The Final Boss Has Returned
Chapter 40
[Just because?]
Sin Ha-yeon's sweet voice flowed into my ear through the whisper.
I could see her smiling at me.
Just because.
Whether she was hiding her true intentions or simply had nothing else to say, I couldn't tell. Either way, she and I were allies firmly bound together by mutual interests.
This was not an alliance so fragile that it would crack from something as minor as this.
Anyway, regardless of her reasons, her personal combat strength was certainly considerable enough to be of help.
A level 400 ice-element magic-specialized mage whose entire body was decked out in legendary-grade items—according to the information registered in the Ard Saga Second official homepage's combat information archive, her combat strength was SS-rank.
With her high-ranker level strength fighting alongside me, she would certainly be of some help, more or less.
[With you by my side, your combat strength and all, you'd be of some help here and there.]
Hearing my whisper, Sin Ha-yeon burst into laughter, covering her mouth.
Sin Ha-yeon's whisper reached me as she smiled, clearly in a good mood.
[Thank you. I'm counting on you.]
[Likewise.]
The moment I finished whispering with Sin Ha-yeon like that.
['Ha-yeon' has sent you a party invite.]
[Will you accept the party invite?]
Sin Ha-yeon sent me a party invite, and I accepted it.
[You have accepted 'Ha-yeon''s party invite.]
[You have formed a party with 'Ha-yeon'.]
Right as I was clearing away the notification window floating before my eyes.
"Both of you, follow me. I shall guide you to where the Kraken slumbers."
Nereus said this and took the lead. I left the reception room together with Sin Ha-yeon, following behind him.
* * *
Kraken!
The place where the guardian beast of the merfolk slumbered was the basement of this conch-shaped building called the Kraken's Rest.
After descending underground for quite some time, an unbelievably gigantic cavern came into view!
There, the Kraken was sleeping.
[I thought it was big even when I saw it in the cinematic, but its body is truly enormous.]
The majesty of the Kraken seen in person was truly overwhelming.
The Kraken's appearance was that of a gigantic squid.
But because its size was so immense, it felt like seeing a sea monster straight out of a movie right before my eyes.
Of course, in the previous game, I too had participated in quite a few giant monster raids with the elite executives of the Iron-Blooded Alliance, but seeing it then and seeing it now after six years was a completely different feeling.
Moreover, underwater fields were unpopular, and underwater dungeons were places even rankers avoided because they were tricky. Thus, in the previous game, even I had encountered such a gigantic sea monster at sea only once.
Right at that moment, as I was slowly approaching the Kraken in the underground cavern.
[The Myriad-Year Coral Ring reacts to the Kraken.]
Along with the notification window floating before my eyes, the coral ring on my finger began to vibrate.
I smiled as I caressed the coral ring trembling like a smartphone.
[I figured there'd be some hidden element since it was a sealed item, but I never imagined it would be related to the Kraken!]
Myriad-Year Coral Ring!
There had indeed been a description in the options window saying it was a sealed item, but I couldn't have imagined even in my dreams that the seal would be related to the Kraken.
[A pumpkin rolling in with its vine still attached—seems like today is my lucky day!]
I smiled as I touched the Myriad-Year Coral Ring.
It was common knowledge that unsealing a sealed item naturally produced a better item.
While I was smiling and touching the ring like that.
"There, you need only place the item you brought upon the Altar of the Abyss."
Nereus said, pointing to the dark-blue stone altar before the Kraken.
Without a word, I approached the altar and took out the Thunderbird's Horn from my inventory, placing it on top.
At that moment.
[The Altar of the Abyss reacts to the Thunderbird's Horn.]
[The power dwelling within the Thunderbird's Horn is absorbed by the Kraken.]
Along with the brief notification window, the Altar of the Abyss emitted a dark blue light, and together with it, the Thunderbird's Horn dissolved into light, disappeared, and seeped into the Kraken's body.
Crackle!
Blue sparks enveloped the Kraken's gigantic body.
At the same time, the cavern began to shake as if an earthquake had suddenly struck.
From atop the shaking cavern, I saw it.
The Kraken.
The eyes of the sea monster resembling a gigantic mountain flashing open.
[Contractor of the Demon God, so it was you who awakened me.]
A gentle yet majestic voice resonated in my head.
I instinctively realized.
The guardian beast of the merfolk, the Kraken!
It was speaking to me.
[And you even hold the ring of my old friend.]
The Kraken's gigantic tentacle moved gently.
"If you mean your old friend's ring, are you referring to this?"
I raised my right index finger wearing the ring toward the Kraken.
[The Myriad-Year Coral Ring reacts to the awakened Kraken.]
The ring on my finger began to vibrate even more violently than before.
[Indeed.]
The Kraken's gigantic tentacle approached before my eyes.
Even as I looked at the tentacle far larger than my height, I didn't bat an eye.
An ordinary user might not, but I was a veteran player who had experienced land battles, naval battles, and aerial battles in Ard Saga, and a former top ranker!
I wasn't surprised by something of this degree.
[That you, who revived me, happened to hold my friend's ring cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence. This is something akin to destiny.]
The Kraken's words continued.
[Normally, one would need to undergo a separate test to prove one's qualification to be the ring's master, but since you saved my life, I shall omit the test. I, Kraken, shall recognize you as my friend and as the master of this ring. Contractor.]
No sooner had the Kraken finished speaking than the tip of its tentacle touched the ring on my outstretched right hand.
At that moment.
A blinding blue light poured forth from the ring.
Along with it, the notification window I had finally been waiting for rose in my vision.
[The Kraken recognizes you as the true master of the ring.]
[The seal on the Myriad-Year Coral Ring is released.]
The seal on the ring released immediately!
[Seeing that there was a prepared test, it seems I would have normally needed to progress through a quest to release the seal, but being told I don't have to is a real windfall!]
I smiled as I looked at that notification window.
And as I looked at the option window that appeared after, the smile on my lips couldn't help but grow even wider.
[Kraken's Essence Ring]
[Grade: Legendary] [Type: Ring]
[Durability: 8000/8000]
[A ring embedded with a jade stone containing a portion of the essence of the Kraken, the sea beast in which the abyssal essence dwells deeply.]
[It is a symbol of the friendship shared between the first merfolk king Triton and the guardian beast Kraken, and one of the relics of the first merfolk king Triton.]
[This ring has finally come into the hands of one who has earned the qualification of a friend, and has regained its true form.]
[After a long age, the severed friendship of the sea has finally been rekindled.]
[The Kraken shall forever recognize you as a friend until the day it meets its death.]
[Item Effects]
[Underwater Breathing] [Underwater Communication]
[Underwater Adaptability +120%]
[Water Attribute Resistance +100%]
[Ice Attribute Resistance +80%]
[All Stats +60]
[Defense +30]
[Special Ability: Abyssal Shield]
[Creates a semi-transparent defensive barrier made of abyssal seawater infused with magical power.]
[Special Ability: Abyssal Protection]
[All attacks gain an additional +5% water attribute damage.]
[This ability can be toggled on/off.]
[Special Ability: Summon Kraken]
[Summons the Kraken. However, it cannot be summoned in places that are not the sea.]
[Restriction: One who has received the Kraken's recognition]
[You have acquired the title 'Kraken's Friend'.]
[You have achieved the accomplishment 'Taming the Kraken'.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[All stats have increased by 40.]
[The Demon King of the Sea is deeply moved.]
[The Demon King of Destruction pouts his lips.]
[The Demon God of Darkness smiles with satisfaction.]
[The Demon King of the Sea sponsors 5000 points.]
The grade of the Myriad-Year Coral Ring whose seal was broken—no, the Kraken's Essence Ring—was none other than Legendary!
Its options were of course just as spectacular, and the stat increases and level-up notifications were as sweet as ever to hear!
It was truly a tree that gave without sparing.
With a satisfied feeling, I withdrew my outstretched right hand and looked at Nereus, who was behind me.
Now that the guardian beast had awakened, it was his turn to be recognized for his qualification as king by the Kraken.
As my business concluded, the merfolk with golden scales approached before the Kraken and knelt.
"O Kraken."
[Nereus. It has been a long time.]
The Kraken's voice echoed through the cavern.
I quietly stepped back and stood beside Sin Ha-yeon.
"It is an honor to see the guardian beast again like this."
[Much time has passed since that day. So, what is the reason you awakened me?]
"It is to receive recognition for my qualification as king."
Qualification as king!
Finally, one of the two main objectives of the quest was mentioned by Nereus.
[Qualification as king, does that mean you intend to gather the eight tribes once more?]
"Yes. Together with them, the guardian beast, and finally with the contractor, we shall reclaim our territory stolen by those mermaids and further join the ancient alliance."
Nereus's eyes blazed.
[Very well.]
The Kraken waved its tentacle.
[Nereus, descendant of Triton. As the guardian beast of the Merfolk Kingdom, I recognize you as one who possesses the qualification to be king.]
The Kraken's voice thundered loudly, and along with it, blue sparks shot out like lightning from the end of the Kraken's extended tentacle, striking Nereus directly.
Crackle!
A golden luster swirled around Nereus's lightning-struck body before fading away.
[The guardian beast Kraken has recognized Prince Nereus of the merfolk's qualification to succeed the throne.]
[You have fulfilled one of the completion conditions for the quest 'Revival of the Merfolk Kingdom'.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[All stats have increased by 10.]
…….
[The Saga Skill 'Tyrant's Command (Legendary)' is unlocked.]
[Tyrant's Command]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Saga Level: Beginner Stage 1]
[The Steel Sovereign Drakan was a cruel and cold-blooded tyrant, but his commandership in leading armies was so powerful that history has no equal in the Ard world.]
[The army led by the Steel Sovereign Drakan knew no defeat until the hero Yujin appeared.
Under the command of the Steel Sovereign Drakan, the powerful soldiers of the Iron-Blooded Alliance swept across the entire Ard world, reigning as a symbol of terror, and whenever the flag bearing the Iron-Blooded Alliance's symbol—the black cogwheel emblazoned with a red skull—fluttered, the inhabitants of the entire Ard world had no choice but to tremble in fear and dread.]
[The Saga Skill 'Tyrant's Command' is a technique embodying the powerful commandership and terror of the Steel Sovereign Drakan, who led armies recorded in the history books. When this saga skill is used, the commandership and terror of the Steel Sovereign Drakan manifest, raising allies' morale and lowering enemies' morale.]
[Skill Effects]
[Allies' All Stats +10] [Allies' Attack Power +10%] [Allies' Morale Increased]
[Enemies' All Stats –10] [Enemies' Attack Power –10%] [Enemies' Morale Decreased]