novelraw Chapter 112: Faith (2)
Chapter 112: Faith (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
From the underground labyrinth came a groaning sound, like air leaking out. The space that had once prepared to ascend toward the sky by devouring greed and pain had instead become a prison.
“Looks good.”
Jinwoo looked at the underground labyrinth and the surrounding scenery with a deep smile on his lips. The Romance Domain had expanded further, completely engulfing the area around the underground labyrinth.
Several buildings had been established around the underground labyrinth, creating a picturesque view.
“Lift it up!”
“Kya! Another jackpot this time!”
As the magic engine activated, it hoisted up a massive load of something from the underground labyrinth. It was the floor and walls that made up the labyrinth. Since there had been a shortage of construction materials near the Romance Domain, they had relied on trade, but starting with the search for the Fragment of Light, they began to extract materials from the underground labyrinth.
Because the area even had the trait of cooling its surroundings, they were exporting it now. The thick black fluid that came out when dismantling the labyrinth was used as fuel for the magic engine.
"Freshly torn labyrinth grilled for sale. Food you can only taste in Romance Domain!"
“Oh..., give me one.”
“Dip it in the oil sauce.”
“Mmm! It tastes like intestines, but the texture is like live octopus! Perfect with alcohol!”
“You must be a hero who knows how to eat. I’ll give you one more. It’s on the house.”
The nerve bundles were said to be quite chewy and tasty. Since they shriveled and disappeared after just one day, it was a delicacy unique to the Romance Domain.
‘It feels wrong to treat the underground labyrinth like this, but...’
Delving through the underground labyrinth filled with all sorts of traps to find treasure, that was what the labyrinth was supposed to be. Still, since the heroes were enjoying themselves, it seemed like this wasn’t so bad after all.
The underground labyrinth was in tatters.
Though the heroes had not yet reached the depths of the labyrinth, most of the Fragments of Light that could be recovered had already been collected.
Hasman (Strategist): I found information about the barbarians. They have appeared consistently at 10-year intervals. I will transmit the data immediately.
Hasman transmitted the data he had secured from the Marquis’s domain and the occupied territories. Jinwoo examined the material. There were detailed drawings of those whom the nobles referred to as “barbarians”.
‘The ones who appeared 60 years ago....’
Warriors with massive bodies.
They were the Giant race. The Giants had succeeded in destroying a small domain, but the Lord of Greed had swiftly subdued them and dropped them through a hole in the east, turning them into slaves. Completely devoured by the Lord of Greed, they became siege weapons.
Why had they fought a battle they couldn’t win?
Jinwoo recalled the past.
The Giant race were noble warriors and the shield of Arsilan. Back when Jinwoo was still inexperienced, Ella had introduced him to Hanu, the chieftain of the Giants. Possessing tremendous strength, Hanu had appeared to Jinwoo like a true hero.
‘Hero? I like the sound of that. What do you need to be a hero?’
‘Heroes usually have a Holy Sword.’
Hanu laughed heartily and raised his shield.
‘I have a shield, so if you become the Holy Sword, we’re good. Ella, do something about it.’
‘You don’t seem very reliable, but if you handle all the meal duties, I’ll appoint you as my Holy Sword.’
Hanu and Ella got along well.
‘Holy Sword, my ass... I’m a mage.’
‘A weakling mage!’
‘Yeah, so protect me properly.’
Hanu laughed loudly and nodded while raising his shield.
‘I’ll always protect you. Just stay behind me!’
‘What about me? Why are you only protecting Jinwoo?’
‘You’re stronger than I am.’
Ella’s fists packed more heat than Hanu.
Although Hanu could freely adjust the size of her body, even her smallest form was a head taller than Jinwoo. When facing giant enemies, Jinwoo would sit on her shoulders with Ella and pour out magic.
From Arsilan all the way to the Demon Realm.
Cleaning up was always Jinwoo’s responsibility, but it had still been a joyful journey. Jinwoo’s gaze darkened.
The will and authority that had once surrounded the underground labyrinth had greatly weakened. The Lord of Greed still had not given up on ascension and continued to endure.
‘If it’s now....’
Jinwoo looked at the underground labyrinth, then leapt right in.
He plummeted to the first floor in an instant.
The floor of the first floor had a hole in it, and heroes were dismantling the floor. As Jinwoo’s body quickly passed through the space, he stretched out his hand.
A magic circle formed and mana began to condense. Just before Jinwoo’s body touched the second floor.
Kwaaah!
Red light burst from the magic circle, melting the floor completely.
Underground third floor, fourth floor, fifth floor, and sixth floor.
Jinwoo continued descending. If the Lord of Greed had focused solely on defense, it wouldn't have been easy to break through even for Jinwoo. But the creature had no time for that. Even now, countless heroes were dismantling the walls and floors, working tirelessly.
The deeper he went, the stronger the energy of Erosion became.
It pressed down on Jinwoo’s body as if he were sinking into a thick swamp, but it was a meaningless effort. With just a light wave of his hand, he obliterated all the surrounding energy.
Jinwoo landed lightly at the deepest point of the underground labyrinth. The floor, as if made of black swamp, was sticky. A thick liquid clung to his shoes, giving off an unpleasant sensation.
Ahead stood a massive tower.
Numerous treasures formed this enormous tower, stretching out toward the outside of the underground labyrinth. It couldn’t be seen from outside, but here, it was clearly visible.
Kuaaaa!
Countless corrupted ones melted in agony, tearing away parts of their souls to build up the tower. The soul fragments stacked in the tower became treasures and rose toward the sky.
Jinwoo looked to the side.
[Heh. Heh. Hehehe....]
A man wearing a shabby wooden crown was licking the floor to quell his hunger. Jinwoo knew who this man was. He was the emperor who had once led the most powerful empire in Arsilan. No matter what he had offered, in the end, he was nothing more than prey for the Erosion.
Jinwoo took out a water bottle and poured water onto the floor.
The emperor, overcome with joy, licked up the pooled water on the ground but.
[Kuaaaaagh!]
That water turned into lava, sending the emperor writhing in pain.
Even the seemingly glorious Empire of Evil would eventually face this same end. To the creature, Arsilan was nothing more than a giant breeding pen.
“This isn’t something the heroes should see.”
This grotesque scene had no value as game content. He didn’t want to show something like this to the heroes who were joyfully enjoying Arsilan Saga.
Jinwoo approached the tower of treasure.
Just a little more.
A little higher.
Ascend to the sky.
God.
I.
Only I.
Such a will wrapped around the entire tower could be felt.
His will had been taken by Jinwoo, and he had suffered great damage from the falling moon, so the thoughts were fragmented. A fierce greed to become a god could be felt. Its will and authority were being concentrated here.
The other holes in the Empire of Evil were likely in similar condition.
“Wow, you sure stacked a lot.”
It was the result of over a hundred years of effort.
Jinwoo smirked as he examined the treasures. He grabbed a large golden chest from the bottom.
Thud!
As the large golden chest was pulled out, the stacked treasures began to collapse and fall. Countless souls who had been stacking the treasure turned to look at him. The gaze of the creature that had only looked to the sky could also be felt.
“Hey, share a bit, will you?”
Jinwoo picked only the large ones and pulled them out. The large treasures were made from the souls of the Giant race. He could feel Hanu’s soul, wrapped in pain. Jinwoo’s expression turned cold, but he deliberately hid it.
He wildly pulled out the treasures forming the foundation, and the tower of treasure began to tilt and sway precariously.
Kieeee!
Kuaaa!
Countless corrupted souls rushed at Jinwoo, but they couldn’t even get close. They were engulfed in flames, writhing on the ground.
“Ah, my bad. Pulled the wrong one. I’ll put it back.”
Jinwoo pulled out a chunk of gold far larger than his body, then shoved it back in. But then the tower of treasure began to tilt heavily to the side.
"Is it not this hole?"
Jinwoo shook his head and hurled the chunk of gold toward the tower.
Kuaaaang!
When it struck the tower, treasures scattered in all directions, and a portion of the tower began to collapse. The more Jinwoo pulled out the treasures, the more dangerously the tower swayed.
“There you are.”
Jinwoo discovered a large fragment placed inside the tower.
It was a fragment imbued with Ella’s authority. As the Lord of Greed stacked the tower reaching toward the sky, it had been absorbing Ella’s authority.
Stop!
Don’t!
Faced with the threat that all of its efforts up to now might vanish in vain, the Lord of Greed pleaded, as if begging. The more you're told not to do something, the more you want to do it.
Jinwoo grinned slyly and pulled out the large fragment. As the fragment was absorbed into Jinwoo’s hand and disappeared, the tower of treasure that had soared into the sky began to collapse helplessly.
Ku-gu-gu-gu!
The upper part of the tower, which had risen as if to pierce the heavens, crumbled and collapsed to the floor. The fallen treasures began to cluster together, forming an enormous shape. The moment Jinwoo saw it, his gaze wavered slightly.
Had the Lord of Greed read his mind?
Or was it that among all the beings absorbed by this hole, this was the most powerful and valuable one, so it was brought forth?
The great chieftain Hanu glared at him, her face twisted in pain.
Hanu had never once shown signs of pain in front of Jinwoo. She had never even frowned. She always smiled, dragging Jinwoo here and there.
Hanu raised a massive fist and swung it at Jinwoo. Jinwoo only looked at her face.
Kwaang!
Jinwoo’s face turned to the side from the blow of her massive fist. He spat out the blood that pooled in his mouth and turned his head back to look at her again.
"I came too late."
Her fist came at Jinwoo once more.
But it stopped right in front of his face. Hanu had grabbed her own arm with her other hand.
The transcendental power to break mountains and part seas came from her shield.
When the Erosion surged forth, she had stood in front of Jinwoo.
‘I can’t be your shield anymore..., but take this instead.’
The Erosion had consumed Hanu’s body, and her soul had collapsed.
Before being buried in the Erosion, she had handed him the Giant race’s sacred relic, the shield. Trusting not anyone else, but Jinwoo, she had entrusted him with a shield as precious as her own life.
‘I wanted to be your hero, the one who brings miracles.’
Hanu had blocked the Erosion with her entire body, buying time for Jinwoo and the troops to retreat.
And over a hundred years later, Hanu’s shield had blocked the breath of darkness crossing Arsilan and enabled a counterattack.
“It was a miracle.”
Jinwoo retrieved her shield from subspace.
The shield, with only the handle remaining, was his most treasured possession.
“Even without the Holy Sword, you were a hero.”
Hanu had become the miraculous barrier that prevented the great war.
Jinwoo formed an enormous magic circle.
Chains burst out from the magic circle and bound her. The connection between the Lord of Greed and the souls had weakened. When possessing Arsilan’s people, it was possible to bind the soul to the Soul Gate.
‘Pain.’
Thanks to the heroes constantly inflicting pain on the creature.
Now it should be possible to cut them free.
Jinwoo took out the erosion stones and attempted to drive in a wedge to cut the link.
Gu-gu-gu-gu-gu!
The treasure tower completely collapsed, turning into a thick black liquid. Like a dragon that failed to ascend and became a wraith, the Lord of Greed reversed the authority that had aimed for the sky downward.
Be buried in Erosion!
Having abandoned ascension, it revealed its true form to destroy Jinwoo and everything that had invaded this land. The underground labyrinth shook as massive cracks formed in the walls, ceiling, and floor.
The loosened soul connection tightened again.
Everything nearby was being sucked into the thick black liquid. Once drawn into it, one would suffer again in pain that felt like an eternity.
Crack!
Jinwoo clenched his teeth and looked at Hanu. Her twisted expression softened slightly.
Siiik!
The corners of her mouth trembled slightly.
As if she knew what choice Jinwoo would make and was comforting him.
Blood flowed from Jinwoo’s tightly clenched hand.
He created an even larger magic circle. Connected to the Soul Gate, an enormous force of magic concentrated into the circle.
It held a power strong enough to shatter a soul in an instant.
Jinwoo’s fingertips trembled.
To end the pain.
It was the only salvation he could offer now. Hanu, accepting the end of her soul, reached out to grasp the black liquid tainted by Erosion.
At that moment, a voice echoed in Jinwoo’s ear.
“Oh, guys, there's a huge open space down here!”
“Is it a hidden area?”
“Let’s blow it up!”
The voices of the heroes came from above. The sound of a drill rang out, and then.
KWAHHHHHH!
A massive explosion shook the underground labyrinth.
The Lord of Greed screamed in agony.
Having abandoned ascension and reestablished a strong connection to the surface, its pain now seemed amplified hundreds, even thousands of times.
The Lord of Greed, who had tried to become a god through pain and greed, was ironically unaccustomed to its own suffering.
‘Now...!’
Jinwoo drove the wedge made from the erosion stones into the ground.
KWA-DEUK!
Like flesh being torn apart, every connection to the Lord of Greed was severed. At that moment, everything in this space was linked to the Soul Gate.
The treasure that had piled up in heaps began to vanish as if being absorbed by the Soul Gate.
KWAHHHH!
Jinwoo redirected his magic and fired at the black liquid. It pierced through the floor and walls, evaporating the black substance, but it caused no significant damage. That was because there were many other labyrinths like this one.
Pain!
Be buried.
Die.
Eternal torment!
The Lord of Greed left the underground labyrinth with tremendous hatred. Souls filled with greed were dragged away with it, but those who had only suffered pain remained here.
Hanu approached Jinwoo, her enormous form shrinking.
Her soul was faint, and her words could not be heard.
What was she trying to say?
Perhaps she was blaming him for arriving too late.
He had chosen to erect a Magic Barrier instead of saving her as she was being consumed by Erosion and falling into corruption. A mage must always make the best possible choice.
Ssshhk.
Hanu placed her hand atop the handle of the shield he was holding. Her soul settled into the handle of the shield, and Ella’s authority, once absorbed into Jinwoo’s hand, seeped into it, radiating a golden light.
Jinwoo’s eyes widened.
He recalled the time long ago when the three of them set out on a journey and had placed their hands together.
‘Okay! Everyone, hands in.’
‘Jinwoo, don’t sit out. Hurry and put your hand in.’
Ella and Hanu had overlapped their hands, waiting for Jinwoo.
He’d thought it was childish and tried to resist, but in the end, he had no choice but to join in.
Hanu lifted her head to look upward.
Through the massive cracks above, the heroes were peering down.
“They’re the ones who saved Arsilan....”
Jinwoo wanted to proudly introduce them to her.
Before she entered eternal rest through the Soul Gate, he wanted to show her the hero, the greatest Holy Sword who had saved Arsilan.
“I’ve maxed out my Endurance stat! I’m gonna jump down!”
Whooosh!
One of the heroes jumped from above.
“Waaaah! Ugh!?”
SPLAT!
The hero’s body smashed into the floor and disappeared instantly.
“Dude! Are you alive?”
“Looks like he’s dead.”
“Guess high Endurance isn’t enough.”
“Let’s go safely. I’ll get a rope.”
Ah.
It was embarrassing.
As Jinwoo covered his face with his hand, Hanu looked at him and burst into laughter. Though no sound came out, her joy was clearly conveyed.
After laughing heartily, Hanu made eye contact with Jinwoo. Her gaze trembled intensely. As if nervous, she took a deep breath and parted her lips.
He couldn’t understand what she was saying.
But Jinwoo looked at her and listened until the end. After finishing her words, she looked at him with a bittersweet expression, then smiled brightly and turned her back.
That back, which had always protected him, still felt reliable.
Hanu and the souls freed from the Lord of Greed headed toward the Soul Gate. Their expressions, released from long suffering, were at peace. The souls tainted by Erosion were purified the moment they touched the Soul Gate.
Jinwoo stood there for a long time, watching the scene unfold.
‘...Now I know what I need to do.’
The big picture hadn’t changed.
Inflict pain on that thing, and take back what was stolen.
As the authority of the creature that had given up on ascension now turned back toward the surface, many things were bound to change, but Jinwoo wasn’t worried. It was just fun content.
“There’s nothing here?”
“What is this?”
“It’s completely empty.”
One by one, the heroes arrived at the location. But it was just an empty space, completely vacant. It felt like looking at a hidden development zone that hadn’t been built yet.
‘Hmm.’
Jinwoo stood on the floor, watching the heroes start roaming around aimlessly. He thought about how to explain the situation but ended up ejecting all the heroes who had entered this place back outside the labyrinth.
[Error 404! Unauthorized access detected.]
Such a system message appeared in front of the heroes who were transported outside the labyrinth.
[??] Error Discoverer
‘Shh! Quiet!’
A title given to heroes who discover an unexpected error.
The flustered developers are working to fix it quickly. They might have to work overtime.
*Reward: 10 Platinum Coins
(Please take this and keep quiet! Please!)
The title was awarded.
“Wow, an error? Never seen that before!”
"It must have been a development area."
“It was huge. Wonder what’ll come out of it?”
“Looks like the Creator God is at work.”
They had discovered an in-development area!
It became a hot topic in Arsilan Worlds.
***
Thanks to the Lord of Greed severing the connection to that underground labyrinth, Jinwoo completely swallowed the labyrinth. Many things remained, making it more than worthwhile as material for future content. Some of the nobles who had been bound in this place also came under Jinwoo’s influence.
Jinwoo looked at the shield’s handle. The shield’s handle transformed into a key. There were records that the Giant race had once broken through the border and entered the Empire of Evil, so perhaps they might still be alive.
Using the energy imbued in the key, Jinwoo created a door.
He inserted the key into the door and stepped inside.
“Oh....”
Jinwoo's eyes opened wide.
Before him spread new and vast content, enough to not only fill the empty space, but overflow it.
*****
For 15 or more extra chapters, you can check out my Patreon here --> patreon.com/dreamscribe
If you enjoy this novel, please review and rate it at Novelupdates. Thanks! 😊
To receive the latest update notifications or report mistakes, join our Discord server linked below.