novelraw Chapter 169: The Path of Light (2)
Chapter 169: The Path of Light (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
It wasn’t the first time that time had been reversed in Arsilan Saga. Many Heroes had already experienced time travel in Episode 3. However, since the setting at that time was the distant past before Arsilan Saga had begun, it was simply interesting and enjoyable, but didn’t resonate on a personal level. Rather than feeling like they were going back in time right after arriving, it had more of a large-scale event atmosphere.
When first reading the information about the Dimension Gate that supposedly sent them back to Episode 2, most thought there would be some limitations. After all, even the Creator God couldn’t possibly implement perfect time travel, or so they believed.
That was the belief held by most of the renowned Heroes, including NorthernGrandDuke and Haebyul.
But it turned out to be a complete misunderstanding.
Foolishly, they had once again doubted the Creator God!
“Wow. What is that equipment?”
“Oh, aren’t you Haebyul-nim? Did you craft that gear? Where did you get it?”
The moment they descended from the mountain, their thoughts changed instantly.
Heroes currently enjoying Episode 2 came up and bombarded them with questions. The equipment from Episode 4 was on a whole different level compared to that of Episode 2. The designs looked cool, and even the enhancement effects had changed.
“Ah... Th-this is, um... Ah! I got it from defeating the Gate Boss.”
"Really? Wow! It must be a hidden item."
“Y-yeah, that’s right?”
Haebyul, sweating coldly, answered their questions.
All the Heroes who saw Haebyul's situation quickly swapped out their gear and put on the skins they used back in Episode 2. The Arsilans standing behind Haebyul also awkwardly moved their bodies, pretending they had just coincidentally joined in.
[You have influenced the past. The current timeline is branching.]
*Negative impact +2%
*Great War failure probability increased by 0.001%
*Warning! If the Creator God of this timeline detects you, you may be deemed a fatal error and exiled.
The timeline had split and was now separating into a parallel world!
As that notification window popped up, Haebyul was flustered. The others were the same. They could check this “influence” status through the notification window at any time.
“Enjoy the game! I’ll subscribe!”
“Th-thank you.”
Once the Heroes disappeared, Haebyul finally breathed a sigh of relief.
-I know that Hero! He operates a huge passenger ship... Can’t believe I’m seeing his newbie days.
-No, how is this even implemented?
-I’m speechless. Didn’t think anything could surprise me more than the Seoul Field.
-I think I’m in this too? I started back then!
Though many people could use the time reversal through the Dimension Gate simultaneously, a waiting period existed. Heroes stuck in the queue came to Haebyul’s broadcast, shocked, and started typing in the chat.
Haebyul, who had absentmindedly opened the Arsilan Worlds, was shocked once more.
“Guys, Arsilan Worlds is also set in Episode 2?”
Even Arsilan Worlds had been reproduced with the same atmosphere as back then. Even the posts going up in real-time were exactly the same as before. It was a situation that could only inspire awe.
“W-we really came to the past.”
“Ah! I remember now. It was fun preparing for the Great War during this time.”
“Hey, look in front of Marogo. They’re setting up traps.”
“Oh! That’s WingGenius-nim and HandGenius-nim.”
HandGenius and WingGenius, who were standing next to Haebyul, flinched and looked toward the front of International City Marogo. Their past selves were busy setting up traps.
“It’s exactly the same work I did.”
“You made a lot of mistakes back then. There were multiple explosions…”
Before WingGenius could finish his sentence.
Boom!
A trap exploded, and the past HandGenius flew high into the air. The past WingGenius, who was farther away, was visibly shocked and ran toward him.
“...That was a rookie mistake. Why did I do that?”
“Seriously.”
HandGenius and WingGenius looked at each other and laughed. The Romance-North Party stepped back for the moment and moved to a place with no signs of people. NorthernGrandDuke looked at everyone.
“First, let’s disguise ourselves properly in Marogo and then gather in front of Solis. Since preparations for the Great War are in full swing, it won’t be easy to approach Leon.”
“That’s right. It was hard to even request an audience at this time.”
Haebyul nodded.
UruBear thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.
“Can’t we just say we came from the future?”
“If we cause any negative impact, we could lose the Great War. And I don’t think they’d believe us anyway.”
Mia gave her opinion in response to UruBear’s words. The Heroes nodded.
The Great War had been won by the narrowest of margins. They had done their best and poured everything into it. Luck had also been on their side. No matter how many thousands of times they tried, they probably couldn’t produce a better outcome than that.
Even the slightest negative influence might result in this timeline losing. Moreover, if they were caught by the Creator God of this timeline, they could be exiled.
It’s just a game.
It’s all part of the direction.
Putting that aside, they simply didn’t want to be the cause of such a result.
-That’s how a Hero should be.
-Yeah.
-It’s not just our world that’s precious.
-2 hours left in queue! I want to get in quickly.
They might grumble and complain, but everyone still carried romance in their hearts! At that moment, WingGenius crossed his arms and frowned.
“Then what do we do? Should we sneak into the royal palace or something? That’s not going to be easy.”
As WingGenius said, it was quite a difficult task.
Haebyul grinned.
“We all had our second job change and are over level 100. If it’s Episode 2, it’s definitely doable.”
They were all strong enough to be called Knight-class or higher. The Romance-North Heroes had grown as strong as the elite knights led by Heina. The Arsilans had also grown a lot from the Seoul Field. Compared to Episode 2, it was a night-and-day difference.
One of the less well-known Romance Heroes bought masks and disguises from Marogo.
“Then let’s meet in front of Solis when it gets dark.”
Everyone nodded at NorthernGrandDuke’s words.
Until then, they planned to gather information while tracking Leon’s whereabouts. Moving individually would attract less attention than staying together.
NorthernGrandDuke also had another errand. Wearing a mask and robe, she used the Hero’s Flower to move to Orc Village.
Orc Village.
It was the place she had named Northern Village. Valhalla, the battlefield of warriors, was located here. That Northern Village still remained even now in Episode 4, but the Valhalla Arena had been relocated to the great city of the Orcs. Some Orcs had even settled in her domain.
‘Hmm.’
She saw herself in the middle of preparations for the Great War alongside the Orcs. Even back then, she was ranked number one among Heroes, but looking at herself now, she appeared so weak.
‘......’
The Orcs who died in the Great War.
They were all alive in front of her eyes. Whether it was an illusion, direction, or real time travel, it didn’t matter. She simply wanted to see them once again.
‘If it hadn’t been for them...’
They never could have won the Great War.
NorthernGrandDuke looked at the village scenery from afar, then turned around. It was just as she was about to use the Hero’s Flower to head to Solis.
“You’re a powerful Hero I’ve never seen before.”
At the familiar voice, she couldn’t help but stop.
NorthernGrandDuke took a deep breath and looked to the side. Bakal, the Great Chieftain of the Orcs and the great hero who had sacrificed himself for everyone in the Great War, was approaching her.
“......”
“I’ve never seen a Hero who has suppressed such powerful fighting spirit like you.”
NorthernGrandDuke lost her words.
She didn’t know what to say. She could only look at him endlessly.
Bakal was her teacher and her reliable comrade. She had studied much on Earth, but none of it could compare to what she had learned while living with Bakal. She had learned so much from him.
“You don’t seem like an Orc, but you’re a great warrior recognized by the Orcs.”
The symbol of the Orcs, which only a great warrior could draw, was engraved on her arm.
Bakal and her eyes met. Bakal silently pulled out his axe. She too gripped her two-handed axe.
For warriors, there was no need for words.
NorthernGrandDuke’s two-handed axe clashed with Bakal’s axe. A powerful shockwave burst out from the force, violently shaking the surrounding bushes.
Bakal grinned.
“Good.”
Bakal’s movements began to speed up.
Though NorthernGrandDuke had grown much stronger than before, she was barely managing to keep up with Bakal’s movements. Wounds accumulated on her body, but she smiled.
Her body was sent flying backward after blocking Bakal’s axe. Bakal looked at her for a moment, then extended his axe to the side. Then, an aura that burned like flames soared from the axe.
“Huup!”
NorthernGrandDuke also released her aura.
As if it had been planned, the two charged at each other. When their auras collided, a shockwave burst out and sparks flew.
Bakal, leaving afterimages, swiftly swung his axe. NorthernGrandDuke blocked with movements that felt weighty and sensed an opening.
‘An opening!’
Boom!
NorthernGrandDuke swung her two-handed axe with all her strength, aiming for Bakal’s opening. A smile appeared on Bakal’s lips. At that moment, her eyes trembled.
What she had struck was Bakal’s afterimage.
Ssshhk!
Before she knew it, the edge of Bakal’s axe was touching her neck.
“Excellent. Truly excellent. At this level, there are few warriors who could stand against you.”
“You’re one of them.”
“That’s why I said ‘few.’”
Bakal withdrew his axe.
“But your aura isn’t refined. And your movements when wielding aura don’t suit you. Did you not learn that part from your master?”
“...That’s right.”
Back then, she had been too inexperienced to learn it properly.
By the time she had earned the right to be taught, Bakal no longer existed in the world.
“Take your stance.”
As NorthernGrandDuke raised her two-handed axe and took a stance, Bakal corrected her posture.
“If you know how to wield aura, you must forget all the movements you’ve used so far. It lets you unleash explosive power beyond the limits of the body, so you can move more effectively and faster.”
Following Bakal’s guidance, NorthernGrandDuke moved her body. The reversed version of herself’s movements came to mind.
“Don’t be bound by form. A Hero is always free. Therefore, your attacks should be the same.”
NorthernGrandDuke seemed to come to a realization.
She swung her two-handed axe and moved as her heart led her. She became much faster and more precise than before. She was no longer bound by form and could wield her weapon freely.
“To learn so quickly... as expected...”
Bakal looked at her and grinned.
"As expected of my disciple."
“What...”
NorthernGrandDuke flinched at Bakal’s words.
“You received that symbol from Kunka, didn’t you? I passed the Orc’s mark for great warriors to Kunka. It was a symbol meant solely for you, who would one day grow into a great warrior in the future.”
NorthernGrandDuke quietly removed her mask.
Bakal looked at her face and nodded. Her eyes were reddened, but she barely held back her tears.
“Bakal..., I...”
Bakal shook his head.
He took off his bracelet and handed it to her. Then, holding her shoulder, he looked out over the Orcs with her.
“You are a great warrior who will bring forth countless miracles and legends. I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.”
“Hahaha! Don’t be shy!”
Bakal laughed heartily.
“Go. Fight with a smile. Show the enemy your true strength.”
Ssshh...
A breeze blew.
NorthernGrandDuke turned her head to the side. Bakal was nowhere to be seen. It was so quiet, as if no one had been there from the start.
As the Orcs approached after hearing the sound of battle, she put her mask back on.
‘Hm?’
Come to think of it, even though her identity had been revealed, there was no change in her influence. No other notification window had appeared either. NorthernGrandDuke let out a small laugh and used the Hero’s Flower to move to Solis.
***
Everyone gathered at the meeting spot in Solis.
It was HandGenius’s workshop in Solis. The past HandGenius was currently installing traps in Marogo, so the workshop was empty.
“Brings back memories.”
“Yeah.”
HandGenius and WingGenius looked around the workshop, savoring the nostalgic atmosphere. They had since moved their workshop to the Romance Domain. Mia and the other Arsilans smiled softly. It was a smile that held both emotion and sadness.
“I went to see my friends.”
Mia had gone to see the friends she lost during the Great War. She didn’t speak to them, just watched from afar. The other Arsilans had done the same.
UruBear burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! So, how did it feel to see the Haebyul Bunny live?”
“...It was... really awful.”
At UruBear’s words, Haebyul replied with a gloomy expression.
Near Solis, her past self, Haebyul, had been around, and Haebyul and UruBear had watched for a while. After receiving a big donation from the viewer called ‘Archmage’, the past Haebyul immediately performed the Haebyul Bunny.
At the time, Haebyul had done it without hesitation, but seeing her past self doing it in person was incredibly embarrassing. Watching it in a video was one thing, seeing it live was something else entirely.
It was perfect mirror therapy!
-ㅋㅋㅋ That’s hilarious
-This is insane ㅋㅋ
-Haebyul, you’ve grown... to feel shame like this.
HandGenius and WingGenius had proud expressions on their faces.
“I secretly donated some bombs. That much should be fine, right?”
“There wasn’t any negative impact. It actually decreased!”
When Haebyul checked the influence value, the negative impact had changed to 0.
-Come to think of it, there was that old rumor that the trap explosion in front of Marogo had more firepower than expected?
-Huh? Don't tell me...?
-This is suddenly giving me chills
Could it have been a meticulously designed piece of direction?
Haebyul got goosebumps too, after reading the chat window.
Everyone got ready to meet Leon.
They had brought a lantern that could contain light, and according to information, Leon was currently in the royal office.
All preparations were complete, but none of them had decided what exactly to do once they met Leon.
Haebyul looked at everyone and asked,
“How should we obtain Leon-nim’s light?”
“Hmm... Since we have to worry about influence, should we knock him out and extract it by force?”
NorthernGrandDuke offered an opinion.
“Should we kidnap him?”
“How about slipping him a sleeping pill?”
“Hmm, let’s just get close first and decide from there.”
They all agreed to go to Leon first and then figure it out. There was no time to sit and deliberate.
A plan to infiltrate the royal palace was formed.
Haebyul, NorthernGrandDuke, and Mia, who were agile, would carry the lantern and sneak in, while the others would draw the attention of Heina and the knights to lure them elsewhere.
“Good thing we bought those Sillion Kingdom military items.”
“Yeah.”
Haebyul wore a soldier skin, NorthernGrandDuke put on a knight skin, and Mia wore a maid outfit.
“Before we head out, let’s take a picture!”
When UruBear suggested it, everyone smoothly took their places. Mia awkwardly held up a V-sign with her fingers, and the Arsilans smiled and gave thumbs up. They took the photo, and UruBear checked the result.
“Huh?”
UruBear let out a startled sound.
“What is it?”
As Haebyul looked at him curiously, UruBear hurriedly sent the photo to everyone.
Everyone who saw the photo couldn’t help but be shocked.
Because a translucent Ella was captured in the picture.
Everyone quickly turned around.
And they saw Ella tilting her head in confusion. Ella flinched in surprise when she noticed everyone looking at her.
[Huh? You guys can see me?]
“Ella-nim?”
When Haebyul called her name, Ella’s eyes widened.
[You can see me! Amazing!]
Ella joyfully flew around the workshop.
– Wow...
– It’s Ella-nim.
– Ella-nim was always with us.
Ella had always been with Arsilan Saga.
Everyone from Arsilan knew that.
[I felt something strange and came over... how curious. Heroes from outside and Arsilans together...]
“Uh... technically speaking, we came from the future.”
At Haebyul’s words, Ella was astonished.
[The future? If you're from the future... does that mean you won the Great War?]
“Ah! W-well... I, I won't give spoilers."
[Spoilers?]
When Ella tilted her head, not understanding, Haebyul avoided her gaze and shut her mouth.
– That was a straight-up spoiler though.
– Haebyul... you already spoiled everything.
– Still, good thing there's no negative influence.
– Ah... Ella-nim...
Blood was stained on Ella’s white clothes. Right now, she must be suffering under the Lord of Greed. As Ella’s curiosity grew, Haebyul glanced at NorthernGrandDuke.
NorthernGrandDuke stepped forward toward Ella.
“We came from the future to meet Leon.”
[I see. Then it must be something urgent, right?]
NorthernGrandDuke nodded.
Ella smiled more brightly than ever. She looked genuinely happy. The fact that they came from the future meant that Arsilan must have won the Great War.
Haebyul and the Heroes could sense what Ella was feeling.
[I’ll give you a blessing. It’ll help.]
As Ella reached out her hand, light burst forth and enveloped everyone.
[Ella has blessed the Romance-Northern Party.]
*Stats increased by 10%.
*You can reflect light to become invisible. (3 hours)
Ella, having used her power, began to fade. She was disappearing again, back to the place of pain. Haebyul looked at her and quickly opened her mouth.
Haebyul wanted to tell Ella that the Heroes would save her. That many Arsilans would be revived and that she too would be saved.
“Ella-nim! You will-”
[I believe in our heroes. We'll also overcome the Great War like you. We'll probably do better, right?]
Ella refused to hear about her own future. As Haebyul nodded, Ella waved and vanished.
“We’ve got our own mission to do.”
At NorthernGrandDuke’s words, everyone nodded. Thanks to Ella’s help, the infiltration had become a lot easier.
Night fell over Arsilan. Though the sun had set, everyone was busy preparing for the Great War.
Haebyul and the Romance-North party quietly made their way to the royal palace.
They arrived and waited for the right moment to slip in.
Thud!
A heavy blow rang out, and Haebyul looked to the side. NorthernGrandDuke was holding a Hero.
It seemed to be a Hero from this timeline.
“I saw her sneaking into the palace, so I neutralized her.”
NorthernGrandDuke set the Hero down on the ground.
The Hero, struck by a suppression skill, had her vision and hearing paralyzed.
Her outfit was extremely suspicious. She was dressed entirely in black and even wore a mask.
Haebyul removed the mask.
“Oh... it’s SockThief-nim.”
– SockThief? I think she was part of the Penalty Unit during the Great War.
– Did she get caught trying to infiltrate the palace at this time?
– She really was something else.
It was SockThief, a renowned Hero everyone knew.
Haebyul nodded.
“Let’s use her for distraction.”
SockThief was the perfect bait to lure Heina away. At Haebyul’s suggestion, everyone nodded in agreement.