Chapter 44 – The Weight of Titles
The morning sun pierced through the faint mist clinging to the forest surrounding Lee Hwan's secluded villa. Birds chirped faintly in the background, a calm melody echoing through the broken silence of yesterday's battle. Yet Lee Hwan stood shirtless in his training room, drenched in sweat, throwing clean, crisp punches into the air.
Each movement of his arm cracked the air like a whip, his aura wrapping around his body in dense layers. He wasn't just training his body; he was controlling the flow of power within his blood, the rhythm of his breath, and the timing of his strikes with unnatural precision.
But as his knuckles thudded against a reinforced dummy, Lee's thoughts weren't focused on the techniques.
"If enemies are already sending elite assassins... then the villa's location is compromised."
He paused.
"Did they trace me? Or did someone leak information?"
He frowned and exhaled. After a few more minutes of shadowboxing, he stopped, wiped his face with a towel, and headed for the shower.
The Next Morning
Lee Hwan stepped out of a black sedan in front of a tall white tower engraved with the emblem of the United Players Association (UPA). The city around him buzzed with life, but every pedestrian nearby instinctively stepped aside as Lee approached. Some recognized him. Others only felt the overwhelming pressure of his presence.
The tower's security scanners beeped as he walked through—and then fell silent. The front desk receptionist, after confirming his identity, escorted him directly to the upper floors.
When the elevator dinged, Lee stepped into a lush office.
The UPA President stood at the far end, facing the skyline with a glass of espresso in hand.
"Mr. Lee," he said, without turning. "So you really are the master of the Dragon Guild."
Lee Hwan stood still, his arms crossed. "I didn't come here for pleasantries."
The President turned. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his early 50s with white streaks in his slicked-back hair. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, analyzed Lee like a scientist dissecting a rare creature.
"Then let me be direct," the President said. "I want to see your power. Here. Now."
Lee raised an eyebrow.
"You called me here for a duel?"
"Not exactly. I just want confirmation."
He snapped his fingers.
A reinforced training arena extended from the side of the office, lined with magical reinforcement, spectator shielding, and power limiters.
Lee sighed.
"Alright. Just don't cry when your pride breaks."
Minutes Later – In the Arena
The UPA President stood at one end of the ring, surrounded by hovering drones and sensors, while Lee calmly stood at the other.
"You know," the President said, stretching, "you're ranked ninth in the global system ranking. That makes you the youngest among the top ten."
Lee didn't respond.
"And me? I'm ranked 56th."
Lee tilted his head.
"Is that supposed to impress me?"
"No," the President said, chuckling. "It's supposed to tell you how shameful it is that Asia's top authority is not even in the top 50."
He lunged.
His aura burst out in a violent storm of blue flame, his movements precise and lightning-fast.
Lee didn't even move. He raised a single hand.
BOOM!
Their auras collided.
The entire training room shook as if a bomb had exploded inside. The President staggered backward, coughing.
Lee hadn't moved an inch.
"You're slower than the assassin from yesterday."
"Tch..."
The President tried again. This time with a flurry of strikes, infused with fire and wind elements. Each punch created shockwaves, and the temperature in the room spiked dangerously high.
Lee Hwan blurred forward.
His fist stopped right in front of the President's chest.
"You said you wanted to see my power? Here it is."
He stepped back.
"You were right about one thing. It is shameful. For a man leading Asia's entire player infrastructure to be that low in the rankings."
The President wiped blood from his lip and laughed.
"You're exactly what I expected, Mr. Lee. Ruthless, but honest. The world needs someone like you."
Lee narrowed his eyes.
"Say what you came to say."
The President composed himself. "The Tower is changing. Floors are evolving. The ranking system is reacting faster than ever. Old guilds are collapsing. New threats are rising. And something tells me... you're not just climbing for power."
"You're right," Lee said. "I'm climbing because I have to. Not because I want to."
"Then I won't stop you. But the day might come when even the top ten won't be enough."
Lee walked toward the exit.
"When that day comes... I won't be in the top ten."
He glanced back.
"I'll be number one."
The President grinned.
"Then go, Dragon Monarch. Prove it."
End of Chapter 44