The Frozen Onslaught
* * *
[System Window]
5th Round Beginning
I stood atop the school's rooftop, surveying the scene below. The perimeter was heavily guarded, with combat members strategically stationed around the gates, their armor glinting in the sparse light. Jake was leading the defensive effort, ensuring every entrance was secured with soldiers armed to the teeth.
I scanned the surroundings, mentally preparing for the chaos I knew was coming. But before I could fully settle into my thoughts, a sudden chill prickled at my skin. I frowned and looked up.
White pellets were falling from the sky, drifting slowly at first. But then, from a distance, I saw something alarming—a massive gust of wind barreling toward us with terrifying speed. My eyes widened in realization. The wind was so powerful it seemed to push everything in its path—trees, debris, even the snowflakes—before it reached us.
Before I could brace myself, the wind slammed into me like a freight train. The force was immense, throwing me back several feet and nearly knocking me off balance. I tried to steady myself, but the wind's relentless power overwhelmed me.
The impact was jarring. I felt as though my body was being battered by an invisible force. A burning, icy pain surged through me.
My muscles screamed, my head pounded, and a fierce, biting cold enveloped me. It felt as if the very air around me had turned to ice, penetrating my clothing and gnawing at my bones.
"Wh… what the fuck?" I thought, barely able to process the intense discomfort. My breath came out in visible puffs of vapor, each exhale mingling with the swirling snow.
The wind howled past me, its fury leaving a silent, frozen aftermath. I looked around, my vision still reeling from the assault. The world had transformed into a frozen wasteland.
Snow now blanketed the ground, and ice had begun to creep over every surface—windows, walls, even the branches of trees. The once familiar schoolyard had become a treacherous expanse of white, the frigid air biting at my exposed skin.
The temperature was plummeting rapidly, making every breath feel like a stab of cold. The landscape was now a deadly trap, every step potentially hazardous as the ice began to build up.
As I tried to regain my bearings, I saw the impact of the storm on the area below. The buildings were encased in a thin layer of ice, and visibility was severely reduced due to the swirling snow. The wind had brought with it not just snow, but also monstrous changes.
The combat members below were still visible, their movements now deliberate and cautious as they adapted to the harsh conditions. The gates remained guarded, but their faces were tense, reflecting the severity of the situation.
The calm before the storm had been replaced by a frozen nightmare. This was more than just chaotic—it was a brutal test of our endurance and preparation. The fight had truly begun.
* * *
I made my way inside the school building, where the cold seemed to seep through every wall and crevice.
My breath fogged up the air as I made my way through the hallways, the chill biting at me even indoors. Each step echoed in the empty corridors, amplifying the eeriness of the situation.
As I reached the headquarters, I found Mercy standing by the window, visibly shocked by the scene unfolding outside.
She was dressed in a striking new outfit—a dark military general's uniform she must have bought from the store. It looked sharp and authoritative, but it did little to shield her from the cold creeping through the glass.
"What the fuck is happening?" Mercy's voice was tinged with panic, her eyes wide as she stared out at the snowy landscape.
My mind raced to piece together the puzzle. This wasn't in the novel. In "Hero's Hero," the fifth round was supposed to be a straightforward battle on the streets—no mention of a devastating cold front or monstrous attacks.
Could it be? I thought. A player's skill?
I shook my head, dismissing the idea. In the novel's universe, players' skills were limited by the confines of their immediate environment of their round.
The wind had swept in from a distance, far beyond the boundaries of this street, where this round took place for us, which made it impossible for a single player's skill to have caused such a phenomenon.
No, this... this had to be part of the game.
The thought hit me like a jolt. This was not something I had planned for. It was clear now that the round's conditions were more severe and unpredictable than I had anticipated.
The outside combat team was already reacting. Through the windows, I could see them scrambling to abandon their posts, making their way back inside the school as quickly as they could.
The cold was too intense for them to remain outside. Their movements were urgent, faces set in grim determination as they fought against the biting wind.
I stepped closer to the windows, watching as the chaos unfolded. The temperature outside had dropped to unbearable levels, and the once-secure perimeter now seemed perilously vulnerable.
The situation was evolving faster than I could manage, and it was clear that this round would be unlike anything we had faced before.
This was not just a test of strength—it was a test of our adaptability. And right now, the game had turned into a battle against the elements themselves.
* * *
Jake staggered into the headquarters, his body shaking uncontrollably from the cold. His hands, now a painful shade of blue, trembled as he tried to regain his composure. "I'm sorry, Erebus," he said through chattering teeth. "It was too cold out there. We couldn't stay."
Mercy looked around the room, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. "So, what are we going to do? It's fucking cold even inside the school."
Yunji nodded in agreement, her face set in a determined frown. "We need to come up with a plan. This temperature is making it impossible to think clearly, let alone fight."
My mind raced, trying to piece together a solution amid the chaos. This unexpected cold front had disrupted everything. The combat team was in no condition to continue their duties, their strength sapped by the brutal wind.
Aiden, looking more composed than most, spoke up. "We should gather everyone in one place. If we consolidate our forces, we can create a central area with better heat and safety."
I nodded, seeing the merit in Aiden's suggestion. "Good idea. Bring everyone to the school gym. Make a fire there. Do everything you can to warm up the space. We need to ensure that everyone is as comfortable as possible."
The urgency in my voice was clear. With the combat team in no shape to fight, our plans needed to be adjusted. I had intended to attack the mart beside the school at the start of the round to gather some supplies. We were running out of food, and we really needed to fix that problem
However, given the current conditions, that was no longer a feasible option. The combat members, having faced the freezing wind head-on, were incapacitated and could not participate in any offensive actions.
I clicked my tongue in frustration. The situation was far from ideal, but we had to make do with what we had. The gym would have to serve as our base of operations for now, and we would need to adapt quickly to the harsh new reality of this round.