Chapter 9: Embers of the Unknown
The light faded.
Lee Hwan stepped onto the 3rd Floor.
The air was different here.
He smelled it instantly—smoke, ash, and… blood.
A ruined village stretched before him, charred buildings still burning softly, the sky above tinted gray with thick clouds. Faint screams echoed in the wind—twisted, hollow.
[You have entered Floor 3 – The Burnt Fields]
Objective: Cleanse the Village of Corrupted Souls (0/50)
Boss: Wraith General of Ash – Hidden Objective Active
Reward: +3 Levels, Random Skill Shard, 1 Equipment Drop
"A battlefield, huh…"
Lee Hwan's voice was low, calm.
This wasn't like Floor 1 or 2. There was no guide, no straight path.
Only chaos.
From the broken alleyways, flickers of red eyes started to appear—shadows crawling from the dark, dragging twisted weapons and broken armor.
They weren't alive.
They were Corrupted Souls—remnants of warriors consumed by grief and flame.
And they were coming.
Lee Hwan didn't flinch.
Instead, he activated Dragon Aura.
Golden-red energy surged out from his body in a wave. The Corrupted Souls stopped moving for a second—then screamed, recoiling violently from the pressure.
Lee Hwan took one step forward.
"Run if you want," he muttered. "You'll burn all the same."
He moved like lightning.
A flash of steel. A burst of fire. Limbs were cut. Bodies turned to ash. Every swing of his blade was empowered by the monarch's wrath. Every motion carried the weight of a dragon's soul.
In just two minutes—fifteen corrupted souls had fallen.
But then…
A strange feeling spread through the floor.
Like someone—or something—was watching him.
Narration Box:
Throughout the Tower, there existed seven other Vessels—chosen by Monarchs who ruled death, shadow, steel, storm, blood, frost, and time. These International Players were monsters in human skin. Kings among kings.
And yet…
None of them were the Vessel of the Dragon Monarch.
Because he was the strongest.
The true apex.
The first and final ruler.
And now… a new dragon had awakened.
Somewhere deep within the 10th Floor, a young man in dark robes suddenly stopped his training. His heartbeat accelerated. The Monarch of Shadow inside him stirred.
"…What was that presence?"
He looked toward the sky.
Another vessel had entered the tower.
But this one felt… dangerous.
Back on the 3rd Floor, Lee Hwan continued his hunt.
He cut through another corrupted knight, flames bursting from its chest as his new skill Flame Burst activated.
The entire street exploded into fire.
Even he looked surprised.
"…I wasn't even trying."
Flame Burst Tier I had nearly wiped out an entire wave of enemies in one shot.
"How powerful will it be at Tier II… or higher?"
Lee Hwan's lips curled slightly. Not a full smile—more like hunger.
The kind of hunger only power could feed.
After twenty more kills, a new message appeared:
[Hidden Objective Progress: 35/50]
[Wraith General of Ash has taken notice of you.]
He glanced toward the burned church at the edge of the village.
A massive shadow had risen.
Tall. Armored. Wreathed in black fire.
The boss had arrived.
And it was angry.
Lee Hwan tightened his grip on his blade, Dragon Aura glowing around him.
"Good," he whispered. "I wanted to test something…"
He stepped forward as flames danced around him.
The real battle was about to begin.
End of Chapter 9