Chapter 256: Forked Road (3)

"Contractor! There are five branches!" the Frost Queen sitting on the wooden floor jumped up and shouted.

Even a single one was enough to send Seo Jun-Ho into dreamland, but this time, there were five.

'Five branches...'

Seo Jun-Ho's pupils greatly dilated. The lightning strikes that filled his view looked like snakes and dragons.

'It's fast.'

It was so fast it was hard to avoid or deflect. The Thunder God's thunderbolt was a daunting attack that was difficult to even see and follow with his eyes.

'I'll die if I get hit, right?'

Like a computer that had been shut down, his thoughts would be severed, and his mind would plunge into the abyss of the unknown. It would remain there, perhaps, forever.

'However, please attack me with the determination to kill me.'

'...Ah, what are ya going to do if ya really died?'

'That's fine.'

Just where did he get that kind of confidence from? He hated the version of himself just a few minutes ago. However, he had also realized that it was meaningless to complain about it now.

'...If I just had another power.'

Perhaps, this situation would have ended leisurely by now. The Frost Queen said her power was 'block.' However, he didn't have to follow in the exact same footsteps she had left behind.

'Rather, I need a power that's just for me.'

Seo Jun-Ho had inherited the Frost Queen's skill. But before that, he had always been a wanderer on another path and a pioneer of his own path.

'The Watchguard of Darkness is the greatest spear.'

Did that mean what he needed was the best shield? Nope. For Seo Jun-Ho, an endless onslaught was more suitable for him.

'Adding the best shield to the best spear doesn't make you the best.'

The conflicting styles could even hamper each other. What he required was an ability that would assist him in his reckless battles.

'...I need that kind of power.'

Stepping on the brink of death, what Seo Jun-Ho chose was not denial, anger, or acceptance but 'demand.'

'Give it to me right now.'

Craackle!

Seo Jun-Ho's left hand extended unknowingly and froze the air. At the same time, the five thunderbolts that fell toward him stopped for a moment.

"Hmm...?!"

The Thunder God groaned. He could see with his eyes that the five thunderbolts had really stopped. However, it was just for a moment.

'No, has it just been forcibly slowed down...?'

Even now, the thunderbolts were advancing slowly like turtles. Seeing that, the Thunder God smiled faintly and muttered, "Did he find it?"

The Thunder God was also an elemental user. So, he easily guessed why Seo Jun-Ho had asked him for such an unreasonable request today. And he also guessed that the new ability that Seo Jun-Ho had brought out on the brink of death was likely his power.

Bzzzt!

Seo Jun-Ho kicked off the floor after avoiding the slow thunderbolt. 50m, 40m, 30m... The distance from the Thunder God narrowed in an instant.

'Hmm, what to do?'

The Thunder God agonized for a moment. It was a dilemma whether to let Seo Jun-Ho pass the test or not.

"Hmm?"

It was then when Seo Jun-Ho passed the 75-meter mark did he and the Thunder God's gazes collided in the air. The Thunder God's eyes opened wide as if he had seen something amazing.

'...Look at this punk.'

Seo Jun-Ho's gaze was like a ball of fire. His eyes were honest and ablaze—only looking toward his goal.

'It has been a long time.'

There were many Players on the 1st floor with such ardent eyes—there were so many of them.

'Those eyes belong to an innocent child who has no idea about the existence of monsters, bad people, and fiends.'

Those people would then fight with their lives on the light against monsters they had only ever heard of or seen on TV. Sooner or later, they would come to face the reality that not all Earthlings shared the same goal. They would get done in by people suspected of being fiends, and those fiends wouldn't seem like they were once humans. As such, the deeper a Player's experience was in this world, the harder it would be for them to maintain such an upright gaze.

"Ssp."

The Thunder God was curious.

'How are his eyes still so clear?'

Seo Jun-Ho had almost died just a while ago, so there was no way he was unafraid. There were even some rumors that said he had slaughtered fiends, so he should know how horrible those fiends were better than anyone else. So, what were those honest and unyielding eyes looking at?

'...'

When the Thunder God found the answer, he lightly tapped the floor with his cane.

Ruuumble!

Like a bouquet, dozens of thunderbolts fell from the clear skies, forcing Seo Jun-Ho's body to the ground.

"..."

After Seo Jun-Ho fainted without even being able to scream, the Thunder God put him on his shoulder.

"If y're going to keep that look in ywe eyes, this level of skills won't be enough."

He had to be stronger than anyone else. Thunder God carefully laid him down in the room very carefully, as if dealing with a treasure.

***

"...!"

The 2nd floor Administrator Reiji was taking a long nap as usual when she jumped up.

"Oh, ooohhh!"

At this moment, the first human to unlock a second power had appeared.

"Seo Jun-Ho."

She had her own expectations, but she had no idea he would be this good. If he continued to do well like he was doing right now, it could truly be possible for her to retire within the century.

"Wait, I shouldn't be doing this right now... Should I open the Administrator's Shop again? I'd like to give him an award because he had done something commendable."

The moment Reiji rubbed her palm and got busy preparing something, she felt a familiar aura behind her.

"Long time no see, Miss Reiji."

The voice sounded clean and gentlemanly. When she turned around, she saw a man with half-shut eyes in a gray frock coat.

"...What is it, Drabby? What are you doing here?"[1]

"To celebrate the birth of new possibilities. It's said that joy is doubled when shared."

"You're exaggerating. Don't you think it's too early to toast?"

Reiji smirked, but she didn't turn down the glass of wine that Gray handed over to her.

"Normally, one is the happiest in a lottery before scratching off the ticket."

"Well, since I have a lottery ticket in my hand, I hope it's a winner."

There was a reason why the two Administrators were so excited.

"By the way, two powers in a human body... This really is a topic for the universe."

"He was talented in the first place, but absorbing the nucleus of the Frost Queen had also been a big factor. He even inherited her potential."

"There would be nothing more to wish for if he just grows up like this."

"If... he can continue to grow like this."

While having a useless conversation, the two Administrators clinked glasses.

The confirmation of new possibilities was enough for them today.

***

"Ow, my head..."

Seo Jun-Ho had gotten used to the feeling of waking up from fainting instead of waking up from sleep. The fatigue felt like a hangover, and it was giving him a headache.

"What happened?"

"Ruuumble!"

The Frost Queen raised her hands and mimicked the sound of thunder. "Dozens of thunderbolts covering the sky fell on you."

"...What was the record?"

"From what I saw, it was about seventy-nine meters."

"That's too bad. But I managed to get far."

It was a huge improvement considering that he had never even crossed ten meters before.

"Ah." Seo Jun-Ho belatedly recalled why he was able to achieve such a result. "Power!"

He had acquired a power. Looking at the Frost Queen, he asked, "What power was it?"

"Why are you asking me?" The Frost Queen looked up at Seo Jun-Ho with a sulky look.

"You must have seen it the best from your position."

"Hmm, to be honest, I am also confused."

"The lightning definitely stopped, right? I ran after seeing that."

"At first, I thought it had stopped, but then after, it fell once again, but slowly."

"And?"

A power wasn't as clear and straightforward as a Player's skill. As such, it wouldn't be displayed in the status window. However, Seo Jun-Ho wasn't impatient.

"Well... I expected to be a little lost. It took me a while to fully understand the power to disregard even after I had obtained it."

"Hmm, if you practice, you will eventually know exactly what power it is."

"Okay, then today's goal is eighty meters."

After washing himself at the well, Seo Jun-Ho turned his head.

Baek Geon-Woo was walking toward him and greeted him weakly, "Good morning."

"Yes, Mr. Baek Geon-Woo. Good morning to you as well...?" Seo Jun-Ho saw the exhaustion on Baek Geon-Woo's face and tilted his head. "Don't you think you should get some more sleep? You look very tired."

"Ah, my training schedule has been so tight lately."

"Training..." Seo Jun-Ho asked, "Isn't it hard? That old man looks very laid back, but he is quite spartan-like."

"It is endurable."

"..."

It wasn't, 'it's doable,' but 'endurable.'

Seo Jun-Ho thought for a while, then seriously advised, "If you're having a hard time, you should tell him honestly. I don't think he is the type of person who won't understand."

"I can't do that." Baek Geon-Woo muttered as if he didn't care if he could be heard. Afterward, he washed his face and got up. "Thank you for your advice. If I don't think I can handle it, I'll make sure to tell him."

"Ah, please."

Less than a minute after Baek Geon-Woo left, Thunder God came.

"Thunder God-nim, I think I can pass the test today..."

"Take this."

The Thunder God casually threw him a small wooden ball. It was a ball the size of a ping pong ball that kids nowadays wouldn't even play with.

"Just practice with that."

"Practice...?"

"Power." The Thunder God stuck out a finger. "Practice yer power for the next ten days. There's no test before that."

"Yes?! Why all of a sudden...?"

"I can't be yer opponent forever."

This was only natural as he also wanted to pay attention to his disciple Baek Geon-Woo.

"But for ten days..."

"If ya don't satisfy meh on the test in ten days, then it's a month's practice."

The Thunder God simply left after saying what he had to say.

"Practice..."

Looking at the wooden ball, Seo Jun-Ho nodded slowly. Originally, he was going to practice through real battle, but now that it was like this, he would have to build it up step by step from the basics.

"Building from the basics is also good."

Seo Jun-Ho quickly ended his bath and hurried back to his room.

***

"Now, let's get started."

The training method itself wasn't that difficult.

"Contractor, can I really throw it?"

"Throw it! Throw it!"

A man and a Spirit sat with their backs on the opposite walls of the small room. The wooden ball from the Thunder God was in the Frost Queen's hand.

"...What are you going to do if you get hit in the face?"

"It's all right; I'm not going to die. I won't say anything, so please just throw it."

"Hmm, well, then." The Frost Queen raised her arm and said, "Be prepared!"

"Come!"

Whoosh.

The wooden ball flew precisely toward Seo Jun-Ho's nose. Seo Jun-Ho focused on the ball until he mustered his magic and gave it his all.

Thud

The moment he thought the flying wooden ball had stopped in the air—

Smack!

"Argh!"

"A-are you alright? It is not my fault."

The suspension was lifted in an instant, and Seo Jun-Ho had to rub his sore nose.

"Why did it get undone so fast?"

"Did your concentration go down?"

"...Did it?"

Even though it was only for a moment, it was a ridiculous power that had even stopped five bolts of lighting from the Thunder God himself. The Frost Queen even said that the lightning had slowed down to the extent that it had become visible to the naked eye.

"But I can't even stop a single wooden ball.'

Seo Jun-Ho thought the Thunder God wouldn't give him homework for no reason. Without knowing even the power's effect, he wouldn't be able to use it freely in a real battle.

"Ten days... That's just right."

It was time to focus on training. Seo Jun-Ho did not intend to waste the precious time the Thunder God gave him.

1. Drabby for Gray being drab. ☜