Entering the forest, the Nameless King noticed that besides being a forest with dead trees, there were almost no animals there except crows.
With every step he took, the stench of rotten flesh grew stronger in his nostrils, bothering him a little.
Even being used to battlefields, that smell of rotten meat still caused him discomfort.
After some time walking through the dead forest, he found the corpse of a giant sitting and leaning against a dead tree. The ground beneath it was soaked with dried blood, with several cuts on the body.
The Nameless King simply stared at the scene with empty eyes. After all, that being had found its own…
'Peace…'
It was his greatest desire—peace. After so many battles he had fought and granted this wish to so many… to so many…
'Enemies… and they never did the same for me. Isn't that… a little…'
Unfair. Yes, to the Nameless King this was unfair. He had killed countless warriors, strong and weak, epic battles, honorable ones, and even boring ones. But in the end, all of them ended the same way.
'The ending after those battles was… emptiness. Warm blood on my hands and my sword buried in my enemy's body. It's always the same ending.'
The crows watched the Nameless King, the wind blew, and the wet soil was crushed under the giant's feet.
"Cro-cro."
The cawing made the Nameless King turn around, drawing his sword with eyes craving blood.
But he rsaw nothing—only mist forming. Turning and walking again, the rain began to fall.
After some time walking under the rain, he sighed.
His ears detected something—footsteps.
Turning around and drawing his sword, he cut through the trunk of a zombie giant.
Dodging another attack, he swung his sword vertically.
The blade sliced through two raindrops before reaching the giant's chest.
Eyes widening, he dashed, leaving marks on the ground, cutting down the creatures that approached.
Then he saw a kind of throne made of bones, with a being sitting on it.
There was an expression of boredom on the giant's face. He raised his hand, and all zombie giants stopped attacking.
Raising an eyebrow, the Nameless King was confused.
'W-what?! Why did they stop because of that pale giant?'
Stepping down from the throne, a sudden pressure forced the Nameless King to his knees.
'Why… why am I trembling?'
Yes—after a long time, the Nameless King trembled. His hand shook so much he couldn't even hold his sword.
"What's wrong?" —a heavy, hoarse, dead voice spoke. "Aren't you going to pick up your… sword?"
Cold eyes. Only cold.
That made the Nameless King sweat down his spine. His hair stood on end.
"You… are afraid, Giant?"
Gripping his sword until his veins bulged, the Nameless King slashed.
The pale giant vanished like a shadow—or a blur.
The Nameless King only felt something grabbing his head.
And pressing hard.
"Agh."
'He's going to crush my head.'
He tried to move any part of his body, but he couldn't. He was…
'I'm… paralyzed… I… can't move!'
His breathing grew heavy, but not from fear of dying—
but from excitement. The excitement of death.
Then the pressure stopped.
"You passed my test!"
A test?! Everything he went through was a test?
'Absurd…' he thought.
And yes, it was absurd—but it excited the Nameless King, because he still had to surpass another powerful being like the King of Giants.
"In this state, you will never surpass me. You are still weak and insignificant… Nameless King."
Those words wounded his pride. Besides the humiliation in the fight, the pale giant insulted him with truth.
"How could someone like you kill him? It's ridiculous," said the pale giant.
'Ri-ridiculous?!'
How could the Nameless King be ridiculous? He had killed the King of Giants—that was his merit, an unmatched achievement. Grinding his teeth in frustration—
After a moment staring at each other, the pale giant said:
"I will grant you a new purpose, fake King…"
Looking dead as a corpse, he continued:
"The King who has no name or purpose… Nameless King."
Those words touched his cold, stone heart.
'A new purpose?'