Return of the Frozen Player

‘He won’t turn back time again?’

It only meant one thing—Tepes wouldn’t give Seo Jun-Ho any more chances.

Keen Intuition hastily spoke.

- Partner. Don’t let his words get to you.

‘I know… I know he’s speaking nonsense.’

Seo Jun-Ho thought that Tepes’ words were likely nonsense to make him nervous. In fact, Seo Jun-Ho would have been greatly shaken by Tepes’ words if it hadn’t been for his Imperturbable Mind.

Just in case, Seo Jun-Ho asked Keen Intuition.

‘Intuition. Give me a sitrep.’

- As far as I know, more than four thousand Players have died, and the werewolves have already been annihilated. The citizens of Trium are…

Keen Intuition trailed off. Seo Jun-Ho instantly understood that even Keen Intuition couldn’t estimate how many citizens of Trium had died so far. Honestly, the remaining citizens of Trium were probably dying at this moment.

Seo Jun-Ho revealed a determined look.

‘I need to turn back time no matter what.’

Seo Jun-Ho had to win this battle so that Tepes would be forced to turn back time.

“I can hear your thoughts all the way here,” Tepes said.

Then, Tepes’ figure stretched out like toffee. Seo Jun-Ho felt like he was staring at a video with FPS[1] drops.

‘What is that…?’ Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes narrowed.

Keen Intuition cried out.

- Incoming!

“...!”

Clang!

Seo Jun-Ho’s hand instinctively lifted White Dragon, and he barely managed to stop Tepes’ fingernails from piercing his neck.

“I knew it...” Tepes curved like crescents as he lightly stabbed Seo Jun-Ho’s neck. “You really are strong…”

“What are you—”

Seo Jun-Ho had to stop talking because Tepes disappeared from his view. To be exact, it would be more appropriate to say that he couldn’t see Tepes’ movements at all.

‘This is strange.’

Tepes’ aura was intense, and he was the strongest enemy Seo Jun-Ho had ever fought so far.

‘But…’

There wasn’t that much difference between their level of prowess. Seo Jun-Ho even thought that he had a high chance of winning, so the fact that he couldn’t see Tepes’ movements at all meant only one thing…

‘He can also fast-forward time…!’

Seo Jun-Ho felt a shiver down his spine.

Fwoosh!

Tepes appeared behind Seo Jun-Ho, and he swiped at the latter’s neck with his sharp fingernails. However, Seo Jun-Ho scattered into an ink-black smoke reminiscent of an afterimage rather than dying.

“Tsk,” Tepes clicked his tongue.

Seo Jun-Ho’s ability to become darkness itself saved his life once again.

‘I just can’t get used to that annoying ability…’

‘But I got a clear picture of him now…’ Tepes grinned. This wasn’t the first time that he was fighting Seo Jun-Ho, and from their previous fights, Tepes had extrapolated enough information about the latter’s abilities and prowess.

‘If two beings with similar skills were to fight…’

It was imperative to know more about the opponent, even if the information was trivial.

‘Not to mention…’

Tepes’ eyes emitted a brilliant flash.

Swoosh!

White Dragon approached Tepes just in time.

‘...My eyes.’

Tepes dodged the spear thrust with a slight turn of his head.

‘Losing is impossible with my eyes that allow me to see three seconds into the future. I don’t have to turn back time to win.”

Tepes revealed a triumphant smile and swiped his sharp fingernails toward Seo Jun-Ho’s heart.

‘He will cover the flesh above his heart with darkness in 0.2 seconds…’

Tepes briefly glanced into the future and twisted his arm at an abnormal angle, sending his sharp fingernails toward Seo Jun-Ho’s chin exactly 0.17 seconds later.

Splat!

Tepes’ sharp fingernails tore Seo Jun-Ho’s chin apart.

Seo Jun-Ho staggered backward after taking the brunt of the attack.

- Partner!

Seo Jun-Ho was momentarily delirious due to the extreme pain. Blood poured out of his chin as if it were a broken faucet. Of course, Seo Jun-Ho quickly composed himself, thanks to his Imperturbable Mind.

He took on a stance once more and clenched his spear.

‘He’s reading my moves…’

At first, Seo Jun-Ho thought that it was just a simple coincidence, but it wasn’t just a coincidence.

Tepes was capable of completely reading his movements.

‘Is he really looking into the future? How am I supposed to beat him?’

If Seo Jun-Ho had known that Tepes had the ability to look into the future, then he wouldn’t have chosen to confront the latter by himself.

‘I need at least two, no—three or more people to constantly pressure him so that he won’t be able to stop me even if he knows my next move.’

Of course, Seo Jun-Ho did have an ally in this place.

He turned slightly, and his gaze met his ally’s gaze.

“I-I’m rooting for you…” said the Frost Queen.

The Frost Queen was hiding behind the coffin and was looking for the right time to catch Tepes off guard.

Seo Jun-Ho could also summon Seo Jun-Sik and Hart if necessary.

‘I would have three comrades by my side if I summoned them all.’

However, Seo Jun-Ho was worried about if Tepes already knew everything about him.

‘Did I summon the Frost Queen in front of Tepes in the past? What about Jun-Sik?’

The cogs in Seo Jun-Ho’s mind madly turned, but his mind was gradually driving him into a corner because he couldn’t think of an idea that would work against Tepes.

- Partner. I advise against having pessimistic thoughts during the battle.

‘I know, I know…!’

It was Seo Jun-Ho’s face that was injured, but for some reason, he felt like his head was hurting more than his face.

Cell Regeneration (A) got to work and quickly healed Seo Jun-Ho’s injury.

Tepes smirked at the sight and said, “16.32 seconds. Your recovery time this time is consistent with the previous times.”

“...” Seo Jun-Ho didn’t know what to say. Tepes really knew a lot about him, but he barely had any information about Tepes.

‘Still…’

Seo Jun-Ho had to win. He had to win for those who believed in him and sacrificed themselves to carve a path for him.

Magic abruptly burst out of Seo Jun-Ho, forming a flower.

“Oh, it’s that flower again.” Tepes nodded while staring at the flower in Seo Jun-Ho’s hand. “I heard about your fragrant flower with thorns, but it ended up being much more powerful than I expected.”

However, Tepes didn’t seem particularly afraid of Moon Eye.

‘He can see the future, so it’s only natural for him to be unafraid…’

After all, Tepes could simply read the trajectory of Seo Jun-Ho’s attack and dodge it.

Seo Jun-Ho muttered, “Now that I’m fighting you by myself, I guess I can finally say that you’re strong.”

“You just realized that? It’s too late. The annoying woman and that tough guy won’t be able to help you this time.”

“...”

‘He fell for it.’

It seemed that Tepes had fought Skaya and Rahmadat as well.

‘That’s all I need to know…’

Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes flashed.

He was about to unleash a skill that he couldn’t have unleashed if Skaya and Rahmadat were here with him.

“Dignity of an Emperor…”

Bang!

Seo Jun-Ho’s magic instantly went through a qualitative change.

If his magic had been a fierce river, it was now a furious ocean swell.

Seo Jun-Ho squeezed out every ounce of his magic.

“Argh!”

His magic circuits screamed upon being subjected to the deluge of an overwhelming amount of mana. Seo Jun-Ho’s vision swam as blood started flowing out of all his orifices.

“...!” Tepes’ eyes widened. He had unknowingly made contact with a snake that seemed to be made out of darkness itself. Tepes could swear that the snake wasn’t there just a few moments ago.

The snake was Basilisk.

‘Yikes…!’ Tepes immediately looked away. Seo Jun-Ho had also used the Basilisk in their previous fights, and he knew that it was capable of immobilizing him.

‘I can see what he’s trying to do here. He’s going to block my line of sight, and then he’s going to sprinkle the petals of that flower. Hm, he’s going too hard on his body.’

Tepes smirked at Seo Jun-Ho’s adorable and cheeky idea. Tepes could still read the future, even without using his eyes. In other words, it wasn’t that difficult for Tepes to predict the trajectory of the flower petals.

“Deflect them...”

Tepes’ eyes emitted a brilliant flash once again, and scenes that would happen in the next three seconds appeared in his mind.

‘Let’s see…’ Tepes was expecting to see the trajectory of the flower petals, but his expression stiffened. ‘What?’

He looked in every possible direction, but he couldn’t find a way to survive Seo Jun-Ho’s next attack. Tepes quickly looked up and saw a scene that he had expected but couldn’t comprehend.

“This is ridiculous!”

There was a storm of petals in the throne room. The petals froze and destroyed the cells of everything they touched. It was a storm that didn’t allow anyone to escape, including Seo Jun-Ho.

“Are you trying to die together with me?!”

“You told me…” Seo Jun-Ho muttered. Half of his body was already covered in black petals. “You told me that I won’t be able to beat you with a greedy and weak heart that doesn’t want to give up anything.”

Therefore, Seo Jun-Ho decided to give up his life.

If Tepes refused to turn back time, the two of them would die here, which would end everything.

‘I will be breaking my promise of bringing the late Players back to life, but I think they’ll take my sacrifice as repayment for the debt I owe them…’

For the first time in a while, Tepes lost his temper and shouted furiously, “You… you’re completely out of your mind!”

There was only one reason why Tepes had been so sure of his victory until now.

‘I definitely know everything about him!’

Tepes was aware and familiar with all of Seo Jun-Ho’s skills, attack patterns, and habits.

‘But, but…!’

However, Tepes failed to comprehend and grasp Seo Jun-Ho’s selflessness for humanity. He had no idea that Seo Jun-Ho would readily give up his life for humanity if necessary.

Gnash!

Tepes gnashed his teeth and looked down at his own body.

The black flower petals had already frozen about seventy percent of his body.

‘If I waste more time here…’

Once his arms froze over, he wouldn’t be able to snap his fingers and turn back time.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it all…!”

Tepes had no choice but to take back the words that he had uttered himself—that he wouldn’t turn back time even if Seo Jun-Ho won the fight.

‘I will definitely get him next time! Next time…!’

Tepes finally learned that Seo Jun-Ho was capable of giving up his own life once he was driven to a corner. In the end, Tepes could only swear to himself that he wouldn’t fail anymore.

The humiliation of defeat and having to swallow his words made Tepes’ face turn as ugly as a devil. He raised two fingers and snapped.

Snap!

***

Seo Jun-Ho had to use Dignity of an Emperor (S) to control the vast amount of magic he had forcibly squeezed out of himself.

This wasn’t really the most efficient way to control magic, but it was great at controlling a tremendous amount of magic in the shortest time possible.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it all…!” Tepes cursed and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

‘Ah, I think that action is the trigger to turn back time. Unfortunately, this memory will disappear once time has been turned back…’

The spinning flower petals momentarily stopped, and they soon started spinning the other way around.

It was clear that time was now being rewound like a tape.

Seo Jun-Ho stared blankly at the sigh.

‘Please… may the memory of recognizing the trigger be passed onto myself a few hours ago…’

With that thought in mind, Seo Jun-Ho closed his eyes.

Crash! Bang!

However, the noises were still there. It was odd, so Seo Jun-Ho opened his eyes.

“Strong you're that say finally can I guess I, myself by you fighting I'm that now.”

“Time this you help to able be won't guy tough that and woman annoying The. late too It's ¿that realized just you.”

His conversation with Tepes earlier started replaying in reverse. He was seeing the earlier battle in his head, and it was definitely a strange yet interesting experience.

‘What is going on? Why am I still conscious?’

His memories were supposed to disappear because Tepes had turned back time.

‘But why…?’

Time didn’t pay any attention to Seo Jun-Ho’s confusion as it continued to flow in reverse until it was 6:12 a.m.

~

[The Player’s Stage has gone up temporarily due to Dignity of an Emperor (S)]

[Hero’s Mind(EX) has resisted the side effect of Time Reversal.]

~

‘I see…’

Dignity of an Emperor (S) allowed him to become a pseudo-transcendent, but even though he wasn’t a real transcendent. Tepes still couldn’t overcome Seo Jun-Ho’s transcendence.

Seo Jun-Ho closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

‘This feeling…’

It was different from the deja vús that he only recognized thanks to Keen Intuition.

‘I have experienced this feeling so many times on the 4th Floor, and it made me sick to the point that I wanted to turn into dust and disappear into the wind…’

It was none other than the feeling of regressing.

1. frames per second ☜