Chapter 5: The Ten Forgotten Heroes

[Akashic Archive] One Week After Launch

Central Temple of the Sacrifice Sect

"Haah..."

Melissa, the First Apostle of the Sacrifice Sect with characteristically long elven ears, let out a deep sigh.

Lady Constellation had changed so much from before.

A Lady Constellation whose very name contained references to falling into Sloth.

Having such immense power but acting like a little sister who just lazes around in her room - it was exhausting taking care of her.

She had hoped for her to leave her room, but...

She hadn't wished for this much of a change.

Asking to build monuments and statues of the Ten Heroes at every temple that served her.

Did she even know how many such temples existed across the continent?

Her story of sacrificing herself to protect humanity was passed down like legend everywhere on the continent, regardless of race, teaching the virtue of sacrifice.

Thanks to that, Lady Constellation's temples could be found all across the continent.

As the First Apostle overseeing all temples, Melissa had to add monuments and statues commemorating the Ten Heroes to every single one of them.

And what even were these Ten Heroes anyway?

She had been an apostle for over 200 years but had never heard of them before.

They weren't mentioned anywhere in the records of Lady Constellation's narrative...

*Thump-*

Lying face down on her bed, she picked up her magic terminal.

"Well, she is still our Lady Constellation after all."

She could fulfill any request from her beloved Lady Constellation whom she adored.

No matter how difficult the request might be.

*Whirr-*

As she operated the terminal, the game [Akashic Archive] booted up.

Normally she was an elf who wouldn't even glance at games, but this one was different.

It was a virtual reality game where you could control and even touch Lady Constellation as a character.

"Hehehe... come here!"

After logging in, Melissa hugged the [Knight Ren] character with a lewd smile.

To think she could see Lady Constellation's mortal form.

As someone who had been her devoted fan since childhood, Melissa could hardly contain herself.

Full Breakthrough.

Full Breakthrough refers to drawing multiple copies of the same character to strengthen them to their maximum potential through what's called breakthrough.

Melissa had drawn [Knight Ren] over and over until reaching the maximum breakthrough level possible.

She used up all the drawing currency [Sage Stones] earned through gameplay, and even spent real money, but it was worth it.

After spending quite some time happily hugging and nuzzling Ren, she opened the status window for the [Knight Ren] character.

As an apostle, she would create a [Knight Ren] more perfect than any other player's.

She was going to raise all the skill levels to maximum for that...

"Where do you even get this material?"

She had gathered all the other materials, but there was one item, the [Heart of the Monster Queen], that she had never heard of before.

No matter how much she searched, she couldn't figure out what it was or where to obtain it.

"I need to upgrade her quickly..."

To leave Lady Constellation's character in a weakened state.

Her heart ached at such disloyalty and sin.

*Ding-*

Just then, a system notification popped up.

[New content Weekly Boss has been released.]

[Can be challenged once per week. Clearing rewards character enhancement materials and Sage Stones.]

[Experience the true past itself, unaffected by Abyssal Corruption.]

"...Weekly Boss?"

The notification announcing the launch of [Akashic Archive]'s first update and first new content.

*Whoosh-*

When she pressed the newly appeared button in the air to try the new content, a book suddenly emerged and swallowed her.

"Eek!"

"Ack!"

Opening her eyes again, she realized she was in the middle of an underground cave - the Monster Queen's lair that she had encountered in a previous tutorial episode.

"Captain! What are you spacing out for! We need to break through quickly!"

Ten companions helping her and breaking through the monsters' defensive line around her.

And.

"I'm... Lady Constellation?"

She found herself possessing [Knight Ren].

"Captain! We don't have time for this!"

She was led by those who appeared to be her companions toward the depths of the underground cave.

Countless monsters threw themselves at them trying to block their advance, and she and her companions cut through those hordes as they pressed forward.

She had already broken through the Monster Queen's lair once before in story mode.

But without the ability to absorb the protagonist's essence, and unable to properly control Knight Ren's body, the difficulty felt much higher than that tutorial episode.

Eventually the party was surrounded by monsters both front and back.

"Damn! Can't be helped. Don't try to stop me. The first turn is mine."

A rugged-looking elite mercenary stepped forward gripping a large axe.

"Captain. It was a pleasure fighting alongside you. Make sure you take down their leader."

He let out a great battle cry and unleashed his magic power as he leaped into the monster horde.

"Damn that Hans. Always trying to act cool."

"We can't waste the time he bought us! Let's go Captain!"

The others pressed forward, each swallowing their grief.

Melissa followed them in a daze.

Sacrifice... she thought.

The ten-person special forces.

The scattered puzzle pieces seemed to come together into a single picture.

Could these be the Ten Heroes that Lady Constellation had ordered commemorated...!

Melissa finally recalled the system message's mention of the "true past" when introducing the Weekly Boss.

The past she had experienced in story mode was a false past twisted by the Abyss.

This was the true past.

These were the real heroes, the true companions who had fought alongside Lady Constellation long ago.

"Haha. Looks like it's my turn! I'll go first you idiots!"

Great Swordsman Colin

"It was an honor to fight with you, General."

Mage Christine.

"Hurry and go! This is tough!"

Spirit Master Darin.

"Please... protect humanity."

Holy Knight Dave.

"Come on, let's play you bugs!"

Priest Gregory.

"I am the kingdom's Sword Master! Florenceee!"

Knight Florence.

"General...! Please...!"

Spear Master Ingrid.

"You bastards won't get past here!"

Dark Magician Jeffrey.

Nine special forces members sacrificed themselves to send her forward, to the Queen.

Kirruk.

Kiruk.

And three Elder Guardians guarding the Queen's door.

"Kuhak...!"

The blade of one Guardian pierced through the chest of the last remaining special forces member.

Mockery seemed to glint in the Elder Guardian's eyes.

The flame of life faded from his eyes.

"Finally my turn..."

But a smile, not despair, bloomed on his lips.

"Your mother dies to our General..."

He pulled out a small magic orb from his chest. Fierce magical power swirled within.

"Our General... is the strongest..."

Kirruk!

The Elder Guardian noticed the orb's state and tried to escape but

BOOM!

His self-destruction was faster.

Fragments of the Elder Guardian scattered amidst the cloud of blood.

Melissa cut down the remaining two Elder Guardians, and all the doorkeepers fell.

"...Collins."

The ten special forces members chose sacrifice without a moment's hesitation to send Ren to the Queen.

Now it was her turn to repay them.

*Creeak-*

Moving Knight Ren's body, Melissa opened the Queen's door.

* * *

Title: Is This Real?

Content: (Akashic Archive Weekly Boss content gameplay video)

(Names of the Ten inscribed in the credits after the boss battle)

[In memory of the Ten Heroes who saved the world and were forgotten]

[-If it was fake the Sacrifice Sect would've denied it and believers would've flipped the game company, but seems real since they didn't]

[-The Sacrifice Sect temples are actually building Ten Heroes monuments and statues, checked the names and they match the Weekly Boss battle]

[-Wait so these ten heroes weren't even properly known until now?]

[-True heroes]

[-Rest in peace noble spirits]

[-A moment of silence]

"...Will she be alright?"

I asked the Goddess while checking the continent dwellers' reactions through the community.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth is so grateful she tries to grab and shake both hands but realizes she can't because they're not in the same space.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth says thanks to you everyone can now know of their sacrifice.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth says she'll grant whatever you wish, just name it.]

"...It was something that had to be done."

Heroes who gave their lives to protect the world, yet their names were forgotten and not passed down.

Knowing there were unnamed heroes in the country I lived in during my past life, and knowing that regret, I couldn't allow it.

I would have added them to the game to make them known even without the Goddess's request.

"The reward is fine. I'm grateful enough that you let me use your story."

The astronomical profits that came in as the game succeeded.

The Lady Constellation and I were now free from labor.

I had already received sufficient reward thanks to her, so how could I ask for more?

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth is deeply moved.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth asks if you'd consider becoming her apostle.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth holds out her pinky promising to treat you well.]

[The Dream Storyteller is shocked.]

[The Dream Storyteller clings to The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth's leg and hits her repeatedly telling her not to steal her apostle.]

"Ahaha... I'm grateful for the offer but I am my Lady Constellation's apostle. I cannot betray the grace I've received."

The Sacrifice Sect, one of the top 10 religions on the continent.

Though ranked last among the top 10 religions, it was still one of the continent's greatest.

Just becoming their apostle would grant power equivalent to high nobility, but.

[The Dream Storyteller fidgets her fingers nervously.]

How could I leave our Lady Constellation when I've received so much from her.

Don't worry Lady Constellation. I'll remain your apostle.

...Besides, without Lady Constellation's divine power I couldn't make games and would have to live boringly.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth laments that makes you an even more appealing talent.]

I felt the need to change the subject.

"More importantly, are you okay with this?"

I referenced the various comments appearing throughout the community.

[-So then Sacrifice, she erased her comrades' story and took all the credit?]

[-fr she should've told their story earlier if they were her subordinates, seems like she hid it to steal the glory]

[-Even building statues now just seems like she's trying to save face belatedly. Obviously only doing it because the truth came out through [Akashic Archive].]

The public opinion that had been extremely favorable toward Goddess Ren initially now had forces emerging that slandered her.

Not knowing that these Ten Heroes' story wouldn't have been revealed if Goddess Ren herself hadn't spoken of it.

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth says solemnly that karma comes to those who commit wrongs.]

[The Sacrifice That Overcame Sloth says this is the price she must pay for not properly honoring her comrades' names for hundreds of years.]

The price...

It was certainly strange that she hadn't shared her former comrades' story for hundreds of years as a god of a major religion.

Especially for someone who was such a self-sacrificing hero.

Was there something more to it?

I was unconsciously scrolling through community reactions when I stopped.

[-Want to deep kiss RenRen]

[-Uuu RenRen noona I'm hard hehe]

[-What do her farts smell like?]

[-Wanna lick our Ren's thighs]

...Better not mention these ones?

*Woowoong-*

"?"

Just then the magic artifact beside me vibrated with a ring.

I picked up the artifact.

The advertisement board we had installed in the divine realm through our Lady Constellation to recruit Constellations to be the motif and second pickup character for the formal episodes to be added later.

It was also a system set up to allow direct conversation with Constellations by connecting to my artifact.

Lady Constellation had insisted, saying my identity couldn't be revealed and what if another Constellation kidnapped me if it was.

So a Constellation had contacted after seeing the advertisement?

What kind of Constellation would it be?

With a pounding heart, I opened the artifact.

And seeing the name on the other side of the chat window, the Constellation name, I could only be shocked.

[Magi-Engineer Consumed by Wrath]

The name of a major figure that appeared there was one I had never expected, one I had thought had the least chances of seeing.