Nameless King

"What's going on?" Robber Leader exclaimed, "Kill the hell out of him! Use everything you've got!"

The robbers instantly obeyed his order. They coated their blades with poison and lashed out at the Cursed Swordsman.

"Stop them!" The Guard Commander gave the order.

"That won't be necessary." Cursed Swordsman muttered, "A bunch of amateurs I can deal with myself."

The energy flow dissipated, and an icy wave departed from Cursed Swordsman. It tossed the robbers aside.

Like the Code of Light and Darkness, the Cursed Swordsman transformed. His cloak turned into leather scraps and hung from his belt, his bare torso tattooed with chains. His boots tore apart, exposing his feet, and everything underneath was covered in ice.

"Before you die, I will tell you a curious fact about myself." The Cursed Swordsman uttered as ice crystals clustered around his hand, "I'm left-handed, so you're fucked."

The crystals turned into a long ice sword, and Cursed Swordsman made a sharp swing.

Whooooooooosh.

The three robbers beside him had their heads flying off their shoulders and their bodies frozen and shattered into tiny shards.

"Monster...!" One of the robbers said in horror.

"Everybody retreat! Run if you want to survive!" Robber Leader exclaimed as he blurted out.

"Not so fast." Cursed Swordsman suddenly appeared beside him.

"What...?" Robber Leader muttered.

His eyes went wide, he didn't understand how it had happened, how a suddenly winnable situation had turned into a stalemate.

"I hope you remember what I promised to do to you?" Cursed Swordsman said coldly.

"No, you don't." The Robber Leader trembled with fear, "Please..."

"Good bye."

Cursed Swordsman smiled weakly, straight streaks appeared on Robber Leader's body, blood drops emerged from them, and Robber Leader disintegrated into many meat cubes.

"All right, that's what's needed. Now you." The Cursed Swordsman looked at the rest of the robbers.

He turned into a blue flash and got to them in an instant. The robbers could do nothing against him. Cursed Swordsman's power was beyond their comprehension. His sword turned them into icy statues, shattering them into tiny shards at any touch.

The guards were shocked. They did not know what to do, the Cursed Swordsman was killing one robber after another, leaving them no job.

Someone was watching this with more admiration than the others. It was Kael.

"How's that? Do you like it?" Dark Silhouette asked.

"Yeah... He's so strong! I could stand up for myself if I were like him!" Kael exclaimed.

"Ahaha, look at him more closely. What do you see?" Silhouette pointed at the Cursed Swordsman.

"Hmm? Is he smiling?" Kael said, puzzled.

"Exactly."

"He likes that?"

"Yes, but at the same time, he tries to avoid it. I'm sure he told you that that power is most often a curse. He's that case."

"Is something bad going to happen to him?" Kael worried.

"No, he'll be fine, though, as always. However, he fears that this pleasure might consume him."

"Is that why he's been holding back?"

"Yes, but it's also his way of getting stronger. He has rather peculiar methods. Okay, enough talk, looks like it's all over now." Silhouette stepped forward as he and Kael found themselves next to the Cursed Swordsman.

"You're here again?" Cursed Swordsman said coldly.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" Dark Silhouette smiled, "Don't you want to thank me? Without me, this guy could be in trouble."

"Shut up. I had everything under control. You foiled my plans and turned the whole thing into chaos."

"Whatever." Silhouette shrugged.

"Thank you!" Kael exclaimed as he hugged Cursed Swordsman.

"Kid, get off my back. I didn't do it to save you, I just wanted to show those freaks not to mess with me!"

"Still, that was so cool!"

"Hahaha, I think this is the perfect moment to work something out between us finally." Dark Silhouette said as he held out his hand, "If you refuse now, I'll leave you alone, but I want you to answer honestly."

"Shit." Cursed Swordsman stomped his foot but shook his hand, "Good, now you can consider us friends. Happy?"

"Almost. Isn't this a unique story? We should make it more memorable. How about a nickname?"

"Hmm?"

"Your nickname would be Ice Tyrant. You're just as strong, unapproachable, and cruel, but beneath the layer of coldness and rudeness, there's a whole other side, isn't that beautiful?"

"I already regret my decision..."

"Huh, luckily, you never go back on your word."

"Yeah...and that's something I sometimes regret, too. How annoying it all is for me."

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

The ground trembled, and the water in the pond rippled.

"What's going on?" The Guard Commander frowned.

"Oh, that's the last guest. We completely forgot about him." Dark Silhouette muttered.

Crackling.

A huge monster emerged from the forest. Trees turned to splinters under the monster's weight. It was the Azure Mantis King.

"Okay, it's time to get this over with." Cursed Swordsman muttered as he raised his sword above his head, "Kael, watch carefully. If you train hard, you'll reach this level one day."

"Huh, he's lying. Training alone isn't enough." The Dark Silhouette grinned.

"Shut up. Don't dash his hopes. Moreover, if I can do it, so can he." The Cursed Swordsman lowered his sword sharply.

An icy blade flew out of the weapon. It reached the Azure Mantis King at the speed of sound. The blade swept through the pond, splitting it in two and freezing it completely.

The Azure Mantis King tried to block the attack, but the blade was too fast. It went through the monster, and the two icy halves fell to the ground.

"Done." Cursed Swordsman muttered as he returned to normal.

"Looks like it's time to leave. Don't you think so?" Dark Silhouette asked.

"Wait. There's something I have to do first." Cursed Swordsman sighed.

He gripped his sword tightly and walked over to Kael.

"Here. Now it's yours." Cursed Swordsman handed him the sword.

"Are you sure...?" Kael asked uncertainly.

"Definitely, you can defend the Moon Lotus now. You'll make a great warrior." Cursed Swordsman patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you..." Kael said as tears welled up in his eyes.