As our ancestors and seniors in the physical education department at school used to say, if you’re really tired, the sky would look yellow.

But perhaps they had never been as tough as Baek Yu-Seol was.

"Sigh..."

After the wager ended, he lay flat on the ground and looked up at the sky.

The blue sky was humming and vibrating.

It felt like the whole world was spinning around, and the stars seemed to flicker as if they would go out any moment.

Honestly... Baek Yu-Seol thought he was dying.

Even for an ordinary human, running a marathon without stopping for two hours would be exhausting and difficult.

And since he was also human, despite having slightly better stamina thanks to his Mana Accumulation Retardation, everything was equally exhausting.

But this place was a frozen space.

Baek Yu-Seol’s body was already halfway dead, and the concept of stamina meant nothing.

Just endure.

Even if it was tough, he couldn’t die, and even if he reached the limit of his stamina, he wouldn’t collapse beyond that.

However, his mental strength was the issue.

As long as his will allowed, he could run forever.

Forever.

Here, he truly experienced the blessing of Yeonhong Chunsamweol. He never imagined he would use this special ability, which allowed him to have an unyielding mental strength against anything, in a place like this.

[Yeonhong Chunsamweol is watching over you.]

The Blessings of Yeonhong Chunsamweol...

Well, if he were to compare it, it felt like she was pushing his back while climbing uphill.

It was compassionate yet enchanting to have the beautiful Yeonhong Chunsamweol clinging to his back, whispering ‘Be strong’ or ‘You can do it’ repeatedly.

How could he give up?

"Nine months...”

Thanks to that, he was able to climb up and finally gain recognition from the Twelfth New Moon Bronze.

Kwoong!

The giant with a blue hue approached with heavy steps and spoke to Baek Yu-Seol.

• Speak your name.

"... Baek Yu-Seol."

• Very well. Since you won the wager, I'll grant you what you desire.

At that, he struggled to stand up.

The Twelfth New Moon Bronze formed ice crystals in the air and handed it to Baek Yu-Seol.

It might look like a small icicle, but it was none other than an ancient-grade artifact.

[Aegirix’s Ark]

A key that could unlock the curse of eternal ice.

It was disposable, but still, it was the first ancient artifact he obtained in this world, so the excitement was overwhelming.

• Aside from that... you truly are a human who I've taken a liking to in a thousand years.

He met the Twelfth New Moon Bronze’s gaze. Although he couldn't read his expression, seeing the glint in the eyes made him feel very good.

• So, I will bestow my protection upon you. Although your abilities are mediocre and you cannot properly accept my protection... If you grow in the future, you can draw out your true abilities as much as you want.

Immediately afterward, a pillar of blue light descended upon Baek Yu-Seol like lightning.

Kugung!!

... Something like a huge Tsunami.

An overwhelming force poured down on his entire body.

‘Ugh!'

It was an unbearable pain that made him want to close his eyes and die right away, but... he endured it.

If he endured for nine months, he couldn't collapse from just this much.

He endured, withstood, and without kneeling, he endured all that energy.

[The protection of the Twelfth New Moon Bronze has been bestowed upon you!]

Finally, Baek Yu-Seol could visually confirm the greatest blessing and gift to him.

"Ugh, ugh...!"

• Hmm! I knew you could endure it.

He nodded.

• How many more humans have received the protection of the Twelfth New Moon Bronze under the sky? I wonder if you can lead our brothers in the right direction.

"Right... direction...?"

What was he talking about?

Before Baek Yu-Seol could even ask, the Twelfth New Moon Bronze smiled and said.

• You should start heading back soon too. I probably have a vague idea why you made such a request.

Baek Yu-Seol nodded quietly, but frankly, he was unsure.

Perhaps time here was frozen, so not much time would have passed outside.

But it was about time for Hong Bi-Yeon to accept the Hwaryeong flower, so he had to approach her no matter what...

But Baek Yu-Seol’s body just wouldn't hold up. His legs had long gone numb, and he wondered if it was even possible to navigate through the treacherous ice sea.

• I know your condition better. There's no need to push yourself.

".... Yes?"

• I prefer fast-paced and dramatic developments!

"What does that even mean right now..."

As he questioned, he collapsed to the ground, and his body plummeted under the influence of gravity.

… Huh?

Too shocked to resist, he fell, and as he watched his helpless descent, the Twelfth New Moon Bronze showed his white teeth and raised his thumb.

• Good luck! What luck? Damn the Twelfth New Moon!

"Aaaah!"

And so, Baek Yu-Seol fell.

Towards the end of the story.

——-

The coast of Levian. A frozen whirlpool.

Five giant airships descended from the sky into the airspace above the sinking pirate ship.

Kurrrrrang...!

Suddenly, lightning streaked across the sky, followed by thunder. It seemed like it wouldn't allow any further approach.

Queen Hong Se-ryu looked up at the sky with a calm expression, then gently parted her lips.

"They're coming."

Kieeeeek!!

As she spoke, something translucent with a blue light poured out of the clouds.

Most of them were in the form of skeletons, wearing tattered armor, but their weapons were rugged cutlasses from a thousand years ago.

But regardless, their fighting spirit was genuine.

Laden with powerful mana throughout their bodies, shields would be torn apart like paper, and simple magic wouldn't repel them.

"They are not undead."

The ghosts who return from death were called undead, and they were known to be extremely difficult to exorcize.

But those beings were just souls frozen at the brink of death, not undead.

"So don't be afraid, let's burn them all!"

On the airship, large red magic circles were sequentially completed.

As mages of Class 5 or higher gathered and coordinated, each individual part of the multi-layered magic circle contained power of Class 7 or higher.

"Fire!"

As the queen's command echoed, a tremendous explosion emanated from the magic circles, engulfing the ghostly entities in flames, causing them to vanish.

However, the onslaught of the ghosts showed no sign of abating.

Before the mages could prepare another spell, another legion of ghosts began assaulting the airship!

Though mages engaged the ghosts with individual spells, they were vastly outnumbered.

"Your Majesty! The airship is freezing!"

"... Use Flare."

"We've already used five of them!"

Hong Se-ryu looked down at the ground. Even now, from the frozen sea, monstrous creatures with grotesque forms roared toward the airship.

With thousands of monsters lurking in the sea, piercing through the legion was almost impossible.

The reason she chose aerial transit over the sea route was precisely because of them.

"We have no choice. We can't land on the ground right now."

"Yes! We'll use Flare."

The special technology of Adolveit, ‘Flare,’ prevented the mana stone engine from freezing even in this extreme blizzard, but the number was absurdly insufficient to endure for long.

So there was only one best way. "Third Princess. Are you ready?"

Before they knew it, the airship had reached the vicinity of the pirate ship.

Adolveit’s magic formations had admirably held off the ghostly onslaught who had lived for a thousand years, but it would be difficult to endure any longer.

Hong Bi-Yeon nodded with a determined expression as she gazed at the frozen whirlpool.

"Let's start now."

"... Yes. It’s the right choice."

She tightly held the box containing the Hwaryeong Flower in her arms.

Clad in a white robe, Hong Bi-Yeon stood tall at the bow with three priestesses kneeling behind her. They were praying.

Humming!

As the barriers protecting the Hwaryeong Flower were gradually broken, intense heat spread out.

Hong Bi-Yeon cautiously reached out with both hands to it.

'Ah!'

In that moment, the intense heat enveloping her nearly made her lose consciousness, but she managed to endure it.

"Huh..."

Hurriedly clasping her arms as if to alleviate the burning pain on her skin, it was a delusion.

'Ah...!'

Even though the flames hadn't ignited yet, just the sensation of energy enveloping her body caused this level of pain.

"Ow...!"

The sensation of being burned from head to toe intensified, as if her entire body was being consumed by fire.

As the horrific sensation of being charred by fire extended even to her internal organs, this time, she thought her legs would give out.

However, she endured it.

'... It's familiar.'

Childhood memories resurfaced. Those of drinking fire, showering in fire, eating fire, and even inhaling fire.

It was so familiar that now it was almost comforting.

Even in the midst of feeling her entire body burning, being torn apart, and melting away, Hong Bi-Yeon did not scream.

"I can endure this. This much, I can handle, no matter what."

• Wow, you're interesting.

...... At that moment.

A voice was heard from somewhere.

Hong Bi-Yeon slowly opened her eyes and looked at the flower in her arms.

A deep, low-pitched voice echoed. It was somehow lively and energetic.

• Huh? Isn't it painful? Why are you holding it in so much? Just accept it! If you become the flame yourself, this kind of pain is nothing!

"..... Shut up."

Hong Bi-Yeon tried to ignore the voice. But as the sensation of burning in the flames gradually became more comfortable and… transformed into pleasure, she was greatly shocked.

'What is this...?’

• Isn’t it fascinating? This is the true essence of fire! I can tell. You are special! Even more than that old woman who pretends to be an heir of Adolveit without truly inheriting the blood!"

“Ugh!”

She staggered back, but this strange sensation did not disappear.

• Yes, this is what I wanted! A fresh and pure bloodline of Adolveit... Ah! I like it. Join me. Don't you want to take revenge on that woman back there? You know, don’t you? She tried to drive you to death, fully aware of what it means to accept me!

Now she understood.

The owner of this voice must be... the legendary 'Incarnation of Fire' that was believed to be slumbering in the Hwaryeong Flower.

'... Shut up. I won't fall for your words.’

• Haha, that won't be easy, will it?

“Ahh!”

In an instant, flames surged up, hammering her whole body with pain and pleasure.

• Get angry! Accept my power! You can do it. You can take revenge on everyone and achieve all your dreams. You know, don’t you? The world is hostile to you. Then you have no choice but to be hostile in return, right?

From deep within her chest... the emotion of anger flared up like a fire.

Burn.

Burn everything that made me suffer.

Burn everything that caused me pain.

If I burn it all away, I will be happy.

“Ahh...!”

She tried hard to shake it off, but she couldn’t withstand it. The rising anger gave birth to another spark which spread everywhere, and soon it reached the ignition point and exploded.

Fwoosh! Boom!!

“Ugh!”

Hong Se-ryu, who had been watching her from behind, hastily surrounded herself with a shield to block the flames.

Even for her, a Class 8 mage, the explosive outburst of mana was surprising.

'This, this is the Incarnation of Fire…!!'

Kneeling on the floor, supporting herself with a staff, she raised her head to realize the power of the flames.

All the skeletal soldiers melted in an instant, and the pillar of flame that pierced the clouds made it seem as if the sun itself had descended.

“Ah, ah…!”

One by one, the mages knelt down.

The sky, full of thunderclouds, was engulfed in flames, and a rain of fire began to fall on the frozen sea.

'The catastrophe of fire has begun.’

It was something that couldn’t be resisted by human strength, nor could it be overcome.

Just a touch and such a disaster had occurred…!

He knew the Hwaryeong Flower was dangerous, but he didn’t expect it to rampage so suddenly.

“Your Majesty!”

“Once the fire disaster begins, there is no turning back!”

But…

What could Hong Se-ryu do?

There was no way.

Once the Hwaryeong Flower started rampaging, it was no longer controllable.

'Wait a moment.’

Is it okay for flames of that magnitude to occur near the heart of the vortex?

With such a fundamental question in mind, just as she hurried to check the pirate ship,

A large blue hand grasped the pirate ship.

That enormous hand, as if holding a miniature toy, possessed a ghastly aura that even made Hong Se-ryu’s legs give way.

Soon, 'it' revealed its face.

A blue skull.

Red eyes glowing in the empty eye sockets.

And... A gigantic body that seemed to reach the sky, wearing the old uniform of the Pirate King.

“Ah, ah...”

Hong Se-ryu collapsed on the spot, dropping her staff.

The Pirate King, Black Belize.

His vengeful spirit had awakened after a thousand years.