Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Information (1)
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01.
Selverion.
The undisputed strongest boss monster in the Season Off Fantasy world, an impregnable fortress that hadn't been cleared even once in the past eight years.
Over the course of eight winters, thousands, even tens of thousands of people had challenged Selverion, but not a single player had ever defeated her and cleared the "End of the World."
People had repeatedly knelt before that girl of snowflakes, her swirling blizzards, waves of ice, and iron chains, always pinning their hopes on next December.
Honestly, I had never personally joined one of Selverion's raids, so I couldn't really grasp just how strong she was.
But after experiencing combat in her body firsthand, her power exceeded anything I had imagined.
She could one-shot C-rank monsters with the mere wind pressure from a missed normal attack, and A+ rank monsters were dispatched as easily as lying down and eating rice cakes—a strength on an entirely different level.
And on top of that, she had hidden skills that hadn't even been revealed to the public yet, so no current player or monster could defeat me—Selverion.
...And naturally, I was the only one who had become Selverion. I still didn't know why, in this unprecedented situation, I alone had turned into a boss monster instead of a playable character, but everyone else had gone through the transformation into the in-game characters they'd raised all this time.
In other words, unlike me—who had become Selverion, capable of effortlessly defeating any monster—they were just like in the game, locked in bloody, desperate battles with monsters on equal footing even now.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 📰 Breaking News [Live: Incheon Jung-gu... Scientist Rank 28 'HyeinILoveYou' Fails Direct Strike on Rift...] "Ah..."
...The first thing to greet me upon returning to my studio apartment after taking down the troll and dark wyvern was far more tragic news than I'd expected.
Bathed in the fading glow of the sunset, I tapped on the community post that had garnered the most recommendations.
📰 Breaking News Author: ㅇㅇ (224.53) Situation: Someone spouted brainfart theory that bombing the inside of the rift directly would wipe out the monsters before they emerge and close the rift too, so renowned Scientist master 'HyeinILoveYou' teamed up with the air force and actually went for it... But the result... just watch the video lol... (Video) "..."
Someone had claimed, "Monsters are coming out of the rifts, so why not just dump missiles straight into the rift?"
That idea seemed surprisingly plausible, so the player 'HyeinILoveYou'—a Scientist artisan—decided to test it with the cooperation of the South Korean Air Force.
But the post didn't detail the operation's conclusion, merely substituting a single video for the rest.
"Hm..."
I slowly pressed play on the video. After a brief loading screen, it began. The footage, shot on an old-model phone, wasn't great quality.
— Mothership deployed!
— Whoa, it's huge...
The opening showed the massive spaceship summoned by the Scientist's max-level ultimate, "Mothership Summon," flanked by four South Korean Air Force KF-16 fighters.
The fighters shot down charging wyverns and flying monsters, escorting the mothership safely to the largest rift without interference.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Aurora Cannon charging complete. Next came the mechanical female voice announcing the completion of charging for the mothership's ultimate weapon, the devastating Aurora Cannon.
Rainbow energy gathered at the T-shaped prow, then unleashed a massive energy beam into the rift.
"..."
In terms of raw firepower, the Aurora Cannon from the Scientist's spaceship was the strongest among Season Off Fantasy's 24 classes. Everyone was certain it would obliterate all monsters inside and seal the rift.
Even I, watching the recording, thought so.
...But what followed was a scene no one could have predicted—a utter shock.
— BOOM!!
"..."
The charging beam was effortlessly blocked by a sudden translucent barrier just before entering the rift.
"...A shield, huh."
As if refusing to be sealed by such a trick, the rift generated a protective barrier around itself, successfully deflecting the Aurora Cannon.
The shield's strength was impressive enough, but a bigger problem remained.
— Uh...?
— Wait, is that reflecting the Aurora Cannon...
Not content to block it, the barrier reflected the energy cannon back at 'HyeinILoveYou's mothership.
...The Scientist's spaceship was slow despite its power. It couldn't dodge the point-blank reflection, and the mothership was pierced by its own Aurora Cannon, exploding spectacularly.
CRASH!
The mothership split in two with a thunderous roar, its wreckage plummeting into the Yellow Sea below the Incheon rift.
— Oh my god...
The video ended with that stunned remark.
...The Scientist ranked 28th and his mothership crumbled so futilely against the rift's mysterious barrier.
Compared to the single piece of info gained—"rifts have reflective shields"—the loss was far too costly.
"...Such a shame."
I shook my head and scrolled down to the comments.
💬 Comments — ??? So what happened? Did he die?? — Reply Mothership sank with him, basically dead... — Reply Officially missing, but anyone can see... — Reply Aw... Rest in peace... — Sigh... One of the best Scientists too... — Reply Yeah, great at solo self-destructing lol — Get out and die Just fuck off — Reply guy a bastard? What about stage bosses? Why not hunt trash like him? Stage bosses tho? Why chase him instead? — Exactly, so much we don't know yet. Can't let our guard down Less than 24 hrs in and it's obvious lol. Gotta calmly gather info first — Reply For real, heard Korea's TOP4 guilds doing video conf at midnight for info sharing — Reply For real? Aren't they on bad terms? — Reply Not the time to quibble... "..."
The comments buzzed with various opinions—some praying for the Scientist's soul, others mocking his helpless death.
"Hm..."
As community comments, plenty were unreliable, but I wholeheartedly agreed with the last one.
"...Yeah, we still lack info."
Less than 24 hours in, it was pure chaos in the early stages. With the boundary between reality and virtual collapsing, nothing was clear yet—info was sorely lacking.
No one had imagined rifts with shields that could withstand and reflect an Aurora Cannon.
"Top 4 guilds, huh..."
...The other noteworthy bit was the comment about Korea server's top 4 guilds holding a video conference at midnight for info sharing.
......Korea's server Top 4 guilds.
From Dark Ghost's Fate, who took down a wyvern in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do,
To Ace, boasting overwhelming stage boss kills,
Diamond, rumored for its PVP powerhouses,
And finally, current Korea server strongest, Legend.
For the past few years, guild wars had been dominated by these four cycling the top spot.
Infamously on bad terms due to constant rivalry, but in this unprecedented crisis, cooperation was inevitable.
With their massive memberships, once they conferenced at midnight, new info would surely flood out.
"Hm..."
I sat cross-legged on the floor, lost in thought. The unheated linoleum was icy as a rink, but as Selverion—the embodiment of ice—it barely registered.
"Wonder if I'll come up..."
Top guilds meeting meant stage bosses, including Selverion, would be discussed. They were too powerful to ignore.
As the culprit turned Selverion, I couldn't help but wonder what they'd think and plan.
"Hoo..."
I sighed shortly and shifted position.
Sio-pan's stage bosses weren't tame—they were infamous for ferocity. Selverion topped them all.
Leaving aggressive Selverion unchecked meant an ice age for Korea, so if she appeared, all players would rally to subjugate her.
But here's the issue: I wasn't that game's ferocious Selverion.
Though some inexplicable process made my appearance Selverion instead of a playable, my mind was still a 21st-century Korean citizen, just another Sio-pan player.
I had reason, spoke Korean, loved rice.
"Hm..."
So if that happened—or if I revealed myself—I'd try talking first.
Dialogue was gentlemanly, and history showed most conflicts resolved through concession, compromise, words.
……But if players, driven mad by their long-sought goal of conquering Selverion, forced a fight anyway—or tried to use me—things would get interesting.
"...This'll be fun."
A chuckle escaped.
Five years ago, scammed by a friend, my business tanked, life in the gutter.
Disillusioned with society, never wanting to be the underdog again.
Hating my powerless self that couldn't protect anything in crisis.
But now everything changed.
Virtual-reality boundary crumbled, world in upheaval, and I had "power" to protect mine, act.
So if someone made me enemy first, or shadowy schemes like five years ago tried engulfing me...
"I'll meet expectations."
......I'd gladly make them own that choice.
"Heave-ho."
Swallowing that vow inwardly, I gripped my phone and flopped onto the creaky bed.
"...Curious about that meeting."
...I just hoped tonight's conferees—or Korea's, world's players—wouldn't think foolishly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 02.
"Hoo..."
Asan, Chungcheongnam-do.
After half a day processing endless monsters starting with the sudden sky wyvern, Korea server Top 4 guild Fate's master, Jeong Hyun-jun—aka Dark Ghost—finally caught a break.
But not fully; midnight video conf with the other Top 4 masters loomed in five minutes.
"What a pain..."
Even chat irritated him; facing faces for video was worse. Sighs poured from Hyun-jun.
But in a national crisis, personal gripes took backseat.
Priority: share guild/national situations, intel, to manage chaos.
"Hoo..."
...Thus, Fate's master Dark Ghost booted his PC with a deep sigh, logging into video chat.
Two masters already online.
— Oh, Ghosty! Long time no see! Customized as a cat-eared beastkin, the cheerful woman grinned welcomingly. — Saw the wyvern clear. Taking down a plain old "no-special-abilities wyvern"! So impressive~! Soul-less praise dripping sarcasm from raid specialist guild Ace's master, Assassin Sol-sol. Ace, under Sol-sol, had cleared all stage bosses six times—world top-tier in boss raids.
Except December's Selverion, never once. Slaying her was Ace's long-cherished goal.
...Sol-sol's cheerful raid vids routinely hit a million views, making Ace the most famous of the top four.
"...Ah, yes, too kind."
Dark Ghost Jeong Hyun-jun lifelessly returned it.
Top guilds knew A-rank plain wyverns were nothing; her exaggerated praise was mockery.
'Sigh...'
Even accounting bad blood, her instant jab upon login drew inward sighs.
— Sol, cut the snark. It's annoying. The other logged-in master scowled at Sol-sol. A burly muscleman in tiger pelt: Diamond's master Kim Deok-su, aka Typhoon Man.
— Gotta act up even now? Ghost's your senior. Back in my day at your age? Bowing to elders nonstop. Oldest of top four, family man Berserker master. His Diamond: PVP elites only, infamous. — Yes, yes, sorry. Sol-sol shrugged, insincere apology. Mischief lingered on her face. 'Good grief.'
Dark Ghost shook his head at her attitude, like his tomboy little sis back home.
"Anyway,"
He asked about the missing last Top 4, despite time.
"Why no Legend? Trouble?"
...Currently topping over Fate, Ace, Diamond: Legend. Past midnight, no login. Dark Ghost tilted head.
— Yeah. Host late? Tsk tsk... Typhoon Man nodded. Legend's master hosted; etiquette mattered to him. — Sis late again? Get used to it. Sol-sol yawned nonchalantly. "Ha..."
Dark Ghost sighed deeply, head down.
As Sol-sol said, Legend's master tardiness was routine, but in this critical reality crisis—unlike game—sighs wouldn't stop.
— Ah, sorry I'm late. "...!!" Five minutes later, the fourth screen lit: stunning redhead woman.
She elevated perennial underdog Legend to top, world rank 3 Flame Mage powerhouse.
... Legend's second-gen master, Lotus Flame.
— Looks like everyone's here... Protagonist arrives last, huh. She who summoned the four top masters today swept her fiery red locks behind ear, seamlessly continuing despite lateness.
— ...Then, let's start the video conference on this "Virtual-Reality Boundary Collapse Phenomenon."