The Path Of A True King.-Chapter 28: Elijah and Mai.

Chapter 67

Elijah stood outside the bar in Mike’s territory, the so-called Fake Gangless area.

He wore a loose white shirt with his gang’s symbol on it, concealing his muscular frame, along with black shorts and matching black shoes.

Morning sunlight filtered through the streets, and inside the bar, Sylvia was busy cleaning.

Most patrons had already left, as this was the quietest time of day.

Two men in black suits stood guard at the bar’s entrance, the emblem of Elijah’s gang stitched on their backs.

Their presence wasn’t just for show—they were there to protect Sylvia, whether from drunken troublemakers or potential threats from rival gangs.

In that moment, Elijah’s aura was unsettling, his red eyes glowing like pools of blood.

There was a depth to them—an abyss that swallowed warmth, leaving only a quiet chill in the air.

He wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, just standing there, but the way he looked at people now had changed.

It wasn’t something he had ever noticed before, but others clearly did.

Because the last bit of innocence he held onto was gone.

When he finally opened his mouth, his voice was calm yet firm. "Who stationed you here?"

One of the men quickly responded, "Vice Leader Kai, sir."

Elijah nodded, sensing the Ki around them. His voice remained steady as he asked, "So every member is being followed by two others for protection, huh?"

The man gave another sharp nod. "Under Vice Leader Kai’s and Tristan’s orders, sir. We were assigned as backup in case anything happened."

Elijah sighed, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Stop being so formal, or this won’t be much of a conversation."

"Apologies, Boss, but I can’t," the man replied quickly.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, genuinely confused.

Had he done something to intimidate them this much? With a shrug, he turned to leave. "Tell Mai I’m waiting around the corner."

"Understood, Boss," they responded in unison.

As soon as Elijah disappeared from sight, the first guard let out a breath. "Damn, that was terrifying. How can a teenager have that kind of aura?"

"Right? His eyes... it was like looking at death itself," the second man agreed. "And him being at the Intermediate Knight Stage only makes it worse.

Did you hear what he did to the West Gang’s boss?

He used his bare fists to break through the guy’s skin—straight to his heart. That kind of power and ruthlessness..."

"The scariest part wasn’t even that," the first guard muttered. "It’s what he ordered Kevin and Tristan to do. It was a bloodbath."

Elijah, just 20 meters away, focused his Ki one of the many abilities he had trained extensively to sharpen his hearing.

Their whispers reached him clearly.

He didn’t react, didn’t let his expression shift.

He simply absorbed their words, surprised by their perception of him.

Was killing a single person enough to change him that much?

His own sister had said something similar not too long ago.

Would Mai see him the same way?

He didn’t care if she did or not.

At least, that’s what he told himself.

But he didn’t want to scare her or make her uncomfortable.

She was important.

To Kai, and now, to him as well.

That’s why he was here—to spend time with her.

And because Kai had practically forced him to do this.

After Elijah asked him how he felt after his first kill, Kai’s response had been unexpected: "Find a girl and spend some time with her."

Before Elijah could argue, Kai, knowing that Elijah was newly single, had simply called Mai and arranged this ’date.’

What was he planning?

Elijah had no clue.

But he was certain of one thing—Kai was up to something.

"Elijah."

A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He looked up.

Mai stood before him, bathed in the morning light.

Her long, violet hair cascaded down her back, the strands catching the sun in shades of dark amethyst.

Her striking purple eyes held a quiet confidence, framed by long, delicate lashes.

She wore a dark, slightly purple dress that reached just above her knees, complementing her natural beauty.

Her slender figure was accentuated by the way the fabric hugged her frame, and her skin seemed to glow with a softness that made her presence feel almost unreal.

Elijah was momentarily stunned.

Mai smiled. "You look handsome."

"Thanks. You look beautiful," Elijah replied, his lips curling into a small smile.

She chuckled at his expression before glancing to the side as they started walking.

"So, you’re probably wondering why I need to go back to school."

Elijah tilted his head. "Yeah, what are we retrieving?"

Mai sighed. "My father’s necklace. After his death, I searched everywhere for it, completely forgetting where I had left it. Then a friend called me, saying she found it."

Elijah nodded. "What kind of man was your father?"

Mai chuckled, a nostalgic glimmer in her eyes. "He was a mix of you and Kai."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "That sounds... strange."

She smiled. "He was cold and calculating, like Kai. But also warm, caring, and brave, like you."

Elijah scoffed lightly. "Brave? I’ve never been brave."

Mai rolled her eyes. "You fight gangsters who carry guns, and you think you’re not brave?"

Elijah shook his head. "I was terrified. Shaking like crazy. I just... did it anyway."

Mai looked away for a moment before speaking. "My father once told me that being afraid and still pushing forward—that’s true bravery."

Elijah chuckled. "Kai overthinks everything because he wants complete control."

Mai nodded. "Which is impossible."

Elijah laughed. "Yeah. He’s been like that since we were kids."

They both shared a laugh before Elijah leaned in slightly. "Alright, tell me something about yourself."

"Like what?" Mai asked, amused.

"Well, for starters, your favorite color is obviously purple."

Mai chuckled, and Elijah added, "What else? Dogs or cats?"

"Dogs."

Elijah smirked. "Same. Why do you prefer dogs?"

"Because cats are useless."

Elijah laughed. "That’s cold. I just think dogs are cute."

Mai tilted her head. "Aren’t cats cute too?"

"Yeah, but as someone cute yourself, you should know that cute things tend to be the most troublesome."

Mai blushed slightly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "You’re a big bad gangster, right? You can handle a little trouble."

Elijah smiled but suddenly froze.

His gaze shifted toward two of his guards, who had just stopped a few gangsters nearby.

He wasn’t sure which gang they were from, but their level of strength wasn’t anything his men couldn’t handle.

Trusting them to deal with it, he turned his attention back to Mai.

She glanced at him. "Don’t walk so slow."

Elijah grinned. "Yeah, yeah."