Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Letter
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《Letter》
01.
"Se, Selverion…."
Facing the God of Ruin 'Selverion,' who hovered in the air, gazing down at her half in disdain, Beast 'Kim Sena' suddenly recalled a memory from six months ago.
The vivid recollection of that day, when fresh white snow poured down relentlessly, flashed before the eyes of Sena, an executive of the Ace Guild, like a scene from a movie.
"…."
…For the Ace Guild, which focused mainly on PVE rather than PVP, capturing Selverion—the undefeated stage boss of December—was nothing short of a lifelong dream.
Because if they could just defeat that Frost of Ruin, that God of Ruin, they would become the first guild in the world to clear every stage boss at least once.
They would claim the title of the first and the best, truly establishing themselves as the world's greatest guild.
That was why, in that final December six months ago, countless Ace Guild members, led by Guild Master Sol-sol and executive Sena, had ventured into the December stage 'End of the World' to subjugate Selverion.
As they cleared the blizzard-ravaged dungeon and drew closer to the boss room, Sena's heart had pounded wildly. It was their eighth attempt, and her expectations for that raid had been sky-high.
They had mastered Selverion's skill patterns to a decent extent, and for once, every top ranker in the Ace Guild had gathered in one place.
Ace, which possessed more data on Selverion than anyone else, was deploying its elite forces, so Sena had believed without a doubt that this time, they would finally subjugate that God of Ruin.
But that was merely Sena's own wishful thinking. When she came to, the only things scattered around her were corpses with body parts blown apart.
…And atop a throne of ice sat a single girl, coldly looking down at her.
Then came the freezing effect that pierced through all of Sena's status resistance, the fixed damage from 'Ashen Snowstorm,' and finally, the red chains that shattered her skull.
With Sena, the last survivor of Ace, meeting her end like that, their eighth subjugation attempt against Selverion ended in just 10 minutes and 3 seconds.
They earned a record as the only single guild to last over 10 minutes against Selverion, but a record was just a record—they hadn't defeated her.
…Despite pouring massive amounts of gold, time, and intelligence into the Selverion raid, Ace had once again suffered a crushing failure and total wipeout.
— Damn it, you bitchhhh!! Selverioooon!!
— Sol….
…The mockery from those ridiculing Ace for kneeling to Selverion eight times, and Guild Master Sol-sol screaming in rage she couldn't contain.
— Why won't you die, why won't you die, why are you so strong, why us, why only us, why only us….
— …….
Watching Sol-sol vent extreme trauma and hatred toward Selverion—hatred so intense she needed psychiatric help—Sena realized one thing.
…Even if they challenged that God of Ruin a hundred times, all they would gain was defeat, death, and hatred.
"Ah…."
With the memory tape finishing its playback, Sena blankly looked around. Her gaze caught the two other Ace Guild members who had come with her to this rundown shantytown.
"Se, Selverion…?"
"No way…."
They were a heavily armored soldier and a bard, both over level 1000 and fairly skilled, but they seemed infinitesimally small before Selverion. Reduced to mere mice, they trembled uncontrollably.
"……."
Confirming her comrades' states, Sena turned her eyes back to Selverion in the air. As beautiful as ever, unchanged from their last encounter six months ago, she gazed down with cold eyes.
…From her crimson, plump lips flowed an endlessly chilling voice once more.
"Come on, try me…." Wielding red chains freely, she leisurely glared at the Ace Guild members who had invaded this neighborhood.
"Haha…."
A hollow laugh escaped Sena's lips. Realizing what she herself had said—'I'll chop you up and kill you,' 'you won't regret it'—her heart sank.
"……."
The cold intensified, numbing Sena's legs so she couldn't move as she wished.
Human fear is learned, and before her eyes, the memory from six months ago replayed relentlessly: her head exploding from Selverion's chains.
A monster among monsters that a full guild couldn't match even after eight attempts—how could she, even as a rare class Beast, face that off-spec boss alone?
"R, r, ru…."
In the end, the only choice, the only order she could give her comrades, was one.
……A full-speed retreat.
"Ruuun awaaaay!!"
Sena screamed at the top of her lungs.
02.
— Ruuun awaaaay!!
"Oh…."
Just two minutes ago, the wolf-eared woman had been spouting lines like 'for my comrades' revenge' and 'I'll tear you apart and kill you.' But the moment she saw my unmasked form, she bolted at full speed.
Taking her earth-shattering scream as the signal, the three Ace Guild members who had come for revenge turned tail and fled without looking back.
"Hmm…."
Admittedly, it was a far better choice than facing Selverion with just three people.
Selverion had a record of defeating 3,000 attackers at once—three would be like moths to a flame.
"…Fun."
I pitifully watched their retreating backs as they sprinted away. Then I extended my hand forward, preparing to activate a skill.
They might find it regrettable, but I was a rather rigid person. Words like 'kill me' or 'tear me apart' couldn't be taken back, and I had no intention of letting it slide.
They had to take responsibility for their complacency, arrogance, and foolish choice.
"…Ice Wall."
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Ice Wall Summons a massive ice barrier to block all attacks for a short time.
I activated 'Ice Wall,' one of Selverion's defensive skills. It summons a giant ice barrier that defends against all enemy attacks for a brief period.
…Normally, it's summoned in front to block incoming attacks, but Season Off Fantasy skills were versatile depending on the user.
So this time, I decided to use it differently.
"Huh? What's this, a w, wall?"
…As the Ace Guild members fled down the alley, massive ice walls rose up on three sides ahead of them. Faced with the barrier blocking their path—close enough to freeze everything—they all skidded to a halt in panic.
"What is this?! Break it quick!!"
"Hold on a sec…."
"Se, Selverion…."
The heavily armored soldier and bard struggled desperately against the ice wall I'd summoned. Meanwhile, the Beast woman glared at me with eyes mixed of fear and hatred.
"……."
I slowly approached them, now trapped with no escape. They grew more frantic as I closed in. Soon, the Beast woman shoved aside her comrades stomping in front of the ice wall and stepped forward herself.
"Move, I'll do it."
"Sena…!!"
"You sure…?"
"…."
Ignoring her worried comrades' stares, the one called Sena transformed into her werewolf form.
"Oh, neat."
The rare Beast class's alpha and omega: werewolf transformation. Werewolf-form Beasts boasted the highest attack power among all Sio-pan classes, alongside early-game pirates.
She seemed intent on smashing my ice wall with that raw power.
"Here goes, Shatter!"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Shatter The Ace Beast woman unleashed a hearty shout and a signature heavy, thick werewolf strike. Against a typical shield or passive barrier from tanks or other classes, it would have been impressively effective.
But this ice wall wasn't ordinary. It was Selverion's shield— an invincible barrier that blocked any attack for a short time.
It wouldn't break to such a pathetic technique.
Crack—
"Gah, gaaaaah!!"
Instead, the Beast's attacking hand shattered. With the sound of bones breaking, she clutched her fist and rolled on the ground.
Her arm was slightly frozen, suggesting a freeze effect too. Trying to smash that massive ice wall had backfired spectacularly.
…For those three to break my ice wall—which withstood thousands of fire spells—and escape was practically impossible.
"…."
With each step closer, ash-gray snowflakes—Selverion's signature—began swirling from the sky.
⚙ PASSIVE ACTIVATED ⚙ Ashen Snowstorm Inflicts continuous damage and freeze on contact. Selverion's iconic passive, 'Ashen Snowstorm': mere contact deals fixed damage and freeze.
"A, Ashen Snowstorm…?!!"
"My god…."
As high-level players with prior fights against Selverion, they recognized it immediately, staring up in horror at the falling flakes of ruin.
"Damn, 'Song of the Sun God'…!!"
Only their support bard stayed calm, playing her harp to activate a skill.
"Song of the Sun God…."
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Song of the Sun God Boosts allies' freeze resistance.
The bard's unique skill boosted allies' freeze resistance. Soon, beautiful singing enveloped the heavily armored soldier and Beast woman.
"…So freeze is the one thing they can't afford."
Activating it in haste meant minimizing Ashen Snowstorm's freeze at all costs.
With no escape and movement sealed, it would be game over, so a smart call.
…But Ashen Snowstorm wasn't just freeze. Its hallmark was continuous damage on contact.
"Argh, aaaaaagh!!"
"Aaaaaagh!!"
They mitigated the freeze but not the damage, writhing and screaming in agony.
"Ugh, 'Healing Song'…!!"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Healing Song Restores allies' HP.
The bard triggered an HP recovery skill. I raised an eyebrow at her timely skill usage.
"…Annoying."
Her constant heals and buffs felt like clinging to hope, irking me. Support roles were a pain as enemies.
"…."
"Hea, healing… Huh…?"
I swung Chains of Death and Frost—the basic attack—at the bard. Too fast to follow, it shattered her harp and her right hand.
"Wha? Wha? What?"
Her face paled staring at her missing hand. Realizing what happened, she unleashed a world-shaking scream.
"M, my haaaand!! Aaaaaagh!!"
The bard with striking brown hair clutched her spurting right hand and rolled on the ground.
"Ah, ah…."
Seeing her comrade disarmed in a blink, the Beast woman lost all will and collapsed.
Had she realized resistance was futile? Her werewolf form reverted to human.
…Three sides blocked by ice walls, and their potential escape variable—the bard—now teetered on death's edge.
All the heavily armored soldier and Beast could do was futile resistance.
"…Ice Blade."
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Ice Blade Fires dozens of razor-sharp ice blades.
I extended one hand, readying another skill. If 'Ice Wall' was Selverion's premier defense, 'Ice Blade' was her signature offense.
Dozens of blue magic circles unfolded behind me, from which about 50 icy blades emerged.
"Ah, aaa…."
The Beast woman's eyes reddened at the sight. Sensing true death in this reality beyond the game, she clasped her hands and begged.
"S, sorry…."
"…."
"I, I was so ignorant. Truly sorry…."
"…."
"Sorry, we'll leave now and never come back. Y, you did well killing Woojin and Jin-ho; it was short-sighted of me."
"…."
"S, so please, just spare our lives…."
Like a child begging punishment, the Beast woman clasped her hands pleadingly. I tilted my head watching her.
"…You know."
"……."
"Do you think an apology in this situation holds any sincerity…?"
How much truth was in words begged on the brink of death? To save her skin, she'd promise the moon.
Such deathbed promises were like politicians' empty election pledges.
Besides,
"…I clearly gave you a chance."
"Yes…?"
I had kindly asked if she wouldn't regret it. But she had kicked that chance away, so she bore responsibility for her choice.
"This is the price for your complacency."
"N, no, no, please, just think it over one more time…!!"
"…Live wisely in your next life."
"Ah, aaa…."
Yellow liquid seeped between her legs at my words. Snorting at the pathetic sight, I bid farewell.
"Had fun, werewolf."
"N, no, nooooo!!"
"…Ice Blade."
"No, no…!!"
Boom!!
Dozens of ice blades launched, engulfing the three Ace members. Blades with pulverizing force.
The impact's roar cut off the Beast woman's words as thick dust clouds filled the narrow alley.
"……."
When the smoke cleared, the Beast and bard were unrecognizably shredded, but astonishingly, the heavily armored soldier still stood on two shaky legs.
"Oh…."
I smirked with interest at the soldier surviving fifty-plus ice blades.
"Hurk, hurk, gasp…."
His plate armor was shattered, blood pouring from wounds everywhere, but he lived. Likely thanks to his passive 'Unyielding Will,' which tanks one killing blow.
"Gasp, gasp, cough…!! Argh…!!"
"……."
But soon, Ashen Snowstorm's fixed damage felled him. For enduring Selverion's assault via passive, a rather anticlimactic end.
…That's why players loathed Ashen Snowstorm—it shattered any relief or hope in an instant.
"Whew…."
Anyway, the three Ace members who marched here for revenge met their dead end in under three minutes.
Too quick for thrill, but as a boss monster, I learned supports were trickier than expected—a valuable lesson.
"Hm…?"
Then, amid the relatively intact armored soldier's corpse, a small red light blinked.
"…."
I approached quietly and carefully extracted the blinking 'something' from the body.
…It was the item 'Red Hand Mirror of Aegis.'
"Ha."
Seeing the mirror, I let out a scoff.
"Unbelievable."
…The S-rank item 'Red Hand Mirror of Aegis' had one effect: act as a live camera, transmitting the scene vividly elsewhere.
A super-mini live feed, basically.
"…Smart move, Ace."
Hidden in the tankiest member—who could survive even an instant kill—it had undoubtedly broadcast everything to Ace HQ.
They'd prepared it anticipating all three might die while confirming the killer of their plundering members—wise indeed.
"……."
Anyway, the mirror working meant Ace now knew of my existence—Selverion's presence finally revealed to the world.
"Ha."
Laughter bubbled up endlessly.
No eternal secrets; I figured Selverion's identity would leak eventually. But so soon, and via such a ridiculous 'candid cam'? Unimaginable.
"Pissing me off a bit…."
No one likes being secretly filmed. Especially by those who've been poking around.
"……."
Ace executives leisurely watching from safety while their underlings died.
The guild master who sent them for revenge yet just monitored via camera—I frowned at the audacity.
Everything recorded, identity outed, I stared into the mirror and sent a video letter.
"…I don't know if this is streaming to Ace HQ, SPR, or nationwide broadcast,"
Taking a breath, I spoke to the mirror in a voice colder than any before, rage simmering from deep within.
"…but I'm really fucking pissed right now."
Guild members committing murder and rape in a vulnerable neighborhood, and instead of punishing or apologizing, sending more for revenge.
…A guild meant to protect the capital, yet acting like kings—drenched in arrogance and hubris, morals tossed to dogs, clawing higher. I didn't hide my disgust.
"…Keep up the retarded bullshit like this."
"…This time, I'll come personally and kill you all."