Return of the Frozen Player

Seo Jun-Ho was at a loss for words. Every time he tried to speak, new messages would pop up and interrupt him. He shut his mouth for good and started reading the messages one by one.

[Player Seo Jun-Ho’s score has been calculated.]

[Clear time: 17 years, 2 months, 13 days, 12 hours, 52 seconds.]

[Number of common cockroaches killed: 2,157,139.]

[Number of special entities killed: 63,840.]

...

[Achievement unlocked: 350 deaths.]

[Achievement unlocked: Defeating Floor Master ‘Erebo’ solo.]

[Achievement unlocked: Reviving the World Tree.]

[Your total score rating is EX.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

...

[All stats increased by 26.]

[9 Strength stats, 5 Stamina stats, 7 Speed stats, and 5 Magic stats have been received from Limit Breaker’s effect.]

[Hero’s Mind (S) rank has increased to Hero’s Mind (EX).]

[Your cells have acquired the lowest-level Death Resistance.]

[Your cells have acquired the highest-level Penetrating Wound Resistance.]

[The 5th Floor, Neo-City Area has been unlocked.]

[Player level cap has increased from 210 to 250 in Neo-City.]

[‘Seo Jun-Ho difficulty’ has been added to the 4th Floor, Another World area.]

He just kept on reading and reading. There were so many messages that he couldn’t read them all at once. He looked through the log and checked the messages several times.

“I see...”

He had always been wondering why it was so difficult for Players to get stronger on the 4th floor compared to the other floors.

‘I didn’t expect that the rewards are calculated based on one’s actions until the end.’

The first thing that caught his eye was obviously Hero’s Mind. Its grade had increased all the way to EX, just like Frost.

‘It seems that this is my second EX skill.’

Honestly, he wasn’t very excited about it. In fact, he knew that it would happen.

“This is the least they could do after what I had to go through.”

Even with Hero’s Mind (S), his mind had almost been completely torn apart.

The next thing that caught his interest was the resistance he had received thanks to Cellular Regeneration.

‘I understand getting the Penetrating Wound Resistance after being pierced by so many thorns. But...’

The lowest-level Death Resistance?

He squinted at the message and asked the Frost Queen, “What do you think?”

“I do not know. Perhaps it means that you will revive if you die once?”

“I don’t know... I think that’s too good to be true.” The other types of lowest-level resistance weren’t that great. In the case of Burn Resistance, all it did was give him a 1st-degree burn when it should have been a 2nd-degree burn.

‘I shouldn’t have high expectations.’ The greater your expectations, the greater the disappointment. Since it was only the lowest-level resistance, it would be better not to expect too much from it.

He snapped his fingers. “Check Title.”

A thick booklet appeared, and two pages were shining. They were the Titles he had received for clearing the 4th floor.

[One Who Perseveres]

Grade: S

Description: A Title given to the one who kills the 4th Floor Master, Erebo.

Effect: Your stat increases the longer a battle goes on.

[World Tree’s Savior]

Grade: S

Description: A Title given to the one favored by the World Tree.

Effect: Nature is on your side.

Jun-Ho stroked his chin and thought.

‘It’s a little... vague.’

They were the same rank as ‘Bringer of Spring.’

‘Bringer of Spring increases all my stats by 40 whenever I enter a new floor.’

However, Titles didn’t seem all that great even though they should be on the same level as Bringer of Spring.

“Still, isn’t it good that your stat increases the longer you fight?” the Frost Queen asked.

“It’ll only be effective when I fight someone stronger than me.”

“That is true... Considering your current level of strength, most of your opponents would be killed in an instant.”

The ‘World Tree’s Savior’ Title was even more difficult to understand.

“Geez, that tree...”

After making him go through hell and back, nature would now be on his side? That was all?

“What does it even mean?” he muttered vacantly.

“It says that nature is on your side, Contractor.”

“Yeah, so what does it mean?” Seo Jun-Ho had no clue. “Do you really think I’d ask if I knew the answer?”

Seo Jun-Ho shook his head and sighed. “And what the hell is this embarrassing thing...”

[‘Seo Jun-Ho difficulty’ has been added to the 4th Floor, Another World area.]

He felt nervous when he saw how his name had become a difficulty level.

“Perhaps those who attempt that difficulty level will go through the same trials as you?” the Frost Queen said.

“The same as me?” That meant every Player would get a diary that would allow them to regress. He snorted and waved his hand. “Come on, that’s ridiculous. I was able to get through it because I had Hero’s Mind, but...”

Could other Players survive? If her hypothesis were correct, things would soon become chaotic.

Scritch scritch.

Seo Jun-Ho heard strange noises coming from next to him and turned. The Frost Queen was eagerly writing something down.

“What are you doing?”

“...Preparing for my business.”

“You do not need to know.” The Frost Queen looked at him coyly. “I envy you, Contractor. After all, you have a Spirit like me.”

“That’s interesting. I envy you, too. Because you don’t have a Spirit like yourself,” he teased.

Seo Jun-Ho turned, taking in Erebo’s giant corpse. “Now that I think about it, there’s one more prize I need to collect.”

A special prize for no one but himself: reading Erebo’s memories.

Sep Jun-Ho leaped onto Erebo’s enormous body and got down on one knee. “Confession of the Dead.”

[Confession of the Dead has been activated.]

[Please close your eyes to see the memories more clearly.]

‘This is...’

It was the same message that appeared when he killed the Nameless Dragon of the Eastern Sea, so he immediately closed his eyes.

Krrrr.

The sound of an old-fashioned film strip being unraveled could be heard, and the playback started playing in his head.

***

He couldn’t see anything.

He couldn’t hear anything.

Slam!

He was pushed down onto his knees. As pain ran through him, whatever was covering his head was removed.

Erebo looked around nervously, trembling.

- Nothing.

There was a vast emptiness. There were no stars, no planets, and not even any common meteorites.

“W-w-why did you kidnap...” he stuttered.

“Cockroach. Know your place and shut your mouth,” the horned being whispered to him with indifference, “The Archduke has brought you here for a special opportunity, so you should be careful even in your thoughts.”

The horned being disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Erebo slowly looked up.

‘...!’

The thoughts in his head disappeared.

The shock was so great that he felt like his very existence was being completely erased.

“I permit you to bow your head. If you keep looking at me, your soul will perish.”

He gasped and choked. Erebo immediately dug his forehead into the ground as his entire body trembled.

‘He’s a Transcendent, at the very least.’

Erebo had met a few Transcendents before, and they were all monsters. However, he knew that whatever was in front of him was on an entirely different level compared to those Transcendents.

“Let me ask you. I heard that your gluttony is infinite. Is that true?”

“Yes... Yes?”

“I am asking if you can truly eat anything if you were to be given the opportunity.”

Erebo nodded frantically. Instinctively, he knew that his entire being would be erased if he didn’t answer positively.

“Not bad.” His voice was still flat. “Cockroach, I shall allow you to eat the World Tree.”

“T-the World Tree!” Erebo’s eyes grew wide as they stared at the ground. The World Tree, otherwise known as the Tree of Wisdom, was an entity that was receiving special attention from the empire. He had always wanted to eat her, but the security around her was too thorough and tight, so he never dared to attempt it. “If I ever managed to eat the World Tree... what should I do afterward?”

“Live however you’d like.” For the first time, the Transcendent smiled faintly. “Even if you do nothing, someone will find you.”

“...”

Erebo couldn’t understand it. He had no clue of the Transcendent’s motives in letting him eat the World Tree.

However, he knew that he would die if he didn’t follow those orders.

As such, Erebo’s answer had already been decided from the very beginning.

“I will do my very best.”

***

Seo Jun-Ho slowly opened his eyes and stared at the window of the playback.

‘This is the only memory.’

It was the only memory that he could see, and it was Erebo’s meeting with an entity called the ‘Archduke.’

“Contractor, are you alright?” The Frost Queen asked, handing him a wet wipe.please visit .

Seo Jun-Ho started sweating profusely while watching the memory. “When did I... Thanks.”

He realized that his back had grown damp as he used the cold tissue to wipe his face.

It woke him right up. It had been less than an hour since he realized that he had grown stronger after killing Erebo.

‘But... What was that guy?’

It wasn’t like he was the one facing the Archduke face-to-face. Actually, he didn’t even get to see the Archduke’s face. All he knew was that ‘something’ existed beyond a memory.

‘But...’

Jun-Ho looked down at his trembling fists. While he was watching the playback, his hands had unconsciously squeezed into fists. With effort, he managed to open his hands, and sweat dripped out of them.

“Do you think he was a demon?”

“Since his subordinate had horns, I believe so.”

The demons. The progenitor of the fiends.

‘As time went on, the number of demons appearing in Gates had decreased, but it used to be really bad.’

Demons would force themselves into Gates and entice Players to drink their blood, turning them into fiends.

However, that was all Seo Jun-Ho knew about demons. He didn’t know how strong they were or why they were even turning people into fiends.

“...I really hate this.” He let out a long sigh. Similar to how he faced fiends in the past, he got the feeling that he would end up facing demons in the future.

‘All I can do is hope that I’m wrong.’ Seo Jun-Ho had almost never stood down from a challenge, but he prayed that his gut feeling was wrong this time. After all, he couldn’t even begin to imagine fighting something like that.

“Everything will work out, Contractor.”

“I hope so...”

Seo Jun-Ho slowly got up with the Frost Queen’s help. He watched as a myriad of stars fell from the sky.

[The 4th Floor, Another World Season 1 has ended.]

[In 1 minute, all Players will be forcibly sent back to Earth.]

[Item ‘Jun-Ho’s Diary’ will no longer exist.]

The message told him that it was over.

***

“...”

The Transcendent’s eyes slowly fluttered open. As he looked into the empty universe, his eyes sparkled with the smallest bit of interest.

“I see...”

He sensed that Erebo had just been killed. And he knew the ‘guest’ who killed Erebo.

“They make for an interesting pair.”

Specter and the Frost Queen...

He smiled dimly. “Though, they are far too weak for them to be the ones meant to stop me.”

However, if this was the System’s choice, all he could do was follow.

He thought of the white-haired human that he had collected and stored somewhere.

“An interesting pair...”

He closed his eyes once more.

And then, the universe was soon covered in darkness, as if it had always been enveloped in it.