novelDen Chapter 259: Arsilan's Conspiracy (7)
Chapter 259: Arsilan's Conspiracy (7)
Translator: DreamscribeThe Fog Domain was swept up in a Gacha craze.
Before Jinwoo's arrival, the Erosion entities, be they Higher Entities or Servants, had all drifted aimlessly through the Fog Domain like jellyfish, bored out of their minds.
Even the concept of play was faint to them. The only things they ever did were hold meetings between factions or fall into deep slumber until prey appeared.
In fact, several of the Lords had fallen asleep at the edges of the Fog Domain as if in hibernation. A fair number of Higher Entities had drifted off alongside them.
Among the dimensions they had devoured, some had developed elaborate forms of play, but the Erosion entities paid no attention whatsoever. It was no different from how humans wouldn't bother to carefully observe and actually try out a game that a swarm of ants might enjoy together.
The Gacha that Jinwoo had brought, with its insane addictive quality, was nothing short of a fresh shock to their systems.
The tension of not knowing what would come out.
The excitement and thrill of pulling a good box!
The pang of frustration when a bust box came out to mock them.
And when the entity pulling behind them drew a good Artifact, they felt as resentful and furious as if the sky itself had fallen!
In the end, they would empty out every last scrap of Authority they had to challenge it again.
The Servants found the Authority drain severe, but since they could recover some of it by consuming Artifacts, they figured the loss wasn't all that devastating. The Higher Entities felt the same way.
The Sacred Power Jinwoo had embedded in the Artifacts worked to a certain degree on the Higher Entities, but it had no real effect on the Lords. To them, it registered as little more than an addictive flavor.
'Still, at least I can keep tabs on them....'
He could at least detect when a Lord was on the move in advance.
Erosion entities were more social beings than one might think. Aside from the fact that each individual was incomparably stronger than any Arsilanian, they didn't feel all that different.
They communicated based on a higher-dimensional understanding, but when you really looked at it, it was just a marketplace.
The phrase "People are the same wherever you go!" came to mind. Of course, that wasn't to say that the Erosion entities were people.
"I shall attempt an Enhancement!"
A fairly high-ranked Higher Entity stepped up boldly onto the ground. This Higher Entity looked like a statue with six arms. Servants and Higher Entities alike gathered at his cry and fixed their eyes on him.
The Lords made their appearance as well.
They sat upon their thrones and gazed down upon the ground.
The Higher Entity carefully lifted a 4-star Artifact into the air. Then he began to use, one by one, the ten Enhancement Tickets he had gathered over time. The success rate for going from 4-star to 5-star was 5%, and the chance of the Enhancement grade dropping was 10%. On top of that, starting from 4-star, there was also a chance of the Artifact being destroyed.
[Would you like to enhance the 4-star Kimchi Fried Rice?]
An Information Window written in the language of Erosion appeared. They all understood this to be a mystery of a higher dimension.
When the Higher Entity brought the Enhancement Ticket to the Artifact, light poured forth and a sound effect began to play.
DIIIIIING!
It was a sound effect that built up the tension.
The Artifact was enveloped in a rainbow glow as if it were transforming, and at the very moment the sound effect reached its peak,
Bli-li-li-lip....
It shifted into a hollow, deflated sound as the rainbow light faded away.
[The Enhancement has failed.]
"Ah...."
"What a shame."
"Heh...."
The watching Higher Entities expressed their sympathy while inwardly feeling relieved. A few even let slip a quiet smile. Nothing in the Fog Domain was as nail-biting or tension-filled as a show like this.
"The wall of 5-star rarely crumbles, it seems."
"Is this the promotion method of the higher dimension?"
"Hmm."
Though the Lords maintained their dignity, their relief was visible too. His pride now wounded, the Higher Entity began using up every last Enhancement Ticket. Unfortunately, he failed to succeed until only the final ticket remained.
"T-this is my last one."
How many Authority Stones had been poured into this!
If he couldn't pull off a 5-star, the loss would be enormous.
The Higher Entity's soul trembled violently under a pressure and tension he had never felt before.
He brought the final Enhancement Ticket to the Artifact.
At the moment when rainbow light swirled around it and the sound effect reached its climax,
FWOOSH! KABOOM!
Countless firework effects burst in the air, dyeing the surroundings in brilliant color.
"I did it! I succeeded!"
The Higher Entity was so overcome with intense pleasure that he couldn't contain his body. He thrashed about so wildly that the ground split apart and the Servants around him were knocked to the floor.
[5-star] Kimchi Jjigae
Kimchi Fried Rice has been enhanced into Kimchi Jjigae.
When eaten with white rice, its flavor is truly exquisite.
The Kimchi Jjigae in its earthen pot looked mouthwateringly delicious. The Higher Entity poured out his Authority to seal it away preciously, then turned his gaze to his Lord.
"I offer the glory of the first 5-star Enhancement to my liege."
As the Servants applauded, the Lord lightly raised a hand in acknowledgment. When Jinwoo looked closely at the Lord, he saw him brimming with jealousy.
"If I want to do more Gacha...."
"I need prey."
"I have to eat!"
Higher Entities and Servants who had burned through massive amounts of Authority flocked to the Lord of Fear's faction. Now that they could cross the dimensional barrier, it was as good as having prey laid out before them. The Kalsus Dimensional Empire possessed countless colonies, and they were packed with prey.
The only thing that could truly sate their hunger was an Artifact. The higher the grade of the Artifact, the greater the satiation, of a kind they had never experienced before, and the higher-level concepts contained within it.
And the Gacha itself was thrilling enough to make their souls tremble.
Let's go! Time to devour!
Let's replenish our Authority!
The Erosion entities lined up to cross through the gap Jinwoo had opened. Normally, the Higher Entities and Servants would have been carefully selected and sent through in small numbers, but now the situation had changed completely.
The Erosion entities were filled with resolve!
The Lords were backing them generously as well. The goal was to secure a regular route and aim for a stable supply of Authority Stones. And if they could break through more dimensional barriers, they wouldn't have to remain in debt to the Lord of Fear.
Jinwoo watched the Erosion entities departing for the Kalsus Dimensional Empire and nodded.
The power the Kalsus Dimensional Empire possessed was formidable enough to rival the Erosion itself, so while pouring in all of this force would cause them heavy losses, they would be able to hold it off well enough. No Lord-class entities were crossing over, and Kalsus possessed something Erosion lacked: organized discipline.
'They've fought Erosion for that long, after all....'
The Kalsus Dimensional Empire knew Erosion well enough to have developed technology capable of capturing Erosion entities alive. Now that the Erosion invasion had begun, Kalsus was going to be busy for a while.
'Dimensional invasions will be held up for the time being.'
The Kalsus Dimensional Empire was currently invading countless dimensions simultaneously. They didn't have the capacity to respond to the Erosion while pressing forward with their invasions at the same time.
He had effectively bought time for the Heroes to be deployed.
And....
'This is the perfect setup to stir up chaos.'
Jinwoo was planning to do some work on the Kalsus side too. That was why he had planted Kalgul Molrus there in advance.
But there was something he had to do first.
Jinwoo took up position before the dimensional rift like a gatekeeper. If any entity tried to sneak across without permission, he would swing the Erosion Sword and absorb them.
The Lord of Fear, seeing him volunteer for such a tedious task on her behalf without being asked, felt deep and heartfelt gratitude.
'First, let me set this on autopilot....'
Jinwoo formed a self based on the actions he had taken up to this point. Since it was a mechanical self, it was filled with sincerity, pouring its full strength into every action. Melting down Authority Stones to replenish it made the disguise flawless.
It was linked to Jinwoo's will, so he could issue commands as if operating a character. To manifest large-scale Authority he would have to inhabit it directly, but under ordinary circumstances there would be no problem.
"Alright then...."
Jinwoo, having entered the space he had built inside his body, settled in to rest thoroughly.
[Analyzing....]
[You have caused a negative impact on transcendent beings of the dimensional realms.]
[A massive amount of Evil Karma Value has been acquired!]
[A massive amount of Evil Karma Value has been acquired!]
[A massive amount of Evil Karma Value has been acquired!]
.
...
....
Information Windows like these popped up, but he was too busy resting and brushed them aside.
After taking a hot spring bath and even getting some sleep for the first time in a while, Jinwoo returned to the Dimensional Transit Ship with a refreshed heart.
* * *
Ella and Helby were still aboard the Dimensional Transit Ship, watching over the countless Constellations and Avatars.
Avatars who reached the doors of the Floor Boss were often helpless against the powerful bosses. They had three Life Coins, but Constellations could replenish them by spending a large amount of Constellation Points.
Ella scanned the Constellations and Avatars, carefully looking them over.
HoHoGamMan could clearly be seen fretting as he watched over his Avatar. HoHoGamMan's Avatar was gripping his staff tightly, visibly tense.
[The Bomber of Love worries for you.]
"I-I'm fine. I can do this. I-it's only the 10th floor. I'll definitely climb to the highest heights and make my Constellation proud!"
[The Bomber of Love says you don't need to do that.]
"B-but I want to be useful too."
The Avatar shook his head vigorously as he spoke.
As befit an Avatar chosen by HoHoGamMan, he had an exceedingly cute appearance. He had been picked purely for cuteness rather than combat prowess.
After reviewing the information on HoHoGamMan and his Avatar, Ella nodded.
"It's time to use that."
"Isn't it too early? We should be more careful."
"No, now is the perfect moment!"
"Hmm...."
Helby still objected to Ella's suggestion, but she couldn't break Ella's stubborn resolve. When Ella stretched out her hand, golden light descended upon the Dimensional Transit Ship and flowed toward the Evil God's Tower.
[Your Affinity with the Constellation Bomber of Love has reached B-rank!]
*Using the Evil God's Emblem, you can summon the Clone Body of the Constellation. To use the Evil God's Emblem, you need the Constellation's permission and Constellation Points.
*The Constellation's Clone Body is influenced by Affinity, the Avatar's level, and stats.
*If the Boss Room of the floor in question is exited, the Constellation's Clone Body will vanish.
An Information Window appeared before HoHoGamMan and his Avatar.
True to the name HoHoGamMan, HoHoGamMan had become the first to achieve B-rank Affinity.
The text "Bomber of Love" appeared before the door. HoHoGamMan was streaming in order to show off his Avatar's cute appearance. Avatar-showoff streams had become one of the current broadcasting trends.
-What?
-Summon a Constellation's Clone?
-Wait, can it actually go in?
-This wasn't in the patch notes?
-Oh, this is like the help system from those old games.
-Ah! Multiplayer worked like this too.
The chat window erupted into chaos.
If a first-ever notification like this popped up and you didn't try it, you weren't a Hero. The cost in Constellation Points was pretty steep, but HoHoGamMan boldly paid up. The text floating before the door then released a bright burst of light.
[The Bomber of Love's Mark has been activated.]
HoHoGamMan's Constellation Mark rose above the text.
[The Bomber of Love instructs you to touch that mark.]
"Y-yes, understood."
As the Avatar carefully placed his hand on the mark, a black magic circle appeared on the floor, and someone emerged.
It was Ella, who had been standing by.
-Oh!
-Big sis...
-Still beautiful as ever.
Ella was pleased as she watched the chat's reactions, but she kept her expression in check.
"The Evil God has praised the Affinity between Constellation and Avatar. Constellation Bomber of Love, I shall summon your Clone Body. Unfortunately, due to the Avatar's low level and stats, the Clone Body will not be able to fully contain the Constellation's power."
HoHoGamMan had been watching his Avatar through the Information Window. When Ella reached out her hand, the Information Window suddenly turned black, and a black hand emerged.
WHOOSH!
The black hand that had come through the Information Window grabbed hold of HoHoGamMan's body.
"Gurk?!"
Something was yanked out of HoHoGamMan's body. It looked as though his very soul had been pulled free. HoHoGamMan froze as though time itself had stopped for him, and the black hand disappeared back through the Information Window.
Swoosh!
HoHoGamMan's Clone Body appeared before the Avatar.
The Clone Body was smaller than the Avatar. His original form had been turned into an SD chibi character, giving off the impression of a plush doll.
"C-Constellation?"
[The Clone Body looks at you.]
HoHoGamMan blinked his button-like eyes as he gazed up at his Avatar. He couldn't speak, but he could express his intentions by outputting messages through the Constellation system.
-LMAOOO so cute
-This is hilarious af
-Actually this is hella fun tho
-Clone Body level is 12?
-Lmao look at those stubby lil arms and legs
HoHoGamMan pulled out his weapon. It too had been shrunk down to an adorable size.
[The Bomber of Love (Clone Body) says he will help you.]
The Avatar dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms tightly around the Clone Body.
He seemed to have developed a strong affection for its adorable appearance. HoHoGamMan flinched at first, then broke into a wide grin.
-Oooh...
-Gotta grind up Affinity.
-HoHoGamMan just hit the peak of his career!
HoHoGamMan and his Avatar stared at the Boss Room door for a moment, then stepped inside. After watching them go in, Ella dissolved into black liquid and vanished.
"It works perfectly!"
Success!
Back aboard the Dimensional Transit Ship, Ella cheered and threw both hands up in joy.
Any minute now, an incredible reaction would come pouring in on Arsilan Worlds! As she was reveling in that thought, her eyes met Jinwoo's, who was standing behind her.
"O-oh, hi? Y-you're back early."
Ella wore an awkward expression and lowered her hands.
"You've rolled out quite an interesting system update."
"W-well, you see...."
Ella avoided Jinwoo's gaze.
Helby pretended not to notice.
Though they had pushed the update through without asking, even Jinwoo had to admit the content wasn't bad. He could see traces of deep research into various games.
"I'll leave the Evil God's Tower in your hands going forward too."
"Really?"
"The idea was actually mine, I'll have you know."
Ella broke into a wide smile.
Helby sidled back over to claim a share of the credit. As an employee of the Erosion Headquarters, she was more than qualified to help manage the Evil God's Tower.
The reason Jinwoo had come here was to give something to Ella and Helby.
Jinwoo had purified Lesser Authority Stones, filling them up with Sacred Power. Converting Erosion energy into Sacred Power was now something he could do with nothing more than his will.
[Lord God] Purified Lesser Authority Stone
The Erosion energy has been purified and converted into pure Sacred Power.
It can strengthen Authority, and, if only slightly, raise Divinity.
He took out two Lesser Authority Stones and handed them over to the two of them.
"W-what is this? Wow! I've never seen anything like it!"
"Pure Authority resides within it."
For divine beings, it was nothing short of a miracle elixir.
"For now, just absorb it."
When Jinwoo, without offering any real explanation, simply told them to absorb it, the two stared at the Authority Stones for a moment before popping them into their mouths. The Authority Stones had all been compressed down to the size of marbles, so they looked like candy.
The two began channeling their energy and absorbing the Authority Stones.
Ella's golden aura deepened, and her Sacred Power surged.
Helby's Mana, too, grew far more abundant.
After observing the two of them, Jinwoo nodded. He could feel that their divine rank had risen, if only slightly.
Since there was no telling what might happen down the line, Ella and Helby, Arsilan's greatest combat assets, needed to become far stronger than they were now.
Ella, seemingly moved, gazed at Jinwoo with misty eyes.
"What an incredible treasure. Getting hold of something like this couldn't have been easy..., thank you."
"...Giving away a treasure like this is foolish."
Though Helby spoke gruffly, she couldn't hide her expression. It was full of gratitude.
"It's really nothing."
To Jinwoo, it truly was nothing.
But the two of them took his words to mean he was trying to ease their sense of obligation.
"I'll do an even better job! If there's anything I can help with, just say the word!"
"Hmph, if it's a small favor, I'll grant it."
The two of them looked ready to do anything.
"Oh? Then there is something I'd like you to do for me."
Jinwoo looked at Ella and then at Helby, each in turn, with a warm, meaningful gaze. At that, the two of them gulped and grew tense.
What were they imagining?
Jinwoo was curious, but he didn't ask.
Jinwoo looked toward the empty space beside him and stretched out his hand. He pulled out every Authority Stone stored in his Subspace, purifying them as he did.
TA-RA-RA-RA-RATTLE!
As the Authority Stones began piling up, Ella and Helby were left utterly dumbfounded.
Even just the Authority Stones they had absorbed a moment ago were rarities that could never be obtained in Arsilan. Compressing Authority into crystalline form required expending one's own Authority. Beings capable of doing such a thing had to be exceedingly rare.
And yet....
"W-w-when is it going to s-stop coming out?"
"Insane.... What am I even looking at right now?"
They were piling up!
They were piling up into a heap!
A Superior Authority Stone rolled right up to Helby's feet. Helby picked up the Superior Authority Stone with trembling hands. It contained Authority so powerful it was dizzying.
"So, now eat it all."
"Huh?"
"What the...."
This was Jinwoo's favor.
He hadn't taken all of them out. He had only brought out enough to raise Ella's and Helby's divine rank.
"A-all of that?"
"That's a bit...."
Jinwoo looked at Ella and Helby and gave them a sunny smile.
Open wide!
The Authority Stones are going in!
"Urgh!"
"Guhh!"
On this day, Helby and Ella feasted until they could barely hold themselves up.
"Evil God...."
"An Evil God indeed."
For the first time in a long while, Ella and Helby's opinions were in complete agreement.
[A massive amount of Evil Karma Value has been acquired!]
Jinwoo's Evil Karma Value kept climbing higher and higher.
*****
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