The Strongest With Nothing Left

Suddenly, the bushes rustled violently, and from the dense forest, three wolves emerged their eyes locked onto Arin and Mia like predators eyeing their prey.

"Ah—!" Mia gasped, immediately taking a step back in fear. "W-Wolves…!"

Arin, however, didn't flinch. Instead, his breathing remained steady as he slowly stepped in front of Mia, his eyes narrowing at the beasts.

Li, still hidden behind the tree, tensed slightly. Shit… he's not ready to fight them alone yet. He instinctively reached for his katana, about to step in—

But then, Arin turned his head slightly toward Mia and said, "It's okay. I can beat them easily." 

Mia looked at him, still trembling. "B-But—Arin, you're exhausted! You can barely stan—" 

"I said it's okay." Arin's voice, despite his fatigue, was unwavering. His eyes locked onto the wolves. "Master trained me. This much… is nothing now."

…Hoh? Li raised a brow, his hand slowly easing off his katana. The wolves growled, their hunger intensifying as they crept closer. But Arin didn't move. His stance shifted the very same close-quarters combat stance Li had taught him.

"…Interesting." Li muttered, his curiosity piqued.

The first wolf lunged, fangs bared but Arin reacted.

With a sharp sidestep, Arin barely dodged the bite and instantly countered his fist slamming hard against the wolf's head. The beast yelped as it crashed to the ground, dazed.

"Wha—" Mia's eyes widened. "H-He actually—" The second wolf immediately charged from behind. Li, expecting Arin to get taken down, was already about to intervene but then…

Step. Turn. Counter. Arin spun around, raising his elbow and striking the wolf's jaw mid-air before it could even land its pounce. The beast collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.

Li's eyes slightly widened. He's adapting again… The third wolf didn't hesitate, attempting to pounce directly at Mia. Arin's face immediately shifted, his protective instinct flaring.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Arin growled, throwing himself between the wolf and Mia. With sheer force, he tackled the wolf to the ground and repeatedly slammed his fist into its face. One. Two. Three— 

The wolf finally stopped moving, unconscious. Arin stood up, his body shaking from exhaustion, but his expression still firm. "See…? Told you…" he panted, wiping his face. "…I can handle them."

Mia was completely speechless, her heart still racing. "Y-You really beat them…" Arin, still catching his breath, grinned slightly. "Compared to Master's training… I think this was way easier."

As Li stepped out from his hiding spot, his voice cut through the silence.

"Not bad, Arin… but your footwork is still sloppy. Didn't I show you how to position yourself properly?"

Arin flinched, surprised. "M-Master! You were watching?!"

Li simply crossed his arms, his cold gaze fixed on Arin. "Of course. And I'm not impressed yet."

As Arin and Mia turned to look at each other, a brief moment of realization struck them. Without thinking, they both spoke in perfect sync.

"Master, you're in a good mood, aren't you?" Arin said."Sir Li, you're in a good mood, aren't you?" Mia said.

Li blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "…What are you two talking about?"

Mia hesitated before speaking, her voice soft but clear. "Yeah… that scary aura you always have around you… it's gone for some reason today, Sir Li."

Li froze for a moment, his expression unchanging. "…You're imagining things."

Arin and Mia exchanged glances, but deep down, they both knew something about Li had definitely changed.

Li simply brushed off their remarks, his cold demeanor returning as he shifted his gaze to Arin. "Enough nonsense," Li said flatly. "Arin, I'm upping your training starting today. Are you ready?"

Arin's eyes lit up with excitement, his fists clenched. "Yes, Master! Bring it on!"

Mia, on the other hand, was bewildered. Upping his training? Wasn't it already brutal enough?

Li simply turned, walking toward an open clearing. "Good. Follow me." 

Years passed like the changing seasons.

It had been five years since Li Vrak took Arin under his wing. Arin, once a frail and defenseless boy, was now seventeen hardened, experienced, and powerful. Thanks to Li's ruthless training, Arin had skyrocketed in the adventurer ranks. Now, he stood at A-rank, nearly brushing the limits of S-rank.

But for the past year, Li was absent.

A mission of utmost importance had called him away, leaving Arin to train alone. Yet even without his Master's guidance, Arin refused to slack off. Every day, he pushed himself beyond his limits, remembering every piece of advice and lesson Li had instilled in him.

His fists, now hardened from relentless training, clenched tightly. I'll make him proud when he comes back… Arin promised himself.

As Arin walked through the familiar streets of the town, people greeted him warmly a stark contrast to five years ago when he was just a helpless boy.

"Morning, Arin!""Yo, Hero of the Town!""Saved us two years ago, and still lookin' strong, huh?"

Two years ago, a large-scale monster raid descended upon the town. With Li absent, panic spread like wildfire. The walls would have fallen, and the town would have been razed to the ground… if not for Arin.

Despite only being fifteen at the time, Arin fearlessly led the charge, taking down the leading monsters and inspiring the town's adventurers to fight back. Thanks to his efforts, the town was saved. Since then, Arin had become something of a local hero a symbol of hope and strength.

But Arin never let it get to his head. He simply smiled and waved back, humbly saying, "Just doin' my part."

Yet deep down… he still wondered. Would Master have done it better? Would he have saved them faster? Would anyone have died if he was here?

That thought never left him.

As Arin was walking, lost in his thoughts, a sudden smack landed on the back of his head.

"Yo, Arin!"

"Ow! What the—" Arin flinched, rubbing his head, before turning around to see Mia standing there with a playful grin on her face.

She had grown a lot over the years now sixteen, a bit taller, her once childish features now more mature, but her mischievous and energetic nature remained unchanged.

"Geez, Mia… did you really have to hit me that hard?" Arin groaned.

Mia shrugged, smirking. "You were spacing out again. You know it's my job to snap you out of it."

Arin sighed. "Yeah, yeah… thanks for that."

Mia tilted her head, studying him. "Lemme guess… thinking about Master Li again, huh?"

Arin scratched his cheek, a bit embarrassed. "W-Well… kinda. It's been a year since he left on that mission. I can't help but wonder when he's coming back, you know?"

Mia's playful smirk softened into a gentle smile. "He'll come back, you know. He promised you, didn't he?"

"Yeah… he did." Arin said, his voice filled with longing.

As Arin entered the guild, the once familiar atmosphere now felt slightly different. Over the years, the guild had changed quite a bit and so did its members.

At the counter, where she used to work as a receptionist, now stood Elise but not as a receptionist anymore. She had been promoted to Guild Manager a year ago after the previous manager retired. She wore a more formal outfit now, with a badge pinned to her chest, symbolizing her authority.

Elise, who was busy signing off some documents, noticed Arin walking in. Without even looking up, she spoke with a smirk. "You're late today, Arin." 

Arin scratched his head. "I wasn't aware I was on a schedule."

Elise finally looked up, smiling warmly at him. "You might as well be. Considering how often you come here to look for quests or news about Sir Li."

Arin froze for a moment, then averted his gaze. "I-I mean, it's not like I'm always checking… just, you know, in case he comes back." 

Elise chuckled. "Still as easy to read as ever, huh?" She leaned forward slightly. "Don't worry… I have a feeling he'll come back soon." Arin smiled weakly. "Yeah… I hope so."

Elise then took out a stack of papers. "Anyway, if you're here for a quest, I have a few B-rank and one A-rank mission available today. Your pick, Mr. A-rank."

Arin grinned. "I'll take the A-rank."

Elise raised an eyebrow. "No hesitation, huh?"

"Well, gotta keep myself sharp for when Master comes back. Can't slack off now, can I?" Arin said confidently.

Elise couldn't help but smile as she handed him the quest paper. "Just don't get yourself killed, alright?"

"Please, like anything in this town can kill me." Arin smirked as he took the paper and walked off.

Elise shook her head and chuckled. He's grown so much… and yet, he's still that same reckless boy from five years ago.

The scene shifted.

A land of desolation, soaked in blood and littered with thousands of fallen demons. The once green fields were now a graveyard of monsters, their corpses piled high a horrifying testament to the chaos that unfolded. Blood painted the ground, and a thick, nauseating scent of death filled the air.

And amidst the sea of carnage, stood one man.

Li Vrak.

His katana, now almost unrecognizable, dripped with dark, corrupted blood. His expression was cold, lifeless as if nothing in this battlefield could faze him. He stood atop the mound of demon corpses, gazing up at the crimson sky as if waiting for something.

The human soldiers who were assigned to assist him stood far, far away — deliberately keeping their distance. Their armor was smeared with blood, their hands still trembling from the aftermath of battle. However, the source of their fear wasn't the demons — it was Li.

He did not fight like a human.He did not act like a human.He was like a monster in human skin.

They watched as Li simply stood there in silence, the blood of countless demons painting his face and armor — yet he did not seem disturbed by it.

"...M-Monster…" one of the soldiers accidentally muttered, his voice shaking in terror.

Another soldier elbowed him, whispering harshly, "Shut up! Do you wanna die?! If he hears you—"

Suddenly, a loud voice broke the silence.

"YO, LI! Done over there or what?!"

The soldiers snapped their heads toward the direction of the voice it was General Venkur, riding atop his horse, unfazed by the bloody scenery. Unlike the other soldiers, Venkur didn't fear Li no, rather he seemed amused.

Li, still standing atop the mountain of demon corpses, finally turned his head. His cold, piercing eyes locked onto Venkur. "...Yeah. Pretty much."

Venkur chuckled, dismounting his horse and walking toward Li, ignoring the foul stench of blood. "Damn… I swear every time I see you in action, you get more terrifying."

Li simply sheathed his katana, blood dripping from the tip. He didn't reply.

Venkur, now standing beside him, looked at the mountain of corpses. "Seriously… what the hell, man? You alone wiped out this entire horde. Hell, I thought we'd have to pull you out, but you handled it without breaking a sweat."

Li remained silent.

"...Tch." Venkur grinned as he looked at Li. "Still as dead inside as ever, huh?"

"...But, I gotta admit—" Venkur leaned closer, his tone shifting slightly. "...that boy really did change you, didn't he?"

Li's grip on his katana slightly tightened.

"...Hmph."

Venkur noticed the subtle shift in his body language and smirked. "Heh. Thought so."

"You're not as lifeless as you were five years ago, Li. I can see it." Venkur said, patting Li on the shoulder. "I bet when you see that brat again, he's gonna brag about how strong he got. Haha."

Li didn't respond. Instead, his gaze returned to the sky — the memories of Arin subtly resurfacing in his mind.

"...I heard he defended the town I lived in perfectly," Li finally spoke, his voice low but steady. "He took charge… led from the front lines during a monster raid."

A faint, almost unnoticeable smile appeared on his face.

"...Honestly… I'm proud of him."

His grip on his katana slightly loosened as he continued, his tone quieter.

"...He did what I couldn't do before."

General Venkur chuckled, crossing his arms as he walked beside Li.

"This is really reassuring, you know?" Venkur said, glancing at him. "I've been noticing… you've been smiling a lot lately."

Li didn't reply, his expression remaining neutral, but he didn't deny it either.

"...Tch. Must be your imagination," Li muttered, though the faintest trace of a smile still lingered.

General Venkur smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Man, look at you now. Smiling, showing emotions, and even talking about your student. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've turned soft, Li," he joked, nudging him.

Li stayed silent for a moment before glancing at Venkur with a deadpan expression. "Says the guy who pissed his pants on our first demon raid."

Venkur froze. "...H-Hey, that was years ago! I was a rookie back then, alright?!" Li let out a faint chuckle, a genuine one. "Still happened."

Venkur's jaw dropped. "Wait… did you just— did you just crack a joke?"

Li simply walked ahead, his smirk still faintly visible. "You brought it on yourself."

Venkur was stunned, staring at Li's back.

The soldiers stationed around them watched in absolute disbelief. Their eyes were wide, their mouths slightly agape as they witnessed something beyond comprehension. 

General Venkur — the highly respected and powerful war general — was casually joking around with him.

Li Vrak. The Living Nightmare.

The man who single-handedly slaughtered thousands of demons without breaking a sweat. The man whose mere presence on the battlefield sent chills down anyone's spine whether friend or foe. And here was General Venkur, laughing and joking with him like they were old pals.

"Holy crap… General Venkur is actually talking normally to him…" one soldier whispered, disbelief laced in his tone.

"And did you see that?! Li Vrak just smirked…! Was that a joke he just made?" another soldier muttered, rubbing his eyes in case he was hallucinating.

"No way… that's the Living Nightmare. The man who's said to feel no emotions, no remorse… and yet General Venkur's treating him like a normal person?"

"What kind of monster do you have to be to casually talk to that and not piss yourself?"

General Venkur, overhearing some of the whispers, couldn't help but chuckle. "Man, you guys need to loosen up. Li ain't as bad as he seems—"

"That's easy for you to say, General! You're not the one who has nightmares about him!" one soldier blurted out, which earned him a sharp glare from Venkur. 

Li, overhearing everything, simply shook his head. "Living Nightmare, huh…" he muttered under his breath. The nickname never sat right with him — but he couldn't blame them either. 

Venkur patted his shoulder with a grin. "What can I say, man? You've got quite the reputation. Can't blame them for shitting their pants when you walk by."

Li just exhaled, unamused. "Let's move. We're wasting time."

The soldiers immediately straightened up, avoiding any form of eye contact with Li as they quickly followed his orders.