The Strongest With Nothing Left

As days passed, a royal messenger rushed into the throne room, panting heavily as he kneeled before King Aldric. "Your Majesty! A young man with blue hair and golden eyes has been spotted entering our kingdom at this very moment!" 

The room fell silent. Every noble, knight, and advisor in attendance froze, their eyes widening in shock. King Aldric gripped the armrest of his throne tightly, his expression unreadable. Then, in a firm voice, he commanded, "Summon him immediately. We must confirm if he is truly the one from the prophecy."

The tension in the air was palpable. If this young man was truly the hero, then the kingdom's only hope had finally arrived. 

As the so-called prophesized hero was summoned to the castle, Rein walked through the grand halls with his hands behind his head, a bored expression on his face. 

His blue hair and golden eyes caught the attention of every knight and noble present, their gazes filled with both hope and desperation. 

When he reached the throne room, the massive doors creaked open, revealing King Aldric seated at the throne, surrounded by his advisors and generals. 

The king's piercing gaze studied him for a moment before he finally spoke. "Are you the hero spoken of in the prophecy?" Rein simply shrugged. "I dunno. You tell me." The entire room fell into an uneasy silence.

One of the kingdom's generals, a seasoned warrior clad in ornate armor, scowled at Rein's disrespectful tone. "You dare speak so casually to His Majesty?" he barked, his voice echoing through the grand hall. Without warning, the general lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air toward Rein's throat. 

The room gasped as Rein effortlessly raised a single hand, catching the blade between his fingers. He didn't even flinch. The sheer ease with which he stopped the attack sent a shiver through the onlookers. 

Rein yawned. "Damn, you guys are tense. You always greet people like this?" He flicked his wrist, and with a sudden force, the general was sent skidding backward, barely managing to keep his footing. 

King Aldric narrowed his eyes but raised a hand, signaling for the tension to settle. "That's enough." His voice was firm, but there was an undeniable flicker of interest in his gaze. The knights and nobles, once filled with skepticism, now exchanged glances. Maybe just maybe this young man really was the hero they had been waiting for.

The nobles and knights were frozen, their mouths agape. Some stepped back in shock, while others whispered amongst themselves.

"He stopped it with his fingers…""The prophecy… could it really be true?""No warrior in this kingdom could do that so effortlessly."

Even King Aldric's eyes narrowed slightly, studying Rein more carefully. He remained silent for a moment before raising a hand, signaling for the tension to settle. Aldric leaned forward, resting his chin on his intertwined fingers. His expression was unreadable, but there was a weight behind his next words. 

"Rein, was it?" His voice carried authority, yet there was an underlying urgency. "If you are not the hero of prophecy, then you are at least a warrior of remarkable strength." The room fell silent. Every noble, knight, and advisor listened with bated breath.

"The man known as the Living Nightmare, Li Vrak, waits beyond our borders," Aldric continued. "He has already crushed those who opposed him, and now he waits for a challenger a so-called 'hero' worthy of his attention." 

The king's hands tightened on the armrests of his throne. "We have no one else who can stand against him. I ask you, Rein—will you fight in the name of this kingdom? Will you face Li Vrak and put an end to this looming threat?" 

All eyes turned to Rein, filled with hope, fear, and desperation. But Rein simply scratched the back of his head, his golden eyes flickering with something unreadable.

Rein stood there, hands still behind his head, staring up at the ornate ceiling as if deep in thought. The room remained tense, every noble and knight watching him with bated breath, waiting for his answer. 

At first, he didn't really care. He never asked to be a hero. Fighting some so-called Living Nightmare wasn't exactly on his to-do list. But as he mulled it over, a nagging thought crept into his mind.

If he didn't step in if he just walked away what would happen? His golden eyes darkened slightly as he imagined the worst. Towns burned to the ground. Innocent people slaughtered. The people he cared about…

He clenched his jaw. No. He wasn't the type to sit back and let things happen. He might not be some grand hero of prophecy, but if Li Vrak was a threat, then ignoring him wasn't an option.

With a small sigh, he finally lowered his hands and met King Aldric's gaze. "Alright, alright. I get it," he said, rolling his shoulders. "If this guy's as dangerous as you say, then I guess I don't really have a choice, huh?" 

The tension in the room shifted instantly. Relief washed over the faces of the nobles, while the knights straightened up, as if a weight had been lifted. King Aldric gave a small nod. "Then you accept?" 

Rein smirked. "Yeah… guess I'll go pay this Living Nightmare a visit."

King Aldric exhaled, his once-stern expression softening with genuine gratitude. "Rein… you have no idea how much this means to us." He stood from his throne, placing a hand over his chest. "You will have the full support of the kingdom. Anything you require resources, weapons, trainers—name it, and it shall be provided."

Rein smirked. "Well, since you're offering…" He crossed his arms, thinking for a moment before listing his demands. "I'll need a proper place to train, access to the best weapons and armor you've got, and some damn good food. Can't be fighting on an empty stomach." 

Some of the nobles blinked at his casual tone, but Aldric chuckled, nodding. "Consider it done. You will have everything you need to prepare for your battle against Li Vrak." 

Rein stretched, a confident grin forming on his lips. "Alright then. I'll start getting ready. Give me some time, and I'll make sure this Living Nightmare has something to be scared of."

months passed, and Rein wasted no time making full use of the kingdom's resources. With access to top-tier weapons, elite trainers, and a steady supply of meals that left him fully energized, he pushed himself to new limits. His body endured relentless training, adapting and growing stronger with each passing day.

Word of his progress spread quickly throughout the kingdom. Whispers filled the streets some hopeful, others doubtful. Could this blue-haired warrior truly stand against the Living Nightmare?

And then, the day finally arrived. Standing at the edge of the kingdom, Rein cracked his knuckles, staring into the distance where Li Vrak awaited. His golden eyes burned with determination. 

It was time. The battlefield is set—Rein and his forces march toward the castle, while Li Vrak, waiting in his stolen throne, welcomes the challenge with anticipation.

The march toward the Demon King's castle was eerily silent. No monsters lurked in the shadows, no remnants of an army stood in their way only devastation as far as the eye could see.

Rein and his forces moved cautiously through what was once the Demon King's domain, but there was no kingdom left to conquer. The lands were nothing but ruins, remnants of settlements reduced to rubble, scorched earth stretching endlessly before them. The air carried the scent of charred remains, and the occasional shattered weapon buried in the dirt hinted at the futile resistance that once stood against Li Vrak.

A soldier muttered under his breath, "This… this wasn't just a battle. It was a massacre." Rein's golden eyes scanned the destruction, his expression unreadable. He had expected a war-torn battlefield, but this? This was something else. Li Vrak hadn't conquered he had erased everything in his path. 

One of the high-ranked adventurers, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, whispered, "Is this really the work of just one man?" No one had an answer.

As they neared the castle, its looming silhouette cast an ominous shadow over the land. Unlike the ruins they passed, the fortress stood almost untouched an eerie contrast to the devastation surrounding it. The gates were already open, as if inviting them inside.

Rein exhaled sharply, cracking his knuckles. "Well… we've come this far." Without hesitation, he stepped through the entrance, leading his forces inside.

Immediately, teams split off. Scouts and assassins vanished into the shadows, slipping inside to map out the interior and check for traps. Magic users began setting up defensive barriers, ensuring they wouldn't be caught off guard. The soldiers and adventurers fortified a fallback position, preparing for any possible ambushes. 

Minutes passed in tense silence. Then, a scout returned, kneeling before Rein. "The castle is empty," he reported, uncertainty in his voice. "No guards, no demons. Just him."

Rein exhaled sharply, glancing at his party members and the strongest warriors. "Alright, main attack group, with me. Everyone else, stay on standby and wait for the signal." 

With that, the doors creaked open, and Rein led his team inside. The grand hall stretched before them, eerily silent. The only sound was the flickering torches casting long, shifting shadows on the stone walls. Despite the sheer size of the room, all attention was drawn to the lone figure sitting on the Demon King's throne. 

Li Vrak.

He lounged there lazily, elbow resting on the armrest, fingers drumming against the polished black stone. His piercing purple eyes gleamed with amusement as he took in the sight of the warriors before him. A slow, entertained smile formed on his lips as he tilted his head slightly.

"I can't wait…" he muttered, his voice smooth yet carrying an unsettling weight.

The tension in the air was suffocating. The high-ranked adventurers instinctively gripped their weapons tighter, their instincts screaming that they were standing before something beyond reason. Some of the soldiers gulped, sweat forming on their brows. Even the most seasoned fighters among them felt a deep, primal unease in his presence.

Rein, however, just rolled his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. You talk a big game." He stepped forward, golden eyes locking onto Li Vrak. "But I'm not here to entertain you. I'm here to put an end to this."

Li Vrak's smirk widened. "Put an end to this?" He let out a soft chuckle, stretching his arms as if he had just woken up from a nap. "That's a pretty bold thing to say." His tone was casual, almost amused, as if he weren't taking this seriously at all.

He stood up from the throne, moving with an almost lazy grace. "You marched all the way here just to see me? I'm flattered." His piercing purple eyes scanned the group, lingering on the strongest among them before finally settling on Rein. "And you must be the so-called hero."

Rein let out a small sigh, hands still resting behind his head. "Yeah, yeah. Skip the formalities." He met Li Vrak's gaze, golden eyes gleaming with confidence. "Are we doing this or what?" 

Li Vrak chuckled, taking a few slow steps forward. "Oh? No grand speeches? No threats? Just straight to the fun part?" He clapped his hands together, nodding approvingly. "I like you already." 

One of the high-ranked adventurers scowled, gripping his weapon tighter. "Don't mock us." Li Vrak blinked, tilting his head. "Mock you? Oh no, I'm just enjoying the moment." He lazily pointed at the group. "You all seem so tense. Loosen up a little, would you?"

Then, in an instant, he was gone. "Wha—?" One of the adventurers barely had time to react before— 

Tap.  A light touch landed on his shoulder. He spun around, but Li Vrak was already behind another soldier, casually flicking the back of his helmet with a soft clink before appearing next to another adventurer, poking their cheek.

"Boop." The adventurer flinched, instinctively swinging their weapon only for it to cut through empty air.

Li Vrak reappeared on the throne's armrest, now sitting cross-legged with a grin. "Man, you guys are so stiff. Maybe you should do some stretches before we start?"

The entire room was silent. Some of the soldiers were visibly unsettled, unsure if this was a joke or a test. Rein, however, cracked his knuckles. "Alright, now you're just messing with us." 

Li Vrak chuckled. "Maybe a little." He tapped his chin, eyes flickering with amusement. "Tell you what—since you made it all the way here, I'll even let you land the first hit. How's that sound?"

Rein's grin widened. "You'll regret that." Li Vrak spread his arms, inviting the attack. "Go on then, hero."