【 THE HEAVENLY CRUSADE BEGINS 】

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The large scale questline ‘Heavenly Crusade against the Demons’ finally went live after players had waited for it with eager anticipation.

As with every previous large scale quest, this one was once again met with overwhelming enthusiasm.

No, to be precise, the first mission within it, Expedition to the Abyss, proved even more popular than any previous questline in the past.

As such, the fifty thousand participant slots were filled in less than five minutes.

The sensation of twentyfold thought acceleration fascinated everyone as it was equivalent to having four times more in-game time than other players.

For countless hardcore gamers and devoted fans of Elven Kingdom, participating in this mission was an irresistible temptation.

As for the second mission, which had no limit on participant slots, registrations surged continuously and in less than a day, more than ninety percent of all qualified players on the server had signed up.

With the majority of the playerbase participating so actively, a sense of urgency gradually spread throughout the entire Elven Faction.

Those involved in the second mission began organizing under the leadership of the major guilds to establish monitoring outposts across the Elven Forest and its surrounding areas.

Some even ventured deep into the underground region, to inspect the locations that have traces of Abyssal corruption and to search for any possible passageway into the Abyss.

After the assembly point for the first mission was announced, more and more participating players returned to the Elven Forest and gathered toward Mirovia since the departure point for the expedition was the Titan Ruins near the coastal city.

Thus for a time, the city of Mirovia became the liveliest and most crowded place in the entire Elven Forest.

Amidst such circumstances, the Harvest Festival arrived before anyone realized it.

Celebrations were held throughout the Elven Forest with every city filled with a festive atmosphere, celebrating this year’s harvest and expressing gratitude for the Goddess’s blessings.

However, compared to the grandeur of the previous year, the scale of this year’s Harvest Festival was noticeably more reduced, likely due to preparations for the Crusade.

Nevertheless, with the explosive growth in both player and native populations, the entirety of the Elven Forest still overflowed with joy and celebration.

The celebration at Mirovia in particular was exceptionally vibrant.

Beautiful elven songs and dances were performed, and various entertaining festivities and offering rituals were held one after another.

The carnival like atmosphere left the newbies in awe, and the abundance of food and entertainment delighted them immensely.

Even Evé followed tradition by performing a miracle during the festival, thereby gaining another wave of faith from her believers.

On the third day of the festival, after thoroughly enjoying herself and returning to her Divine Kingdom, Evé suddenly sensed something and turned her gaze toward a certain direction.

“Dong…”

“Dong…”

“Dong…”

The faint tolling of a bell echoed, ancient and solemn.

It came from the Pantheon, resonating within her soul through the connection with her divine throne.

This bell was not a summons for the gods to convene.

Rather, it was the signal that the Heavenly Crusade had officially begun.

“So it’s about to begin…”

Evé’s gaze sharpened slightly as she exhaled softly.

She withdrew her sight and instructed the game system to finally proceed with the questline.

༺⟐༻

Inside a warm and elegantly decorated seaside villa, Cypher donned his favorite hunter light armor and took down the elven slender sword and demon hunting dagger hanging on the wall.

“Are you really going to join the battle?”

A clear voice sounded from behind him.

Cypher set down his weapons and turned to look at the elven girl whose eyes were filled with concern.

He reached out and gently patted her head.

“Don’t worry, Estelle. I’ll be back in a few days.”

“Listen to Hubert for the time being and do not run around recklessly if the demons somehow managed to invade the Elven Forest…”

Estelle brushed his hand away and pouted.

“I know, I know!”

After hesitating for a moment, she took out a paper crane from her arms and placed it into Cypher’s hands under his surprised gaze.

“Brother Cypher…”

“Here. A Chosen One sister taught me how to fold this paper crane. I heard that in your homeland it represents a blessing.”

“I hope your expedition succeeds.”

Cypher was slightly stunned.

He then carefully put away the paper crane. Looking at the elven girl before him, who was like a younger sister to him, his gaze grew even gentler.

“Of course.”

“I am after all, one of the best Chosen Ones!”

After speaking, he nodded toward his apprentice Hubert, who stood behind the girl.

“Disciple, take good care of Estelle, okay? Do not bully her while I’m away.”

Hubert sighed.

“What? Master I hope she won’t bully me while you’re not around!”

Cypher smiled faintly at his sighing apprentice.

He sheathed the elven slender sword at his waist, fastened the dagger at his side, and with a focused look stepped out of his villa.

On the streets of Mirovia.

A vast and mighty procession of players advanced northward.

The festive decorations on the buildings had yet to be removed, yet the relaxed and joyful atmosphere had already been replaced by a serious mood.

Along both sides of the road stood ranks of Frost Elves, gathered to bid the players farewell.

Before long, Cypher caught sight of a familiar figure once more.

It was Gando.

A smile appeared on Cypher’s face as he stepped forward and bumped fists with him.

Seeing Cypher clad in such splendid equipment, the old elf sighed.

“What a shame. I had intended to join the battle as well, but Lady Aurora rejected my request again.”

“Heh, old man, you should just stay here in Mirovia and enjoy yourself,” Cypher said, shaking his head.

Gando gave a self mocking chuckle.

“Hah… with all our companions fighting, how could I live at ease by myself?”

Cypher smiled faintly.

“Well, we can resurrect indefinitely. Can you?”

Hearing this, Gando raised his brows and let out a quiet sigh.

“When you put it that way… that is true.”

He then reached out, patted Cypher on the shoulder, and said with a grin,

“Then I wish you a safe journey, my friend. Fight on my behalf as well, and destroy those wicked demons.”

“May the Goddess be with you.”

Gando traced the symbol of the Scepter of Life across his chest.

“Thank you, Gando. May the Goddess be with you as well.”

Cypher made the same gesture over his heart.

Afterward, he turned and, under Gando’s watchful gaze, merged into the tide of players.

As he moved farther north, the number of players steadily increased.

By the time Cypher left Mirovia and arrived near the Titan Ruins, all he could see were lines of Silver-rank players stretching as far as the eye could reach.

Numerous colorful banners flew high overhead, the war flags of various guilds. The Iris of Heart of Nature, the Black Dragon banner of Moe Moe Committee, the Double Headed Eagle of the First Legion, all were among them.

At the same time, Cypher could see well known figures across the entire server, surrounded by other players.

Boxlunch, Li Mu, Demacia, Little Salty Cat, Tomato StirFry, Jasmine Under the Moon, and others were clearly present.

High above, countless magical beasts circled in the skies.

They were the players’ familiars.

Near the Titan Ruins stood a colossal crystal gate of magic, fifty meters wide and eighty meters tall.

Within the gate, light swirled continuously, resembling a deep and boundless wormhole.

It was a dimensional portal personally modified and strengthened by the Goddess, using the old passageway Cypher had once discovered.

This was also the starting point of the players’ expedition.

Beside the portal stood several NPCs familiar to Cypher.

Aurora, the Star of Dawn.

Mars, the Golden Dragon.

Zero, the Elven Godwarden.

In addition, there were several Gold-rank Frost Elves as well.

They would accompany the players in the expedition to explore the Wasteland of Desolation.

To ensure safe passage through the dimensional passageway, it was said that after the players entered the Abyss and secured the area, these Gold-ranked experts would voluntarily seal their power down to the Silver-rank, and only to release it again once they fully transferred into the Abyss.

They would serve as the expedition’s primary high end combat force, aside from the randomly selected players.

Among the Frost Elves, there also stood a lifelike holy statue radiating divine brilliance.

The statue shimmered with hazy divine light as several players carefully loaded it onto a specially prepared unicorn carriage.

It was the holy statue of the Goddess of Life, and it would become the foundation upon which the players would establish themselves after entering the Abyss.

Their first task upon arrival would be to erect this statue, activate the power within it, and establish their first stronghold in the Abyss.

Upon reaching the gathering point, Cypher opened the voice communication interface in the system backend and entered the public battlefield channel of Elven Kingdom.

This voice channel for the Abyssal Expedition had already been created, with more than forty thousand concurrent users active.

The classic battle anthem For the Glory of the Goddess played through the channel, stirring the players’ spirits.

Gazing at the endless army of players, Cypher felt his adrenaline surge, his heart filled with lofty resolve.

He was about to return to that dark world, Wasteland of Desolation once more.

This time, however, he won’t be alone.

Behind him stood countless like minded companions. Together, they would unite their strength and conquer this Abyssal dark world.

More and more players gathered, the numbers swelling without end.

Under the command of Li Mu in the voice channel, players from various guilds began reorganizing according to their classes, separating and assembling into various formations.

Gradually, the once chaotic crowd began to take shape. Though still far from truly disciplined, distinct units started to form.

Archer Legions, Melee Legions, Mage Legions, Cavalry Legions…

Players of each legion arranged themselves into long battle lines, raising their banners high.

From a distant view, it was clear that everyone was eager to start the expedition.

Aurora, the Star of Dawn, slowly rose into the air and hovered above the ground.

Her gaze swept across the densely packed legions of Chosen Ones, and her expression gradually grew solemn.

“Set forth!”

Aurora’s voice rang out across the sky.

It remained gentle, yet within that gentleness was an unyielding resolve that pressed forward without hesitation.

“Attention, all Legions. Advance! March toward the Abyss.”

In Cypher’s ears came the impassioned roar of Li Mu through the voice channel.

“Advance. March toward the Abyss!”

A thunderous cry echoed around the titan ruins.

And so, the vast elven army finally began to move, flowing like a surging river toward the immense dimensional portal.

Once the central figure of a questline beforehand, Cypher was now simply one ordinary member of the Elven legion. Along with the advancing formation, he proceeded toward the portal.

The battle anthem in his ears gradually shifted, replaced by a solemn and majestic elven melody.

It was a composition created by the Frost Elves during their years in the Abyss, titled: Gazing at the True Night Sky.

As the familiar tune played, Cypher found himself momentarily transported back to the days when he had journeyed alongside the Frost Elves.

Yet the situation had now reversed.

With a faint smile, he drew his elven slender sword, activated his Blood transformation, and together with the other players who layered him with various enhancement spells, stepped into the dimensional portal.

The familiar sensation of dizziness overtook him.

Cypher returned once more to the Wasteland of Desolation.

Above, those endless dark clouds still churned nonstop, while streaks of lightning crisscross over the skies.

Seeing such familiar sight, Cypher drew a deep breath, and the nauseating air he remembered filled his lungs.

The sounds of battle already echoed across the land. They came from players who had entered the Abyss ahead of him.

They were clearing the demonic insects hidden beneath the ground.

Cypher watched as grotesque black armored demonic worms burst from the ground at their arrival, baring fangs and claws as they lunged forward.

Yet this time, they no longer faced a solitary prey, but countless hunters.

Well prepared players surged forward and swiftly hacked the mindless creatures into pulp.

Monsters that once demanded Cypher’s utmost caution had now become mere experience points in the hands of the tide of players.

Before the sudden arrival of this tide like calamity, they were like reeds before a flood, instantly overwhelmed.

Cypher laughed aloud, spread his bat like wings, and charged into the fray.

More and more players entered the Abyss.

Soon, the area around the portal was completely secured by their forces.

Then the Goddess’s holy statue was pushed through the portal, radiating holy brilliance amid the darkness.

Aurora and Zero stood alongside it, and they released the seals upon their power and knelt before the statue in devout prayer.

As their prayers rose, golden light blossomed upon the statue, and ethereal hymns began to resound throughout the vicinity.

A vast aura gathered around it, the radiance growing ever brighter.

Under the excited gazes of the players, the light converged into a dazzling pillar that shot into the heavens.

The beam pierced straight through the dark rolling clouds, tearing them apart and revealing a faint glimpse of the cosmic sky beyond.

Starlight poured down upon the land.

In that moment, the Abyssal dark clouds above this region was broken open.

An airy and sacred hymn echoed across the sky.

Around the pillar of light, golden ripples spread across the firmament.

Then, one by one, elven Einherjars descended from the heavens.

༺⟐༻

At the same time.

Across the countless sunken realms scattered throughout the Endless Abyss, pillars of resplendent light descended one after another from the heavens, piercing through layers of oppressive darkness and crashing upon the corrupted earth below.

Sacred chants echoed as they overlapped and intertwined, forming an immense chorus that seemed to proclaim an immutable decree.

Under that holy resonance, the abyssal miasma recoiled.

The dark, rolling clouds split apart, torn open by unseen hands, and beyond the rifted sky, radiant portals emerged one after another.

They shimmered with golden ripples, each ring of light expanding outward in steady pulses, illuminating the barren landscapes beneath with an almost blinding brilliance.

Then, amid the expanding portals, majestic figures stepped forth.

Some were bathed in a golden aura, their forms radiant like miniature suns. Others gleamed in argent splendor, cloaked in cold and resolute silver light. There were winged angels whose feathers glowed with sacred fire, and towering warriors clad in immaculate armor.

Their descent did not end there.

As the foremost figures emerged, even more light gathered behind them. Within the rippling brilliance, dense silhouettes began to condense, first as outlines, then as solid ranks.

Humans, orcs, dwarves, and many other races from across the universe appeared in disciplined formations.

They were the Einherjars, chosen champions of their respective patron deities.

At last, the armies of the gods had descended into the Abyss, heralding the start of the Heavenly Crusade.

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