novelraw Chapter 78.1: Great War (2)
Chapter 78.1: Great War (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
FS Games and Ohsung Electronics opened Soul Link shops nationwide. Originally, Ohsung Electronics handled all the sales, but as the quantity of Soul Link sold increased and with plans to further expand, the company launched a newly revamped line on a larger scale. Along with Soul Link, many other products were added, making it necessary to convert the store into a specialized shop.
It was called the 'Soul Shop'.
Numerous branches were established both domestically and internationally.
On the day Soul Links were released, Soul Shops were packed with customers. Over 1.3 million Heroes had emerged in Korea alone, yet the supply of Soul Links remained insufficient. Especially now, with Episode 2: Great War having begun, even more people flocked to the stores. Many even took time off and pulled waiting tickets just to queue up.
Although the waiting lines were long, the wait was not boring.
That was because Soul Shops had a unique feature.
One wall inside the Soul Shop had a massive glass pane. Through it, people could watch events unfolding in Arsilan Saga in real time.
It wasn’t a regular display, but a holographic one, making it appear as if the real world of Arsilan was right beyond the glass. Usually, it showed landscapes of cities and villages, but when a major event took place, like today, it switched to the news’s live broadcast screen.
[The Gate of Invasion is opening! Black powder-like things are pouring out from inside!]
The customers in the Soul Shop stared blankly at the scene. As the Gate of Invasion fully opened, black powder-like things began to pour out uncontrollably. It was a horrifying sight, like an avalanche sweeping down an entire mountain.
[The black powder... each of those tiny grains is an enemy! A zoomed-in view shows they are human-shaped! They look shriveled up....]
It appeared as if fine powder was falling. But it wasn’t powder. The gate was so massive that it only looked that way. Each of those tiny particles, seemingly smaller than dust, was in fact an enemy.
“Customer number 32!”
Customers waiting in line for Soul Link were mesmerized, gazing at the glass pane. Outside the store, electronic billboards also displayed the scene, and people stopped in their tracks, looking up at them.
It was incredibly vivid.
The horrific things pouring from that gate felt like they could burst through the glass and flood onto Earth.
[It's an enormous number. Arsilan's land has turned black! It looks like waves made of black powder are rushing in.]
The news station's camera showed that scene from above.
The Gate of Invasion rose as if it could touch the sky. From this unrealistically colossal gate, a tremendous army poured out without end.
[They are advancing toward cities and villages! I repeat, the invading army of is currently....]
The army wasn’t just rushing in blindly. It seemed to instantly understand what was important, heading straight toward cities and villages. Like swarms of ants moving in formation, they advanced in lines.
The lands of Arsilan were turning black.
“Customer number 32! Customer number 32! Are you not here?”
As the staff even made an announcement, the customer holding ticket number 32 snapped out of it and looked forward in surprise. By then, the waiting line had completely vanished. Those behind him also came to their senses at last.
“Ah, yes!”
He completed the purchase and bought the Soul Link. Then the staff handed him flyers and several coupons. On the flyer, Leon was pointing directly at him.
[Log in right now! The fate of Arsilan rests in your hands!]
The flyer listed what needed to be done upon logging in. It said you would receive basic training in Evanth and then be immediately deployed to the front lines. The coupons included a military enlistment gift set.
‘This is war....’
‘The scale is insane.’
Those who purchased Soul Links felt their hearts pounding. Games they had played until now had vast worldviews, and despite themes like invasion and destruction, honestly, they never really felt real.
The number of monsters in the field was fixed, and the sense of crisis came only through cinematic videos. Even when a crisis was shown, it was hard to immerse oneself. Most people just habitually hunted monsters for farming.
But the Arsilan Saga reflected in that glass pane was different.
It felt like the real Arsilan might actually be destroyed.
It looked impossible to endure without help.
The one who appeared in such a crisis was none other than the Heroes. So, shouldn’t you log in right now?
Just thinking of diving into that overwhelming place made excitement surge.
“Thank you! Hero-nim!”
The store clerk called out loudly to the Heroes walking out of the shop with their Soul Links.
Hero!
Being called that already made it feel like they were standing on the battlefield. The Heroes exited the Soul Shop and hurried home.
Not only in Korea, but similar scenes were unfolding in Soul Shops of other countries as well. These scenes were covered in the news and were trending hotly on social media.
Soul Links were sold out the moment they were produced, but the supply still fell far short of the demand.
“Why aren’t they selling it in our country?”
“Lift the restrictions immediately!”
“Let’s take to the streets!”
Several countries had banned imports citing safety concerns, and there were signs that protests might erupt.
The war in Arsilan Saga was beginning to have a significant impact even on Earth.
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