Chapter 387
Chapter 387
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 387
Chapter Title: Racial War (26)
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Lee Hyuk-soo's cascade of wishes and the emergence of the primordial spirit Arcana.
And the alliance between Adora and the Twilight Race swept through the Isle of Chaos.
No race in the mid-tier league could stand against the union of humanity and the Twilight Race.
In the end, humanity ascended to the "Upper League" with an overwhelming score.
They had achieved the feat of entering the top 30 races.
It was exceedingly rare for a race participating in the "Racial War" for the first time to climb all the way to the Upper League.
"Isn't it been about 500 years? For a first-time entrant to reach the Upper League?"
"Humans don't seem like 'innate superiors'."
"Their weakness has been proven by the Creators."
"But it's undeniable that they conquered the Tower of Arrogance and bankrupted Aheta, the Manager of the Night."
Voices continued from beings conversing in the darkness or from some distant observatory bathed in faint starlight.
Their forms were indistinct, but their voices carried the weight of eons, profound wisdom, and a hint of cynical amusement.
The races of the Upper League.
To them as well, the current "humans" were an unprecedented spectacle.
"Aheta's bankruptcy. That was the true masterpiece. Who could have foreseen that the greedy Manager of the Night would be fleeced by mere mortals?"
One entity let out a cackling sound.
Another voice responded calmly.
"It's not mere luck or fortune. At their core, I sense a 'variable.' A very powerful, unpredictable one."
"Hmm, a 'variable,' you say."
"An error?"
"Indeed. Humans seem to be a slightly different breed of superior entity from your standard 'innate superiors.'"
"They possess the talent to accept and wield errors?"
The voices rumbled low once more.
"An intriguing perspective. 'Wielding errors.'"
"Most races view unpredictable variables with extreme caution and seek to eliminate them."
"Humanity's method is specialized in generating variables."
"They've broken free from designed order, tested their own limits, crossed taboos, and clawed their way here."
"...Objectively speaking, in terms of raw 'stats,' few races are as unimpressive as humans."
A new viewpoint drew murmurs of contemplation from the group.
Humans were frail.
Their innate levels were pitiful.
They weren't particularly strong, nor did they boast vast mana or magical talent.
Nor did they possess any standout abilities.
Without the ability to generate variables—to create or manipulate 'errors'—the current situation made no sense.
"They'll become prey for the demons."
"No one despises 'errors' as much as they do."
"Standard 'errors' don't work on us Upper Races anyway."
"Ah, variables are powerless before overwhelming might."
"No matter how much humans struggle, their 'variable generation' will hit a wall."
"Especially since there's not a single 'Upper Race' friendly to humans."
Demons who loathed errors.
Dragons who harbored inexplicable enmity toward humans.
And beyond them, no Upper Race looked kindly on humans' sudden intrusion into the Upper League.
"What about the Twilight Race?"
"Even they were demoted from the Upper Races long ago."
Though allied with the Twilight Race, they were merely remnants of a faded ancient glory.
Long ago, they had established themselves as an Upper Race, only to be relegated through successive defeats in the "Racial Wars."
Shadows unworthy of joining the feast of true powerhouses.
Even wielding colossal gods in the forms of wishes and dragons wouldn't bridge the gap with the Upper Races.
Especially not in the "Train of Eternal Ages."
To them, humans were just tumbling stones.
Still insignificant.
Still pathetic.
And destined to remain so.
In the Upper League's Train of Eternal Ages, there were no variables.
Only predetermined ruin awaited.
They smiled leisurely, intent on watching humanity's futile struggles.
This was their league.
Their banquet hall.
Humanity's warriors, led by Lee Hyuk-soo, were already aboard the train.
The Train of Eternal Ages.
Not merely a mode of transport, but a colossal world unto itself.
Strange-hued nebulae and spacetime rifts streaked past the windows at blinding speed.
"Esteemed human warriors, welcome aboard. I am the conductor, 'Hoot.' Hoot!"
The voice belonged to a massive penguin dressed as if in a impeccably tailored tuxedo.
With a casual wave of his flipper, a massive holographic screen unfurled in the air behind him, displaying a complex map that resembled the full route of the "Train of Eternal Ages."
"As proud members of the Upper League, you have boarded this 'Train of Eternal Ages.' Congratulations!"
Clap clap clap!
Hoot extended his stubby flippers and clapped.
"But this train is no mere vehicle. It stops at random, guiding you to ancient battlegrounds beyond imagination, mythic stages from legend, or fragments of vanished dimensions—all manner of 'Stations of the Ages.' Hoot!"
Hoot shrugged his shoulders.
"At each 'station,' you may choose warriors to disembark for battle or pass it by. If you alight, special rules or victory conditions tied to the station's environment and traits may apply. Some demand pure tests of strength, others strategy and quick thinking, and still others battles against the environment itself. Hoot!"
Hoot snapped his flippers, and the holographic screen flashed brief scenes of fierce combats.
A boiling volcano of lava, a sky city warped by twisted gravity, a duel atop an ancient giant—glimpses of diverse "stations."
"Moreover, victors at each 'station' earn a 'ticket' tied to that stop. Hoot!"
With a sweep of his short flipper, a rectangular ticket materialized in the air.
"Collecting all types of 'tickets' and reaching the 'Final Station' is the ultimate goal of the 'Train of Eternal Ages.' Hoot!"
Lee Hyuk-soo fixed Hoot with a sharp gaze and asked,
"Does that mean one person must disembark at every station?"
Hoot fluttered his stubby wings.
His round eyes twinkled mischievously.
"No, warrior. 'Tickets' can sometimes be traded among warriors of other races. Hoot!"
Lee Hyuk-soo pressed,
"How many types of tickets are there?"
Hoot tilted his head as if pondering, then flashed a sly grin.
"Well now~ Even I don't know exactly. As varied as the 'stations' this train has passed through across eternal ages, I'd wager. Hoot hoot!"
A flicker of unease crossed some warriors' faces at his answer.
It hinted at an endless journey.
Lee Hyuk-soo's brow furrowed slightly.
"Like the name suggests... if we can't collect all the tickets, does that mean we're adrift here forever?"
Hoot laughed as if he'd heard a delightful jest, shoulders shaking.
"Oh ho, sharp as ever, Warrior Lee Hyuk-soo! Hoot!"
His laughter echoed lightly through the cabin, yet it sent chills down the listeners' spines.
"Do you think 'Eternal' is an empty name? But fret not. The Final Station does exist. It's just that... very, very few warriors ever savor the joy of reaching it. Hoot hoot!"
"So arriving at the Final Station means victory? In this Racial War?"
"Precisely. Rankings are determined by the order of arriving at the 'Final Station' with all ticket types collected. Hoot!"
Hoot pointed his stubby wing at the Final Station on the holographic screen, affirming it.
His round eyes gleamed with mischief once more.
"But the perilous journey to that Final Station... you'll need to steel yourselves for it. Hoot!"
His tone shifted in an instant.
The playfulness vanished, replaced by a chill that permeated the cabin.
"Remember this. This is the Upper League, the 'Train of Eternal Ages.'"
Hoot's gaze slowly swept over each face.
With an eerie intensity that seemed to pierce straight to their souls.
"Direct combat aboard the train is forbidden, but everything else is permitted. Hoot!"
Screeeeech!
The train shuddered violently, emitting a spine-tingling roar.
Like a colossal beast howling before charging its prey.
The scenery outside warped even faster.
Hoot flashed a roguish smile, announcing as if sharing the most joyous news.
"Now, brave human warriors! At last, at long last—we're nearly at the next station!"
He pressed his plump flippers to his chest, feigning overwhelming emotion.
His eyes brimmed with anticipation.
Hoot drew a deep breath, building dramatic tension like one about to unveil the world's greatest secret.
"This station... oh, this one will truly be the most special, the most unforgettable moment of your short, insignificant mortal lives! I stake my honor as 'Hoot' on it! Hoot hoot!"
He paused, savoring the absolute silence—tense enough to hear a pin drop—as he drank in the warriors' faces mingled with dread and anticipation.
The pounding of their anxious hearts must have sounded to him like the world's finest symphony.
Hoot's voice boomed, shaking the entire train.
"The next stop for the 'Train of Eternal Ages' is...! None other than! The place you've longed for so desperately, writhed to return to! Your beginning... and perhaps a utterly tragic end... that glorious name!"
Finally, Hoot straightened his tuxedo lapels with elegant flair, then thrust both arms skyward like a stage actor, belting out each syllable with dramatic force.
"'Earth Station'!"