Chapter 105: Star, The Winter Palace (5)

[You have entered ‘The Winter King’s Chamber.’]

“Woah…! I wasn’t certain if you would accept this old man’s invitation, but you really did. You must be a brave person.” The chamber’s owner beamed as he looked at Chang-Sun. He was sitting on a small rocking chair beside his bed.

Chang-Sun had been transported to a bedroom full of flashy decorations. In contrast to the ordinary Yetis Chang-Sun had seen outside the Winter Palace, this old Yeti was skin and bones, but the wrinkled Winter King’s eyes resembled that of the enlightened high priests or philosophers.

[‘Boss Monster’ Winter King Lv.9?]

The Winter King’s title surprised Chang-Sun the most. He had already assumed as much since the Winter King freely used [Mind-Piercing], but he ended up staying on his guard now that he had actually met a monster whose level was above 90. His energy was so weak that Chang-Sun couldn’t actually think he was at that level, though. Was it because he had been suffering from the Phantom Demon Jeong Yoo-Jin’s hallucinations? Or was it just because he had gotten too old and was about to die?

For some reason, Chang-Sun felt as if he would never lose against him in single combat. Despite his hostility, however, the Winter King looked at him with kind eyes, making Chang-Sun flinch in shock.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ snorts, wondering why that ice block is talking absurdly.]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ nods, saying the Winter King is right.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ viciously asks you if it would not be better to call you a brave hero, rather than a brave person.]

When messages continuously popped up, the Winter King slightly raised his head. “Judging from the many deities’ fervent reactions, this old man must still have good judgment despite nearing his end. Ho ho ho!”

For a moment, Chang-Sun’s eyes shone. “Can you see them?”

The Winter King smiled enigmatically. “If you are talking about the messages of the great rulers of the sky… yes, I can see them, albeit only a part if they are important.”

Chang-Sun’s eyes sparkled.

‘I noticed it when he freely used [Mind Piercing], but his Class is higher than how he looks.’

Some beings had gotten ‘enlightened’ by mentally cultivating and reaching a certain level even though they didn’t look the part. Using no other method, they only increased their souls’ Class. Some described them as beings who had ‘reached ’ or ascended to Heaven.

Those beings were actually quite bad at actual combat since, compared to their Class, they lacked physical power, but they could see the truth and were as wise as an owl. Hence, they were often respected by their kin. In Chang-Sun’s eyes, the same applied to the Winter King. He wouldn’t have to worry too much about participating in physical combat either since he had his right-hand Yeti, the Grand General, and his guards.

‘Yet he still got blinded by a phantom magic spell? No way.’?

Chang-Sun narrowed his eyes.

The higher the level of one’s mental cultivation, the stronger their mental barrier was. Therefore, no matter how great Yoo-Jin’s phantom magic spells were, it wouldn’t have been difficult for the Winter King to break them.

“You’re fooling your fellow Yetis.” Chang-Sun naturally concluded that the Winter King had another plan.

“Does it look that way?” The Winter King smiled very mysteriously, still sitting in the rocking chair.

“Am I wrong?” Chang-Sun looked the Winter King up and down and curled up one end of his lips, clearly sneering at the Winter King. “You don’t exactly look like someone suffering from hallucinations.”

“Ho ho ho! I am glad you think that way since that makes it sound as if I look healthy. Sadly, you are mistaken.” The Winter King closed his eyes.

“…?” Chang-Sun tilted his head.

“Did a man of your talent still not notice where you are right now?” The Winter King asked.

[The Skill ‘Beast Senses’ has been activated, sharpening your senses!]

That was when Chang-Sun finally noticed the different air and how the chamber was too quiet. It was as if everything had stopped except for the two.

“…This is your mind palace,” Chang-Sun mumbled.

If they were in a mind palace, it meant this place was artificially made by the Winter King’s mind. Under normal circumstances, Chang-Sun would have quickly noticed it, but he had failed to sense it because he was too surprised by the Winter King.

Still smiling gently, the Winter King nodded as he bitterly spoke, “Yes, this old man foolishly fell under the phantom magic spell of the woman called the Phantom Demon. No matter how bad my state was as a result of nearing my destined end, it is true I fell under her spell, making my children…suffer.”

Chang-Sun assumed,

‘The Phantom Demon likely exploited the fact that he was dying.’

Even if the Winter King had reached a high level, no one could escape death.

“So why did you invite me here? To be honest, I’m probably your enemy.” Chang-Sun shrugged.

Ever since he had entered ‘Yeti Hill,’ Chang-Sun had killed a significant number of Yetis. He even entered the quarry and detonated [Agni’s Yawns], blowing up the Yetis mining inside into pieces. There was no way for the Winter King to not know about it, but he was still smiling.

“You are the one who took our ancestor’s breath.”

Chang-Sun didn’t answer since he wasn’t sure what the Winter King meant.

“Being able to take our ancestor’s power would mean you have a power that is compatible with us and can control our ancestor’s power… Hence, I invited you here to ask a favor,” the Winter King explained.

“A favor?” Chang-Sun repeated.

“Could you…save this old man’s poor children—my subjects?” The Winter King was still smiling and calm, but to Chang-Sun, the Winter King sounded sorrowful. “Even though this dying old man is not worth it… my poor subjects are trying very hard to save me because I am their king. To that end, they do not even hesitate to take risks…. Please help them. Of course, I am not asking you to do this for free. I will reward you handsomely in return.”

Creak!

The Winter King slowly stood up from his rocking chair. He was half the size of Chang-Sun. Considering how Yetis usually looked bulkier than most male humans, the Winter King was too small and shabby. However, in contrast to his shabby look, he tried to stand straight with eyes full of energy. Shortly after, the space behind the Winter King distorted like a blurred water painting, and a new scenery appeared.

Woosh…!

[The ‘King’s Treasury’ has appeared!]

The treasury was filled with brilliant armor and weapons. There were also all kinds of jewels and valuables rolling on the ground.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ is impressed by the treasure collection.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ shakes his head in disbelief because a mortal has done a fine job in gathering treasures.]

Chang-Sun’s eyes momentarily shone. The Winter Palace was decorated with all kinds of flashy decorations, and it seemed like they were from the ‘King’s Treasury.’

“From my ancestor, the owner of [Everlasting Ice Crystal], which you have taken, to this old man, we have been gathering these treasures for thirteen generations. I will give you all the treasure in this place.” The Winter King offered.

[A Hidden Piece has been found!]

[Successfully established a new relationship with the boss monster ‘Winter King.’ As a reward, the Effect ‘Lesser Cold Resistance’ has been created.]

[A Hidden Quest (The Winter King’s Last Wish) has been created!]

[The Winter King’s Last Wish]

Type: Hidden.

Explanation: The Winter King, the long-time ruler of ‘Yeti Hill’ and the thirteenth descendant of the Frost Monarch, knows he is near his end, but he is so worried about his subjects’ safety that he cannot pass away in peace. Grant him his last wish.

Prerequisite: The Hidden Piece founder.

Objectives:

1. Eliminate the Clan ‘Highoff’.

2. Safely extricate over 90% of Yetis.

If you fail: ―

If you succeed:

1. The Winter King’s treasure.

2. The Winter King’s will.

Looking at Chang-Sun, the wrinkled Winter King silently pleaded, and Chang-Sun had nothing to lose by accepting this Hidden Quest. However, Chang-Sun shook his head. “I refuse.”

Ding!

[Rejected the Hidden Quest (The Winter King’s Last Wish).]

Not expecting Chang-Sun to reject the quest, the Winter King’s eyes lost focus, and with a trembling voice, he spoke, “Is it… Is it because we are just from the fragments of the broken world—no, the shadows left by the souls who do not exist today?”

Chang-Sun was the one who was shocked this time. “You knew?”

“Wouldn’t it be odder to not know? This world doesn’t make any sense. No one exists except us.” The Winter King stroked his chin.

No matter how intelligent Dungeon monsters were, they normally never found out the fact they were ‘fake.’ Even if they knew, they instinctively refused to recognize the truth or the system interrupted them before they could find out for the sake of a Dungeon’s stability.

Dungeons were the fragments of the planes which had gone through , so the creatures living in a Dungeon weren’t actually alive. They were just traces of the creatures that had lived before, just a type of spirits moving like machines.

Chang-Sun hadn’t just rejected the Winter King’s quest because he didn’t have enough time. Dungeons were unstable, so they could explode at any second. There was also a possibility of the seed of sneaking into an ordinary plane like poison. That was why Dungeons should and had to be closed. Hence, just as he had done with other Dungeons, he was also going to close ‘Yeti Hill.’

However, Chang-Sun wouldn’t be able to close it if he had accepted the Hidden Quest. If he tried to do so, he would be killing Yetis, automatically failing the quest. He had just started to build his karma from scratch again, so he didn’t want to have a failed quest on his record.

The Winter King’s story was sad, but it was the reality. However, it looked like the Winter King knew who he really was to some level. He likely automatically ‘realized’ it due to his soul’s high Class.

“It is very sad. ‘I’ am certainly here… I am breathing, thinking, and talking to you right here, right now. I agonize, get sad, and remember the memory I shared with my subjects, but everything is fake.” The wrinkled Winter King’s voice was full of woe. “The real Winter King already existed a long time ago, and his trace is standing here right now… Who am ‘I’?”

The Winter King spoke in sorrow, but Chang-Sun was calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmm…?” The Winter King stopped.

Chang-Sun concluded, “You’re the Winter King.”

“How can this old man be the Winter King? The real Winter King would have already disappeared…” The Winter King trailed off.

“No, he’s also the Winter King, but you’re also the Winter King.”

“…?” The Winter King tilted his head.

Chang-Sun asked, “You said so yourself. You’re the one who is breathing, thinking, and talking with me. You even have a dear memory, do you not? Then you’re the Winter King. Who else can you be?”

“…!” The Winter King’s eyes widened.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ says the conversation between you and the Yeti is too difficult and is making her head spin.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ nods, saying they are talking with the deep insight of ontology.]

After standing still for a while, the Winter King broke the silence.

“…It is true I am here right now, so I am indeed the Winter King. Ho ho ho, that conclusion is very easy to reach, but this old man must have overthought. Although I believed I have cultivated my mind for a long time, it looks like I still have a long way to go.”

The Winter King somehow looked refreshed. “Can I ask you another favor, then?”

“I’ll decide after I hear what the favor is.” Chang-Sun crossed his arms.

“I want to die on my own terms, not because of the quests given by the system, which forces this destroyed world and the broken law to continue. Would you help me?” The Winter King explained, his eyes shining brightly.

[A Hidden Quest (The Winter King’s Last Wish) has been created!]

[The Winter King’s Last Wish]

Type: Hidden.

Explanation: Having gained deep enlightenment, the Winter King wants to end everything on his own terms, not on someone else’s. Grant him his last wish.

Prerequisite: The Hidden Piece founder.

Objectives:

1. Give the Winter King eternal peace.

2. Close the Dungeon ‘Yeti Hill.’

If you fail: ―

If you succeed:

1. The Winter King’s treasures.

2. The Winter King’s will.

Reading the new quest window that popped up before him, Chang-Sun calmly nodded. “I can do that.”

He slowly drew out [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth].

“Thank you. It indeed looks like this old man made the right choice of inviting you here.” The Winter King sat back on the rocking chair and closed his eyes, smiling warmly.

Paah―!

Chang-Sun swung [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] without hesitation.

Slash―!

Still smiling, the Winter King was split into two, and at the same time, the mind palace around Chang-Sun distorted.

[Eliminated the boss monster ‘Winter King’!]

[Successfully achieved the first objective. Acquired a substantial amount of experience points.]

…

[Level up!]

…

[The ‘Winter King’s Chamber’ is closing.]

Paah―!

As the palace collapsed, Chang-Sun felt like he heard the last farewell of the Winter King, who had regained peace.

“…Thank you.” The Winter King happily grinned.

Chang-Sun didn’t answer and remained still expressionless, but he stood still and kept thinking about something for some reason.

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ comforts you, who are deep in thought!]

* * *

Rumble…!

Meanwhile, the Winter Palace has fallen into confusion.

[The boss monster ‘Winter King’ has died!]

[The ‘King’s Lead’, which restricted Yetis, has been deactivated! The Yetis have fallen into the Confused state.]