Chapter 11: The Emergence of a King

Jihan wiped the blood off his knuckles, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The air reeked of sweat, violence, and something more—fear. Not his, but theirs. The gang members who had once mocked him now lay at his feet, groaning in pain, barely able to comprehend the monster he had become.

The Dominance Code interface flickered before him.

Mission Complete: Crush the Challengers

Rewards: +2 Strength, +1 Agility, New Skill Unlocked - "Pressure Aura"

Jihan's lips curled into a smirk. The system had rewarded him again, but he knew better now. These rewards were just pieces of a much bigger puzzle. He had to learn how to exploit them fully.

The remaining students, the spectators of the fight, watched him in stunned silence. A week ago, Jihan had been nothing but a shadow, an easy target. Now, he was something else entirely—an enigma, a rising king.

"Listen up." His voice was sharp, cutting through the murmurs. "This school is a battlefield, and only the strong survive. If you want to live under someone else's rule, then crawl back to your holes. But if you want power, if you want to stand at the top… follow me."

There was hesitation. Fear. But then, one by one, heads began to nod. Among them was Dojin, one of the former top fighters of Class 2-A, who had just lost to Jihan. His lip was split, his left eye swollen, but there was no resentment—only admiration.

"I'm in." Dojin wiped his mouth, stepping forward. "I'll follow you."

Jihan turned his gaze to the rest. "Anyone else?"

One by one, hands were raised. His gang was forming.

Elsewhere…

In a darkened room filled with monitors, a pair of eyes analyzed the data scrolling across the screens. A girl, her face illuminated by the glow of the monitors, smirked as she observed Jihan's rapid rise.

"Interesting," she murmured, fingers dancing across the keyboard. "He's learning fast. Faster than expected."

She leaned back in her chair, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. The world only knew her by a single alias—Ghost.

A notification appeared on her screen:

Target: Jihan Kang. Potential Threat Level: Rising.

She chuckled. "Oh, I think it's time we meet soon, Jihan."

Back in School…

The news spread like wildfire. Jihan Kang had taken down Dojin, crushed a rival gang, and now had followers of his own. The school's power balance had shifted, and those at the top had taken notice.

Jihan sat in his classroom, arms crossed as he analyzed his next move. The system had given him something new—Pressure Aura. He activated it slightly, feeling an invisible force radiate from him, making those nearby uneasy. The weak-willed students instinctively shrank away, while the stronger ones stiffened in challenge.

"So, this is what it feels like to dominate."

A message popped up on his screen.

New Mission: Face the First Major Obstacle.

Objective: Defeat One of the School's Four Kings.

Jihan's eyes darkened. The real battle was just beginning.