Chapter 291 - Frozen Sea

"Tsk..."

In the sky above the sea in Busan.

There, holding Lee Seol-ah in my arms, I clicked my tongue while looking up at the sky.

"This is quite breathtaking..."

A crazy collaboration of rough waves and whirlwind-like phenomena.

With even a vortex now churning on the other side of the sea, I was starting to wonder if this was Busan or Caribbean Bay. Republic of Korea is refreshingly cool today, everyone.

"E-Egostic, sir. You came?"

And in front of me, Lee Seol-ah, nestled in my arms with a grin.

As she rubbed her long sky-blue hair against my chest, I let out a hollow laugh and spoke.

"Yes, Icicle. What were you doing?"

"Can't you tell? I was stopping a terrorist attack."

She answered with a smile, as if it was obvious.

...This situation might seem absurd—a villain having a friendly conversation with a hero in mid-air—but I'd already been in similar situations with Stardust, so it felt quite familiar. Besides, I didn't bring a camera, so there was no need to worry about appearances.

Anyway, with that thought, I briefly released Icicle and assessed the situation.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-

The situation looked very bad on the surface.

Rain had started falling from the sky, with lightning striking as well. The sea seemed to have gathered every water-related disaster imaginable—whirlpools, vortices, tsunamis. On the surface, it looked like the scene of Busan's destruction.

...However, if you looked carefully. If you didn't get intimidated by the overwhelming visuals and calmly assessed the situation, you could notice something.

All these disasters, despite their terrifying appearance, weren't actually destroying the city.

The vortices, whirlwinds, and storm-like phenomena.

They were all swirling with tremendous force over the sea, but not approaching the city. Even the tsunami was being blocked, only hitting the coastline.

Of course, I wasn't sure how long this would last, but that's how it was for now.

Based on what I was seeing, I could roughly guess why Ariel had caused this.

'...A show of force?'

When Ariel previously told me she wanted to join Ego-stream, I rejected her because she was weak.

...She left looking very depressed, so I thought she had given up, but apparently not. Judging by this surprise return.

This terrorist attack was probably meant to prove to me that she was strong. Especially since, unlike my style of devastating scale without casualties, this was a more restrained attack.

Yes, I could learn more by talking with Ariel, who was probably up there above the sea. A few words from me might be enough to stop this.

However, that wasn't my concern anymore.

I had something else in mind.

"Sigh, Egostic. What do you think? Should we go end this together now?"

Above the rainy sea.

Looking at Icicle who was creating ice to dry her rain-soaked t-shirt while looking up at me, I had a thought.

Lee Seol-ah.

Also known as the A-rank hero Icicle.

The CEO of Yu-seong Group, Korea's largest conglomerate, and Stardust's best friend. Also the shadow ruler controlling Republic of Korea both in the original story and now.

Despite her overwhelming behind-the-scenes persona that controlled the political and business worlds of an entire country...

In reality, her abilities as a hero were quite lacking compared to other A-ranks.

Unlike Stardust, who was promoted to S-rank hero alone due to her overwhelming strength, or Shadow Walker, who exhibited abilities surpassing S-rank during nighttime... she was just an A-rank with ordinary ice creation abilities. That's why she didn't show much activity as a hero in the original story. Even she herself considered her abilities merely for self-promotion.

However, in the original story, hero Icicle faced a tremendous crisis.

The disaster created by Han-eun Corporation: Behemoth. That giant black worm-like creature created through biological experiments. The monster that destroyed Seoul alone in the original story, then headed straight to North Korea and settled there.

With North Korea furiously protesting and threatening war because "the mess you created crossed the border and ruined our land," Lee Seol-ah eventually went to defeat the monster that had settled in North Korea. Since the monster was weak to water. Her ice-creating ability had relatively good compatibility with it... though in reality, it was also because Stardust was busy at the time, and Shadow Walker had been strictly warned by the North not to come.

Anyway, that was the greatest crisis in Lee Seol-ah's life. Unlike before, when she solved everything with her intellect, she had to overcome the situation purely with her own abilities.

In the end, she succeeded in winning the battle by utilizing 100% of her power against the monster.

In the process, she created an incredible scene by completely freezing the entire sea in that area, earning her the nickname "North Sea Ice Woman" afterward.

The Behemoth subjugation was the only growth episode for Lee Seol-ah as hero Icicle in the original story.

...Of course, this only happened in the original story. I had killed Behemoth by breaking its legs and dropping it into the Han River, preventing the whole North Korea incident. As a result, Icicle never got the nickname "North Sea Ice Woman," and she lost the opportunity for her abilities to grow.

I had felt a bit uneasy about this, but I'd been patient since developing Icicle's abilities wasn't an urgent matter. I thought about helping Icicle after retirement... but by then, there would be someone else I needed to take care of in Phase 4.

I thought Icicle would miss her growth opportunity...

But wait? Here it is?

"...Why are you staring at me like that?"

As I quietly looked down at Lee Seol-ah while thinking.

Feeling uncomfortable with my gaze, Lee Seol-ah's ears turned slightly red as she crossed her arms to cover herself and turned her head slightly. No, it's not like that... but whatever.

"Icicle."

"...Yes?"

Looking at the stormy sea, I grinned and said to her.

Seeing me smile like that, she trembled slightly as if sensing something ominous.

I grabbed her shoulders, pointed at the tsunami, and whispered to her.

"I'll persuade that villain, but before that... how about you stop all those waves and whirlpools?"

"...Haha, Egostic? What are you saying? You can just teleport... no, Da-in. How am I supposed to stop that?"

"How? Just freeze everything."

"...? No, what? You want me to freeze that?"

"Yes. Thinking about it, this seems like the best opportunity to help you grow, Icicle. Look there."

After reminding Lee Seol-ah that the tsunami wasn't really affecting the downtown area, I patted her back and said.

"Come on! You can do it, Icicle!"

"...Da-in! Wait, I'm not Stardust... hey, Egostic!!!"

I teleported away from Lee Seol-ah who was trying to grab me from behind.

My destination was the sky above.

Specifically, where the massive storm was raging.

That's probably where Ariel would be.

"...I should scout the location first, right?"

With that thought, I started flying around.

...While keeping an eye on Icicle struggling below me.

***

"That jerk...."

At the sea in front of Busan.

Walking on the sea by freezing it like the Ice Queen from that movie she watched with Ha-ru as a child, Lee Seol-ah tied back her sky-blue hair tightly and headed toward the waves.

...How am I supposed to freeze this? Maybe Da-in has been hanging out with Stardust so much that he thinks all heroes have abilities of that level. I've never even heard of heroes whose abilities grow except for Stardust, how is this supposed to work..!

As a smart businesswoman with excellent self-objectification, she knew her own limitations well. She knew there was no way she could do this.

As she stared helplessly at the violently splashing water droplets in front of her.

'...You can do it, Icicle!'

She wavered slightly as she imagined Da-in's face, firmly believing in her ability.

...Right. If it's coming from none other than Egostic, he must have some basis for believing she could do it.

.....Maybe if she used her power to the maximum?

Ah, whatever. If I collapse, Egostic will save me.

I'm usually such a rational person, but when I get involved with Egostic, that goes out the window... Sigh. He better take responsibility...

With that thought, she rolled up her t-shirt and took a deep breath.

Yes, let's try it. Maybe I've never had the chance to use my full power until now.

And so.

WHOOSH. WHOOSH.

Looking at the second tsunami-like wave approaching with a roar, large enough to cast a shadow over her.

"HAAAAAAA!"

Lee Seol-ah steeled herself and created ice crystals in her hands with a power she had never used before.

SWOOOOOSH

Centered around her, the undulating sea began to freeze into sky-blue ice with tremendous force. The waves, the whirlpools.

"NNNNNGH...!!!"

And with Lee Seol-ah's effort, gritting her teeth and pouring out all her strength like never before.

Finally, even the whirlwind rising to the sky.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK

At last, she succeeded in freezing it.

And so, on the sea that had suddenly frozen like an ice kingdom.

Having used all her strength, Lee Seol-ah collapsed onto the ice.

"Haa, haa. ...Did I succeed?"

"Yes, you did, Icicle. See, you could do it after all."

At that moment. A man descending from the sky with a fluttering black cape, clapping.

Looking at Egostic who had returned with a smile and was extending his arm toward her, Icicle unconsciously smiled weakly as she grabbed his arm and said.

"Egostic. I think I'm really better suited for office work."

It was too exhausting.

*

And at that moment.

"....Huh?"

Having just arrived, Stardust froze as she saw Egostic and Icicle smiling and holding hands.

...When did those two become so close?