novelraw Chapter 198: Perseverance (4)
Chapter 198: Perseverance (4)
Translator: Dreamscribe
At last, the setting of Episode 5, which had been shrouded in mystery, was revealed!
The setting of Episode 5 was Levannas, a world with a civilization completely different from that of Arsilan. Magitech Engineering was highly advanced, and their weapon systems were close to modern-day standards. The clothing worn by the people of Levannas also became a major topic of conversation. Their attire, which seemed to be a peculiar blend of modern and medieval styles, appeared both formal and efficient.
Above all, it simply looked cool.
“How can they float an airship with a small mana engine?”
“What is the identity of the protective barrier? Why does it resemble a magic barrier?”
“About the origins of the people of Levannas.”
Many analytical posts about Levannas were uploaded to Arsilan Worlds. The footage experienced by the Vanguard Party through the Light of the Holy Sword was analyzed down to the frame. A considerable number of analysis posts that were practically academic papers were also uploaded.
But, of course, the biggest topic of all was undoubtedly Sera, who awakened by receiving the Light of Arsilan. Since it cut off right at the highlight when she was about to use her ultimate move, many Heroes shouted to see what happened next.
It took some time for the Light of the Holy Sword to recharge, and during that time, many flocked to the crystal to experience Levannas. They could experience exactly the footage the Vanguard Party had already seen. Fortunately, watching the past story did not consume the Light of the Holy Sword.
“Graaaah!”
“They really cut it off there!”
“Even the direction is so Korean....”
Those who joined afterward also screamed like the Vanguard Party after experiencing the footage. Since it took three days for the Light of the Holy Sword to recharge, there was no choice but to wait.
[The Light of the Holy Sword has been recharged. Reconnecting to the unstable flow of time in Levannas.]
Once the Light of the Holy Sword was recharged, they could finally watch the continuation.
“Finally!”
“Ooh!”
“Open the gate right now!”
“Connect me!”
It might sound excessive, but some Heroes even lodged around the crystal. That’s how strong the impact of Levannas was. Since it was the stage of Episode 5, there were many Heroes trying to get information first.
Many Heroes connected to the crystal, and the story continued.
“Shining Buster!”
As Sera’s shout rang out, light exploded from her staff and swept through the Erosion Insects.
Once touched by the light, the Erosion Insects that had climbed the wall, the ones attacking the soldiers, and all the Erosion Insects that had poured out onto the land disintegrated into powder.
The tunnel also collapsed.
“Uwaaaah!”
“A m-miracle!”
“Hrrk!”
The soldiers and the townspeople cheered with joy. Sera, who had collapsed to the ground with her strength drained, smiled broadly the moment she heard the cheers and stood back up.
She looked out over Levannas from atop the collapsed Protective Barrier.
– Nice ending.
– Damn....
– This is it. This is the Light of Arsilan!
Sera was in complete disarray. Her body was covered in fluids and full of wounds, yet she still looked noble. The Heroes felt proud seeing her like that.
It was a miracle not granted by anyone else, but one made by the Heroes who had directly handed over the light.
The story didn’t end there.
The invasion of the Erosion Insects continued, and many hardships followed.
“Gah!”
“Why are they cutting it here again...!”
“This has to be on purpose, right?”
It cut off at just the right moment again, causing the Heroes to scream once more.
As time passed, the crystal of the Planetary Devourer became flooded with people. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everyone who could enter the Dimension Gate had come.
“Wow, so many people.”
“Hey, did you watch Episode 4?”
“Yeah, is Episode 5 starting today?”
The story of Levannas and Sera was being released one episode every three days.
At first, people watched the footage to investigate Levannas, the new setting of the episode, but gradually, they began to be drawn into Sera's story. Perhaps because of the unstable flow of time, the story in Levannas progressed faster than in Arsilan.
Furthermore, the story was told from various perspectives. Just like in Episode 3, they were sometimes completely immersed in a single character.
– Is this from the point of view of the defensive troops this time?
– Ah, don’t say that line!
– No way...!
– Shut him up!
“I’m getting discharged tomorrow, and I’m going to confess to her.”
“Haha!”
They were immersed in the perspective of a soldier from the Protective Barrier defense force, despaired at the overwhelming onslaught of the Erosion Insects, and shared the joy of being saved by Sera. Fortunately, he was able to confess his feelings, though he was soundly rejected. Still, having survived, it was a relief in the end.
At times, the perspective became that of a child, or they experienced the city of Levannas through the body of an ordinary citizen.
The Heroes liked Levannas. Their desire to visit and tour the place in person surged. Thus, the story continued, and more Heroes gathered at the crystal to join in watching the footage.
It was not merely a simple experience. The more Heroes who connected to the crystal through the Light of the Holy Sword, the stronger light they could transmit to Levannas.
It was when a massive Erosion Insect appeared and Sera was cornered.
[A great amount of light from Arsilan has gathered. Would you like to transmit the light?]
As everyone agreed, light burst forth and Sera’s companions appeared.
Two girls.
New Magical Girls.
– Now this is a game!
– Damn, this is kind of moving.
– They barely held on.
Their appearance perfectly targeted the diverse tastes of the Heroes.
Requests for their costumes to be added to the Platinum Coin Shop or for the Magical Girl class to be implemented continued to pour in.
However, the situation in Levannas did not improve. As time passed, it only worsened.
It felt as though the massive Erosion entity beneath the planet was slowly lifting its head. Wounds continued to accumulate on Sera’s body, and damage in Levannas kept piling up. The Heroes gathered to hold strategy meetings, but there was nothing they could do.
The most recent update was from Sera’s point of view.
Sera’s companion was gravely wounded and nearly died. An entire village disappeared, and great sacrifices followed. It seemed like Sera’s spirit might break.
Whenever her heart faltered, she would climb to the rooftop of a building and read a book. It was a fairy tale depicting the legend of a Hero.
The content was simple.
When the world was in crisis, a Hero with a Holy Sword appeared and saved it. She had read it so many times that the entire book was worn out, with tape covering the front cover. Perhaps it brought her comfort, as she hugged the fairy tale book and fell asleep leaning against the wall.
Her face was stained with tears, and her whole body was covered in wounds, but when she was asleep, she looked peaceful.
– Aaaah!
– Sera is the daughter of all Heroes.
– My rage is rising.
– What is this direction...
– I don’t want more despair... please...
The Heroes watching that scene were overcome with emotion.
Having experienced many despair-filled scenarios, the Heroes were now filled with anxiety. If Sera were to fall into darkness or die, they might lose their minds.
To the Heroes, the Erosion Insects were nothing more than prey. If they could cross over there, if only they could, no matter how many Erosion Insects came, they could crush them all.
The Arsilians understood Sera’s heart better than anyone. They too had longed for a Hero to save the world. Now, the Arsilians had become the Heroes who shared light with Levannas.
– If the Erosion is over there...
– That looks like the setting of Episode 5...
– How do we get over there?
– Hmm...
Such conversations started spreading among the Heroes.
Posts about it kept appearing on Arsilan Worlds as well.
The Heroes wanted to enter Episode 5 as soon as possible.
For Sera.
For Levannas.
– I want to meet Sera.
– Me too.
– Must protect...
And also, for fandom!
***
Jinwoo nodded.
Everything had gone according to plan so far.
The footage shown to the Heroes was a video separately produced by Jinwoo. As he intended, the situation in Levannas had been revealed through an experiential video.
The Heroes who had started to obsess over Sera had now become experts on Levannas, to the point where it would not be an exaggeration to say they perfectly understood the situation in Levannas. They were even creating and distributing various setting guides.
If it had been introduced simply through a showcase or informational post, such complete understanding wouldn’t have been possible.
Sera served as an important bridge connecting Arsilan and Levannas. As a "bond" who had inherited the Light of Arsilan, she was no longer an outsider. Her desperate struggle to protect Levannas was no different from what a Hero would do.
"There's even merch now."
It hadn’t even been a few weeks since Levannas was revealed, but some Heroes had already begun producing their own merchandise and diving deep into their fandom. Even those who weren’t fans of Sera shared the desire to help Levannas.
That feeling was what mattered.
Tiris: Master, I think you should come.
Jinwoo: On my way.
Receiving Tiris's message, Jinwoo moved to Levannas.
When he arrived at the headquarters located in the royal palace, he saw Serazade and her staff.
Serazade’s companions were two girls. Of course, that was in their transformed forms. Mira, a girl with glasses who wielded a sword, and Karin, a girl with purple bobbed hair who used a magic gun. Naturally, though both were slightly older than Serazade, they had to transform without exception.
"Can you handle it?"
To Jinwoo’s question, Serazade nodded.
"Yes, the frequency of Erosion Insect invasions has noticeably decreased lately, so we’ve gained some breathing room. However..."
Lately, the number of incursions had clearly declined. Thanks to that, Serazade was able to participate in national affairs, but a sense of unease and worry began to rise in her heart.
And it wasn’t an unfounded fear.
Tiris, who was analyzing the situation, opened an information window and walked over to Jinwoo.
"This is the result of observing the inside of Levannas using mana waves."
The internal state of the planet appeared in the information window.
Countless Erosion Insects were detected inside the planet. They were marked as red dots, and there were so many that it was difficult to even estimate their number.
"There are a lot."
"Now that the seal has weakened, Erosion Insects are appearing en masse."
The seal that had imprisoned the Higher Being of Erosion was weakening. Cracks had formed in the seal, and its will had begun to awaken. It was happening far faster than Jinwoo had anticipated.
"It seems like it’s planning to wipe out Levannas before it breaks free completely."
Following the will of the Higher Being of Erosion, a massive assault by the Erosion Insects was imminent. If the surface were destroyed, all mana in Arsilan would vanish, the seal would naturally be undone, and the planet itself would be shattered.
After that, it was obvious where the Higher Being of Erosion would head.
‘It’ll be Arsilan.’
Jinwoo was not yet ready to face the Higher Being of Erosion. Serazade, Mira, and Karin all turned pale. Never in Levannas’s history had this many Erosion Insects surged up to the surface.
It looked impossible to block them, either with the defense forces or with magic.
"We’ll reseal the Higher Being of Erosion."
Jinwoo pulled out several stakes from his subspace. These were stakes made from fragments that came from the moon of Arsilan during the creation of the Holy Sword.
It wouldn’t completely seal it, but it would at least hold until preparations to face the Higher Being of Erosion were complete. The moment Jinwoo took out the stakes, Ella and Helby appeared behind him.
"Whew! I’m getting nervous."
"Let’s go take a look at just how ugly this thing really is."
Ella and Helby had finished all preparations.
Tiris nodded.
"Then it’s time to proceed with Episode 5 of Arsilan Saga."
"Episode 5?"
At Tiris’s words, Serazade tilted her head.
Even the advisors, who had turned pale from the hopeless reality, all turned to look at Tiris. Up until now, Tiris had led the Magical Girls and created many miracles in Levannas.
Tiris smiled faintly, which was rare for her.
"Yes, Episode 5 Prologue...."
All the stage had been set.
They had already expected that the Higher Being of Erosion would launch an invasion on such a massive scale. Thanks to it launching the attack at the right moment, they could now begin Episode 5 at the perfect time.
"The advent of Heroes in Levannas."
The advent of Heroes!
Serazade’s eyes widened.
Karin and Mira were the same. Levannas had made extensive preparations to welcome the Heroes, and Belzerad was still hard at work. At last, the Heroes would descend upon Levannas.
“Are the Heroes finally descending upon Levannas?”
“They’re beings from ancient legends, so they must be divine, noble, and beautiful.”
Karin and Mira imagined the beautiful appearance of the Heroes and wore ecstatic expressions. Serazade was likely thinking the same.
Divine, noble, and beautiful...
Jinwoo didn’t want to shatter their fantasies.
Avoiding their gaze, he moved his body at once.
“It looks like it will begin soon. We should prepare.”
“Yes.”
Tiris was the same.
Helby, too, wore an awkward expression and said nothing about the Heroes. Ella gazed out beyond the window with a wistful look. A fantasy was most beautiful when it remained just that, a fantasy.
Jinwoo disappeared with Ella and Helby through teleportation, while Tiris stood in front of the mechanical devices at headquarters, preparing for Episode 5 to begin. Through the Planetary Devourer, which was connected to Arsilan, everything could be controlled from here.
Serazade swallowed dryly as she looked at Levannas's interior displayed in the information window. Countless swarms of Erosion Insects were rising toward Levannas. There were so many that evacuation would be meaningless.
“Hoo....”
Serazade stepped outside the headquarters and looked at the seemingly peaceful Levannas through the corridor window.
She could feel the brightened atmosphere of Levannas on her skin. Serazade didn’t want to disappoint those hearts full of hope.
Swish!
Someone appeared behind Serazade and poked her on the shoulder with a finger. Flinching, she turned around and saw Helby, who had teleported with Jinwoo, staring at her.
‘T-the Dragon Helby…!’
When Serazade was young, her grandfather had told her stories about the dragon. A frightening tale that if she misbehaved, the dragon from the abyss would come eat her.
Helby glared at her.
In the dim hallway, Helby’s eyes gleamed ominously. It felt like she might get eaten at any moment. Serazade swallowed nervously and barely managed to open her mouth.
"Wh-wh-what can I do for you?"
“......”
Helby said nothing and just kept staring at her.
Serazade was terrified.
Every hair on her body stood on end. She was so scared tears welled up. Her body froze, and she couldn’t even move a single finger.
After a brief pause, Helby twitched her lips, let out a small breath, and finally spoke.
“...Can you keep a secret?”
"Huh? O-of course! P-please, go ahead!"
As Serazade nodded vigorously, Helby hesitated for a moment, then reached out her hand to open her subspace.
“Huh?”
What she pulled out was a staff identical to Serazade’s. However, it was made of a lighter material and had a few parts that looked a bit clumsy.
It was a finely crafted piece of merchandise made in Arsilan.
Helby shyly handed over a pen filled with mana and the staff.
“Uh..., could you... sign this...?”
“Ah..., y-yes, of course!”
At first, Serazade didn’t understand what Helby meant, but when she saw the pen, she caught on. She immediately accepted the pen and staff and signed them. Helby looked at the staff with sparkling eyes, clearly satisfied.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you!”
Helby carefully accepted the staff and applied numerous protective enchantments. Feeling the powerful mana, Serazade was left speechless.
Helby, who had smiled brightly before quickly composing her expression, blushed as she looked at Serazade.
“You... have talent. Keep it up.”
“Yes, I-I will.”
Helby gave her a few pats on the shoulder, then disappeared through teleportation. As soon as Helby vanished, Serazade nearly collapsed as the tension drained from her body.
“...I really need to work hard.”
'Helby-nim is kind of cute.'
Serazade let out a small laugh, then once again resolved to give her all for Levannas.
A short while later, sirens echoed throughout Levannas.
It was the siren signaling an unprecedented large-scale invasion in Levannas’s history.
***
The Heroes were trying to find a way to cross over to Levannas.
Various methods were brought up, but none were realistic. Just then, the crystal shimmered with the energy of Erosion, and the Planetary Devourer began squeezing out the Erosion energy to produce eggs.
“What’s going on?”
“If we connect to the crystal, we might be able to find out?”
Something seems to be happening in Levannas.
As the Heroes reached out to the crystal to investigate, the Light of the Holy Sword interfered with it, and a large information window appeared.
A scene of Levannas in despair unfolded.
Countless tunnels were being created outside the Protective Barrier.
An invasion of Erosion Insects.
The scale was unimaginably vast.
“It doesn’t look like Levannas can handle this on its own.”
“This is bad...”
“The Light of the Holy Sword wouldn’t show us this for no reason. There has to be a way.”
The Heroes realized this was a turning point.
If they just stood by and watched, Levannas would surely be destroyed. It could end in a sad ending before Episode 5 even truly began.
They had to go to Levannas, by any means necessary.
Thud! Rrrumble!
Intense tremors continued to shake the Planetary Devourer’s body. The tremors were caused by it firing the eggs produced from organs inside its shell.
“Ah!”
NorthernGrandDuke, who had been deep in thought, suddenly raised her head, as if struck by a good idea. Haebyul and the other Named Heroes nearby seemed to have the same thought.
NorthernGrandDuke brought up a map of the Planetary Devourer’s internal structure.
“The eggs are formed in an organ located just beneath the shell. If we enter one of those eggs from here...”
“The eggs are huge, so it looks like a lot of us could fit inside.”
Haebyul responded with a nod.
The eggs were extremely large to endure both the vacuum of space and entry into a planetary atmosphere. What’s more, several million eggs were fired at once.
Now that eggs were being generated and launched to match the scale of the invasion, if they could enter one, they could reach Levannas!
“With eggs that big, we can even bring equipment.”
“Let’s get ready, fast!”
“If the Vanguard Party goes in first and creates a Dimension Gate, that should work.”
A plan was quickly formed!
As soon as the discussion ended, the Heroes sprang into action.