Chapter 4 – Clash of the Monarchs' Vessels
The sky was painted in soft hues of twilight as the wind rustled gently through the rooftop lounge. Elira leaned forward, her gaze intense.
"So tell me, Lee," she said, her voice calm but challenging, "Did you come all the way here… just to ask me for help?"
Lee shook his head. "No."
She raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"
Lee's eyes sharpened, a hint of something deeper in his voice. "I didn't come to ask for your help. I came because I needed answers. And because there's something I've been thinking about for a long time."
Elira tilted her head, intrigued.
"You see," Lee continued, "back when we fought… you defeated me. Effortlessly."
"You were just starting out then," she replied softly.
"You used only 12% of your power," Lee said firmly. "I remember."
A faint smile touched Elira's lips. "So? Are you here for a rematch?"
Lee stood up, his aura subtly flaring around him like a growing flame. "Yes. I need to know how far I've come."
Elira slowly stood too, her silver hair fluttering in the breeze. Her expression turned serious.
"You know," she said, "I'm the 5th strongest player in the world now. And I'm no ordinary hunter."
Lee narrowed his eyes. "I figured as much."
Elira took a step forward, her aura turning icy and sharp, shimmering like frozen mist. "I am the Vessel of the Monarch of Ice."
Lee's expression didn't change. "Then that means this isn't just any spar. This is a clash between Monarchs' vessels."
Elira's power spiked, the air temperature plummeting instantly around them. "So what will you do, Lee Hwan? Challenge me again, knowing what I am?"
Lee smiled. "Last time, you beat me. This time, I want to see… if I can push you further than 12%."
Without another word, Elira dashed forward, closing the gap in an instant. A razor-sharp lance of ice formed in her palm, slicing through the air. But before it could land—
Time slowed in Lee's eyes.
Five seconds into the future.
True Dragon Eye: Activated.
Lee tilted his body a mere inch to the left, just enough to let the icy blade miss his shoulder by a hair. He countered with a swift kick, but Elira blocked it with her forearm, frost forming instantly along her skin.
"You can see the future now?" she said, mid-combat. "That's new."
"Five seconds ahead," Lee confirmed, ducking a barrage of ice shards and weaving between the attacks with terrifying precision.
"You've really grown," Elira admitted, her eyes glowing with icy power. "But I'm not holding back this time."
She raised both hands and the rooftop transformed in a flash. Giant spears of ice erupted from the ground, turning the entire area into a deadly frozen battlefield.
Lee leapt high into the air, avoiding several spikes, and then channeled his aura into his fists.
"Dragon Fist – Azure Flame Style!"
He dove down, smashing through the ice and creating a shockwave that cracked the rooftop floor. Elira leapt back, skating over her own ice with flawless agility, her lips curving into a fierce grin.
"Nice trick," she said. "But I'm just getting warmed up."
She raised her hand and summoned a massive construct of ice in the shape of a giant falcon, which screamed across the sky, its cry freezing the very air.
Lee's eyes flared gold again. Future Sight activated.
He dashed between the incoming wings, every motion calculated. One strike missed him by inches. Another clipped his shoulder and sent a burst of cold through his arm. He gritted his teeth and roared, blasting flame-infused aura from his core.
"Dragon Breath: True Form!"
The massive burst of golden fire clashed with the icy falcon, exploding in a flash of steam and light. The entire rooftop shook. Debris scattered in all directions. Smoke clouded the battlefield.
Lee stood firm as the mist cleared, chest heaving. Elira stood across from him, breathing hard.
"That was 28%," she said calmly.
Lee grinned. "That's better."
"You still want more?" she asked, wiping a line of frost from her cheek.
"I haven't had a real challenge since the 10th Floor. I need this."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. The wind stilled. Then Elira sighed and cracked her knuckles.
"You asked for it."
The rooftop exploded again in light and energy as the second half of the battle began.