Return of the Frozen Player - chapter 185
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Chapter 185
âYou can go in through this door,â guided River.
âWow, thatâs an amazing skill. Now donât call me Skayamon. Call him Rivermon instead.â [1]
The door that River pulled out of his inventory was directly connected to his Moving House (B). Entering the house, the Watchguards looked at Specter with dumbfounded expressions.
ââŠWait, are my eyes working right?â
âI-isnât he Specter-nim?â
âSniff, I couldnât wash up so I smell, oh no!â
They were all big fans of Specter, so their responses were as expected. However, Skayaâs eyes narrowed as she watched.
ââŠItâs been a while since I felt this way,â Skaya muttered.
It had been a long time since she had felt like a folding screen.
âGasp! T-The archmage, too!?â
âCrazy, did she appear by magic?â
âSheâs as good as we heardâŠâ
âI didnât even feel the flow of magicâŠâ
âIâve been here from the beginning, thoughâŠâ Sighing, Skaya approached them and checked their restraints.
âWould you be able to release it for us?â
Skaya nodded at Riverâs request. âWell, thereâs a lot of complicated magic at cast here, butâŠâ In an instant, she reverse-engineered and disassembled the magic in the restraints and tore them apart. âIâm an archmage.â
âWow, thank you!â
âI feel a lot better now that I can feel magic.â
âAnyway, I never expected to see the 5 Heroes with my own eyesâŠâ
They once again looked at Specter and the archmage, then they saw the man next to ArthurâŠ
âIf itâs blond hair, then perhaps?â
ââŠNo way.â
âN-no, it could be, since Specter-nim and the archmage-nim are backâŠâ
Gilberto nodded quietly at the oddly anticipating Watchguards. âI am Arthurâs father. Be good friends with my child.â
ââŠ!â
Arthurâs father meant that he was Gilberto Green! The Watchguards were overflowing with emotions as they saw the heroes they had only seen in books here in one place.
âItâs really like a dreamâŠâ
âT-Then, the King of Destruction and the Sky PhoenixâŠ?â
âTheyâre not here,â Arthur answered, and the Watchguards looked at him.
The moment they checked their wound-covered leader with a cast on one arm, their excitement subsided and was quickly replaced by shame.
ââŠIâm sorry, Arthur.â
âI wasnât able to help Leader this time, either.â
âWe were more like a burden⊠Damn it!â
âDonât blame yourself. The other party was strong. More than I expected⊠A lot more.â
A self-deprecating smile loomed over Arthurâs face. How could he not know their feelings?
âIâm just as weak.â
Arthur once again felt something through this incidentâbeing weak was a sin. He felt it keenly.
âI guess I was just a Player of that caliber after all.â
There was a time when he was full of confidence. He chased after the Squadron member without being caught for three years, so he thought that his skills must have improved. But it turned out that the entire thing had been an illusion all this time.
âHow am I different from a clown?â
Was this how Truman, the main character of the Truman Show, felt? The emptiness and resentment of being played at the hands of the fiends settled deep in his heart.
âItâs a little hectic.â As the Watchguards rose from their seats, River felt like his house was small. He spoke as he opened another entrance, âShall we go to the hideout and talk? Itâs too tight here.â
The Watchguards nodded at Arthurâs suggestion. Arriving at the Watchguardsâ hideout, Skaya pointed to the entrance with a shocked expression.
âW-wait, what is this? Who cast this magic?â
A magician Watchguard raised his hand timidly. âI did it, butâŠâ
âDid you perhaps put fingerprint, iris, and biometric data recognition magic?â
âThat is correct.â The magician nodded confidently.
He was a magician who had received the privilege to enter the 4th floor of the magic tower. He was proud of his skills. But Skaya lost her mind at his level of security magic.
âWhat, are you living in 2019? If youâre going to do this, why donât you just call the neighborhood key guy and install a door lock?â
The magicianâs shoulders shrank at her harsh criticism. Although there had been a spy named Jang Seon-Ho, his security system still didnât manage to prevent the intrusion of the other fiends.
âEveryone else, grab your belongings.â
At Specterâs order, which wasnât really an order, the Watchguards rushed to move. Afterward, Specter approached Arthur and asked, âDo you have a hideout somewhere else? We need to shut this place down since it was discovered.â
âUh⊠There is one on the side of the Wailing Mountains, butâŠâ
It was a place famous for its rugged mountain range, and it was also a place where people would be hard-pressed to find your corpse if you died.
âBut itâs not bad for a training campâŠâ
In fact, it was perfect.
âGive the coordinates to Skaya.â
âOkayâŠâ
After a while, the Watchguards came over to the living room with all their luggage.
âWeâre all ready!â
âLetâs seeâŠâ
Skaya checked their luggage one by one and confirmed no tracking magic was in place.
âTheyâre clean, so letâs move to the hideout on the side of the Wailing Mountains.â
âI-I will help youâŠâ
When the magician from earlier volunteered to help, Skaya stared at him. âWhatâs your name?â
âMy name is Dollerson.â
âAlright, Dol-Dol. I appreciate your goodwill, butâŠâ
âItâs not Dol-DolâŠâ
Skaya ignored what he said, and the moment she clapped her hands lightly, the crowd of over 30 was quickly moved to another place. âIâm more comfortable doing it alone.â
It was not an emotion-inducing scene for Seo Jun-Ho and Gilberto, but it was different for the others.
âW-wide Area TeleportâŠ!â
âHer complexion hasnât changed a bit even after moving over thirty people.â
âIs this the power of the archmage-nim?â
Dol-Dol, no, Dollerson looked at Skaya with trembling eyes. He knew better than anyone that she was amazing. After all, Skaya Killiland, the archmage, was once called the greatest magician on Earth.
âBut it has been 26 yearsâŠâ
She had never even been to the magic tower. On the other hand, he had entered the magic tower and trained there painstakingly.
Magic meant exploring knowledge that had been in use and established hundreds of years ago.
âBut even I canât use a Wide Area Teleport this cleanlyâŠâ
The amount of magic one had didnât matter. It was a question of how good their magic control was and the depths of their understanding of magic.
âI should put more effort into learningâŠâ
While Dol-Dolâs desire to learn was ignited, Specter and Gilberto were looking around the new hideout.
âItâs bigger than I thoughtâŠâ
âThe area is well dividedâŠâ
The hideout was in better shape than they thought. Specter pointed to a room, slightly poking Gilberto in the ribs.
âTake a rest first.â
ââŠTake care of the rest for me, then.â
Gilberto entered the room, and Specter called Skaya, âTake a look at Gilbe.â
âYeah, leave it to me.â
As Skaya followed him into the room, Specter turned his head. âLetâs unpack and rest for a while. You all must be tired.â
âOh, thank you.â
âI will see you in a while, then.â
Specter looked at the map of the hideout that a Watchguard gave him and thought for a while. The Frost Queen, who had been hiding until now, quietly opened her mouth, âAre you going to train them?â
âTo a certain extent, yesâŠâ
âHmm, I think it is better for you to develop your strength first.â
âI agree, so I wonât hold on to them long. At most, 15 days?â
ââŠIf itâs that short, is it any better than not doing it?â
âNo, thatâs plenty.â
Specter added with a deep smile, âYouâll find out soon enough.â
***
Knock, Knock.
Gilberto answered without even looking at the door, âItâs open.â
Skaya entered the room, nodded, and looked around. âThe room is surprisingly well-organized. You could even stay here for a while.â
âWhatâs going on?â
When Gilberto while basked in cold sweat, Skaya smirked.
âIt has been a while since I saw you, but you still know how to grumbleâŠâ
Gilberto sat with a nonchalant look while emitting a domineering vibe, butâŠ
âItâs obvious to us that youâre overdoing it.â
Gilberto couldnât hide it from his comrades who had spent years with him. Gilberto laughed awkwardly and muttered, âDid Jun-Ho notice it?â
âHe told me to come here first. Well, I wouldâve come here even if he didnât tell me.â
Skaya took a wooden box out of her Inventory and retrieved a syringe from it.
âWhy did you overdo it as soon as you woke up? I even had to recuperate when I just woke up.â
ââŠFiends were harassing Arthur.â
âThatâs why you get called a son-loving fool,â Skaya said as she stuck the syringe into his forearm.
âSo what? Itâs a fatherâs feelings after seeing his son all grown up.â
ââŠâ
Taking the Sap of Rejuvenation, Gilberto looked down at the floor with a much better complexion.
âHe looks like meâŠâ
âWell, he looks a little cuter than you.â
ââŠHe has some of his motherâs looks.â
âYour wife must have been a beautyâŠâ
Not even the 5 Heroes knew Arthurâs mother. They only heard that she had been an ordinary person instead of a Player and that she had died giving birth to Arthur. Gilberto often spoke of her.
âIâm confused, sorry for Arthur, and relieved that I wasnât too lateâŠâ
After hearing her comradeâs honest feelings, Skaya nodded quietly. âYou know, I also felt that way when I came back, but I guess 26 years is a long time.â
It was enough time for plenty of things to change.
âYeah, itâs a long time. Itâs enough to⊠change a personâs body and mind.â
Gilberto turned his head slightly. Within Skayaâs slightly lowered gaze, there were strange emotions. It was an expression as if she were recalling someone.
âDid you have your heart broken?â
âNo!â
Pat!
Skaya mercilessly hit the patient on the back and roughly pulled the syringe out.
âUgh.â
âThe treatmentâs almost done! Get well on your own now!â
When Skaya huffed and puffed out of the room, Gilberto murmured, blinking, âSome things just donât changeâŠâ
Her personality didnât change even after 26 years.
***
Specter went to Arthurâs room.
Knock, knock.
âCan I come in for a minute?â
When he knocked on the door, Arthur, who was sitting on the bed with his head lowered, jumped up to receive him.
âOh, come on in.â
It still felt awkward. There were times when Arthur called him either Specter or Uncle.
âSit down, sit downâŠâ
Seo Jun-Ho told Arthur to sit down, pulled up a chair for himself, and sat down before looking at Arthur. âYou look worried.â
âItâs just⊠Thereâs bound to be a lot.â
Arthurâs faith in himself was broken. He didnât even know what to do in the future anymore. He was bound to be confused about what to do since he was the leader of a group.
âArthurâŠâ
Specter saw through his feelings. He could see Gilberto from 29 years ago in Arthur.
âYou know what your father, my friend, Gilbertoâs nickname is, right?â
ââŠthe Gray Envoy?â
âNot thatâŠâ
âAmericaâs Treasure.â
âYesâŠâ
Gilberto had a wide variety of skills. Therefore, after he had become one of the 5 Heroes, he had received the nickname âAmericaâs Treasure.â
âBut he once had a terrible nicknameâŠâ
ââŠYou mean the Trashcan. I personally hate that nickname.â
Arthur made a grim face at his fatherâs horrible nickname. At the same time, he looked at the Specter. There must be a reason why Specter suddenly brought this up.
âThe bottom of the bottom. Gilberto entered Gates while enduring the Playersâ scorn and contempt.â
ââŠWhy did he go so far?â
âItâs because of youâŠâ
ââŠ!â
Arthurâs eyes shook like a sailboat that met waves.
âHe had a small life to take responsibility for. And at that time, there wasnât much legal system in place for Players to do anything other than hunting.â
ââŠI didnât know that.â
He had no idea why his father lived his life as a Player. Arthur clenched his fists when he heard what Seo Jun-Ho said.
âThere is no ship in the world that hasnât met waves. Itâs just the difference between being stranded by the waves or overcoming the waves.â
ââŠMy father overcame it.â
âHe overcame it bravely. As a result, he was called one of the 5 Heroes and became one of the strongest Players on Earth.â
Arthurâs head cleared up. Specter, his uncle, was teaching him, using his own fatherâs story.
âFor Players who have something to protect⊠Does he mean itâs a waste of time to be in a slump?â
Arthur looked up. He had the eyes of someone looking ahead, not behind.
âI heard it was Uncle who dug my father out of the mud.â
âMmm-mmm, I trained Gilbe.â
Arthur suddenly stood up, knelt on the floor, and bowed.
âPlease teach me, too!â
ââŠHmm? Itâll be hard, thoughâŠâ said Specter, crossing his legs.
âIâm confident in overcoming any training.â
âReally?â
âYes!â
âBy the way, why donât you give that opportunity to your comrades too rather than just becoming stronger by yourself?â
ââŠAre you saying that you will give the other Watchguards a chance to be trained?â
âWell, if they donât want it, it canât be helpedâŠâ
âNo way!â
Arthur raised his head and cried out. âI will make each and every one of them listen, even if I have to whip them into it!â
It was Specterâs teachings. Would there really be an idiot who wouldnât want a chance that you couldnât even buy with thousands of gold? Of course, if there was such an idiot, they should be scolded and forced to learn.
âReally?â Specter nodded slowly. Beyond the mask, the corners of his mouth were rising. âJust so you know, this is not something I suggestedâŠâ
âOf course, I asked first.â
âWell, I respect your choice. But if your Dad stops youâŠâ
âIâll persuade him.â
âGood, very good. Perfect.â Specter clapped with a satisfied look.
Everything went as planned.
1. These nicknames are combining their names with Doraemon, a kidâs anime character, that has a 4D front pocket that can produce a bunch of random things. â