Murmur, murmur.
The Korea Player Association’s large hall opened for the first time in four months. Only those who had completed strict identification were allowed to enter the conference hall.
“Ugh,?I didn’t do anything wrong, but I’m shaking.”
“The security today is especially tight today. I wonder why?”
Reporters sitting in their assigned seats talked to each other.
“By the way, what’s the big announcement? Do you know any sources?”
“I don’t know either, I didn’t even have time to wash up before I had to come here. Can’t you see my messy hair?”
“Same here… I’m glad the company paid for the teleport. I almost missed the scoop.”
“Specter’s articles always sell out. If they can’t afford that much money, they should give up being the press.”
Specter had remained silent for four months, but now, he was having a second press conference. There was only one thing that had changed.
“…Am I the only one who can feel it? I don’t see any small fries today.”
“I was thinking the same. It seems like only those from high-ranking places came.”
“Look at their faces. Only the top 3 media companies or guild officials from each country are attending.”
It hadn’t been like this at Specter’s first press conference. Even the useless and brand new media companies attended in large numbers. But today was different. Only guilds and media organizations with so-called history and heritage were eligible to attend. In other words, it meant that the weight of this conference was greater than the previous one.
“I don’t know what kind of article they’re trying to create for them to use so much of their influence like this…”
“They didn’t even separate us by rank like this when they announced his revival.”
“Hmm,?did the four Heroes come back?”
“Haha, say something that makes sense.”
“We’ll know the topic soon, and let’s hope for a good quote today.”
“I’m back. That was the 103rd quote by Specter, right?”
“Whew…?The pay I got for writing that article was pretty good.”
While there was a little bit of chattering here and there…
Boom!
The light in the reporters’ eyes suddenly changed as the entrance to the hall was closed. They immediately adjusted their cameras’ aperture and waited for Specter’s appearance.
***
“Then I’ll go first,” Seo Jun-Ho said, putting on Specter’s mask.
Shim Deok-Gu and Skaya, who were waiting together, nodded.
“Do a good job,” said Shim Deok-Gu.
“It’s been 26 years since I came back, so brighten up the atmosphere. Got it?” said Skaya.
“Take care of yourself,” said the Frost Queen.
“Why’re you all nagging?”
When Seo Jun-Ho left the waiting room with a smirk, the Frost Queen waved her hand. With earphones in her ears, she quietly began to watch a drama. Being the only two left, there was an awkward air between Shim Deok-Gu and Skaya.
“I look pretty healthy today, right?”
Skaya looked in the mirror and asked. She had a lively makeup on to hide her gauntness. On top of that, she wore a large robe and hat to hide her body’s figure as much as possible. Thanks to this, it only seemed like her face was just a bit skinnier when compared to 26 years ago.
“Yeah. You don’t look thin.”
“That’s a relief.”
Silence again.
Skaya asked, glancing at Shim Deok-Gu through the mirror. “Don’t you have something else you want to say to me?”
“…Hmm,?the whole world will be happy to know you’re back.”
“What about you?”
Despite the sudden question, Shim Deok-Gu nodded skillfully.
“Of course, I’m happy. An old friend is back.”
“…I see. I’m asking since you don’t look so happy.”
After saying these thorny words, Skaya got up when she heard Specter’s words flowing from the speaker.
“It’s about time for the main character to appear. I should get going.”
“… Good luck. Don’t make trouble.”
“Am I a kid? And I’ve told you this before, but my IQ is higher than yours. I’ll be back.”
After Skaya left the waiting room, Shim Deok-Gu stared at the place she had been for a while before drooping in his chair.
He gave a faint sigh and slapped?his cheeks.
“Whew…?Let’s get it together, Deok-Gu.”
It was like this before, but now it was a relationship that was even more impossible to happen. What was the age difference? There was a saying that the first love was a lasting memory, but was something that could never succeed.
“I’m this old but I’m still getting sentimental… It’s ridiculous, really.”
Smiling bitterly, he noticed someone’s gaze and looked up. Before he knew it, the Frost Queen, who had taken out the earphones from her ears, was looking at him with sparkling eyes.
“…Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?”
“Well~, it’s nothing, so don’t worry about it.”
Shrugging her shoulders, she put the earphones back in her ears and muttered quietly, “It’s fun. Real life drama.”
***
Once again, Specter’s steps were imposing. A kingly walk that left the viewers in awe. Smoothly arriving at his seat, he picked up the microphone and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
“Thank you for attending despite the sudden conference.”
He continued, picking up the report Shim Deok-Gu had prepared in advance, “Since my first press conference, it has been four months. It has been a long time for some and a short time for others.”
It was a very long time for Seo Jun-Ho. He attacked the Winter Castle, entered the Frontier, went hunting, and went through the kobold hunting competition. Even yesterday, he was reunited with an old friend.
“Three cases.”
Tak
Specter put down the report and said,
“That’s the number of attacks the fiends have caused on Earth in the last four months.”
“… Just three cases? I heard that it decreased, but it was?to this extent?”
“Haven’t you heard? Since Specter’s press conference, the fiends’ activities have died down.”
“Ugh…?this is Specter’s effect. He’s like a skill that prevents terrorism just by existing.”
Everyone at the press conference nodded. It was not simply coincidental, because the number of crimes had plummeted since Specter’s appearance.
‘The events in Rome were the most shocking of them all.’
‘Since it was astonishing to us as third parties…’
‘The fiends had probably really wet their pants that time.’
No one would be afraid of the threat of a toothless tiger. But if the tiger’s teeth and claws turned out to be strong, everyone would make themselves scarce since there weren’t many people in the world who wanted to die early.
The Paradise incident in Rome—Specter had demonstrated his ability again by wiping out dozens of Fiends in the orphanage in the Vatican. Since then, the fiends’ crime rates had plummeted, so it was right to attribute that it was due to Specter.
“But the data is like this…”
Specter turned to the next page of the report. He read through the words clearly, “…Crime rates on Earth have plummeted. But at the same time, crime rates in the Frontier rose by 37 percent.”
“Well, the trend seems to be that way.”
“Since Specter’s on the 1st floor, all the guys who can work on the 2nd floor must have gone up.”
“John Carter, a social researcher said that unless Specter has two bodies, this problem will remain.”
People shook their heads and sighed in frustration. In the past, they didn’t have to worry because of the existence of the 5 Heroes on Earth. Back then, the fiends did not have a refuge?but it was different now. Why? Wasn’t there a great refuge called the Frontier on the 2nd floor? .
“For four months… I thought about it, and thought some more about it,” Specter slowly uttered in a serious voice.
“How nice would it be if I had two bodies… I had this thought many times a day.”
“…”
The press conference was silent. Only the sound of Specter breathing came out through the speakers.
Soon after, an official of the Silver Constellation Guild, one of the Big 6, raised his hand and asked carefully, “Our guild is absolutely supportive of Specter-nim’s heroic deeds. Did you find an answer to the problem?”
“I did.”
Everyone was surprised when Specter cut him off. Many politicians, guilds, association officials, and social authorities had said that there would be no solution. But he found the answer to the problem?
Everyone blinked hard and swallowed their saliva.
Since the past, the weight of every word uttered by Specter was heavier than a thousand gold pieces, and he had always been a man of his word.
“If I can’t split my body in two, I just need to find someone who has a similar level of ability as me,” said Specter.
“Oh…”
“Hmm…?It’s a little vague.”
There was a look of disappointment on people’s faces. Who didn’t know that? They knew that this was a possible solution but it was exactly because there was no one as capable as Specter that this situation occurred.
‘Even considering the strongest Players in existence known as the Nine Heavens, the ratio between fiends to Players is delicate.’
‘Only the Nine Heavens can stop each other, so they should be excluded from the potential forces in the first place.’
‘Then we need to find another Player who is comparable to Specter in reputation and power….’
‘Unfortunately, there isn’t anyone else like that. There are many players over level 100, but in fact, over 25 years, we discovered that having just a high level is not the only measure of absolute strength.’
Then, what kind of person did he find that he was so confident? He calmly accepted the look of distrust and disappointment toward him and knocked.
Knock knock.
He?knocked on the table a couple of times.
“I’m not the type to drag it out.”
Specter turned his head. Everyone’s gaze followed his?to the entrance to the hallway that connected to the waiting room.
Squeak, tak, tak, tak!
Through the open door came running a woman in a magician’s robe. A woman with distinct light blue eyes and light blue hair flying in the wind. That moment, everyone in the conference room looked at her like they were possessed.
“Let me introduce you, my comrade and archmage…”
“Don’t steal my line. Ta-da!?It’s me! It’s me! Skaya Killiland!”
A hero of the past was back.
***
[Breaking news! ‘Skaya Killiland,’ Archmage of the 5 Heroes. Surprise revival after 26 years]
[Was Specter just a sign of the 5 Heroes’ revival? The pleasant shock that the interview left us.]
[When asked how she came back, the Archmage replied, “Heroes never die.”]
[On Earth, there’s Specter, and in the Frontier lives the Archmage. A fire at the feet of the Fiends.]
[Who’s the next hero you want to wake up? Worldwide vote for fun.]
…
In just two hours, the articles literally came ‘pouring’ out. In addition, as it was a special report from media and guilds trusted by the public, its ripple effect was enormous.
Skaya was considered the most friendly out of the 5 Heroes. Posts celebrating her revival filled social media and street banners.
The British royal family quickly published an article saying they would return all of her property and belongings that they had stored, and their actions even received public support.
But no matter what anyone said, the first people to rise from their seats were the Big?6 Guilds.
“Specter wasn’t the end? Are all 5 Heroes coming back?”
“… They are only five, but it is possible for them to shake up the current situation.”
“We must never turn the 5 Heroes into enemies. At the least, a friendly relationship needs to be established.”
“Tell the marketing team and the guild’s strategy office. Figure out how to get close to the 5 Heroes.”
“… Wait, now that I think of it…”
At that point, it naturally occurred to them. About the “contract” they had with Specter.
“… This is it.”
“I originally thought about cooperating just once and taking care of our image.”
“But if all 5 Heroes came back, that’s a different story.”
“It won’t be just taking care of our image, but we really might be able to pull out the roots of the fiends.”
If the fiends’ roots were pulled out, it could go down in history. In addition, the power of the guild’s brand itself could be grown to a level comparable to the 5 Heroes.
“… I’m looking forward to it.”
“The Hero being sent to the Frontier is Skaya Killiland? I wonder what kind of things she’ll show.”
“First, we will make progress in our relationship with her. She seems to have a better personality than Specter.… She’s a lady of 26 years at most, so it should be easy to appease her.”
While each of the Big 6 were dreaming about their future plans…
“It’s kind of weird to say that it’s a 1st floor mission in this situation. What if we happen to meet Specter?”
“Don’t even mention that bastard’s name. He rubbed me the wrong way since a?long time ago.”
The Fiend Association quickly sent two fiends down to the 1st floor.