Return of the Frozen Player

Thousands of columns of light fell like a cluster of stars from the night sky. Players walked out of the pillars with one purpose in mind.

"So this is the 5th Floor?"

"It's a much more colorful place than I heard.”

Equipped with armor and their own weapons, they were ready for battle.

"Princess, is this really okay?" Gasman asked with a slightly concerned look.

"What is?"

"Well, everyone’s attitude seems like we’ll be involved in a war."

The goal of this operation was to rescue Seo Jun-Ho, not to wipe out the 5th Floor. However, the aura of the Players around him made it seem like they were ready to raze the 5th Floor down to the ground.

Gasman seemed worried as he said, "What if the Murim Alliance sees us and thinks that we’re enemies?"

"You're saying all sorts of strange things.”

Ha In-Ho put his large shield on the floor. He was wearing the same expression that Gasman was worried about.

"Listen carefully, Gasman. We are here to wage war."

"Whaaat?!"

"War, if necessary."

Gasman looked at Gong Ju-Ha as if he was asking for confirmation.

"You’re right." Gong Ju-Ha nodded slightly and looked at the tall building of the Murim Alliance.

"They have touched something they shouldn't have touched.”

They had insulted a Hero of Earth. These ignorant ones had attacked and even tried to take their Hero’s life. Anyone would get angry to see even their pets being harmed by a stranger, but these people had messed with the world's greatest hero.

"He wouldn’t do that for no reason."

In short, the answer was one of the two. Either it was Specter’s fault or the Murim Alliance’s fault. However, Specter had always walked the path of righteousness. He had even sacrificed himself whenever necessary.

"The people here know that."

Gong Ju-Ha glanced behind her. The thousands of people here were all top Players who had managed to clear the Seo Jun-Ho difficulty level of Another World. These people had seen the lonely and bitter path that Seo Jun-Ho had always been walking on his own.

They had seen it for themselves in Another World, which was why they had gathered here, furious at the evil Murim Alliance.

"Who dares to insult our hero?”

Those words came out of the mouth of Red Tower’s Guild Master, Choi Han-Young.

Choi Han-Young was the brother of Choi Sun-Hee, the youngest daughter of the Myungho Group, whom Seo Jun-Ho treated in the past.

"Our Red Tower and Myungho will never forget his kindness."

The fifth-ranked Guild of the Republic of Korea had mobilized to repay Seo Jun-Ho’s kindness at the time, and it wasn't just them.

"I personally don't know Specter very well, but..." the Guild Master of the Cheong-Hae Guild, Cha Won-Woo, said, "My brother believes in him."

Seo Jun-Ho had saved Cha Min-Woo inside the Cinder Fox Gate. Cha Won-Woo had always thought that he had a debt to repay Specter. He had never forgotten Seo Jun-Ho’s grace in saving his brother, whom he was proud of.

"I'm here to repay my brother's debt."

"It's the same for us.”

"I, the Sword of Gangneung, also have a debt to repay from the cockroach cave."

From the long-term relationships he had established with people to the fleeting encounter he had with some, the small seeds Seo Jun-Ho had unknowingly sowed had already matured unbeknownst to him.

"I can still remember it..."

Everyone could still remember it, and it led to this result. No one had forced them, but 8,752 Players had gathered here on their own.

"It's time to repay his kindness!"

"Honestly, I think I will never get the chance to pay him back if I don’t do it now. He has always been doing well on his own."

"And that’s exactly why we have to take advantage of this opportunity!"

"Hahahaha!"

A total of thirty thousand players had already climbed up the 5th Floor, but they could never be compared to these Players who had gathered here with one common goal after completing the Seo Jun-Ho difficulty in Another World.

"I don't think you're wrong.” Son Chae-Won seemed emotional as she revealed a refreshing smile and said, "A castle, I think that's right."

“…?”

Kim Woo-Joong looked at her, seemingly confused. Couldn’t she see the determined Players in front of her?

"Of course, I'm not talking about a small, weak sandcastle."

Son Chae-Won was talking about a castle made of earth. Many people built it over time, and it was bigger and stronger than any other castle out there.

"Perhaps we can never keep up with Specter-nim when it comes to this."

“…”

Kim Woo-Joong looked at the Players without saying anything. Could he make so many Players follow him blindly with nothing but faith?

"I see…" He decided to admit it. "I can’t do it."

In the first place, he wasn't interested in that at all. As such, Kim Woo-Joong became concerned about the expressions of certain people.

‘Chae-Won looks like she's letting go of something.’

Then, what about Shin Sung-Hyun?

He seemed to be in deep contemplation.

‘Impressive…’

Shin Sung-Hyun was witnessing such an amazing scene, so could it be that he was still thinking that he could still surpass Specter, albeit in a different manner?

"Not bad…”

When Seo Jun-Ho started running to get ahead of them once again, Kim Woo-Joong and Son Chae-Won would have to run as fast as they could so that they wouldn’t fall behind.

"Oooohhh! This place is so much more exciting and better than I thought!” said a high-pitched voice, kicking up a fuss.

"Hey, dummy. You should think about saving Jun-Ho first before having fun—hmm? Is that a gym?"

"Arthur, stand as far away as you can from these idiots. It’s really embarrassing to stand next to them."

“…”

There were five Heroes minus two. Even the Saintess Cha Si-Eun arrived with her head lowered shyly. With this, every Player who was part of the rescue operation finally arrived on the 5th Floor.

"Shall we get started, then? Eye in the Sky."

Skaya gently sent something flying, and it quickly rose above the clouds.

"Huh?" Skaya tilted her head.

Rahmadat asked curiously, "What’s wrong?"

"Wait, I think something’s wrong with my spell."

At that, she concentrated on the Eye in the Sky. After realizing that there was nothing wrong with her spell, her expression turned grim.

"You know, I think we have to pick up the pace a bit."

"What's going on?" Shin Sung-Hyun asked.

"91,740 lifeforms with magic are quickly leaving the eastern wall of Neo City.”

"Did you say east?” Shin Sung-Hyun’s neat eyebrows were furrowed. Shim Deok-Gu had said that Seo Jun-Ho was hidden by a reliable individual east of Neo City.

"Will we get there on time even if we run?"

"That’s why we have to hurry...” Shin Sung-Hyun retrieved a small baton from his pocket and said, “We should be able to catch up to their tails at the very least."

***

Seo Jun-Ho, who was walking outside the city, suddenly frowned.

"What’s going on?"

For a brief moment, he thought that his senses had gone awry.

- Partner, their numbers are…

"Hmm. If even you reacted to it, then my senses should be fine."

Keen Intuition had detected tens of thousands of lifeforms harboring magic. They were making a beeline for Seo Jun-Ho, so it was difficult to say that he was mistaken when he sensed their approach.

"Namgung Jincheon, are you not going to hide anymore?"

Seo Jun-Ho had no idea what Namgung Jincheon had done, but he instinctively felt that all this was the latter’s doing.

'What should I do?’

Seo Jun-Ho looked like he was struggling to make a decision.

- This is a bad situation.

"Yeah."

He didn’t lack magic. He had no idea how long it would last, but the Black Moon Heart Method was still active, so he didn’t lack magic.

‘The problem is oxygen.’

There was a lack of oxygen outside the city because of the dangerous gas, and it was slowly tightening a noose around Seo Jun-Ho's neck.

‘Do I have to run to the cave where I was?’

At the least, while he was there, he was safe from gas.

- No, you should face them head-on and carve a path from there.

Seo Jun-Ho was surprised to hear Keen Intuition’s words.

- Why are you so surprised?

"Well, your advice has always been for my safety."

- I would tell you that if we were in that kind of situation, but this is different.

His partner was in peak condition, and Keen Intuition strongly suggested that Seo Jun-Ho should face them head-on and carve a path from there.

"If you’re sure about it, then it’s fine.”

Seo Jun-Ho flicked his finger. His magic converged to form the shape of a person.

"Mmmm."

The Frost Queen felt the floor.

"Ugh… the floor is hard."

"So you were sleeping?."

Seo Jun-Ho smiled. The Frost Queen seemed uncomfortable as she opened her sleepy eyes and looked around.

"My bed… Where did it go?"

"Who knows? This is not the Spirit World."

"T-that voice… Is that you, Contractor?" said the Frost Queen with quivering eyes. Then, she immediately denied what she had been doing up until now.

"I wasn’t sleeping. I just took a nap.”

"Wipe the drool off of your face first.”

"Sssp." Her shoulders drooped as she wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeves.

"Hmm."

In fact, she hadn’t really done anything wrong. The Frost Queen looked like she was still in shock after being caught in that explosion.

"Did it hurt?"

"It hurt a little, but after blowing on the wounds and rubbing medicine on them, they weren’t painful anymore."

"Well done." Seo Jun-Ho smirked and stared up ahead. "Then, get ready. The enemies are on the way."

"Enemies?"

"Yea. Fight hard and prove your worth."

"Leave it to me.” The Frost Queen, still in her pajamas, stood akimbo and stared up ahead.

"I am annoyed today, so I will show you my grandeur.” It was the first time that she had been away from her contractor for more than a day, and she was annoyed because she had been forcefully separated from him.

‘There's no cake in the Spirit World. Those evil jerks...'

The Frost Queen’s face was briefly engulfed with fury as she stared up ahead.

Rumble!

Countless martial artists could be seen running through the wilderness, leaving a sandstorm in their wake.

"…There are a bit more of them than I thought," said the Frost Queen.

"Oh, you’re not confident?” asked Seo Jun-Ho.

The Frost Queen looked up at him, seemingly sulking.

"I have said this over and over again, but I am the one—”

"Who freezes the world. I am the Queen of Niflheim, and I am very strong." Seo Jun-Ho grinned and teased.

At that, the Frost Queen punched him with her soft fists.

"You’re acting more like Jun-Sik."

"Hey, there are some things you can say, but there are things you shouldn’t say at all," said Seo Jun-Ho as if he was resentful.

He flicked his finger once again. He had to call Seo Jun-Sik for a fight like this.

"I don’t want to, I can’t… I don't want to do it." Seo Jun-Sik immediately refused to fight as soon as he was summoned.

Seo Jun-Ho looked at him incredulously and asked, "Hey. I haven't even said anything yet, what are you talking about?”

"I already know what you want me to do..." Seo Jun-Sik clicked his tongue when he saw the martial artists on the horizon. "See? Look at this. I knew this would happen…”

Seo Jun-Sik sighed deeply and lowered his head.

He eventually looked up and asked, "You're going to make me do it even if I say no, right?”

"Yep."

"Damn it all."

With a look of resignation, Seo Jun-Sik opened his own copy of Inventory and retrieved his own copy of White Dragon before standing next to Seo Jun-Ho.

"Original, just how many of them are there? I think there are probably tens of thousands of them."

"Who knows?”

With Seo Jun-Sik on his left and the Frost Queen on his right, Seo Jun-Ho shrugged. He knew that these two were reliable when it came to fights.

"Do we even need to know that?" he said.

‘Since the both of you are with me…’ Of course, he didn’t bother to say that out loud.