novelraw Chapter 64: Great Achievement (1)
Chapter 64: Great Achievement (1)
Translator: Dreamscribe
A large number of people from Korea and the United States logged in!
Already, hundreds of thousands of devices had been released in Korea and the United States combined, and more were still being released. Thanks to this, people from other countries were now able to acquire Soul Link and were logging in. In Japan, the official release date had already been confirmed, and in other countries, including the EU, there was currently a lot of discussion.
The atmosphere in the FS Games situation room was serious.
The new headquarters’ situation room was much larger than before and equipped with the latest facilities. Everything had been replaced with holographic displays, giving off the vibe of a futuristic control center.
“The number of logins keeps increasing!”
“What about the server status?”
“No issues!”
The staff in the situation room reported to Han Yong-seon.
As soon as the server opened, the number of concurrent users instantly surpassed 800,000 and was continuing to rise sharply. The image of Earth floated in a hologram, with the login regions of users displayed.
“A queue has been generated!”
“But it’s decreasing quickly.”
“Wow, the server status is still smooth! Not a single stutter. As expected....”
Not only were they monitoring the login status, but they were also keeping an eye on the situation in Arsilan. Usually, when this many people log in, lag occurs or the server crashes due to overload. However, without any such signs, it was running incredibly smoothly.
The queue decreased quickly as well.
Jinwoo watched from behind and nodded.
Leon sending them into the past.
That was the prologue of Episode 2. It was prepared so that Heroes who hadn’t participated in many events wouldn’t feel left out, but instead would feel even more pride.
The current queue existed because the tutorial area was made limited. It could handle around 200,000 users at the same time, so the queue decreased quickly.
The will imbued in Leon’s appearance played its role well, but the longer it dragged on, the more awkward it became. It felt like the brilliant light was fading. The only soul capable of perfectly embodying Leon was none other than Jinwoo.
The staff smiled softly as they watched the state of novice Heroes arriving in Arsilan.
Some laughed, some cried, others screamed.
Their expressions varied, but all were moved.
“It’s impossible not to be touched.”
“He may not remember it well, but the memories with Leon! Ugh!”
“The treatment of existing Heroes is on point too! I like this better. I’ve spent all my salary! Hahaha!”
“Yeah, same here! I’ll have to starve starting today!”
And a new login waiting screen was created for existing Heroes.
Originally, only the phrase ‘Arsilan Saga’ appeared on a black screen, but now it was different. In front of the nostalgic cabin, the Arsilanian with the highest Affinity appeared.
When will our Hero return?
They would sit on a bench waiting for the hero, gazing into the distance or looking at flowers. Sometimes they would lie there and sigh.
When the hero connected, they would look at them with a bright smile and disappear using the hero's flower.
It meant they would be waiting in Arsilan. Everyone acted according to their personality, and behavior changed significantly depending on Affinity. If Affinity was high, they sometimes left a handmade gift. It was a personal gift that couldn’t be obtained anywhere else.
If there were multiple Arsilanian characters with high Affinity, one appeared at random.
Even novice Heroes who had experienced the Episode 2 prologue were given a waiting screen, but only the Hero’s Flower lay in front of the empty cabin. That screen would remain until an Arsilanian with sufficient Affinity appeared.
The reaction in Arsilan Worlds was also explosive.
Title: I can’t leave the waiting screen.
Look at our cute Helby nim!
(Attached: Helby swinging her legs while sitting on a bench)
Looks like our Helby nim was waiting for me so much.
I am a sinner. A sinner who left Helby nim all alone!
My heart feels like it’s tearing apart.
(Attached: Helby nim squatting idly, watching a bug)
(Attached: Helby nim beaming at the sight of me, then managing her expression and disappearing coyly)
Honestly, I cried here.
Helby nim....
My sun
My air
My land
My everything.
Helby Lovers Group is now accepting new members.
You can become a full member at level 10 or higher!
We also support and help raise novice Heroes, so contact us!
If I could touch Helby nim’s horn once a day, I could overcome any trial.
Hotswordman: Heina nim was practicing swordsmanship while waiting for me. She wiped her sweat with the towel I gave her. I immediately recharged Platinum Coin. Now I am sending a premium towel set as a gift.
└ Anonymous1 (US): I want to see it. Upload the video.
HohoGamMan: Good things should be shared. I’ll be uploading hidden footage soon. Please look forward to it.
└ Anonymous2 (US): Praise the Great Hero! His name is HohoGamMan! Receive the grace of the Creator God!
SockThief: Hehe... Tia nim appeared... I won... She sighed when she saw me, but even that was good...
It wasn’t difficult to implement. Without direct participation from Arsilanian characters, they used Illusion Magic or utilized magic cores to code behavior patterns into them. The workload was heavy, but thanks to the staff, it was completed very quickly.
Jinwoo observed the login situation from the situation room for a while.
Han Yong-seon continued communicating with the staff while watching the screens.
"Is the population situation okay?"
“It’s crowded, but thanks to the expansion of Evanth and other villages, it looks okay for now.”
“It’ll take some time before additional cities and villages open..., hmm....”
“There are temporary villages set up by Heroes here and there, so we should be fine for a while.”
“We’re cruising along.”
Han Yong-seon answered the staff member's words and nodded.
The newly added cities and villages were so perfectly designed that they couldn’t just be released as is, so quests and narratives were added.
The largest city that appeared to be the kingdom's capital was sealed tightly so no one could approach it, and the remaining cities and villages had barriers placed around them.
The number of users logging in continued to rise smoothly, and no particular problems were found. As more Heroes appeared and grew stronger, the Soul Gate kept expanding.
The souls of Heroes were steadily growing, feeling many things. Their varied experiences enriched their souls, and as they hunted monsters, they grew even more vigorously.
“I’m heading to the Research Lab. Contact me if anything unusual comes up.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll keep monitoring everything!”
As Jinwoo was about to head to the Research Lab, staff members came over and handed him various gifts. Most of them were health supplements. Since FS Games not only developed content but also released massive volumes of new content in each update, they were concerned about Jinwoo’s health.
The area around the new headquarters was also full of support vehicles.
They were written not only in English but also in various languages from other countries, with Korean translations underneath.
'How international.'
Jinwoo smiled faintly and made his way to the Research Lab.
From the lab, he directly entered Arsilan. Arsilan was livelier than ever before. The expanded Evanth was packed with Heroes, and the same went for other villages. Even worker NPCs imbued with will were mobilized to assist the Arsilanian characters.
'It's quite a spectacle.'
Heroes wearing clearly visible kindergarten hats roamed around Evanth and the surrounding areas with sparkling eyes. A long queue stretched in front of the Platinum Coin Shop, and the Adventurer’s Guild, which had expanded to nearly the size of a city hall, was full of Heroes.
'It's really developed a lot.'
From Early Access to now.
The scale had gradually grown and now exceeded one million users. And this was despite the overseas service just beginning. It made him curious how far it could go.
Jinwoo accessed the notice board.
Jinwoo (Director): How’s the situation?
└ Tia (Writer): Super busy! Thanks to the staff, quests aren’t running out, so that’s a relief. I don’t even need to worry about the state of the Adventurer’s Guild. They're so adorable!
└ Helby (Platinum Coin Shop): Adorable? The staff guys keep staring at me whenever I do something. Every time I eat snacks, they sigh while watching me, and it’s giving me indigestion! Please move them away.
└ Garsha (Village Chief): It’s great to have so many Heroes.
└ Elvens (Village Chief): It’s wonderful.
└ Astel (Foreman): It’s heaven.
Elvens and Lunatie had an atmosphere like countryside during New Year's.
Jinwoo wandered through the village for a while, observing the situation. Appearing as Leon, he helped the novice Heroes. Whenever novice Heroes saw Leon, their eyes turned wistful.
One Hero asked Leon a question in English.
“(Leon nim, what are you writing?)”
“I’m recording the language of Heroes. I’m trying to learn it.”
“(Ah....)”
The Hero was deeply moved as he looked at the translation window that appeared beneath Leon. And like Leon, he resolved to start studying as well.
As time passed, even more users logged in, and the population density in Evanth became uncomfortable.
‘I suppose it’s about time to begin the city unlocking quest.’
Various settings were added to enhance immersion. As for the city unlocking quest, hints had already been scattered here and there.
Jinwoo looked at an elderly NPC.
He had the gentle appearance of a sage, carrying a large book, writing tools, and a backpack. Dressed in a worn-out robe and wearing a mage’s hat, he gave off a mystical aura.
He was constantly writing something down as he wandered around Arsilan.
Wanderer Marogo
An Arsilanian who came all the way from beyond Lunatie, past Gron Village, and into Evanth.
He was wandering in search of something precious he had lost.
So, it was not strange that new NPCs roaming across all of Arsilan were added. With the Erosion gone, it was set that Arsilanian characters who had been isolated or sealed away were now returning.
Various discussions were appearing in Arsilan Worlds as well.
Title: Got this after killing a Corrupted Goblin.
It suddenly lit up and then this dropped.
(Attachment: piece of paper)
What is this?
HaruRutPyeong: That goblin boss drops it at low probability.
ChocoFlavoredCoffee: Map fragment? It’s discolored so I can’t tell.
Anonymous1 (US): It’s a piece of goblin underwear.
Jinwoo embodied himself in Marogo's body.
“Hohoho.”
The voice was quite deep and he liked it.
Though the body was based on a worker NPC, it was fairly usable. Jinwoo looked around and strolled leisurely. Around Evanth, numerous novice Heroes were hunting Horned Rabbits.
“Please give me a good item! O Creator God!”
A drop rate increase event was ongoing, and rare materials occasionally dropped. A novice Hero shouted toward the sky and finished off a Horned Rabbit.
Poof!
The dead Horned Rabbit began to vanish. A staff member who had been waiting nearby walked over and discreetly dropped a rare material.
“Yessss! I got loot! Thank you!”
The Hero who obtained the rare material clasped both hands and prayed.
The staff member then spawned more Horned Rabbits in the area and looked pleased. If the terrain was severely damaged, they came with a shovel to repair it, planting flowers and weeds.
Even object restoration was done manually.
When Jinwoo looked at the staff member.
Snap!
The staffer saluted, as if they had learned it somewhere, and returned to work.
Staff could work while remaining completely hidden.
Thanks to the staff, diverse and flexible responses were possible. They greatly reduced the burden on Jinwoo.
Jinwoo exited Evanth and walked across the fields. Where the Magic Barrier used to be, the Hero’s Flowers were now beautifully blooming. He approached a Hero’s Flower and moved to the Tower of Trials.
'How magnificent.'
Originally, the Tower of Trials was supposed to be standing alone, but now there were gloomy ruins and broken statues placed around it.
It had an atmosphere suggesting some tremendous story. In truth, no such story had been set yet. The Heroes were just making their own assumptions.
‘Oh?’
Around the Tower of Trials, quite a few Heroes who had just reached level 10 were now gathering. They had already defeated the Corrupted Goblins and removed their kindergarten hats.
Although the EXP multiplier had increased, this was still a very fast pace. It was clear they hadn’t rested a single day since the server opened.
They were Heroes more passionate and talented than anyone, truly devoted to Arsilan Saga.
‘Their potential is incredible.’
Many Heroes possessed high-rank potential.
Among Heroes from other countries, there were traits not typically seen in Korean Heroes. By intertwining on the stage of Arsilan, they would generate excellent synergy.
Jinwoo felt extremely pleased watching them.
And it wasn’t just Jinwoo who noticed their potential.
Senior Heroes who had been waiting started to approach.
They had come to scout talented newbies who had just escaped from being rookies!
The novice Heroes were startled upon seeing the approaching senior Heroes. Every one of them was a named Hero.
“Northern Grand Duke!”
“Hellhound!”
“LifeHunter!”
And.
“Haebyul Bunny!”
“Ugh.”
At the mention of Haebyul Bunny, Haebyul flinched slightly.
They were famous enough that even American heroes called their names accurately. And besides them, other famous heroes and clerics also approached.
Named Heroes didn’t come alone. As if to show off their influence, they brought many others with them. All of them were over level 35, and the Heroes whose names were mentioned had already reached level 40 and were wearing the Veteran Hero Hat.
The named Heroes glared at one another.
The atmosphere was so tense it seemed like a fight could break out at any moment, and the novice Heroes swallowed nervously.
Northern Grand Duke took a step forward. Standing beside her was someone else.
“I’ll raise you to be the greatest Hero. Follow me!”
“(For the sake of your growth, I will do my best. Follow me. Good equipment and great facilities! Gron Village is always open.)”
The Hero beside the Northern Grand Duke spoke in English.
He was an interpreter.
The interpretation seemed a bit different from what was actually said.
Northern Grand Duke licked her lips as she looked at the novice Heroes. They must have looked quite appetizing.
“Heroes! Will you not join me in serving Helby nim? I wish to share in that holy joy together.”
“(I give you the chance to praise the great Magic Dragon and savior of Arsilan, Helby nim! Come all to the side of Helby nim! Right now! A chance to touch Helby nim’s horn! If fortune favors you, Helby nim might even pat you!)”
The Hero from the Helby Lovers Group beside Hellhound translated in English.
All the novice Heroes gathered here were talents.
The named Heroes were fighting over them in a talent war.
“There are too many without any value.”
Northern Grand Duke shook her head slightly and whispered to the interpreter. At that, the interpreter cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
“(Behold the living legend before your eyes! She participated in the Goblin Subjugation Squad and earned great merits, landed the final blow on the Death Knight during the Lunatie Defense Battle, and soaked the battlefield in blood alongside Leon nim during the Invasion! She is the one you can truly trust and follow! The first to subjugate the Lord of Erosion, the pride of Gron Village, and the hope of Arsilan! Northern Grand Duke nim!)”
It was an extravagant introduction, like that of a noble.
But most of it was true. The interpreter immediately repeated the exact same content in Korean.
From atop Elkin, LifeHunter raised a hand slightly. Then, a hunter stepped forward.
“Good hunting!”
“Wooooaaaah!”
When the hunter shouted, the other hunters nearby roared in response.
“(Heroes! Behold the great hunter of Elvens, destined to grasp all things in his hands! He hunted Goblins like insects, claimed the head of the Death Knight, and pierced the Lord of Erosion! His nobility reached the heavens as he landed the final blow atop the head of the great evil! Look! Feel it! The blood of that evil still burns hot across the lands of Arsilan! Follow the true hunter, LifeHunter nim! Now! The time of the hunt has come!)”
Not to be outdone, the other named Heroes began to list their own achievements.
It was the moment when the culture of achievements in Arsilan was born.
The novice Heroes murmured among themselves.
They were all so impressive that it was hard to choose whom to follow.
"Want to try Haebyul Bunny?”
“...That’s a bit..., I’m just here to watch.”
At UruBear’s words, Haebyul frantically shook her head and stepped back.
Swish!
As the named Heroes gave their introductions, the Clerics came forward.
The Clerics didn’t talk about achievements.
With calm smiles, they stepped aside and cleared a path.
A woman wearing a robe and covering her face carefully stepped forward. As she slowly removed her robe, everyone recognized her.
It was the Saintess Airi.
She shyly held up some leaflets.
“Uh, um, there’s a lecture on the common language of Arsilan at Evanth Church. If you don’t have time, you really don’t have to attend. I know Heroes are b-busy....”
“(Hear this, you undereducated Heroes! Saintess Airi nim has offered her mercy and will personally teach you! Come to the church and train your body and mind while learning Arsilan’s common language!)”
“A-aah....”
When the Cleric translated with passionate energy, Airi became flustered.
“Wow!”
“Airi nim... she’s so pretty.”
“I think I’d like the church.”
“I want to see Helby nim in person.”
The Heroes flocked toward Airi or the Helby Lovers Group.
Perhaps overwhelmed by her aura, few Heroes approached the Northern Grand Duke. At least the American Heroes moved toward LifeHunter.
Jam-sik greeted them warmly.
“You macho men, let’s go hunting! We are wild hunters!”
“Thank you.”
“Oh, your Korean, and your Arsilan common language, is pretty good.”
Jam-sik grinned as he said that.
In front of the Northern Grand Duke, it was desolate.
“Kgh! Why...?”
It should have been perfect!
Northern Grand Duke clenched her fists tightly. The North is always lonely and solitary.
As Northern Grand Duke and the other named Heroes withdrew, Jinwoo approached the Tower of Trials.