The strongest in the kingdom

The night wind carried whispers of an approaching storm, a storm that bore the name of a once-forgotten king. Ren, Seraphina, and Lilia stood at the boundary, their silhouettes outlined against the dim glow of the kingdom ahead. But their path was not clear—an army had already gathered, waiting in disciplined silence. Thousands of armored soldiers stood in formation, their weapons glinting under the moonlight, as if the heavens themselves had decided to test Ren’s patience.
Lilia's breath hitched at the sight. “They knew we were coming,” she muttered.
Seraphina, standing beside her, smirked. “Of course they did. The world is already trembling at his return.” She turned to Ren, who remained still, gazing at the army before him with eyes devoid of fear.
For a moment, no words were spoken. The only sound was the rustling of leaves and the distant murmurs of the soldiers. Ren’s crimson eyes reflected the torches lining the battlefield. He had expected resistance—but this? A full-fledged army, prepared to meet him at the border? How amusing.
Seraphina placed a hand on her hip. “So, what’s the plan, my king?”
Ren exhaled slowly, his fingers twitching ever so slightly. The sensation of power returning to him, bit by bit, was intoxicating. He had yet to reclaim everything that was lost, but the mere thought of destruction stirred something within him.
Lilia clenched her fists. Unlike Seraphina, who embraced the chaos, she still wrestled with her own doubts. The weight of her title, Right Hand of Death, had already led her down a path she never expected. And now, she was walking alongside a man who—despite his terrifying presence—held an undeniable sadness in his heart.
A single crow cawed above them, circling the battlefield. Then another. And another. Soon, the dark sky was painted with shadows, as countless crows gathered at Ren’s command.
The soldiers below shifted uneasily. Even the most battle-hardened among them had heard the legend—the legend of the man who once commanded a throne that did not exist. A man whose title had been stripped from him, only to be hidden beneath a veil of cowardice. A king of nothing… yet ruler of all.
A general stepped forward from the opposing side, raising his sword. His voice boomed across the open field. “REN! You have no place in this world any longer! You should have stayed sealed in that wretched prison! Surrender now, and we will grant you mercy!”
Silence followed.
Then, Ren chuckled. A small, quiet chuckle that sent shivers down Lilia’s spine.
Seraphina smiled at the sound.
Ren finally stepped forward, just enough for the soldiers to see him more clearly. His presence was heavy, as if the very air around him refused to move without his command. And then, in a voice laced with amusement and cruelty, he spoke:
“Kneel.”
A single word.
A single command.
And the battlefield trembled.
One by one, soldiers gasped as their bodies betrayed them. Their knees buckled against their will, swords fell from trembling hands, and terror seeped into their very bones. Some resisted, veins bulging as they fought against the unseen force. But it was useless. The weak-minded collapsed instantly, pressing their foreheads to the dirt as though worshiping a god. Even the strongest among them felt their limbs grow heavy.
The general, the one who had dared to speak, gritted his teeth as he fought against the overwhelming pressure. “D-Damn you…!”
Ren tilted his head, watching the futile struggle with mild amusement. He stepped forward once more, and the crows above shrieked in unison, their cries echoing through the night.
“Kneel,” Ren repeated, softer this time, as if merely reminding them of their fate.
And with that, the general fell to his knees.
Lilia watched in silent horror. This power… it was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was effortless, as though the very world had already accepted Ren as its ruler.
Seraphina, on the other hand, looked absolutely delighted.
Ren exhaled, glancing at the vast army now kneeling before him. He could end them. He could destroy them all in a single moment. But… there was no satisfaction in crushing insects. Not yet.
He turned to Lilia, his voice calm. “We move forward.”
Lilia swallowed hard, unable to look away from the broken warriors who had come to stop them. She wasn’t sure if they were still alive inside or if Ren’s will had already taken everything from them.
Seraphina hummed in satisfaction. “So, we’re walking straight in? Bold.”
Ren didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he gazed at the flickering torches of the kingdom ahead. Somewhere beyond those walls, the real players were waiting. The ones who had stood against him in the past.
A message had been sent.
The King of the Kingless World was returning.
And soon, he would claim everything.
The torches lining the kingdom’s entrance flickered weakly as Ren, Seraphina, and Lilia walked forward. Behind them, the soldiers remained frozen in their forced kneeling positions, unable to move unless Ren allowed it. The air was thick with tension.
Lilia’s heart pounded in her chest. She had witnessed Ren’s power firsthand, but she had never seen him fight. He hadn’t needed to. His mere presence crushed his enemies before they could lift a blade. But this time… he wasn’t using his command.
He was testing someone.
At the entrance to the kingdom, standing tall with a massive greatsword resting on his shoulder, was a man unlike any soldier they had faced so far. His presence was heavy, his eyes sharp like a beast that had been waiting for this very moment. He wore darkened armor with crimson engravings, the mark of the kingdom’s elite.
Seraphina’s smirk widened. “Well, well… it seems like we have someone who’s actually worth our time.”
Ren stopped, tilting his head slightly as he observed the man before them.
The warrior stepped forward, planting his sword into the ground. “Ren.” His voice was calm but carried undeniable strength. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment.”
Ren’s lips curled into a cold smirk. “Have you now?”
The man nodded. “You did not kneel me. That means you acknowledge my strength.”
Ren chuckled. “No, it means I want to see if you’re even worth killing myself.”
Without another word, the warrior lunged forward.
He was fast—unnaturally fast for someone in such heavy armor. His greatsword swung in a wide arc, aiming to split Ren in half. But before the blade could land, Ren leaned backward with effortless grace, the tip of the sword missing him by mere inches.
Lilia’s breath caught in her throat.
Seraphina grinned. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
The fight had begun.
The warrior wasted no time, twisting his body mid-swing to follow up with a second strike. Ren ducked, letting the massive blade pass over him. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he sent a pulse of energy into the ground—an unseen force that shattered the stone beneath their feet.
The warrior leaped back just in time, avoiding the rupture. His instincts were razor-sharp.
Ren straightened, his smirk never fading. “Not bad.”
The warrior tightened his grip on his sword. “You talk too much.”
He dashed forward again, feinting left before pivoting to the right with a downward strike. This time, Ren sidestepped at the last possible second, his coat barely brushing against the blade. As the sword hit the ground, Ren’s eyes gleamed.
Crows—dozens of them—erupted from the darkness, swarming toward the warrior like a living storm.
The man reacted instantly, swinging his sword in a wide arc, cutting through the mass of crows. Black feathers scattered into the air, dissolving into nothingness.
Ren watched with interest. “You’ve fought my kind before.”
The warrior exhaled. “I’ve trained for this moment.”
Ren’s smirk deepened. “Then try harder.”
In the blink of an eye, Ren vanished.
The warrior barely had time to register before Ren reappeared behind him, his hand pressed against the man’s armored back.
A powerful shockwave blasted the warrior forward, sending him crashing through the stone pavement. Dust and debris filled the air as the impact left a deep crater.
Lilia’s eyes widened. “He—he’s toying with him.”
Seraphina chuckled. “Of course he is.”
The warrior groaned, pushing himself up from the rubble. Blood dripped from a cut on his forehead, but his eyes remained sharp. He looked up just in time to see Ren walking toward him, his movements slow and deliberate.
Ren lifted his hand, and his crows returned, forming a swirling vortex above him. The sky darkened. The battlefield belonged to him now.
The warrior wiped the blood from his face. “I’m not done yet.”
Ren tilted his head. “Good.”
And then, he attacked again.
This time, the warrior charged forward without hesitation, his blade burning with energy. The moment he reached Ren, he unleashed a rapid flurry of slashes—faster, stronger, sharper. Sparks flew as his blade cut through the air, striking with enough force to shatter stone.
But Ren dodged every strike.
With each attack, Ren moved effortlessly, weaving between the slashes like a ghost. He never even lifted his hands—he simply watched, his crimson eyes glowing with amusement.
Then, just as the warrior’s blade was about to graze his skin, Ren stepped forward and grabbed the man’s wrist.
In an instant, he twisted—snapping the wrist backward.
The warrior let out a pained grunt, but before he could react, Ren grabbed his collar and threw him into the air.
The kingdom’s strongest soldier soared through the sky before crashing back down—hard.
The ground trembled from the impact.
Silence.
Lilia stared, unable to comprehend what she had just witnessed.
Seraphina sighed dramatically. “Oh well. That was disappointing.”
Ren slowly walked toward the fallen warrior. His crimson eyes glowed beneath the moonlight. He stood over the man, watching as he struggled to move.
Ren knelt down, whispering in a cold tone.
“You’ve trained for this moment?”
He grabbed the warrior’s throat.
“Then I expected better.”
With a single motion, Ren lifted the warrior off the ground.
The man choked, his hands clawing at Ren’s grip, but it was useless.
Ren’s smirk vanished. His expression turned cold.
“Pathetic.”
And then—he let go.
The warrior collapsed onto his knees, gasping for air. His sword lay broken beside him.
Ren turned away, already bored. “You’re not even worth finishing.”
The kingdom’s greatest soldier had been defeated.
Lilia shuddered. She had known Ren was powerful. But seeing him play with his enemies like this… it was terrifying.
Seraphina grinned. “Shall we move forward, my king?”
Ren exhaled, barely glancing back at the fallen warrior. “Yes.”
And with that, they walked forward—toward the heart of the kingdom.
The true destruction had yet to begin.