired.

"There's a group of Orcs outside Juran Forest causing trouble. There seem to be quite a few of them," Alex explained.

Ava stayed silent for a moment before sighing, 'The power in his eyes is on another level.'

"I do know of a group that's going to take on the same quest," she replied.

Present Day…

Alex was lost in thought as he pondered, 'Will she be okay? I could feel her sadness and distress.' He sighed.

The Soinas Empire was vast, bordered by the even larger Juran Forest, which extended to the ocean.

The only reason the Empire hadn't tried to take over the forest was the Evil Dragon that protected it.

The last attempt ended in the death of one of the Empire's heroes.

Currently, the Empire had five heroes, each possessing S-rank power or higher, with the Hero of Light standing out as the strongest, supposedly rivaling the Overlord himself.

While the two had never fought, their silent presence weighed over the world.

In the southern part of the continent, three empires ruled over vast lands.

The Soinas Empire was the second largest, with the Aldeca Empire, ruled by the Seven Monarchs, being the largest.

These powerful beings, all of S-rank or above, were under the Overlord's control.

Between these two empires lay many smaller kingdoms and empires, which would suffer immensely if war broke out between Soinas and Aldeca.

Further complicating matters, the largest forest—known as the Dark Forest—separated Soinas from the Demon King Empire, an enemy they had been at war with for over 300 years.

The Hero of Light himself feared facing the Demon King, a formidable being of the Demon nation.

The reasons for the war were known only to the two sides involved.

Other empires in the east, west, and north would also play significant roles in the story, but Alex's mind was elsewhere.

His thoughts wandered to grander ambitions: 'Why not control the whole continent, and maybe even the other continents?'

The Overlord would eventually try to consume the entire continent, so why shouldn't he? Alex's hunger for power hadn't changed from his past life.

'At the very least, I could control everything from behind the scenes. And Juran Forest—it's just a cake waiting to be eaten,' he thought.

For now, however, their target wasn't the forest but an Orc Village trying to establish itself within the Empire, killing other races nearby. It was also the group that had previously attacked Stella and Alex.

Though it would only take them a day or two to reach the village, Alex had other plans.

{Author's Note}

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