novelraw Chapter 218: Growth (1)
Chapter 218: Growth (1)
Translator: Dreamscribe
The distant sun felt unusually warm.
Jinwoo placed his trust in everyone in Arsilan and closed his eyes. The Lord of Despair had fled to Arsilan, but there was no need to worry. Arsilan was not so weak that it could be shaken by Erosion that had been reduced to a mere insect.
All of his strength had been spent, and his body was in tatters.
He didn't have the energy to so much as twitch a finger, leaving him unable to cast even the lowest-tier magic. Even his soul had cracked, so it seemed like he would need to recuperate for a while.
'Come to think of it, I've been running nonstop this whole time.'
He hadn't properly rested during the entirety of Episodes 4 and 5.
Of course, he had taken breaks. But those were strategic rests meant to recover depleted mana and mental energy. His mind had been ceaselessly churning over content and Erosion the entire time. Simply sitting still like this with nothing on his mind was something he hadn't done in a very long time.
A Higher Being of Erosion.
He had taken down the Lord of Despair, who was incomparably more powerful than the Lord of Greed. It wasn't a victory that relied on luck, but one earned through the combined strength of Earth and Arsilan.
Belzerad.
He had been able to ensure that the man's sacrifice was not in vain.
"......"
Had he found peace in the Soul Gate?
Jinwoo sincerely hoped that the suffering Belzerad endured through all those long years had been repaid.
Let's get some proper rest.
With that thought, Jinwoo emptied his mind of everything and let his consciousness sink. He drifted through the void of space, quietly resting just like that.
'Hmm, now that I think about it, the Heroes....'
After experiencing Arsilan Defense, the light the Heroes carried had grown even stronger. Their levels rose faster even without experience point assistance, and some were awakening latent abilities they hadn't had before. It was the same Arsilan Saga, so what was different?
'Is it the experience?'
A variety of experiences impossible to have on Earth.
Adventures that broke the mold.
Fresh content they hadn't encountered across the various episodes of Arsilan Saga until now.
Perhaps those things had stimulated the Heroes' resilient souls.
'Hmm....'
It wasn't feasible right now, but if enough diverse experiences accumulated, couldn't they break through the limits of their souls? The number of Heroes was currently approaching 200 million, and at this rate, it was reasonable to aim for a breakthrough past one billion.
If hundreds of millions of Transcendent Beings existed in Arsilan?
'Even if there's something beyond the Higher Beings of Erosion....'
The strongest enemy Jinwoo could anticipate was the Lord of Despair, and the only entities he had observed were the Higher Beings of Erosion. It wouldn't be strange if something even greater existed beyond them. If the Heroes became Transcendent Beings, it seemed like they could hold their own against whatever enemy might appear.
'They'd need to reach at least level 400 before hitting their ceiling.'
So what should he do first?
What kind of content would feel fresh?
For starters....
One thought led to another in an endless chain.
It had been five seconds since he'd resolved to clear his mind and rest. He tried several times but couldn't make it past five seconds. His body itched with restlessness, and his fingers trembled.
Jinwoo opened his eyes.
He shook his head and let out a small laugh.
'This is a serious case of workaholism.'
Having gone so long without rest, staying still actually made him feel anxious. It was an addiction to work that couldn't be cured by great magic, Sacred Spells, or even Sacred Magic.
Just then, an enormous wave of joy came surging from Arsilan.
Most of the countless Erosion Insects had been eliminated, and the rare specimens had been captured alive. Heroes with Taming skills were in the middle of attempting to tame them.
A warship approached Jinwoo's location.
The Heroes had hauled out one of the few warships still capable of moving and flown it over. Flames erupted from the Mana Engine and its output was faltering, but high-level Heroes had attached themselves to the Mana Engine, serving as human Mana Engines.
Light from Earth and Arsilan swirled around Jinwoo, broadcasting his location to everyone.
"There he is!"
"Leon-nim!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Go faster!"
"Screw it! Let's go to him ourselves!"
When the warship couldn't pick up any more speed, the Heroes launched themselves directly from the ship toward Jinwoo. They tied ropes to their bodies and used magic and skills to close the distance rapidly.
Familiar faces came into Jinwoo's view. They were the Heroes he had led during early access. The same Heroes who had been so unreliable and caused so much trouble that Jinwoo had to keep a constant eye on them, and now they had come to rescue him.
Jinwoo stared at those Heroes in a daze.
They've grown.
The Heroes, bathed in sunlight, were very radiant. Jinwoo couldn't help but smile as he watched them.
"Leon-nim!"
"Are you alright?"
"We need to heal him, quick...!"
"I've got potions right here!"
The Heroes grabbed hold of Jinwoo's body and poured Sacred Spells and Recovery Potions over him. His ruined body couldn't be repaired by those alone, but Jinwoo felt restored nonetheless.
Seeing Jinwoo smile, the Heroes finally breathed sighs of relief.
"What happened to Arsilan?"
At Jinwoo's question, the Heroes grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Totally fine."
"It's a full-on festival down there."
"Oh! We haven't confirmed the boss that ran away yet, but probably...."
"It's not having a good time."
The Heroes pitied the Lord of Despair.
And rightfully so. The Margrave of the Sillion Empire was essentially a being worthy of being called a Transcendent Being. The Lord of Despair, reduced to an insect, was surely going through something akin to hell.
Jinwoo returned to the warship together with the Heroes.
[Attention! We are now returning to Arsilan!]
The Knight of Levannas at the helm made the announcement and steered the warship toward Arsilan. The sluggish warship descended to the First Barrier. Everyone waited in quiet silence until the ship touched down.
The warship settled onto the First Barrier, and Jinwoo stepped outside the ship, supported by the Heroes. Countless people were waiting for him atop the barrier.
"Once again, the victory is ours."
The moment Jinwoo said those words, Arsilan erupted in cheers. Massive roars poured in from cities across Earth as well.
Arsilan had won.
Everyone had united their strength and overcome an enemy with the power to destroy a planet. This electrifying thrill was irreplaceable.
Jinwoo gazed out at Arsilan, overflowing with the light born from joy.
Arsilan would continue to advance into the future, and from now on, Levannas would be part of that journey. No one could put an end to the joyous voyage of Arsilan Saga.
'The Lord of Despair....'
He checked Arsilan's borders through the Information Window.
It was an Information Window visible only to Jinwoo's eyes. The Lord of Despair and the Erosion Insects that had reached Arsilan's borders were in a wretched state. Every last Erosion Insect had its head blown apart, and the one harboring the Lord of Despair was caught in an endless cycle of destruction and regeneration.
[S-Stop..., please stop.]
RomanticBard was having the time of his life for the first time in a long while.
Never before had he encountered a being that didn't break and could listen to his music for this long. RomanticBard gazed at the Lord of Despair with eyes full of genuine emotion.
"I shall hold a private concert just for you. Now, come right this way."
[Ugh, GYAAAARGH!]
"Hahaha! No need to be shy. I'll even give you an autograph when it's over."
The Lord of Despair's agonized screams echoed all around, but RomanticBard didn't hear a single one.
No need to listen to what others say.
Just play your own music.
That was his unwavering creed.
RomanticBard grabbed the legs of the Erosion Insect harboring the Lord of Despair and dragged it toward the indoor Concert Hall built in his territory.
THRASH THRASH!
Like a cockroach flailing in desperation, it kicked its legs wildly and clutched at the ground. But it was a meaningless act.
SCRAAAPE!
It only left a long trail gouged into the dirt. The Lord of Despair was dragged into the indoor Concert Hall. There were countless seats inside, all occupied by skeletons.
Seeing that scene, Jinwoo felt his mind go blank.
'His stats and skills....'
RomanticBard had poured every last stat point into mana solely to increase his audience size. And he had mastered the Skeleton Summoning skill. Thanks to that, the 3,000-seat indoor Concert Hall was packed to capacity.
As he entered, the skeletons clapped mechanically.
RomanticBard seated the Lord of Despair in the front-row VIP seat. The skeletons rose and bound the Lord of Despair to the chair with iron chains.
A concert dedicated solely to the Lord of Despair commenced.
[Y-You insane bastard! Stop it!]
"Thank you! The next song is...."
[GYAAAAAAAARGH! L-Listen to me for a second!]
Jinwoo squeezed his eyes shut.
He had muted RomanticBard's singing, yet just watching without hearing was enough to feel his mind being contaminated.
In stark contrast to the Lord of Despair's situation, the First Barrier was in a festive mood. Nobody bothered returning to Arsilan's surface, choosing instead to savor the lingering afterglow. Some Heroes had even brought festival supplies all the way from Alusion.
Every vista seen from the First Barrier was beautiful.
Arsilan's landscape stretched out below, and looking up revealed a sky overflowing with stars on the verge of spilling down. It was the perfect place to bask in victory.
[Ugh, urgh, auurrgghh!]
The Lord of Despair had half-lost its mind.
It had sustained damage severe enough to shatter its very sense of self. The Lord of Despair strained to wrench an arm free from the chains, and then,
SQUELCH!
it pierced its own head, killing itself.
It tore its soul free from the Erosion Insect and desperately tried to escape. Its soul was riddled with cracks, looking dangerously fragile.
The emotion of anger no longer existed within the Lord of Despair.
Even its pride had vanished, to the point where it chose suicide of its own volition.
In soul form, the Lord of Despair desperately surged upward to escape Arsilan. But it was blocked by the barrier and couldn't get out.
It was no different from a fly already trapped inside a collection jar.
SCRRRATCH!
Tentacles extending from its soul clawed desperately at the barrier.
Jinwoo watched the scene, then activated the Soul Gate. Chains shot out from the Soul Gate and coiled around the Lord of Despair.
[Wh-What?!]
Only then did the Lord of Despair look up at the Soul Gate hovering above it.
Hooks made of light burst forth from the Soul Gate. The hooks pierced the Lord of Despair with pinpoint accuracy.
CLANK!
The Lord of Despair thrashed wildly to break free, but the hooks didn't budge an inch. It was slowly, steadily pulled toward the Soul Gate.
RRRUMBLE!
The Soul Gate opened.
The Lord of Despair understood. Beyond that gate waited inescapable, eternal despair and suffering.
It had to run.
No matter what, it had to run.
[N-No!]
It looked like a fly struggling in a spider's web. The more it thrashed, the deeper the hooks dug in, only drawing it closer to the Soul Gate.
GULP!
The moment a smile formed on Jinwoo's lips, the Soul Gate swallowed the Lord of Despair whole. It devoured everything contained within the creature's soul.
Reduced to an empty shell with nothing but its bare ego, the Lord of Despair was cast into Arsilan's underworld. A spot had been prepared just for it, right next to the Lord of Greed.
They couldn't even acknowledge each other.
Because the boundless, endless agony forced nothing from them but screams.
The Soul Gate absorbed every last Authority the Lord of Despair had possessed. Jinwoo could feel his own rank rising at an explosive rate.
It felt as though his very soul was being reborn.
At that moment, a dramatic change occurred within the Soul Gate, which had been on the verge of evolution.
The Soul Gate lost its form and became a single, massive sphere of light.
That light grew larger and larger, then soared away from Arsilan and into outer space.
"Huh?"
"What?"
"What is that?"
Everyone who had been chatting happily atop the First Barrier looked up. The Soul Gate, which had been visible only to Jinwoo's eyes, revealed itself and appeared to everyone as a brilliant light.
The Soul Gate settled into a position closer than Arsilan's moon. It came to rest in Arsilan's orbit, becoming a small moon that radiated a soft glow. It looked like a moon composed of a Sacred Magic formation.
Ella approached Jinwoo's side and smiled brightly at him.
"Congratulations."
Her voice carried a sense of pride.
Congratulations for what?
Just as Jinwoo tilted his head in confusion,
Jinwoo, the Archmage, was a god who had surpassed the level of Transcendent Being.
The Soul Gate, like Jinwoo who had become a god, was reborn into a new form.
[Lord God] Soul Moon
A moon symbolizing the Authority of the Lord God.
The Soul Gate has evolved into a new form, becoming the Soul Moon that orbits Arsilan. As long as Arsilan and the Lord God exist, the Soul Moon cannot be destroyed by any force.
*All abilities possessed by the Soul Gate have been inherited and enhanced.
*(NEW!) [Lord God] Creation of Heaven and Earth
Using Sacred Power, all things that compose Arsilan can be created, and entirely new worlds can be brought into existence. Within created worlds, all items and monsters registered in the Soul Moon can be freely summoned and placed.
Jinwoo's expression was painted with astonishment.
The Soul Gate had evolved into the Soul Moon. It was observable even from Arsilan. On Earth, a gate resembling a Dimension Gate was generated in place of the Soul Gate, taking over its role.
'With this level of power....'
Previously, there had been limits when creating environments and spaces.
Constructing vast locations had been difficult. The resources required were enormous, and even the angels' labor had its limits. As a result, many areas relied on illusion magic to trick the eye, which restricted freedom.
This was truly a divine power.
It seemed like even terraforming barren, uninhabitable land would be possible. As a game developer, he had obtained an incredibly useful tool. Content development free from all constraints would now be possible.
"You've become the Lord God, and all you can think about is the game."
Helby appeared at Jinwoo's side and said quietly. Only then did he realize that he had become the Lord God of Arsilan. Ella had been congratulating him on becoming the Lord God.
The strongest god representing Earth and Arsilan.
That was what the Lord God was.
But nothing had changed.
He would simply continue building an Arsilan Saga that everyone could enjoy.
'Then.... shall I put on a show?'
The finale was important.
It had to be a conclusion that would satisfy everyone.
Jinwoo gathered every ounce of Sacred Power he had recovered.
The angels who had been offering prayers in the Grand Temple of Arsilan sent their Sacred Power to him. Thanks to the angels, the barrier could be maintained even more firmly.
The joy surging from Arsilan and Earth transformed into Sacred Power and settled into the Soul Moon. Even without receiving sunlight, the Soul Moon cast a gentle glow, looking down on Arsilan as though bestowing a blessing.
[Quest has been completed.]
*All of Arsilan and Levannas united their strength and defeated the Lord of Despair! Arsilan sustained zero damage! This is an incredible achievement! You have accomplished a feat rarely seen across countless parallel worlds.
*Of 1,377,133 Arsilanians detected by the Dimension Gate, all have fallen. 132 Arsilanians overcame the Lord of Despair. However, all of them suffered catastrophic damage.
*You are now entering a route no other Arsilanian has ever reached!
*The will of Arsilan and Levannas takes root in the great Hero's Flower.
The moment the Heroes saw the Information Window appear before their eyes, they erupted into cheers.
They already knew about parallel worlds from experience.
We accomplished a feat rarely found across countless parallel worlds!
"A hidden route?"
"Ohhh!"
"Isn't this even rarer than a hidden route?"
It was a singular, new route permitted only to them, one that surpassed even a happy ending.
FWOOOSH!
Radiant light burst from Arsilan's core. That brilliant light surged upward along the Hero's Flower. The instant the Hero's Flower blazed as brilliantly as the sun, its petals disintegrated into particles of light.
The light particles drifted into outer space like scattering pollen. They swayed and danced, becoming starlight.
THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!
"Huh?"
"The debris...."
The wedge made from Levannas, the things that wedge had shattered, the countless fragments scattered around Arsilan, and the structures everyone had built. Particles of light settled into all of it and everything began to vibrate.
The Hero's Flower rooted in the core began to dissolve. Even the ground that had formed the Sacred Magic formation turned to light and vanished. Everyone stood atop the First Barrier, watching the spectacle in stunned silence.
[The will of Arsilan and Levannas reveals itself for all of you.]
[Arsilan's regeneration has begun.]
Everything that had been floating in outer space became particles of light and rained down upon Arsilan.
All the things everyone had built together during Arsilan Defense carried an intense light within them.
The fragments that could be called Arsilan's scars shimmered in blue light, as though imbued with the glow of healing. The wedge the Lord of Despair had forged from Levannas flickered in red light as it headed toward the core.
"Ah...."
"Wow...."
Everyone watched from atop the First Barrier, gazing downward.
The vast expanse of Arsilan, which had been hollowed out with its core exposed, was regenerating as though new flesh were growing over a wound. The cooling core spun ferociously, radiating scorching heat, and upon it, land was forming.
It was awe-inspiring.
It looked like watching the creation of heaven and earth, as if a god were remaking the world. Every Hero, every citizen of Arsilan, and every demon watched, too overwhelmed to even remember to breathe.
Once the core was fully covered, the regeneration accelerated. Accompanied by tremors that felt like the earth itself was turning upside down, the ground rose as though surging to fill every gap. The instant all the empty space was filled, the First Barrier vanished.
Everyone's bodies descended, touching down on the restored land.
That was the moment.
FWAAASH!
A warm breeze could be felt.
Green rippled across the land like waves as vegetation sprouted, and the black sky, where the void of space had been visible due to the absence of atmosphere, gradually turned a deep blue.
As though a nightmare were closing shut, the black cosmos was swallowed by sky and faded away. Arsilan's boundary blurred as clouds rolled in, and mana began to circulate once more.
"Wooaaah!"
"Holy crap!"
"...Insane."
The Heroes stood on the restored land, too busy marveling at their surroundings to do anything else. The people of Arsilan spread their arms wide, feeling everything about their new Arsilan with their entire bodies.
The demons' eyes reddened with tears.
Because this regenerated Arsilan didn't feel unfamiliar to them. Woven into it were traces of Levannas's landscape, as though Levannas itself had taken root there.
[Arsilan has been fully regenerated.]
It was the perfect ending to Episode 5.