Chapter 544: Never More (1)

Once the interrogation—no, the conversation—was over, Helic sounded uncertain as she muttered, "...So it has already eroded this far. Things have derailed more than I expected."

"D-Derailed? Did I do something wrong? Is that it?" said the Frost Queen, looking frightened. She confessed inadvertently. "Of course, I did eat one or two slices of cake in secret at dawn... But can fate really become twisted due to that?"

"No, of course not. That makes no difference at all. When I say things have derailed, I am referring to the current situation."

"The current situation?"

Helic nodded. "I think it will be easier to understand if I just showed you."

Helic placed a few pebbles on her desk and picked up one of them. "Here. Think of this dull, ugly rock as Seo Jun-Ho. "

"...Contractor is not that ugly. Could you please replace it with that pretty stone over there?"

"No," Helic said indifferently. She picked up the pretty rock. "This one is a transcendent."

"A transcendent? Then, what does the ugly rock represent?"

"It represents all beings who are beneath a transcendent, including Seo Jun-Ho."

Woosh!

The pebbles on the table flew into a glass box before floating in mid-air.

"Now, let's say that Seo Jun-Ho regressed."

When Helic's words fell, the glass box duplicated itself.

Now, there were two identical boxes.

"You are referring to the concept of parallel worlds, similar to what I heard from Skaya, but..." the Frost Queen noticed something and blinked. "Helic. The entirety of the box was duplicated, so why is the transcendent stone not there?"

The two glass boxes had the exact same pebbles within them.

However, the pretty, shiny stone didn't duplicate.

"You are as observant as always," Helic said gently. "Transcendents are those who are superior to everything else. Even if a new timeline and dimension are created, there can only be one of a Transcendent across all worlds."

"..." The Frost Queen's head started to hurt. She had to check if her understanding was correct. "So, even if I go back in time and eat two slices of cake, there will only be one strawberry."

"That's a peculiar analogy... But yes, that's the gist of it."

"Huh? Wait just a second. So when Contractor or I regressed... the transcendents knew about it, correct?" Because no matter how many times time was turned back, it had no effect on them.

Helic nodded. "Exactly that. A transcendent will notice it."

"Then, you, the big tree, and everyone else are just acting?" They gave no indication that they knew about the Frost Queen's regression, which meant that they were feigning ignorance.

"...I wish that were true. The problem is that it's not." Helic let out a small sigh. "Frost Queen, you're right. We should be aware of your regression, but..." Helic's mouth fluttered open as she tried to figure out how to explain it, but in the end, she merely sighed. "I cannot tell you the details at the moment. Because not even I know how it will affect the future."

Helic looked deep into Frost's eyes. "However, I can tell you one thing. The current situation was likely orchestrated by the Archduke."

"The Archduke..." The demons worshipped him like a god.

The Frost Queen gulped, and her voice trembled as she asked, "If someone so powerful planned this, does that mean that what Contractor and I had been doing and will do are meaningless? "

"I assure you, that's not true," Helic said firmly, "You have no idea—you have no idea how many people—"

—she gave hope...

Helic cut herself off. The discussion brought back old memories that stirred emotions inside of her. "Anyway, just do your best."

"You didn't need to tell me that," said the Frost Queen with a nod. "Anyway, do you have any good ideas?"

"Hm." Helic fell into thought. She knew why the Frost Queen regressed, and she also knew why Seo Jun-Ho decided to regress. "Ultimately, the Players' shared goal is to save that man named Kim Woo-Joong, correct?"

"Indeed."

"Now that I have heard the story, there is one thing I am sure of." She knew why Seo Jun-Ho failed. "That man is too ambitious, and it makes him continuously attempt to do things that are beyond him."

It was definitely one of his strengths, but it was a massive weakness in a situation like this.

"Do not speak ill of my contractor..."

"...Anyway, allow me to explain the strategy."

The Frost Queen's eyes grew wide as she listened to Helic's proposal.

"Hm. Mm." The Frost Queen thought for a long time, looking troubled. Finally, she spoke. "I apologize, but I believe this is not something that I can decide on my own."

"Then, we can just ask him directly."

Thud!

There was a dull thud as something fell next to them.

"Ow. What is this?" Seo Jun-Ho was suddenly summoned. He rubbed his tailbone as he stood. He swept his gaze across the Frost Queen and the unfamiliar woman. "...Frost, who is she?"

"She's the 7th Floor Administrator, Helic."

"An Administrator?"

"Stop looking at me with such suspicion. Just take a seat."

Helic made him take a seat and looked into his eyes. Then, she started speaking.

***

"..."

Seo Jun-Ho rubbed his aching temples. His head was hurting from trying to comprehend what the 7th Floor Administrator was saying.

"So, if I'm understanding correctly, I regressed three hundred and eighteen times and failed every time. Correct?"

Helic and the Frost Queen nodded in sync.

"And because I was in such bad shape, you decided to regress, Frost."

"Yes. You were an utter, complete mess," the Frost Queen grumbled while recalling the memory. "You were ten times—no, a hundred times worse than when you were on the 4th Floor."

"...I guess I really was that bad." He had a general grasp on the situation now.

He had regressed three hundred and eighteen times.

Just imagining it alone made him dizzy.

"First of all...Thank you," Seo Jun-Ho said.

He knew how difficult and arduous it was to repeat a timeline after going through countless regressions on the 4th Floor. However, the Frost Queen decisively went back just to save him.

"It must have been a difficult choice," he said.

"I know you very well. If you were in my position, you would have made the same choice, Contractor," she replied primly, avoiding his eyes a little. She was embarrassed.

"But you know, I'm surprised." Seo Jun-Ho rubbed his chin. "According to Frost, Woo-Joong will lose to the Heavenly Demon and become a fiend."[1]

'And that's not all. To think that other Players will be massacred, too.'

Just thinking about it made him dizzy.

However, he understood why he had recklessly chosen to regress.

"So, what do you think?" Helic said. Her cool voice brought over his attention.

Seo Jun-Ho lifted his head. "To be honest, I have a bit of... no, I have many problems with this."

"Do you not understand that you have failed three hundred and eighteen times with your methods?"

"I do. But while I understand it in my head..." His heart didn't follow. "I don't think I can just let Woo-Joong become a fiend..."

"I told you. He will become a fiend, not a demon. I can undo that." Helic's golden eyes glinted. "But of course, you will have to find the two other holy relics for me if you want me to do that."

"..." This mission would be heavy and grueling. "If we make even one small mistake, everything will topple over like dominos."

Kim Woo-Joong would become a fiend and attack the Players. On top of that, the Players would lose their lives to the Heavenly Demon and the army of Overminds.

He couldn't afford to make even a single mistake if he wanted to stop this dark future from happening.

"If you do not think that you can do it, then walk away. But in my opinion, this has the greatest chance of succeeding."

"..."

He knew. Seo Jun-Ho could feel the truth of her words with Keen Intuition.

'I also have to make sure Woo-Joong doesn't kill a single Player when he becomes a fiend.'

If he did, he would never forgive himself, even if everyone else would.

"...This is a heavy."

His shoulders felt especially heavy today, as if he were a sponge soaking up water.

Seo Jun-Ho let out a heavy sigh and eventually spoke, "There's no helping it. I'll do it."

He had no choice but to attempt the impossible.

***

Jun-Ho felt like he was living his life using a cheat code.

"You're the one who regressed, but somehow I feel like I regressed as well," he said to the Frost Queen.

"Well... Isn't it because I shared all the information I have with you?"

As planned, they rallied the Players at the place where the thunder slept.

They slayed General Ceylonso Bestard, headed north, and created the ice castle.

Seo Jun-Ho gulped.

'And today...'

It was the first day of the operation to attack Gulat.

He knew for a fact that he wouldn't sleep for at least ten days from now on.

'But it doesn't matter...'

He watched the Players prepare for battle. If he could save them, then his sleep didn't matter.

"Jun-Ho."

Seo Jun-Ho froze upon hearing the familiar voice. He turned around with a conflicted look.

"...Hey."

"You looked worried. Don't tell me the great Specter is nervous," Kim Woo-Joong said, looking concerned.[2]

Seo Jun-Ho took in his face and stopped himself just as the words were about to slip out.

'It's because of you, you bastard.'

His arm was still injured from the battle with Ceylonso. Why did this guy insist on joining the battle?

'...Dark brown.'

Like other Koreans, Kim Woo-Joong's eyes were dark brown.

And if Seo Jun-Ho made any mistake, he would never be able to see those eyes again.

"Yeah. I'm a little nervous, actually."

Honestly, he was very nervous.

***

Baaam!

Baek Geon-Woo appeared.

"Long time no see, Junior Brother."

"Haa. Haa. I've been waiting so long for you."

"...Huh?" Baek Geon-Woo stopped in his steps, looking a little nervous. He then realized and muttered, "Oh, if you can't recognize me because of my hair, I'm Baek Geon—"

"I know. You're Geon-Woo hyung."

"..."

How to put it? This wasn't what Baek Geon-Woo imagined for their reunion.

Baek Geon-Woo left behind the two generals he had quashed. He sounded bitter as he spoke, "East?"

"Yes, east." Seo Jun-Ho desperately clung to his consciousness. "Please take me eastward. Now."

Baek Geon-Woo had just met his junior brother after sixty years of parting, but instead of a touching reunion, Baek Geon-Woo became his junior brother's taxi.

1. He refers to Woo-Joong with an affectionate term. ☜

2. Can also be read as scared but with a weaker connotation. ☜