The Final Boss Has Returned
Chapter 104
“Up until now, you’ve lived for others. You’ve sacrificed yourself. But what about you yourself? Hey, Yujin. From now on, love yourself. A person who cannot love themselves, who cannot be happy themselves, cannot make others happy either.”
Drakan’s words sounded incomparably sweet to Yujin’s ears.
It was an indulgence.
An indulgence that said it was okay to be honest with his desires, that there was nothing wrong with it!
The desire that had been lurking within Yujin, suppressed until now under the name of ‘principles,’ began to stir.
He wanted to live with everyone, just as they were now.
He didn’t want to lose a single person.
He didn’t want to destroy this guild.
He didn’t want to destroy his only sanctuary with his own hands.
Forever, eternally, he wanted to be with his family-like comrades.
Such desire began to surge from the depths of Yujin’s heart.
Love yourself!
Yes, those words also made sense, in a way.
Until now, Yujin had lived for others, and in a way, had lived sacrificing and giving to others while upholding something called principles.
Some had called him a pushover, but Yujin hadn’t paid much mind to that.
But Drakan’s words also had merit.
A person who cannot be happy themselves cannot make others happy.
But even so, Yujin could not immediately agree with Drakan’s words.
“But……. causing inconvenience to my comrades for the sake of my own happiness……. that is…….”
Yujin could not be as thoroughly selfish as Drakan.
He was saying that he could not pursue his own happiness while causing harm to others.
But it was true that Yujin’s heart was wavering now.
Maintaining the status quo.
That was precisely Yujin’s most intense desire, and Drakan knew this well.
‘The very fact that that Yujin is worrying between principles and desire is practically proof of how immense his desire is.’
Yujin!
Drakan knew well that the very fact that he, who had never compromised once before principles until now, was worrying like this now meant that Yujin himself had already half-surrendered to desire.
Now, it was time to gently push that desire from behind.
“Why do you think that would be a bother to your comrades?”
“Pardon?”
“Surely you’re not the only one who cherishes your comrades. Do you think you’re the only one in your guild who wants to maintain the status quo?”
His eyes flashed.
At Drakan’s words, Yujin came to his senses.
Watching Yujin’s pupils widen, Drakan continued.
“I know very well about you, your comrades, and your guild.”
At Drakan’s words, Yujin nodded slightly.
It was because he agreed with his words.
Six years ago, the two had been archenemies sworn to take each other down, so gathering intelligence on each other’s organizations and key figures had been essential; naturally, they couldn’t help but know each other, and even each other’s surroundings, intimately.
“If my memory serves me right, unlike me who ran an organization based on interests, you all operated your guild based on strong camaraderie and affection, and I believe that is still the case now.”
At Drakan’s words, Yujin nodded unconsciously.
His words were correct.
Drakan.
He had formed relationships and run his organization based on interests.
Because Drakan hadn’t trusted anyone in his organization, the moment signs of defeat appeared, both the guild alliance and the Iron-Blood Alliance had rapidly collapsed.
There hadn’t been a single sailor loyal enough to remain on a sinking ship aboard the vessel called the Iron-Blood Alliance.
From high-ranking executives to low-ranking guild members, all had been entangled by interests.
On the other hand, the Lightwing Guild that Yujin led was different.
Yujin had operated the guild in a quasi-family form through camaraderie and affection instead of interests, and that had continued to this day.
In other words, Yujin was already vaguely predicting what Drakan would say next.
“In such a situation, why on earth haven’t those three people confessed to you directly until now?”
If they truly loved him, they should have confessed.
But they hadn’t done so yet.
And Drakan told Yujin yet another truth.
“It’s because they were afraid too. Like you, that this reality might shatter.”
The moment he heard those words, Yujin realized.
The fact that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to maintain the status quo.
The fact that there was likely no one in the Lightwing Guild who wanted this sweet dream to end.
It was certainly the truth.
But as always, the truth was not always beautiful.
Drakan laughed inwardly.
Now, the moment had come to drag Yujin down from his position as a noble hero.
“It’s not just your happiness. It’s everyone’s happiness. If it is to protect that, wouldn’t it be fine to tell a very small ‘white lie’? For everyone’s sake.”
The fact that if he chose one person, the other two would inevitably be hurt, and above all, this happy present reality would inevitably shatter was something even the oblivious Yujin was aware of.
And Yujin did not want to wake from this sweet dream.
The method Drakan proposed was simple.
If he wanted to protect reality as it was, he should pretend not to know their feelings, pretend not to understand them, just as he had done until now.
And Drakan was saying that the guild members would want that too, so this was a ‘white lie.’
At that moment, the desire that had been writhing in Yujin’s heart obtained justification.
That’s right.
This was not a selfish act.
It was entirely for the happiness of Erena, Verda, and Sharp, not himself.
For that, in order to protect their happiness, wouldn’t it be okay to exercise a very small flexibility called a ‘white lie’?
Yujin’s gaze grew subdued.
And looking at such a Yujin, Drakan spoke.
“Of course, this is merely advice, not the correct answer.”
“Ah, no……. It was plenty helpful. Thank you.”
As he said, this was not the correct answer.
But couldn’t it be the best answer?
As was characteristic of the indecisive Yujin, he didn’t make a decision immediately, but the monster called desire, having already obtained the excellent justification called a white lie, was gradually, bit by bit, eating away at Yujin’s heart.
Watching the light of desire gradually settle in Yujin’s pupils, Drakan felt an incomparably satisfied emotion.
Drakan had already predicted it.
Yujin!
The fact that he would eventually be unable to resist the desire that had already taken root in his heart!
And the fact that the Yujin who surrendered to desire would become a time bomb for the Lightwing Guild.
‘Every relationship eventually meets its end.’
Pretending not to know their hearts, as he had done before and would do from now on, maintaining the present situation while acting out a lie.
This solution that Drakan had handed to Yujin, prettily packaged under the justification of a ‘white lie,’ was literally a stopgap measure, akin to drinking seawater when thirsty.
Just as drinking seawater when thirsty might temporarily relieve thirst for the moment but would eventually bring on even worse thirst, beyond that dehydration, and in severe cases, a life-threatening crisis, the solution Drakan proposed was the same.
Maintaining the status quo!
It was a dream-like story, but just as no dream in this world lasted forever, the moment it crossed a certain threshold, the present relationships surrounding Yujin would completely, irreparably, and miserably collapse.
If in such a situation the relationship was forcibly continued in this manner and finally burst after crossing the limit, a more terrible result than choosing someone right now would ensue.
That wasn’t all.
The moment the fact that Yujin was deliberately turning a blind eye was revealed, the Lightwing Guild would no longer be able to remain a guild.
The corruption of Yujin that Drakan had planned was such, and the division of the Lightwing Guild that he had designed was such.
And this was the reason Drakan had not advised him to accept one of their feelings immediately.
A dark future where they would be swept up in the big bang of a jealousy battle, ending in a bad result for everyone including Yujin!
Drakan had prettily packaged that path of destruction with asphalt called good intentions, and now Yujin had just stepped onto that paved road.
Drakan suppressed the laughter that threatened to burst forth from overflowing ecstasy, maintaining an expressionless face.
Since the seed of destruction had already taken root, now was the time to wait patiently with the heart of a farmer until the seed sprouted, the stem rose, and finally the flower bloomed.
Drakan spoke to Yujin, who still wore a dazed expression.
“Let’s get up now. I think we’ve rested enough.”
“Ah, yes.”
At Drakan’s words, Yujin came to his senses and stood up.
It was time to head back to the dungeon now.
* * *
That day.
After having a serious conversation with Yujin, I felt that I had gained more of his trust.
It was thanks to the consultation by the campfire.
Anyway, after that day, both I and Yujin consciously stopped bringing up that subject after Yujin said, “Please keep this a secret from others.”
And now, two game days later.
Yujin and I had finally reached our originally intended destination.
[You have entered Wolf’s Den.]
[Wolf’s Den]
-Wolf’s Den is a new territory that the Lycanthrope clan, who were being pursued by the world after the failed reconstruction of the Dark Empire two thousand years ago, hid deep within Monster Land to construct.
For two thousand years, the Lycanthrope clan lived peacefully gathered in Wolf’s Den. But after the Great Cataclysm struck, the Lycanthrope clan disappeared for some unknown reason, and Wolf’s Den became ruins due to the effects of the Great Cataclysm.
I dismissed the notification window that appeared before my eyes.
Wolf’s Den was not a den despite its name.
To be exact, it was a small basin surrounded by rocky mountains with incomparably rugged slopes on all four sides, and it could only be presumed that the terrain was named ‘Wolf’s Den’ because the only passage leading to it was a tunnel dug through one of the rocky mountains.
Anyway, as soon as I passed through the tunnel, what I saw was a village made of log houses that had collapsed as if burned by something, and land contaminated with a purple hue.
‘Not even any monsters.’
Inside Wolf’s Den, it was quiet without so much as a single baby mouse.
To the extent that not even a single one of the monsters I had grown sick of seeing until now existed here, it spoke for itself.
I obtained Yujin’s understanding and searched every corner of Wolf’s Den, but not a single clue to the whereabouts of the Lycanthropes existed.
‘Then, is that dungeon the key after all?’
Now that the search of the entire Wolf’s Den had ended without much success, the only remaining clue was the massive dungeon gate sitting squarely in what appeared to be the village square.
“Have you finished searching?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded at Yujin’s words while checking the dungeon gate’s information once more.
[Abandoned Temple]
[Rank: S]
[Recommended Level: 380~]
[A massive stone temple abandoned for an unknown purpose.]
[Unknown threats lurk in the darkness of the temple.]
[Restriction]
[2-Person Clear: Only two people may enter this dungeon.]
Having confirmed the restriction that it was a 2-person clear, I stood before the gate and spoke to Yujin.
“Then, should I turn on the stream now?”
Turning on the broadcast meant starting the dungeon raid immediately!
Hearing my words, Yujin immediately understood and nodded.
“Yes. Please turn it on to Drakan-nim’s channel.”
“I will.”
Hearing Yujin’s answer, I manipulated my status window and immediately turned on the broadcast.
[Starting livestream.]
Watching the notification that viewers were entering along with the brief alert window, I started with greetings first.
“Long time no see, has everyone been well?”
“Hello, viewers. Is this my first time seeing you here? I am Yujin.”
The moment Yujin’s greeting following mine ended.
The chat window literally exploded.