The Ruined World Was Mistaken for a Game-Chapter 132: Karma (4)

The Ruined World Was Mistaken for a Game-Chapter 132: Karma (4)

Translator: Dreamscribe
Empress of Vengeance.
She became an explosive topic the moment she appeared.
She was a completely different figure from the existing residents of Arsilan, and since players could fully immerse themselves through the new experiential video Jinwoo introduced, there was no way she wouldn’t receive intense attention.
Due to the Succubus Queen’s authority being quite powerful, there were some minor side effects.
Title: I was Mary in my past life.
I’ve realized it now.
I was Mary in my past life.
All the suffering I endured on Earth was just to meet you, unnie. That’s why everything felt familiar the moment I arrived in Arsilan.
I’m coming now.
Please wait for me!
Unnie….
Anonymous1(KR): Ajeossi… pull yourself together! You are not Mary. You’re just a hairy old man!
└HohoGamMan (OP): [Deleted comment.]
└Anonymous1(KR): He went crazy from immersion.
└HohoGamMan (OP): [Deleted comment.]
└Anonymous1(KR): I mean, how are you supposed to continue being a Hero after embarrassing yourself like this?
└HohoGamMan (OP): …I’m sorry.
ForRiceMoney: If you’re emotionally sensitive, the lingering feeling really hits hard.
└HohoGamMan (OP): [Deleted comment.]
└ForRiceMoney: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ ing this.
HohoGamMan (OP): I’m sorry. I watched the video 20 times in a row to check if the Affinity grinding was possible, and I think I got too immersed. Why won’t it let me delete my post? Please delete it! I’m begging you.
└Anonymous2(KR): ㅋㅋㅋ It’s under review due to a warning, so it can’t be deleted. You’re a star now.
└SockThief: Our Mary-chan sure has a lot of hair?
└RomanticBard: Mary-chan has grown up so much. ㅋㅋㅋ
People who watched the video repeatedly found themselves regaining their senses like waking up from a dream after being overly immersed. As a result, some were left with these rather shocking cringe memories.
Heroes who watched the video quickly made their way toward the northern part of the Eastern Region. Named Heroes, including the Romance Heroes, were the first to arrive, and Jinwoo also joined them in the form of Comfortable for the first time in a while.
‘Hmm.’
Jinwoo couldn’t help but be surprised when he saw the piled-up messages. Among them was even a conversation he had with RomanticBard.
[1 month ago]
RomanticBard: I can’t seem to make friends. What should I do?
Comfortable: RomanticBard, you’re doing very well. Don’t lose yourself, don’t waver, and just keep moving forward. That first friend who eventually comes may become the most precious person in your life. That day will surely come, so be patient and endure.
RomanticBard: Thank you, Bishop Comfortable.
.
..
….
RomanticBard: I finally made a friend! It’s all thanks to the advice you gave me, Bishop Comfortable.
Comfortable: Congratulations. It’s all thanks to your pure heart and will, RomanticBard. May it last long!
Among the Heroes, the only one who was a Bishop was Comfortable. Perhaps that was why many came to him for counseling. At first, Tiris answered on his behalf, but eventually, she began using the Magic Tower to automate the replies.
[‘Comfortable Heart’ Auto-Response System is currently active.]
And it was still running!
‘It kind of feels like an AI chatbot.’
Of course, it felt far more natural than an AI chatbot, so there was nothing uncanny about it.
Word had spread that talking with Comfortable made people feel more at ease, so more and more Heroes were flocking in for counseling.
‘Anyway… a friend.’
Jinwoo had a good guess as to who RomanticBard’s friend was. They had shown overwhelming results in the Divine Punishment Quest, so he couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to.
Jinwoo left the auto-response system running as it was.
Due to all this, Haebyul’s obsession had deepened. When Jinwoo looked to the side, he saw Haebyul staring at him intensely. Her gaze was extremely dark and eerie.
“You’re not in contact with other domains, are you?”
“…No, I’m not.”
“Really? You absolutely, absolutely, absolutely must not leave.”
At this point, calling Comfortable the pillar of the Romance Domain was no exaggeration. Since Tiris had taken over that role, Comfortable’s presence had grown even greater.
Jinwoo let out a small laugh when he saw Haebyul’s anxious expression.
“We even attended the offline meeting together. How could I leave?”
“He, hehe! Right? That’s just like our Bishop of the Romance Domain!”
-Haebyul… that’s pathetic.
-Comfortable-nim just hit five million subscribers ㄷㄷ
-There’s really no one like Comfortable-nim.
-Great Comfortable!
-Ultra Great Comfortable!!
In front of the Empress’s Domain, countless Heroes had gathered.
NorthernGrandDuke and LifeHunter also dropped everything and rushed over. The Domain War was now effectively over. Occasionally, the Hero Domains held event matches, but right now, progressing through the episode was far more important.
The Heroes entered the Domain.
“Oh, it’s magnificent.”
“Was this also built using Dark Magic?”
The Heroes marveled at the fortress walls.
A tall fortress wall had been erected at the Empress’s Domain. It seemed to reflect the closed-off heart of the Empress herself.
The Heroes rode their mounts toward the castle gate.
A Death Knight with glowing red eyes stood guard at the gate. It was reminiscent of the Lord of Erosion once controlled by the Dark Priest.
Named Heroes were now strong enough to easily defeat even five Lords of Erosion at once, but seeing a former boss monster from Episode 1 acting as a gatekeeper was still fascinating.
The Heroes looked at the Death Knight through Ella’s Eyes. Immediately, the Death Knight’s past unfolded before them.
Heter Balun.
He, too, had once thrown himself into battle to protect Arsilan. He evacuated the people and fought against the army of Erosion, ultimately becoming a slave. After the Dark Priest died, he was freed from his bonds and now served the Empress.
As the Heroes approached, the Death Knight blocked the gate with his large sword. The aura he emitted was far more intense and murderous than Lord of Erosion.
[Are you the Heroes from Arsilan?]
“Yes, may we enter?”
Haebyul answered on behalf of the Heroes.
[Honor to the Heroes who saved Arsilan.]
Clang!
The Death Knight raised his sword to his chest and paid respect to the Heroes. The rage burning in his red eyes became calm, like the surface of a lake.
[The Empress awaits you.]
As the Death Knight stepped aside, the gate opened.
Haebyul did not enter right away. She looked at the Death Knight.
“Thank you, Sir Heter Balun.”
At her words, the Death Knight’s eyes trembled. As if expressing gratitude to the Hero who had spoken the name he had long forgotten, he quietly bowed his head toward the Heroes.
-It’s kinda sad that only the bad guys seem to live well.
-Just like real life.
-But here, we can change things.
We can change them.
The Heroes had proven that up to this point.
Inside the gates was another world.
“Wow…”
“Oh, it’s a completely different landscape.”
Molten metal continuously flowed from the furnaces, and black smoke rose high into the sky.
Numerous troops were lined up in long formations, clad in black armor and armed with weapons. Unlike the mummy soldiers, they looked powerful, like knights.
Revenge.
The entire massive Domain was moving forward with only revenge in mind. The Heroes couldn’t stop admiring and observing the soldiers. The sight of the troops in black armor was quite impressive.
Jinwoo nodded as he looked at them.
The soldiers overflowed with murderous intent. Their will for revenge was intense. And within that, he could read enjoyment.
After updating the Empress of Vengeance, Jinwoo had planned to build an army using the Magic Tower, Magic Stones, and the Slime King. He had already completed the design for weapons and armor, and the Magic Tower was working diligently to make them move naturally.
But he had to stop.
Because the will of Arsilan had risen again.
Jinwoo recalled what had happened in the underground labyrinth.
After swallowing the underground labyrinth and fully securing the Eastern Region, not only the nobles but also countless souls who had lived as slaves became bound to the Soul Gate. Moreover, the souls bound to the corrupted nobles captured by the Heroes through Divine Punishment continued to be added.
Unlike the nobles who had lived in comfort, the slaves had endured long years of hardship, and their memories had faded, their will greatly diminished. Fortunately, he was able to save them before their souls crumbled into dust.
Jinwoo moved them to the lands of Arsilan and showed them the brilliant land they had tried to protect. He brought them back to our beautiful homeland.
‘Ah…’
‘Arsilan…’
‘Our land…’
‘Our sea.’
At that moment, countless souls who had lost their will regained their light. The will of the heroes who had once been ingrained in Arsilan filled the void of their lost resolve.
The lands of Arsilan gave them purpose, and the sea brought their shattered memories back to the surface.
Jinwoo tried to grant peace to those who had suffered for so long. However, even though they could finally attain the rest they had longed for if they passed through the Soul Gate, they did not go. They postponed the path of falling asleep in the embrace of Arsilan, forgetting everything.
Anger and resentment.
The grudge shaking their souls blocked their steps toward the Soul Gate.
‘Immortal Archmage. Transcender of Souls.’
‘We desire revenge.’
‘Please invite us to your story.’
‘The rage we’ve endured for a hundred years will become our sword, and the pain we’ve suffered all this time will become our armor.’
‘Even if our souls scatter to dust, we will not regret it.’
How could he turn away from such hearts?
In the days when he barely survived by clinging to the Magic Barrier, Jinwoo also held the same heart as they did. That feeling was the driving force that had brought him this far.
‘Is everyone ready to act their parts?’
Jinwoo summoned the Soul Gate.
‘You are the protagonists of this game.’
He poured all the knowledge he had accumulated thus far into creating bodies for them. With magic and authority, he crafted weapons and armor to become their strength.
It was the moment the Legion of Vengeance was born.
The Heroes looked at the soldiers through Ella’s Eyes.
They could see the pasts and names of all those countless soldiers. So that everyone could remember these forgotten warriors, Jinwoo connected their memories to the Magic Tower.
“Wow.”
“Seeing through Ella’s Eyes…”
“I can see everything.”
“I’m weak to this kind of stuff.”
Through Ella’s Eyes, they could see the soldiers’ pasts, and their names floated above their heads. The names forgotten in Arsilan now began to spread through the land once more via the Heroes.
-So cool.
-Now that’s what real elite troops look like.
-Dark Magic is insane. Completely different level than the Dark Priest.
Jinwoo and the Heroes stood before the Empress’s castle.
The Empress’s castle remained firmly shut. As more Heroes began to gather, black currents flowed from the castle. They extended outside, forming a black carpet.
The Empress appeared, alongside a massive Death Knight.
“Oooh! Unnie!”
“Kya!”
“Waaaa!”
The Empress’s appearance was beautiful.
Her hair and skin had turned ashen from losing the light, and she wore the flow of darkness like a robe. Her crown, warped and melted as if about to collapse, burned red, symbolizing her fury.
The Empress looked at the soldiers.
The Legion of Vengeance, filling the entire Domain, bowed their heads in unison, awaiting her words.
“Light has returned to Arsilan. A light I could never reach now resides over there.”
The Empress turned her head to gaze at the sea where Hanu resided. For a moment, her eyes wavered with longing. Even the Heroes could feel her deep yearning to return to Arsilan immediately.
She closed her eyes for a moment and erased that longing. In the space left by that emptiness, only rage remained.
“However, I do not resent the light. I do not blame the hope that disappeared before it could be fulfilled.”
As she stretched out her hand, a black current flowed forth and formed a massive scythe.
“Nor do I lament that the light of the Holy Sword did not save me.”
The darkness that shrouded her body rippled, and the massive scythe began to glow crimson.
“I only rage at the Erosion that stole the light from me.”
Rage.
The red glow from the soldiers’ helmets began to intensify.
“I lost my family. I lost my friends. Everything precious to me melted away. The traitors offered us up, and they enjoyed wealth and glory for countless years.”
The Empress’s face twisted.
An enormous fury surged like waves of darkness and swept across the entire Domain.
“Do you all share this rage?”
The soldiers’ weapons began to glow red-hot. Their fury took form, turning into blazing flames.
Boom!
As they slammed their weapons into the ground, the surroundings shook and black-red fire erupted. That massive rage traveled through the searing heat and intense tremors, reaching every Hero present.
Bones and muscles heated up, and hearts pounded.
The Heroes, too, were consumed by rage.
“We have not abandoned the light! Within the darkness where light cannot reach, we shall slay the traitors and the Erosion so that Arsilan may shine ever brighter!”
Among the countless soldiers, black-stained flags began to rise one by one. The flags fluttered in the wind, revealing the emblem of vengeance to the Heroes.
The Legion of Vengeance had completed their preparations for the march.
The Empress slowly turned her head and looked at the Heroes.
“O Heroes of Arsilan. Warriors of light. Will you walk with us into the darkness? Will you become the light for our blind selves?”
The Empress spoke calmly to the Heroes.
[Would you like to join the Legion of Vengeance?]
*If you join the Legion, the power of darkness will accompany you.
The Heroes’ answer was already decided. Arsilan’s revenge was not yet complete. The Lord of Greed still remained in the Empire of Evil.
“Of course! Unnie!”
“To aid justice, that’s what it means to be a Hero.”
“Uaaaah! Unnie! I’ll help you!”
As the Heroes accepted, a massive current of darkness surged toward them. The equipment they wore began to transform, dyed by darkness. From their armor, cloaks formed, fluttering like black smoke.
[A] Dark Armaments
‘Become the darkness that gazes upon the light.’
Dark armaments crafted by the Empress of Vengeance using her authority over darkness. They are equipped as skins over armor and weapons. They react to the wearer’s emotions, and when emotions run high, crimson-black flames erupt. A symbol of vengeance, allowing one to march with the Legion of Vengeance.
The Heroes looked at each other in awe.
Until now in Arsilan, black armor or attire had been rare. It strongly resembled the symbol of the Dark Priest, who was the main enemy of Arsilan. However, all the Dark Priest’s power had now been absorbed by the Empress of Vengeance.
Black was no longer the symbol of the Dark Priest. It had become the color of vengeance, meant to support the brilliant light from behind and help it burn even more brightly.
[A] Skull Steed
‘Darkness shall become your feet.’
A Skull Steed that emits darkness.
It is unaffected by terrain, and neither lakes nor seas can obstruct its path. Monsters below level 50 will flee in terror just by seeing the Skull Steed.
It can be used until the Legion of Vengeance completes its revenge.
“O, ooooooh!”
“T-this is our unnie!”
“Guys, the Skull Steed’s hooves are floating in mid-air? Whoa, the ride feel is insane.”
-Wow! Skull Steed!
-I’m heading to join right now too.
-They must’ve paid a lot of attention to the design. Best thing released so far.
The Heroes were moved by the majestic figure of the Skull Steeds.
From their hooves, black smoke and flames poured out, and currents of darkness enveloped the entire steed. Once they equipped the Dark Armaments and mounted the Skull Steeds, even those who hadn’t been hyped before felt the thrill rise inside them.
Uwaaaaah!
While the Heroes were fully expressing their boiling emotions, NorthernGrandDuke remained silent. The Heroes looked at her with admiration.
“As expected of NorthernGrandDuke-nim, staying so composed even in this situation…”
But they couldn’t finish the sentence.
Fwoooosh!
Crimson-black flames erupted from NorthernGrandDuke’s Two-Handed Axe. No other Hero had emitted flames of such intensity before.
Mm! She’s super fired up!
Looking closely at NorthernGrandDuke, they noticed her ears had turned red.
The Heroes mounted their Skull Steeds and joined the Legion of Vengeance.
Now, it was time to march.
The Empress stretched out her hand in the direction of the Empire of Evil.
“Do not debate the legitimacy of our vengeance! Show no mercy! Laugh at the enemies who scream and beg! Crush their skulls and burst their hearts!”
You have the right to do so.
This darkness exists for that purpose.
“Be enraged! Hold your grudge! And kill them all!”
Rage surged.
From the bodies of the soldiers, black currents flowed and dyed the surroundings.
“For vengeance!”
“For vengeance!”
The soldiers shouted in unison.
The cry burning with rage deeply stirred the hearts of the Heroes.
“For Arsilan!”
“For Arsilan!”
“For the Kingdom of Sillion!”
The Heroes shouted loudly in response.
Their cries merged together, becoming a single resonating roar.
Jinwoo shouted alongside the Heroes and looked to both sides.
The nobles who had led the evacuation of the people.
The clerics who had blocked the Erosion with sacred techniques.
The knights and soldiers who had thrown themselves into battle with a single determination to save Arsilan.
To Jinwoo’s right stood the heroes of the past, those who had once fought for Arsilan.
“And for unnie!!”
“Unnie, fighting!”
“Unnie! You’re beautiful!”
At the Heroes’ shouts, Jinwoo couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
To his left were the Heroes full of infinite potential.
The past and present of Arsilan stood side by side, moving forward toward the future.
“Legion of Vengeance, march!”
At the Empress’s command, the Legion of Vengeance began their advance toward the Empire of Evil.
The time of patience had come to an end.
Now, we begin the war.
This was the karma that the Lord of Greed and the traitors would have to bear.

Chapter 132: Karma (4)