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Turn Up the Volume (3)

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

“……”

The people were too busy watching Specter with their own eyes—some were even moved to tears. He was a living legend, a myth, a hero.

…He looks exactly the same as he did in the past.

So he’s truly returned.

Has he made a full recovery after a few months?

I heard that he slayed dozens of fiends in Rome, and 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 Specter and spoke into the mic. Even in the past, he had acted as a proxy for press conferences.

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

But he’s still acting as a proxy even though he’s the President?

I heard that they’ve been friends since they were younger, 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 Deok-gu didn’t feel that way at all.

“We will be taking a few questions.”

“Only a few? Isn’t that unfair?”

“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 Shinwoo, the editor-in-chief of Players magazine. I’ve always admired you, and it’s such an honor to—”

“Your question, if you please.” 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’s recovered to a certain extent, seeing how he’s appeared in public?”

The editor wanted Specter to answer, but it was Shim Deok-gu who did. “I have yet to recover fully, but I’m 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 records and recordings from the past.

“Next question.”

“…Specter-nim had 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.”

“They’re 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.

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

As Deok-gu turned to him, Specter unsheathed his sword, causing the reporter to flinch. 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 like it would kill without hesitation; strong as a fire but as tranquil as a lake. The jet-black energy flowed slowly and consistently, which meant that his magic was perfectly and completely under his control.

The audience thought that his skills were rustier than they were 25 years ago. What would his sword aura have been like back then?

The Big 6 team leaders swallowed hard. He was, without a doubt, the real Specter.

“…Thank you for your response.” The reporter bowed deeply and sat back down.

Specter casually sheathed his sword, and the conference continued.

“Since Specter-nim has awoken from the ice, does that mean the four others might be able to awake as well?”

“…No one knows. I don’t even know how I broke free from the ice.” Shim Deok-gu gave the answer that Seo Jun-ho had told him to give. The fiends might try something if it became known that he could save his friends.

They took a few more questions. Deok-gu answered the ones they had been expecting, and most of the issues were settled with them.

“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?”

Deok-gu nodded. “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, but his record’s just been broken…

But Seo Jun-ho was thinking about something else. Mm, how to 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.

The reporters observed closely.

He’s complimenting 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.

“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 from here on out.”

“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 guild, it was good enough that he didn’t join anyone else’s.

“I am Gong Juha of the Dokkaebi Guild. Hehe, I’m a big fan…”

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

“I’ve been deeply interested in the Rome incident. Many people expected you to retire… Hehe, 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’d been waiting for.

“I wanted to retire,” he said in a low voice. People listened closely, hearing the change in tone. Seo Jun-ho looked at Deok-gu as he spoke. “When I awoke, my friend here told me something. He told me that the sacrifice my comrades and I made made the world a peaceful place. He told me that it 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 six thousand 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 doesn’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’ve been prevented. If players, guilds, and associations had joined hands, this would not have happened.”

But they hadn’t. 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 is what Specter was telling them.

“Therefore, I cannot retire.”

How could he, when they had 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 pointed at him. It was being live-streamed all around the world. The staff were worried that he’d cause a scene, but Shim Deok-gu signalled them to stand by.

This bastard… He’d always been like that. 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. I should definitely be higher…

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

The poor fiends. They’ve provoked Specter.

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