Chapter 7: New Plans

In a classroom brimming with medals and trophies scattered across the shelves and floors, James sat in silence, methodically bandaging his bruised arm. His gaze was distant, his mind preoccupied with the battles he had faced. 

He thought stoically, ' First it was Seongji Yuk. One of the strongest I have ever faced. I never thought someone like him could exist.' The memory of Seongji's raw power stirred something in him, but his expression darkened as his thoughts shifted.

' The King of Seoul…' His grip on the bandage tightened, muscles tensing. ' That guy wasn't just strong, he toyed with me like an adult playing with a baby.' The realization stung his pride, but more than the strength, it was the knowledge that haunted him. ' He even knew what happened to that man... even though there wasn't supposed to be any evidence left.' And Gitae's involvement… how did he know?' 

James clenched his jaw, frustration building. "It seems like Gitae knows more than I thought. I'll have to ask him for more information."

Just as he was lost in these thoughts, a voice interrupted the silence. It was casual, mocking, and completely out of place.

"What a terrible look you're in. No, perhaps the word 'hideous' would be more accurate," said a voice from the doorway.

Leaning casually against the frame was a figure dressed entirely in white, a gold chain draped from his pants, short black hair slicked back. His tattoos peeked out from under his sleeves, but his most striking feature was his eyes—black sclera with piercing white irises. He smirked, clearly enjoying himself.

"You went to test them yourself, didn't you? And got beaten for it. Worse, you didn't even find the red paper." His voice dripped with sarcasm. The man shook his head mockingly. "Charles Choi… how pathetic. If he had sent me, everything would've been handled by now."

James Lee, sitting in the middle of the room, gave him a cold stare but remained calm as he finished bandaging his arm. The taunts didn't faze him. The man in white, Gun Park, continued, his smirk widening.

"Are you really the James Lee? The one who supposedly took down The Legend of The Fist, Gapryong Kim?"

"Be careful with your words," James warned, his voice low. "That incident... should never be revealed. And I didn't take that monster down alone." His expression remained stoic, but there was a weight in his tone that silenced Gun's grin for a moment.

James paused before continuing, "An unexpected third party interfered in Cheonliang. More dangerous than the Kings."

Gun's curiosity was piqued, his mocking tone replaced with genuine interest. "Who?"

"The King of Seoul and his subordinates," James said, his voice turning serious.

Gun raised an eyebrow. "The King of Seoul? Really?"

"They pose a serious threat to our plans, especially him," James said, his face darkening as the weight of the situation settled in. "We need to adjust the plan."

James looked at Gun, his gaze cold and calculating. "But first, we need to take down the other Kings. They're too dangerous when united."

"With that body?" Gun asked, eyeing James skeptically.

"Not yet," James replied, his tone resolute. "I need time to rebuild my body. Once I reach the goal I've set, we'll begin hunting the First Generation Kings."

Gun smirked again. "Goo and I could help with your training, you know."

James shook his head. "I've got the feel of it already, and I've got someone else helping me."

Gun's eyes narrowed. "Who is this 'someone else'?"

James ignored the question, standing up as he put on his jacket. "I'll send that man to deal with the King of Busan. As for the King of Seoul..." James trailed off, his expression hardening as he headed for the door. "He's too difficult to handle for now."

Without another word, James walked out of the classroom, leaving Gun standing in the doorway, his smirk returning as he watched James leave.

"Well, well," Gun muttered to himself. "This is going to be interesting."

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As James Lee walked, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After a few rings, a familiar voice answered, sounding both bored and friendly.

"James Lee, what do you want?" the person asked with casual indifference.

"I need your help with my training," James replied, his tone calm but direct. "And... I want you to become the King of Busan."

There was a brief pause before Gitae responded, intrigued but curious. "Busan? Why not Seoul?"

James's expression hardened. "The King of Seoul... I think he knows. He knows that we killed your father."

Gitae's tone shifted, now alert and surprised. "The King of Seoul? What's his name?"

"Michael Kang," James answered.

For a moment, there was silence—then sudden, crazed laughter erupted from the other end of the line. Gitae's laughter was unhinged, echoing through the phone.

"HAHAHA! It makes sense! That son of a bitch Michael… of course, he knows!" Gitae's laughter rang through the phone before it suddenly died down. His voice shifted, turning serious and measured. "Let me give you one piece of advice, James."

The weight in Gitae's tone made James pause as he listened closely.

"Don't even think about going up against Michael," Gitae warned, his voice low and serious. "Not unless you're at your absolute peak and have at least two others with comparable strength by your side. Even if you and I teamed up, we might not make it out alive. And that's just him, alone. Forget about his subordinates."

James's grip tightened on the phone, his expression unreadable as Gitae continued.

"I barely made it out alive when I faced him. The only reason I'm still here is because he decided the fight was over—not because I survived by my own strength." Gitae's voice grew darker, carrying an edge of caution.

"And don't forget—Michael has deep ties to MK Group. He's not just a monster in combat; he's got powerful backing, resources, and influence. His crew is just as dangerous as he is."

The gravity of Gitae's words hung in the air, leaving James in deep thought as the call ended.

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James dialed Charles Choi, his expression unreadable as he held the phone to his ear.

"It looks like we have to make a few adjustments to the original plan," he said, his voice calm but firm.

There was a brief pause on the other end before Charles responded, "What happened?"

James exhaled slowly, his grip tightening on the phone. "Michael Kang. He knows more than he should—about the past, about us."

Charles stayed silent for a moment, clearly processing the weight of James' words. "How much does he know?"

"Enough to pose a serious problem," James replied coldly. "He's not just strong—he has information that could expose everything we've worked for. Plus, he has the backing of the MK Group."

Charles's tone shifted, becoming more serious. "This changes everything. We can't afford any mistakes now."

James nodded, already anticipating the next steps. "We need to adapt. I've talked with Gitae and I asked him to go to Busan and be the King of Busan. We need to push the plan forward, but we have to be cautious with Michael. He's not someone we can afford to underestimate."

"Agreed," Charles said, his voice low. "Keep me updated. We'll adjust as needed."

Charles Hung up. James, his mind already working on how to deal with the looming threat of Michael Kang.