Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“H-how? Was he not in that world?”

[Think carefully. How do you suppose someone on Earth like you was able to go to that world?]

“…I do not know.”

[….]

Han Seol-ah, suddenly embarrassed for no reason, hurriedly added,

“I-I really do not know. I saw a message asking whether I wanted to become EX-rank, and I answered yes. Then I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, I was there.”

[The Great One must have used power that transcends dimensions to summon you.]

“Power that transcends dimensions? A power like that exists?”

[Yes. There is nothing impossible for the Great One. He is the one who brought you there with that power, and even sent you back.]

Frozen’s voice was filled with infinite reverence.

[If he wished it, then crossing directly into this world himself would naturally also be possible.]

“That makes no sense.”

[What part of it makes no sense?]

“I-it is just, if someone that powerful crossed over, we would not know what might happen to this world. …L-like, causality. Things like that. Those kinds of laws might come into play….”

[You fool!!!]

“Eek!!!”

At the sudden roar, Han Seol-ah clutched her head.

[How dare you doubt the Great One! Do you think he would fail to prepare even for something like that? Of course he would already have found a way around it. That is probably why he tested your Ice Crystal. There would be no reason for the Great One to bother taking possession of an inferior ability like an Ice Crystal.]

“Inferior….”

Han Seol-ah wilted a little.

I am Han Seol-ah.

I am EX-rank, though….

WHUP-WHUP-WHUP!

Soon, she boarded a loud unmanned helicopter that had arrived with a roar and headed for Pyongyang.

During the flight, Han Seol-ah briefly explained Earth’s situation and the ‘fake Ice Dragon’ to Frozen.

[Ho. There is an Ice Dragon here as well?]

“Yes.”

[That is troubling. The Mana in this world is far too thin. With only the Mana of your true self…]

“No, the Ice Dragon here is not ‘Scathach.’ That is just a nickname arbitrarily attached by the people of this world. It is heaven and earth apart from the true Ice Dragon I saw there.”

[Hmm.]

“The troublesome part is that it has strong resistance to frost magic….”

[Ha. Who do you think I am? I stand at the peak of Frost Type. Breaking through something as minor as elemental immunity is well within my power.]

“Right? I only have to trust in you, Frozen?”

[Indeed. Trust in me. And trust in the Creator who made me.]

It did not take long to reach Pyongyang.

Han Seol-ah leaped down with Eternal Winter clutched tightly in her hands.

‘The air is cold.’

Below her, she could see the enormous body of the Ice Dragon.

The frigid energy extending from it filled the area so completely that even Han Seol-ah, who was reinforcing her body with Frost Type Mana, could feel a chill.

Whoooosh!

Han Seol-ah flew swiftly downward and landed in front of the Ice Dragon’s head.

—Grrrrrr…

The Ice Dragon was fast asleep.

“Hoo.”

Letting out a light breath, she focused her mind.

What she recalled was the sensation she had felt when using Permafrost under Frozen’s guidance.

The powerful Mana of frost that had reached EX-rank slowly began to awaken.

[Haah. This is not how Frost Type is supposed to cast magic… Hey! Not like that. Make the Mana circuits a little simpler.]

Following Frozen’s advice echoing in her mind, Han Seol-ah controlled her Mana with delicate precision.

[The central axis of your magic circle is wavering. In the first place, you do not need to draw this many ‘patterns.’ Compress it.]

“Ugh….”

[That is it. More, more compression!]

The jewel of Eternal Winter resonated and forcibly corrected Han Seol-ah's disordered Mana, as though wringing it into shape.

Wheeeeeen-!

Before the staff, there appeared a pure white sphere that radiated a cold so intense it seemed ready to freeze the surrounding air.

[I can give that about fifty points.]

“….”

Han Seol-ah could not argue.

The Permafrost she had created before Scathach in ‘that world’ had been a dark blue sphere that seemed capable of swallowing even light itself.

But what she now had before her was no more than a hazy white sphere.

The density itself was different.

Even so, this was enough.

“Permafrost.”

Fwaaaash-!

The rotating sphere burst forth with pure white light.

KWA-A-A-A-A-ANG!

A tremendous explosion of frost detonated.

Crackle—

Ding-

Then a system message appeared.

[Notice: ‘94th Floor Tower Break Boss: Frost Dragon’ has been subjugated.]

The same subjugation notice as always.

“Fuuuuh.”

[Well done. But the road ahead is still long.]

“Yes.”

And before Han Seol-ah, who had just renewed her resolve, Beep- Beep- Beep- with a loud and ominous warning siren,a bright red system message appeared.

[The difficulty of the Tower Break is increasing sharply.]

“Huh?”

[Tower Break - Floor 94]

[Tower Break Boss: Ancient Azure Dragon - Ice Dragon Scathach]

“…Scathach!”

The peak of dragons she had encountered in ‘that world’…!

‘Whew.’

For a moment, goosebumps rose on her skin, but then she relaxed.

The cold sensation in her hand.

She had Eternal Winter, the Genesis-rank staff.

“Right?”

[What do you mean?]

“With you here, Frozen, Scathach will not be a problem either, right?”

[Correct. …But when is the next break?]

“Probably in thirty days. That is the system’s official Break cycle.”

[That is a relief. If it is that long, then we can rest easy.]

Something about those particular words made Han Seol-ah uneasy, and she asked back,

“…A relief? Rest easy? Why not just do what we did there…?”

[You…]

Frozen was momentarily at a loss for words.

[…What exactly do you take Scathach for? I only killed him so easily because I am exceptionally outstanding. He is a dragon that stands at the summit of all frost. Do not take him lightly. I would even need an appropriate amount of Mana to break through his Frost Immunity.]

“Ah….”

[But your Mana is far too insufficient, and your recovery speed is slow as well. The atmospheric Mana density in this world is abysmal for forcibly drawing in external Mana. Thirty days would barely be the minimum.]

“Does that mean there is no room to spare?”

[Yes. We have to start gathering Mana immediately.]

“Hmm. But my Mana Hall is full of Mana right now… how am I supposed to gather more from here?”

[…? No. There is no point in storing it in your Mana Hall. Are you going to break through Scathach’s Frost Immunity yourself?]

“What? Then…?”

[You have to store it in me.]

Ah.

Only then did Han Seol-ah understand.

‘So I have to charge Eternal Winter with Mana.’

“For thirty days?”

[Every day. Without missing a single day. That is assuming your Mana control continues to improve.]

“All right. I will do it.”

[That is the spirit.]

Han Seol-ah tightened her grip around the staff.

The next thirty days.

Whether she spent that preparation period well, whether it proved long or short, would decide the future of Republic of Korea.

‘I cannot afford to waste even a moment…!’

And before Han Seol-ah, who had just made that vow,

Beep- Beep- Beep-

“Hm?”

With the warning sound ringing out again, a series of bright red messages appeared one after another.

[Notice: The number of clearances for the 94th Floor Tower Break has exceeded the standard threshold.]

[Notice: It has been confirmed that the difficulty of the Tower Break is not appropriate.]

[Notice: The intensity of the Tower Break will increase drastically, and its cycle will be sharply shortened.]

“W-wait…?”

[5 days until commencement]

“…Five days?”

Beep-

[Climb the Tower.]

***

At the very moment Han Seol-ah was still inside the helicopter,

Hunter Association President Jin Cheon-jin clenched his teeth so hard it hurt.

If he did not, he felt he might crush the phone in his hand.

From the other end of the line came a voice like a snake’s hiss.

[So, Mr. President, are you still going to refuse? We are offering to help you, you know.]

“Say it properly. It does not help. It is plunder.”

[Ha ha. You old man really do say funny things. We are saving a country on the brink of destruction, and in return we are only taking a small price for your lives. Why would that be plunder? That is helpful.]

“….”

Jin Cheon-jin could only grit his teeth.

[I know, too. Han Seol-ah disappeared, did she not? What was it, some secret special training?]

“….”

[Heh heh, does anyone seriously believe that ridiculous excuse? And it sounds like you have not found the slightest trace of her for several days now, either.]

How did he know that?

‘The report from the investigation team saying that they could not find even the slightest trace of Seol-ah is top secret among top secret matters.’

[Ha ha ha. Mr. President. You are thinking something obvious right now, like, ‘How did he know?’ Do you think countries on the verge of collapse are lining up only one or two at a time, begging for rescue? Do not expect information control to be holding up properly.]

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

From the other end of the line came the sound of someone clicking his tongue, as though in pity, or perhaps mockery.

Even while Jin Cheon-jin silently ground his teeth, the voice continued.

[Old man, Uncle Cheon-jin. Frost Dragon’s spec only says ‘Frost Reduction,’ but in reality it is no different from Frost Immunity. I saw Han Seol-ah gather Mana with all her might and fire off Permafrost, and it did not leave even a scratch. Do you think the third round is going to be any different?]

“….”

[Let us say Han Seol-ah returns stronger because of some miracle. Do you think that means she will be able to break through that monstrous resistance? Absolutely not.]

“….”

[There is no such thing in reality as some ability that ignores immunity, like something straight out of a game. Am I wrong?]

He was not wrong.

No, if anything, he was far too correct.

The point he had made was so sharp that it nearly stopped Jin Cheon-jin’s breathing.

There was no such thing in this world as an ability that ignored immunity.

[Well then, Mr. President. I will give you exactly one more day. Of course, next time the price for your lives will be even higher~]

“…Min-seok.”

Jin Cheon-jin finally opened his mouth in a heavy voice.

“How can you… how can you do this?”

[….]

Kim Min-seok.

Han Seol-ah. Jin Cheon-jin. Min Ji-hee. And then the man who had once been the Hunter ranked fourth in Republic of Korea after them.

And the coward who, immediately after the failure of the first Ice Dragon subjugation, fled to the multinational mercenary organization Pandemonium.

[Those who can live have to live, Mr. President.]

Click.

The call ended.

For the first time in a long while, Jin Cheon-jin put a cigarette between his lips after having quit.

‘…Do I have to accept them? Those unequal treaties….’

Jin Cheon-jin’s anguish deepened.

Ding-

A system message appeared before Jin Cheon-jin’s eyes just as he was about to light the cigarette.

[Notice: ‘94th Floor Tower Break Boss: Frost Dragon’ has been subjugated.]

‘…Subjugated?’

Was he hallucinating?

Jin Cheon-jin rubbed his eyes.

They felt dry from not having slept for several days.

The moment he became aware of his physical condition, exhaustion washed over him all at once.

Jin Cheon-jin sank deep into his chair.

‘I did not see it wrong.’

Even after rubbing his eyes and smacking his cheeks, the message did not disappear.

It was not a hallucination.

The Ice Dragon really had been subjugated.

‘In that case, there is no need to hear out Kim Min-seok’s proposal any further.’

Jin Cheon-jin let out a heavy sigh, carrying with it the suffocating pressure that had been weighing deep on his chest.

‘Whew.’

The body that had been stiff with tension and anger sagged all at once.

In its place rose relief.

Hope began to bloom in Jin Cheon-jin’s heart.

The Ice Dragon had been subjugated.

Which meant—

‘Seol-ah has returned. And with greater power.’

Republic of Korea’s Guardian had grown stronger.

Strong enough to kill even her natural enemy.

“Ha ha.”

At the very moment Jin Cheon-jin was about to let out a loose laugh,

Beep- Beep- Beep-

with an ominous warning sound, bright red messages came pouring in.

“…Scathach? Five days?!”

And then—

Bang!

Vice President Min Ji-hee burst into the president’s office.

“Mr. President!”

“V-Vice President. Wh-what is… this message? The red one.”

“…This is an unprecedented situation.”

Min Ji-hee raised a single sheet of paper.

A glossy black page, with ominous white letters inscribed across it.

There was only one special document like that on Earth.

“…Pandemonium’s ‘strategy guide.’”

A document that enabled Pandemonium, despite being nothing more than a multinational mercenary company, to throw its weight around against the entire world.

Its official name was the Compendium, a document containing the traits of every monster appearing in the Tower and in Breaks. In slang, it was called the strategy guide.

‘There is no way she could have obtained that through ordinary means.’

“How…?”

“I handled it on my own.”

Min Ji-hee said it as though it were nothing.

But Jin Cheon-jin was himself an extraordinary Hunter standing at the very edge of A-rank.

His sharp eyes noticed that one earring that had once hung from Min Ji-hee’s right ear was now gone.

‘….’

But Jin Cheon-jin did not bring it up.

He understood better than anyone what it must have cost her to part with her father’s keepsake—and one of the only two A-rank defensive armaments in Republic of Korea.

Thanks.

Min Ji-hee set the strategy guide down in front of Jin Cheon-jin with a hard sound.

[Scathach]

[Ancient Azure Dragon]

[Official epithet: ‘Ice Dragon’]

“…So this creature is the ‘true Ice Dragon’ acknowledged by the system.”

Previously, the epithet ‘Ice Dragon’ for Frost Dragon had been a name assigned by the Hunter Association.

“From what I heard while receiving this information… compared to this thing, the fake Ice Dragon—Frost Dragon—would be little more than an earthworm.”

“….”

“Look below that.”

[Traits]

[Complete Frost Immunity]

“…Complete Immunity? Frost Dragon had that too….”

“That was only our own assumption after seeing that Seol-ah's magic did not affect it. In reality, it apparently only had Frost Reduction. They say that is not even comparable to true Frost Immunity.”

“…Then?”

It was fatal.

Han Seol-ah's specialty was, in the end, frost magic.

She had somehow managed to deal with Frost Dragon, which had the Frost Reduction trait, but…

‘Complete Immunity?’

“We cannot stop this.”

At last, words of defeat came from the mouth of Min Ji-hee, who was famous for her cold-headed composure.

“…Five days from now, Republic of Korea will vanish from the map.”

***

A heavy silence filled the president’s office.

Then the door burst open, breaking that stillness.

“Mr. President.”

It was Han Seol-ah.

“Seol-ah!”

Jin Cheon-jin and Min Ji-hee sprang to their feet and embraced Han Seol-ah tightly.

“What in the world… How in the world did this happen? Whatever happened to you….”

“I will explain everything one by one. Please calm down.”

Starting from the mysterious golden message she had seen at the press conference, Han Seol-ah steadily explained everything: how she had been taken to another world, what had happened there, her Promotion to EX-rank, the existence of that Great One, and the Genesis-rank staff, Eternal Winter.

“…That is what happened.”

“Mm… I truly….”

Thanks to Han Seol-ah's hopeless storytelling ability, Jin Cheon-jin understood absolutely none of it.

“I see. You really went through something terrible.”

Min Ji-hee, however, understood everything perfectly.

“Ahem! Hm! Ah, mm. I see. Yes, yes, of course.”

Jin Cheon-jin also instantly relaxed his expression and nodded vigorously with practiced tact.

‘Ji-hee will explain it to me later, I suppose.’

“So then… Seol-ah.”

“Yes.”

“…Can you do it?”

Min Ji-hee smoothly slid the strategy guide over in front of Han Seol-ah.

Han Seol-ah glanced over the contents and opened her mouth.

“It is impossible.”

“Ah….”

Min Ji-hee let out a groan, but Jin Cheon-jin did not give up. His gaze fixed itself on Eternal Winter in Han Seol-ah's hand.

“I heard that staff is an extraordinary treasure. If it is a divine weapon bestowed by a god, could it not simply devour something like an elemental disadvantage?”

[Not with the pitiful Mana of this miserable land.]

“…?!”

At the unfamiliar voice that suddenly rang out through empty space, Jin Cheon-jin and Min Ji-hee both startled and looked around.

“Wh-who is that!”

“It is me. No, my staff.”

Han Seol-ah raised the staff.

The blue jewel at the end of Eternal Winter flashed, and then the frosty voice of a man rang out again.

“Frozen, please explain.”

[The atmospheric Mana density in this world is at the level of garbage. To manifest Absolute Zero strong enough to break through Scathach’s immunity, I would need a full thirty days just from natural recovery here.]

“Thirty days?!”

Jin Cheon-jin cried out.

“We only have five days left! If we cannot solve this in five days, we all die!”

[That is not my concern.]

“Y-you…!”

Just as Jin Cheon-jin was about to clutch the back of his neck at the arrogant staff’s attitude, Frozen casually added,

[But it is not as if there is no method at all.]

“…What is it?”

[If you do not have enough Mana, then borrow it. From a being with Mana that is close to infinite.]

“Where would such a being…?”

Han Seol-ah, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke.

“There is one.”

[Correct. Find my Creator. Find the Great One.]

Min Ji-hee hurriedly asked back,

“The Great One? The being Seol-ah met?”

“Yes. If it is him, it is possible. No, there is no one else but him.”

“…But you said that being is in that world. Not on Earth.”

“…He is on Earth right now.”

“What! Where? If such a powerful being had appeared, there is no way the observers would have missed it….”

Han Seol-ah closed her eyes.

She focused her mind, and even when she stirred her Mana in circles, nothing entered her senses.

But Frozen had definitely said it.

—There was an incredibly powerful Frost Type Mana.

—It was probably my Creator, the Great One himself.

On the way back to the Association building,

through her conversation with Frozen, they had narrowed the location down to one place.

“Incheon.”

“Incheon…!”

A bolt of lightning seemed to strike Min Ji-hee’s mind.

‘That is where the Level 1 Gate was cleared without a sound just earlier!’

The mysterious site where the Ogre Big Boss had vanished,

and where the Mana scan had recorded unmeasurable Frost Type Mana!

“Get a helicopter in the air immediately! We are going to Incheon!”

Jin Cheon-jin shouted. The only lifeline capable of saving Republic of Korea was there. Every minute, every second, mattered.

[Wait.]

Frozen stopped the people who were about to rush off in haste.

[Are you planning to go empty-handed?]

“Huh?”

[My Creator is merciful and possesses the noble character to never stand by and watch a world perish. That is why he personally prevented the destruction of our world as well. But he is not so light a being as to act without compensation. You will need an offering to present to him.]

Jin Cheon-jin paused. That was true.

Judging from Seol-ah's story, the Great One was clearly a transcendent existence of terrifying magnitude.

On top of that, was he not a being who wielded authority that seemed reserved only for gods, such as crossing between worlds?

They could not ask such a being for help and arrive empty-handed.

“I will open the Association Warehouse. From there, the highest-grade Mana Stones and gold bars—”

[How vulgar.]

Frozen’s jewel flickered as though clicking its tongue.

[The Great One has no interest in such common wealth. What he likes are objects that contain ‘stories.’ Objects with a past, with a history embedded in them. ‘Unique’ things.]

“Objects that contain stories…?”

[Yes. A flag said to have been used by the founder of a family, for instance. Or a wedding ring passed down from a grandmother’s grandmother. Things of that sort.]

“You mean antiques steeped in history?”

[Especially those that are particularly precious. For example…]

Sliiide.

The tip of the staff in Han Seol-ah's hand pointed toward Jin Cheon-jin’s right hand.

[That shiny glove on the old man there, for example.]

“…!”

Without realizing it, Jin Cheon-jin hid his right hand behind his back.

The glove he wore, White Tiger’s Fang, was the artifact that had been with him from the very beginning as a first-generation Hunter. It was Republic of Korea’s National Treasure No. 1, and an extension of his very self.

“Th-this is… no different from my very soul….”

[Your soul? Excellent. The Great One will like that. And how arrogant. If the country falls, what use will that so-called soul be?]

Frozen’s merciless blow of plain truth left Jin Cheon-jin speechless.

[Are you planning to wear it in the afterlife after all of you freeze to death together five days from now?]

“….”

[Choose. The glove, or Republic of Korea.]

Without a second word, Jin Cheon-jin removed the glove.

“Of course… Republic of Korea.”

Jin Cheon-jin set the glove down on the desk.

[An excellent choice. The Creator will be pleased as well.]

Frozen sparkled, sounding satisfied.

Han Seol-ah picked up the glove, White Tiger’s Fang, and declared,

“Let us go. To Incheon.”

***

“Scathach is coming out?”

Then that makes things easy.