novelraw Chapter 118: The Miracle That Arrived (2)
Chapter 118: The Miracle That Arrived (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
The number of players connected to Arsilan Saga surpassed 24 million, and the completion rate of the Temple of Miracle, which had momentarily slowed, was now rising rapidly.
[Temple of Miracle Completion Rate]
*Arsilan: 99.98%
*Giant Realm: 99%
It was on the verge of completion!
“Finally!”
“This is the last one!”
“Waaaah!”
Thousands of Heroes in the mine shouted in unison.
They explored the mine, fought monsters, and mined ores.
Riding the mine train to search for hidden veins was a romantic adventure.
They discovered hidden stories of Arsilan buried in the mine and also found items. The newbie Hero who came to the mine wearing a kindergarten hat had now become a full-fledged Hero.
“The mine... it was amazing, right?”
“Never imagined the mine train would run over lava.”
“Didn’t expect to suddenly do a bat boss raid.”
The story in the mine could probably be made into a movie that would sell well. It was so much fun from start to finish that it didn’t even feel like mining work.
“Apparently 300,000 more people joined on the Evanth side today?”
“Reminds me of when I was a newbie.”
“You were a newbie just a little while ago.”
“Now I’m a total veteran.”
In front of the mine, a railroad extended all the way to Marogo and Solis. As the Heroes loaded the mined ores onto the train, it spewed out magic steam and began moving forward. The ores mined this time were the last batch.
The train passed through Marogo and headed straight to Solis. A Hero waiting in front of Solis summoned a summon creature, transported the ores, and offered them directly to the statue of Ella.
[Through your devotion to the light, the Temple of Miracle (Arsilan) has been completed.]
The Temple of Miracle was erected in front of Solis.
The temple was as grand as the Grand Temple of Solis. Inside, the history recorded in Arsilan Saga up to now was painted as murals.
“From here on…”
“It’s our story.”
The mural starting from the entrance split into two branches. One side told the stories of the Heroes, and the other was an unfinished white wall.
The Heroes realized what that wall meant. The stories they would create from now on would be painted there.
“Everyone, good work.”
Heina looked out at the Heroes gathered around the temple.
“When the temple in the Giant Realm is completed, we will head to the final battlefield that once plunged Arsilan into despair.”
Heina’s voice carried strong resolve. It reached the ears of many Heroes clearly.
“Heroes! What can you prepare?”
“Bombs!”
“Siege weapons?”
“Ballistic missiles.”
“We’re building an airship!”
Various answers came out.
Through the Great War and the Domain War, Arsilan's power had grown even stronger. Heina nodded.
“Let’s show them the fearsome power of the Heroes! Let’s show them the overwhelming strength we’ve built up! We will become the light of salvation!”
The final battlefield!
It was a place where all the destructive technology they had accumulated could be unleashed.
“Let’s get ready quickly!”
“Bring everything out!”
“Hehe! This is alternate history at its finest!”
With the workshop in Solis running at full capacity, the Heroes busily prepared to advance.
“Wow, you’re insane.”
“This is the true romance.”
“No way I can just sit back. We’ll help out too.”
New advanced weapons that hadn’t been shown during the Domain War were revealed.
The temple in the Giant Realm was also 1% away from completion.
All materials had been gathered. Now, only the antennae of the Queen Ant were needed to finish the temple.
‘It’s taking quite a while.’
Though there had been the Hell Knight incident, LifeHunter and the other hunters should be able to obtain the Queen Ant’s antennae easily. However, it was taking longer than expected. Jinwoo waited with the Heroes in front of the Giant Village for LifeHunter and the hunters to arrive.
“Hehe!”
"I'm so jealous of the beetle."
“Ugh, stop showing off already.”
A Hero riding a beetle wandered around, showing off. Since taming a beetle was fairly difficult, everyone looked on with envy.
“Huh?”
The Hero on the beetle looked up.
“Hmm?”
Hellhound, who was controlling the dragonfly, grinned as he looked down from above. The probability of taming a dragonfly was in decimal points, but Hellhound had managed to succeed in the end.
“Wow....”
“That dragonfly is insane.”
“Okay, that flex is totally justified.”
Suddenly, a taming competition began.
Heroes had tamed various insects from the Giant Realm. And since Jinwoo, in Leon’s appearance, happened to be there, they naturally began showing them off to him.
“Prince Leon! Isn’t it cute?”
“It’s a caterpillar.”
“Yes, it’s slow but diligent. Don’t you think it’ll become a butterfly soon?”
The Hero rode the caterpillar and performed various stunts. When it showed off its thread-spinning skill, the Heroes were amazed.
“...Impressive.”
Jinwoo gave that compliment and slightly averted his gaze. Unfortunately, the caterpillar could never become a butterfly. After all, it wasn’t a real insect.
At that moment, a large rhinoceros beetle appeared, pushing through the bushes. But it wasn’t an ordinary rhinoceros beetle. Mounted on its shell was a cannon, and a rotating saw on its horn gave off an intimidating presence.
It had been dyed red, and the emblem representing HandGenius was embedded on its head.
“Fly, Charlotte.”
At HandGenius’s command, the beetle spread its wings and soared into the sky. A magic engine attached to the beetle’s belly activated, accelerating it rapidly.
“Ooooh....”
“Crazy....”
“I don’t think anyone can beat that.”
Boom!
The beetle flew straight into a tree. The downside was that it couldn’t land properly.
‘That’s... surprising.’
After seeing something like that, it felt like nothing else could surprise him. As the taming competition continued.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
Suddenly, the ground shook and the surrounding bushes rustled.
“What is that?”
“An enemy?”
The Heroes quickly drew their weapons and entered alert mode. Jinwoo turned his head and looked toward a large boulder. Something that had pushed down the bushes climbed up onto the rock.
“Huh?”
“Is that...”
“Isn’t that Jam-sik nim?”
There stood Jam-sik with a hopeless expression on his face.
He was tied to a wooden post, and his body was covered with ant shells and pheromone glands. They belonged to the Queen Ant.
Jam-sik had become the Queen Ant!
Skitter-skitter-skitter!
Swarms of ants appeared around the boulder. LifeHunter had linked his shadow to Jam-sik and was controlling the pheromones.
“Ah....”
“What is this....”
“What am I even looking at right now?”
The Heroes were dumbfounded.
As LifeHunter pulled on the shadow like reins, the Queen Ant antennae stuck to Jam-sik’s head trembled.
“Hmph.”
LifeHunter smirked and flicked his finger. The swarm of ants descended from the rock and quickly approached the Heroes.
The taming competition was instantly annihilated.
Who could even dare show off their tame now? The ants were carrying items like fruits and grains in their mouths. There were also rare materials torn from spiders and snakes.
“I was a bit late because I had to clean up the area.”
LifeHunter stepped down from a soldier ant and removed his hat as he spoke. Haebyul, who had been completely out of it, was the first to regain her senses.
"As, as expected of LifeHunter from our Romance Hunting Party!"
-Kya!
-Did Jam-sik nim become the Queen Ant?
-That’s tragic.
The Heroes looked at Jam-sik with pity. Jam-sik felt comforted by their sympathetic gazes.
“Pick one and hop on.”
At LifeHunter’s words, the Heroes shouted in delight.
“Oh, ooooh!”
“Kya! As expected of LifeHunter nim!”
There were so many ants that there were more than enough for every Hero present to ride.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“Please stay like that forever.”
“Jam-sik nim, you’re beautiful! Please accept this!”
“Hehehe....”
There were no longer any Heroes who pitied Jam-sik. The ones who came closer began decorating him like a real Queen Ant. Once the ribbon was even tied on his head, Jam-sik squeezed his eyes shut.
‘Why me....’
He couldn’t blame anyone, he had drawn the winning lot.
No, come to think of it, it was all because of that Hell Knight who killed the Queen Ant!
The moment the Queen Ant was split in half and died, and the swarm of ants began pouring in, it was thought to be the end. But thanks to LifeHunter quickly utilizing the Queen Ant's corpse, they managed to survive.
LifeHunter and the hunters had taken quite a bit of time doing various studies, but they eventually succeeded in figuring out a way to make use of the Queen Ant’s corpse.
Whoooosh!
Just then, a white summoning circle appeared in front of Jam-sik.
No one had touched it, yet the summoning circle activated, and Hell Knight emerged. He was about to strike a pose and deliver his lines when he flinched at the sight of Jam-sik.
“...You have a peculiar taste. However, the Hell Knight, knight of the great guardian dragon, believes that even such tastes as yours will be accepted someday.”
“No....”
Jam-sik’s expression crumpled.
To Hell Knight, that expression must have seemed like he was deeply moved, because he raised his greatsword high. Starlight surged from the greatsword and reached Jam-sik.
A lavish flower was placed on Jam-sik’s head, and he was dressed in a gown. The spectacle was visible even from far away, like starlight in the night sky.
“Stay strong! I, Hell Knight, will be cheering you on.”
Chuk!
Hell Knight nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
“As expected of Hell Knight.”
“Not really helpful, but definitely entertaining.”
"Jam-sik nim will have a hard time."
“This time’s not so bad, though?”
Hell Knight was quite famous even among the Heroes.
He was always full of enthusiasm and passion, but the results were always a bit lacking. Still, he possessed great combat strength and was fun to watch, so the Heroes would summon him whenever they saw a white summoning circle.
Jinwoo looked at Hell Knight. He was granted far more divine powers than when he’d seen him before. If this was Jinwoo’s first time seeing him, he might have believed Helby’s words.
‘She’s supposed to be in Arsilan....’
Soon, the Temple of Miracle would activate. A production scene would need to play out, showing divine power being infused from the Arsilan temple. Looking more closely, he could faintly sense the presence of a magic circle inside.
‘Looks like she put herself in standby mode and teleported here.’
Helby was setting up an elaborate alibi!
That armor was crafted with incredible dedication. Even for Jinwoo, it would take a good amount of time to make something like that. At this level, he had no choice but to just play along.
When Jinwoo pretended not to notice, Hell Knight seemed pleased and struck a variety of poses. Then LifeHunter offered the Queen Ant’s antennae to the statue of the Goddess, finally bringing the completion rate to 100%.
[The Temple of Miracle (Giant Realm) has been completed!]
The temple in the Giant Realm had a different shape from the one in Arsilan. It resembled a large vessel meant to contain something, and in front of it stood an altar.
[The Temples of Miracle constructed in Arsilan and the Giant Realm have begun to resonate with each other!]
At the temple in Arsilan, Helby, Luceren, Garsha, and the village chiefs appeared and began infusing the temple with power.
Sank approached the altar and raised both arms toward the sky. Golden light flowed from Sank’s body and settled into the vessel.
“Heroes! Release the power of the Holy Sword!”
Jinwoo was the first to draw the Holy Sword and raise it upward, and the Heroes around the temple raised their weapons in unison.
Fweeeee!
Brilliant golden light burst from the weapons of the Heroes, illuminating the surroundings. The light converged into a single point and soared toward the vessel.
KWAHHHH!
A massive pillar of light shot up from the vessel and pierced the sky. All the Heroes in the Giant Realm raised their heads and looked up. The pillar of light broke through the clouds, split the sky, and soared all the way into outer space.
“Is that... Arsilan?”
“Ooooh!”
“This scale is insane.”
Space trembled as a massive planet approached. The planet, covering the entire sky, emitted such overwhelming presence that it was breathtaking just to look at.
It was Arsilan!
The same scene played out at the Arsilan temple.
In front of Solis and its surrounding area, the Heroes were packed tightly. Even a rough estimate made it clear there were well over ten million. All the Heroes who couldn’t make it to the Giant Realm were moving to Solis, and the number kept increasing.
“Ooooh!”
“Look at that!”
The sky over Arsilan began to glow brightly, and the clouds vanished. The blue sky split apart, revealing outer space, and a massive landmass began approaching Arsilan.
It was the Giant Realm.
Rumble-rumble!
Arsilan and the Giant Realm drew so close it seemed they would collide without slowing down. The sky of Arsilan was completely filled by the Giant Realm, and the sky of the Giant Realm was fully occupied by Arsilan’s land.
“O-oh!”
“Wow! This cinematic scene is insane.”
“Kya! Look at how many Heroes there are. The area around Solis is packed!”
The Heroes in the Giant Realm looked up at the sky and waved. The Heroes stationed in Arsilan responded with cheers and stretched their hands toward the sky.
They were looking up at one another.
“Wow! Are they riding ants? That’s badass.”
“Oooh! It’s the named Heroes!”
“Prince Leon!”
“Leon nim! Hello!”
“Kyaaa!”
The enormous roar coming from Arsilan reached the Giant Realm. It was as if Arsilan and the Giant Realm had become one, connecting everyone from the newbies to the vanguard.
The Heroes were overcome with a thunder-like thrill that surged through their entire bodies.
“Ah....”
“This is amazing.”
“Haha! This is what Arsilan Saga is all about!”
It was such an incredible experience that it could change one’s entire outlook on life.
Missing this wasn’t like losing half of life, it was practically like missing out on life altogether. Those who weren’t here seemed pitiful.
Sank looked at Jinwoo.
Jinwoo held an empty orb and walked to the front of the temple. Then the space above the temple rippled, and a vision of a devastating battlefield appeared.
A despairing past unfolded before their eyes.
Every Hero could witness the battlefield.
“Leon, King of Sillion! You shall cross time first and open the gate!”
At Sank’s words, Jinwoo stepped before the altar. As he extended his hand, light burst from the Heroes and flowed toward the altar. A golden key materialized atop the altar.
The moment Jinwoo grasped the key, his body turned into particles of light and disappeared.
It took some time for Leon to cross time and arrive at that place.
The Heroes stared at the battlefield through the wavering space that had risen above the temple.
The battlefield was far more horrifying than they had imagined. The army of Erosion surged in like a black wave, and the castle walls crumbled as they corroded.
[KRAAAAH!]
The fallen walls were blocked by the Giants throwing their bodies against them. But the number of enemies was overwhelming. Mummy soldiers surged like waves, and corrupted Giants, now turned enemies through Erosion, appeared and mercilessly shattered the walls.
“Huh?”
“Leon nim?!”
A youthful-looking Leon appeared. He was holding the brilliantly shining Holy Sword and fighting against someone. It was the Lord of Erosion, the boss from Episode 1. The Lord of Erosion appeared even stronger than during Episode 1.
[It’s useless! Arsilan is finished now!]
The Lord of Erosion declared this as he swung his Erosion-tainted sword. The clash between Leon and the Lord of Erosion was so fierce it caused tremors across the battlefield. Light and darkness collided as hundreds of attacks and defenses were exchanged in an instant.
Hanu, the great chief, handed Leon a burning orb imbued with the Giant’s Flame. Leon melted all of the Giant’s Flame into the Holy Sword and glared at the Lord of Erosion.
[It ends here!]
Leon sliced through the Lord of Erosion with blazing light. His armor shattered, and black fluid gushed out. The Lord of Erosion staggered, barely able to stay upright. Leon had also exhausted all his strength.
[Heh, hehehe!]
The Lord of Erosion laughed and looked at Leon. Though his body was collapsing, he still mocked Leon.
[I am immortal! The Dark Priest has blessed me!]
The sky turned black, and the Dark Priest revealed himself. He looked down at the horrific battlefield and reached out his hand. Erosion poured down like a wave, engulfing everything.
Swoooosh!
The Lord of Erosion, who had seemed on the verge of vanishing, was restored. Absorbing the falling Erosion, he released even greater power.
Erosion, along with the mummy soldiers, surged like a tsunami.
Leon looked back. Behind him, countless Arsilan citizens were engaged in fierce battle. The bodies of the Giants, who had used up all of their Giant’s Flame, gradually began to shrink.
Gritting his teeth, Leon used the light of the Holy Sword to block the incoming wave of Erosion.
But it wasn’t enough.
Crunch!
Cracks formed on the Holy Sword, and it began to break. Leon’s body was pushed back. At that moment, Great Chief Hanu stepped in front of Leon and pulled out her shield. Though her face was hidden beneath her helmet, the shield alone revealed her identity.
[I leave the rear to you.]
Great Chief Hanu's shield settled in Leon's body.
Hanu smiled at Leon, then mustered the last of her strength and enlarged her body. She was preparing to stand against the wave of Erosion.
[No!]
Leon tried to reach for Hanu, but the light of the Holy Sword was fading. The sword shook violently, then shattered into fragments scattered across the ground.
“Ugh!”
“No!”
"They're going to die at this rate!"
The Heroes stomped in frustration as they watched the scene unfold.
As the light of the Holy Sword faded and the tidal wave of Erosion surged to engulf Hanu and the surrounding area.
At that moment, there was light.
Kwagagaga!
A radiant light fell, driving away the darkness that had polluted the sky.
The Lord of Erosion was flung backward, and the Dark Priest crashed to the ground. The tidal wave of Erosion, which had seemed like it would consume everything, was effortlessly erased.
Within the light that filled the battlefield with hope, a man appeared, cloaked in a blue robe and holding a brilliantly glowing Holy Sword.
“Wuaaaah!”
“Kya! That was close!”
“Leon nim!”
Our king had crossed time and appeared on the battlefield!
All the Heroes watching the battlefield from Arsilan and the Giant Realm let out a thunderous cheer.
The grown-up Leon turned his head and looked at the still-young Leon.
[You did well.]
So said Leon, King of Sillion.
A miracle had appeared on a battlefield filled with nothing but despair.
[Now leave the rest to us.]
And an even greater miracle was about to come.