Return of the Frozen Player

Everyone immediately kicked up a fuss.

“The Underground Octagon? Is it gonna be like the UFC or something?”

“10th percentile... The cutoff isn’t as bad as I thought.”

“I supposed it’s just going to filter out the irrelevant ones.”

“What are the effects of the ‘Loser’ Title, though?”

The Players casually checked the effects, but they were shocked to see it.

“Shit, what is this?!”

“Wait… This changes everything!”

[Loser]

Grade: F

Description: A title fitting for a loser.

Effects: All stats are reduced by 10% for 365 days.

The title’s penalty was fatal. It would actually reduce one’s stats for a whole year.

Needless to say, the Players started growing antsy. However, another message appeared that saved them from panicking.

[From now on, you can set up games of your own in the empty area.]

[We hope you enjoy your games as much as possible.]

“We can set up a game of our own?”

“What in the world does that mean…?”

As the Players muttered, they finally realized.

This was an opportunity.

‘The System doesn’t prohibit Players from using their Skills in games.’

‘In fact, it encourages it. No matter how much someone tries to argue with it, this place is only accessible to Players.

‘And if I can set up a game of my own…’

Once the Players realized what it meant, they dashed to the empty area.

“Everyone’s in a hurry,” said Seo Jun-Ho.

“Yeah,” Skaya agreed.

The two of them muttered as they watched them blankly. They didn’t know about the others, but the two of them had no need to create a game of their own.

‘There’s no way we’ll drop in the 10th percentile of points.’

Seo Jun-Ho checked his points.

[Points: 31,700]

These were the points he had collected by reaching 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in a variety of games, as well as by beating Rahmadat. Skaya also had over 20,000 points, so there was absolutely no reason for them to feel pressured.

“Hey, Jun-Ho. Wanna go look around the shop?”

“If you want.”

Everyone else was too absorbed in collecting points, so there was no one in the 2-story shop.

“There aren’t any employees as well.”

All they could see was a variety of products displayed on the shelves, labeled with price tags.

“Still, these prizes aren’t bad,” Skaya said with sparkling eyes.

She couldn’t help but say that when she saw a few magical ingredients on display that were normally hard to obtain otherwise. She gleefully collected all the ingredients she wanted into her arms, but she suddenly came to a halt.

“Huh…?”

A bottle of potion caught her eye.

[Potion of Youth]

Grade: Rare

Effects: Consume to remove wrinkles, increase stamina, and restore youth.

Seo Jun-Ho peeked over her shoulder. When he saw the potion, he immediately asked, “You want to give that to Deok-Gu?”

“Y-Yeah, right,” Skaya shot back and started rambling. “I just want it for myself. Appearances are important for us girls, so we always strive to maintain our beauty.”

“Yeah, right. I suppose a mere rare-grade potion wouldn’t make someone’s hair grow back.”

Even though it was called the Potion of Youth, the effects weren’t all that good. Seo Jun-Ho looked around the shop just in case there was an item with similar effects, but he couldn’t find anything similar to it.

“Eek. Yeah, this one bottle costs 25,000 points.”

“I guess you won’t be able to buy other magic ingredients then.”

“You’re right…” Skaya said dejectedly. Besides, if she bought this, she was sure to fall in the 10th percentile of points and be pulled into the Underground Octagon.

“You should just let it go. We don’t have any idea what’s down there, after all,” said Seo Jun-Ho.

“...”

Skaya considered it for a moment. Then, she quietly put the magical ingredients in her arms back onto the shelves.

“I wanna buy this.”

She had spent such a long time looking for a potion or herb that was similar to this one. If she were to miss this opportunity, she would have to wander around again for a few more years.

Skaya bought the potion with no regrets and turned back to Seo Jun-Ho. “I can just earn back my points. By grinding, of course.”

“Well, it’s your choice.”

“I’m gonna go then! I’m a busy woman!” She put away the potion into her Inventory and skipped out of the shop with a cheerful expression on her face.

“She still lingers on her adolescent love.”

“Pffft! You’re probably right.”

“As I thought, reality is more entertaining than dramas.”

The two of them looked at each other and chuckled. They knew Skaya’s feelings.

“Are you not going to look around for now, Contractor?” asked the Frost Queen.

“The armory is on the second floor. I’m going there.”

Seo Jun-Ho skimmed the now-empty shop and headed up to the second floor. It just so happened that he was currently in the market for a sword to use.

“Hm?” He frowned the moment he stepped into the armory.

“Contractor, this is where they sell gears, right?”

“Yeah.”

The second floor had weapons, armor, and other sorts of gear on display. However, the atmosphere was completely different from that of the lower floors.

“Why is the armor locked up in boxes, and what’s up with these weapons…?”

The armor and garments were all contained in hexagonal boxes with a ‘?’ on the front. Of course, it was impossible to tell their appearance, their names, their effects, and their grades.

“Taking that into consideration, choosing a weapon is a much better option,” the Frost Queen advised.

“...Are you sure?”

They could at least see what the weapons looked like. However, they were severely rusted, and as expected, Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t inspect them for more information.

“At this rate, I won’t be able to choose anything,” said Seo Jun-Ho.

“Hm. Perhaps you should ask that guy.”

Seo Jun-Ho looked at her in surprise. “Intuition?”

“A-Ahem. They say that even a dog’s urine can be used in medicine. It must be the case here.”

- You’re as noisy as always, kid.

It had been a while since Keen Intuition spoke.

“So, what do you think? Do you think we’ll be able to find something?” he asked.

- Hm…

Keen Intuition took in all the hundreds of rusty weapons.

- Allow me to remind you. Your intuition is built upon a foundation of your own instincts and experience.

“A-ha. So you are saying that you do not know either,” said the Frost Queen.

- I never said such a thing. I simply cannot be sure.

In short, even if Keen Intuition picked out a weapon for him, the chance of hitting jackpot wasn’t very high.

“Is there anything that catches your attention?” asked Seo Jun-Ho.

- There is one thing, but…

“What is it?”

The sword that Keen Intuition picked was in a horrible state. It was even rustier than the other swords, and the blade had actually fallen off.

“Contractor, I believe that Intuition is no longer of use. What do you think of obtaining a new one?”

- Kid, I am not a consumable.

“Hm.”

Even Seo Jun-Ho agreed that this sword looked bad. Even if they went through all the trouble of getting rid of the rust, it couldn’t possibly be a functional sword.

‘So, what is it?’

It was calling out to him.

It was calling out to his heart rather than his logical mind. Keen Intuition said that he was made up of Seo Jun-Ho’s experiences and instincts, so it was probably why he felt a tug toward it as well.

“Contractor, are you actually going to buy that sword?”

The Frost Queen was a little worried because the sword cost a whopping 30,000 points.

“Contractor, you will be pulled down to the basement if you buy this! You may have to fight Skaya as well.”

“...”

Finally, Seo Jun-Ho could understand what Skaya felt a few minutes ago.

“I can just earn back my points. By grinding, of course.”

“Sighhh. Whatever. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.” The Frost Queen gave up. She looked away with her arms crossed.

[Transaction complete.]

His points drained like water and were replaced by a rusty sword. Seo Jun-Ho felt a strange sense of excitement mixed with nervousness.

“Item data.”

[Rusty Sword No. 317]

Grade: Unique

Description: A great sword crafted by one of the Seventeen Master Blacksmiths of the Universe, Fafner.

*Magic Affinity: This weapon can accommodate an infinite amount of magic power.

*Tailoring: The handle of this weapon automatically adjusts to fit the wielder’s hand.

*Tetanus: This item is rusty. Whoever is cut by it will catch tetanus.

*Anonymous: The name of this weapon is currently hidden.

*I Am Not a Weapon: This weapon cannot be used as a weapon in the meantime.

“What the…”

Most Unique-grade weapons had three effects attached to them, but this weapon had a total of five.

“I’m not sure if the final three traits can be called ‘effects’,” the Frost Queen noted.

“Plus, the first two traits are only useful if the sword can be used as a weapon.”

Seo Jun-Ho infused it with the slightest bit of magic, but it seemed like it would fall apart at any time. The handle didn’t change to fit his hand as well.

Seo Jun-Ho blinked.

“...Am I screwed?”

“This is why I told you not to buy it.

- Hm.

Keen Intuition probably sensed the same thing as Jun-Ho. This sword was y made by one of the Seventeen Master Blacksmiths of the Universe, so it was made by a remarkable person.

‘But it can’t be used as a weapon right now?’

Seo Jun-Ho shrugged and put the sword away into its sheath.

“You do not look very nervous,” the Frost Queen observed.

“The weapons here are rusty. I’m sure they set up a way to get rid of the rust, too.”

This place was under the System’s control, after all. There was no way that this was some kind of crazy place that only sold rusty weapons.

“But even if such a solution exists, it will require points as well,” she warned.

“Then I can just earn points.”

Seo Jun-Ho strode confidently out of the shop and went back to where the Players were located.

Unfortunately, there was something he had failed to consider. He had already played the majority of the games where he could set a record. To actually earn points, he had no other choice but to play games against other people.

And that was where the problems started…

“I’m sorry. I don’t know if I can play with Specter-nim…”

“I’m gonna lose, so why would I? I don’t want to.”

“We’re playing over here. Can you please go somewhere else?”

They left him out. The Players knew that they would lose if they played against him, so they turned him down every time he requested to compete with them.

“Come on, where am I supposed to earn points then…?”

To add insult to injury, the same message would appear up every ten minutes.

[In 30 minutes, Players in the 10th percentile of points will be forcefully sent to the ‘Underground Octagon’.]

[If you lose in the ‘Underground Octagon’, you will receive the Title ‘Loser’ and be expelled from Arcade Center.]

‘There are only thirty minutes left?’

His face fell. In the absolute worst-case scenario, he could receive the ‘Loser’ Title.

‘The Loser Title reduces all stats by 10% for a year.’

It was ridiculous. He had to kill the Heavenly Demon, so losing ten percent of his stats, even though it would be temporary, was a huge burden that he wouldn’t be able to endure.

“I can’t lose just lose ten percent of my stats for such a dumb reason.”

He did his best to look for Players he could compete with, but none of them wanted to compete with him.

“Contractor! Go over there instead of doing this.”

“...The empty area?”

The area where Players could make a game of their own. Seo Jun-Ho made his way over there and started observing the games.

“N-No, how could this be…”

“Dammit! I’m telling you, this bastard is cheating! You expect me to believe that his hundred percent win rate is valid?!”

“If I really were cheating, the System would have already punished me. Isn’t that the case?”

The game masters had their win rates displayed above their heads.

‘99%, 94%, 97%, 100%...’

In other words, not even ten percent of the participants won in any of these games.

Just then, Skaya appeared next to him.

“Oh, you too?” She asked.

“Yeah, me too.”

Actually, the Players here were the strong ones the other Players decided to exclude in their games. Both the game masters and the players were prominent Players.

“Skaya, this is a place for people to use their skills to cheat.”

“I know that. If we want to survive in this jungle, we have to be smart about this.” She tapped on her temple and let out a small sigh. “Still, we’re the 5 Heroes. We can’t humiliate ourselves by going to that underground fight club, can we?”

“We can’t...” Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes flashed. If he wanted to keep himself from going to the Underground Octagon and return the sword to its original state, he had to do something.

“Let’s go.”

The two of them walked up to the game masters.

And several observers were watching the two of them through a screen…

“Specter… Do you think he will be able to come all the way here?”

“Perhaps. Based on the current situation, there is a high chance that he won’t be able to come here. Personally, I would like it if he managed to come here.”

They were wearing white suits and were sitting on a sofa, and they were looking at Specter with clear animosity in their eyes.