Chapter 6: soul farmer
"Veyl". A cunning genius from the skylight race, refusing to follow the part of his race, as an average wilder living at the mercy of others and protected by concealing magic.
Left his home to search for more knowledge, I dunno what to call that path but sure sounds fascinating, the only being so far that isn't searching for power, I'm Amazed.
He claims to have the map of the wild at the back of his head, absurd yes, but I had just got here, and knew nothing about this place. I really do need his help navigating.
"What are you searching for by the way". He asked, clearly he wanted to start up a conversation, I was bored, and needed a good chat. but for some reason I didn't give him the reply even I was expecting,"why do you care, just lead the way," I said nonchalantly, he smiled looked at me wide eyes and let out a sigh.
''you know I once met a fellow like you'' he said looking at his compass before turning to me, ''he didn't last long" he said ,"Always serious" he added.
"Serious ??". Naaah, I just wasn't interested.
"He got killed by an S class prodigy from the celestial God Race" he stopped looked down, tears almost dropping from his eyes.
"Celestial God Race??" I asked, my voice flat but curious, turns out he managed to spike enough of my curiosity.
I smiled, what an interesting being.
The celestial God race had been a very troublesome race to the human race and the four major clans back at Nexora.
Veyl's lips curled into a knowing smile, glad I had asked, his mournful mood a while a while ago seemed to just vanished.
"Yes". he said eager to say more." A race born already standing where others spend lifetimes crawling. Take it as a child lifting a mountain pebble as easily as you'd lift a cup. That's the Celestials. Power is simply… their nature."
I hummed lightly. "And yet you're still here. Shouldn't you be hiding if such beings walk around?". I asked, still walking, how far was this capital, I asked myself.
"Well you're here right?",he said still smiling. "You see, my race wasn't gifted with any combat abilities just cursed with wisdom". Veyl said, shrugging lightly. "No claws, no divine blessings, not even a decent bone structure for fighting. We were meant to hide, to survive in shadows under concealing spells while the stronger races painted the skies with blood and one day see as us as an insignificant race to be crushed."
I glanced at him, uninterested on the surface, but asked anyway, "Then why leave? Hiding sounds safer."
He smiled, almost smug. "Safety is just a slower kind of death. My people cling to it, waiting to fade out of history. I'd rather gamble with the Wild . At least here, the rules are written in chaos—and chaos can be studied."
I raised a brow. "Studied? You make it sound like a library."
"Exactly," he said eagerly, tapping his compass. "A deadly library, yes, but still a library. Every step we take writes a word, every beast we dodge adds a sentence. I read it, I remember it… and one day, I'll have the whole book."
"Hm." I let out a faint sound, neither agreement nor denial. sounds more like the chess master. "And if the book ends up closing on you?"
Veyl chuckled. "Then I'll be the first fool clever enough to know why."
I glanced at him sideways. "You sound confident."
Veyl chuckled softly. "Not confidence. Calculation. Confidence gets you killed, but knowledge… knowledge buys you steps."
I let the silence linger, then asked casually, "So what happens if your map fails you?"
He grinned, eyes bright with the thrill of his own logic. "Then I die smarter than most who lived."
I smiled, Let out a sigh. looking at him just made me realize how foolish I was months ago wanting to give up after every setbacks.
"How long is the capital", I asked looking at him. "wait there's a problem" he said looking serious I furrowed my eyes " what is it I asked" I don't get a reply when suddenly The mist stirred.
A figure emerged, tall and gaunt, its skin gray and cracked like dry stone. Eyes burned violet, and jagged bone-like armor jutted from its limbs. It moved like a man, but every step carried the weight of something older, crueler.
"A Wraithborn…" Veyl whispered, retreating. "They don't die easy."
The creature raised its clawed hand, then blurred forward. Steel-fast.
I barely crossed my scythe in time. The impact rattled my bones, sparks flying as its strength drove me back. It followed with a knee to my ribs—I staggered, vision blurring. Too precise. Too strong.
It came again, claws slicing through the air. I twisted aside, the strike grazing my arm, blood spilling warm. My counter slash struck its chest, but only carved a shallow groove. It hissed, unfazed, and pressed harder.
Every move, every blow, told me the truth: I was still beneath it. I could only endure, bleeding and desperate, until an opening appeared.
Then instinct took over. As it lunged, my scythe flared—not just with soul energy, but with a dark haze, a weight that smelled of graves. Death itself pulsed through the blade.
The Wraithborn faltered mid-strike, its body seizing as the gray rot spread from the cut. Its violet eyes widened in shock. That was my chance—I drove the scythe deep into its chest.
The creature froze. Its soul tore free, screaming as I pulled it in, the deathly haze swallowing it whole.
I exhaled, trembling that was close I told myself. veyl came out his hiding spot bewildered,that was a wraitborn solo hunters, incredibly powerful and I had just taken it down in such short time that had to be a record.
I sat on the now barren earth my eyes went dark,I Iost consciousness and found myself in the dark void. I was here again and new words had been written on the system like chart.
Notice: you deafeated a B rank wraithborn. you have aquired a Nexora soul you can start your summonings after aquiring a total of 200 souls.
I stared at a dark space in the void and saw the soul of the wraitborn idle in a cube shaped confinement.
Void system: soul farmer activated, the system will automatically update after each battle recording your growth
.
I regained consciousness the scythe's shadow fading from my hand. I had won… but I felt it clear as day.
I had only touched the surface of death's power.