The Rose Hotel in Soto City was a study in excess—crimson velvet, polished mahogany, and an air of exclusivity that usually kept the common folk at the gate. But for Li Wei, it was just another piece of real estate he hadn't bought yet.
As the group walked through the lobby, Li Wei's 6'7" frame drew every eye in the room. He didn't just walk; he moved with the effortless, heavy grace of a predator who knew the terrain. Beside him, Xiao Ling was a vision of focused agility, her eyes scanning the opulent decor with a hint of amusement.
"Two rooms left?" the receptionist stammered, looking up at Li Wei as if he were a mountain that had suddenly decided to check-in. "I... I'm sorry, sir, but a young master has already reserved—"
"I don't care about reservations, I care about results," a booming, arrogant voice cut through the air.
A tall youth with blonde hair and heterochromatic eyes—one blue, one gold—walked in, flanked by two twin girls. This was Dai Mubai, the Evil-Eyed White Tiger. He exuded the raw, aggressive power of a high-level Spirit Grandmaster.
"The Rose Suite is mine," Dai Mubai stated, his gaze sweeping over Tang San and landing on Li Wei. He paused, his eyes narrowing. He was used to being the most imposing person in a room. Standing at 6'7", Li Wei made him look like a middle-schooler.
Li Wei didn't move. He just looked down—waaaaay down—at Dai Mubai. He let a small, 20% Hemsworth smirk play on his lips. "Listen, Tiger-boy. I've had a long drive. My friends are tired. You've got two girls with you; I'm sure you can find a nice quiet park. We're taking the rooms."
"You have a death wish?" Dai Mubai's spirit erupted. A white tiger phantom roared behind him. Two yellow rings and one purple ring rose—a Spirit Elder at such a young age.
"San, take the girls to the lounge," Li Wei said, his voice dropping into a resonant, dangerous bass. "I need to teach the kitty how to purr."
The Clash of Mass and Momentum
The lobby cleared in a heartbeat. Dai Mubai didn't hesitate. He launched a White Tiger Barrier, his fist glowing with golden light as he threw a punch aimed straight for Li Wei's chest.
Li Wei didn't dodge. Not yet.
He tapped into his 29% Fusion. The world didn't slow down to a crawl; it turned into a frozen sculpture. He watched the light of the White Tiger Barrier ripple like slow-moving water. He saw the sweat on Dai Mubai's brow.
Li Wei shifted his weight. He used his Mass Strength, anchoring himself to the kinetic energy of the planet itself. When Dai Mubai's fist hit Li Wei's chest, it wasn't like hitting a man. It was like hitting a tectonic plate.
BOOM.
The shockwave shattered the nearby flower vases. Li Wei didn't budge an inch. Dai Mubai, however, felt his own force reflected back through his arm, his bones groaning under the pressure.
"My turn," Li Wei whispered.
He didn't use a spirit ability. He just moved his hand. To the observers, it was a blur. To Dai Mubai, it felt like being hit by a falling star. Li Wei's palm caught the White Tiger's shoulder.
29% Mass Strength.
Dai Mubai was sent skidding across the marble floor, his heels digging trenches into the stone until he crashed into a heavy oak pillar.
"What... what kind of spirit is that?" Dai Mubai gasped, coughing. "You didn't even release your rings!"
"I don't need rings to deal with a house cat," Li Wei said, his silver hair crackling with orange-yellow sparks. "But since you're curious..."
Li Wei let his aura flare. The Godspeed Suit manifested—a phantom of white and gold armor that seemed to vibrate with the frequency of a thousand thunderstorms. Beneath his feet, two rings appeared.
Deep Yellow. And a Purple so dark it was almost Black.
"Level 29," Li Wei stated. "But my math is a little different than yours. One of my percent is worth ten of your levels."
The Recognition
Dai Mubai stood up, wiping blood from his lip. The aggression was gone, replaced by a fierce, begrudging respect. "Twelve years old... Level 29... and a strength that makes my White Tiger feel like a kitten. You're coming to Shrek, aren't you?"
"That's the plan," Li Wei said, the Godspeed suit fading back into the Speed Force. "Name's Li Wei. This is Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Xiao Ling."
"I'm Dai Mubai," the blonde youth said, nodding to the receptionist to give them the keys. "Consider the rooms a gift. If you can survive the entrance exams tomorrow, we'll see if you're really as fast as you look."
The Night Before Shrek
That evening, the group gathered on the balcony of the Rose Suite. The city of Soto stretched out below them, a sea of lanterns.
"He was strong," Tang San noted, cleaning his hidden weapons. "If you hadn't used that 'Mass' trick, his Spirit Power might have overwhelmed a normal Level 29."
"He's a prince, San," Li Wei said, leaning against the railing. His height made him tower over the balcony's edge. "He's got the blood of kings. But he's playing by the old rules. He thinks Spirit Power is everything."
Xiao Ling walked over, her shoulder brushing against Li Wei's arm. Even standing on her tiptoes, she barely reached his bicep. "And what are you playing by, Wei?"
Li Wei looked up at the stars. Somewhere out there, the Speed Force was a vast, pulsing heart. "I'm playing by the rules of the universe, Ling. Velocity. Gravity. Time. Tomorrow, Shrek Academy is going to try to test us. They're going to look for 'monsters'."
He looked at his hand, which was vibrating at such a high frequency it was beginning to hum.
"I'm going to show them that a monster is just a speedster who hasn't found his limit yet."
Current Status:
• Chapter Count: 5/100 (Establishing the foundation)
• Location: Rose Hotel, Soto City.
• Fusion: 29%
• Speed: Currently capped at roughly 450 mph without risk of disintegration.
• Next Objective: The Shrek Entrance Exam. Zhao Wuji's Trial.