usatvline Chapter 240: Prelude to the Dimensional War (4)
Chapter 240: Prelude to the Dimensional War (4)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Jinwoo strategically deployed the Kalsus Dimensional Empire's 99th Legion forces he had abducted using the Dimensional Transit Ship.
He had ripped out entire military bases wholesale and placed them as they were. As a result, the infrastructure the 99th Legion had used was now laid across Luzen exactly as it had been.
With a large number of troops stationed on top of it all, the scene looked quite impressive. To give it the feel of a completely different world, he had also created various environmental themes throughout.
"Damn, now THIS is a dimensional war!"
"The scale has gotten massive, hasn't it?"
"Feels like several times bigger than the Great War?"
"That warship looks sick."
The crew members marveled at the transformed Luzen.
For now, everything stood still as if frozen in place, but once the Heroes arrived, the forces would move according to the planned choreography, delivering an overwhelming spectacle.
The Intermediate Dimension had been perfectly decorated as well, and Luzen was airtight. The stage was fully set!
Tiris: It's complete. I'll transmit it to your location now.
A message came in from Tiris.
Since Soul Gates had been established in both the Intermediate Dimension and here, real-time communication was possible. Objects could be transmitted as well. A Magic Circle materialized in front of Jinwoo, and the item Tiris had crafted revealed itself.
The crew members crowded around to take a look.
"Oh, that looks sick?"
"Black is always the way to go."
"Is this the thing?"
Jinwoo grinned and nodded.
It was a sleek set of full-body armor. It was a slightly modified version of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire military's uniform. If the soldiers' armor felt somewhat rugged, this set was slimmer in form, emanating a sharp, cutting presence. On top of that, the black color made it look exceptionally cool.
This was the costume for the villain Jinwoo would be playing.
Since Leon was the Emperor of the Sillion Empire, the guardian of Arsilan, it would be difficult for him to personally march out to a dimensional war. For this Episode 6, Jinwoo would focus on his role as the villain.
'It has been a while.'
He had briefly played a villain back during Episode 1.
The name of the villain he would be taking on was General Gord Barok Sorgensa. He had borrowed the name from a general who actually existed within the Kalsus Dimensional Empire. The man was a general capable of commanding ten Higher Legions and one of the few high-ranking nobles.
All of this was information extracted from the division commander.
General Gord.
Not a bad name. Shortly after, several Magic Circles appeared around the armor.
"These are for you guys."
Jinwoo looked at the crew members.
"Oh, oh! Really?"
"Us too?"
"I thought we'd just be watching...."
"Ohhh!"
Everyone was thrilled and surprised.
Reincarnated Heroes were forbidden from interfering in Arsilan Saga. They could enjoy Arsilan Saga, but they had to thoroughly conceal their identities and combat abilities. They were, in essence, Arsilan's hidden trump cards.
Having gone through the trouble of reincarnating into Arsilan only to be unable to properly enjoy Arsilan Saga was incredibly frustrating. But now they could actually appear in Arsilan Saga directly!
"Glad I reincarnated."
"Heheh! The other Reincarnated Heroes are gonna be so jealous."
"Hell yeah, we're finally making it to the main stage!"
A general needed subordinates befitting his rank.
Once the crew members suited up in their armor, they looked quite convincing.
The epaulettes attached to the armor suited them rather well.
Dedicated weapons were also distributed. When they held a weapon and pressed the button, Aura formed along the blade. It was Aura imbued with a more powerful attribute than ordinary Aura.
Just as Jinwoo was about to put the armor on over the body he was currently using, another body was transmitted. It had long silver hair.
'Right, nobles do have physical bodies.'
Jinwoo had obtained information from the commander that nobles of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire possessed physical bodies.
To stay faithful to the setting, Tiris had crafted and sent a body optimized for this armor. In the Kalsus Dimensional Empire, the distinction between noble and commoner was precisely whether or not one had a physical body.
Jinwoo switched bodies and donned the armor. It fit so perfectly it felt like a second skin.
"Not bad."
The low, rough voice laced with a slight mechanical undertone was suitably villainous. Once he added the cloak capable of blocking all magic and skills below C-rank, the look really came together.
Jinwoo gripped the dedicated weapon in his hand.
It was just a handle, but when he pressed the button, countless blade fragments emerged from within and formed a blade longer than his own body. The edge glowed red-hot, and black sparks began crackling along it.
[A] General Node's Lightning Sword
A sword created by modifying a Kalsus Dimensional Empire blade.
Only the handle needs to be carried, and the blade can be formed at any time. Powerful energy courses through the blade, capable of cutting through any material below A-rank. Each swing sends black lightning crashing down around the wielder, accompanied by the roar of thunder.
*Creator: Tiris and the Dwarves.
Jinwoo gave it a few test swings.
KRAKOOM!
Lightning struck the surrounding area as thunder rolled across the landscape. This should be more than enough to make a strong impression on the Heroes.
The crew members applauded in admiration.
"Oh, looking good, Captain."
"Should we call you General now?"
"Let's get a photo!"
The crew members gathered around and took a group photo.
General Node and his subordinates, who would play a crucial role in Episode 6, had been born.
"Captain! Let's work out an entrance scene."
"Hm? Do we really need to go that far?"
At Ignis's insistent urging, all the crew members nodded in agreement. The crew members were tremendously passionate.
"Heh heh...."
"Worthless insects. End yourselves. That is all you are worth."
After rehearsing together for quite some time, they began to sink into their villain roles.
Jinwoo smirked.
This time around, even Jinwoo felt like he could really enjoy himself.
Maybe he could blow off some of the stress the Heroes had given him?
[The Evil God's Evil Karma has increased.]
The moment he entertained wicked thoughts, his Evil Karma began to rise.
All of this was for the sake of Arsilan and the Heroes, and beyond that, for the salvation of the entire dimensional realm!
Truly.
Really!
* * *
The Heroes systematically took down the Erosion's Lesser Entities one by one. The closer they got to the Higher Entity, the larger and more difficult the territories became. The Lesser Entities the Heroes had dubbed "Marquis-class" each delivered a spectacle on par with the Lord of Greed. It was impossible not to keep being impressed.
KRAAASH!
A massive rhinoceros-like Erosion Lesser Entity charged forward. With every step it took, small earthquakes rippled outward and the ground split apart.
"Whoa?! Is this the final rage pattern?"
"Dodge the charge!"
"Gah!"
Thick gray fluid was oozing from the rhinoceros's body, and its flesh was tattered all over. It had looked ready to drop dead at any moment, but then it suddenly sprang back up and launched into its final rage pattern.
The rhinoceros's charge reduced thousands of Heroes to dust.
"Lure it to the cliff!"
"Let's go!"
"Follow on your mounts!"
Named Heroes on their mounts harassed the rhinoceros and guided it toward the cliff. The rhinoceros bellowed and gave chase after the Named Heroes.
Just before plummeting off the cliff, the Named Heroes quickly unsummoned their mounts and threw themselves sideways.
KRAKOOM!
Unable to stop, the rhinoceros charged straight off the cliff and slammed into the opposite side in an instant.
The force was staggering.
The small mountain on the opposite side shook violently and began to collapse.
"Attack!"
As they unleashed a barrage on the rhinoceros buried in the rubble, the raging beast's body scattered and vanished.
"It's down!"
"Hell yeah! First Clear!"
"Man..., that was a whole month of absolute hell."
The Heroes had spent an entire month making countless attempts to defeat the hardest Lesser Entity. With the rhinoceros as the last one, all thirty territories had been cleared.
[The path to the last remaining great Erosion now opens.]
With all the Lesser Entities gone, the way to the final remaining Higher Entity opened. Having received their clear rewards, the Heroes immediately prepared to move toward the Higher Entity.
"But seriously, what is this thing? It looks like some kind of machine...."
"Just hold onto it for now."
Every time they killed a Lesser Entity and cleared a territory, one of these mechanical devices had dropped.
[??]????
??? ?????
Even appraisal revealed nothing about its identity.
The Heroes speculated it was a quest item.
As the massive procession of Heroes began marching toward the Higher Entity, Leon, the Imperial Knight Order, and the Sillion Empire's forces appeared in a burst of light. Joining them were not only Elly and Helby, but also Serazade, Saintess Airi, and representatives from each city.
"Leon?"
"Oh! The Knight Order!"
"Hello there!"
"Saintess! You're so pretty!"
Jinwoo greeted the Heroes with a bright smile.
He had been monitoring the clear progress and joined at the right moment for the staging.
"Thanks to you Heroes clearing the way, we can now advance toward the last remaining Erosion."
When Jinwoo drew the Holy Sword, light burst forth and settled upon every Hero present.
"To reclaim Arsilan, far too many heroes have sacrificed themselves. From Evanth to the Great War, the Empire, and all the way to Levannas..., we lost dear friends, and we had to bid farewell to a great king."
The Heroes gazed at Jinwoo in silence.
When they closed their eyes, they could see the countless companions who had been with them along the way.
Through all those experiences, they had become true Heroes of Arsilan and proud citizens of Sillion.
"The time has come to fulfill our deepest wish. As Emperor of the Sillion Empire, I will tolerate no more suffering. Heroes! Champions of Arsilan! My dear friends! Let us destroy the Erosion and reclaim Arsilan!"
And beyond that, they would become the heroes who liberated Arsilan once and for all.
"For Arsilan!"
At Jinwoo's cry, smiles spread across every Hero's face.
"For Arsilan!"
"For Levannas!"
"For the Sillion Empire!"
Each time they shouted the rallying cry, a different emotion welled up.
Sorrow, resolve, excitement, anticipation, and joy.
Perhaps the reason the side stories could never match the main episodes was the narrative and history they had all built together.
Brilliant light poured from Jinwoo's Holy Sword, parting the Erosion's energy as it surged forward. Every time the particles of light touched the ground, Hero's Flowers bloomed, illuminating the surroundings.
The Holy Sword's light reached all the way to where the Erosion dwelled.
[All the light of Arsilan blesses you.]
[Through the Hero's Flowers created by the Holy Sword's light, you may travel to the last remaining Erosion.]
There was no need to go searching for the Erosion.
They could travel directly to it right now.
[The final battle in Arsilan awaits you. Will you move to liberate Arsilan completely?]
Everyone transformed into light and moved to the Erosion's location.
A massive temple appeared before the Heroes' eyes. Above the temple, a crack was visible.
A Dimensional Rift.
The Dimensional Rift, rippling with blue light, was gradually expanding as it reacted to the Erosion emanating from the temple.
GRRRRRR!
Bursting through the ground, a caterpillar as large as a mountain revealed itself. Long hairs bristled across its entire body, and more than a thousand enormous eyeballs were embedded in its flesh.
That was the last remaining Higher Entity of the Erosion in Arsilan.
"Whoa...."
"That thing looks terrifying."
"The presence is insane."
"Bet it doesn't even taste good."
Thousands of eyeballs rotated simultaneously, fixing their gaze on the Heroes.
FWOOOSH!
Spines that had sprouted from within its body burst through the eyeballs and emerged outward.
Each one was the size of a mountain peak. As the tips of the spines aimed toward the Heroes,
BOOOOOM!
they shot out straight at them.
They were so fast they ignited flames upon colliding with the atmosphere.
The instant Jinwoo swiftly swung the Holy Sword to deploy a barrier, the barrage of spines embedded themselves in the earth. Massive explosions erupted, sweeping across the surroundings.
"If not for Leon...."
"We'd have been wiped in one hit."
"What kind of power is that...."
The Heroes who barely survived looked around.
There had definitely been a large mountain range beside them, but it had been flattened to level ground. The power was overwhelming. Spines slowly began rising from the caterpillar's body once more.
"We have to attack before the spines fully form! I will protect you!"
As Jinwoo raised the Holy Sword high and shouted, the Heroes rallied their morale and charged toward the caterpillar. The final battle in Arsilan had begun.
* * *
The battle against the caterpillar went on for quite a long time.
As the caterpillar's wounds multiplied, various attack patterns emerged.
It spewed silk laced with deadly poison and created swamps made entirely of venom.
Once the caterpillar's body had been split open to a critical degree, it let out an unearthly shriek and spewed silk to encase itself. It had become a chrysalis.
The chrysalis cracked open, and a grotesque fly emerged.
A fly that spewed toxic fluid.
'Nice.'
Even Jinwoo found the staging satisfying.
After countless Heroes combined their strength, they managed to set the fly's wings ablaze and send it crashing to the ground.
The fly desperately moved its few remaining legs, crawling toward the temple. The Heroes tried to stop it, but the surrounding terrain had transformed entirely into a toxic swamp, making it impossible to get close.
[Heh, hahaha! You will be defeated.]
The fly looked at the Heroes and let out an ugly cry.
[Insects from a primitive dimension! Just you wait! I will devour you all! I will return!]
Leaving those words behind, the fly flung itself into the Dimensional Rift.
"Huh?"
"Did it just run away?"
"Ah..., we lost it."
The moment the fly entered, the Dimensional Rift closed and the temple came crumbling down.
The Heroes had never expected the fly to flee.
Who could have predicted that the final battle for Arsilan's liberation would end so anticlimactically?
[All Erosion has vanished from Arsilan.]
[Arsilan begins its regeneration.]
FLASH!
The black clouds all vanished as sunlight bathed the land. The Erosion-corrupted earth was purified, and grass, flowers, and trees grew rapidly.
Lakes formed on the barren ground, and far in the distance, an ocean so vast its end could not be seen settled into place.
The Heroes stared blankly at the sight.
The people of Arsilan shed tears of emotion.
The Demon Race also shed a few tears before quickly looking around to see if there was anything they could profit from.
"We won."
"We won."
There were no cheers.
The Heroes simply basked in the afterglow, gazing at the reborn Arsilan. Then, one Named Hero who snapped out of the emotion began glancing around.
The words were itching to come out.
There was something they absolutely had to say.
"So...."
"So what happens now?"
Just as a Named Hero started to broach the subject, the Hero beside them quickly cut in.
Now that the Erosion had been completely eradicated from Arsilan, would there even be new content? And for the conclusion of such a grand journey, it felt hollow. The staging was unlike what they had come to expect from Arsilan Saga.
Just as the Heroes were buzzing with uncertainty,
Jinwoo approached the temple where the Erosion had fled. The Heroes tilted their heads curiously and followed him. There, they found a large, sphere-shaped mechanical device, broken apart.
"This is...."
When Jinwoo placed his hand on it, the broken sphere floated into the air. At the same time, a dimensional crack split open and a rift began forming once more.
The mechanical devices the Heroes had been carrying flew out of their inventories and attached themselves to the sphere.
[Glory to the great Kalsus Dimensional Empire! May it endure forever!]
"Let me try translating this."
When Jinwoo touched the Holy Sword to the information window, the characters rearranged themselves and were translated.
"Kalsus Dimensional Empire?"
"What's that?"
"Never heard of it...."
The Kalsus Dimensional Empire?
Every Hero who read the information window could only wear a look of bewilderment.
[Current location is confirmed to be a remote frontier dimension beyond the reach of homeland communications. Searching for dimensional coordinates to send a distress signal.]
[Searching..., search complete.]
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The sphere flashed red, as if emitting a signal.
[A colony dimension has been located for sending the distress signal. Marking the position on the dimensional map.]
A map began unfolding above the sphere.
Arsilan appeared on the map. It was situated inside a large sphere, with everything that comprised Arsilan visible in full detail.
[Frontier Dimension]
The sphere labeled Arsilan as a nameless frontier dimension. The sphere shrank until it became a tiny dot.
"Huh?"
"Whoa!"
"That's...."
Countless other spheres appeared, growing smaller and smaller until the massive Kalsus Dimensional Empire dimension at the center revealed itself.
Arsilan had become so small it was no longer even visible. Everyone was left dumbstruck by the sheer vastness of the dimensional realm.
"Are all those sand grain-sized things dimensions?"
"The side story setting finally makes sense. It was all buildup for this."
"World expansion on WHAT level...."
It was world-building expansion on an absurd scale.
As the light that had flowed from Arsilan settled into the dimensional crack, the rift began pulsing with blue light.
[...Please help us.]
[Please..., save us.]
[Please....]
A desperate will transmitted through the Dimensional Rift reached everyone in Arsilan.
Along with that will came wrenching sorrow and anguish. The emotion was so raw and intense that one particularly sensitive Hero burst into tears on the spot.
[Arsilan has been completely liberated!]
[Massive experience points and rewards are being distributed.]
[Arsilan] The End of the Journey, and a New Beginning.
'O great Light! O Darkness! We praise you.'
Through your devoted efforts and valor, Arsilan has been freed from the Erosion's dominion.
The light you created has safeguarded Arsilan.
The effort you poured in has saved Arsilan.
Every adventure you experienced has enriched Arsilan.
You are the light that illuminates all things in this world, and the darkness that devours every enemy.
Your great name shall be forever inscribed in Arsilan's history, never to be erased.
The journey to liberate Arsilan ends here.
But beyond the Dimensional Rift, the cries of many souls yearning for your light and darkness can be heard.
O Light! O Darkness!
Let us go and see what this is about.
Requirement: Hero of Arsilan
Reward: ???
Arsilan's final quest had appeared.
Just as the Heroes were reading through the quest and marveling at its contents,
"Guys! Another video just got posted!"
"Huh?"
"Look at the title!"
A video had been uploaded to Arsilan Worlds. It was in a pre-release countdown, so the video itself couldn't be watched yet. But the title was very strange.
"Arsilan Saga...."
"Episode 6 Prologue Part 2 trailer?"
The Heroes were stunned.
Their jaws dropped.
"Part 2 means...."
"Everything up to now was Part 1?"
"And it was just the prologue?"
Everything that had happened so far was nothing more than Part 1 of Episode 6's prologue.