The Frozen Player Returns

‘Well… what should I say?’

Surprisingly, Seo Jun-Ho wasn’t agitated. He knew that there had to be a fiend version of himself somewhere on the higher Floors.

‘First of all, Sung-Jun.’

The information Sung-Jun gave Seo Jun-Ho made him aware of the existence of parallel worlds, and Seo Jun-Ho had become suspicious of many things by then.

‘Then the Administrators...’

Seo Jun-Ho recalled how the Administrators were always expecting something from him. He was grateful in the beginning, but he couldn’t help but doubt the reason behind their expectations over time.

‘I’ve always wondered if they already knew who I was. I figured the reason they’re so wary of me while expecting something from me at the same time was probably because they know something that I don’t know.’

All the thoughts soon led to a reasonable assumption.

‘Fiend.’

Seo Jun-Ho thought there could be a fiend version of himself born from the many parallel worlds.

The answer to his hypothesis was standing in front of his eyes right now.

“So you actually exist.”

The eyes Seo Jun-Ho could see through the mask were as red as red jade. Specter’s eyes were redder than any other fiends Seo Jun-Ho had ever met so far, including the Heavenly Demon.

Seo Jun-Ho said, “I must admit this is a bit unexpected. I thought the Archduke was the corrupted Seo Jun-Ho of another world.”

“...You’re delusional,” Specter said blandly, “You can’t reach him nor surpass him. You will never be able to defeat the Archduke.”

“I suppose the Archduke’s dog will think that way, of course,” said Seo Jun-Ho. He gestured toward the mountain of bones beneath Specter’s feet and asked, “How many Seo Jun-Hos have you met before me?”

“Who knows? I stopped counting after ten thousand.”

“Ten thousand…”

‘He killed so many.’

Seo Jun-Ho was convinced that the fiend in front of his eyes was the one who had severed Sung-Jun’s arm and killed Sung-Jun’s Seo Jun-Sik.

‘Makes sense if he used Watchguard of Darkness. The scornful power of darkness is capable of erasing an existence, after all.’

“Let me ask you a question.” Seo Jun-Ho stared at the fiend with firm eyes before asking, “Where is your Frost?”

“My Frost? It’s been a while since I heard that name.”

“Just answer my question,” urged Seo Jun-Ho.

Specter directed a strange gaze at Seo Jun-Ho before saying, “That is a strange question to ask; did you not meet her on your way up here?”

Specter’s voice was bland and without a single ounce of emotion, and his voice made Seo Jun-Ho feel as if he were listening to static.

“I abandoned her on the 8th Floor. You must have seen her on your way here.”

“...”

Seo Jun-Ho’s quivered, and he clenched his fists without realizing it.

- Calm down, Partner.

Seo Jun-Ho knew that he had to stay calm. However, Seo Jun-Ho felt like his Imperturbable Mind would break at any moment upon seeing Specter’s look of superiority and arrogance.

- Contractor.

- Contractor…

- My Contractor…

A mournful cry he had heard on the 8th Floor echoed in his ears. The Frost Queen he held in his arms disappeared while looking for her contractor like a child until the moment she died.

Back then, Seo Jun-Ho knew that the Frost Queen was calling out to someone else.

“...Why?” Seo Jun-Ho’s voice trembled. 𝒷ℯ𝒹𝓃𝓸𝓿ℯ𝓁.𝒸ℴ𝓶

Specter tilted his head in wonder as if he didn’t understand the question.

“What is the intent of your question?”

“...I’m asking why you abandoned her.”

“Oh, what a lame question.”

Specter raised his hand, and a cloud of darkness swayed above his hand.

“...”

Specter’s Watchguard of Darkness was much darker and deeper than that of Seo Jun-Ho’s Watchguard of Darkness. They had the same ability, but Specter’s Watchguard of Darkness made Seo Jun-Ho feel stifled and afraid.

“No one has ever raised both Frost and Watchguard of Darkness to EX.”

“...So what?”

“Is it too hard for you to understand?” The cloud of darkness hovering above Specter’s palm took on a crimson hue as he infused his demonic energy into it. “I had to make a decision, and I could only choose one between the two to reach the next Stage.”

“...So?”

“Do you still not understand? I chose to wield the darkness as the sword to kill the Archduke, but she vehemently opposed the idea. So I abandoned the Frost Queen and Frost, that’s all.”

Seo Jun-Ho sharply inhaled as he trembled.

“She was looking for you until the end…” he muttered.

“What a fool,” said Specter.

Their conversation was brief, but it made everything clear.

“As expected. You are unlike me.”

“Of course, I’m not like you. I’m different from you, pathetic beings.”

“Hah. So, did you manage to beat the Archduke with that so-called great power of yours?”

“I failed, but I was right.”

Crack!

Specter stepped on one of the skulls under his foot.

“The bones of the Seo Jun-Hos whom I had killed with my own hands are proof that I was right. I failed, yes, but I was right.”

“...”

“And this is the last time that I will ever have to prove that.”

The Frost Queen protecting the 8th Floor had vanished, so the world could no longer be frozen even if Seo Jun-Ho ended up dying. However, Seo Jun-Ho was prepared for such a consequence, as he had decided to lift the weight off of the Frost Queen’s shoulders to let her rest in peace.

“What did he promise you?”

He was curious.

Specter’s way of thinking had to be not too different from Sung-Jun's.

‘And the same must be true of all Seo Jun-Ho who died in his hands.’

Seo Jun-Ho thought that there had to be a reason why Specter—the very first Seo Jun-Ho—had chosen to stand on the Archduke’s side.

“...” Specter was silent. He organized his thoughts and asked, “Have you ever felt that this world is unfair?”

“...?”

Specter stood up before continuing. “Someone out there was born with the right privilege to chase their dreams—becoming a doctor, for example. However, someone else cannot chase their dreams due to a congenital disorder or whatnot.

“You and I had obtained the Watchguard of Darkness and Frost, while someone out there had perished after failing to obtain even the most common F-grade skill.”

Specter’s red eyes turned to Seo Jun-Ho. “Can you tell me why is that?”

“...” Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t answer because he didn’t know why.

“I’m sure you have no idea because there’s no reason behind it.” Specter continued. “It is what it is.”

“...Are you saying that everything has been predetermined?”

“Indeed. Fate is unfair...” Specter started walking down the mountain of bones. “And fate cannot be defied.”

“...”

Seo Jun-Ho groaned and said, “So he didn’t promise you anything…”

“Certainly, the Archduke’s ways aren’t perfect, but the results are always fair and perfect,” said Specter.

The mass of madness behind Specter’s mask was palpable, and it made Seo Jun-Ho’s skin prickle with horror.

“We will soon welcome a world where everything is possible through effort. The people will soon be able to obtain whatever they want through their effort rather than just their luck and talent.”

“Pfft!” Seo Jun-Ho burst out laughing at Specter’s absurd delusion before asking, “Are you serious? Do you really think that’s possible?”

“The Archduke can make it a reality.”

“I didn’t question the Archduke’s prowess. I’m asking if that kind of society is even possible.”

“Why not?”

Seo Jun-Ho stared at Specter and pointed out. “What if someone bought land with the money they diligently saved, but someone else wants to buy the same land? Would the latter have to pay more for the same land?”

“If that were the case, the people will eventually have to work even harder to acquire what they want. Is that even a fair world where nothing else matters but effort?”

“Do you really think that we haven’t thought of that?”

Specter was finally at the bottom of the mountain of bones.

Specter and Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes were now at eye level.

However, Seo Jun-Ho could feel that Specter was looking down on him.

“The solution is simple. The lives living under the Archduke’s rule will live in their own personal paradise where they’re the main characters. Of course, they won’t be aware of that fact.”

“...”

“We’ve decided to add some variations such as random parents and birth location, but they will eventually achieve the life of their dreams through hard work alone.”

“...What happens when they die?”

“Their world will disappear with them.”

Seo Jun-Ho gasped.

Specter was basically saying that those people would have no legacy to leave behind, as their own personal worlds would disappear the moment they perished.

“Can you even call that being alive?”

“You’re giving too much meaning to being alive.”

Specter seemed greatly disappointed in Seo Jun-Ho for not understanding his thoughts.

“You need to have a life to be alive.”

“...”

“I’m sure many people would want to live in the world that the Archduke wants to make.”

Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t retort. Perhaps Specter was right.

“The Archduke’s will is fair and righteous, and his ways are better than allowing people to suffer under the unfairness of the world.”

Specter slowly walked toward Seo Jun-Ho.

“Let me ask you a question. If a miracle happens and you somehow manage to kill the Archduke, how sure are you of creating a better world than the world the Archduke wants to make?”

“...”

Seo Jun-Ho didn’t reply because he wouldn’t change.

The world would be exactly as it was at the moment, and there was something great to that kind of world.

“It will continue.”

“...What?”

“Not everyone will die after living a happy and long life, but the legacies of those who have perished will lead those who are still alive.”

“How absurd. Is that even relevant?”

“The Archduke wants to end the universe. He wants the extinction of living beings.”

“So what? It’s not like they’ll realize that they’re going to disappear. They’ll remain happy until they die.”

“...”

‘So that is the Archduke’s goal. Should I say he’s kind or cruel?’

Seo Jun-Ho felt an indivisible distance of value from himself in the other world. He thought it would be impossible to persuade Specter even if they had a long conversation.

“The look on your face shows that you have the same thoughts as the Seo Jun-Hos from the many parallel worlds,” Specter murmured. He kicked one of the skulls by his feet before continuing. “Every Seo Jun-Ho I’ve met all had the same gaze—none of them understood me at all.”

“I think I know why they couldn’t understand you.”

“Explain.”

The reason was simple.

“You’ve already become a son of a bitch the moment you abandoned Frost and drank the Archduke’s dirty blood. Meanwhile, we were still humans.”

“...Is that so?” Specter said dryly as he pulled up his demonic energy. “In that case, use your strength to prove to me that you’re right—final Seo Jun-Ho.”

“This is a bit unexpected.”

‘He’s similar to me in that respect—wanting to prove things by strength.’ Seo Jun-Ho instantly raised Overclocking to a thousand percent as soon as the battle started. ‘Not even Sung-Jun managed to beat this monster.’

The power radiating from Specter was certainly superior to himself.

However, Specter wasn’t a Transcendent.

‘Then it’s worth a try,’ thought Seo Jun-Ho.

Meanwhile, the cloud of darkness created by Specter flew toward him like wildfire.

“Ice Barrier and Wall of Darkness? Can you get any lamer than that?” Specter muttered indifferently as his darkness tore Seo Jun-Ho’s apart defenses like paper.

“...!” Seo Jun-Ho was astounded. He didn’t think that there would be such a huge difference in power between them.

Specter saw Seo Jun-Ho’s confusion.

“I told you. I made the right decision by abandoning Frost,” he said.

“No way. Don’t tell me…”

“Your Watchguard of Darkness is no match for my Darkness.”

‘Darkness?’

Seo Jun-Ho was struck by an epiphany after hearing Specter’s words.

“...EX?”

“Did you really think I abandoned Frost for no reason?” Specter wrapped himself in darkness before vanishing without a trace.

“Night Walking!” Seo Jun-Ho exclaimed. Seo Jun-Ho’s sharpened six sense couldn’t detect Specter, not to mention his five senses.

“You’re like the other Seo Jun-Hos from those parallel worlds. You can’t beat me, but it’s not a surprise. After all…” An indifferent voice reverberated throughout the hall filled with bones. “I am the true Specter.”