Chapter 101 :

Episode 22 : The Everlasting Winter (3)

Moments after the destructive explosion occurred, HwanGi was walking up toward a bear. It was the same bear that he saw earlier. 

With a strange black object etched on its icicles, it was clear to spot it since it didn't match the white and light blue colors of the polar bear.

HwanGi stood, bending down to grab the item on the polar bear. "This.. I knew it."

[Player ‘1’ has obtained the ‘Remnant of The Unknown Sword’.]

"This looks like a hilt." HwanGi examined while moving the hilt around.

[Stage #12 had forcibly ended!]

When a message appeared before HwanGi, he flinched slightly because of how unexpected it was, but he still read it normally.

"We survived.." Mya mumbled behind HwanGi before starting to cheer. "We won!"

Seeing as how the stage finished, HwanGi let out a very long sigh of relief before staring at the hilt for a bit.

After that, he stored it in his inventory swiftly, turning around to glance at Mya and see if she was injured or not.

But instead of allowing him to relax and check on Mya's state, two sudden blinding lights in the color of red and blue shone in front of HwanGi in the middle of the air.

Everyone in the area knew what those kinds of lights indicated which led to everyone gazing at those lights, keeping their guards up while wondering what would happen to them.

Those lights materialized to two angels with wings fully unfolding before everyone, showcasing their magnificent figures and brilliance in this moment.

The scarlet light being the familiar redhead, levitating downward toward the pit without realizing.

"Why did you have to finish so fast..?" The redhead being Ruby, scowled while complaining about the completion of Stage #12.

The one who had appeared after the blue light, was Sapphire, seemingly talking to everyone while ignoring Ruby's grumble. 

"Greeting ‘The Rebels’ guild. From here on out, we, Ruby and Sapphire will be overseeing the entirety of Stages #12 to #21."

"Grr.. Seriously, at least listen to me while I speak, Sapphire." Ruby muttered under her lips.

Naturally, Sapphire could clearly hear Ruby's stupid complaint, yet she was holding herself back from freezing Ruby to the core. 

"Since you have completed this Stage, we will now process with the compensation."

Not informing Ruby about her task, Sapphire just creepily tilted her head toward Ruby as she showed her icy expression to Ruby.

Because Ruby was a little afraid of Sapphire, she could easily notice the eyes of a monster glaring at her which led to her sweating.

"Alright, alright! You could have just told me! Don't just give me those eyes." Ruby felt shiver down her spine when she was grunting at Sapphire.

Regardless of how Sapphire was treating Ruby, Ruby still proceeded with her work as she began to create a fireball on her hand.

Despite the windy air and cold atmosphere, the fire on Ruby's hand was burning fiercely without dying down as the wind blew it.

Whoosh!

Clasping the fireball in her hand, Ruby tossed it like how she pitched a baseball toward the people below.

Afterwards, the fireball was striking down to the earth until it got dispersed into 9 tiny sparkles, floating toward everyone's heads before bursting like a small firework upon coming into contact with a strand of hair.

[Calculating the compensation and choice of Stage #12. . .]

[Acknowledging ‘The Rebels’ Guild's choice as the correct and right path to take.]

[For choosing the first option of Stage #12's completion, the reward for this option had been granted.]

[Stage #12's compensation had been awarded to ‘The Rebels’ Guild.]

Everyone witnessing 3 Defrost potions emerging in front of them, including a full set of winter gear for this world, reached out their hands to acquire their rewards.

Not only that, they also received a huge amount of coins which was 1400 coins. With a reward like that, wouldn't they be thrilled?

Yet, everyone except JoonChul's comrades wasn't excited for long after they realized what they had read through the system messages. 

Wondering what it meant to have picked the right choice for this stage #12 and was curious about what would happen to them if they were to choose the incorrect path for Stage #12.

"Did JoonChul-ssi know about this..?" HwanGi murmured while he was holding onto the winter clothes in his hands, storing away the defrost potions in his inventory without even checking its description and uses.

"..!" 

Out of the blue, HwanGi became aware of something as he started to shift his eyes all over the place to find the person he was mentioning before.

Be that as it may, what he saw was everyone except the leader of ‘The Rebels’ guild was in the area with him.

"Where is JoonChul-ssi?" He asked.

"Uncle..?" Mya pondered while putting the winter gear set in her inventory.

During this, Ruby growled while flying over the hole, realizing the devastating power of ‘The Rebels’ Guild before stating. "That last player.. Just how?" 

"Erm.. This is quite a humongous hole.."

"That's what she said." Louis coughed while hiding the fact that his mind went elsewhere.

"Louis! You were with JoonChul-ssi for a bit right? Do you know where he is?" As he gave Mya a piggyback ride, HwanGi came running toward Louis.

Needless to say, Louis misunderstood HwanGi for a bit, thinking that HwanGi could have overheard the words Louis had said earlier. 

"Ahem.. No, I haven't seen him." 

"Then where could he be? JoonChul-ssi.." 

"Why do you care? He doesn't seem to be the type to die this easily."

"Doesn't matter what type he is, his life might be in danger!" HwanGi uttered, placing Mya back to the ground.

Alaine who appeared out of nowhere behind HwanGi, took a leap and embraced HwanGi's back firmly. "..carry me. I don't think I can walk for a few hours.."

The words that Alaine was mumbling behind his back, was filled with torment and sadness to the point that HwanGi couldn't help but agree on giving her a piggyback ride.

Eventually, HwanGi softly spoke to her. "Fine.. You worked hard, Alaine."

"..." No response from Alaine as if she didn't want to talk to anyone right this moment.

Wondering about her, HwanGi had his gaze on Louis. ‘Alaine.. What happened while we were fighting?’ 

HwanGi took a moment to worry about Alaine until he figured it would be wise to search for JoonChul instead of standing here.

"Everyone.. let's do our best to search for JoonChul-ssi!" HwanGi declared in a loud tone to get everybody's attention.

During this time, the ‘Helpers’ had been explaining information about Stage #12, that was when HwanGi's loud voice was heard by the ‘Helpers’, disturbing their explanation which wasn't his intention. 

"These guys aren't paying attention at all..!" Ruby muttered while clenching her hands into fists.

———

After discussing with everyone within the guild, HwanGi was told about the ‘Winter’ Bear by Alaine who witnessed it and JoonChul's comrades.

With knowledge of this bear, HwanGi had come to a conclusion with Frostina that the ‘Winter’ Bear must be heading toward its cave.

Even though he got information and pinpointed where the bear was heading, the problem was where would the cave be in this place. 

"We only arrived in this world.. there's no way we can tell where the cave is.." 

In spite of this, HwanGi was determined to locate where JoonChul was, which was why he had informed everyone to commence on the search.

"Everyone! Get the winter gear out of your inventory! We will need it if we want to be safe from the cold." HwanGi made a wise decision.

But there was a huge problem. Where would anyone be able to wear their clothes while in the middle of an open field, including the cold atmosphere?

As obvious as it was, the female and the male in the team were wearing their clothes far apart from each other. Of course, nobody would see their bodies even if they tried.

It was thanks to Mirai's two cocoons that the members in ‘The Rebels’ guild didn't have to worry about the atmosphere and people peeking on them.

Although it had taken everyone a few hours to put on their winter gears, it was worth it if they were to survive the cold ambience. 

"Is there anyone that is still not done?" 

HwanGi looked over the members of the guild as he could see them having new appearances because of the winter clothes.

Alaine being her usual self after changing her clothes, responded joyfully. "yup! We're ready to go!"

"I told you we don't need to go and find JoonChul.. Even his comrades or companions aren't running around to find him." Louis commented while staring at JoonChul's comrades standing beside each other and not even having a concerned expression on a single face.

"His life is still important. So we shouldn't just hope for the best." HwanGi replied as in his head, he had been blaming his own rotten luck for JoonChul to encounter that ‘Winter’ bear.

"Let's head out—"

"Oi!" Out of a sudden, a deafening voice echoed above everyone, sounding extremely irritated from just hearing the tone. 

It was Ruby who was glaring her blazing eyes at everybody, shouting at them viciously. "What do you think you are doing!?! Ignoring us?"

The reason why Ruby and Sapphire hadn't interrupted the players earlier, was because ‘The Rebels’ guild were having a moment of switching their clothes, so the ‘Helpers’ didn't wish to bother those players yet.

"These players..!!" Ruby grumbled in rage because of her short-temper.

Despite being patient for the players to get themselves changed, Ruby grew annoyed by how the players didn't pay attention to her while they were explaining earlier.

Even now, these players were just going to leave without hearing Ruby's speak. While Sapphire might be fine from this annoyance, the one who couldn't handle this, was the wrathful Ruby.

Ruby yelled in pure anger, pointing her finger at HwanGi, the one who ruined her explanation with his voice. 

"You think we're not worth your time, didn't you? Well then, have fun getting through Stage #13, idiots!" 

Having a menacing aura around Ruby, appearing as though it was a flaming aura that resembled her rageful expression currently, caused Sapphire to stop pretending her calmness and flinched.

"Ruby! Don't! Control your anger!" Sapphire, trying to stop the enraged Ruby, flew toward her in full speed.

However, Sapphire was unable to prevent Ruby since she was a few seconds late from getting near Ruby.

[Processing the payment for enforcing the system. . .]

[Completed.]

[Stage #13 has forcibly started!]

"Another troublesome situation..!" Her voice indicating how frustrated Sapphire was, spoke furiously.

At that moment before Ruby's chest was being outbursted by fireworks as payment for enforcing the system, Sapphire had used her ice power to pause time in the surrounding. 

‘I do not want the players to see Ruby like this.’ Sapphire thought before glancing over to ‘The Rebels’ Guild's members.

After that, she had speedily taken Ruby and flew further away from that area, disappearing in everyone's line of sight which prompted Sapphire's freeze time skill to vanish as well.

"Huh? Where's the ‘Helpers’?" Louis asked while staring at the exact spot where the ‘Helpers’ were.

Alaine looked in that direction along with Mya as Alaine spoke. "If they're gone, that's good. I really don't want to see them at all!"

"Huh.. Then shall we leave already and find JoonChul?" Louis shifted his eyes over to HwanGi, waiting for him to respond.

Eventually, HwanGi nodded and said. "Let's go."