Chapter 11: A Short Return to Earth
The portal shimmered in front of him—golden and humming softly.
Lee Hwan stood still for a moment, staring into it.
He had cleared three floors of the Tower in fifteen days.
For others, it took months… even years.
But now, he wasn't thinking of the next floor.
He was thinking of something else entirely.
"…I should return to Earth," he muttered under his breath.
"I haven't been home in over two weeks. My friends are probably worried… even if I don't have a family, I still have people who care."
His voice was quiet, almost distant.
He clenched his fists.
He had changed so much in just fifteen days. From a powerless civilian who hadn't even awakened… to the Vessel of the Dragon Monarch, someone whose presence had now reached the ears of the world's strongest.
But deep down… he was still Lee Hwan.
And Lee Hwan hadn't forgotten where he came from.
The portal flashed—and he stepped through.
Light surrounded him.
And the next moment, he stood back on Earth… in the Korean Gate Center, where hundreds of players came and went every day.
But the moment he appeared—everything stopped.
All eyes turned to him.
Some players even took a step back instinctively. The aura around him wasn't normal. It radiated pressure. Power. Something primal… something ancient.
The front desk guard looked stunned. "L-Lee Hwan? Wait, weren't you unawakened? How… how did you come out of the Tower?"
Lee Hwan just smiled faintly.
"I got lucky."
He left the building quickly before reporters or hunters could surround him.
As he stepped out onto the quiet Seoul street, the wind blew against his face.
It felt… peaceful.
Normal.
He pulled out his phone and stared at it.
So many missed calls. Messages.
His best friend—Minjae—had messaged him almost every day.
"Bro where are you?"
"Call me back when you can."
"I swear if you're in the Tower without telling me…"
"We're all worried. Just say something."
Lee Hwan sighed softly.
"…I should go see him."
He looked up at the sky—clear, blue, and without flames.
"I won't stay long," he said to himself. "Just enough to remind myself why I fight… and then I'll return."
Because the Tower was still waiting.
And he had 97 floors left to conquer.
End of Chapter 11