novelraw Chapter 207: Mini-Game (2)
Chapter 207: Mini-Game (2)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Emergency!
This was serious!
It was a dire situation no matter who looked at it. The Lord of Despair, far larger than the moon, had revealed its enormous eye and was glaring down at Arsilan. Simply gazing back at that eye corrupted the mind, flooding it with despair and terror. Of course, the Light of the Holy Sword was protecting every being in Arsilan, so there was no real harm, but the overwhelming pressure remained.
Day or night, looking up revealed a gaze brimming with fury, impossibly vivid and clear.
Yet not a single Hero or Arsilanian fell into despair or trembled in fear. If anything, they steeled their resolve, finding joy in the very fact that they could fight the Lord of Despair.
They had endured the Great War and the crisis of the Great Rift. A mere planet glaring at them was not enough to frighten Arsilan.
"How peaceful."
Jinwoo had been gazing at the Lord of Despair from Alusion, then turned to survey his surroundings.
The scenery of Arsilan was the same as always.
Nothing had changed from the usual. Heroes chatted with smiles on their faces, and Arsilanians looked after them just as they always did.
"I want to test out the new Mana Engine, but...."
"Hero, would you like to head to the large gate in Seoul Field? It's spacious inside, so it should be perfect for testing."
"Oh, I forgot about that place! Let's go, quick."
"But why did you make it so big?"
The Hero flashed a grin and pointed at the sky.
"I figured if I hit escape velocity with the Mana Engine, maybe I could reach up there."
"Hmm, you could just walk there from Levannas, though...."
"Ah, true. But, you know, pointless stuff is always the most fun."
"Fair enough. Sounds like it'll be a blast."
The Arsilanian agreed with the Hero.
"Once it's done, I'll give you a ride."
"I'll pass, thank you."
The Arsilanian flatly refused the Hero's offer.
In the workshops of Alusion, they were upgrading Levannas's technology and churning out all kinds of creations. Technological progress was happening at a pace that changed daily.
Jinwoo moved to Levannas.
There had been some chaos in Levannas, but Belzerad had stepped in and stabilized things quickly. Since Levannas had its back turned to Arsilan, the change couldn't be seen, but periodically, a vibration and sound resembling a heartbeat rose from the ground.
The interval between those pulses had initially been once a day, but it was gradually growing shorter.
Jinwoo convened a meeting at headquarters.
All the leaders of Arsilan and Levannas had gathered. Serazade, fresh from a fan signing event, and her staff were also in attendance. Tiris projected an image of Levannas onto the Information Window.
Belzerad and the staff were seeing the far side of Levannas for the first time here. The sight of that hideous eye left them breathless.
Tiris continued her report calmly.
"These are the results of our simulation of what will happen when the seal breaks."
She displayed the simulation results produced by the Magic Tower.
The eye tore open, and the shockwave sent cracks spreading across all of Levannas. Before lava could even erupt from the surface, the world shattered like a cracking egg. The land that had been Levannas became massive debris that rained down on Arsilan.
"Hmm...."
"A truly desperate situation."
Belzerad let out a groan, and Serazade's expression hardened.
The fragments of what had once been Levannas became kinetic weapons, slamming directly into Arsilan. Beautiful Arsilan was engulfed in a sea of fire, and beyond that, its core was completely annihilated, causing the entire planet to crumble apart.
Just the seal breaking alone was enough to destroy both Levannas and Arsilan.
Belzerad looked at Jinwoo.
"What about deploying a large-scale barrier or defensive magic?"
"Without any groundwork in place, erecting a barrier strong enough to block something that massive is impossible. Especially with so many vulnerable areas exposed."
The exposed areas were far too vast.
On top of that, without the infrastructure to support a barrier of that scale, it would have little effect. Even if they poured every ounce of power into it, it would be like trying to stop a flying blade with a sheet of paper.
"If we start the groundwork now...."
Could they finish in time before the seal broke?
Even if Jinwoo, Helby, and Ella all gave it everything they had, it would take a long time. And even if they somehow managed to finish on schedule, that would only defend against the initial shockwave. The Lord of Despair that would emerge afterward was the real problem.
The meeting went on for a long time, but they still hadn't found a clear solution.
'The last resort would be....'
Evacuate the demons of Levannas to Arsilan, then transport Levannas and the Lord of Despair itself to another dimension. If he burned through all of his divine power and soul energy, it might be possible to reach beyond the abyss.
The outcome would be horrific.
Suffering worse than falling into hell would be waiting for him, but Jinwoo had always been prepared. If he handed the Soul Gate over to Ella, perhaps Arsilan Saga could carry on somehow.
"There's nothing to worry about."
Jinwoo steeled himself.
Perhaps becoming a god had been for this very moment.
If he hadn't become a god, he couldn't have even attempted it. Jinwoo smiled lightly and looked at everyone.
"I'll take care of it, one way or another."
Jinwoo had always found a way, one way or another. This time would be fine, too. The great Archmage always found a solution. But Ella and Helby sensed a resolve in Jinwoo's eyes that was different from his usual determination.
Helby shook her head.
"You don't have to shoulder everything alone."
Helby met Jinwoo's gaze.
Her eyes, glimmering with starlight, seemed to see right through to his true intentions. Ella felt the same. She had already guessed what Jinwoo was planning to do.
"I'm the senior in that department, and I can tell you it's not a good idea."
She had sacrificed herself for Arsilan. It had been a long stretch of time filled with nothing but pain, yet at least she'd had the hope of returning one day. But what Jinwoo was planning, there was no such hope.
Jinwoo was about to wrap up the meeting.
Tia, who had been listening quietly, raised her hand.
"How about leaving it to the Heroes?"
"The Heroes?"
"Yes. There are over a hundred million Heroes, and billions of potential Heroes on Earth."
Tia raised both hands and pressed her fingertips to her temples, as though receiving a telepathic signal.
"Collective Intelligence!"
At Tia's words, Tiris nodded in agreement.
"Arsilan Saga is a history forged by everyone together, so there's no need for Master to bear the responsibility alone."
Tiris was brimming with the resolve to follow Jinwoo to the very end.
Helby smiled softly and spoke up.
"The Lord of Despair is merely one of the Erosions that consumed Arsilan. You are Arsilan's greatest asset. If we lose you, how are we supposed to fight what comes next?"
Belzerad smiled and placed a hand on Jinwoo's shoulder.
"It only has meaning if we overcome it together. That's how we gain the drive to move toward the future. Levannas and Arsilan are no hothouse flowers."
"But if we fail...."
If they failed, the result would be certain annihilation.
Everyone at headquarters laughed at Jinwoo's worry-laden words.
"We will all share in that responsibility."
"That's right. We're all prepared for that."
Tiris and Tia answered.
"The will of Arsilan will stand with us too."
Ella said this while feeling the resolve of every Arsilanian. Arsilan was far stronger than Jinwoo had thought.
"We'll be right there with you. Let's build the future together."
"I'll do my part as well."
Belzerad and Serazade looked at Jinwoo with renewed determination.
Jinwoo nodded.
The Lord of Despair must be watching Arsilan closely. It had probably hoped to see the world drown in despair and fear, but unfortunately for it, the Heroes were having even more fun.
If it was those Heroes who had wrought countless miracles, perhaps they really could find a way.
This was undoubtedly a crisis surpassing the Great War, and no solution was in sight. But wasn't that precisely what made it all the more exciting?
"Yeah."
Let's find a way.
A way that everyone can truly enjoy.
Ella shot her hand up.
"I'll post about it on Arsilan Worlds!"
Ella opened an Information Window and began carefully composing a post.
Jinwoo walked over to Ella's side.
Tia and Tiris also stood beside her. After watching her write diligently for a while, Jinwoo shook his head.
"The tone's too upbeat, isn't it? I think you need to write something that fits the mood a bit more."
"Urgh, okay!"
Ella started writing again.
"It would be better if the purpose came through clearly."
"It's kind of vague and wishy-washy."
When Tiris and Tia pointed this out, Ella deleted everything she had written. Serazade and her staff were also watching the Information Window. Mira adjusted her glasses and chimed in.
"Since this is an official post, wouldn't it be better to use a more formal tone?"
"Urgh, urghhhhh!"
With the nonstop feedback, light burst from Ella's body.
"No more backseat writing!"
Everyone nodded, but the unsolicited advice continued until she finished the post.
"This tea is quite nice."
"Hehe."
"Got any more?"
"Hold on. Do you have a sweet tooth?"
"Mm."
Belzerad and Helby merely watched from the sidelines, sipping Levannas tea.
* * *
A post went up on Arsilan Worlds.
It was a post from none other than Ella herself, asking for help.
Title: We need the Heroes' help.
The Lord of Despair has awakened from its long seal and awaits the day it can unleash its wicked will. The moment the seal breaks, Levannas will be destroyed, and Arsilan will not be able to escape destruction either.
(Attached: Seal Break Simulation)
We are working with Belzerad, the King of Levannas, on a plan to evacuate the demons to Arsilan, but if Arsilan itself is destroyed, there can be no hope.
Not only will the beautiful cities and villages of Arsilan burn, but all of your territories will be consumed in flames as well, and at the end of that despair, Arsilan will meet its doom.
We need the Heroes' wisdom.
If you share your great wisdom with us, the Creator God and I will do our best to bring your ideas to life with our power.
May the light of miracles find its way to Arsilan and Levannas.
Anonymous1: Ella?
└Ella: Yes.
Anonymous2: Whoa! It's actually Ella.
└Ella: Nice to meet you all.
HohoFavoriteMan: Hello, Ella. I'm a huge fan. Please accept my gifts. I leave them in front of the Grand Temple every day.
Anonymous3: Cool event setup.
└Ella: This isn't a setup. It's a real situation!
└Anonymous3: Yes, ma'am! Understood!
Anonymous4: I'm rallying all my guild members for a meeting right now!
└Ella: That's reassuring.
The post shot straight to the top of the best posts, and countless Heroes put their heads together and began pouring out all kinds of ideas. Named Heroes who streamed even put up prizes to solicit ideas. There were plenty of creative suggestions, but most were difficult to implement.
Jinwoo reviewed the Heroes' suggestions from the CEO's office at FS Games. The FS Games employees had also contributed numerous ideas, and the company even held an internal contest.
'There are things worth referencing, at least....'
Jinwoo pored over the Heroes' ideas from early morning until lunchtime. The power of Collective Intelligence was truly impressive. The Magic Tower was also busy sifting through the mountain of suggestions.
"Might as well grab some food first."
When his thinking hit a wall, a change of scenery wasn't a bad idea.
It let him revisit thoughts that had been stuck in one place from a fresh perspective.
Jinwoo headed to the company cafeteria.
The cafeteria at FS Games headquarters was famous for its food. Top chefs stood ready, serving the finest dishes. And yet, it wasn't particularly popular among the employees. Everyone was too busy scarfing down Nutrition Blocks and using their spare time to visit Arsilan.
Jinwoo stepped into the cafeteria for the first time in months. Inside, a handful of employees were scattered about. A junior employee who had been with the company for a year sat with a holographic Information Window open in front of him, doing something.
Moving closer, Jinwoo saw it was a game.
Quite a few Heroes in Arsilan would pull up games on their Information Windows. They'd play during downtime or gather with other Heroes for a session.
Established game companies had jumped in to create various titles. Arsilan Worlds had released and supported the Light Engine, which was remarkably efficient and made game development easy, since the Light Engine was built on illusion magic.
'Arsilan Saga is another reality, after all....'
Heroes enjoyed the games displayed on their Information Windows. Arsilanians enjoyed them even more than the Heroes did. Since purchases could be made with Arsilan gold, the revenue of partner game studios on Arsilan Worlds continued to climb.
Indie games were also being actively developed on Arsilan Worlds. There were even plans to support holographic game development going forward, though the catch was that the games could only be played within Arsilan.
Jinwoo quietly sat down next to the employee.
"Hmm...."
The employee was staring at his holographic Information Window, deep in thought.
'Oh....'
It was an interesting game.
The background was the recently revealed Arsilan with its exposed core. The player, in the form of a spirit, mined floating debris nearby to build bases on the damaged areas and fend off incoming waves of enemies.
It was a roguelike, and it was genuinely addictive, requiring real strategic thinking.
"Should I push mining to level 10...."
"Wouldn't it be better to raise your material farming level instead?"
"Ah! Yeah, that does sound bett..."
When Jinwoo offered his advice, the employee looked to his side.
The moment he saw Jinwoo's face, he froze solid. He blinked a few times, confirmed this was reality, then jolted in shock and shot to his feet.
"S-sir! CEO-nim!"
"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."
"N-not at all!"
The employee glanced around nervously, then cautiously sat back down.
"What game is this?"
"It's an indie game that went up recently."
"Hmm."
It was a game uploaded to the Arsilan Worlds game platform.
"Well... a lot of Heroes have been recommending this game as an idea, so I was playing it hands-on to write a report."
It had already attracted enough of a following to have dedicated fans. The employee worked in the Game Development Support Division of Arsilan Worlds, handling indie game support. The Game Development Support Division was the department that assisted partner studios with their game development on Arsilan Worlds.
Jinwoo nodded and opened a holographic Information Window to launch the game himself. The title was Arsilan Defense.
The player gathered resources to fill in the gouged-out gaps in Arsilan, then installed various magical devices on top. Picking up legendary-tier items would sometimes summon Ella or Helby as support.
'If I lay down soil imbued with the Light of the Holy Sword in the pattern of a Holy Magic Circle and complete the formula....'
It was backbreaking work, difficult even if there were multiple Jinwoos. Even duplicating materials wouldn't help, since the installation required the kind of meticulous care needed for the Light of the Holy Sword to take hold.
'But if it were in the form of a mini game, maybe....'
If countless Arsilanians contributed their time and worked together, completing even an intricate Holy Magic Circle might actually be possible. And beyond that, the various ideas gathered from the Heroes could be implemented as well.
A mini game event!
What if they turned it into an event with generous prizes?
This desperate situation could become content that people actually enjoyed.
"This is excellent work."
"Thank you!"
Jinwoo made a note of the employee's name.
He left the cafeteria without eating, heading straight for the exit. The employee stared at Jinwoo's retreating figure with a dazed expression. He sat there looking blank until lunch break was over.
When the employee returned to his office, his team leader came running toward him. The team leader's face was beaming with a huge smile.
"You're the hero of our department!"
"Huh?"
The other employees around him broke into applause.
The entire Game Development Support Division had earned a hefty bonus!
A few days later, when the employee checked his bank account, his eyes went wide.
Long live the Creator God!
His face alight with sheer joy, he struck the "Long live the Creator God" pose.
* * *
Jinwoo immediately invited the developer of Arsilan Defense to FS Games. Upon receiving the call, the developer's reaction naturally went far beyond mere shock.
He seemed half-conscious.
Arsilan Defense was a solo-developed game. Thanks to the Light Engine, the number of solo developers had grown considerably.
The Light Engine was freely available to everyone. Since games made with it could only be uploaded to Arsilan Worlds and only ran within Arsilan, there was no issue with making it public. Universities were also actively offering courses on game development using the Light Engine.
The developer rushed to FS Games the moment he received Jinwoo's call. He lived out in the countryside and had apparently taken a taxi all the way there. Naturally, FS Games covered the fare.
"H-h-hello!"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Jinwoo."
"Oh! I-I'm Park Heewon."
He was a frail-looking man.
He seemed unwell, sweating profusely. When Jinwoo offered a handshake, Heewon wiped the sweat from his palm and gingerly took his hand.
"You saw the recent event, right?"
"Yes! The production was incredible! I was in Alusion too! I got chills all over and almost passed out! And then...."
He had a lot to say.
But it didn't feel annoying. He was a Hero who loved Arsilan with all his heart. When Jinwoo watched him with a warm smile, Park Heewon trailed off with an awkward laugh.
"About Arsilan Defense. I'd like to incorporate it as a core mini game in the main event. So...."
"Yes! It'd be an honor!"
He agreed before Jinwoo could even present a contract.
When Jinwoo asked him to participate as a game developer, Park Heewon made a troubled face before ultimately agreeing. Something seemed to be weighing on him.
"Is something bothering you?"
Jinwoo subtly let his mana flow, creating a calming atmosphere. With the tension eased, Park Heewon began to explain his situation.
"Actually, my parents are against me entering the game industry. The thing is...."
Park Heewon had been an excellent student, but he'd given up admission to Korea University and enrolled at a university known for game development instead. When Arsilan Saga appeared and dropped a bomb on the game development industry, he'd been swept up in the wave. Even after Arsilan Worlds launched, he refused to give up and kept developing games until now.
In the process, his health had deteriorated to the point of hospitalization, so his parents' opposition was understandable. If he was already in this state, what would happen if he plunged fully into the industry?
"I understand. Then I'll visit them personally and explain everything."
"What?"
"Come on, let's go!"
"Huh? What do you...."
"Your parents are home, right?"
"W-well, yes, but...."
Jinwoo called Kim Hansu to give Park Heewon a ride, and together they drove down to his home.
"Heewon, you're the same age as me, right?"
"Y-yeah, but that's the only thing we have in common. Ha ha ha."
"Since we'll be working together now, is it alright if we drop the formalities?"
"S-sure, go ahead."
It was an ordinary apartment. Until they arrived at the front door, Park Heewon couldn't believe this was real.
The most famous person in the world was standing at the entrance of his home. This was a sight that would be hard to come by even in a dream.
Park Heewon carefully opened the door and stepped inside, where his parents were preparing dinner.
"You're not feeling well and you're running around all over the...."
Park Heewon's mother saw Jinwoo walk in behind him and froze mid-sentence. His father, who had been opening the refrigerator, was no different.
"Hey! Seriously! Oppa! It's Dad's birthday, so I told you to come home ear..."
Park Heewon's younger sister spotted Jinwoo and dropped the smartphone in her hand.
"Hello. I'm sorry for showing up unannounced like this. I'm Lee Jinwoo, a friend of Heewon's."
Silence fell over the room.
*****
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