The Final Boss Has Returned
Chapter 44
The Drakan he knew was not the type to plunge into mortal danger without reason, a man who sought adventure and thrill. Rather, he was a cautious user who thoroughly gathered and analyzed information on his target beforehand, calculated the probabilities, and only jumped in when he judged it worth trying. Of course, precisely because Drakan was so cautious, he had often failed to predict the exploits of Yujin, who acted boldly in the previous game, and had been caught off guard and defeated; regardless, that was his style.
There was no way a Drakan like that would look at a quest objective to infiltrate the heart of enemy territory and skip gathering information and investigating the enemy camp altogether. If he investigated, he would certainly notice that human users had infiltrated as well.
On top of that, Drakan had joined hands with Jeil E&M!
Providing analysis of dungeon or quest information and strategy guides was one of the fundamental support services that all management agencies provided to their contracted users, and especially Jeil E&M, true to its status as a major corporation, was considered top-tier in the industry in that regard. Though supporting legendary-grade material items known as "agency-exclusive" items was impossible, of course.
If the operational support of industry-leading Jeil E&M were combined with Drakan's wicked scheming abilities, which were among the highest tier in Arde World?
Rexas's hand trembled slightly as his mind reached that point.
Because he didn't even want to imagine it.
Of course, if they received support from the main branch of the Church of Infinite Yujin, they wouldn't need to worry about such things, but—
Not only would the main branch—busy restoring an image tarnished by a toxic fandom—never approve this operation, but this mission was one the branch chief had resolved to carry out covertly using a small elite force, strictly as a private undertaking, and therefore speed and precision were its lifeblood.
Above all, they were facing that "Drakan."
If Drakan were a washed-up has-been, it would be different, but since he had proven that his abilities remained fully intact—gathering public opinion ferociously through the recent recapture of Lawless Port—Rexas saw no reason to lay traps complacently and give the bastard time.
"Drakan is a bastard wicked to the point of meanness, and tenacious to the point of cowardice. To catch such a bastard, we must never give him time. We must press the attack without giving him time to even access information or devise countermeasures, and kill him."
Rexas's cheek quivered as he recalled his experiences.
The other executives nodded in agreement at Rexas's words.
Drakan!
The majority of executives acknowledged, however begrudgingly, that his abilities were formidable—he had occupied the seat of a top ranker in the era before Yujin—a fact that stood apart from his achievements and character.
Looking at the executives who agreed with him, Rexas put on a satisfied expression and spoke.
"Ruian. How goes the search for a means to make contact with the Merfolk by communicating with the Sea Goddess?"
"We had to offer a Hero-grade material item as tribute, but we succeeded."
The one who answered even before Rexas finished speaking was none other than Ruian!
He was the user who had forged a contract with the Sea Goddess.
Though he had paid a rather steep price in the form of a Hero-grade material item, he had ultimately succeeded in securing the quest.
"I've obtained a quest and an item that will allow us to make contact with the Merfolk of the Eastern Sea."
As he spoke, Ruian retrieved an item from his inventory.
It was a transparent crystal orb.
Inside the crystal orb, a flickering clump of blue light pointed in a particular direction.
The executives gathered here knew without a word where that blue light pointed.
Undoubtedly, it was the direction of the Merfolk.
"Very well done."
A grin spread across Rexas's face.
Rexas touched the crystal orb with trembling hands and continued.
"Now, the time has finally come for that bastard's disgusting life in Arde World to meet its end."
Rexas smiled.
Drakan!
"If only we can remove the bastard blocking Sir Yujin's path, the one who once ruled over Arde World through evil!"
He was prepared to gladly dedicate everything he had.
And finally, that opportunity had come to him.
"Let us make preparations to go to the sea."
Rexas rose from his seat.
And a few days later.
From the Eastern Branch of the Church of Infinite Yujin, having completed all preparations in secret, over ten high-ranking executives including Rexas and Ruian secretly set out for the Eastern Sea.
And among them was Iaron, an "informant" of Jeil E&M.
* * *
Beneath the Eastern Sea!
The vast seafloor that had once been the territory of the Fishmen had long since been claimed by the Merfolk. Merfolk armies were garrisoned at the Great Reef, the capital of the Fishmen, dominating them, and Mano's Palace, where the Fishman King had dwelt, was now in the hands of Antaios, the Merfolk Grand General.
Antaios, the Merfolk Grand General, was the ruler who dominated the entire territory of the former Fishman Kingdom alongside Scylla, and the governor of the Eastern Colony built by the Merfolk Kingdom in the north.
And now, that Merfolk Grand General Antaios was receiving an unexpected visit from humans.
Mano's Palace!
Seated on the throne from which the former Fishman King had ruled the Eastern Sea, the muscular male upper body and fish lower body of the Merfolk Antaios looked down at the humans below the platform with a solemn expression, gripping a trident in one hand.
"So, you are saying that the Demon God's Contractor has joined the Fishmen's side?"
"That's correct. The Demon God's Contractor is planning to rally the Fishmen and attack this place."
Ruian, contractor of the Sea Goddess, nodded.
"I had heard that the Fishman prince had brought a human from the surface recently, but I hadn't realized that human was the Demon God's Contractor."
Antaios stroked his chin, recalling a report he had heard some time ago.
"I remembered it because the tale of bringing a human was unusual, but to think that human was the Demon God's Contractor!"
"The Demon God's Contractor has reclaimed Lawless Port and reorganized the Black Tower. The Black Ring Society is recruiting warlocks once more. Furthermore, the Demon God's Contractor recently completed the Abyssal Lighthouse and called the Fishmen forth. His goal is clear: to include the Fishmen in an alliance and revive the ancient Dark Empire."
Antaios's eyes glinted at Ruian's words.
Seeing Antaios take interest, Ruian produced a visual crystal.
It was a visual crystal containing the "Memory of the Earth," extracted through earth spirits at the docks of Lawless Port by commissioning a Dark Gamer.
"This is the very evidence."
The footage stored in the visual crystal contained everything that had transpired that day.
From the light of the abyss, to the appearance of Nereus who had received the signal, the Kingdom Revival Quest he proposed to Drakan, and even the scene of Drakan accepting that proposal!
Antaios's brows furrowed at that scene.
"Our goal is to execute that Demon God's Contractor. Fortunately, they are not yet fully prepared to attack. Raise your army and seize the initiative before they complete their invasion preparations. We shall fight alongside you. You will face the Fishmen, and we will face the Demon God's Contractor."
Antaios smiled at Ruian's words.
"How dare mere Fishman remnants conspire with surface humans to threaten us."
Fishman Prince Nereus!
He was well aware that they and the Fishman tribes had retreated beyond the borders of the former Fishman Kingdom's domain.
"But they were mere remnants. They didn't even possess a guardian beast, and besides, maintaining order—that is, I had let them live only until I had fully stabilized the interior of the occupied former Fishman Kingdom, planning to subjugate them afterward. I never thought they would try to crawl back up like this."
"They will regret striking at my back."
Antaios rose from his seat and declared.
Watching him, Rexas smiled.
And not many days later.
The great Merfolk army led by Antaios marched toward Aqua Haven alongside the members of the Church of Infinite Yujin.
Just as Drakan had intended, an undersea war had begun.
* * *
In the Eastern Sea, the area where the Fishmen resided existed outside the territory of the old Fishman Kingdom. Unlike the former Fishman Kingdom's territory, filled with beautiful coral, sea creatures, and warm sunlight, the area the Fishmen had chosen as their refuge was near the deep sea, where even light struggled to reach.
And now, a great army was advancing proudly through that dark deep sea.
It was the great Merfolk army commanded by Antaios.
It was the dark deep sea, and because the Merfolk—unlike the Fishmen—were vulnerable to darkness, riders bearing magic lanterns to dispel the gloom were positioned throughout the army. Merfolk infantry followed the seahorse-riding Merfolk cavalry, but what stood out most prominently in the army was Scylla, one of the two great guardian divine beasts of the Merfolk race.
A colossal sea serpent with six heads!
Its overwhelming majesty was truly enough to chill one to the bone at a single glance.
'Drakan, wait.'
Watching that scene, Rexas smiled.
"Finally, I've come this far."
Drakan!
"An obstacle blocking Sir Yujin's path!"
"If I can kill him right here, there will be no one left to challenge Sir Yujin's hegemony!"
'Only Sir Yujin must stand at the summit!'
The eyes of Rexas, clad in a face-concealing helmet, blazed fiercely.
"Top ranker!"
"There is only one person in this world qualified to stand at the summit!"
"Yujin!"
Only that person, thought Rexas.
Rexas recalled the Arde World before Yujin's reign—a world that had groaned beneath crushing taxes and control.
A savage world where strength was law!
Hunting grounds and dungeons, and even the mines and forests where material items could be harvested!
It was the terrible era of Drakan's rule, when nearly every place that yielded gold, experience, and items was controlled, and ordinary users were exploited under the wicked laws of the guild alliance.
And Yujin was the hero who had ended that evil era.
Though some said that even a hero could one day fall and become a villain, Yujin had not yet fallen, and was building a world far better than the age of Drakan's rule.
The new-generation users who had joined since the post-Drakan era sometimes disparaged the current Arde World under Yujin's rule as stagnant, a no-fun era, but Rexas despised them.
Because they had never experienced how terrible the past had been, they thought to nitpick over the present's minor flaws.
Compared to the age of Drakan, the current Arde World under Yujin was a far better world.
'Now, he dies.'
Sparks flew from Rexas's eyes.
Meanwhile, the Merfolk army had already entered the deep valley of the abyss where Aqua Haven lay.
In the distance, Aqua Haven came into view.
It was the Fishmen's city shining in the dark deep sea, their final refuge, and the place where the Kraken—the guardian beast of the Fishmen—lay in a dying slumber.
"If we crush this place, the Fishmen—having lost even the last sliver of hope that was their guardian beast—will scatter in utter ruin!"
"Attack."
When Antaios commanded an attack on the Fishmen's city—the sole light in the darkness-filled deep sea—Scylla moved.
The massive jaws of Scylla's six heads opened simultaneously as six beams of light surged toward Aqua Haven.
[Krraaaaaaaaaa-!!!]
A monstrous roar that shook the entire deep sea!
The six beams that erupted from its six mouths soon merged into one and slammed directly into Aqua Haven's barrier.
Ka-boom!
With an earth-shaking boom, Aqua Haven's barrier—which had kept the seawater at bay—was completely obliterated, and water came flooding into the city.
Watching the sight, Antaios smiled in satisfaction and shouted once more.
"All forces! Advance!"
Antaios commanded the charge.
At his command, the great Merfolk army followed the sea monstrosity with Scylla at the forefront.
No matter how brutal siege warfare could be, the forces of a single Golden Scale Tribe could not withstand the main force of this Merfolk army!
Moreover, with the city's barrier shattered and the streets flooded, the enemy would surely be in disarray. The Merfolk army need only slaughter the confused foe.
Gazing at Aqua Haven—a rat trapped in a jar, as it were—Antaios smiled.
At that very moment.
A single streak of orange flame, illuminating the dark deep sea, cut through the water and struck Scylla directly.