The Final Boss Has Returned - Episode 52
Pants Warrior!
A High Ranker with ten million subscribers and SS-class personal skill was joining the Naval Decisive Battle!
But Pants Warrior was only the beginning.
Queen Honey with eight million subscribers, Mabujang with five million, Flying Man with seven million......
All streamers affiliated with Jeil E&M simultaneously released videos, notices, or livestreams announcing the Naval Decisive Battle collaboration, and finally, Drakan uploaded a video.
[I believe everyone has heard by now that all streamers affiliated with Jeil E&M are heading to Lawless Port.
But this war is not theirs alone. Just as during the Lawless Port Recapture Battle, I will always welcome those who wish to join.
Those who want to fight the Pirate King, come to Lawless Port. I will share the quest with you anytime, without any restrictions.]
Unlimited Quest Sharing Declaration!
At Drakan's declaration that he would share quests with ordinary users just as during the Lawless Port Recapture Battle, countless users began heading east.
The Great Migration had finally begun.
* * *
[What will be the result of the Naval Decisive Battle?]
[The Pirate Alliance's stronghold is the Pirate Archipelago floating in the middle of the eastern sea. The archipelago consists of barren islands, but the Pirate Alliance has fortified them into a fortress and defends them with tremendous naval power. It is not an easy place to attack.]
[What if they mobilize the fishmen?]
[The fishmen could be called Drakan's trump card.......]
I was sitting in the conference room, watching TV on a large screen.
The male panelist on TV was diligently calculating the odds while comparing the forces of my side and the Pirate Alliance, and I snickered at the sight.
It wasn't just TV.
Arde Live, Arde Forum, even social media!
Everywhere was filled with talk about the Naval Decisive Battle.
Countless people's attention was focused on me.
'Now this finally feels like the scale has gotten bigger!'
I finally felt like I had barely entered the main game.
Of course, that didn't mean the results I had achieved since returning to Arde Saga Second were bad.
From when I took 6th place in the tutorial until now!
I had advanced forward tirelessly, without rest, and my march had sent shockwaves through the stagnant Arde World.
But that was it.
My march had certainly garnered the attention of countless ordinary users, but it was insufficient to draw the eyes of the true rulers of the Arde World, like the Ten Great Guilds and the Over Rankers.
Of course, Yujin—with whom I had a sticky ill-fated relationship from fighting over hegemony in the Arde World as often as eating meals in the past—and Ignis of JDG, who belonged to the same company, were very interested in me, but that was exactly where it ended.
Other rankers had no interest in me.
But the moment the Naval Decisive Battle quest appeared and Jeil E&M's large-scale collaboration event was announced!
I had finally succeeded in stepping onto the world's stage.
Ordinary users, and even rankers and the Ten Great Guilds!
Almost everyone interested in the game called Arde Saga Second was paying attention to my actions.
Just like six years ago, when I had risen to the position of Top Ranker.
Heh.
A smile curved my lips.
Finally, I had succeeded in reaching the position of chess player rather than chess piece—no, the fact that I had only now stood at the starting line of the grand journey to drag that bastard Yujin down filled me with exhilaration.
"Users continue to flock to Lawless Port today as well. Since Sir Drakan has ordered the distribution of Naval Decisive Battle quests through the city hall's management NPCs, quest sharing is also proceeding continuously without issue."
As I continued watching SBC Games' broadcast, Team Leader Lee reported to me.
The number of fifty thousand gathered during the Lawless Port Recapture Battle had already been surpassed with ease long ago.
"What about shipbuilding?"
"We have received donations from the Managing Director and are expanding the shipyard to maximum capacity. We are continuously retrofitting requisitioned merchant vessels into warships, repairing captured pirate ships, and of course, steadily purchasing warships."
Listening to Team Leader Lee's report, I smiled in satisfaction.
The moment I thought everything was running smoothly.
Buzz! Buzz!
My phone on the table vibrated.
I touched the phone screen, and soon I could see who was calling me.
The one who had called me was none other than my mother.
The moment I saw my mother's name, my hands trembled.
Everyone interested in Arde Saga was focusing on me, and the scene of Yujin and me shaking hands with each other had become so famous it was broadcast live on TV.
In other words, it wouldn't be strange if my parents realized I was playing games again.
Holding my pounding chest, I took a deep breath and then answered the phone.
[Junpal?]
"Yes, Mother. What did you call for?"
I spoke with a voice trembling from tension, preparing myself for my mother's answer—no, her scolding.
[You, if you got a job at a major corporation, you should have told your parents first!]
However, what reached my ears was not a scolding, but my mother's voice mixed with joy.
Major corporation? Job? What was she talking about?
[They say our son got into Jeil Group! A young lady named Shin Ha-yeon, who says she's your coworker, came by earlier and told us everything. I don't like that your work involves playing games, but a job at a major corporation is nothing to scoff at! In this day and age!]
From my mother's following words, I finally grasped the full picture of the situation.
Shin Ha-yeon!
She had clearly gone to visit my parents and made up this and that about me.
Well, it wasn't like I had gotten a job at a major corporation, but it was true I was doing something similar, so it wasn't exactly a lie.
[And that young lady gave us Mediterranean cruise tickets, saying you bought them so we could go on a filial piety trip. Thanks to our son, we get to go on a filial piety trip and live it up, live it up. Hoho.]
Mediterranean cruise tickets?
That I bought them?
Even as I was surprised by the sudden mention of cruise tickets I had no memory of buying—ones Shin Ha-yeon had clearly purchased and passed off as mine—my mother's words continued.
[Ah, right. That young lady named Shin Ha-yeon is so sweet and pretty, and she's so bright and well-mannered. Our son has reached the age where he should think about marriage, and now that you've got a respectable job, you should meet some young ladies, shouldn't you?]
At my mother's following words, I couldn't help but be surprised once more.
I wasn't dense, and I knew very well the hidden meaning behind my mother's words.
In short, she was saying she liked Shin Ha-yeon and that I should try to make it work with her.
Of course, I didn't harbor those kinds of feelings for Shin Ha-yeon at all, but at this point, I was rather curious.
Just what had Shin Ha-yeon done for my mother to evaluate her so positively!
But since I couldn't ask my mother about that directly, I replied politely.
"I understand, Mother."
[Good. Do your work well. Our son seems busy, so I'll hang up now. Have a good trip!]
With those final words, the call ended, and I calmed my pounding heart.
I didn't yet know the full story of what had happened, but I was relieved that I no longer had to worry my parents.
In that moment, as I fiddled with my phone while thinking about my parents, letting time pass endlessly.
"I'm back, Sir Drakan."
The conference room door burst open, and Shin Ha-yeon appeared with her usual eye smile.
"Did you take your mother's call?"
Looking at Shin Ha-yeon as she asked that, I nodded and slowly spoke.
Because there was a question I wanted to ask her and an answer I wanted to hear.
"I took it well. But why did you visit my parents?"
The question I had wanted to ask!
It was why she had visited my parents.
Of course, it wasn't that I had no idea, but I also wanted to hear the answer directly from her mouth.
"To solve Sir Drakan's worry."
"My worry?"
"Didn't you tell me before? That you were worried because you were hiding the fact that you play games from your parents."
She was right.
I did recall telling her about it in passing when we ate together some time ago.
At the time, it had really been a trivial conversation, almost casual small talk, so I hadn't expected her to pay such attention to my circumstances.
"You remembered that and went to visit my parents?"
"Creating an environment where Sir Drakan can focus solely on the game. That is precisely my job."
Shin Ha-yeon smiled as she spoke in response to my words.
An environment where he can focus solely on the game!
She was right.
Management companies were originally meant for that kind of work.
Though it was rare for them to take care of one's personal life to this extent.
"Was it perhaps an overstepping interference?"
When I remained silent for a moment, Shin Ha-yeon asked back in a slightly cautious voice.
Seeing her expression, I snickered.
Because it was the first time I had seen her look so restless.
"No."
At my answer, her expression returned to normal as if it had never happened.
"You did well."
Since she had solved something I had been worrying about how to resolve all this time, there was nothing bad about it for me.
"My mother praised you. She said you were a sweet young lady."
Moreover, if my mother praised her to the point of drying up her saliva, Shin Ha-yeon had undoubtedly acted politely during her meeting with my parents and behaved in a way that pleased them.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah."
I nodded, scratching my cheek as I spoke in an awkward voice.
"And thank you."
"Huh?"
When words of gratitude popped out of my mouth, Shin Ha-yeon's eyes widened.
"For my parents. The cruise tickets. Thank you for the gift."
"Thank me? It was only natural."
At my words, Shin Ha-yeon smiled brightly, seeming genuinely happy.
Looking at her, I smiled back and rose from my seat.
Of course, I didn't go out of my way to bring up the talk of marriage and make the atmosphere awkward.
With real-life matters resolved as well, it was time to focus on the Arde World once again.