Return of the Frozen Player

“Land of God… huh?” Seo Jun-Ho dismissed Paradox’s remark with a single word. “Bullshit.”

“Hmm? As expected, you do not trust others that easily,” Paradox shrugged.

“If you’re omnipotent, then why are you weaker than Tepes?”

Paradox smiled slightly and said, “In other words, you are doubting my power.”

“I’m not doubting your power because you’re truly weaker than Tepes.”

Seo Jun-Ho was sure that there was some kind of trick inside this Unique Realm.

‘Of course… I don’t have a single clue right now.’

He had no idea when he got dragged into this Unique Realm, how long it would last, and the Unique Realm’s effects.

There was only one thing Seo Jun-Ho knew about a Unique Realm—everything in the Unique Realm favored its owner.

“What should I do if I ever get trapped in a Unique Realm?”

Seo Jun-Ho could still remember asking Mio what he should do if he were to get trapped in a Unique Realm. At the time, Mio answered without hesitation.

“Survive. You must survive.”

The Unique Realm was a bloody battlefield that existed to exterminate the opponent of the Unique Realm’s owner. The trapped party should prioritize their survival in the Unique Realm above anything else.

‘I must survive. That’s the first thing I should do.’

Seo Jun-Ho’s body temperature quickly rose as he activated Overclocking.

“...Well, I understand. It must be hard to acknowledge that an omnipotent being is standing right in front of you.” Paradox nodded. He retrieved a handkerchief from his chest pocket and hurled it into the air.

“...!”

The handkerchief quickly grew massive, and it started filling up the entire train as it rushed toward Seo Jun-Ho.

‘Tear it apart.’

Seo Jun-Ho inwardly commanded, and the four blades of the Freedom Blade spun like a top.

Rip!

As the giant handkerchief was torn into pieces, Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes darted around.

‘...I don’t see him.’

Paradox disappeared as if he had never been here.

Seo Jun-Ho uttered, “Dignity of an Emperor.”

Dignity of an Emperor (S) was a ridiculously powerful ability that allowed him to use a transcendent’s senses for a short period of time. Seo Jun-Ho’s pupils quivered as he looked around.

“What? This doesn’t make any sense…”

He couldn’t fully use the transcendent’s energy, but it was still a transcendent energy.

Despite that, he couldn’t find Paradox.

‘This means that Paradox is also transcendent.’

However, that was absolute nonsense. There was no way that Paradox was a transcendent being when he wasn’t even the Floor Master of the 6th Floor.

‘...’

At last, Seo Jun-Ho finally had an idea of what Paradox meant when he said that he was an omnipotent god of this Unique Realm.

Rattle. Rattle.

The cold breeze brushed past him through the broken windows.

Seo Jun-Ho heard a voice that sounded as cold as the cold breeze outside.

“A Unique Realm, huh? It’s an interesting ability.”

‘Frost?’

Seo Jun-Ho’s expression sank.

‘...Is she real?’

There was a high chance that she was a fake Frost Queen that Paradox had created.

‘How do I check if she’s real? Should I ask her a question that only she could answer?’

Unfortunately, doing something like that was dangerous. When he recalled that dream earlier, there was a chance that Paradox had access to his memories.

‘In that case, there is only one way to check.’

Seo Jun-Ho revealed a determined look as he uttered, “Recall.”

Seo Jun-Ho decided to send the Frost Queen back to the Spirit World.

However, an unexpected message popped up before his eyes.

[A Spirit cannot be recalled from this space.]

“...”

The message made another question pop up in Seo Jun-Ho’s mind.

‘Are all Unique Realms like this? Wait, what if this message is a fake message that Paradox had created to fool me?’

More and more questions started to fill Seo Jun-Ho’s mind.

“Wait, are you doubting me right now?” the Frost Queen asked with a stupefied look. “Is it because you cannot trust me that you’re staring at me with such a distant look?”

“...Yes.” Seo Jun-Ho answered without trying to hide. He wasn’t really sure if the Frost Queen standing in front of him was real.

The Unique Realm instantly destroyed the bond he had made with the Frost Queen throughout the years. To make matters worse, the door to the second compartment burst open.

“I’m sorry. I’m a little late.” Skaya apologized as soon as she arrived. “It took me a while to sort out the vampires hiding here and there among the citizens. Anyway, what happened to the Chef?”

“...”

Seo Jun-Ho hesitated to answer. However, he soon shared what was going on, hoping that Skaya might be able to shed some light and perhaps even clear his doubts.

“Hm.” Skaya nodded with a frown. “So that’s why you were so wary when I came in.”

“Yes. I’m sorry, but I can’t trust you or the Frost Queen at the moment.”

“I understand.” Skaya nodded and sighed.

“This is a difficult conundrum. Even if I say something to prove my identity…” the Frost Queen trailed off.

“Yes, I still can’t rule out the possibility that Paradox has access to my mind and memories right now.”

“Right.” Skaya fell into deep contemplation and said, “Anyway, there are two possibilities.”

“Tell me,” replied Seo Jun-Ho.

“The first possibility is that all three of us are real, and we got trapped in this Unique Realm at the same time.”

In that case, there would be no issue.

They just had to kill Paradox, and the Unique Realm would disappear.

“But the main issue is in the second possibility—what if some of us are fake?”

Skaya’s eyes slowly turned to the Frost Queen and Seo Jun-Ho.

“You guys. Have you guys doubted yourselves?”

“What?”

“Have you ever thought about whether you’re real or not? I’ve actually been thinking about this…”

Skaya’s question was so absurd that Seo Jun-Ho had to think about it for a while.

Crash!

The moment he was about to say something, dozens of spears flew toward them and split them into two parties.

“Wow, you guys are smart.”

Paradox spread his large wings outside. He was flying at the same speed as the running train, and he boisterously laughed before saying, “What she said sounds quite logical. Why don’t you suspect yourself? Who knows? You might be a fake.”

“I don’t know. I feel like it’s faster and easier to just kill you.”

The Freedom Blades’ four blades flew and severed Paradox’s wings, causing the latter to plummet to the ground.

“Um… Are you daft? At this point, you should know that it is impossible for you to kill me.” Paradox flew back up with his large wings, and he descended toward Seo Jun-Ho.

He reached out with his hand and said, “I expect more from you. You better bring me… bring me more joy…!”

“...!”

Bang!

There was a loud roar, and Seo Jun-Ho suddenly felt weightless.

‘Damn it!’

The train had derailed and was now falling off the rugged mountain range.

Seo Jun-Ho’s vision continuously shook. He curled into a ball as he flew and slammed against the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Skaya immediately cast a spell.

【Reverse Gravity】

Screech!

The falling train stopped in mid-air. Skaya quickly cast more spells.

【Levitate】

【Accelerate】

Seo Jun-Ho, the Frost Queen, and Skaya bounced out of the broken window. When they were finally out of the train, the train continued falling, and a huge explosion occurred when it finally fell to the ground.

Boom!

“Haaa… Haaa…”

Seo Jun-Ho revealed a complicated look.

‘If she were fake, then why did she save us?’

Seo Jun-Ho would have gotten caught in the explosion just now if it hadn’t been for Skaya. He would have avoided death with his superhuman physique and regenerative ability, but severe injuries wouldn’t have been avoided.

‘Perhaps this is also part of Paradox’s plan so that I would trust her…’’

Seo Jun-Ho’s head started to ache. He kneaded his forehead and said, “Thank you.”

“...Of course I would save you, silly,” Skaya answered while pouting.

“Watch out!” the Frost Queen suddenly shouted.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Hundreds of bloodied spears poured like rain toward them…

【Barrier】

A huge wall of magic appeared over their heads and blocked the spears.

“Wow…” Paradox exclaimed. He looked like he hadn’t expected that they were capable of blocking those bloodied spears. He fluttered his wings and flew toward the three at the speed of lightning.

Paradox had said that he was omnipotent, but Seo Jun-Ho had already killed him three times in his own Unique Realm.

‘He’s not that—’ Seo Jun-Ho was forced to halt his train of thought as Paradox shattered the four blades of the Freedom Blade.

“Come on. Did you really think that I’ll let you mess with me?”

A sharp dagger was lodged in Seo Jun-Ho’s eye.

“...!”

However, Seo Jun-Ho didn’t even scream. He retrieved White Dragon from his Inventory and stabbed Paradox.

“Huh? Can you not feel pain?”

Crack!

There was a horrible noise as Paradox bent Seo Jun-Ho’s arm broke.

Paradox snatched White Dragon and stabbed Seo Jun-Ho’s stomach with it.

“Cough! Cough!”

Seo Jun-Ho collapsed and held onto the steel tracks while vomiting blood and pieces of his organs.

Crackle!

The Frost Queen froze Paradox’s legs, immobilizing him.

“Keep him steady!” shouted Skaya as a tremendous amount of magic gathered in her right hand. A kaleidoscope of purple lights manifested in the surroundings as a frightening amalgamation of chaotic energy was aimed at Paradox.

“Wait, that’s a bit—”

【Destruction Ray】

Flash!

There was a flash and a deafening explosion.

“...!”

The destructive power of Skaya’s Destruction Ray just now couldn’t even be compared to the 128 layers of Magic Missile she had cast on the 5th Floor.

‘T-that was crazy…’

The ray of light born from the amalgamation of chaotic energy annihilated everything in its way. Paradox was obliterated without managing to put up a resistance, and three mountains directly behind Paradox were wiped off the map as well.

“Does the Magic Tower really teach such horrifying magic?”

“It’s called Chaos Magic. I’m still not used to it, and I can only use it a few times before running out of magic."

“Cough! That’s weird. I’m pretty sure the Tower Master wasn’t using that kind of magic when we were fighting Nazad Hallow.”

“Well, that’s not weird. The old man is just a talent, nothing more.”

Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t help but think that Skaya was the only one who would think that the Tower Master of the Magic Tower was just a talent. After all, the Tower Master was an Archmage as well, in addition to his status.

“Cough! Keugh!”

The Frost Queen and Skaya ran over to Seo Jun-Ho, who was still coughing up blood.

“Contractor! Breathe! Inhale and exhale!”

“If Si-Eun were here…!”

Skaya couldn’t cure such a deep wound.

All she could do was perform first-aid on Seo Jun-Ho.

“It’s okay. I won’t die…”

Seo Jun-Ho was convinced that his wounds would eventually heal as long as Cell Regeneration was active. After inhaling and exhaling according to what the Frost Queen had said, Seo Jun-Ho’s expression suddenly turned ugly.

“Damn it. Is he not tired of coming back to life?”

Skaya’s attack had definitely obliterated Paradox just now, but he was slowly coming back to life as if a tape was being rewound.

Upon coming back to life, Paradox stared at his own body with a strange look and exclaimed, “Wow, that was such a novel experience. Annihilation… it was my first time experiencing it.”

His gaze landed on Skaya. He stared at her with a look of interest.

“You’re just as interesting as Seo Jun-Ho.”

Of course, she was also as dangerous as Seo Jun-Ho.

“Skaya!”

Crackle!

The Frost Queen built several layers of thick ice walls upon noticing something strange.

“It’s no use,” Paradox said with a smile.

A bloodied spear pierced the Frost Queen’s ice walls as if they were pieces of paper and penetrated Skaya’s thigh.

“...!” Skaya’s distorted in pain.

However, Paradox wasn’t done just yet.

“Damn it!”

Seo Jun-Ho squeezed his magic out while vomiting blood.

‘Moon Eye!’

Flower petals manifested in the surroundings. The petals wrapped around Paradox, but the petals weren’t there to kill him. The flower petals were there to protect Skaya by momentarily stopping Paradox.

“I was amazed when I first saw that flower, but a flower is nothing but a flower,” Paradox muttered, seemingly annoyed. “I’m sick of it now.”

“...!” Seo Jun-Ho was astonished.

He had never seen anyone who could blatantly ignore Moon Eye.

Paradox grabbed Skaya’s neck.

“Keuk! Kagh!”

Paradox started squeezing Skaya’s slender neck.

Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes widened, and his pupils quivered at the sight.

‘...Is Skaya going to die?’

Seo Jun-Ho could smell the familiar smell of death from Skaya struggling in the air. Then what Reiji told him suddenly came to his mind.

Seo Jun-Ho could both feel and smell it—Skaya was dying.

All of a sudden, he remembered what Reiji had told him.

- Well, I highly doubt that someone out there can beat you. Anyway, you’re going to clear the 6th Floor, right?

- Let me correct myself. Someone on the 6th Floor is capable of beating you up…

He thought that Reiji was referring to Tepes because Tepes was not only the strongest but was the king of vampires as well.

‘However, if Reiji knew about this bastard’s Unique Realm and the fact that he’s a god in his Unique Realm, she must have been referring to this bastard...’

“Let her go! Let her go…!” the Frost Queen shouted.

“The result is the same. I’m a real god in this Unique Realm, you know. I wasn’t lying when I said that.”

“Let go! Let go of her!” The Frost Queen used many different attacks. Dozens of ice spears penetrated Paradox, but he simply laughed as if he didn’t care about the spears stuck in his body.

“I told you. It’s no use.”

“C-contractor! Watchguard of Darkness! Use the power to scorn—”

However, the Frost Queen couldn’t finish her words.

It was all because Seo Jun-Ho was laughing as if he had gone crazy.

“Hahahahaha…!”

Once again, he could feel the deep sense of disharmony he felt on the train earlier.

This situation itself was unnatural, but that wasn’t because of how Paradox defeated both Skaya and him, even though they were both powerful Players.

Of course, it also wasn’t because he thought that Paradox was lying.

“I’m fine.”

Seo Jun-Ho was calm, even though his beloved friend was dying before his eyes.

He was fine.

His head was telling him that he was sad, but his heart remained unmoving.

It was such a heart-wrenching sight, but his heart didn’t even tremble.

All of a sudden, Seo Jun-Ho suddenly recalled Skaya’s words.

- You guys. Have you guys doubted yourselves?

- Have you ever thought about whether you’re real or not? I’ve actually been thinking about this…

‘So that was she was talking about. It’s me all along. I’m fake.’

Upon realizing that, Seo Jun-Ho said, “Me…”

“What? What did you say?”

“Kill me! Now!” Seo Jun-Ho shouted at the confused Frost Queen.

Paradox’s expression stiffened as if he heard something absurd.

The Frost Queen tightly bit her lips and punched Seo Jun-Ho.

Crackle!

When the Frost Queen’s tears fell to the ground, Seo Jun-Ho’s brain and heart froze over.

‘It was a paradox...’

A paradox was the key to exiting this Unique Realm.

‘A ridiculous paradox is the key to escaping this Unique Realm. I have to take my own life to survive—It’s a paradox.’

Seo Jun-Ho accepted his death with a smile. His vision was becoming hazier by the second because death was about to take him away, but Seo Jun-Ho still managed to witness the collapse of the world around him.