Translator: Dreamscribe

The troll’s massive body crashed to the ground.

The tanks had used consecutive Shield Charge attacks and broke its legs. Though the troll thrashed until the end, once it lost its club, it was a one-sided beatdown.

“Graargh! Grugh!”

Plop!

The troll slumped down and turned into ashes, disappearing. Its tenacious life had finally ended.

“It’s dead!”

“Haha! We did it!”

Haebyul and the players cheered.

-Finally killed it.

-My palms are so sweaty.

-Now I can't watch movies ㅋㅋㅋ

Haebyul calmed her trembling hands.

UruBear’s body was also shaking. Haebyul looked at him and gave a faint smile.

“Bear ajusshi, are you crying?”

“I’m not. It’s just... raining.”

“Pfft.”

UruBear shed hot tears.

The players’ cheers did not last long. That was because the lich still hovered in the air, radiating a powerful presence.

Fortunately, thanks to the barrier cast by Saintess Airi, the lich’s magic could not reach the players.

-But, how do we get rid of that thing?

-That’s scary as hell.

-Just look at the presence. That’s clearly not a boss meant to be beaten here.

The lich unleashed a wave of dark energy and poured it onto Saintess Airi’s barrier.

Unlike before, Saintess Airi’s movements appeared stiff, and the players assumed she was overexerting herself.

“Please leave it to me.”

Leon’s voice reached everyone’s ears.

“I shall borrow your strength.”

Whooosh!

All the floating particles of light nearby gathered into Leon’s sword. The once ordinary blade became a holy sword that radiated dazzling brilliance.

Leon, holding the holy sword, looked overwhelming. He exuded nobility, as if he would not tolerate even the slightest impurity.

Paaat!

Leon shot toward the lich like an arrow.

“Ah....”

Haebyul and the players stared blankly at the sight.

Leon with the holy sword clashed with the lich.

Every time the radiant holy sword and the lich’s magic collided, shockwaves exploded outward, and lightning flashed across the sky as though tearing it apart.

Kwaa! Kwaaang!

They clashed and bounced off each other repeatedly. Leon, like a comet, left a trail of light as he split through the darkness, while the lich unleashed writhing black tentacles, gliding through the sky like a kraken.

-Wow...

-What is this production?

-I mean, it looks like this on a monitor, but in real life I’d probably piss myself.

-I already did.

Even the chat window wasn’t moving much. Everyone was too absorbed in watching the fight between Leon and the lich.

Leon, knocked away, landed on the ground.

For a moment, the two stared at each other.

Everyone watching could instinctively tell.

This would be the final strike.

[How dare you stand before me again...!]

Kugugugu!

When the lich stretched both arms forward, the earth tore itself apart and rose into the air.

The sight of a landmass the size of a building soaring into the sky was truly astonishing. It was an unreal nightmare.

[Die! Vanish like your kingdom!]

The lich hurled it straight toward Leon.

-Uwaaa!

-It’s falling!

“T-That’s...!”

“C-Crazy!”

Haebyul, UruBear, and the players could only scream at the sight.

Leon looked up at it and calmly raised his holy sword.

Whooosh!

His holy sword shone brilliantly.

As if charging energy, it began to emit an even more intense light.

Kwa-ga-ga-ga!

When the white light on the holy sword turned into golden light, Leon flew up toward the incoming landmass.

Slice!

He swung the holy sword at the wall of earth, filling the entire view, and split it in half. Accelerating along the divided cliffside, he left a glowing trail as he charged at the lich.

The lich raised both hands, trying to unleash his dark power, but it was too late.

[Ku-Kuaaagh!]

Leon had already dashed past the lich, slicing through his waist. Twisting his body in midair, Leon slashed through the lich’s head as well.

Whoooosh! Slash!

Leon landed where the players were gathered.

“Hoo.”

As he flicked his sword, the holy sword reverted to an ordinary blade.

KWA-A-AANG!

The split earth fell to both sides, creating a storm of dust. The shockwave sent rocks flying, but the barrier protecting the players held firm.

Thunk!

The lich plummeted to the ground.

Having lost his lower body and with half his skull severed, he crashed pathetically onto the earth.

[Ku-Kugh! D-Don’t think this is a victory!]

The lich crawled pitifully on the ground, reaching toward the sky.

[O, Dark Priest! G-Grant me salvation...!]

As he spoke, the ground turned into a black swamp and swallowed the lich whole.

Leon tried to stop it, but he was already too late.

The moment the lich disappeared, the dreadful battlefield of darkness began to lose its power and gradually returned to its original state.

The red sky turned blue, and the land once again overflowed with life.

“Th-This place is...”

Haebyul, waking from a dazed state, looked around.

“Evanth?”

In the distance, the peaceful village of Evanth could be seen.

This was the field in front of Evanth.

“We’re back!”

“D-Did we win?”

Everyone turned to look at Leon.

Leon gave a gentle smile and nodded his head.

“The lich got away..., but with wounds like that, it won’t be able to move for some time.”

Leon sheathed his sword.

“Yes, we have won.”

Leon declared it so.

Then.

[Quest completed!]

[Leon’s Quest] The Approaching Conspiracy (Completed)

*Leon’s affinity increased by 20.

*The entire subjugation team gained a large amount of experience points.

Paaat!

Light burst forth from the bodies of Haebyul and the other players. The energy of erosion that had accumulated from the troll was evenly distributed among all players.

“We cleared it!”

“We won!”

“Waaaaaah!”

The players cheered.

More than the level-up rewards, the fact that they had triumphed brought a far greater joy.

Had she ever been this happy before?

Haebyul shook her head. She didn’t think she had ever felt this kind of emotion. She wasn’t the only one feeling this joy. UruBear and all the other players around her felt the same.

As if by agreement, everyone gathered around Leon.

“You were truly magnificent. I think it’s time I seek guidance from you, heroes.”

Leon looked at the players with a bright smile.

[Rare Title (Praise Sticker) acquired!]

[Leon] You Did Very Well!

Leon’s praise sticker.

Only those recognized by Leon can receive this praise sticker. Attach it next to your title and proudly show it off to everyone.

*Contribution +50, Affinity with all Evanth villagers +30

“Huh? Extra reward?”

“Oh!”

“Guys, this thing moves!”

Every player gathered there sparkled their eyes like children as they placed the praise sticker above their heads. It was placed just beside the title and looked quite good.

If you lightly tapped it with your finger.

Ting!

A chibi version of Leon appeared, nodded his head, and stamped the phrase “You Did Very Well.”

The Northern Grand Duke glanced around nervously and tried pressing the praise sticker. She blushed slightly from joy, then quickly tried to compose herself. Life Hunter also nodded with satisfaction.

-It’s like a token of the advance team.

-So freakin' cute ㅋㅋㅋ

-This feels like the best reward. Not something just anyone can get.

-I got recognized by Leon-nim, ahhh.

“Hehehe.”

Haebyul kept tapping it.

UruBear, having immediately equipped the praise sticker, looked around and then discovered something.

“Huh? There’s something on the ground here?”

A terrifying black sigil was drawn on the ground.

When Saintess Airi saw the black sigil, she walked toward it stiffly, as if her body had frozen up.

“T-This is....”

As Saintess Airi reached toward the magic circle, sparks flew and the magic circle was erased.

“It’s a curse of erosion that interferes with the power of Goddess Ella. It seems to be disrupting the summoning of heroes.”

Saintess Airi’s tone was rigid and formal.

Leon nodded and immediately continued speaking.

“Now that the curse of erosion has been lifted, many more heroes will be able to come to Arsilan.”

[Arsilan] The Conspiracy of Erosion

Thanks to the efforts of the subjugation team, more heroes can now visit Arsilan. Stand against erosion alongside the new heroes arriving in Arsilan and track down the hidden conspiracy.

Type: Main Quest

Duration: Unlimited

Participants: Unlimited

A main quest window appeared for every hero connected to Arsilan Saga. This was a true main quest, not classified as a regular quest.

Up to this point, everything had been a tutorial. From now on, the real story was about to begin.

“It’s a main quest!”

“Huh?”

“More heroes? What do they mean by that?”

“Oh? Awesome! Guys, go check out Arsilan Worlds!”

At those words, Haebyul opened the interface and accessed Arsilan Worlds. As soon as she connected, a notification window popped up.

[Official Service Begins!]

Hello!

This is the Salvation Headquarters of FS Games, always supporting our heroes and doing our best to assist.

Thanks to the brave efforts of all heroes fighting for Arsilan, the curse of erosion has been lifted, and now even more heroes can visit Arsilan!

With the end of Early Access, the second wave of Soul Link pre-orders is now open.

We await the arrival of heroes ready to face erosion in Arsilan!

Thank you.

-Uwaaaa! It’s finally here!

-Soul Link!!

-It’s mine! Everyone move aside!

-How much stock? How much? Please please please

-Pre-ordering this is harder than getting into Seoul National University ㅋㅋ

-Why are they even making the Soul Link sales part of the lore? Why are they so serious about this...?

Communities around the world exploded.

And the moment this news dropped, all flights to Korea reportedly sold out.

* * *

“It’s dead....”

Once the troll was slain, Tia set down her game pad and stretched.

“The heroes have grown strong.”

She had been so immersed in the game that her body lost all strength as soon as it ended.

Now, they were about to enter Episode 1 of the main story she had written.

Swoosh!

Tia pulled out her notebook.

1. Make them fall in love with Arsilan, Evanth, and Leon.

2. Deliver a brutal devastation so intense it shatters their minds. (Very, very important!)

3. Blame everything on erosion.

4. Cheer for them wholeheartedly.

Episode 1 would carry out point 1, but the main focus was point 2. The better she executed point 2, the more impactful point 3 would become.

Nodding as she reviewed the contents of the notebook, Tia quietly rose from her seat.

She entered a small room on one side of the secret base. A red light was on, and one wall was covered by a curtain.

Whip!

She pulled down the curtain, revealing photos of various individuals.

Heina, the guards, Thomson, and other citizens of Rainsword currently active in Evanth.

“Who would they be saddest to lose?”

Twitch!

The corner of her mouth lifted as she held a red pen.

“...Hehe.”

Now it was her turn!

*****

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