Chapter 152 :

Episode 31 : Absolute Zero (2)

About 5 minutes in on our break after the mini boss fight… 

"Captain, when will you open your loot box?" Mirai asked me while she was on top of her loot box in her spider form.

When I heard her question, I shifted my glance on my loot box, starting to ponder about what I needed in the future stages.

‘Right now, I shouldn't be thinking about the next world's stages, but this ‘Arctic’ world's stages I'm in.’

‘And what I need.. Hm.’

Anyways, I shouldn't be letting Mirai wait for my response. "Ladies first." 

"Captain.." She pouted as if she knew what I was planning already.

"Pfft." I chuckled a little when I saw her pout.

Raiden then let himself in on the conversation. "Sensei, why not help them too?"

"You know how we are." I spoke, laying my gaze on HwanGi and the others. 

Despite knowing how we operate, Raiden still asked such a question to me, knowing that I wouldn't say yes to him. ‘He must like them.’

"..I understand." He replied gloomily.

"It appears you got attached to this group of people. Is it because of your disciple?"

As if I hit the spot, I noticed how pretty obvious it was by Raiden's expression. Of course, Raiden clearly thought highly of his disciple and I could see that.

..Just like how I have Raiden and ‘him’... as my disciples, he wanted to leave his own techniques and knowledge to his new disciple.

And I'm certain Alaine will do fine as Raiden's disciple.

"Really.." I let out a sigh.

In any case, it would do me good if I were to hand out items to strengthen my other half of the guild, if I didn't, nothing good will happen. 

"Everyone, the items that we may get, would be useless to us anyways. So you may as well give your item to Alaine and her friends." I told my comrades.

Having heard that, Raiden seemed eager to do it. "Arigato gozaimasu, Sensei!"

"Now, hand me the boxes." 

After a while, I was lent with my comrades' loot boxes, but there appeared to be two missing.

"Hm.." As I recounted the loot boxes, I realized who didn't hand me their loot boxes. 

And thus, I asked those two. "Why are you just standing there, son and Cryo?" 

"..." Startled, Noel flinched with his loot box behind him.

..Yes, I should have noticed this sooner..

For Noel who had to experience his past again because of that maze stage, he must be feeling perplexed and complicated.

Yet, Noel still listened to me without a word and did what I told him to do when battling the Yeti.

‘My son is hard to understand, isn't he?’ I wondered and shrugged my shoulders.

‘Indeed, he is.’ From there, Lucifer agreed with me.

During that moment, I suddenly heard Raiden telling the child. "Come, you're a part of our team from now on. So don't hesitate and freely talk with us."

"Don't fall behind and stray from our team. That's a warning, fool." After Raiden, came Frostina who warned Noel.

‘These guys..’ I let out a faint chuckle.

Eventually, Mirai suggested as she saw no problem in Noel and Crystal joining our team. "Big sis, I have an idea. What if you can be his teacher and tutor him on how to efficiently use his ice powers?"

Thinking about Mirai's suggestions, Frostina agreed with that idea. "I see no problem in that, as long as it improves our team's potential, then that's a must." 

Seeing how my comrades accept Noel and Crystal as a part of our team now, there's no point in being the only one who hadn't persuaded these two.

"You are a part of ‘The Rebels’ Guild and my team, so.." I spoke to Noel with a warming tone.

With a gentle smile, I uttered to him with great confidence. "Father and son, together on our journey to save Noelle. Let's both do our best, shall we?" 

..How I loved my acting. 

Truly, my confidence was wavering faintly by what I would do to save Noelle.

‘If Noelle dies..’ 

With a resolved grin on his face, Noel answered me in somewhat of a courageous manner. "Yes, father!" 

"That's my boy." I smirked with a smile.

..Smile all I can with Noel, because I ponder when I'll get the chance to smile with him again if I fail to save Noelle.

‘How revolting of Eric's subconscious.’ I bit my lower lip as I thought.

———

After the break was over, everyone began to leave the mini boss's cave, sprinting without rest to find the next location for the stage.

..It was then that they got a system message in the process.

[Stage #16 : Adventure.]

+

Stage Information: In this ice temple, too massive to find the right path, the only way is to explore and locate the next area while avoiding the unnecessary creatures that reside here.

Stage Task: Climb to the next floor of this temple.

Time Limit: ∞ Hours.

Reward: 1200 coins, One Skill of your choice, 3 Large HP and MP potions.

Failure: None.

+

Shortly after reading the message, Alaine gasped when she saw the reward. "Free skill?! Really?"

However, sadly for Alaine, JoonChul exclaimed from the front. "You all must make sure to go for the skill, ‘Ice Resistance’ because we'll need it if we want to survive the next stage."

"Eeeh?!! That's quite disappointing, I was hoping to get a new skill that will help me fight!"

"But sister Alaine, didn't you get new boots from uncle Raiden?" Mya spoke while taking a peek at Alaine's fresh boots.

"That's different from a skill..!"

Out of the blue, when the ground was starting to vibrate, JoonChul had already cried out to let everybody know.

"Everyone! Jump!" 

Rumbling! RUMBLING!

Shaken by the many steps of the creatures that were rushing toward everyone's direction, it caused a disturbance in the surrounding area.

RUMBLE!! 

With a prolonged leap, everybody ascended from their spots, hopping over the unexpected creatures that could have ran over them without mercy.

Alaine bawled when she wasn't able to count how many entities there were on the ground. "Why are there so many mobs here?!"

Bewildered, Crystal also exclaimed. "Are we supposed to fight all of them?!" 

"JoonChul-ssi! Didn't you say we won't have to fight?!" Slightly furious by a self-thought lie, HwanGi called out to JoonChul.

"Quiet!" 

JoonChul with a concentrated look, took a breather before seeming like he was taking a step in the air.

Swoosh~

Along with Frostina, JoonChul helped form a platform of ice to allow everyone to land on, not only that, this ice platform fortunately was preventing everybody and the mobs below from contacting each other.

Thud!

"Woa—Oof!" Alaine landed on the platform with a fall. "Ouch.."

"This..?" HwanGi was clearly surprised as he realized he made a mistake by doubting JoonChul. 

‘I'm supposed to trust him, why did I make such a mistake?’ Helping Alaine stand up, HwanGi thought with a grim expression.

BANG!

Before the ice platform could melt or shatter from the roar and clashes of the mobs underneath them, JoonChul shouted.

"Let's hurry. If any one of you finds the next stairway to the upper floor, tell me quickly!"

"Noel and Crystal, make sure to fix the ice if it starts to shatter!" 

From there, Noel and Crystal now had their duties to do as they responded with a ‘Yes’.

"The ice platform can't be here forever, so don't fall behind no matter what!" Raiden warned everybody just in case.

At that moment, Raiden at the back, stood behind and kept an eye on those who may lack the speed to run.

"Isn't it too much for a kid!?" Louis asked while holding onto Mya's hands.

"Then, I'll be carrying her." Before even saying that, Raiden had already got in front of Mya. "Get on my back, brave little girl."

"Ah, yes.." 

Surprised a bit, Mya felt a little unpleasant that she was being a burden to everybody because she was a kid, yet she still accepted a free ride from Raiden who had given her a sweet grin.

Shattering!

In a blink of an eye, Crystal was quick to jump in and re-enforced the ice platform, warning the others. "The ice is breaking! Hurry!" 

At that point, everyone proceeded to run with all their might, crossing so many paths in one hour as they kept their eyes looking for the stairs to the next floor.

———

Meanwhile at the ‘Helpers’'s headquarters, there was an angel who was leisurely eating raw oysters on her own.

"They look too good at this." 

Watching ‘The Rebels’ Guild from a Livestream, Pearl dematerialized the oyster shell from her palm before going for another oyster to snack on.

"Not only are they finishing this quick just like the mini boss stage, they may definitely pass stage #16."

"And since they know that they need ice resistance… I'm greatly intrigued. I wish I was assigned to be the ‘Helper’ of this world."

"Why did Sapphire have to be the one and not me?" 

Letting a sigh out of her pale lips, Pearl ate yet another oyster until she suddenly saw a plate of mooncakes being placed on the coffee table. 

"What do you think of these people, sister?" Knowing who it was from just a look at the snack, she asked this angel who had seated herself in front of Pearl.

"..."

"Why so quiet, Moonstone?"

"..."

"Ah, you're no fun." 

Annoyed by the elegance emitting from Moonstone, Pearl didn't want to look at her sister any further and instead, shifted her glance back at the livestream.

Slowly but surely, the atmosphere turned peaceful with a noiseless sound in the living room.

The quiet Moonstone who was minding her business, ate her mooncakes in peace.

As for Pearl, she was viewing the livestream with her concentration in max, feasting on her oysters while keeping her mouth closed.

..In due course, it turned quiet to the point of hearing heartbeats.

When all of the sudden.. 

SLAM!

"OH MY—!" Pearl, who was startled by the unexpected slam, jolted as if her life jumped to heaven.

"..." Whereas, Moonstone took a bite of her mooncake without any fright from the unforeseen noise.

The ones who came in the living room were Citrine and Tanzanite, giggling to each other as they appeared to be having a conversation together.

Thud! Thud!

"Owww! Who and what was that? A shell?!" Tanzanite groaned as she took the oyster shell off her forehead.

She wasn't the only one, since even Citrine got her cheesecake ruined by a shell. "...My cake." 

"Hmp." Pearl grumbled before she went back to watching the livestream.

With a sad dessert on the plate she was holding, Citrine whimpered. "But my cake..!" 

"And my forehead!" Tanzanite grunted.

"..." 

Since this room was no longer peaceful and quiet, Moonstone stood up and walked toward Citrine and Tanzanite, doing a gesture to tell Citrine she could eat the mooncakes instead.

Citrine, amazed by Moonstone's kindness, thanked her sincerely. "You are a true angel! Thank you, Moonstone."

"But what about my forehead?" Tanzanite asked Moonstone only to see her leaving the room already. "Moonstone..!"

"It's just an oyster shell, Tanzanite. Get over it already." Pearl stated, eating as usual.

"Ahhh~ my break is ruined!" Tanzanite moaned as she sat down with a let down frown. 

"By the way, Pearl. How is your assignment?" Citrine asked while she was sitting down, ignoring the downcast Tanzanite.

Afterwards, Pearl quickly showed what she was watching to Citrine, telling her. "Have you had any guesses as to why this person knows so much about all of this?"

"No answers."

"..I'll give you my oysters if you give me a proper response."

"Very well, but it's only my guess. So do not be disappointed if I am wrong."

"I won't."

"There are NPCs beside him, thus wouldn't he have known the stages through them?"

"Is that all you think it is?"

Without expecting it, Tanzanite intervened in the conversation. "He doesn't seem that way!"

"Do you know anything?"

"Why are you curious over a human, Pearl?" Citrine asked, taking a bite of her mooncake.

Not wanting to reply to their questions, Pearl was swift to change the subject and asked another thing. "How is Sapphire?"

 

"From what I heard, she is being confined in a room and was instructed to create mobs for the stages after the tree of life has died under her watch."

"Pfft.. Hahah!" Pearl laughed despite knowing that it was wrong to laugh at one of her work colleagues.

By then, Tanzanite, as she was curious, whispered to Citrine. "Why does Pearl always act this way whenever Sapphire is mentioned?"

"Oh? I'm not certain but I assumed when the ‘Creators’ created Sapphire and Pearl, they must have heard the things from Earth, like ‘A pearl and a sapphire should never be worn together’."

"Really? So that means that they shouldn't be put in one room together?" 

"Have you seen how they are when they're left alone?"

"Ha.. A whole room was almost destroyed if it weren't for Moonstone coming in and stopping the fight."

"Exactly." 

Pearl, who was chuckling in excitement, was still laughing in the background. As her wicked laughter filled the room, Citrine and Tanzanite wondered.

‘How long does she plan on giggling to herself?’ 

———

* Bonus * : ( The Items JoonChul pulled from the Loots Boxes while using Felix's luck skill to enhance his own luck. )

"Give me a star relic." JoonChul spoke.

[You have received the Epic Armor, ‘Sonic Boots’.]

"...Okay, I was hoping for a star relic, but that's good. Next one."

[You have received the Legendary Armor, ‘Royal White Jacket’.]

"Legendary, alright.. Keep giving me good items." JoonChul was getting too thrilled that his expectations for great items were getting out of hand.

[You have received the Legendary Accessory, ‘Mother Nature's Flowers Bow’.]

"Oh dammit.. This next box better be a star relic." The overexcited JoonChul spoke, unknowingly getting obsessed with loot boxes.

[You have received the Rare Accessory, ‘Tactical Fighting Gloves’.]

"Rare?! Even though I used Felix's fortune skill?! Darn.. Star relic, come on."

[You have received 20 Rare Throwable Items, ‘Ferocious Fireball’.]

"...Ha, is this a joke or is my luck too bad?"

[You have received 30 Common Consumable Items, ‘Tier 1 Fire Resistance Potions’.]

"Fuck…!!"

[You have received nothing.]

SLAM!

JoonChul's comrades nervously watched as their captain had smashed the poor cave's wall brutally enough to cause a leakage of cracks like shattering glass.

‘We shouldn't have given him our loot boxes.’ They thought, staring at the enraged JoonChul.

After that, they quietly removed the items JoonChul received from him while he was just angrily standing there.

In the end, HwanGi and his friends received… 

-Sonic Boots goes to Alaine Katharina.

-Royal White Jacket goes to Seong HwanGi.

-Mother Nature's Flowers Bow goes to Mya Rose.

-Tactical Fighting Gloves goes to Louis Antoine.