Translator: Dreamscribe

Lunatie was destined to be destroyed.

That would instill a sense of crisis in every player, providing a motivation stronger than anything else. Starting with Lunatie, a chain of disasters would sweep across all of Arsilan, eventually threatening even Evanth.

Jinwoo was orchestrating various events, making the players experience everything firsthand. He was compressing the events he had gone through into a short time and engraving them deep into their souls.

The Magic Barrier was still holding up.

There was enough time, yet it still felt urgent.

He wanted to let them gain more experience and grow faster. If they could feel enjoyment and emotion through that process, there would be nothing better.

This destruction of Lunatie would also serve as valuable education.

Wouldn’t they be able to feel more, to grow through many emotions?

Thinking that way, Jinwoo proceeded boldly. However, that thought was his arrogance. Perhaps he had underestimated the players- no, the Heroes.

[We wish to be with the Heroes. Will you grant us permission?]

When Jinwoo first received this message, his immersion in the Death Knight role broke, and he paused in surprise.

It was the first time that Garsha and the Beastkin wanted to be with someone. Even when he had rescued the wounded her and brought the Beastkin to Reingarde, they had not opened their hearts.

They had suppressed their will and followed him.

They were ready to serve, even at the cost of death, for Jinwoo.

Jinwoo was a savior to the Beastkin, but he was not someone with whom they could open their hearts. He was merely the Immortal Archmage to whom the tribe’s loyalty was completely devoted.

He had hoped that by spending time with the Heroes, the prison bars around the Beastkin’s hearts would thin, even a little. Few others had less prejudice against the Beastkin than the Heroes.

[I told you before that you could follow your instincts.]

[Thank you.]

Still, he hadn’t expected them to open up so completely.

Under the full moon of the heart, shining brilliantly in place of the broken moon, a giant wolf let out a long howl, as if washing away all the pain and sorrow it had endured. The Beastkin joined in and howled together.

The Heroes were no longer following the path Jinwoo had laid out. They were heading toward a better direction.

‘Impressive.’

Watching that, Jinwoo felt a tinge of envy for a moment.

The situation had been very different, but he hadn't been able to do that back then.

[Do as you please.]

It was an unplanned situation, and there wasn’t enough time to prepare properly. Still, Jinwoo couldn’t turn away from that heart.

‘Should I ask for some opinions?’

Thinking that, Jinwoo opened the Info Window and connected to the ‘Death Knight Situation Room.’

Tiris had established a real-time multi-magic communication network that allowed multiple NPCs to join in, and she even integrated Tia’s game pad. In the end, it resembled Earth-style broadcasting.

Tia (Evanth): The purity of despair is lacking, but this taste is good too! It’s stable. Perhaps true happiness is only completed because there is despair.

Hans (Gron, deceased): Truly magnificent. This is the power of our Gron Village. The will of Gron will remain forever in the hearts of the Heroes!

Heina (Evanth): Finally, the fundamentals are complete.

Helby (Evanth): Nothing much to see. I took a peek out of curiosity, but it's dull. Better to just sleep. (Emoticon: Yawning Helby)

[Helby nim has been logged in for 16 hours.]

Helby (Evanth): ?

Tiris (Administrator): Testing the notification system.

Tia (Evanth): You’re such a shy one.

Hasman (Evanth): ㅋ

Hallon (Evanth): ㅋㅋㅋ

Naria (Gron, deceased): Hero Northern Grand Duke! Hang in there!

Lonta (Gron, deceased): Uwaaah! My blood is boiling! Heroes! Rise! I’m watching from the afterlife! Go!

Luceren (Elvens): We can do well too. We just didn’t have a chance to shine. That hero called Life Hunter was too powerful.

Barkan (Rox): That's not true. The Elvens folks are terrible actors.

Thomson (Evanth): That’s what I heard too.

Luceren (Elvens): Shut up.

[Luceren nim has been kicked out. (10 minutes)]

Barkan (Rox): ㅋㅋㅋ nice

Thomson (Evanth): ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ good job

*Current Login Status

[Evanth 430], [Elvens 203], [Gron 178], [Rox 154]

Everyone was cheering for the players and the Heroes.

Even Tia had completely forgotten the original story and became immersed in the current situation. It was the first time everyone was so actively engaged and captivated in the narrative like this.

Jinwoo looked at the players.

In his eyes, their souls were vividly clear. When he first encountered them, their souls had been faint, but now they were imbued with a distinct light.

‘Hm? This is...’

At that moment, Jinwoo’s soul trembled.

It wasn’t only the players who had changed.

[Transcendent] Soul Gate +1

A heart born of pure will tempers the soul.

Over 100,000 Heroes had passed through the Soul Gate, and as their souls grew, the Soul Gate was strengthened. The more Heroes summoned and the more they grew, the stronger the Soul Gate became, and with that, its authority increased as well.

*You can now borrow the power of a Hero to completely subdue and enslave a spiritual being.

*You can now carry more objects.

Warmth also spread through his soul.

The hearts of the Beastkin had reached the souls of the Heroes and flowed to him through the Soul Gate.

Jinwoo smiled.

He felt like he knew now how to move forward.

‘At this point, I might as well take a proper beating.’

Jinwoo altered the flow of the story on the spot.

It was a story that his past self had desperately wanted but ultimately failed to achieve.

* * *

Under the brilliant full moon replacing the broken one, massive beasts dashed across the battlefield.

Slash!

As a giant wolf swung its front paw, dozens of Skeletons in front were torn apart. They were shredded like being thrown into a blender and scattered in all directions.

The Skeletons tried to revive again, but

Boom!

The moment the wolf’s mouth opened, a shockwave burst out, disintegrating all the fragments of the Skeletons. The Skeletons attempting to enter Lunatie exploded and vanished just like that.

The wolves rampaged, ravaging the Skeletons, and the beasts tore them apart like toys, sweeping the surroundings.

The Northern Grand Duke and the players could only admire the sight in awe.

[How dare...!]

The Death Knight was agitated.

It generated even more Skeletons, sending them to latch onto the Beastkin. The Beastkin tried to shake them off, but it was overwhelming.

“Remove the Skeletons clinging to them! The lives of the Beastkin come first!”

As the Northern Grand Duke shouted and charged forward, the players followed her into the battlefield.

The Northern Grand Duke smashed through the Skeletons and approached the largest wolf. Swinging her two-handed axe with all her strength, Magic Power burst forth and sent the Skeletons flying. The giant wolf, as if annoyed, stomped down the Skeletons with its front paws.

Grrr!

The Beastkin retreated and received aid from the players. Sensing danger, the Death Knight pulled the Skeletons back to reorganize its formation.

“Back off. If you die here...”

The Northern Grand Duke swallowed the rest of her words.

If they died here, they wouldn’t be able to resurrect like her.

Swoosh!

The giant wolf turned its head to look at the Northern Grand Duke. Though its sharply slit eyes flickered with madness, there was definitely warmth within.

As if entranced, the Northern Grand Duke reached out her hand, and the wolf lowered its head to accept her touch. It extended its tongue and licked the Northern Grand Duke’s face.

[A] Garsha’s Recognition

Garsha, the chieftain of the Beastkin and village head of Lunatie, has recognized you. If you awaken your instincts with sharp will, hearts can touch and move as one.

As long as you do not lose the emotions of today, Lunatie will always be with you. So, run!

The Northern Grand Duke’s eyes widened at the Info Window that appeared. Garsha looked at her, then quietly lowered her body.

The Northern Grand Duke gently pressed her forehead to Garsha’s head. With warm heat came the intense thumping of a heartbeat resonating through her body. Strangely, she could feel Garsha’s emotions directly. She too was boiling with raw instinct and rage.

Garsha was saying, let’s fight together.

She was calling to enjoy racing across this fearsome battlefield together.

“Alright.”

You can’t move forward together if you're afraid of loss.

We were visitors, companions, and now, comrades-in-arms.

A fierce smile appeared on the Northern Grand Duke’s lips.

Whoosh!

The Northern Grand Duke lightly leapt and mounted Garsha. Garsha, who had been crouched, stood up.

The other players followed suit.

“Huh? No way, is that Mia?”

Haebyul blinked as she looked at the giant cat that approached her. Its body had grown larger, but its big eyes and cute appearance remained the same.

“Mia!”

As Haebyul embraced Mia, Mia gently tapped her back with her front paw. At that moment, Mia’s heart, too, was conveyed to her.

Haebyul climbed onto Mia and looked around. All the players chosen by the Beastkin had mounted their companions.

"Uh, uhhh! Oh, ohh!"

UruBear let out a strange sound as he barely managed to balance himself atop a rabbit.

Haebyul blinked while looking at him.

UruBear, riding a giant pink-furred rabbit, somehow looked...

“You look good together.”

“Heh, hehehe! Rabbits are the strongest, after all!”

Really?

Haebyul tilted her head in puzzlement.

The Northern Grand Duke and Garsha slowly stepped forward to the third defensive line. Players alongside the Beastkin moved to either side of her, forming a line. The remaining players gathered around them, gripping their weapons tightly.

[Pathetic insects...! I shall devour you all! In the abyss of erosion, your souls will be tortured for eternity!]

The Death Knight’s roar no longer shook the players. That terrifyingly strong Death Knight no longer appeared formidable.

Poooooh! Pooh!

The sound of a horn cutting through the battlefield was heard. Kim Seok-jun, who had been in back, showed the scene behind the Death Knight through the camera.

“Reinforcements have arrived! The Heroes have finally reached Lunatie! Their number is a staggering three thousand!”