The Final Boss Has Returned
Chapter 123
[You have slain Alpha Mind.]
[Achievement ‘Otherworld Invasion Thwarted’ has been completed.]
[All stats have increased by 123.]
[Level up.]
[Level up.]
The moment I struck down Alpha Mind, weakened after taking the Storm of Decay.
Before my eyes, along with the achievement notification, two sweet, sweet level-up notifications appeared.
Heh.
I smiled as I looked at those notifications.
Soon after, another series of notifications rose before my eyes.
[You have reached Level 380.]
[Achievement ‘Now It Begins!’ has been completed.]
[All stats have increased by 100.]
Level 380!
Seeing the notification window stating that I had finally reached the so-called level cap, I broke into a deep smile.
Of course, it wasn't the true level cap, and I could continue raising my level even past 380, but because the experience requirement was murderously astronomical, most users considered Level 380 as the 'level cap.'
[Legacy Skill 'Iron Body' is unlocked.]
[Iron Body]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Legacy Level: Beginner, 1st Stage]
[A defensive survival skill known to have been frequently utilized by Steel Lord Drakan since his days as a novice adventurer. A technique that wraps aura around the body to obtain steel-like protection; Drakan, with Iron Body activated, was the terror of the battlefield who deflected any and all attacks.]
Soon after, a notification appeared before my eyes stating that a legacy skill had been unlocked.
Iron Body!
My survival skill that had blocked even the Undead King's ultimate skill, the Storm of Decay, during that failed Undead King raid from ages past had finally been unlocked.
With this, all the skills I possessed in the previous game had been unlocked.
Well, under normal circumstances, my ultimate skill should have been unlocked together when I hit the level cap, but I was already in a situation where my ultimate skill had been unlocked through the Rune of Regression, so there was no additional unlocking.
If one excluded only the Tyrant's Sword.
‘Is the Tyrant's Sword still not available?’
Tyrant's Sword!
The final reward of the Tyrant Quest, and the sole Mythic-grade skill in my possession!
That skill alone remained the only one not yet unlocked.
If I could only reclaim the Tyrant's Sword, I could even aim for EX-grade, a realm said to be permitted only to Yujin; it was slightly regrettable that it was not available.
‘The Tyrant's Sword might be the reward of a Legacy Quest.’
Recalling the Legacy Quest, I pushed thoughts of the Tyrant's Sword to a corner of my mind.
Anyway, what was important now was one thing.
‘I've finally reached the starting line.’
Arth Saga Second is a game that begins from the level cap!
It was the users' most common game evaluation on the Arth Forum, and the actual gameplay was similar.
Therefore, according to those words, I could finally say I was starting the game properly.
[Would you like to register your character information in the Combat Information Archive?]
Another notification window rose before my eyes.
Combat Information Archive!
A system that replaced the previous game's ‘Ranking’ by comprehensively encompassing all information such as character level, items, skills, fame, and class to assign an overall grade!
I looked at the notification window and answered without hesitation.
“Register.”
[Synchronizing user 'Drakan's information with the Combat Information Archive.]
[The Combat Information Archive is analyzing user 'Drakan's information.]
[Analysis of user 'Drakan's information is complete.]
[Calculating user 'Drakan's overall grade.]
The moment I finished speaking, notification windows endlessly appeared.
I waited for the result, and finally, the notification window spat out its conclusion.
[The calculation of user 'Drakan's overall grade is complete.]
[User 'Drakan's overall grade is SSS-grade.]
Overall Grade SSS!
Looking at a result that could only be called obvious, I smiled.
In the Combat Information Archive, SSS-grade meant only one thing.
Over Ranker!
It was the moment I finally ascended to a seat among the Over Rankers, which had been reduced to eighteen after the disappearance of Black King Karun and Spear King Rio.
Honestly, it was a result I had expected.
Even back when I obtained my ultimate skill through the Rune of Regression, I had possessed combat power comparable to the Rankers.
But I couldn't be satisfied with merely Ranker-level strength, and even afterward, I continued to resolve oracle quests bestowed by the Demon God, joined hands with a sworn enemy, went through hell traveling to another world and back, built up my stats, and mastered contract skills.
And finally, just as expected, the moment I hit the level cap, I was able to rise above and become an Over Ranker.
‘This is the glorious moment when all my blood, sweat, and efforts finally bear fruit.’
I closed my eyes, then opened them.
Though it was an expected result, that didn't mean I wasn't happy.
Over Ranker!
I had ascended to a position where I could breathe the air of yet another sky looming above the Rankers, who were no different from heaven to ordinary users; one of my mid-term goals had been achieved.
If I were to compare my current feelings, it was like the joy of receiving a much-anticipated Christmas present.
If I were an ordinary user, I might have been satisfied and complacent with merely reaching the position of an Over Ranker, but the current me couldn't stop here.
EX-grade!
I had to push through to the domain of the Top Rankers, a realm permitted only to Yujin.
And to do that, clearing the Legacy Quest was absolutely necessary.
Tyrant's Sword!
If I could reclaim the Mythic-grade skill, even EX-grade wouldn't be a dream.
Because the Tyrant's Sword was a skill worth that much.
‘Of course, simply matching him in individual combat prowess wouldn't mean I could gain the upper hand against Yujin.’
I thought of Yujin.
It was true that the EX-grade combat power Yujin possessed held considerable weight in maintaining his hegemony.
The weight of the name 'Top Ranker' was by no means light.
But the fundamental power maintaining Yujin's hegemony was the massive force called Five Eyes, and the undercurrent of public opinion among ordinary users who supported him.
And I didn't surpass him in either of those aspects.
While I had gained some public opinion after becoming the Lord of the Dark Alliance, many users still genuinely supported Yujin, and the Alliance's population was at a relative disadvantage compared to the Union's.
And compared to the powerful elite force represented by Five Eyes, my so-called elite force, the JDG, was indeed found wanting.
Of course, I had the chieftains of the other races comprising the Dark Alliance, namely NPC powerhouses, but Yujin's side could likewise mobilize NPC powerhouses of the Holy Union existing within empires and holy kingdoms, so it meant little.
The situation might change if the Undead King's seal were broken, but since the Undead King was still bound to the Skeleton Throne, such assumptions were meaningless for now.
Therefore, even if I hypothetically reached EX-grade in my current situation, fighting Yujin would be no different from certain defeat.
Moreover, since I wouldn't be overwhelming Yujin but merely reaching the same grade, it was clear I wouldn't be at much of an advantage even in a one-on-one duel.
And I was no gambler who would bet everything on something with uncertain odds.
‘Divide the enemy forces, and expand the allied forces.’
I reviewed the foundation of all the strategies I had established once more.
Divide Yujin's Lightwing Guild and Five Eyes, and expand my allied force, the Dark Alliance.
This was the foundation of all my strategies, and I had been executing my strategies faithfully according to this foundation.
And so, as my plans gradually materialized, finally the moment when the scales of power between Yujin and me tilted to my side!
That would be the golden opportunity to press the blade of vengeance against Yujin's throat.
At that very moment while I was reviewing the foundation of my strategy.
[A Legacy Quest has arrived.]
A key named Legacy Quest arrived before my eyes.
[The Last Loyalist]
[Grade: Legend]
—A thousand years ago, during the War of Conquest that plunged all of Arth into terror, Steel Lord Drakan!
Drakan was once a tyrant who placed all of Arth beneath his feet and ruled with an iron fist through steel and blood, but thanks to the mythical exploits of an elite army organized by countless nameless commoners centered around Hero Yujin, he was ultimately dragged down from his throne.
After the World Revolution, the name Steel Lord Drakan was erased from history, everything he left behind was thoroughly destroyed, and his subordinates scattered throughout Arth and concealed their traces.
But not all the feats you achieved have disappeared.
In an old legend passed down since long ago in southern Arth, there exists a tradition that the identity of a witch known to dwell deep within the Great Forest is in truth the last loyalist of Steel Lord Drakan waiting for his return.
Go to the Forest of Monsters and verify the truth of this legend!
[This quest cannot be refused.]
[You have accepted the quest.]
As expected, the Legacy Quest could not be refused, but since I had no intention of refusing anyway, it was irrelevant to me.
‘The Last Loyalist?’
More important than that was the keyword 'witch' appearing in the quest title 'The Last Loyalist' and the quest contents.
‘A user wouldn't appear in a quest, so it must mean an NPC!’
NPC!
As natives of Arth, a considerable number of them had belonged to my Ironblood Alliance in the past.
Though they were NPCs equipped with perfect artificial intelligence indistinguishable from humans, unlike users who possessed modern values, the NPCs possessed values befitting the fantasy world setting of Arth, so they were often unbound by real-world interests and offered blind loyalty.
Moreover, since an objective numerical value called loyalty existed, NPCs were truly useful forces that were good to exploit—despite the disadvantage of having only one life, unlike users—so much so that I was willing to accept that shortcoming.
For that reason, I had appointed a considerable number of highly loyal NPCs, and among them were those who served as high-ranking officers of the Alliance.
‘If it's a witch, could it mean Circe?’
I recalled the name of an NPC matching the keyword 'witch.'
Circe!
She was an NPC who had been the commander of the Ironblood Alliance's 1st Magic Corps, and a witch-born quest assistant NPC who led the underworld forces of the royal capital and cooperated with me when I was undertaking the rebellion quest to swallow the Saxon Kingdom.
Even among the Ironblood Alliance NPCs who generally had high loyalty toward me, Circe was an exceptionally standout existence.
Six years ago, during the previous game, the loyalty Circe showed me was something closer to madness than loyalty.
Well, anyway, since the possibilities contained within Arth were infinite, 'The Last Loyalist' might be an NPC other than Circe, but I predicted the probability of it being Circe was high.
Having thought that far, I smiled.
Whoever the last loyalist was, I would have to meet that loyalist first to proceed with the next quest.
Thinking so, I logged out right there after finishing the colony conquest.
As always, because the time had come to discuss countermeasures regarding the Legacy Quest and future strategies.