SCT-Novel Chapter 260: Salvation (1)
Chapter 260: Salvation (1)
Translator: DreamscribeElla and Helby began devouring every one of the Authority Stones Jinwoo had pulled out. An opportunity like this wasn't going to come again, so they had to force them down no matter what. Digesting them all at once was by far the most efficient approach. Since this wasn't something built up through training, absorbing it slowly could cause the rank piled up with Authority Stones to gradually evaporate.
So they had to keep eating until their souls grew to the next stage.
"Ugh! I'm stuffed...."
"To put it precisely, your soul is in a state of saturation."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"As expected, you're an ignoramus. I pity the people of Arsilan for thinking you were the Goddess of Wisdom."
Ella raised a fist toward Helby, but her stomach felt off and she plopped down on the floor instead.
Nothing was actually piling up in their stomachs. The moment they ate, it was broken down and stacked onto their souls. That feeling of fullness that filled their very souls was a completely unfamiliar sensation for both Ella and Helby. Their insides probably felt strange, as if they'd gotten indigestion.
"Do you know what I went through among the Erosion beings to bring those back...."
I did have some fun, though.
He didn't say the latter part out loud.
When Jinwoo murmured as much, Ella and Helby went right back to diligently polishing off the Authority Stones.
The moment they finished, a change occurred.
Ella's and Helby's bodies rose into the air, and their physical forms crumbled apart like a shedding skin.
FWOOSH!
Radiant golden light and starlight burst out. The brilliance was so intense that it reached even beyond the Dimensional Transit Ship. That light carried a power strong enough to snuff out even the essence of Erosion.
Starting from the tips of their toes, their bodies slowly reconstituted themselves. They looked no different from before, yet somehow they seemed to have grown, if only just a little.
Ella ran her hands over her body and then broke into a wide grin.
"Wow! I got taller!"
"Barely, but...."
Ella seemed to have gained about 1cm in height.
Helby's horns had become sturdier than before too, and the scales on her tail gleamed more beautifully than ever.
For some reason, Jinwoo kept growing and growing in proportion to his efforts, but Ella and Helby were different. From the moment they ascended to divine status, they stopped growing, as if hitting a wall.
That was the limit of their souls.
But like Erosion had been, it was something that could be overcome. They had broken through that limit by pouring in the massive power of Authority.
Jinwoo checked their information.
[Ella, Goddess of Arsilan, has become an Intermediate God!]
[Helby, Guardian Dragon of Arsilan, has become an Intermediate Divine Dragon!]
Their Divinity had risen, and now they had become true gods.
Lesser Gods weren't all that different from Transcendent Beings. But starting from Intermediate God, things changed. They could possess enormous Authority that couldn't even be compared to a Transcendent Being's.
Ella's sacred power had increased more than threefold, and she could now hold out against Erosion to some degree even in places without the Soul Moon.
The same went for Helby. Her mana had also surged greatly, and now divinity was woven into her mana itself.
"I, I'm overflowing with power? Uuugh!"
"Hmmm...!"
Ella and Helby looked at each other.
In an instant, their eyes turned savage.
"Hey."
"Mm."
"Let's go."
"Bring it."
Ella and Helby flew out of the Dimensional Transit Ship and soared high into the sky. Once they were a good distance away from Luzen, they immediately started fighting.
KWAAA! KWAAANG!
Every time the two collided, shockwaves rippled out, scattering clouds, and golden light and starlight rained down onto Luzen. The Heroes stopped what they were doing and gazed up blankly at the spectacle.
Jinwoo let out a sigh and quickly drafted an announcement.
[Luzen is brimming with the light of Arsilan! For one week, the Creator God's Great Blessing descends upon Luzen.]
*Experience +200%!
*Evil God's Tower experience +200%!
*Constellation Shop 20% off!
*All Stats +10%!
He made it look like a phenomenon caused by the Great Blessing.
Since he could just consume Authority Stones, even a Great Blessing like this was no burden anymore.
Authority Stones were still accumulating even now. The Erosion beings that had crossed over through the dimensional rifts were gorging themselves like mad, producing Authority Stones. And whenever they discovered a slave or something rare, they immediately drew the symbol representing the Blade of Terror on the ground.
[A Servant offers up 4,321 slaves.]
When that notification popped up, Jinwoo opened the information window to check the situation.
Over four thousand slaves were swallowed up by the symbol and disappeared.
Among the slaves, there were a few with strong willpower or outstanding potential. Jinwoo obtained their consent and sent them to the Evil God's Tower. Those who had gone from slaves to warriors climbed the Evil God's Tower, and the number of Avatars kept on growing.
[The Blade of Terror praises you. The Blade of Terror melts down its own Authority and grants you a Free Gacha Ticket.]
A Free Gacha Ticket dropped in front of the Servant.
The ticket, which emitted a soft blue glow, was engraved with the symbol of the Lord of Terror. The Servant reverently tucked the Free Gacha Ticket away inside its soul.
[The Blade of Terror begins an event. From now on, all rewards will be granted at double the usual amount.]
As that will was conveyed, Higher Entities and Servants alike grew frenzied with excitement and began rampaging. The Kalsus Dimensional Empire forces that had come to respond to the invasion were visibly flustered by the momentum. Tremendous troop losses were unfolding.
Jinwoo secretly installed a Detection Tower within Kalgul Molrus's territory.
It was a structure that could detect which dimensions the Kalsus Dimensional Empire was invading. Since it was composed of the essence of Erosion and had been planted deep within the planet, there was no risk of it being found.
[Analysis complete.]
Once the analysis was complete, Tiris approached.
Jinwoo held out a Superior Authority Stone to Tiris.
"A present for you."
"It's even more impressive in person."
With a Superior Authority Stone, Tiris could cast grand magic any number of times.
"If we incorporate it into a body, I believe we could bring a new entity into existence."
"A new entity?"
"Yes. If we create and impart traits, individuality, and a concept, we could forge an entirely new species. And if we borrow Arsilan's power, I think we could even craft the very soul that serves as its core."
Of course, doing it right away was difficult. But creating a perfectly living sense of self for the existing puppets and NPCs was within reach.
Tiris placed the Superior Authority Stone atop her staff. Vines sprouted from the staff and held the Superior Authority Stone firmly in place.
"I'll hand over plenty of Authority Stones, so go ahead and research them."
"Thank you."
Tiris already looked like her fingers were itching at the thought of studying Authority Stones. They were treasures that couldn't even be compared to something like a Philosopher's Stone, so that was only natural.
Tiris brought up an information window.
The dimensions being invaded by the Kalsus Dimensional Empire appeared. It wasn't all of them, only the ones located near Luzen.
"I'll designate the region we are currently in as the southern area of the Dimensional Realm."
Luzen was the southern part of the Dimensional Realm. If one continued further down from there, the Wall of the Abyss stretched across, and only after descending a great deal more could one reach Arsilan.
"Currently, 5,213 dimensions in the southern area are under invasion."
"That's a lot."
Factoring in the other regions, the number would easily soar past ten thousand. The Kalsus Dimensional Empire and Erosion had incinerated and devoured countless dimensions, yet a substantial number still remained.
Over five thousand information windows sprang up all around Jinwoo.
Each one had its own unique character. There was a planet made of water, a species that looked like fire spirits, and even a species that seemed like a cross between humans and dinosaurs. There were places where science and technology had developed quite far, much like Earth, and others that were still at the level of ancient civilizations.
If Jinwoo and FS Games were to develop such worlds themselves, it would take an astronomical amount of time even using the Lord God Engine. The development itself would proceed quickly, but they'd still have to handle the planning, design, and world-building on their own.
There was no need for any of that!
Because there were over five thousand uniquely crafted dimensions right there in front of him!
"Due to the Erosion invasion, their invasive operations are being delayed. Quite a few locations have even halted their invasions and returned home."
Since there was a chance Erosion could push deep into the heart of the Kalsus Dimensional Empire, the Empire's forces were suspending their invasions, leaving only minimal garrisons behind, and falling back to their main base.
It was exactly the situation Jinwoo had wanted.
His plan to stir up chaos was working precisely as intended. At this rate, it was even feasible to deploy Heroes to save these dimensions.
The Heroes would be spread thin across those five thousand-plus dimensions, but the Heroes who had grown this far would showcase formidable power.
"A fitting time to deploy the Heroes."
"Yes. Through the Constellation system, the Heroes have grown considerably. The number of Heroes above level 200 has also increased significantly."
Thanks to the Evil God's Tower, the upper level bracket of Heroes had also been well replenished.
"Luzen has mostly been wrapped up, and it's been activated, so...."
It was time to send the Heroes onto the main stage of the dimensional war!
It was only after this that Jinwoo himself would personally start meddling with the Kalsus Dimensional Empire.
Alright, then. Let's pull out what's been prepared.
* * *
A fair amount of time had passed since the Evil God's Tower had been unveiled.
The number of Heroes had surpassed 900 million and was approaching 1 billion. Thanks to the Evil God's Tower, quite a few Heroes had reached level 200 and become Constellations.
Every time an Avatar cleared ten floors, Constellations received great rewards. Among those rewards, however, were some things that didn't quite make sense.
[???] Dimension ??? Fragment 1 (1/100)
Grants ???. ???
Fragments emitting a blue glow would occasionally drop. Even appraising them revealed no clear information about what they were. The fragments were numbered 1 to 100, and the Constellations who possessed them had decided to gather in one place.
There was a space in the Evil God's Tower where Constellations could congregate as a group. That was the Constellation Banquet Hall.
[Bomber of Love has entered.]
[Howling Swordsman has entered.]
[Spirit Archer has entered.]
Constellations could, as a baseline, conceal their identities. They could operate as Constellations without revealing their Hero names. Of course, most of them didn't really care about that, but among the famous Constellations there were quite a few whose true identities hadn't been made public.
To enter the Constellation Banquet Hall, one had to turn their avatar into an SD Character. Using Constellation Points, one could purchase not just outfits but also accessories like masks or effects.
The Constellations entered the banquet hall each flaunting their own distinctive style.
"Well, all familiar faces, ain't it."
"Hmph, same bunch as always."
"No point trying to hide."
Having known each other for so long, they could tell who was who just by looking at an avatar, as plain as an information window.
A Constellation wearing a golden mask pulled out a Gold Card and showed it to everyone. Inside the Gold Card was the beautiful figure of an Avatar, and when the card was lifted into the air, the figure appeared like a hologram.
"Heheh, lovely, isn't she?"
That Gold Card could be purchased at the Constellation Shop.
Buying one required a fair amount of Constellation Points and Arsilan gold. Just the Arsilan gold alone translated to roughly five million won in real currency. Including the value of the Constellation Points, it easily broke past ten million won.
"Hmph, that much?"
"Flexing with cash."
"She's pretty, though."
The Constellations stared at the Gold Card with envious eyes.
"Heard FS Games is sending out physical copies too. Better buy one fast, it's a limited edition."
The Constellation holding the Gold Card carried himself with easy confidence.
He was the great magnate GoldSilverAward. He was running multiple large trading vessels and had even established a huge trading company on Luzen. His avatar, too, was plastered from head to toe in money.
"Alright! We're all gathered today because of the fragments, right? Let's put the fragments together quick and find out what they are!"
At the words of the Constellation holding the shining bow, the Spirit Archer, everyone nodded. Everyone already knew that Spirit Archer's real identity was Haebyul. She was broadcasting, after all, so there was no way not to know.
The Constellations rummaged out their fragments.
The moment all 100 fragments came together, they rose into the air.
[Fragments of the Evil God's Authority have been gathered.]
[A fragment of the Authority that was lost long ago when the Evil God fell into a deep slumber.]
The fragments merged into one, becoming the emblem of the Evil God.
[The Evil God commends your efforts. This great Authority shall henceforth serve the Constellations.]
[The Evil God's Authority dwells within you.]
The emblem of the Evil God drifted to the center of the banquet hall and transformed into a massive thornbush. Vines stretched out from the thornbush and coiled around the wrists of every Constellation in the hall.
The Constellation Mark that every Constellation bore gained a border resembling the thornbush.
At the same time, an information window popped up.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Evil God's Authority.]
[Evil God] Salvation of the Constellations
You have completed the Authority that the Evil God had lost!
As your reward, you have been granted the shared Authority to freely cross between dimensions.
You can cross over to a dimension seeking help by forming a party, guild, territory, or other group. To resolve the pressure that occurs when traversing dimensions, a means of transport is required.
Blueprints can be purchased at the Constellation Shop.
[The Evil God has negotiated with the will of Arsilan and added new items to the Constellation Shop.]
*[A] Dimensional Armor Blueprint (Bound to guild or territory)
*[A] Dimensional Engine Blueprint (Bound to guild or territory)
*[A] Dimensional Travel Device (Constellation equipment)
*[A] Dimension Gate Link Device Blueprint
*[A] Dimensional Blockade Device Blueprint
The Constellations who looked over the newly added blueprints at the Constellation Shop marveled.
"We could apply this to our ships, couldn't we?"
"Tons of ships captured from the Kalsus guys went up on the market, right?"
"There are large-class vessels too, so...."
There were ships built in Arsilan as well as plenty of ships remodeled from Kalsus Dimensional Empire military vessels. The Helby Fan Club already owned a fleet numbering in the hundreds.
-Whoa.... ships that can cross dimensions? I can't resist this.
-Blueprints prob cost a fortune tho?
-Says you can bring groups over, so it sounds like low-level Heroes can come along too. I'm lvl 105, take me with you pls!
-So one Constellation becomes the captain?
With a Constellation and a ship remodeled using those blueprints, dimensional travel was possible.
After the Great War, the Heroes had crossed the desert by ship.
Even after the Hanu Sea appeared, ships connected them to the vast land beyond the ocean.
Now it was time to cross dimensions by ship!
"Uuugh!"
"Can't take it anymore! Buying right now!"
"I've already bought them all."
As befitting A-rank items, they cost quite a lot of Constellation Points, but the Constellations wiped their balances clean to buy every last blueprint.
"I wonder which dimension it'll be."
"Even just three dimensions would be fine by me."
"Three? Isn't that a bit much?"
Even for FS Games, adding three dimensions on the scale of Luzen would be a massive undertaking. Even if they generated characterless dimensions through copy-pasting or random generation, that would be understandable.
"I'd say they'll add ten. After all, this is the Creator God we're talking about!"
At Haebyul's words, the Constellations nodded.
If it was the Creator God, that and more was well within the realm of possibility.
The chat window agreed with Haebyul too.
-Y'all still don't get the Creator God. He's the guy who built a fusion reactor just to let us play Arsilan Saga in comfort.
-He'll toss us at least ten lol
-Bro's gonna stuff us till we burst lmao
Ten dimensions on the scale of Luzen!
That overwhelming volume was clearly unrealistic. But if it was the Creator God, it was possible! It was just such a moment of swelling anticipation.
[Dimensions in need of aid will now be displayed.]
Such a notification appeared.
Where exactly would it be displayed?
The Constellations tilted their heads in confusion.
"Huh?"
"It popped up right next to me?"
"Is that a dimension?"
An information window surfaced, revealing the form of a new dimension.
It was a dimension made of water.
A species whose bodies were covered in beautiful scales were fleeing from a storm of harpoons the Kalsus Dimensional Empire forces were raining down on them.
"Just one dimension? Well, for a place that distinctive, I suppose it's fair enough...."
The Constellation had barely finished speaking before multiple information windows appeared in quick succession.
"Huh? Ten for real?"
"Whoa! Long live the Creator God!"
"Oh, it really is ten!"
As ten dimensions materialized, the Constellations broke into a festive mood.
That much content was more than enough to fill their content-starved bellies to the brim.
Haebyul grinned wide as her prediction proved correct.
"See! The Creator God always...."
Before Haebyul could finish her sentence, the information windows began multiplying as if dividing.
"Huh?"
"Wh, what the?!"
The information windows numbered in the hundreds.
"Insane...."
"Th, there are more than a hundred?"
"This has to be a lie."
The information windows that had begun to surround the banquet hall surpassed several hundred, then broke past a thousand.
"St, stop!"
"N, no, how far is this going to go?!"
"Gasp!"
Two thousand, three thousand..., and then five thousand!
All 5,213 dimensions appeared in full.
Not a single dimension resembled another. Each was a world with its own unique civilization and laws.
"Ah...."
"Uh...."
"......"
What is this? A dream?
The Constellations were all utterly stunned.
They felt like they were about to die from being too stuffed.
*****
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