Return of the Frozen Player novel - Chapter 266
C266. To break a hero (1)
“What?” Shim Deok-Gu’s face fell. She was holding a large bottle of champagne and was even wearing a cone-shaped party hat in preparation for the congratulatory party for Rahmadat’s return. “I see… So, he won’t come here right now…”
He took off his hat. “Yeah, I get why you wouldn’t want to hang out with a bald old man.”
“That’s not the reason, probably,” Seo Jun-Ho said. He shrugged and sat on the sofa, eating the crackers Shim Deok-Gu had made. “And why are you throwing a party all of a sudden? You should have thrown one at Skaya. She would have liked it.
“A-ahem.” Shim Deok-Gu looked away silently, making an excuse. “It’s just that Rahmadat is the type who likes to eat and drink, so he was going to throw one at her.”
“Yes, he still eats as much as ever. That’s why I told you to join us for dinner.
“It was a time for you guys to catch up as comrades for the first time in a long time. Why would I go? I was just being tactful.”
“…Rascal.” Seo Junho smiled. Although Shim Deok-Gu didn’t think of himself as Seo Jun-Ho’s comrade, Seo Jun-Ho still saw him as one.
‘It would have been fine if he came.’
Actually, Shim Deok-Gu was quite close to the 5 Heroes, close enough to be considered a friend.
After all, he was Seo Jun-Ho’s best friend and Skaya’s ex-lover.
“Well, since things turned out like this, let’s talk business.”
“…I just got back. Can’t I get some rest?” Seo Jun-Ho complained.
“No,” Shim Deok-Gu said firmly, like a strict teacher. “I have some important news. It’s hot from the press on the third floor.”
“…The 3rd floor?” Seo Jun-Ho sat up immediately after lying down like a dried fish. “Wow, are you guys in contact with the 3rd floor?”
“There are quite a few Association employees who went up there, and more importantly, we’ve been in contact with the Big 6.”
“Wow~ Our Deok-Gu is great. So what is it? Are good news? Seo Jun-Ho asked quietly with interest.
“There’s good news and something you’ll find fun.”
“That means there is no bad news.”
“Thankfully. What do you want to hear first?” Deok-Gu asked.
Jun-Ho considered this for a second before speaking: “The good news.”
“I knew you would. The good news is that they have already discovered the Floor Master of the third floor.”
“Already?! I mean, how long have they been up there?” As Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes widened, Shim Deok-Gu opened a hologram window in the air. It displayed a graph that he was analyzing the power of the monsters on the third floor compared to the players.”…It’s not even close.”
“We have been tied up on the second floor for too long. The Nine Heavens and High Rankers have been enthusiastically working on the third floor non-stop.”
“I mean, I heard the rumors, but…” He hadn’t expected them to already discover the Floor Master. If that was the case, the next step was obvious. “So, have you already decided which guild would kill him?”
“That’s the fun part.” Shim Deok-Gu had a mischievous expression on his face. “Hello Junho. Who do you think could kill the Floor Master?
“I’m not sure. If whoever discovered it first wanted to sell the information, they would hold a public auction for it. Or they could have duels to decide who joins the campaign.”
“Usually, that’s what would happen. But this time it’s different.”
“…Looks like the third floor is a real mess right now.”
“Well, that depends on who you ask…”
Shim Deok-Gu looked at his watch.
[PM 11:59]
“It’s almost time,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Seo Jun Ho asked.
“Well, it will be faster to show than to explain.”
Just as he finished speaking, Seo Jun-Ho and Shim Deok-Gu’s Vitas began to ring with a loud beep.
“I think the items are out. Have a look.”
“Articles…?” Seo Jun-Ho quickly opened the Internet. His eyes narrowed. As Shim Deok-Gu had said, there were dozens of articles, and they were labeled “breaking news.”
[Breaking news! The Big 6 begin individual campaigns to defeat the Floor Master of the third floor.]
[Will this be the fastest floor ever cleared?]
[The presidents of player associations from various countries criticize the current situation. “The Big 6 shouldn’t act like this when they’re supposed to be role models”]
[The treasure in front of you blinds you.[1] The Big 6 finally show their greed after 26 years.]
…
Seo Jun-Ho played the short video attached to the article. It showed a turtle the size of an island, and the volcano on its shell had lava coming out of it. The ones fighting were the elite players of the Big 6. They were getting in each other’s way, each trying to hunt down the Floor Master for themselves. It was total chaos.
‘…Are there Heavens there too?’
In that case, the articles must tell the truth.
Seo Jun-Ho was furious. “Those crazy bastards!”
“It doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“Forget it; what the hell are they doing?!”
“…That’s why I need you to do something.” Shim Deok-Gu gestured for Seo Jun-Ho to come closer and whispered in his ear.
***
“…”
The Heavenly Demon was standing on a nameless cliff, calmly looking at the Community window.
He spoke, “Shadow.”
“Yes, President.”
“What do you think defines humans?”
“…” It was a difficult question. Shadow wasn’t sure if he should say his honest opinion or should say what the Heavenly Demon wanted to hear.
“Speak freely,” the Heavenly Demon assured.
Only then did Shadow speak, “I think it’s adaptability.”
“Why do you think that?”
“There are no other organisms that can assimilate as well as humans. Depending on the environment, they can turn into a devil or an angel. I think that’s the nature of humans.”
“An interesting thought.” The Heavenly Demon nodded. “I think humans are defined by their innocence.”
“…Innocence, you say.” Shadow was a bit surprised. He had expected that the Heavenly Demon he knew would respond with something like “violence” or “destruction”.
“After all, naive greed [2] can cause one to fall deep into the depths of darkness.”
“You speak of the innocence of a child?” asked the shadow.
“It’s a little different, but it’s going to take too long to answer, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
The Heavenly Demon closed the article he had been reading. According to her, the Big 6 were blinded by greed and were waging individual campaigns against the Floor Master.
“This kind of naive greed makes people lose their minds,” he concluded.
“Even so, the members of the Big 6 are not an unreasonable bunch,” Shadow said. The article was clearly strange. No matter how he tried to understand it, he couldn’t see that the Big 6 were so incompetent.
‘If they really have fallen to the level of beasts…’
Shadow collapsed. Had the Devil Association been preparing all this time for people like them? He had lost sleep gathering forces and planning missions, but he felt that it had all been for nothing.
“Does it feel like a waste?” The Heavenly Demon saw through his emotions.
“N-no.”
“I told you to speak freely.”
“…Actually, I’m a little—no, I’m very disappointed.”
It would make more sense to rejoice if your enemy was weak. However, Shadow had spent more than ten years tenuously plotting against them, and he felt that it had all been for nothing. He was disappointed that his efforts had been wasted.
“6 years ago, I went to the capital with Valencia,” said the Heavenly Demon.
“Oh!” exclaimed the shadow. This was a story that had been passed down as a legend in the Devil Association. The two returned unharmed after defeating the imperial soldiers, three Heavens, and members of the Great 6.
“I was disappointed. The players who once slayed the demons were simply at that level.
“You are simply too powerful, President.”
“Correct.” He agreed. “It was because I was too powerful. So, that day, I decided to change my methods.”
“…?”
The Heavenly Demon’s original goal had been to become powerful enough that no one else could defeat it. That had once been his ideal.
“That day, I showed my great power. But I realized something when I saw the futile anger in his eyes.”
It was not enough.
It was too easy to force someone to their knees.
So, I needed more…[3]
Let’s go.
At his command, Shadow waved his hand. At that moment, the tens of thousands of demons waiting under the cliff began to move.
[So neither the Players Association nor I, Specter, will let the Big 6 get away with it…]
The Heavenly Demon closed the Community window. He had been showing the emergency press conference that Specter held regarding the selfish actions of the Big 6.
“…Don’t let me down,” he muttered.
He turned around and started walking in the same direction as the demons.
They were heading towards the Gilleon Starting City. The Devil Association would capture him today.
***
“Hmm”. Rahmadat fixed his eyes on the giant pillar at the end of the horizon. “Is that the Dimensional Elevator?”
“Yes. It’s huge, isn’t it?
“If we can see it so clearly up to here… Yes, it definitely is.”
His heart was pounding. She wanted to hurry up and go to the second floor to hit demons and new monsters. She felt a kind of strange anticipation as she adjusted her clothes.
“I look good?” she asked her.
“…Better than usual,” Skaya said.
“Hehe, that’s good enough.”
Rahmadat was wearing a suit and he and Skaya were in an area near the Pacific. This place was called the Nest, [4] also called the Player Cadet Academy. It was a place that cultivated young players, those who had awakened their skills at a young age and those trying to become one.
Your dream came true, Jewel.
Rahmadat’s lover, Joya Vishuta, was also a gambler. More precisely, she was a healer. He smiled when he remembered that his dream had been to become a school nurse.
“Where is the infirmary?” she asked.
“This way.”
Skaya led the way using the school map. They walked for about ten minutes before coming to a building.
“Is this?”
“Yes. But Rahmadat…” Skaya began carefully. But before she could finish, a beautiful woman opened the door and walked out of the infirmary. She stretched out in the tropical sun.
“Jewel…” Rahmadat whispered. The woman he knew hadn’t aged a day and she looked exactly the same as she had in the past.
“Wait!” Skaya stopped him before he could take a step forward. “…That’s not Jewel.”
“What do you mean? Jewel is right…” The words died in her throat. Behind her, an elegant woman emerged from the infirmary, smiling as she spoke.
“I won’t be able to see you much once you leave for college.”
“Come on, mom. It’s not like she’s going to the Border. It’s only in Europe.”
“…Make sure you don’t skip any meals.”
“I’ll only be able to do that if you give me more permission… Hehe.”
The two linked arms and slowly walked away.
“…This is what it means for time to pass.”
“…”
His today was other people’s tomorrow. Rahmadat seemed to want to run after her, but he let out a long breath.
Jewel seemed happy.
If they met, Rahmadat knew that she would probably start crying and enjoy their happiness as if it were her own.
“…Well, there’s no point in doing that. It seems like she got married and has a happy life, so it’s okay,” she said.
Rahmadat turned and headed back the way they had come. Skaya walked beside him.
“It is difficult right?” she said, trying to comfort him.
“I don’t need your pity… Oh, that was insensitive. I’m sorry.” Rahmadat realized what he had done and immediately apologized.
Skaya had definitely been through the same thing.
“Still, I’ve always…”
Just as he was about to say something, a loud explosion rang in his ears, and it sounded like the world was falling apart.
Baaaam!
“…?!”
“W-what was that?”
They quickly turned around and their faces fell.
It came from the giant pillar on the horizon. Black smoke was billowing from the Dimensional Elevator.
—-
1. Korean idiom that basically warns against the dangers of greed.
2. It doesn’t translate too well, but it basically describes greed itself as blameless and natural.
3. The word for ‘ideals’ and ‘more’ is the same. Then it could also be read as ‘he needed to achieve those ideals’, as in a different one than above.
4. This is a romanized word, which is different from the Frost Queen’s nest.
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