novelraw Chapter 196: Perseverance (2)
Chapter 196: Perseverance (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
The Heroes who had been flung out into space fortunately did not fly off beyond the cosmic void. They were merely floating like satellites, caught by Arsilan’s gravity. However, perhaps due to the impact of that enormous Erosion Insect consuming Arsilan, the gravity in this space itself was extremely low.
Was it thanks to the Magic Barrier and the fact that the space itself had been divided?
It was a relief that Arsilan hadn’t been affected.
The Heroes floating in outer space communicated through messages. Since voices couldn’t be transmitted and they couldn’t breathe, it felt like a strange experience.
[Still, our bodies are holding up.]
[Don’t your bodies explode if you go out into space?]
[Ah, that’s actually misinformation.]
The body of a Hero could withstand the vacuum of space.
Even though their vitality was being drained due to the lack of air and loss of body heat, as long as they took out potions from their inventory or cast healing Sacred Spells, there wasn’t any major issue.
By around level 150, the durability stat that automatically increased with growth allowed them to endure temperature extremes without much trouble, and they could even survive to a certain extent in the deep sea.
[To think what we fought was just one leg....]
[It wasn’t even just a leg, it was more like a claw anchoring its body.]
[What do we do now?]
They could escape by teleporting via a Hero’s Flower, but the scene before their eyes was simply too overwhelming.
Destruction.
It became clear that Arsilan was on the brink of destruction. It was a miracle it had held out until now. If they left that massive Erosion Insect devouring Arsilan alone, Arsilan itself would likely vanish.
As the enormous Erosion Insect consumed Arsilan, it was producing something on its shell.
Giant eggs.
The massive eggs on its shell burst out along with the energy of Erosion, then shot across space like rays of light.
The Heroes’ gazes naturally followed after the trail of those eggs.
There was something in the direction the eggs were headed.
[What’s that?]
[There’s a planet?]
It was a planet with a bluish hue.
It was located closer than Arsilan’s moon, but it was hard to see clearly as if it were wrapped in clouds of gas.
It was a sight that defied common sense, but the Heroes quickly accepted it. Having played Arsilan Saga for nearly three years, they were used to adapting to such things quickly.
One Hero who had undergone the third Mage class advancement into a support-specialized path reached out his hand.
[I’ll use a magnification spell.]
When he cast the support spell, an information window appeared in front of the Heroes, and the image of the planet was magnified.
[Wow....]
[That’s...]
It was a beautiful planet. However, more than half of it had been stained black, and part of the planet was shattered like a broken egg.
The eggs that had shot out from the massive Erosion Insect were headed there. Some of them burrowed deep inside after embedding themselves within Arsilan.
[That son of a bitch...!]
[It’s reproducing while eating Arsilan.]
[Goddamn it!]
The Heroes couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by intense rage. That thing was devouring the Arsilan they had fought desperately to protect. It was using Arsilan as a food source to reproduce.
UruBear nodded as if he realized something.
[So, it grew up eating Arsilan, that’s why it tasted good.]
The Heroes all turned to look at UruBear.
-Is that really what you’re going to say?
-Bear-level thinking....
-But, he’s not wrong.
It was a comment that broke the mood, but it was indeed because it had grown up eating Arsilan that it had tasted so good.
The massive Erosion Insect devouring Arsilan seemed to have sensed the Heroes and turned its head to look at them.
The Erosion Insect’s head was enormous.
Though it had the eyes and antennae of an insect, its wide-open mouth resembled a bloodsucking leech. Tens of millions of large and small teeth were layered within, and a sticky, acidic bodily fluid that could easily melt rocks was dripping from it. Upon contact with outer space, it evaporated and turned into black smoke.
[That thing looks disgusting.]
[But why does it look kind of tasty?]
[The more disgusting an Erosion Insect is, the better it tastes.]
The insect-leech hybrid was horrifyingly repulsive, but the Heroes were no longer fazed by it. Like how Earth’s shrimp look grotesque but are still considered tasty.
The moment the Heroes saw the head of that massive Erosion Insect, they were able to identify it.
[??] Planetary Devourer of Despair
An Erosion Insect devouring Arsilan.
It is specialized in devouring planets and reproducing. It can digest all matter and convert it into Erosion energy, and it can produce eggs capable of crossing dimensions.
Its level could not be measured, but its information could be read.
The moment they saw the Devourer’s head and body, the Heroes were reminded of the Lord of Despair. The resemblance was significant. However, this being was incomparably larger and looked far stronger than the Lord of Despair.
Perhaps even the Lord of Despair they had seen was merely a small part of the Devourer, like that leg they had assumed to be the boss. The Heroes reached that conclusion.
The Devourer’s mouth opened wider, and the tens of millions of teeth inside began rotating like a blender.
[Huh?]
[We’re getting sucked in.]
As if there was some kind of massive gravity generator in the Devourer’s mouth, the Heroes’ bodies began being slowly pulled in.
They flailed and screamed, but no voices could be heard. The Heroes cast spells and used skills in a frantic attempt to escape.
[We can’t even move using the Hero’s Flower!]
[We’re seriously screwed.]
[If I knew I’d become food, I would’ve eaten more Erosion Insect.]
[I’m going to eat 12 plates if I resurrect.]
Many Heroes gave up trying to fight and attempted to teleport using the Hero’s Flower, but as if they had been completely captured by the Devourer, they couldn’t teleport away.
[Guys! Let’s just try to hold on for now.]
[Is that even possible?]
[We’re Heroes, we have to overcome with perseverance! Group up!]
As the tankers raised their shields, the floating Heroes began using skills and clung to the tankers.
There wasn’t even time to make a plan.
Just at the word “group up”, the Heroes moved as if they’d been fighting together for years.
When the tankers swung their shields infused with all their mana, shockwaves erupted, pushing their bodies into motion. In that way, the Heroes converged from various directions toward a single point, grabbing onto one another.
The tankers raised their shields to form an outer wall, and several Heroes positioned themselves on the inside. At the center, Mages and Clerics deployed their magic and Sacred Spells with full power. A massive sphere formed, made up of thousands of Heroes.
-This is what a Vanguard Party should look like!
-This is badass as hell.
-Let’s just hold on with pure grit for now!
The sphere composed of Heroes began rapidly getting sucked into the Devourer's mouth.
‘Hehe!’
‘Hahaha!’
Inside the sphere, Heroes who met each other’s gaze laughed. Though no sound could be heard, the vibrations of their laughter spread through their bodies like a contagious wave.
A game where you somehow find a way and discover enjoyment.
That was what Arsilan Saga was all about!
As they neared the Devourer’s mouth, the shields forming the sphere’s outer wall started to tremble violently. Through the gaps in the shields, they could see the massive mouth drawing closer.
All the Heroes braced for impact.
Grrrrrrrrrk!
The sphere of Heroes entered the mouth of the Devourer. Its maw was unimaginably huge. The smallest teeth were the size of a tanker’s shield.
When the sphere collided with the teeth, it bounced off like a rubber ball. Each time it struck a tooth, it accelerated, and the shields absorbed heat, glowing red-hot.
A massive shockwave raged through, but the Heroes did everything they could to maintain the sphere.
[Just a little longer!]
[I think I’m gonna die!]
[But this is kind of fun.]
[When else are we gonna do something this insane?!]
[But what do we do after we get eaten?]
[We’ll think about that when it happens.]
The tankers of Arsilan were like iron walls.
They could endure this much. The sphere held against the teeth and was pushed deeper into the mouth.
Once inside, they saw fragments of Arsilan scattered everywhere. They floated on top of acidic bodily fluid formed from Erosion, and the sphere came to a stop as it collided with them.
Gulp!
The Devourer swallowed the Heroes along with the massive fragments of Arsilan.
The sphere rode down the Devourer’s esophagus and traveled deep inside its body. The smooth body fluid pushed against the sphere, propelling it rapidly inward.
Crash!
When the sphere struck a massive island floating on the Devourer’s bodily fluid, the Heroes were flung in all directions like popcorn.
“Ugh?!”
“Gahk!”
“Kyaa!”
The Heroes landed on the island and in the sea of body fluid. Perhaps because the Devourer had devoured the interior of Arsilan, massive Magic Stones could be seen scattered throughout.
From the Magic Stones, Arsilan’s mana flowed out, generating air and making the surrounding environment resemble Arsilan.
Particles of light emerged, softly illuminating the surroundings.
A huge Magic Stone, rarely seen even in Arsilan, was embedded in the ceiling, making the environment comfortable.
There was gravity, too- about half the strength of Arsilan’s.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I think we held out somehow....”
“Thankfully, it looks like no one inside the sphere died.”
The Heroes who hadn’t joined the sphere had been torn apart and killed, but all the ones inside had survived safely.
UruBear, having fallen into the body fluid, was flailing about. Though the acidic fluid was melting his body, he endured it with his durability stat. Haebyul and the Romance Heroes hurried to pull him out.
“I-I almost died.”
“Ew! It’s sticky!”
“But the smell’s not that bad, actually?”
The body fluid looked like melted sugar. A Hero approached, scooped some up with their hand, tasted it, and gave a thumbs-up.
It was sweet, but spicy.
A flavor that melted the tongue!
“It’s kinda warm?”
“I had this moss growing on my body that was really annoying, but now it’s gone, this is great.”
“Feels like a hot spring.”
“This must be paradise.”
The Undead Heroes floated leisurely in the acidic fluid as if enjoying a hot spring. Even the Erosion-filled acid couldn’t melt their bones. In fact, they absorbed the Erosion energy and replenished their mana.
The Heroes surveyed the surroundings from the island.
The ground was covered with moss-like growths, and several massive islands floated on top of the bodily fluid. As the Heroes gathered in one place, a Hero’s Flower bloomed from the ground.
[You have arrived inside the Planetary Devourer of Despair and acquired a Title!]
*[A]Alive All the Way to the Guts
A Title given to a Hero who arrives inside the Planetary Devourer.
Well done!
[Arsilan] Internal Exploration
You have witnessed the desperate state of Arsilan and were devoured by the Planetary Devourer, yet survived through sheer perseverance. This is an astonishing feat no one has ever achieved.
First, create a Dimension Gate inside the Planetary Devourer and connect it to Arsilan. Then, explore the Devourer's interior and discover a way to stop its devouring.
Requirement: One who has reached the interior of the Planetary Devourer
Reward: ???
For the first time in a while, a Main Quest had appeared. The Heroes grew excited at the sight of it.
“Damn, this content is insane.”
“To think we’d be exploring the inside of a giant Erosion Insect.”
“This feels straight out of a fairytale.”
It was impossible not to be impressed.
From the Erosion Insect’s nest to the interior of the Planetary Devourer, the sequence had been seamless. On top of that, the unfamiliar environment inside the Planetary Devourer stimulated everyone’s curiosity.
“Wow....”
“Maybe because it ate the interior of Arsilan, there’s a ridiculous amount of resources.”
“Just the resources here should be enough to create a Dimension Gate.”
Haebyul clenched her fist tightly.
The Planetary Devourer itself was a massive field. Even rare resources from deep within Arsilan were abundant here, enough to make any Hero with a production profession lose their mind.
“God-tier game.”
-Agreed
-Definitely god-tier.
-It always feels like I’m a newbie... there’s always something new coming out.
Just when things started to feel familiar, something new would explode onto the scene.
Sssshhh!
Because of the thick energy of Erosion, the Heroes’ equipment began to corrode. Even high-enhancement gear that had withstood harsh environments was now deteriorating.
“Guess it’s time to change our gear.”
“Yeah, we've had it for a while.”
“Hey, look over there! There are chunks of high-grade enhancement stones everywhere!”
“If we craft with internal materials, the gear might not corrode.”
“Nice! We can upgrade gear without worry!”
“God-tier game...”
Materials that were rarely seen in Arsilan were scattered all around them.
Just as the Heroes began to spread out and gather materials.
“Huh?”
Haebyul stared at the bubbling sea of bodily fluid. Even from the ceiling, fluid was dripping down.
Ssssslurp!
From the fluid emerged a large spherical creature. It looked like a giant slime, with a massive core inside. Its soft and squishy appearance gave it a somewhat cute look.
Haebyul smiled as she looked at the approaching creature.
The nearby Romance Heroes also moved closer.
“Oh, it’s kind of cu-”
Chomp!
Its body suddenly stretched and swallowed Haebyul whole. Her body melted rapidly and turned into a skeleton.
“Oh.”
“She completely melted.”
-She... she died...
-Wow, all her gear must’ve shattered too.
-Holy crap...
-Haebyul... after all that struggling to survive, to die like that. That’s so you.
The Romance Heroes quickly analyzed the monster that had devoured Haebyul.
[Lv.170] White Blood Cell of Despair
A white blood cell that devours anything invading the Planetary Devourer’s interior.
Carries a powerful Erosion energy capable of melting even steel with ease.
Countless White Blood Cells of Despair began to appear, oozing and wobbling as they approached the Heroes.
“Now this...”
“Is Arsilan Saga!”
The Heroes grinned widely and charged toward the White Blood Cells of Despair. That day, the Named Heroes’ gear exploded like fireworks.
***
Jinwoo confirmed that the Heroes had entered the interior of the Planetary Devourer, then returned to FS Games.
The Planetary Devourer was a massive boss monster modeled after the Divine Beast that Jinwoo had eliminated. It was designed by combining elements from Erosion Insects, the Lord of Despair, and things seen in Levannas.
Due to its enormous size, it required a lot of resources, and most of the accumulated True Magic Stones were consumed in its creation. Its interior was designed as a unique world, a field of its own, offering the joy of exploration.
Seeing the joy-filled expressions of the Heroes made all the effort worthwhile.
‘I also released those rare items that hadn’t been made available until now...’
He had placed items originating from deep within Arsilan inside it. It also served as a trigger for players to replace their worn-out equipment.
Once Episode 5 began, they would have to fight powerful enemies. The existing gear had its limits, so this was designed as a stage to allow for upgrades.
The staff members breathed a sigh of relief when the Heroes successfully entered the interior of the Planetary Devourer.
“Thank goodness they didn’t skip this one.”
“Come on, no way anyone would skip something like that.”
“The feedback is incredible!”
Although it was unfortunate that they hadn’t yet revealed the sealing tool content, the most elaborately prepared internal world of the Planetary Devourer was released without any incidents.
Han Yong-seon also sighed in relief and sat down, glad that the core content was progressing smoothly.
“Progress has been fast, but I’m glad it’s been released. Boss, how long do you think it’ll take the Heroes to reach the brain of the Planetary Devourer?”
“Hmm. If they finish the Dimension Gate, I think it’ll proceed pretty quickly. Is this about the Episode 5 video production schedule?”
When Jinwoo asked, Han Yong-seon nodded.
“I’ll try to get it done as soon as possible.”
“I’ll look into ways to buy us some time, so don’t push yourself too hard.”
As Jinwoo gave that response, Han Yong-seon looked visibly relieved.
Currently, FS Games was putting a lot of effort into producing a video introducing Episode 5.
Jinwoo had provided the original footage, and FS Games was carefully editing it. According to the original schedule, there should have been plenty of time, but the Heroes were advancing through the scenario so quickly that the buffer had disappeared.
To spoil a little, it was a video connecting Arsilan and Levannas.
Jinwoo checked Arsilan Worlds.
Title: The inside of the Planetary Devourer is insane.
Watching the stream and rare materials are just floating around.
The workshop’s in chaos. People are already packing up.
Vanguard seniors!
Please install the Dimension Gate quickly!
Once the Dimension Gate is up, our workshop will craft weapons and gear for free.
Anonymous1: The materials are cool, but the Devourer itself is a rare resource.
Anonymous2: Our Guild is challenging one of the Devourer’s legs today. Apparently, each time you clear it, a leg disappears.
└Anonymous3: Oh... so that’s how they’re rolling it out.
Anonymous4: Seems like the White Blood Cells can’t melt Hero bones. Are Undead invincible here?
└Anonymous5: Only gear melts. As long as you swap gear, Undead are god-tier in here.
UruBear: We’re exploring the inside. I’ll make a map and share it.
└Anonymous6: Absolutely grateful!
Jinwoo smiled quietly as he read the comments.
The positive reactions from the Heroes always made Jinwoo smile.