Chapter 7: Adaptation (4)

01.

“…”

Before me unfolds a blue magic circle. From this beautiful, hexagonal star-shaped formation— resembling a pristine snowflake—three sharp ice blades emerge.

According to the skill description, these ice blades can fire up to a hundred at once, but there’s no need to go that far just to take down a single wyvern.

Three should be more than enough.

—Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!

“…”

The wyvern lets out a mocking roar as it watches me prepare to fire the ice blades. 

Its cry seems laced with confidence, as if to say it could dodge any attack I throw at it.

…How arrogant of a mere monster.

Plop.

Then, before the wyvern realizes it, thick, dark clouds gather above its head, and gray snowflakes begin to fall timidly from within them.

—Kyaaaaak!!

Though it was absurd for snow to fall in early summer, the Dark Wyvern paid no mind to the unnatural weather, welcoming the snowfall with its entire body without suspicion.

But this was no ordinary snow. 

These were “Ashen Snowflakes,” a passive ability of Selberion that inflicted damage upon contact and reduced movement and attack speed— truly one of the worst debuffs imaginable.

…It didn’t take long for the wyvern to regret its complacency.

—Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!

As the snowflakes gently landed on its skin, the wyvern let out a scream as if the world were ending.

—Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!

Though only a single snowflake had touched it, the Dark Wyvern writhed in agony, clearly suffering from the fixed damage inflicted by the snowflakes.

While the Dark Wyvern was a high-tier monster, it was nothing compared to Selberion. 

Even the passive damage must have felt as devastating as a critical strike.

Soon, the part of its back that had first made contact with the ashen snowflakes began to freeze over.

“…Freeze effect.”

This was the freezing effect granted by the Ashen Snowflakes, which had a chance to partially immobilize the target by freezing parts of its body.

On top of that, the snowflakes reduced attack and movement speed by 20%, so with the freeze effect triggered, the wyvern was practically locked out of all actions.

—Kieeeeeeeeen…

Thus, the wyvern’s wingbeats gradually slowed before coming to a complete stop. 

For an airborne monster, losing the ability to fly had only one outcome.

A fall.

—Kieeeeeeeeeen!!

From high above, the wyvern began plummeting toward the sandy ground of the construction site.

It shrieked desperately, as if trying to spread its wings and take flight again, but the freeze effect granted by the Ashen Snowflakes allowed no movement whatsoever.

“Hmm…”

Do you know what perspective is? 

It’s the natural phenomenon where distant objects appear smaller and closer ones appear larger.

As the Dark Wyvern fell closer to the ground, its size naturally appeared larger to me, which also meant the “ice blades” I was preparing would be easier to land.

“…Perfect.”

With a faint smile, I finally fired the ice blades I had been preparing straight at the wyvern. 

The sharp, glacier-like shards struck the rapidly descending wyvern with pinpoint accuracy.

—Kyaaaaaaaaaaak!!

Two pierced its frozen wings, while the third grazed its head, shattering the horn protruding from its skull.

In an instant, the Dark Wyvern had holes torn through both wings and lost its horn. 

With a final, horrific scream, 

it crashed into the sandy ground with a thunderous impact.

—Grrrk, grrrk…

The wyvern writhed in pain, whimpering weakly. 

But the freeze effect still hadn’t worn off, and my attack wasn’t over yet.

This time, it was the two ice golems summoned by the passive skill “Blessing of the Ice Spirit” that moved.

—Groooooooar!!

—Gwooooooooh!!

They split to either side, each grabbing one of the wyvern’s wings— now sprawled on the ground— and, like tearing the wings off a dragonfly, ripped them off with brutal force.

—Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!

As its wings were torn away, the Dark Wyvern let out another bloodcurdling scream. 

I slowly walked toward the convulsing creature, its twitching body now resembling a worm more than a wyvern.

—Kie… krrk…

Its eyes, glancing up at me, were filled with nothing but terror. 

I tilted my head as I looked down at it.

“What should I use for the finishing blow…?”

Honestly, if I wanted to, I could have killed it instantly with the ice blades earlier. 

But that would mean only using one skill.

Since I’d gone to the trouble of finding a high-tier sandbag, I should at least test two skills to make it worth the effort.

“Hmm, ‘Blizzard’ is too wide-range…”

So I pondered carefully over which skill to use for the finale. 

Part of me wanted to try “Blizzard,” a skill never before revealed to the world, but summoning an ice meteor with that would risk bringing an ice age to our neighborhood rather than just killing the wyvern.

…That would be a disaster.

“This one should do.”

After some deliberation, I finally settled on “Frost Surge,” a skill symbolic of Selberion.

I stretched my palm downward and prepared to activate it.

A blue magic circle, representing the ice attribute, formed beneath my hand, and a bone-chilling cold spread through the surroundings.

—Kie… krrrrk…

Seeing me prepare the skill, the wyvern trembled in fear. 

But unfortunately, I wasn’t the kind, empathetic person who would show mercy to a monster.

…For the defeated, there is only death.

“…Alright.”

All preparations were complete.

Staring down at the wyvern, I finally activated Selberion’s most famous signature skill.

“…Frost Surge.”

…An overwhelming cold and freezing blue aura spread out in a circular motion. 

Everywhere the aura passed, not a single grain of sand was left unfrozen, emitting a chill that would be unbearable for an ordinary person.

The lower parts of the apartment’s steel reinforcements were also completely frozen, making it look as though a miniature ice age had descended.

— …

The wyvern, too, was frozen from head to tail. 

Its incessant shrieks had now vanished into the cold.

“…?”

As I clenched my fist while looking at it, a sensation akin to popping a water balloon reverberated through my fingertips. 

At the same time, the frozen wyvern shattered into countless pieces, transforming into beautiful ice crystals.

“Not bad.”

I muttered as I stared at the wyvern, now erased without a trace. 

Though it was my first time using this skill, its ability and power were impressive enough to compensate for my lack of familiarity.

Especially since “Frost Wave” was an area-of-effect skill, it would undoubtedly prove useful in future battles against multiple enemies.

[Monster Defeated!]

You have defeated the A+-rank monster “Dark Wyvern (Lv. 1480)”!

Reward: A+-rank Magic Stone

[Battle Concluded.]

[All passives have been deactivated.]

“…”

With the wyvern dealt with, the battle ended, and my passives automatically deactivated. 

The monster defeat notification informed me that an A+-rank Magic Stone had dropped as a reward.

— Grrrr…

— Grrr…

The ashen snow storm clouds dissipated, and the ice golems retreated into the magic circles, vanishing from sight.

All that remained in this frozen construction site were the A+-rank Magic Stone and the bright sunlight shining down— just those two things.

“…!!”

Then, one of the hundreds of “light rifts” floating around the neighborhood began to close, as if zipping up an open zipper.

It seemed the information that each rift corresponded to one boss-level monster was indeed accurate.

“Hmm…”

With so many rifts in the sky, the disappearance of one wasn’t particularly noticeable. Still, having confirmed a way to close them was a positive development.

That said, to close all those countless rifts, I’d have to fight hundreds, if not thousands, of battles— in Seoul alone.

…Undoubtedly, greater chaos was yet to come.

— Jia! Over here! The wyvern crashed down here!

— Was someone fighting it?! Hey!! Is anyone there?! Are you okay?! We’re players too! We’ll help you!!

“……!!”

At that moment, the voices of a man and a woman echoed from outside the construction site.

Calling themselves players, they must have rushed here after noticing the Dark Wyvern’s appearance.

‘Players…’

To think there were others in this impoverished neighborhood who had undergone the transformation process of Season Off Fantasy— unexpected.

“…I should go.”

If I ran into them and they started talking to me, it’d only be a headache.

At this early stage, when vigilance against monsters was at its peak, meeting someone while in the form of Selberion— one of the most feared and vicious monsters— and revealing my identity was premature.

…Besides, I’d already done my part today by defeating the Dark Wyvern and closing one rift. 

I’d fought two battles and had mostly adjusted to my body, so there was nothing left to regret.

Now, I just wanted to go home, check on the situation in other regions, and gather any additional information available.

There was no need to take unnecessary risks.

…At least, not yet.

“Ah…”

……Just before leaving the scene, I scratched my chin while looking at the completely frozen construction site. 

I’d assumed there were no players nearby and used Selberion’s skills without hesitation— a rash judgment.

But in Season Off Fantasy, there were plenty of “ice mages” or “meteorologists” with skills similar to Selberion’s, so this frozen battlefield didn’t necessarily have to be attributed to him.

I probably didn’t need to worry too much about it.

“…Let’s go.”

Adjusting the mask covering my face, I quickly left the construction site.

02.

“Hey!! Are you okay?!”

“We’ll help too… Huh…?”

The consecutive sounds of explosions and screams had convinced Dongwook and Jia that someone was fighting the wyvern inside the construction site, so they hurried inside.

But what greeted them was a pure white expanse of snow and a frozen wasteland.

“It’s all frozen…?”

“What the hell is this…?”

The entire vast construction site had turned into an icy plain. 

A biting cold, strong enough to pierce through their temperature-regulated armor, lingered in the air.

“Hey, hey!!”

“Is anyone here?!”

There was no sign of the wyvern— nor of whoever had fought it and presumably frozen the place. 

No matter how loudly Dongwook and Jia shouted, not a single soul appeared.

Judging by the wyvern that had been shot down by what seemed like an ice block and the state of the construction site, it seemed the person who had defeated the wyvern had left immediately afterward.

“…Incredible.”

Jia murmured as she surveyed the surroundings. 

Given how such a vast area had been turned into an ice age in such a short time, whoever had taken down the wyvern was undoubtedly a formidable force.

“Maybe it was a guild?”

“…No.”

“Could it have been more than one person?” 

Jia asks, but Dongwook shakes his head firmly. 

He points to a single small footprint on the icy, snow-covered ground.

“…There’s only one footprint. They handled it alone. That Dark Wyvern.”

“Alone?! That’s impossible— does that mean they’re practically at the ranker level?”

“Seems so.”

Dongwook nods as he watches Jia flinch in shock. 

He never imagined there would be a ranker from the SIO Fan in this poor, rundown neighborhood, but then again, it was possible that someone, like them, had moved from the provinces and found a cheap place to stay.

“An ice mage… No, more likely a meteorologist.”

Dongwook mutters as he surveys the area.

Judging by the ice covering everything, it seemed probable that the person primarily used ice-based magic. 

But considering the dark clouds that had gathered above the wyvern’s head earlier, it was more plausible that they belonged to the rare class of “Meteorologists,” capable of summoning rain, blizzards, and other weather phenomena.

In Season Off Fantasy, aside from the 20 existing classes, there were four additional rare classes.

And one of them, the “Meteorologist,” boasted the highest utility of all classes. 

If it truly was a Meteorologist who could summon blizzards, then taking down a Dark Wyvern alone wouldn’t be an impossible feat.

“A Meteorologist? A rare class… I’m jealous.”

“Tell me about it.”

Jia sighs enviously at the thought of someone with one of those elusive rare classes. 

Dongwook sympathizes with her complaint but continues examining the unbelievable frozen landscape.

“Huh…?”

Then, his gaze lands on something piled up on the unfrozen sandy ground— gray snowflakes. 

They were strangely beautiful, their ashen hue captivating.

“Snowflakes? No… are these ashes…?”

Unable to tell whether they were snowflakes or ashes, Dongwook tilts his head curiously. 

Without much thought, he instinctively crouches down and scoops them up in his palm.

…That was the moment.

“…?!!”

The instant his fingers close around whatever lay between the snow and ashes, an indescribable pain surges through his fingertips.

Was it the searing burn of heat or the biting agony of frostbite? 

He couldn’t tell— it was a torment unlike anything he had ever experienced.

“G-gaaaaaaaaaaah!!”

The pain spreads through his entire body, and Dongwook collapses onto the icy ground. 

In the game, the pain reduction system had kept suffering manageable, but now that everything was real, every sensation was excruciatingly vivid.

“Gaaaaaaaah!! U-uuuuaaah!!”

His body felt paralyzed, refusing to move. 

A searing pain radiated from every inch of him, and his vision filled with a red holographic screen— one that only appeared in life-or-death situations.

*

[DANGER! HP CRITICAL THRESHOLD REACHED!]

Life points have entered the red zone!

○ Status Effect: Frozen

○ Attack Speed Reduced by 20%

○ Movement Speed Reduced by 20%

※While Frozen, certain body parts will be immobilized.

※Use recovery item “Ancient Warmth” recommended.

※Retreat to a safe zone with ally support immediately.

*

“HP… critical…?”

Dongwook’s pupils tremble violently as he reads the unbelievable notification. 

Just from grabbing a handful of snow, his HP gauge had plummeted to the red zone.

‘This can’t be real. Just from holding some snow…? Me, a Holy Shield Knight…?’

Kim Dongwook was a tank with the “Holy Shield Knight” class, specializing in defense and HP. 

With his incredibly high HP pool, his gauge rarely even dropped to the orange zone. 

Just earlier, he had taken multiple hits from a Cyclops and stayed safely in the green.

Yet, just from touching what might have been snow or ashes, his HP had crashed into the red. 

It was unthinkable.

And that wasn’t all.

Not only was he Frozen, but his movement and attack speed had also dropped by 20%. 

What the hell were those ashen snowflakes?

“Kyaaah!! D-Dongwook!!”

“Ugh… ngh…”

Jia, the Priest, rushes toward him as he writhes in pain on the ice. 

She drops to her knees beside him, frantically preparing a healing spell.

“Oh my god, HP in the red and Frozen?! H-Hang on…!!”

Horrified by Dongwook’s near-death state, she activates her healing skill.

“…‘Blessing of the Goddess.’”

Blessing of the Goddess.

The highest-tier healing skill available to Jia at level 800, it restored half of the target’s HP and cured all status ailments. 

Though it had a long cooldown, its effects were unmatched.

“Ugh… Hah… Haa…”

The pain gradually subsides. 

His HP gauge refills to the orange zone, and the Frozen effect wears off. 

However, the movement and attack speed debuffs remain.

“F-Fuck…”

Dongwook grimaces at this inexplicable phenomenon.

Gray snowflakes that dealt severe damage, inflicted Frozen, and applied debuffs— he had never heard or seen anything like it.

Could it be a new object added during the change event?

“…Wait a second.”

…Then, a memory flashes through Dongwook’s mind.

“Gray snowflakes… Frozen effect… damage… movement speed debuff…?”

Now that he thinks about it, he had heard of something like this before— a blizzard of ashen snow that inflicted Frozen and damage.

It was something he hadn’t paid much attention to, assuming it was far beyond his sub-1000 level. 

But he was sure he had seen something like this in videos related to the SIO Fan.

“Ashen… Blizzard…?”

These effects perfectly matched the passive ability of the most vicious, unbeatable boss in Season Off Fantasy— “Ashen Blizzard.”

“N-No way…”

The boss guarding the “End of the World” stage, open only during December— the month of winter.

A princess of ice and snow, breathtakingly beautiful yet endlessly cold and cruel.

“S- Selberion…?”

…The Frost of Destruction, the God of Annihilation— Selberion.

“Ah…”

A chilling, unexplainable dread crawls down Dongwook’s spine.