Camera shutters clicked all around the conference room. But considering how many people were there, it was relatively quiet. 

“...”

The people were too busy looking at Specter with their own eyes than through the viewfinder of the camera. He was a living legend, a myth, a hero. Some were even moved to tears. 

‘...He looks exactly the same as he did in the past.’ 

‘So he has truly returned.’ 

‘Has he made a full recovery after a few months?’

‘I heard that he slew dozens of fiends in Rome. It seems that was true.’ 

Every step he took exuded confidence, and his powerful charisma was enough to fill the room. His presence alone was enough to completely capture the attention of the thousands of onlookers. 

“We will now begin the press conference.” Shim Deok-Gu took a seat next to him and spoke into the mic. Even in the past, he had acted as a proxy for Specter during press conferences. 

‘He used to just be a low-ranking employee in the Association…’

‘He’s the President now, but he’s still acting as a proxy?’

‘I heard that they were friends since they were young, but they must be closer than I thought.’ 

One might expect him to feel some level of envy or discomfort because of his own position, but Shim Deok-Gu didn’t show any of that at all. 

“We will be taking a few questions.” Shim Deok-Gu announced.

“Only a few? Isn’t that too little?”

“There are so many people…”

There were grumbles throughout the room, but ultimately Shim Deok-Gu and Specter were the ones in charge. Even as they complained, they started to raise their hands. Shim Deok-Gu chose the first person he saw. 

“Hello. I am Lee Shin-Woo, the editor-in-chief of Players magazine. I’ve always admired you, and it’s such an honor to…”

“Just your question, please.” Shim Deok-Gu cut in. The editor quickly shifted, afraid of losing the opportunity. 

“Many people are curious about Specter-nim’s health. Would I be right to assume that he has recovered to a certain extent, seeing how he appeared in public?”

The editor wanted Specter to answer, but it was Shim Deok-Gu that did. “He has yet to fully recover, but he’s well enough to start warming up again.”

The reporters started muttering to each other. 

“One of the fiends that Specter took care of a few hours ago was Torres Milo.”

“...What? Torres Milo? Is he the same person that I’m thinking of?”

“Yeah, the one who used to be a Player. His last recorded level was 75.”

“Wait, so Specter took out a level 75 Player along with dozens of others?”

“And he says that’s just ‘warming up’...”

Everyone here knew how amazing Specter was, but none of them had seen him in action with their own eyes. They only knew of his power from written records and recordings from the past. 

“We’ll take the next question.”

“...Specter-nim has been in a frozen state for 25 years. Because of this, many conspiracy theories have been circulating. Can you prove that you are truly Specter?”

“Wow.”

“Is he crazy?”

Even though others criticized the question, they were curious about how Specter would respond. It was true that conspiracy theories about his return had become popular nowadays. 

“Ah, I’m not sure what kind of evidence will suffice...Can you do it?”

As Shim Deok-Gu turned to him, Specter silently unsheathed his sword and the reporter flinched. It was a simple, standard Association sword, and he ignited it with jet-black magic. The look in the Players’ eyes changed. 

‘It’s a sword aura. A perfect one, at that.’ 

‘You’re telling me that’s the magic of a person who hasn’t fully recovered? At most, he should be around level 80…’

‘Are the books incorrect? That’s...That could stand a chance against Kim Woo-Joong.’ 

‘Fuck! His magic loss rate seems lower than mine. What were his circuits like 25 years ago?’

The sword aura looked strong as fire but at the same time, it was as tranquil as a lake. The jet-black energy that seemed like it could ruthlessly cut down any enemy flowed slowly and consistently. His magic was perfectly and completely under his control. 

The audience mistakenly thought that his skills were rustier than they were 25 years ago. But now, they wondered; just what exactly was his sword aura like back then?

The Big 6 Team Leaders swallowed hard. He was showing that he was, without a doubt, the real Specter. 

“...Thank you for your response.” The reporter who had brought up a hot topic bowed deeply and sat back down. 

Specter casually sheathed his sword, and the conference continued. 

“Since Specter-nim has awakened from the ice, does that mean that the other four could awaken as well?”

“...No one knows. He doesn’t even know how he broke away from the ice himself.” Shim Deok-Gu gave the answer that Seo Jun-Ho had told him to give. Who knew what the fiends would do if it became known that he could save his friends? 

They took a few more questions. He answered the ones he had been expecting, and most of the issues were settled by then. 

“Now, we will be receiving questions from the Players.” Shim Deok-Gu announced. The Players’ hands shot up in the air. The first one that was chosen was Hallem Guild’s Kiora. 

“It’s an honor to meet you. My question is something of personal interest...Did you know that the Cave of Trials record was broken a while ago?”

Shim Deok-Gu turned to Seo Jun-Ho and whispered in his ear.

“It was a Player named Seo Jun-Ho.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

Shim Deok-Gu nodded and responded for Specter. “I am aware.”

“This is my question. Can you tell us your thoughts on the matter and your opinion on Seo Jun-Ho?”

“Um, I don’t have much to say on that…” Shim Deok-Gu looked at Seo Jun-Ho. He couldn’t see his expression because of the mask, but he calmly held out his hand. He was asking for the mic. 

‘Finally…!’

‘This is the first time we’re hearing Specter’s voice in 25 years.’ 

‘Where’s the volume button?’

The reporters quickly adjusted the EQ on their mics to get a clear recording. 

“...First of all.” 

His soothing voice resonated through the speakers. The audience had only ever heard his voice in old, broken-up recordings, and they were impressed. 

‘So this is what Specter’s voice sounds like.’ 

‘He has a nice voice. He could be a voice actor.’ 

‘I bet he's handsome too.’ 

Seo Jun-Ho paused, and the audience nodded in understanding. 

‘His feelings must be complicated.’ 

‘He’s probably frustrated. He just woke up after a 25-year slumber with his records broken…’

But Seo Jun-Ho was thinking about something else. 

‘Mm, how should I portray myself.’ 

It wouldn’t be good to look down on himself, but too much praise would garner the attention of the fiends. He decided to keep it simple. 

“I ran into him a few days ago at the Association.”

“Oohh…”

“The top Player of the past and the top Player of the present…”

“What is he gonna say?”

“M-Mr. Snake Head never mentioned that to me...Oh, right, we didn’t exchange contacts.” 

Kiora pressed him. “What did you think?”

“It made me think of a crouching stance.”

“...!”

“As I thought, he thinks the same way.” The Players nodded. He was referring to a crouching start that track athletes went into before they started a race. 

‘So it’s the beginning of a race…’

‘Considering Seo Jun-Ho’s potential, he’s going to grow exponentially if he ever gets his hands on a skill book.’

‘What an apt description.’

The reporters closely observed Spector as he casually complimented his hubae. 

‘He’s praising his hubae so casually even though he broke his record…’

‘Specter truly is as dignified as they say.‘

‘If I were him, I wouldn’t be able to praise him so easily.’ 

He unintentionally caused a misunderstanding, but the press conference continued on to the next question.

“I am Benjamin of Labyrinth. Is there a Guild that you are interested in joining?”

“No. However, I will be maintaining a close relationship with the Association for a while.”

“Thank you.”

The reporters in the back were in an uproar, but the Big 6 Players nodded coolly. If he wouldn’t join their own Guilds, it was good enough that he didn’t join anyone else’s Guild.

“I am Gong Ju-Ha of the Goblin Guild. Hehe, I’m a big fan…”

“...I see,” Seo Jun-Ho said begrudgingly. He knew all too well. Every time they met, she would try to preach to him with his own words. 

“I’ve been deeply interested in the Rome incident. Many people expected you to retire...Aha, I was wondering if this meant that you’re returning to the field. That is what I wanted to ask.”

It was the question he had been waiting for.

“I wanted to retire,” he said in a low voice. People listened closely, and they noticed the change in his tone. Seo Jun-Ho looked at Shim Deok-Gu as he spoke. “When I woke up, my friend here told me something. He told me that the sacrifice my comrades and I had made turned the world into a peaceful place. He told me that the world was much better than before.”

The audience nodded in agreement. The death rates in each country were reaching an all-time low, and the economy was booming. 

“But after witnessing the tragedy in Paradise, I no longer think that I can retire.” He stood up from his seat. “In 24 years, close to 6,000 children were kidnapped by fiends. Most of them died.”

“...!”

“That many…?”

“So no one knew about it?”

“Of course not. No one cares about the 1st floor anymore.” Seo Jun-Ho couldn’t mask the rage in his voice. “My comrades and I trusted the world. We were sure that the fiends would never return again. But that didn’t seem to be the case.”

“...”

The Players were silent. They couldn’t deny his accusations. It was true that once a Player reached the 2nd floor, they stopped caring about the 1st floor. 

“This could have been prevented. If Players, Guilds, and Associations had joined hands, this would not have happened.”

But they were all too focused on the new resources, land, and monsters on the 2nd floor. 

“The present is a result of the past and the cause of the future.”

This happened because of your complacency and greed—this was what Specter was telling them.

“Therefore, I cannot retire.”

How could he retire when they caused such a mess?

The Players’ reactions were divided. They either bowed their heads in shame or narrowed their eyes in displeasure. But Seo Jun-Ho didn’t care how they reacted. He would walk the path that he had chosen for himself.

“I have one more thing to say about this.” He turned to the hundreds of cameras that were pointing at him. The press conference was being live-streamed all around the world. The staff was worried that he would cause a scene, but Shim Deok-Gu signaled them to stand by. 

‘This bastard…’ 

He had always been like this. Once he got started, he would say what he wanted to the end. 

“This is for the fiends.” 

Specter did not emanate any magic, but his presence alone was overwhelming. The people in the conference room swallowed nervously. 

“I have returned.”

He didn’t shout or scream in anger. But his cold, quiet warning made people shiver. 

‘What? He should only be around level 80. My level should definitely be higher…’

‘I got chills… I almost unsheathed my sword without noticing.’ 

‘The poor fiends. They’ve provoked Specter’s anger.’ 

The strongest Player had returned after 25 years. At that moment, the reporters unanimously decided what tomorrow’s front page would be.