Return of the Frozen Player

Seo Jun-Sik whispered, “Does he belong to a cult? People who talk like him usually don’t come bearing good news.”

"Be quiet."

Seo Jun-Ho whispered to Seo Jun-Sik before turning to Gray.

"I will listen."

"First of all, there was a meeting between the Administrators, and I came down as soon as the results came out."

The party nodded. They were already aware that the System didn't make that massive Gate. In addition, they also had doubts that the demons were the ones who made that massive Gate, so they expected an intervention from Administrators.

"Are you here to close that Gate?"

"Well, at first, I came down to do that, but…” Gray's expression slightly stiffened as he observed the Gate. "I didn't expect that there would be such a plot twist."

"What do you mean?"

"We thought the demons opened that Gate…"

Gray followed up. "If the Gate were the work of the demons, then it would mean that they intervened in our System. Therefore, the Administrators would have the justification to take immediate action. To make it easier for you to understand, think of it as the relationship between a hacker and a developer."

"Hacker and a developer…”

In other words, it meant that Administrators could only retaliate.

"That’s the plot twist." Gray sighed lightly. "The blueprint for that Gate came from the demons, but the fiends were the ones who made it."

"Wait, you are saying that's not the work of the demons but the fiends?"

They were stupefied. Skaya looked particularly shocked as she uttered a near-scream of denial. "No way! No matter how good they are, they can’t possibly connect dimensions to each other, right?!”

"In general, that’s true," Gray admitted coolly. "However, it’s a different story with a blueprint in hand. Skaya Killiland, if you have enough time, the materials, and the blueprint, you could even create one like this yourself."

"Mmm…"

In short, Gray couldn’t close the massive Gate by himself.

"Can't you just close it and act like you don’t know?"

"Yes, I can do that.” Gray's calm eyes turned to Rahmadat. "However, if an Administrator were to break the 'rules' first, then how can we ensure that the demons won’t follow in our footsteps? Are you sure you can stop them from doing the same?"

"Ugh."

In other words, the demons wanted Grey to close the massive Gate.

"It probably was in the works for decades," Gray said, looking at the massive Gate. "It’s difficult to gather the necessary materials to create an artifact that connects dimensions to each other, but the most difficult and important undertaking is connecting vertices to vertices."

"Vertices?"

"In other words, the artifact is buried somewhere."

Rahmadat frowned and said, "Wait, they must have buried it when Heavenly Demon led the fiends down to Earth.”

Seo Jun-Ho recalled how the executives of the Fiend Association had withdrawn too easily, but to think that there was such a secret behind it. Seo Jun-Ho revealed a grim look and asked, "It means that Gray-nim can't close that massive Gate, right?"

"Yes. Instead, I will make a tempting suggestion." Gray continued with a smile. "First, all the Administrators of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Floors will work together to prevent the collapse of the dimensions."

"Whew."

Skaya breathed a sigh of relief. Her biggest concern was the collapse of the dimensions.

“And like how the demons gave the fiends the blueprint of an artifact that would open gates that connects dimensions, we will also give you the blueprint of an artifact that can close those Gates.”

"Oh...!"

Surely, this was the best compromise the Administrators could afford.

"What do you think?"

"We're grateful."

"However, it might take you months, even decades, to close those Gates."

"Hmph," Skaya grinned. "Leave that to me. The fiends had to research those gates for decades, but I will catch up to them in record time."

"How dependable. All right," said Gray with a nod.

It was a great relief that there was a way to close the massive Gate. With this, they would soon be able to put the fire out. Now, all they could do was damage control until those massive Gates were closed.

"Skaya Killiland, listen carefully to my explanation," said Gray.

At first, everyone listened intently to Gray’s explanation, but in just a few minutes, they dispersed aside from Skaya.

"Dimensional equations or whatever—I can’t understand them at all.”

"How tragic. I also couldn’t understand what they were talking about."

Rahmadat and Gilberto sighed.

Seo Jun-Ho also sighed, but his Vita suddenly vibrated.

"Hmm?"

He could already feel it even before he read the message.

[Player Seo Jun-Ho, please visit the headquarters of the World Player Association as soon as possible.]

His gut feeling was right. It seemed that he had gotten himself involved in something burdensome.

***

Seo Jun-Ho quickly went to the Federation of Helvetia in the country commonly known as Switzerland because the headquarters of the World Player Association was there.

"Welcome. Mr. Seo." A middle-aged man waiting at the entrance gestured for a light handshake. "I'm Lloris, the President of the World Player Association."

"Nice to meet you."

Seo Jun-Ho shook hands and asked straightforwardly, "If I am right, I do not think that you’re the one who wants to see me, am I right?"

Lloris was momentarily flustered by Seo Jun-Ho’s frankness.

However, he quickly recovered and said, "You truly live up to your name. Your intuition is great, and you’re right. Of course, I wanted to see you as well, but I wouldn’t send an emergency summons to you for a simple meet and greet.”

"Then, I would like to have a conversation with that person right away."

"Yes. I will show you to your seat right away."

As Seo Jun-Ho followed Lloris deep into the headquarters of the World Player Association, he saw people from all over the world talking to other people over the phone.

"What? The Three Gorges Dam Gate? The Chinese people should be able to handle that on their own!"

"A Player allegedly committed murder in the Alps? Send the inspector, pronto."

"Send Players with architecture-related skills to Semey Gate. Prioritize the creation of accommodations before anything else."

They were busy, but they abruptly stood up and stared at Seo Jun-Ho with wide eyes when they noticed the latter.

"Oh, my god. Specter…?”

"What nonsense! He was at the Semey Gate a little while ago… What, he’s really here?”

"Wow! Specter! Wow! Seo Jun-Ho! I'm a real fan!"

"Everyone, I know how you feel, but please focus on your work," said Lloris, interrupting them.

Lloris then dragged Seo Jun-Ho into a deserted hallway amidst the disapproving looks of the workers.

"I’m sorry if you found them rude. I’m sure they just couldn’t hold in their emotions upon seeing you. After all, they had always been working with Players, so they also know how great of an existence you are among the Players.”

"I understand."

Well, it wasn’t the first time that Seo Jun-Ho received such looks.

Lloris and Seo Jun-Ho walked down the deserted hallway, and as soon as they stepped into a huge conference room, Seo Jun-Ho nodded at the sight.

'I knew it…’

His gut feeling had never been wrong.

"It has been a while!"

Seo Jun-Ho shook hands with Count Lenny, a noble of the Ruben Empire and replied, "It’s been a while."

"Geez, you could have shown your face sometimes.” Count Lenny seemed sad.

"I got too busy, so I haven’t been able to pay that much attention to Frontier. Have you been well?"

"I've been doing well, thanks to you. Ah. My wife is doing well, too.”

Seo Jun-Ho had a pretty good relationship with Count Lenny among Frontier's nobility.

Seo Jun-Ho’s connection with Count Lenny was one of the reasons His Majesty the Emperor summoned him, and through a wish, he was able to wipe the Fiend Association out using His Majesty the Emperor’s might.

He was also widely acclaimed as the ‘Saint of the Empire’ in Frontier.

"I’m sure you didn’t call me for a meet and greet, am I right?"

"Hmm, yes…" Count Lenny stiffened. His kindhearted expression disappeared as he continued. "The empire is currently in a bad situation.”

"Because of Nazad Hollow...” Seo Jun-Ho pointed out.

Count Lenny nodded and said, "Since it’s you, I’m going to be direct. Our empire is having a hard time keeping up with his mobility.”

"I will be direct with you as well." Seo Jun-Ho nodded and said, "I don’t have the confidence to defeat him on my own."

To be more specific, he was confident that he could defeat Nazad Hallow.

However, it wasn’t the case against Nazad Hallow’s army of corpses.

‘There are tens of thousands of them. They’re a force to be reckoned with.’

If Nazad Hallow were to employ guerilla tactics, then the empire would be the one that would suffer the most. Naturally, Count Lenny knew that as well.

"What if you're not alone?"

"Who would come with me?"

"The Imperial Knights Order, including Sir Hart. The Tower Master of the Magic Tower, the inquisitors of the Church of the Sun, and an archbishop of the Church of Sun. All of them will come with you.”

“…”

Seo Jun-Ho's eyes widened. The line-up alone was enough for him to say that the Ruben Empire was going all-out.

"Why me? There should be knights stronger than me in the empire.”

"Well, actually, I was against your commission. However, Sir Hart said that you have to be there. He strongly insisted on your participation."

"Hmm."

Sure enough, Hart had seen through him when they sparred back then. Since it had been quite a while since then, Hart definitely thought Seo Jun-Ho would be a massive help to their operation.

‘Of course, I’m sure he’ll be caught off guard by my growth.’

Seo Jun-Ho thought about it for a while.

Lloris saw that and spoke, "Mr. Seo. If possible, we would like to ask you for the same favor.”

"Are you speaking in your capacity as the President of the World Player Association?"

"Yes." Lloris nodded grimly. "For the survival of Earth and Frontier, we have no choice but to hold hands and cooperate. But at the same time, we have to be wary of each other as well."

“I understand.”

In short, they needed an existence qualified to be an intermediary between them. The World Player Association and the powerhouses of Ruben were hoping that he would take on the role.

Count Lenny spoke as well, “Our empire will never forget your participation.”

“…”

Seo Jun-Ho pondered. He was from Earth, so rather than going to Frontier, he wanted to stay and protect Earth.

‘But…’

There were many Players on Earth who could protect Earth in his place.

The Nine Heavens were here, along with the other Heroes.

‘However, I’m the only one who can be an intermediary…’

Above all, the crisis-stricken people of Frontier needed him.

Their cries were enough motivation for him to act.

"Let's give it a try.”

Seo Jun-Ho strongly shook Count Lenny's hand.

***

Seo Jun-Ho directly climbed up to the 2nd Floor and headed for the rendezvous location he was told in advance.

‘I couldn’t even breathe when I met Hart for the first time.’

However, it was all in the past.

"Welcome. It has been a while...”

Despite being under the gaze of Hart, dozens of Imperial Knights, the Tower Master of the Magic Tower, the inquisitors of the Church of Sun, and even an archbishop of the Church of Sun…

"My name is Seo Jun-Ho, and I’m a Player who will be fighting together with you all."

Seo Jun-Ho remained calm.

Seeing that, Hart welcomed Seo Jun-Ho with a knowing smile.