“I’m going.” His voice was firm but stubborn, leaving no room for argument.

Click. Click. 

At that, Gilberto started to assemble his guns and equipment without even verbally agreeing or disagreeing. He displayed his answer and his boundless trust through his actions.

“Thanks.” Seo Jun-Ho looked at him gratefully and turned around.

His longtime friend looked extremely exhausted as he leaned against his desk, rubbing his face.

“...Is there really no other way?” Shim Deok-Gu asked. He was so nervous that his lips felt dry, but he added something before Seo Jun-Ho could even reply, “I think he’ll wait for you for now. So please, take some time and come up with a plan…”

“You’re too soft.” Seo Jun-Ho gave a faint smile. His eyes were fixed on the sports channel, which was showing the Heavenly Demon. “That bastard’s a fiend.”

He wasn’t just any fiend either. He was their leader, and he was able to make even the vicious fiends tremble.

‘...A guy like that won’t be sloppy.’

[I will give you 15 minutes.]

Just as Seo Jun-Ho had expected…

The Heavenly Demon looked at the camera and smiled gently.

[For every second that you are late, I shall take ten lives.]

Ten lives, he said, as if counting objects. Shim Deok-Gu trembled with rage at his astounding choice of words.

“...Jun-Ho. No matter how I think about it…”

“I’m being summoned.”

“Yeah, so he can kill you!”

“I’m not talking about that.” Seo Jun-Ho gently closed his eyes. His sensitive ears could hear their voices.

‘P-please come.’

‘I don’t care about myself, but my daughter…’

‘I-I’m scared…’

‘Waaaah! Mommy!’

He could hear their frightened voices.

Though they were right at death’s door, they were calling his name desperately.

“...Oh,” Seo Jun-Ho recalled something. “Do you remember? After I killed some fiends in Harlem back in the states, when CNN interviewed me.”

“...Why are you bringing that up?”

Back then, the reporter had asked this…

- Do you ever feel pressured by the fact that people always call your name when there’s a crisis?

The audience and the cameraman started to grow nervous from the rude, sensitive question. However, Seo Jun-Ho had answered like this.

- No. Actually, it makes me happy.

-...Happy?

- My ears aren’t very good. If they’re all calling for different people, I might not be able to hear them. But if they’re all calling my name, I can hear them better. Don’t you think so?

He could hear them.

“They’re calling my name.” Just like he had said back then, he could hear them loud and clear. They wanted him.

Seo Jun-Ho put on the black mask with reverent hands. The mask was expressionless, unable to portray any kind of emotion.

“...”

Shim Deok-Gu opened his mouth to say something when Specter faced him, but he closed it again. He stared at Specter’s back resentfully, but the latter didn’t mind it as he walked to the window. A cold silence had settled over Seoul, which made it seem like a dead city.

“This will likely be recorded as the worst day in the past twenty-six years.” Tens of thousands of fiends were massacring people all across the world. It once seemed like this conflict would never happen again, but the fiends had declared war on humans. “The Heavenly Demon probably doesn't want me to go.”

After the Frost Queen’s defeat, humanity enjoyed unprecedented peace. Resources became abundant, international relations improved after they overcame the crisis, and the economy boomed.

However, the laws of the world required someone to suffer a loss if another profited.

‘The fiends.’ 

While humanity was happily enjoying their peace, the fiends had been banished to the 2nd floor, living in humiliation.

They only wanted one thing.

Revenge!

“The fiends had to have become stronger, too. They had to be thinking of their glory days,” Specter said.

Though time passed, the fiends were still afraid of the 5 Heroes. And the Heavenly Demon probably didn’t like that. He would want the fiends he led to become courageous warriors instead of cowards.

‘The answer is simple.’

Specter was the leader of the 5 Heroes. All the Heavenly Demon had to do was get rid of him.

“For an enemy, he's pretty smart...”

It was checkmate. The Heavenly Demon had created the perfect stage for himself.

“If I don’t go, he’ll probably say that humanity’s heroes only amount to this.” The Heavenly Demon would reject their status as Heroes and frame them as fragile humans.

“But if you do go…” Shim Deok-Gu started.

“He’ll kill me and win, anyway.”

“You know, but still…!”

“I do.” Specter looked at Shim Deok-Gu. There was no dishonesty in his eyes. “I’m not some divine, holy warrior. But I’m going because I think I have a chance.”

“...” He wasn’t the type to lie about these things.

Shim Deok-Gu was locked in thought for a moment. He grabbed Specter’s shoulders with a serious expression the latter had never seen before.

“I don’t usually try to argue with you.”

“I know...”

“I didn’t say anything when you said you would go around hunting fiends.”

“Of course…”

“I didn’t say anything when you said you’d go to clear the Queen’s Nest.”

“And I’m grateful for that…”

“...”

Actually, that was a lie. Shim Deok-Gu had told Specter off before.

…And if he could, he would do it a hundred; no, a thousand times more. He wanted to tell Specter that he wasn’t the only Player in the world. Moreover, he had always wanted to ask why he was always trying to carry the burden by himself.

However, Shim Deok-Gu could never bring himself to say those words. Because if he didn’t stand aside, disaster would befall the world.

“No matter what happens today, I have something to say. I should have told you this twenty-six years ago.” Shim Deok-Gu’s eyes wavered. He carefully said the words that had been trapped in his throat for the past twenty-six years. “Jun-Ho. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself. The world went along just fine without you.”

“...You sure are quick to tell me that.”

Inside the mask, a smile bloomed on Seo Jun-Ho’s face like a flower. It was a bright expression that melted away the small amount of sorrow.

***

The Heavenly Demon was smiling. It had been a while since he had enjoyed waiting so much. “Isaac, how much time has passed?”

“14 minutes and 2 seconds.”

“There isn’t much time left.” He looked up.

Dududududu! 

Several dozen helicopters were flying above the stadium.

“If they are too noisy, I will bring them down,” Isaac said.

The Heavenly Demon shook his head. “Leave them be. The citizens have the right to know.”

He was sure that Specter wouldn’t come.

‘Life is precious.’ 

Whether it was the life of a human, a villain, or a hero, everyone valued their own life.

Every time the number on the hologram billboard changed, the people fell deeper into despair.

“There are only twenty seconds left now. I think you can start to prepare now.”

Again, Specter would not come.

[The 15 minutes… Are almost over.]

A grave voice reported from above the SDS channel helicopter. The reporter’s face was dark as she spoke into the mike.

[Is Specter-nim…Not coming?]

If Specter didn’t appear today, it wouldn’t just be a loss for himself.

‘It would be a loss for humanity…’

The symbol of hope would fall pathetically.

And the symbol of despair would rise.

Dududududududu!

Just then, a helicopter from another channel spotted a strange movement. Everyone inside turned to look when they discovered something.

[Captain, what’s wrong?]

The pilot sent a hand signal, and the reporter turned her head. Her eyes widened.

[S-speak of the devil…!]

Those who had been to a baseball stadium knew how bright the lights were. They were strong enough to light up the dark night.

And a man wearing a black coat was standing on the roof of the stadium, with his back to the bright lights.

[S-Specter! It’s Specter-nim!]

Reporters from every country and every channel started to speak with joy in their voices, spilling out like a hymn.

“...”

The Heavenly Demon’s lips slowly turned down. “14 minutes and 42 seconds… A shame.”

He had failed to make the Heroes of Earth into weak cowards. However, he wasn’t disappointed.

‘Things have become more interesting...’

He was happy.

The Heavenly Demon was a 2nd Generation fiend, and he had heard countless rumors about Specter. His heart started to race at the thought of humanity’s Hero straight out of a fairy tale.

‘I did well to prepare a second plan.’ 

Would the Hero choose the people or his friend?

The Heavenly Demon couldn’t contain his excitement, and he laughed at what was to come.

Swoosh. 

Specter’s figure disappeared and then reappeared in front of the two fiends.

“Isaac.”

“Yes, Chairman.” Isaac bowed and prepared to leave as planned.

“Don’t move.”

“...?” Isaac looked around and then pointed to himself. “Did you just give me an order?”

“Yeah, don’t move.” Specter’s voice wasn’t full of admiration. Instead, he had spoken to him indifferently, as if it were a one-sided conversation.

“...Ha, haha.” Isaac let out a forced laugh. He was filled with a strange feeling.

‘Who is this lunatic…’

No one, not even the Heavens in the Fiend Association, ever dared to give him an order. They knew how powerful he was, after all.

“Ah, I see…” Isaac finally understood. The man in front of him was only this bold because he didn’t know how strong Isaac was.

‘They say that there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity… Yes, I believe it now.’

In that case, he simply had to show him.

Isaac took a step forward, and a great amount of demonic energy poured out of him like wildfire. “What will you do now that I moved—”

Bang!

Isaac felt a burning sensation on his face. He tried to process what just happened.

‘...My face hurts.’

Blood poured out of his nose.

“Oh, so…”

The enemy had attacked him.

“Isaac.”

Just as he was about to explode with rage, he felt the pressure of the presence behind him.

“He is my prey. Stick to your duties.”

“Yes, then…” Isaac glared at Specter for a second and then gestured with his finger.

“You…!” Specter shouted.

“You should focus on me as well.”

Watchguard of Darkness had dissipated into the air after shooting out.

‘Dammit, I missed him.’

He didn’t know if it was for the better or for the worse, but Isaac had disappeared.

“Now that we are here, I am much happier than I expected.”

“...” The Heavenly Demon looked down at his watch with a soft smile on his face. “I believe that it will take some time for the game to begin, so let us warm up before then.”

‘...Game?’ 

Seo Jun-Ho didn’t have the time to ask what the Heavenly Demon meant as his body started to tremble when the Heavenly Demon unleashed his demonic energy.

‘This bastard…’ 

He instantly reminded Specter of someone else.

‘Sir Thunder God…’ 

The Thunder God carried thunder in his body. However, the Heavenly Demon was different.

‘...Who the hell is this guy?’

He felt like he was facing a malicious force of nature disguised as a human. Usually, he was a being that had to be avoided at all costs.

“...”

Unfortunately, Specter had no other option.