[721/1000]
That was where Neo stood by the time the hunting day ended.
Fifty-four souls.
Not bad, all things considered.
The group had been out for hours, cutting through the jungle, following broken trails, checking old hunting spots, and pressing deeper whenever the area around the camp felt too empty. Even so, the Soul Beasts hadn't been as plentiful as they had hoped. Enough to make the day worthwhile. Not enough to satisfy him.
Every Soul Core had gone to Neo.
That had already been decided. He was the closest to Vein, and once he crossed it, Alice would be next. Of the five of them, they were the only two still lagging behind.
By the time they started climbing the path back toward camp, the light had already shifted toward evening. The jungle behind them had gone quieter, the way it always did after a full day of killing.
Marika was the one who broke the silence first.
"How much more do you need to reach Vein, Neo?"
