Chapter: 166. Frozen Gear (1)
Scrunch. Scrunch.
A place where pure white snow, untouched by anything, covers everything.
Here, the two of us are walking.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Thinking about it, it seems a bit different.
In walking posture, it would be right to say we are dashing.
To match with the surroundings, my legs move quickly in a long-distance movement technique.
Strictly speaking, the foundational technique is closer to that of a Munin, but since numerous heroes of the past modified it and implanted it in their heads, you could call it a petty skill.
Of course, due to the mix of techniques such as forms, magic, psychic abilities, and nonsensical maneuvers as a result of those modifications, the number of people who can use them has significantly decreased, but once mastered, it’s a handy skill.
To put it bluntly, it’s just a rapid march enhancement, but the advantages are clear.
Compared to my full-speed sprint, the speed is much slower, but it’s purely a method to increase speed, so I don’t blast apart the surroundings, and the biggest advantage is…
You can split your concentration in the middle of a run.
“So, what is this for?”
With the conversation dwindling, I pulled out an object from my pocket and held it in my hand.
A palm-sized item made of a golden star and a red string.
In a way, it’s utterly simple, yet its nature is indescribable.
“Indeed. What on earth is this for?”
The librarian perhaps wanted to look away as they pulled out the badge, warping the space around them.
To be precise, it’s the Soviet Peace Hero medal.
After the world twisted, it was established, and even when combining all recipients, it still amounts to fewer than 100 items.
Yet, this bizarre object hangs on the two of us in this ridiculous situation.
I never thought I’d receive something like this from the Soviets in my lifetime.
Surely, it would be Minsha, the hero of their country, giving it to me.
“However…”
My mixed emotions manifested as my breath mingled with the cold of Siberia, turning into frost that scattered around.
That useless medal was as welcome as ice shards.
Of course, receiving it is nice, but…
Receiving the hero title should ensure a pension from the Soviet government and equal treatment to their heroes wherever we go, and most public institutions would be free to use.
…If I sell this medal on an auction site, it should fetch a decent price.
Of course, I do have some decency and wouldn’t do that.
“Let’s think positively. The Soviets are likely to give us this to form friendly relations, right?”
Friendly relations, my foot.
In this Siberia, with the prospect of dying, what a ludicrous notion.
“It’s not about friendly relations; it’s about silencing us. If it were true friendship, our faces would be all over the TV, and we’d be taking photos shaking hands with the Secretary-General.”
They just toss me a medal in a KGB basement while having a staring contest with some big shot.
Ah, well, there’s no secret pledge after all.
Instead, the kind words were so obnoxious.
“What was that? ‘Don’t you have that in your prison, huh?’ Come on. This is outright telling us to feed them memories related to this incident.”
“Anyway, you were planning to do that, right?”
Well, that’s true. But listening to such words from the higher-ups irritates me unnecessarily.
Sigh. That’s right.
I will have to bear with it.
I’ve always been the one who endured; what problem could come from enduring even more?
“Yeah. Yeah. Even the Soviets claim they’ve changed, so I should trust them this time.”
What I could stand amidst that chaos was that they bowed their heads while keeping their chins up.
“Thank you for stopping the coup. Lord Crimson Hammer.”
The medal ceremony, which was conducted informally, was dominated by deception, coldness, and formality. However, the last words they uttered contained no deceit whatsoever.
“In fact, Haram Lee didn’t do anything.”
“That’s not true! I was the one who suppressed those guys first!”
“Do you seriously think I’d lose to those two? Those punks wouldn’t matter if they came at me in groups.”
“That’s anyone’s guess; who knows if those guys have hidden powers?”
Ever since the world turned upside-down, nothing surprises me anymore.
Just because some muck piled up, an absurd monster wouldn’t show up, right?
Now, I could wake up to find everyone has turned into otherworldly beings, and even if Baek Sihyeon were out there smashing them down, I wouldn’t bat an eyelash.
“I honestly don’t feel like I’d lose to them, even if they have hidden powers.”
In fact, I think so too.
However, to win in an argument, I need to be flexible in my assertions.
“Hey, you never know. I once lost to El in Dongwonhun.”
Of course, there were a few more of them, but they’re still El.
“Well, that’s an interesting topic. Let’s talk about it.”
Why not?
This endless field of snow is terribly boring.
Thud thud thud.
As the light from the pale sun moves along the horizon…
As the white night begins to take form.
Stepping on the thin layer of ice, we cross the sea.
As we start to see more of the cold, icy sea than the snow-covered grasslands…
“There it is.”
Having run out of conversation topics, the librarian finally opened their mouth.
In response to that statement, I looked to where the librarian’s gaze was directed.
Even as winter begins to break, a solitary heart wrapped in thin ice.
“It’s smaller than I thought for a base of a son who opposes you.”
The island floating over the sea was quite small.
Despite some distance, to capture the entire island in a single glance indicates it is remarkably tiny.
“Ha ha. I thought the same when I first saw it…
Was my question amusing?
The librarian replied genuinely, smiling widely as the conversation continued.
“The reality of that island… Let’s leave the joy of when we enter it aside.”
“It’s strange how you never ask about things but chatter away.”
“When did I ever do that?”
Sure, you’d think so, oh great Britannica encyclopedia.
While you remember everything else well, why do you keep forgetting this kind of conversation time and again!?
After all this repetition, I seem to enjoy responding similarly every time.
“Just checking, but it is a sealed area, right?”
Otherwise, it’s just too small.
I know the sealed areas of others.
Some are sealed within the heart of the Association, some have been treated specially like the oxymoron, and some are sealed to prevent them from escaping.
Regardless, this is a way to maintain specific heroes without retiring them.
Thinking back, many heroes choose not to retire, it’s easy to grasp why sealed areas are scattered everywhere. All those sealed areas are strictly off-limits.
This prohibition is the fiercest, established after the world twisted; its severity transcends any imagination.
You can’t even approach the bay, and planes or satellites, if possible, are barred from the skies above.
Typically, the Defense Force of the Association guards such restricted areas, yet some sealed areas lack even that.
Some are so dangerous that they negatively impact their surroundings even while sealed, or their location is so classified it might be accidentally released.
Top-secret zones.
The island we are heading toward is one of them.
A sealed area created by the librarian to maintain themselves.
However, having participated in the creation of several sealed areas, I don’t see this one with my own eyes for the first time.
Since the librarian is affiliated with the U.S., I had fewer chances to meet him from when I was with the Eastern Eurasia unit. Our friendship began only after he was dispatched to the Korean branch.
However, one thing I know is…
The one trapped there.
Is someone dangerous enough to plunge all of Massachusetts into ruin.
The state the librarian has come to this state is not because of their transformations.
Thinking of that brings a twinge of sympathy, I tilted my head and glanced at my friend.
“Anything you want to say? Or questions?”
“Just.”
Plop.
Perhaps because my emotions were stirred, a large chunk of ice broke, and one of my feet sank into the water.
“Are you alright?”
“I just slipped. Don’t worry.”
I immediately regained my posture and jumped ahead again.
To show my concerned friend that there’s no problem.
“So why didn’t you cling to me instead?”
“Ha, am I crazy? You go first.”
Saying that, I blasted ahead towards our destination.
Splash. Splash.
“Ah, wait a minute…!”
Maybe to pick up speed, I reduced my technique and increased my strength.
The rising column of water swallowed the librarian’s voice, but my dash did not stop.
Me, cling to that guy?
Even though you’re wearing heavy armor and speeding along, I’d politely decline, unless it were a dire situation.
Rejecting the librarian’s kindness like that, I continued my earlier train of thought.
The librarian’s past.
The librarian’s enemies.
What would it be like to have family killed, and parts of family embedded into oneself?
What does it feel like to be dominated by them and kill your friends?
What would it feel like to have mingled with them, temporarily at least, and share time?
Even after regaining freedom, what’s it like to fight back using the powers they gifted you?
How much resolve is required to hold onto that power while loathing it, all for the greater good?
The one who always smiles brightly has never shared anything about that past with me.
Whenever the topic cropped up, they’d always scribble with an awkward smile.
For that reason, the existence of those people must be immense for the librarian.
Then, what about the current situation?
Going back to see beings I never wanted to see again.
Even knowing that the very act could turn everything upside down, still, for the sake of the Core Attack, he’s going back, burdening all that, while leaving all decisions up to me.
The librarian.
What sort of thoughts might he be having?
Plop. Plop. Rumble.
Amidst the sound of the water columns, a tremendous exhaust noise mingled.
Something was tailing behind me.
“Wait…!”
“Just a moment…!”
Behind me, the librarian was making some sound.
But I couldn’t stop my steps.
My emotions had reached a peak.
Thud.
One foot fall.
Thud.
One heartbeat.
Thinking of the librarian’s past, the images I’d merely seen in files.
I could no longer contain myself, the limits being released faster than I could bear.
Bubbles began to surge.
Black bubbles.
From somewhere within my body.
This emotion is…
BOOM!
A shockingly powerful collision sound resonated in my ears.
The source of it? Me.
It hurt.
All thoughts faded away.
Only that thought remained in my mind.
Then my body began to collapse.
Towards the cold seawater… What did I… collide with…?
Maybe because I accelerated at such tremendous speeds.
As I wiped my bleeding nose, I looked straight ahead.
But, I didn’t see anything.
In front of me was an empty expanse…
What?
In disbelief, as my body flailed in the icy sea for about three seconds.
“Didn’t I tell you to wait!”
“Oh, you came quickly.”
Spouting off an intense booster, the librarian flew beside me.
“Ha. First, let’s get you up.”
“Sorry, I’ll ask a favor.
This is what happened in the end.
With my clothes soaked in the water and light cuts, I had no choice but to cling to the librarian’s body.
“What’s with the nosebleed? Did you collide headfirst?”
Ah, it was indeed a collision.
Having that thought, I was pulled up like a waterlogged teddy bear and set on the shoulder decoration of the silver armor.
“So, what did I collide with?”
I asked while still in that position.
“Oh, that? It was nothing. Just an imperceptible barrier…”
And the librarian shrugged off the matter like it was trivial.
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