Chapter 18: The Frozen Monarch and the Whispered Secret
The room fell silent as Elira—the 5th strongest player in the world—stepped closer to Lee Hwan. Her frost aura gently faded as she looked at him with a faint smile, rare for someone known as the Ice Monarch's vessel.
"You did well," she said. "No one under level 150 has ever made me use more than 10% of my strength… You made me use 12. That alone deserves respect."
Lee stood straight now, blood wiped from his mouth, and gave a nod. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Elira tilted her head, curiosity flashing in her blue eyes.
"Tell me," she said. "Which Monarch's vessel are you?"
Lee didn't hesitate. "Dragon Monarch."
The entire chamber trembled slightly.
A Ranker in the shadows gasped. Another dropped their tea.
Even Elira's breath caught for a second. "Dragon Monarch… That name hasn't echoed in centuries."
[System Alert – Title Revealed: Vessel of the Dragon Monarch]
You are now recognized by the World Council of Rankers.
"Then it makes sense," Elira muttered. "Your aura manipulation… that flame-sword fusion… only a Monarch Vessel could pull that off."
Another Ranker spoke from the edge of the hall. "That would explain why the flame of your skill turned blue—and your dragons evolved."
Lee took a deep breath, then asked the question that had been bothering him:
"Why hasn't any Ranker cleared the 13th floor in the past six months? Even with all of you around?"
A chilling silence followed.
Elira's gaze darkened. "That's because… the 13th floor is cursed."
She turned toward the massive window showing the tower in the distance.
"The moment someone reaches the 13th floor, a system disruption occurs. Skills behave abnormally. Time flows differently. And… there's something else." She paused. "We lost a High-Ranker Squad—all above level 210. Their bodies were never recovered."
Lee narrowed his eyes. "You're saying it's beyond even Rankers?"
Elira nodded. "Some of us believe the true Monarchs are waking. And the 13th floor is... their graveyard—or their battlefield."
[Quest Unlocked – Monarch's Whispers: Investigate the 13th Floor's anomaly.]
Note: Only vessels may proceed beyond this point.
Lee clenched his fists. "Then I need to become strongest