The Final Boss Has Returned - Chapter 49
The big news of Yujin and Drakan’s meeting was being broadcast nationwide through a live cable game channel.
And among the countless viewers watching that broadcast was Berda, a member of the Lightwing Guild, Yujin’s comrade, and the mage of the Lightwing Guild.
Unlike the First Contents Hub building, the building of Lightwing Entertainment stood north of the Han River!
On the wall-mounted TV in the conference room there, scenes of Yujin apologizing and Drakan responding were playing, but the atmosphere was cold enough to evoke the Arctic.
The people in the conference room were Berda and Raiden, the manager of the Church of Infinite Yujin.
“I am ashamed.”
Raiden, a handsome man with narrow eyes wearing glasses, knelt on the floor in a suit and bowed his head.
Raiden!
One of the mere twenty Over Rankers said to exist in Arth World, bearer of the alias Sword Emperor, and leader of the massive organization known as the Church of Infinite Yujin—evaluated to possess power rivaling the top ten guilds—his strength was truly enormous, but he could not stop the current situation.
It was only natural. The woman before him was Yujin’s comrade, who possessed absolute power within Arth World, and all of his own strength was none other than what came from Yujin and his comrades.
Moreover, the very culprit who had created the humiliating scene of Yujin going to apologize in person was a member of the Church of Infinite Yujin, so as its leader, he had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths.
“I believe I told you not to touch Drakan for the time being.”
Looking at Raiden like that, Berda spoke in a cold voice.
Berda, a cold beauty, looked down at Raiden and sighed inwardly.
Yujin—he was so kind, so dull, so stubbornly principled and obsessed with ideals and rules, unwilling to compromise with reality, that people called him a pushover. He was an idealist.
But unfortunately, the world was not so forgiving that one could live by such lofty ideals alone.
As the saying goes, there are no fish in water that is too clear; to maintain hegemony in Arth World, one needed to exercise a certain degree of “flexibility.”
The only reason Yujin, who lacked such “flexibility,” could still hold onto hegemony in Arth World was this:
It was because Berda and the Church of Infinite Yujin had carried out behind-the-scenes work, providing full support both materially and spiritually, to maintain that hegemony.
From shaping internet public opinion and media control to distributing vested interests among allied guilds, and gathering information on dangerous users—even carrying out covert operations when necessary!
Berda willingly took on dirty work to maintain Yujin’s hegemony.
Just as there are shadows where there is light, Berda knew all too well that one cannot rule the world through righteousness alone. She had volunteered to play the role of the shadow for the man she loved.
And she thought to herself that without her, maintaining Yujin’s world hegemony would have been impossible.
Just as one can conquer the world on horseback but not rule it from horseback, a revolution can be achieved through lofty ideals, but power seized through revolution cannot be sustained by ideals alone.
And Berda knew that truth all too well.
Of course, Yujin and the other comfortable Lightwing Guild members thought her work was limited to external negotiations, mediating disputes between guilds, and establishing strategies. Berda had no intention of correcting their delusion right now.
Nor did she intend to reveal the details of her work to Yujin in the future.
Not only did she not want to hurt his heart, but if he learned of everything she had done, he would surely distance himself from her. Berda did not want to see Yujin like that.
“I apologize.”
At Raiden’s words, Berda tapped the desk with her finger.
Drakan came to her mind.
Drakan!
Berda had realized from the moment Drakan’s video was released that this incident was orchestrated by Drakan from beginning to end, but there was nothing she could do.
There wasn’t a single flaw in the board Drakan had laid out, and the only path she could choose was to use Yujin to counterattack.
Not only had she sacrificed the Church of Infinite Yujin’s reputation, but now that all these covert operations had been exposed, she couldn’t even carry out such operations for the time being. Through this incident, Drakan had gained enormous benefits, and she had suffered a complete defeat at his hands.
‘As expected, he is no easy opponent.’
Berda’s hands trembled.
And in her vision, the sight of Yujin and Drakan shaking hands on the TV screen faded into a blur.
* * *
Yujin, and Drakan.
The historic moment when the two giants symbolizing the past and present met for the first time in reality and shook hands was soon published in various special features through photos taken by reporters’ cameras.
[Video: The Historic Meeting of Two Top Rankers]
[Photo: Yujin and Drakan Shaking Hands]
[Yujin, “It’s our first meeting in reality, yet I came to you because of an unsavory incident. I’m sorry.”]
[Drakan, “That whole incident is already in the past. There’s no need to apologize.”]
Yujin. His image, which had already been at the pinnacle, soared endlessly higher through this incident, as if knowing no bounds in the sky.
He had said it during a live broadcast, but the shock of actually putting those words into practice in reality was immense.
Many people speak of the virtues of reconciliation and forgiveness, but how many actually practice them?
Through this incident, Yujin once again proved that he was the only user worthy of bearing the title of the most noble hero, the Warrior, in Arth World.
Of course, Yujin was not the only one who benefited from this event.
Public opinion toward Drakan was also gradually changing through this meeting.
Until the meeting with Yujin, many users had doubted Drakan.
It was because many users still remembered what he had done in his previous work.
Drakan had been extremely selfish, unhesitatingly using and discarding others for his own gain. To ordinary users, he had been a tyrant who fattened himself by levying heavy taxes and fees such as admission charges under the pretext of waging war.
Six years later, Drakan, who had returned to Arth Saga Second, showed deeds completely different from the past—readily responding to Yujin’s promise, or burning down a city instead of fighting a siege battle out of concern for users’ lives—but it was precisely for that reason that more gazes doubted his sincerity.
But through this meeting, Drakan succeeded in shaking off, if not completely, at least some of the doubts regarding his sincerity that had been cast upon him.
If users’ gaze toward Drakan had previously been, “Is this guy for real?” after shaking hands with Yujin it changed to, “Could he really have changed?” It was truly remarkable progress.
In any case, from both Yujin and Drakan’s standpoints, this event could truly be called a win-win.
While the internet was abuzz with Drakan and Yujin’s meeting,
Drakan was continuing to carry out quests in Arth World, beneath the eastern sea.
* * *
Great Coral!
The capital of the old mermaid kingdom, surrounded by beautiful coral walls, this massive city reminiscent of a pearl inside a shell had easily fallen into the hands of the merfolk army.
It was possible because, in the Battle of Aqua Haven not long ago, the main force of the mermaid army had been annihilated, and both Antaios, the governor and grand general, as well as Scylla, the guardian divine beast, had all perished.
The mermaid remnants remaining in Great Coral resisted to the end, but I summoned the Kraken, and the mermaid remnants had no power to stop it.
After Great Coral fell into the clutches of the merfolk army, it did not take long to reclaim the entire merfolk kingdom.
And finally, the end of this long quest was now beginning to appear before my eyes.
Pearl Square, located in the center of Great Coral.
Unlike the era when mermaids ruled, the underwater city had returned to an environment similar to the surface as the semi-transparent barrier was restored. In the square, where the blue sea was visible like an aquarium, merfolk were now gathered so densely there was not even room to step.
“Now that’s quite the ceremony.”
I muttered, looking down from behind the podium at the merfolk gathered below.
Just then, the band below the podium began playing a resounding march announcing the start of the ceremony.
Watching the truly fantastical sight of drums made from seashells and wind instruments made from conch shells being played, I climbed onto the podium holding the box I had received in advance.
King Nereus of the merfolk was standing there.
“King Nereus of the merfolk, receive the crown.”
I recited the prepared lines and opened the lid of the box.
Then, a crown made of red coral revealed itself.
[Ten-Thousand-Year Coral Crown]
[Grade: Legendary]
[A crown passed down through the merfolk royal family. It symbolizes the authority of the merfolk king.]
[Made by the first merfolk king, Triton, who harvested and crafted the oldest ten-thousand-year coral from the ten-thousand-year coral reef. It is imbued with the protection of the Sea Demon King and the Kraken.]
[Item Effects]
[Charisma +10]
[All Stats +10%]
[Attack Power +10%]
[Defense +10%]
[HP Recovery +100%]
[MP Recovery +100%]
[Water Resistance +100%]
[Ice Resistance +100%]
[King of the Sea: The Merfolk King is the king of the sea. You can subjugate and command sea monsters.]
[Ruler of Water: You can freely control seawater. Depending on the amount of mana invested, you can also cause tsunamis.]
[Usage Restriction: Merfolk King]
A legendary-grade item adorned with an overwhelming number of options that would make one’s jaw drop just by looking at it!
It was an item that could fetch at least 2 billion won if put up for auction, but unfortunately, because it was an item symbolizing the authority of the merfolk king, I could neither possess nor equip it.
Gazing at this prize that was all flash and no substance, I placed the red crown on the head of Nereus, who was kneeling before me.
[Nereus has equipped the Ten-Thousand-Year Coral Crown.]
Along with the dry system message, I spat out the lines I had arranged beforehand to Nereus, who was still kneeling.
“In the name of Drakan, contractor of the Demon God, I recognize you as the rightful king of the Merfolk Kingdom.”
Nereus raised his head at my words.
“I declare by the right of the Merfolk King. I, Nereus, as well as the Merfolk Kingdom and the eight merfolk tribes, shall not only join the ancient alliance but also recognize Lord Drakan, contractor of the Demon God, as the Apostle of Darkness, and obey his words.”
The very moment Nereus finished speaking,
[You have completed the quest “Revival of the Merfolk Kingdom.”]
A notification signaling the end of the long, long merfolk quest finally appeared.
Of course, that message was only the beginning.