They talked for eight hours until the neon signs in Seoul flickered on. Feeling hungry, Shim Deok-gu checked the time and spoke. 

“Wow, it’s already this late. Aren’t you hungry? Wanna grab something to eat?” Seo Jun-ho shook his head after a moment. 

“I’m fine. Rather than that, I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor? What is it?

“I heard the Seoul History Museum is super famous.”

“……”

He meant that he wanted to go visit. Shim Deok-gu knew why. This rascal, he misses his teammates. Actually, he knew that he’d ask and had already made preparations. 

Even though he acted aloof, he treasured his friends as much as himself. 

Slide.

Shim Deok-gu pulled out a bracelet and placed it on the bed. Seo Jun-ho blinked. 

“Wow, technology sure has come a long way. Is this the famous Seoul History Museum?”

“Very funny. This is a Vita. It’s similar to a computer. Live interpretation, calling, internet, maps, payment… You can basically do everything with it.”

“Sounds fun. So why are you giving this to me?” As soon as he put it on his wrist, Shim Deok-gu started laughing. 

“I’m going down to the first floor by the stairs. Reporters, politicians and players are crowding the area, so it’ll be more bothersome for you to come with me.”

“You can just tell me to take an elevator. Why make it so complicated?”

“Ahem. You can make most payments with your Vita, but use this if you need cash.” Deok-gu pulled out a big stack of bills. 

“Hey, this feels kind of weird. I feel like I’m getting allowance from an ahjussi*.”

(TN: Korean meaning uncle, grown man.)

“Shut up. If you go to the back of the museum, there’s a door with restricted access.”

“What’s the password?”

“I registered your iris.”

“Hoo, you’ve gotten better at these things.”

“It’s been 25 years. I wouldn’t be the president if I didn’t improve.” Seo Jun-ho looked at his friend with a new light. 

“Come back to the hospital when you’re done. The doctors want to monitor your condition for a while.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Alright.”

Shim Deok-gu stood up to leave. But before he stepped out, he looked back three times. 

“Why do you keep looking back?”

“…Just. I still can’t believe that you’re back.”

“You’ve gotten weirder with age. Hurry up and leave.”

“Haha.” 

Deok-gu left the room while laughing as Seo Jun-ho threw a pillow at him. 

“…I should get ready too.” 

He took off his patient gown and wore his clothes, which had been cleaned. There wasn’t a huge difference in fashion in 2049. 

“That’s a relief. I was worried that tights or something would become popular.” Well, it was obvious from looking at Deok-gu’s clean suit and the doctors’ gown that not much had changed. He left his room and got on the elevator to the first floor. 

By the stairwell, Deok-gu was surrounded by a huge crowd. 

Click! Click!

“How is the Specter’s health?”

“Is there nothing wrong with him?”

“Was it really the Specter?”

“Keeping his identity secret is an abuse of power by the Player Association! The world has the right to know!”

“When will you be holding a press conference?”

He answered calmly, not looking the least bit nervous. The look on his face was familiar as he answered questions with confidence. He really was a good president. 

“You rascal. Good job.” 

Seo Jun-ho left the hospital with a small smile on his face. 

* * *

There were numerous taxis at the station in front of the hospital, but the driver’s seats were empty. 

“What? Did they all go out for dinner?” Seo Jun-ho crouched by the sidewalk, waiting for the drivers to return. A moment later, a sweating businessman ran forward. 

“Jeez, so much to do.” 

He took a seat in one of the empty taxis. It took off. 

“…Huh? I’m sure there wasn’t anyone in the driver’s seat.” 

Watching the taxi drive off, Seo Jun-ho inched toward another. He carefully opened the door and took a seat. As soon as he did, an automated voice spoke. 

—Please choose your destination.

“…Seoul History Museum.” 

—Departing. 

The taxi started to move. 

“Woah! This is great! I really feel like I’m in the future now.” 

As he looked around with an amazed expression, he spotted a small pamphlet. 

[After the self-driving taxi was commercialized 18 years ago, the rate of traffic accidents have dropped to 0%…]

“0%? Wow, this world is amazing.” The car was comfortable to ride in too. Feeling better, Seo Jun-ho opened the window as he smiled. The cool wind felt good on his face, and he took in the sight of Seoul’s nightscape. 

The time was 8:20PM. The streets were filled with office workers in suits and young college students. 

It had been a rare sight when the Gates had appeared. Back then, we never knew when Gates or monsters would show up. He felt content as he watched the streets, and the taxi soon arrived at its destination. 

As he paid with his Vita, he was met by a large park built with white stone. The courtyard of the museum was full of couples on dates and families who were out taking walks together. 

Something caught Seo Jun-ho’s eyes as he watched the children run around. Hey, isn’t that my mask?

The children were wearing plastic Specter masks. When he looked around, he found a stand selling them. He stepped closer, feeling curious, and saw a small child pulling on his parent’s sleeve. 

“Pleaseee! I want it! I want the Specter mask!”

“Be quiet. I bought you one last time.”

“Last time was the Skaya mask!”

“Shush! Stop making a scene.”

“Pleaseeee!”

“Then Jin-ho can live here. Mom and dad are going home.” The child started to lay and cry on the ground, begging for the mask. 

Feeling a bit conceited, Seo Jun-ho went up to the seller. 

“Do the Heroes’ masks sell well?”

“Of course they do. They’re my most popular product. Especially…” 

As if they were telling him a great secret, the seller looked around. 

“The Great Mage Skaya’s. They’re the most popular,” they said in a low voice.

“…That doesn’t make sense.”

Seo Jun-ho’s eyes went wide in surprise, and he looked at the seller with a confused expression. 

“Doesn’t the Specter’s mask sell the best?”

“Of course not. They’re the fourth best.”

“……”

With a sour expression, Seo Jun-ho looked at the other items that were for sale. The collection of masks wasn’t complete. 

“Um, well, the other Heroes’ masks have their faces on them, but we don’t know what the Specter looks like. All we can do is sell this black mask… Of course the kids wouldn’t like them.”

“But they’re cool. The black masks, I mean.”

(TN: ㅋㅋㅋ he’s so petty)

“Well, kids like things that look pretty.”

“…I would like a mask.”

Seo Jun-ho bought four Specter masks and carried them in his arms. 

“My original mask looks really cool though.”

* * *

He made his way to the back of the museum and found the door. After it scanned his iris, he had the Seoul History Museum all to himself. 

“Wow, they put these on display?”

Inside the museum, there were monster models, hides and bones, along with battle gear from famous players of the past. 

Seo Jun-ho walked around casually, looking at the display cases, and arrived in front of the morgue. 

—Iris scan successful. Door is opening. 

Creak. 

As soon as the door opened, white smoke began to flow out.

“……”

This chill, this feeling. The morgue felt eerily similar to the Frost Queen’s Nest. 

“I suppose it’s because they wanted to preserve the ice statues…”

He didn’t feel good about it. It seemed that his comrades couldn’t escape from the Frost Queen’s grasp, even in death. 

Step, step.

He reached the center of the morgue and stared hard at the four statues.

The Great Mage, Skaya Killiland. 

The King of Destruction, Rahmadat Khali. 

The Gray Envoy, Gilbert Green. 

The Sky Phoenix, Tenmei Mio.

(TN: Tenmei is her surname.)

They were his comrades, his reliable friends. 

“…I’m sorry I’m late.” He’d carried out his promise three days ago, after 25 years. He’d never thought that he’d keep it in this way. 

Rustle.

Seo Jun-ho sat on the cold ground. 

“Do you guys know? The world has gotten a lot better. Have you heard of the self-driving taxi?” He explained the peace they’d brought together. He wasn’t great with words, but he used his hands to explain every single detail. 

“It’s the peace we dreamed of.” Even though it wasn’t true peace, they’d saved humanity and the world. 

“So please…” My work is done, right? I can rest now, right?

Seo Jun-ho pressed his lips together, unable to say the words. Because if he did, he felt like he’d be admitting that it was the end. 

His friends were stuck in time forever in ice, and it seemed like only he was given that time back. 

“…Have a drink.”

He pulled out a bottle of alcohol from his inventory and poured a bit in front of each of his teammates. 

Drip.

Only a little bit for Mio and Skaya, who didn’t drink well, and plenty for the two others. He poured the rest down his throat. 

“Keuhhh.”

(TN: like a groaning noise when you drink lol)

Feeling more awake, he put one mask in front of each statue. 

“Take it with you. I’ve done a lot of good deeds, so they’ll give you the VIP treatment in heaven too.” He finished soothing his friends’ spirits. 

Still feeling some lingering regret, Seo Jun-ho dusted the ice statues’ shoulders. 

“…Hey, don’t go around looking dirty like that.”

Tap, tap. He brushed the dust off their shoulders without a second thought. 

His eyes widened as he read over the three lines.

“…What?”

As if he was possessed, Seo Jun-ho touched the ice statue again. The same message popped up, but his mind was already racing. 

I can remove the seal? Me?

Deok-gu had said that the ice couldn’t be melted even with the current technology or player skills.

But he could. 

“The Frost skill…”

He’d acquired the skill from the Frost Queen’s nucleus. 

“Fuu, haa, fuu, haa.” Taking deep breaths to calm himself, Seo Jun-ho fell deep in thought. He’d have to check his current stats before he did anything else. 

“Status window.” As soon as he muttered the words, a small hologram window appeared. It is one of the abilities the System gave to the players. 

[Seo Jun-ho]

Level: 1

Title: The One Who Opens Spring

Strength: 21          Stamina: 24

Speed: 26              Magic: 18

⟬Skills⟭

Frost(EX), Watchguard of Darkness(S), Hunter’s Night(A), Hero’s Mind(A), Weapon Mastery(A), Keen Intuition(B). 

⟬Special Status⟭

Original stats have been drastically reduced. 

Original stats will be restored as time passes and as you level up. 

“……”

He glanced at the special status section, and his eyes glimmered with hope. He had the Frost(EX) skill. 

This is the key. The key to saving his friends. Not only that, it had skipped right over the S-rank to be an EX-rank skill. 

Deok-gu always said that S-rank was the highest. 

If Korea’s Player Association believed that, that probably meant that he was the first one to ever have such a skill. 

But the System said that my Magic stat is too low to remove the seal… He looked closer at his status window. 

“Tsk.”

He’d dropped from level 80 and his stats were depressingly low. But it wouldn’t be that way forever. 

I’ll be able to restore them. 

Of course, it wasn’t something he’d be able to do in a day or two. His Keen Intuition skill told him that.

(TN: Girl, I can tell you that without a special skill.)

“My Magic is 18? Is this on purpose?” He laughed until his chest hurt, remembering all the times his low Magic stat had gotten in his way. “Magic is always the problem.”

He’d tried supplements and magic-boosting items, but his low Magic stat always made things harder. He let out a long, frustrated sigh, and spotted something. 

“Huh? The One Who Opens Spring?”

He recalled that he’d received the title when he defeated the Frost Queen. He’d been a player for 5 years, but that had been the first title he’d ever received. 

…When Skaya created magic for the first time, she received the title ‘Mage’s First Steps’. He remembered her boasting about getting 15 extra Magic stat points and being able to cast spells faster. Either way, I think you can only get them from doing near-impossible tasks… I should check the effects. 

“Check title, The One Who Opens Spring.”

Woosh. 

A new section popped up below the status window.