Chapter 315: Now This Is Arsilan Saga! (3)

Translator: Dreamscribe

At first, it was mesmerizing.

The Stars and Stripes and the emblem of the Sillion Empire fluttering above the imperial palace grew larger and larger until they seemed to fill the entire sky. Their mouths fell open and refused to close.

The Stars and Stripes and the emblem of the Sillion Empire dissolved into particles of light and disappeared, scattering beautifully through the air as though blessing everyone present.

The enchantment the American delegation felt throughout their entire bodies turned into awe.

A magnificent imperial palace of a grandeur that could never be seen on Earth.

Dragons guarded the skies above the imperial palace, while knights clad in brilliantly shining armor formed an impregnable wall that permitted no intruders.

The knights moved like machines in perfect synchronization with the Emperor, without the slightest gap anywhere in their formation. Simply watching them created such an overwhelming atmosphere that it felt suffocating.

“Good heavens….”

The American delegation was utterly overwhelmed.

When people witnessed something beyond their comprehension, their thoughts naturally froze. Now that they had entered the very heart of Arsilan, they felt as though they were standing before the sun itself.

Anyone who visited this place would find themselves intimidated.

Neither the United States nor any other nation could flaunt its might here. America could not use the military power it prided itself on to interfere, and even if it somehow could, it would be helplessly pushed back.

That was not simply because this place was Arsilan. Even in reality, far from interfering, they had to tread carefully around FS Games. FS Games had already grown far beyond anything a nation could control, and even the United States could not free itself from FS Games' influence.

If FS Games were to withdraw completely from the United States, the blow would be so severe that the country might never recover.

The comfort provided by fusion power.

Medical technology that had eliminated nearly every disease.

And Arsilan Saga, another reality unto itself.

No nation on Earth could escape FS Games or the influence of Arsilan Saga.

Under circumstances like these, they should have felt uneasy.

Strangely, however, their hearts began to relax, and a familiar feeling emerged, almost as though they had returned home. The feeling became so strong that they felt they could bare everything in their hearts.

They were being purified.

Their misguided thoughts faded away, and it felt as though the innocence they had possessed at the very beginning, the purity they had long since lost, was returning. Warmth entered the U.S. president's gaze.

The U.S. president smiled brightly as he returned Jinwoo's greeting.

“Thank you for such a grand welcome.”

Jinwoo shook his hand.

Cameras floated around them, recording the entire scene. The American delegation had also brought its own photographer.

“Thank you for saving American citizens.”

“I merely did what I should.”

“Your English is remarkably good.”

“Is it? I learned it from the Heroes, though I haven't used it in a while, so I'm a little rusty.”

The U.S. president expressed his gratitude for what Jinwoo had done during the recent fire incident. Jinwoo guided the president into the imperial palace.

Jinwoo did not particularly want anything from the United States.

They simply had to avoid being tainted by evil and uphold what was right. The American side, on the other hand, wanted quite a lot. Showing a pro-Arsilan stance miraculously raised approval ratings, so they wanted photographs and videos that showed a warm, friendly atmosphere.

‘That's easy enough.’

It was simple.

Even so, it was somewhat unexpected.

The American delegation treated Jinwoo as though he truly were the emperor of a real empire. They were not merely putting on an act. Their sincerity was genuine.

‘Given America's technological capabilities….’

Had they perhaps already guessed that Arsilan was not simply a game, but something more?

Jinwoo fell into thought for a moment. Come to think of it, their attitude toward him was exceptionally humble as well.

‘Well, it probably doesn't matter. After all….’

Jinwoo intended to reveal to the Heroes someday that Arsilan truly existed.

The situation was very different now from the past, when he had been little more than a candle before a tidal wave. He looked forward to seeing how the Heroes would react when the truth was finally revealed.

Even that would be a massive event!

Jinwoo had already worked out how to stage it.

“This is the garden.”

“Oh, there's a lake.”

A broad lake lay before the garden.

“Do you know how to fish?”

“I've enjoyed it since I was young. My body isn't what it used to be, so I haven't gone lately….”

The U.S. president answered with a smile.

Here, he felt more energetic than he had even in his youth. Jinwoo handed him the fishing rod he had prepared.

“Oh! It's beautiful!”

The U.S. president was immediately captivated by the mysterious fishing rod. He looked like a child who had just received a present from Santa.

It was a custom-made fishing rod designed specifically to suit his tastes.

The U.S. president was indeed old, but from Jinwoo's perspective, he was practically a child. After all, he was even younger than Tiris.

“Heh heh, I had intended to prepare a gift as well, but there were too many practical restrictions, so I couldn't bring one.”

“It's more than enough that you look after America's Heroes, Mr. President.”

Jinwoo went fishing with him.

The president quickly adapted to fishing in Arsilan. Jinwoo had prepared this fishing trip as well after briefly peeking into his memories.

SPLASH!

A huge fish took the bait.

The U.S. president nearly got yanked straight into the lake, but Jinwoo caught hold of him.

“I, it's really strong!”

“I'll help you!”

Jinwoo grabbed the fishing rod beside him.

At that moment, the U.S. president became immersed in his memories. A very long time ago, when his father had first taught him how to fish, they had been in a situation just like this. As the nostalgia of those days came rushing back as though it were right before his eyes, his eyes reddened.

“Pull when I give the signal!”

“A, all right!”

The tension was palpable.

Even the American security detail watched the scene with excitement. Since there were absolutely no safety concerns here, they had never experienced such an easy protection assignment before.

“Now!”

“Hrrrgh!”

When he yanked the fishing rod with all his strength, a gigantic fish shot out of the lake. The U.S. president, his bodyguards, and the aides who had accompanied him all stared wide-eyed. The enormous fish flew through the air and crashed into the garden.

THUD! THUD!

The fish's wild thrashing made the entire area shake. An imperial mage extended a hand, and a bolt of lightning crashed down, causing the fish to go still. The U.S. president's expression instantly brightened from the exhilarating pull he had felt through the rod.

“That's quite a catch. Impressive.”

“Ha, haha! Thank you!”

For the first time in a long while, he felt truly alive.

“Since we're at it, I'll cook it for you myself.”

Jinwoo smiled as he drew his sword.

In an instant, the garden transformed into a banquet hall, and cooking facilities appeared. Jinwoo personally prepared traditional Arsilan dishes from the fish the U.S. president had caught and served them to everyone. He lightly enchanted the food so that it would bring happy memories to the surface.

The U.S. president closed his eyes after tasting the food.

Old memories that had grown hazy became vivid again, making him feel as though he had returned to those days. His eyes grew moist. The others were the same.

“Is it to your taste?”

“It's delicious. Truly….”

He answered in a voice thick with emotion.

He had spent his entire life chasing only the very top. Somewhere along the way, he had lost the romance he had once carried in his heart.

He had thought it had vanished completely, but apparently that romance was still alive and breathing somewhere inside his chest.

The U.S. president had fallen completely in love with Arsilan!

Jinwoo smiled and nodded. It was always a pleasure to see another Hero begin enjoying Arsilan.

Afterward, Jinwoo chatted with the U.S. president and showed him around the imperial palace. They became surprisingly close, even exchanging jokes with one another.

“Your Majesty, I had a wonderful time. Would it be all right if I came to visit from time to time?”

“Yes, you're welcome anytime.”

The U.S. president clearly wanted to stay longer, but both sides had other engagements to keep, so he had no choice but to leave.

“Hmm….”

After logging out and removing the Soul Link, he found his aides waiting for him. He thought for a moment.

“Cancel everything on my schedule.”

“Sir? If you're going to win reelection, this time we need to….”

“Enough. What does any of that matter?”

He shook his head.

The romance he had experienced in Arsilan had completely transformed his values.

“There's no romance in it. You may leave now.”

“Understood.”

Perhaps retiring instead of running for reelection would not be so bad. No, perhaps that would actually be more enjoyable.

Once everyone around him had left, he put the Soul Link back on.

He searched Arsilan Worlds for ‘romance’.

‘RomanticBard, huh….’

Now there's a fellow who understands romance!

He nodded.

[Wanna party up and grind?]

[Yes!]

[Come to the front of Evanth! Once you're here, we're good to go.]

A comrade-in-arms had sent him a message!

He immediately raced toward Evanth.

Strangely enough, after he began playing Arsilan Saga in earnest, his approval rating rapidly soared.

Long live the Creator God!

Surely this, too, was a blessing from the Creator God.

***

The meetings with the leaders of the candidate countries continued one after another.

Thanks to the personalized presentations, everyone reacted exactly like the American delegation. Jinwoo also peeked into their memories, immersed them in nostalgia, and helped them realize what they truly wanted.

He taught swordsmanship to the British prime minister and gave the Japanese prime minister several pieces of imperial memorabilia along with his autograph. He also gave appropriate gifts to the leaders of South Africa, Qatar, and the other candidate countries.

He did not forget to give them heartfelt advice as well.

Guiding Heroes onto the right path was his duty as Arsilan's Lord God, and the leaders of the candidate countries were no different.

‘History, conflicting interests, greed, and all sorts of other problems have made it difficult to come together, but….’

Perhaps it was possible now.

Arsilan would bind everyone together.

They could bitterly repent for their wrongdoings, and though it would be painful and difficult, perform the great miracle of forgiveness and move toward the future together.

Jinwoo believed it.

Heroes were precisely the kind of beings capable of doing that.

The meetings had been sudden, but Jinwoo felt deeply satisfied.

DING! DING! DING!

Message notifications kept sounding.

If there was one side effect to these meetings, it was that they had all become completely captivated by Jinwoo. In a single day, they had gone beyond close friendship and become so sincere toward him that they treated him almost like family.

[Earth will have to recognize the Sillion Empire now.]

[The Americans may have proposed the matter, but we'll be the first to bring it up.]

[Would it be all right if I visited again next week?]

Jinwoo had opened a communication channel with the candidate countries, and messages were pouring through it.

The instincts embedded deep within their souls wanted to rely on Jinwoo!

‘With a difficult battle ahead, peace on Earth is important too.’

The day when Arsilan would make its debut in the dimensional realm was drawing near.

Jinwoo had moved busily, devised countless schemes, and made extensive preparations, but even so, it would not be easy. Then again, when had any battle ever been easy?

Arsilan Worlds was fairly lively as well.

Which country would make the announcement?

That was currently the biggest topic of interest.

Title: Anyone seen the pics they released this time?

I was looking at the pics they posted, and everyone looked ridiculously cheerful.

Is it because they're in Arsilan? Even their eyes look different.

Looks like they really made the most of their time at the imperial palace.

Seems like they got gifts too.

Anonymous1: So damn jealous they got to spend time with Leon-nim.

Anonymous2: Didn't they basically just go there to indulge themselves? What did they even go for?

Anonymous3: Leon-nim has it rough. I feel bad for him just looking at this….

└Anonymous4: That's a fucking huge imposition, though.

└Anonymous2: Still, I'm jealous of the gifts.

Photos taken during these meetings were uploaded through the official social media accounts of several countries. They were immediately shared on Arsilan Worlds. After all, official accounts for the candidate countries had also been created on Arsilan Worlds.

The response was not bad, but the comments were full of jealousy.

Getting to spend that kind of time with Leon-nim was something that had only been possible in the earliest days.

In any case, the Heroes had also voted directly in the selection of the country that would make the announcement, and FS Games applied adjustments when incorporating their votes into the final result.

“Your Majesty, preparations are complete.”

Jinwoo nodded at Heina's words and headed toward the center of Alusion.

Ella and Helby appeared on either side of Jinwoo.

Jinwoo looked out over the cheering crowd and raised the Holy Sword high, while Helby and Ella also lifted their hands.

Light burst forth, streaking across the skies of the Sillion Empire and extending all the way toward the center of Arsilan.

That light stretched toward the brightest star in all of Arsilan.

The center of the world.

It reached the Soul Sun.

FWOOSH!

At that moment, an enormous Hero's Flower appeared above the Dimension Gate.

[Arsilan invites you. Would you like to travel to the center of Arsilan?]

“Of course I'm going! No way I'm missing this!”

“Let's go!”

The Heroes received the invitation at once.

At that moment, the Heroes' bodies began gently floating into the air. Light flowed from the Hero's Flower like drifting pollen and settled over every Hero, forming shimmering barriers around them.

“W, whoa!”

“We're going up, right?”

“So it's not just teleportation.”

The Heroes rising from all across the Sillion Empire looked like glittering stars.

Jinwoo shot into the sky first, with Ella and Helby following behind. Then came the Heroes and the people of Arsilan.

Leaving behind long trails of light that would not fade for a long time, they departed the Sillion Empire and continued climbing higher. They passed the moon, then passed what remained of the Soul Moon, and traveled onward into the vast expanse of Arsilan.

“We're insanely fast!”

“Daaamn!”

“Ships don't even compare!”

“Where are we going?”

The Heroes chattered excitedly as they looked around.

They crossed through space at an incredible speed that seemed to far surpass the speed of light. Instead of heading directly toward the center, they made for one of Arsilan's brightly shining stars.

“That's….”

“Ah! Luzen!”

“It's Luzen!”

A planet familiar to the Heroes came into view.

Light rose from Luzen as well, and countless Luzen inhabitants joined the procession. Luna of the Evil God Cult, who had become rather popular among the Heroes, could also be seen. Unlike the Heroes, who radiated light, she was shrouded in darkness.

After circling Luzen once, they accelerated even further. They rapidly swept past Arsilan's New Worlds. Each time they did, Heroes and Arsilan inhabitants from those New Worlds joined them.

“I, is th, this really okay?”

“Yes, it's fine. We do this every time.”

“I, I see. Something like this every time….”

“Oh! Hey, guys!”

“There's so many people!”

The Arsilan inhabitants from the New Worlds, who were not accustomed to spectacles like this, were scared stiff. With countless people joining together and shining as one, it felt as though they themselves had become part of a galaxy.

After crossing every New World, they finally headed toward the center of Arsilan.

A gigantic sun.

Simply looking at the sun that illuminated all of Arsilan sent a thrill through them.

“W, waaagh?!”

“W, we're falling!”

“Holy shit!”

They plummeted rapidly toward the blazing sun.

Were they seriously going into the sun?

“I, is this something you do every time too?”

“…Hmm, this is….”

“Yes?”

“I don't know either. Haha! Well, I'm sure it'll work out somehow!”

“Ah….”

Even the Heroes were bewildered because this particular spectacle was a first for them.

The newbie Heroes and the Arsilan inhabitants from the New Worlds jumped in fright, and some even screamed.

They pierced through the surface of the sun and went inside.

Their bodies did not melt because the barriers protected them. Everyone briefly closed their eyes against the overwhelmingly bright light. When they opened them again, a familiar landscape spread out before them.

It was the Celestial Realm, grown even larger than before.

The angels who had aided them during the Great War and many other crises flew alongside them as though serving as an escort. The Heroes passed through the Celestial Realm and landed around an enormous stage.

The space resembled a grand temple, with countless seats and a huge information window floating in midair.

“Huh? Over there…!”

“Oh!”

“Now this is different.”

“Never thought I'd see those people in Arsilan.”

Closest to the stage, the leaders and high-ranking officials of the candidate countries were waving their countries' flags.

When Leon stepped onto the stage, the Heroes were about to erupt into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

But before that

“Waaaaah! Leon! Your Majesty!”

“Kraaaah! You look amazing!”

“Ooooh! That's my bro for you!”

“You're glowing!”

“Kyaaaaa!”

The leaders of the candidate countries shouted in delighted voices. The Heroes blinked at the sight.

“Uh, um…?”

“Were those guys always like that?”

“Well….”

“It's Arsilan Saga!”

Of course they'd act like that in Arsilan Saga!

The Heroes nodded.

*****

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