Volume 2: Rise of the Vessel
Chapter 15: Trial of the Hundred Shadows
The moment Lee Hwan stepped out of the ramen shop, a sharp tone echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[System Notice: Special Trial Activated – Sixth Floor Trial of Dominion]
[Objective: Defeat 100 players within 10 days.]
[Difficulty: Extreme]
[Rewards:]
– +25 Attribute Points
– Flame Burst skill will evolve to Level 6
– Access granted to the Seventh Floor
– Direct level boost to Level 75
Lee Hwan narrowed his eyes. "A trial… against players?"
He wasn't one to back down, but the idea of fighting other awakened humans brought a bitter taste to his mouth. Still, he understood the rules of the tower: growth required sacrifice. Progress demanded resolve.
Additional Info:
[Only voluntary challengers will count. No killing allowed – incapacitation or surrender is acceptable.]
[This is a Trial of Power and Dominance, not one of murder.]
He exhaled slowly. "Good. I don't need unnecessary enemies."
He checked his current stats.
Level: 67
Strength: 187
Speed: 169
Mana: 1,040
Unused Attribute Points: 50
Skill: Dragon Summon (Lv. 3)
Skill: Dragon Aura (Lv. 4)
Skill: Shadow Step (Lv. 3)
Skill: Eye of Dragon (Lv. 6)
Skill: Flame Burst (Lv. 5)
Special Title: Vessel of the Dragon Monarch
Potential: SSSS+
He still had 50 unused attribute points. "I'll need to use them wisely if I'm going to defeat 100 players."
He opened his attribute window.
Distribute Points?
He tapped quickly: – +13 Strength → Now: 200
– +11 Speed → Now: 180
– Remaining 26, he placed across Constitution, Agility, and Perception.
The moment he confirmed the distribution, a glowing surge of power rippled through his veins.
Ding!
[Strength has reached 200 – Milestone Achieved!]
[Speed has reached 180 – Milestone Achieved!]
[Dragon Monarch Trait Activated – Passive Skill Unlocked: Sovereign Presence]
[Enemies with lower levels will experience fear and stat suppression in your presence.]
Lee Hwan clenched his fist. Power throbbed through his body like a living current.
He had changed.
No longer the forgotten boy without a system.
He was now a vessel of something ancient and devastating.
He was becoming a sovereign.
Over the next few hours, the tower city buzzed with rumors.
"A challenger is accepting duels at the central arena!"
"That guy defeated ten players already!"
"I heard he's the Dragon Monarch's vessel!"
"What? The one with the bounty!?"
One after another, challengers came.
Some out of pride. Some out of curiosity. Some… for the bounty.
Lee stood in the ring, silent and focused.
The fights were brutal but fast.
His dragons didn't even need to be summoned.
His aura alone crushed opponents' confidence.
Shadow Step made him a blur.
Flame Burst vaporized weapons.
And Eye of Dragon allowed him to see every move before it happened.
By nightfall, his count had reached 38.
And there were still more lining up.
He stood in the center of the arena, untouched, his breath calm.
"This is just the beginning," he muttered.
In the shadows above, cloaked figures watched from rooftops.
Not everyone was pleased.
But no one dared intervene—not yet.