CHAPTER 9.1
Lying on the ground, the Nameless King admired the stellar beauty; his eyes shone even brighter at the sight of something so magnificent.'Wow! How beautiful this is! When I look at this, I forget all my problems,' he thought. The Nameless King gazed for a while longer before standing up, his body aching.
He looked at the destroyed village and his opponent's body, and a smile slipped out without him noticing.Then, he turned and continued on his journey.
Kotei watched the giant walk away. He had lost the battle, part of his population, and his soldiers. From that defeat arose an uncontrollable desire for power and bloodshed.He coughed up blood as he stared at the giant, his vision growing increasingly blurry.
'I will take revenge. I will kill as many of his kind as possible, no matter what. I will even accept an inferior species and train and refine them for my vengeance,' he thought. Before passing out, Kotei bit his lip until it bled.
After a while, Regina arrived at the county in a noble carriage. Upon arrival, she did not see her husband.Her daughter searched for him but could not find him; upon hearing the news of his departure to battle, she instructed others to take care of her child and went toward the battlefield herself.
Arriving at the site, she saw the aftermath – soldiers between life and death, others crawling across the blood-soaked ground, accompanied by groans and desperate pleas for life or death. Regina's worry for her husband intensified.
Upon reaching the scene, she covered her mouth, voice trembling:"Ko... Kotei?!" Her eyes filled with tears."No, this… this can't be true. It can't!" She screamed, finally collapsing to her knees on the bloodied ground that stained her luxurious dress. Tears fell heavily, mixing with the blood.
The coachman hurried to his master while the mistress wept. He placed a hand on the elf's neck and, feeling a heartbeat, realized he was still alive.He sighed in relief.
The coachman lifted his master's body, filthy and reeking of blood, and carried him to the carriage. Regina hadn't fully understood; her makeup had mixed with her tears.
He placed the body inside the carriage and formally asked his mistress to enter."Lady Regina!""Yes, Darian?"Darian looked at Regina with a gentle smile: "No need to cry, sir. Kotei is alive."
The weight on her heart and in her tears lightened like a feather.
Regina attempted to rise but felt weak. Darian helped her to the carriage so she could stay with her husband.
Along the way, Darian looked at the soldiers with pity.'Giants! Are they all like this?! So powerful that they can cause such destruction?!' he sighed, glancing back at Regina caring for her lord.'Thank goodness! Knowing sir Kotei, he won't let this go. He will seek revenge and power. I just hope he doesn't lose himself along the path he chose.'
They headed to the mansion while the Nameless King walked through the elven magical forest, admiring the place.The forest was beautiful, full of animals, with a distinct shade of green; the trees shimmered.'Fascinating!', he thought.
It seemed no drop of blood had ever been shed there. The Nameless King continued walking, observing the enchanting scenery.
Even as an elven forest, the trees were massive to store mana and were used for alchemy. Their trunks depended on the element they carried, along with the leaves' shades, still green but tinged with the element.
After a few days, the Nameless King's sword was once again dripping blood. After destroying another village, he walked with a vacant expression, the beauty of the elven forests no longer affecting him.'That battle against that pointy-eared being was the best in this place,' he thought, turning his head. A wind blew, moving his clothes and hair.'I will return... I want to return.'
The Nameless King retraced his path and in a few days reached the site of his first massacre.The blood had dried; crows and vultures devoured the corpses, and the stench of rotting flesh filled the area.With an unshaken expression, he continued on his way.
Arriving at the islands, before leaving, he glanced one last time at the chaos he had caused, with joy and amusement.Then he departed, leaving the continent with a leap that made the ground tremble.
After the giant left the continent, Kotei awoke, startled in bed.Sweaty, nauseous, and dizzy, he felt a piercing pain in his chest. He placed his hand over it.Regina slept beside him, holding his hand; a grateful smile appeared on his pale, weak face, even as his stomach churned.'Better than being dead,' he thought.
The pain intensified, shifting from sharp needles to multiple knives embedded in his chest.'Could it be my mana core?!' he wondered. Kotei's core shifted from dark-light to light-gray.
The process was painful; many elves never evolved their cores, but for Kotei, who desired power, it was nothing.He bit the blanket to suppress screams, groaning in pain. The bed became soaked with sweat; his biting grew more intense until he tore it, then quickly bit another part.
Suddenly, the pain vanished, though he felt strange and uncomfortable in his own body.He felt his strength, mana, and magical power growing; despite discomfort, he felt satisfaction.'Incredible, is this the difference between a dark-light core mage and a light-gray core mage?! Unbelievable!' he thought.
His eyes shone with relief. He felt the pleasure of newfound power.
He released Regina's hand and, still weak, carried her to another bed.Placed her carefully, kissed her forehead, and departed to the corridor.
Kotei headed to the training hall to test his enhanced powers and perhaps new spells.Along the way, he saw no servants or his daughter; he illuminated the dark corridor with magic.
Clenching his teeth in anger, he realized this evolution still wasn't enough for what he desired, craving bloodshed.
In the dark corridor, he walked until reaching the sunlit training room.He placed his hand on the wall that detected magic type and core level, beginning his training.
Meanwhile, the Nameless King arrived ahead like a meteor, facing a giant undead attacking him.Without delay, he split the giant in two and crushed its head.
With sword drawn, he walked through the dead forest, eyes cold and superior.Three more undead giants appeared, swiftly silenced without effort.
After a few more fights, he reached the Death King, seated on a throne made of corpses. With an arrogant gaze, he gestured, and the zombie giants advanced.
The Nameless King swung his sword, cutting heads, chests, and stomachs, reaching the throne, swinging horizontally.Bodies still fell over the giant's back; the Death King, expression neutral, laughed.
Eyes wide with surprise, the Nameless King didn't hesitate and pressed on.Suddenly, something hit and crushed his face, throwing him backward.
Thrown to the bloodied ground, he lifted his head with an excited smile as blood ran from his nose.Gripping his sword, he stood quickly and advanced without strategy.
The Death King looked with disdain:"Pathetic."
He grabbed him by the collar and lifted him effortlessly. In the air, the Nameless King's eyes widened, mouth opening as he was pressed down.The Death King slammed him against the ground, blood splattering the disciple of the God of Death."I told you, didn't I?!" he said with an arrogant smile.He interpreted the silence as a reply."At least you completed the mission I gave you in such a short time! But due to your impatience, your strength only increased slightly."
He lifted his adversary: "See how different our powers are?""Y-yes," said the Nameless King, almost breathless.
With the other arm, he began to beat him while speaking:"You are nothing but raw talent, with no real effort or training. Even real battles replacing training leave raw talents like flowers that try to bloom but fail."
He moved his face close, eyes wide:"They need a gardener to prune them. And as this flower has been pruned many times by different gardeners, it could not bloom."He held the last punch: "You already know the answer!"
Final punch, and he dropped him like a sack of trash. On the ground, his body trembled, strength nearly gone.He rose quickly, screaming, running even as his muscles protested.
While running, flashes of previous battles invaded his mind, recalling victories.The Death King appeared and kicked him into dead trees.
Held by trees, roots pierced his back; branches impaled thighs and arms.His vision blurred and darkened. For the first time, he tasted bitterness, felt a tight chest, and a hint of frustration, until darkness consumed his sight.
The Death King sat on his throne, observing the blood pools."I don't want to clean this, still a bit stained with that… raw diamond that needs polishing," he sighed."I'll do it tomorrow!" He opened his eyes and looked up with boredom."It's getting late, so I'll sleep. He should survive; after all, he defeated Cobel, even if I was just toying with him in that fight."
Darkness consumed the sunlight as an elegant elven soldier in blue and gold spoke of the destination.
Luis was incredulous: how could the Human King allow them to shelter in the elven continent?! They would be treated as slaves.Full of anger, he ground his teeth, clenched his fists, and held back his voice.He murmured as he sat on the boat after hearing the news.
The people were shocked; the sad, heavy atmosphere turned into rancor, anger, disappointment, and sorrow.
Beside Luis, a melancholy boy, not much different from the others, had just lost everything he loved.Despair, fear, and other negative feelings consumed him.'Why all this despair just to become a slave of the elves?! Even with friends, family, and children, we'll lose everything!'
Noa held back tears, swallowing hard.'Because of my incompetence, my parents died protecting me.'A tear ran down his face as flashes consumed his mind: houses collapsing, consumed by fire, almost crushing him if not for his mother's sacrifice. He heard her screams while he cried out for her.His father pushed him onto the ship, trapped in the ruined city.
The sense of uselessness lingered until arrival at the elven continent, in Baron Kotei's county.Upon arrival, humans only saw ashes and burnt bodies; soldiers often averted their gaze.
Then they heard footsteps: a well-dressed man approached, arms open, smiling."Welcome to our continent and our county," he said, finishing with a sly smile."My name is Kotei."