The Regressor's Ice Is Golden - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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010.

How wonderful it would be if a figure skater could spend the entire day training on the ice.
Sadly, that was a privilege reserved for elite international athletes with dedicated rinks.
The Republic of Korea had no figure-skating-exclusive ice rink, even before my return.
The bureaucratic red tape over building one was absolutely infuriating.
I swallowed my frustration and kept running.
The morning breeze, warmer than before, brushed against my cheeks.
Think positive.
Ground training that costs nothing and lets me adjust my schedule as I please, depending on the environment!
One senior athlete even practiced jumps in front of a subway entrance and succeeded in landing a quadruple jump.
‘If he could do that, then surely I can manage it with the Status Window on my side.’
As long as I accumulated the necessary Points.

[Challenge achieved (100-meter sprint under 20 seconds plus 2 additional elements) — Points +3 awarded.]
[Points: 4]

It wasn’t ice training, admittedly taxing, but something was better than nothing.
“Phew.”
I sat on a bench and took a sip of water.
My bangs were plastered to my forehead.
‘I want to skate.’
Technically, I could have gone during public hours.
The training space was just too cramped.
I grimaced, remembering the kids who’d screamed right before I’d launched into a jump.
“God, it’s hot.”
I turned on the water fountain in the park.
When I dunked my head under the rush of cold water, it felt like salvation.
I shut off the water and wrung out my hair, letting the cold stream run down my jaw.
Warm-up complete, it was time to practice jumps and choreography.
My iPad held the choreography video my coach had filmed.
I plugged in my earbuds and pressed play.
Soon, a delicate piano melody filled my ears.
Following the force of extended fingertips, tracing the grand swell of the orchestra.
Instead of Crossover Steps carving through the ice, I simply refined my posture.
The moment the cello sang out, I spun backward.
I pushed off my right toe with power.
Triple Lutz, then without breaking rhythm, into a Double Loop Combination.
I whipped through two more rotations before my right foot tapped the pavement in a rapid staccato.
Water dripped steadily from my swinging hair.
As I continued into the next sequence, my mind worked.
The consecutive Double Loop landed cleanly.
To rotate one more time and stick the landing here—what would I need?
Rotational speed? Airtime? Distance? Height?
The answer lay in the next jump.
The one where I’d push off with my left foot and generate rotation via my right foot’s arc.
Once more I spun through the air and came down tap-tap-tapping on the ground.
“Hah!”
The Triple Salchow posed no problems.
The Double Axel that followed also rotated smoothly.
Continuing into steps and choreography, then Spin.
The moment I struck the closing pose.

[Challenge achieved (junior Free Skating ground choreography completion plus 2 additional elements) — Points +2 awarded.]
[Points: 6]

Another quest I’d forgotten about had just cleared.
‘Not bad, actually.’
But my mood was good.

***

Time moved swiftly.
Four days into program practice, Ha-seol checked her iPad at the Ice Rink.
She’d just landed three consecutive Loop combinations in a row.
A Triple Loop, a Double Loop, and another Double Loop.
The entire triple-combination sequence was recorded in video on her iPad.
“Wow.”
I landed it, but it still feels insane.

[Challenge Complete (Triple Loop Combination Landing) — Points +2 awarded.]
[Points: 8]

“Easy there. You’ll break it at this rate.”
Coach approached.
Instead of answering, I turned the video around to show her the recorded jump.
“Oh, not bad at all.”
“Pretty slick, right?”
I grinned, teeth bared, and Coach mirrored the expression.
The skater collapsed onto the ice while the coach reviewing the choreography extended a loose fist bump.
I bumped fists in return, then played back the video several more times.
Coach had mentioned something before.
The rotation axis was fine, but my head rotation was slightly delayed.
I just needed to hold my head a bit more steady.
‘And if I just add one more rotation to the Double Loop—’
I pushed myself up and gradually increased speed.
At the right moment, I twisted sharply backward, then drew my left skate deep across to the right as I moved in reverse.
Before the final thrust, I held my extended arms, lifted leg, angled torso, and carefully balanced form.
Snap!
My left foot broke away from the ice.
Right after takeoff, I pulled my body tight to form the axis.
Then at the right moment, I loosened my compressed legs slightly for landing.
The instant my right foot touched the ice, I didn’t stop—I caught another rotation.
This time I tucked my arms in more tightly.
To increase the spin speed.
The next moment, my right foot glided back across the ice.
Whoosh—the blade sang clean and sharp.
Triple Lutz, followed by Triple Loop.
‘There.’
This season’s strongest weapon was in my hands.

[Challenge Complete (Complete Triple-Triple Combination Jump) — Special Ability (E~C) Confirmed Selection Right +1 awarded.]

Status Windows and everything else—I’m completely exhausted.
I stumbled out of the rink on wobbly legs.
“You’re full of passion. Aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Coach poured me water and handed it over.
“Be proud. There’s probably no other junior women’s singles skater in the Republic of Korea who lands jumps like you do.”
“What do you mean?”
Our eyes met.
“The press will eat it up.”
……
I didn’t answer and lowered my head.
Well, once I took on Cha Seo-hee as a rival, media attention was inevitable.
But when people who don’t know figure skating are still going on about Lee Yu-na’s Double Axel, surely it won’t reach that far?
“Will I pass the Qualification Exam?”
“Yeah, I just came back from seeing your future—chicken dinner as celebration.”
“Really?”
“It’s the Seo Dong-yo technique. What you speak becomes reality.”
“Ha.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
My head was starting to clear.
That was the kind of day it had been.

***

Cha Jin-hee had received a text from her friend a few days earlier.
[Kim Ha-seol: Taking the Qualification Exam. Want to come?]
It was an unexpected invitation.
On a Saturday evening, no less — when she didn’t have academy!
Her fingers flew across the screen as she typed back.
[Can I bring Park Ji-ho?]
[Kim Ha-seol: Why him?]
[Just. Felt like it’d be empty without him.]
“…….”
Suddenly embarrassed, she thought about backing out.
But when that evening came, her body was already preparing to head out.
The air at the Ice Rink beat being cooped up at home any day.
For the record, Park Ji-ho had decided not to come.
He’d said something about going to a PC room with friends to eat chicken.
[Park Ji-ho: Hahaha sorry I’m too much of a social butterfly. Have fun with your friends. But don’t forget about me ㅠㅠㅠ got it?]
[Pardon, but who is this?]
[Park Ji-ho: Wow you’re really too much]
It was weird, actually — someone so well-connected hanging around with just her for this long.
His friends would never have let that slide.
She layered up with warmer clothes and stopped by a convenience store to grab a couple of large bottles of Ion Drink.
It was payback for the one she’d bummed off him last time.
When she pushed open the Ice Rink doors, Ha-seol waved at her.
“What’s all that?”
“You’re not supposed to show up empty-handed at someone’s place.”
“Come on, are we strangers? You brought some last time anyway. I’ll put it to good use.”
The moment they stepped into the Ice Rink, crowds of people were everywhere.
Kids in glittering outfits, adults in jackets despite the summer heat.
As she was finding her spot, Cha Jin-hee caught Ha-seol’s eye.
“I can really choreograph your Short Program for you, right?”
“Hm?”
“I’ll do it. But there’s a kind of pathetic reason behind it.”
“What reason?”
Ha-seol shrugged and tucked the envelope into her bag.
Cha Jin-hee turned her head slowly and gazed out the window.
It was pitch black.
“I wanted to keep going. With figure skating.”
“…….”
“I started when I was really young, and it was so much fun back then. These days, I live like this though.”
“But why?”
“Isn’t it funny? Born as a fourth-generation chaebol, never had to worry about money. I thought I could do whatever I wanted.”
Her voice sank low.
“I don’t know what I’m even capable of doing with my own life.”
“…….”
I watched her quietly.
Wondering what would be the right thing to say.
“Even Coach said it was a shame you quit.”
I tied my Figure Skates and clicked my tongue.
“I think so too.”
I didn’t wait for a reply and headed out onto the ice.
The warm-up announcement had just come over the speakers.
The acrylic barriers that normally ran along the rink’s edge had been taken down entirely.
Because of that, the view felt wider, more open.
The coach rested his chin on his hand beside me.
“It’s unfortunate that you’re going first, but you can do this. Warm up.”
“Yes.”
But it wouldn’t take long.
I left the coach behind and crossed the ice.
I glided quickly across the rink in my usual warm-up routine, then deployed the Layback Spiral/Ina Bauer.
Straightening my deeply arched back, I launched into a Double Axel.
The ice sang out with a crisp, clean sound.
The rotation felt spacious and controlled.
I ran through only two types of jumps—Lutz and Loop—along with two combination jumps, three times each.
Not a single jump more or less.
Four of us, including me, were circling the ice for warm-ups.
I watched the rink carefully, then slipped into any open space the moment it appeared for a jump.
And then came the most critical combination jump.
Click!
The toe pick of my skate blade struck the ice with a crisp sound.
Three rotations and a landing weren’t the end of it.
The moment my right foot touched down, I drove it into the ice, gathering the rotation upward.
I gauged the spinning world around me, and right at this moment—
Crack!
The ice splintered somewhat roughly beneath me.
I clicked my tongue and looked down at the trajectory of where I’d taken off.
‘Just a bit more precision and that would’ve been perfect.’
The moment warm-ups ended, I pulled up my Status Window.
Ding. I quickly swiped down the blue screen in front of me.
I’d already prepared the Special Ability earlier that afternoon.
I touched it lightly, pretending it was part of the choreography, and activated it.

[Cardiopulmonary Endurance UP!](B/Active)

Everyone except the competitor taking the test left the Ice Rink.
I approached Park, the coach, smoothly.
“I’m starting now.”
“Oh, already?”
Park grinned widely and interlaced his fingers.
In the meantime, I moved toward the center of the ice.
I lowered my head slightly and lifted my right arm gently above my shoulder.
Just before the music began.
‘Dear gods, dear gods, dear gods.’
I prayed to every god that existed in the world.
Please, let me make it through this moment safely.
A moment later, a grand piano note announced the start.
I reached out my arm and glided in a full circle.
Accelerating smoothly, I skated along the edge of the rink.
Elegant in appearance, though my fingertips held a hint of tension, my heart steeled with resolve.
I performed the choreography flawlessly until just before the Lutz jump.
I drew a long arc inward, bent my left ankle, and planted my right toe pick into the ice.
At the same time, I swung my extended arm powerfully inward, pulling it tight against my body.
With all my heart, I launched into a Triple Lutz with full force.
‘Not yet.’
Next came a Triple Loop, gathered tight and ascending.
Gravity vanished for a moment as the wind rushed past me in rapid circles.
And then—click!
In the next instant, my right foot bit cleanly into the ice and stuck the landing.
Triple Lutz, Triple Loop combination—successful landing.
The Returner’s Ice 10
E-book Publication Date | 2026.06.05

Author | Corcolaroli
Publisher | Heo Heung-beom, Park Geon-won
Published by | Potent

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Phone | 02-6320-8500
Fax | 02-6320-8585

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List Price | Not for Sale

ⓒ Korcaroli 2026

This e-book is protected under copyright law.
This e-book has been published by agreement with the author and may not be reprinted, reproduced, distributed, or shared in any form without written consent from both parties.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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