Chapter 39 – Shadows of the Returned Monarch
Lee Hwan turned toward his three disciples, his eyes glowing faintly with the power of the True Dragon Eye.
"Listen closely," he said, his voice calm but commanding.
"No one must know I've returned. Not even the allied guilds, not the Ranker Council… for now, my existence must be a rumor, a myth."
The disciples looked at each other, stunned.
"But, Master… your presence, your aura—people felt it the moment you arrived. It shook the mana grid across Seoul."
Lee's lips curved into a faint, confident smirk.
"Then twist it. Tell them it was a mana ghost—a backlash from my last battle. Say I'm still in the Tower, training, preparing for something greater."
"Turn my return into fake news. If they ask for proof, tell them… 'How can a dead man cast a shadow?'"
His words struck like lightning. The disciples nodded, fully understanding the weight of secrecy.
Meanwhile, Lee moved into his private chamber in the guild—a massive hall filled with ancient relics, dragon-scale armor, and a map of the Tower's higher floors.
"There are still too many eyes watching… Monarchs, vessels, even the system itself."
He clenched his fist.
"If I want to truly surpass Chronos and prepare for what lies on Floor 13… I'll need more than power. I'll need a kingdom."
To be continued…