Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Guild (1)
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《Guild》 - (1)
01.
The core guild of the government-player alliance 'SPR', responsible for defending the capital region: Ace. In their spacious office, a chilling voice echoed fiercely.
─── I'll kill you all.
A voice cold enough to freeze to the bone. With that lethal warning laced with faint anger, the large mirror installed in the office—the S-grade item 'Aegis's Red Hand Mirror'—shattered in two with a sharp crackling sound.
Everyone in the office lowered their heads as they watched the highly convenient mirror, which transmitted real-time footage and audio from distant locations, completely smash to pieces.
"Ha..."
"Hoo..."
All that could be heard from around the room were deep sighs and groans. Having confirmed who had issued the warning toward them from that far-off slum neighborhood just before the mirror broke, no one—not a single executive of the assembled Ace guild members—could bring themselves to smile.
"No way..."
"This can't be real..."
Voices denying reality lingered in the office. No one dared open their mouth rashly about the situation; they just exchanged cautious glances. They simply had no idea where to even begin, what words to use.
But that was only natural. The one who had issued the warning to Ace guild was an unimaginable existence: Frost of Ruin, God of Ruin 'Selverion'.
"Ha, haha..."
A stiff laugh escaped from Sol-sol, Ace's guild master, who had been watching the footage. Her mind was a complete mess in the face of this utterly unforeseen situation.
"Selverion..."
Even though her cherished guild members had met gruesome ends, she couldn't help but focus all her attention on the existence called 'Selverion' that had killed them.
It was a disaster no one had ever cleared, and of all places, it had appeared in Korea—in Seoul, no less.
The object of their hatred, the one that had brought Ace and Sol-sol to their knees eight times, had appeared right before their eyes.
"Ha."
The fact that their eternal goal, long-cherished wish, and simultaneous source of dread had appeared, slaughtered their guild members, and issued a lethal warning—it all made Sol-sol let out repeated bitter chuckles.
"S-Selverion? You're sure I didn't see that wrong...?"
"Ha, Sena..."
Ace's executives swallowed tears at the shock of Selverion's appearance and the pitiful deaths of their comrades at her hands.
"...But this is the first time I've heard Selverion's voice."
"......"
Only after someone's half-joking remark did the intensely tense atmosphere finally ease a bit, after a long silence.
"...Everyone, prepare for the meeting."
Blind fear and lamentation changed nothing. Having resolved herself to something, Sol-sol moved to the round table and began preparations for the meeting.
'Selverion...'
As she hurriedly gathered documents, her laptop, and other meeting essentials, Sol-sol felt her chest caught in a whirlwind of inexplicable emotions.
To an ordinary 'Season Off Fantasy' player, Selverion's appearance was apocalyptic news. But Sol-sol wasn't simply drowning in despair.
On the contrary, she felt a stronger thrill—this was an opportunity, quite possibly the last chance for her, for Ace, to fulfill their long-cherished wish.
...The worst boss monster had materialized in reality, in Korea of all places. And the sight of Ace guild subjugating it at the crucial moment.
It would be incredibly difficult, but if they succeeded, the glory would surpass even defeating Selverion in the game. Ace and Sol-sol herself would gain wealth and fame incomparable to before.
They might even ascend to the pinnacle of the world.
...For Sol-sol's long-cherished wish, for her dreams, for Ace's glory, and finally for vengeance for the comrades Selverion had killed, she vowed inwardly never to sit idle.
"Yes, is everyone seated?"
Excluding the deceased Sena, Ace now had four executives left besides Sol-sol. Confirming they were all seated at the round table, vice guild master Scientist 'Lee Min-jun' smoothly began conducting the meeting.
"As you all saw through the 'Aegis Hand Mirror' we sent with Sena, we're in an incredibly, incredibly dire situation right now."
"..."
"...Let me correct that. We're fucked."
A curse slipped from Min-jun's lips, uncharacteristic for his usually kind and gentle demeanor. It showed just how grave the situation was from the players' perspective.
Min-jun continued with a deep sigh.
"I don't know what godforsaken odds we beat, but that 'Selverion' has appeared in Korea—in Seoul, our jurisdiction, no less."
"..."
Season Off Fantasy had only twelve stage bosses. The odds of one of them—Selverion, at that—appearing in Korea out of the vast Earth were slim.
But it had pierced those 'slim odds' and appeared in Seoul anyway. It was nothing short of lamentable.
"...You're sure it's Selverion?"
One executive asked Min-jun in a trembling voice. Min-jun nodded calmly.
"Yes. Based on the skills and appearance in the footage, it's 100% certain. Seeing Kim Sena, of all people, die without landing a single blow makes it 200%."
The skills used, her appearance, and overwhelming a rare-class Beast Kim Sena, who had made a name for herself—it all confirmed the white-haired girl in the video was Selverion.
"Fuck..."
"Haa..."
"Why the hell... seriously, ha..."
Sighs erupted here and there at the absurd misfortune. But they couldn't just keep sighing. With Selverion harboring ill will toward their 'Ace', they had to devise countermeasures.
Min-jun maintained his composure and calmly summarized the situation again.
"...To recap: A few days ago, reports came in that our guild members Lee Woo-jin and Kim Jin-ho had gone missing in a slum on Seoul's outskirts. The report said they'd been looting, got caught, and fled."
"......"
"We needed to investigate the report's validity anyway, so we dispatched Sena and other members. But..."
...Min-jun bowed his head, unable to continue.
Sena, who was close with Woo-jin and Jin-ho, had prioritized emotional revenge over a cool-headed investigation. And the result had been the worst possible.
"From their conversation, Selverion must have killed Woo-jin and Jin-ho too. For whatever reason, she seems to have claimed that slum as her territory and killed them for trying to loot it."
"...Selverion claiming some shitty slum as her turf? Ha, what a joke."
Selverion, who dwelled in a beautiful ice palace at the world's end, making a slum her base? One executive let out a hollow laugh at Min-jun's speculation.
Min-jun addressed everyone.
"Regardless, the key point is we've unintentionally provoked her, and she's developed ill will toward Ace."
"......"
"...We need proper countermeasures."
No matter the reason, whether they knew Selverion was involved or not, the fact that the materialized her now harbored bad feelings toward Ace was undeniable reality.
"Hmm..."
"Ugh..."
No one could easily speak up at Min-jun's suggestion to discuss future actions. How could they voice their thoughts freely against that Selverion?
...Only guild master Yoon Sol, nickname 'Sol-sol', spoke her mind with utter nonchalance. Her nonchalant, almost bored voice filled the office.
"...What do we do? Subjugate her."
"Pardon...?"
"Subjugate her right now. Selverion."
Toward Min-jun, who asked again as if he'd misheard, Sol-sol repeated her thoughts clearly, tapping the desk with her fingers as she addressed the executives.
"What's there to think about? You all saw it—Selverion killing people."
"..."
"If we leave her be, Seoul gets an ice age. We subjugate her while her location's pinned down."
This wasn't like when she only guarded the 'world's end'. Unlike back then, when she never moved elsewhere, tomorrow she could pop up in Busan, or Jeju the next day.
"She trapped Sena in an ice wall and slaughtered her cruelly. Think she materialized and suddenly became friendly to humans? No way. Subjugate her now."
With her confirmed ferocity in killing without hesitation and her location fixed, Sol-sol strongly insisted on subjugating Selverion as soon as possible.
"Plus, it's everyone's goal. What's there to hesitate? For us, for the 'citizens' safety', right?"
"Hmm..."
"True, but..."
Moreover, wasn't subjugating Selverion Ace's collective long-cherished wish? At the guild master's words to seize this chance for that wish and Seoul citizens' safety, the executives hesitated to respond.
......The reason was simple.
This wasn't the game anymore—the virtual world where death meant revival.
One death ended everything, with real pain in the process. Hadn't they just seen how their comrade Sena died?
Besides, the opponent wasn't just any stage boss—it was that 'Selverion'. The object of fear and awe they'd challenged eight times and never beaten.
If it were a stage boss with a clear record like October's 'Sad Clown', everyone would have charged in without hesitation, even smiling.
But Selverion had effortlessly crushed a 3,000-player simultaneous raid. The executives couldn't help but waver at Sol-sol's words.
Yet her point about Selverion potentially moving or causing a massacre if left alone was perfectly valid, leaving their minds in turmoil.
"No, we can't subjugate her."
......In that hesitant silence, only vice guild master Lee Min-jun spoke firmly against Sol-sol. She frowned at the Scientist daring to oppose her.
But Min-jun ignored it and began voicing his opinion.
"There are points we need to consider—several, in fact."
"Points to consider...?"
"Yes. Do you remember what she said right before smashing the mirror?"
"......"
"...She said, 'Keep pulling that retarded shit like you are now'."
...Min-jun jogged their memories with exaggerated reaction. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke in a serious tone.
"In my view, that could mean she'll leave us alone if we stop the 'retarded shit'."
"Interpretation...?"
"Yes. And the 'retarded shit' Selverion mentioned is probably provoking her."
"......"
"Strictly speaking, Lee Woo-jin and Kim Jin-ho intruded on her turf first, and Sena provoked her first, even if she didn't know who she was."
"Vice Guild Master, you're saying...?"
"Yes. No matter how cruelly she killed our members, we provoked her first."
Lee Woo-jin and Kim Jin-ho, who tried looting in Selverion's claimed turf, and Beast Kim Sena, who ended up picking a fight despite not realizing her identity.
Ace vice guild master Lee Min-jun posited that Selverion killing them had a reason, and she might have given them one last chance.
"Moreover, isn't it a bit odd?"
As if that wasn't all, Lee Min-jun—nickname 'Minato'—appealed to everyone with a rising voice.
"The Selverion we know is the cruelest, most ferocious, delighting in slaughter above all."
"..."
"But doesn't this Selverion seem... somewhat composed?"
"Composed...?"
"Yes. The original Selverion—the one we know—would have descended into reality and immediately slaughtered everyone nonstop."
"True, but..."
"Yeah, if it were that Selverion..."
The executives, excluding Sol, nodded at Min-jun's words. Indeed, the Selverion who crushed their heads with iron chains would likely have frozen all of Seoul upon descending.
But the current Selverion, who killed Woo-jin, Jin-ho, and Sena, felt somehow composed. As if she didn't revel in killing.
"...That's not all. Why would Selverion of all people hole up in that worthless slum?"
"..."
"Game Selverion would have built a new castle first, not lingered in such a shabby place."
"..."
"So I think she might have gained clear intelligence, or perhaps one of that slum's residents transformed into Selverion—not as a playable character."
"...!!"
"If a resident there turned into Selverion, it makes sense she'd defend the neighborhood and stay where her home is. For now."
The executives flinched at Min-jun's possibility that Selverion had intelligence, or even a human soul like theirs.
They began whispering in agitation.
"Human for real...? That make sense...?"
"Nah, but staying in a slum and surprisingly docile... not impossible...?"
"What then? A variant?"
"......"
To the wavering executives, Min-jun delivered his final word, his ultimate opinion.
"...So rather than rushing into subjugation, I think we should observe a bit more and try negotiating if possible."
"..."
"If she's intelligent enough to suppress slaughter instincts, or was originally human, cooperation becomes possible."
"Cooperation...!!"
Frost of Ruin, God of Ruin Selverion cooperating with them? It could flip the battlefield in an instant—an unbelievable dream.
If Selverion sided with humans, countless things would change.
"Ha. What?"
...But guild master Sol-sol scoffed, clearly displeased with Min-jun's hypothesis.
She mocked it with exaggerated gestures, retracing his points.
"What? That God of Ruin Selverion's composed? Gained intelligence? Might be human, open to cooperation?"
"..."
"What bullshit, Min-jun."
"Sol..."
Sol-sol showed displeasure at Min-jun's words. At her scowling face, Min-jun looked hurt. She began rebutting his points one by one.
"Her staying put so far could just be a whim. Or she's sizing up this world. Either way, killing Sena proves she has no qualms about murder—her danger is confirmed."
"..."
"She could snap tomorrow and say, 'Yeah, time to kill everyone.' That's Selverion. Judging her nature from actions so far is nonsense, Min-jun."
Sol-sol claimed Selverion could flip and massacre everyone tomorrow. She slammed the desk, rising her voice.
"Plus, if she's originally human like you say, she's way, way more dangerous. If you became Selverion, would you just sit still?"
"That's..."
"If I were Selverion, I'd rule over everyone. A civilian turning into that? Obvious abuse of power. Even riskier."
"..."
"And in that case, observe and talk? No, too big a gamble. Better to subjugate now."
Sol insisted Min-jun's opinion was absurd and reiterated the need to subjugate Selverion unconditionally.
At her words, Min-jun sighed and slowly spoke.
"...But Sol, even conceding your points entirely, you know the real issue isn't that."
"What...?"
Sol-sol frowned at Min-jun. He addressed her and the executives with a voice full of genuine worry.
"Can we even defeat Selverion with our power?"
"..."
"We failed eight times. The rank 1 guild failed her raid, and with Seoul not fully reclaimed yet, you think we can succeed now?"
...The fundamental problem.
Could Ace subjugate Selverion on their own?
What they couldn't in the game, now in reality?
"Better to observe rather than force a doomed raid and lose more members..."
"Shut up."
Sol cut off Min-jun's defeatist words with blazing eyes.
She sharply berated him, not hiding her rising irritation.
"...Who the hell are you to declare defeat? We can win, we can win!!"
"S-Sol..."
"We have data, plenty of experience. And like you said, this is reality—our home ground! With government and military support, we can win!"
"Sol, calm down first and let's talk rationally..."
"Think Selverion survives a missile barrage? Yeah! We'll ask the US for nukes!! Even Selverion can't tank a nuke!!"
"......"
...Sol-sol shrieked at everyone, her eyes unfocused, cackling. They knew her obsession with Selverion, but now that the game was reality, it had worsened into near hysteria.
Min-jun calmly remonstrated his guild master.
"Sol, calm down. Even if we want to subjugate, members will hesitate to join against Selverion. Plus, she killed ours because we provoked her first—no solid justification."
"Justification? No justification? Bullshit, we have it?!"
At Min-jun's point that scared members wouldn't follow a reckless subjugation, Sol grinned ear-to-ear, pointing at the shattered 'Aegis Hand Mirror'.
"...That footage, Sena's last moments. Tweak it a bit, and it's perfect justification! Stir public opinion after, boost morale, gain national support!!"
"..."
"Perfect motivation boost, her location pinned! This is the optimal chance. Our chance to be heroes!"
"Sol, just calm down and talk..."
"Shut your damn mouth, Lee Min-jun!!!"
"......"
As Sol-sol vowed to manipulate the Aegis mirror footage for raid justification, Min-jun tried calming her.
Deceiving members for executives' whims was the worst choice.
...But Sol-sol's mind was set. Or perhaps it had been since eight years ago.
"Now speaking as guild master."
Sol-sol screamed at the executives with a madness-filled face.
"Selverion's a threat; we subjugate for citizens' safety. We have 'asymmetric power'—our 21st-century weapon. Odds of victory aren't low."
"..."
"Tweak Sena's footage to heighten awareness and hatred—participation will soar. Nothing to worry about."
"......"
Sol-sol said with a confident smile.
"...Just this once, trust me."
"..."
"We're Ace. Korea's top, biggest guild. We can do anything. Nothing's impossible for us."
"..."
"Let's climb to the world's peak. Claim honor and glory."
...Encouraging the executives, Yoon Sol's clenched fist seemed to already grasp victory. Then, as guild master, she issued a unilateral order.
"...Prepare the Selverion raid immediately."
02.
"Insane."
The executive meeting disbanded after the unilateral Selverion raid order. Ace vice guild master Lee Min-jun's face darkened as he left the office.
"Suicide."
He was afraid. Terrified of facing Selverion in reality, fighting her.
Sol-sol rallied with absurd reasons, certain of victory, but Min-jun saw only defeat, ruin, and an ice-covered Seoul.
"Damn it..."
Plus, fabricating justification to force raid participation? It grated on Min-jun, who valued ethics.
But before her overwhelming influence and false pretext, most members would join.
...Pointless loss of lives.
"...No, she'd charge in alone anyway."
...Even without member support, Sol-sol in her current state seemed ready to rush Selverion solo.
If they forced the raid, provoking a Selverion who might have stayed quiet otherwise, she could declare war on Seoul, on Korea...
"...I have to stop it."
He had to stop Sol-sol, Ace's choice somehow.
But his power alone couldn't halt their march. As vice master, too many eyes watched; bold action had limits.
He might even be branded a traitor, scheming for personal gain, and punished.
...He needed outside help.
"......"
Finally, Min-jun opened his phone contacts and pulled up a number he'd gotten through connections.
It listed a 'Season Off Fantasy' player's name.
[Han Yeon-hwa YH / Legend]
"...Yes."
To stop recklessness, for Korea's safety, sometimes sacrificing something precious was necessary.
Even if the process was extreme,
even if the guild's survival hung in the balance.