The Final Boss Has Returned 129

Chapter 129

Forest of Monsters!

The field called the forbidden zone even within the Great Forest, the deepest part of the Great Forest, littered with unexplored areas, not to mention high-level monsters roaming around casually!

I was quietly looking at the border of that field.

Next to me, Shin Ha-yeon and the Shadow Scout troops surrounded me as if escorting me.

The boundary between the general field of the Great Forest and the Forest of Monsters was clearly visible even from a distance.

Unlike the trees of the Great Forest, which boast lush greenery, the trees of the Forest of Monsters, which looked unusual at a glance, had ashen leaves and black trunks.

“We’ll be in the Forest of Monsters soon.”

Shin Ha-yeon next to me said this.

That’s right.

It was soon the Forest of Monsters.

No matter how high-level the Forest of Monsters was, there was no way to stop our current force, which mobilized the Shadow Scout, the Dark Elf’s elite force.

I smiled and entered the Forest of Monsters, leading Shin Ha-yeon and the Shadow Scouts.

[You have entered the Forest of Monsters.]

[Forest of Monsters]

The Forest of Monsters is a forbidden zone located in the deepest part of the Great Forest, a place even the natives, who have lived in the Great Forest for ages, are reluctant to enter. Legend has it that a witch resides in the deepest part of the forest, but no one has ever actually seen her.

An eerie, unknown energy emanates from the Forest of Monsters, and monsters, twisted by the influence of this unknown power, inhabit the area. These monsters are commonly referred to as “monsters.”

Beware the darkness of the Forest of Monsters. It is a place where monsters could appear from anywhere at any time.

I frowned as I read the chilling information window about the Forest of Monsters, which appeared as soon as we entered the forest.

The legend of the witch.

Seeing it clearly mentioned in the information window, it seemed like this was the right place.

Just as I was about to start exploring the forest with that thought in mind……

A crack appeared in the air, distorting the space.

Immediately, the Shadow Scout troops assumed a combat stance, and I, too, gripped the hilt of Iron Blood Executor. At that very moment……

Someone emerged from beyond the crack.

An NPC appeared, donning a black pointed hat and black robes – the typical appearance of a ‘witch.’

The witch NPC, with her striking, cascading purple hair, knelt before me as soon as she appeared from beyond the crack. In a trembling voice filled with emotion, she spoke,

“Kirke, Commander of the Iron Blood Alliance’s 1st Magic Corps, greets you, my lord.”

I smiled at her words.

Kirke.

As I expected, she was the ‘witch.’

I recalled the events of six years ago.

Although numerous NPCs belonged to the Iron Blood Alliance, Kirke had been with the alliance since its early days.

The Kingdom of Saxony!

The memory of the quest to usurp the throne of the Kingdom of Saxony was still vivid in my mind.

Back then, Kirke was the Queen of the Underworld, controlling the entire underworld of the Kingdom of Saxony, and held a deep grudge against the then-king of the Kingdom of Saxony.

This was because the king was responsible for attacking the peaceful Witch Village and massacring all the witches who resided there.

Therefore, Kirke, with her past, was the key NPC and supporter of the throne usurpation quest.

Her loyalty level was even included in the quest rewards, set to its maximum value.

Anyway, I don’t know if it was due to the quest or her fixed maximum loyalty level, but she was devoted to me to the point of fanaticism.

And now, even after a thousand years had passed in the game, Kirke’s appearance remained unchanged.

She still had her amethyst-like purple hair, black pointed hat, and black robes, kneeling before me just like back then, expressing her loyalty.

[Quest ‘The Last Loyal Subject’ completed.]

[All stats increased by 32.]

A quest completion notification appeared before my eyes.

As expected of level 380, the so-called max level, my level didn’t increase despite completing a legendary-grade quest.

I looked down at Kirke, who was still kneeling.

Just like back then, she wouldn’t move from her kneeling position until I gave her permission.

With that in mind, I spoke to her,

“You may rise, Kirke.”

Hearing my words, Kirke slowly rose from her kneeling position.

“I have something to tell you, my lord……”

Kirke, after rising, spoke with her purple lips, glancing around.

Her gaze fell on Shin Ha-yeon-ssi and the Dark Elf Shadow Scouts.

“I apologize, my lord, but it would be difficult to speak freely in this place.”

I instinctively caught the clue for the next quest in her words.

“Then?”

“Would it be alright if I escorted you to my humble abode?”

Kirke’s amethyst eyes met mine.

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Upon hearing my response, Kirke waved her right hand, and a chilling wooden staff with an eye at its end appeared, grasped in her hand.

As Kirke waved the staff, a crack appeared in the air.

Beyond the crack, a small, log cabin built on an island in the middle of a lake came into view.

This was probably the ‘abode’ Kirke was referring to.

With that thought, I stepped forward towards the crack.

At that moment……

[Witch’s Cottage discovered.]

[First Discovery Bonus!]

[Fame increased by 1232.]

[All stats increased by 34.]

[Witch’s Cottage]

A cabin, long known only in legends, said to be the residence of the witch of the Great Forest. For over a thousand years, the witch of the Great Forest has waited and waited for the lord she serves.

The Witch’s Cottage is located on an island in the Black Lake, deep within the Forest of Monsters, and is protected by the witch’s powerful barrier, making it inaccessible to anyone without her permission.

First discovery messages flooded my vision.

‘A thousand years.’

A thousand years.

The time gap between the previous game and Ard Saga Second.

During that time, Kirke had been waiting for me, and only me.

‘I’m not even Eugene. I’m getting unnecessarily sentimental.’

I thought, glancing at Kirke’s profile as she respectfully escorted me.

“Then, please allow me to guide you inside.”

Kirke noticed my gaze and smiled faintly, opening the door to the cabin.

I followed her inside.

Despite its small appearance from the outside, the inside of the cabin was spacious enough to rival a mansion.

It seemed to be enchanted with spatial magic, making the interior larger than the exterior.

I passed through a hallway adorned with paintings of the Iron Blood Alliance’s emblem and the Steel Monarch in action, which was me, and finally arrived at a lavishly decorated drawing-room.

Kirke seated me in the drawing-room and excused herself to “fetch something to drink.” Soon after, she carefully placed a steaming cup of tea before me.

“This is a tea made with mandrakes I planted a thousand years ago while waiting for you, my lord. I hope it suits your taste.”

At Kirke’s words, I sipped the steaming mandrake tea.

A pungent aroma, similar to ginger tea, filled my mouth. At that moment……

[Consumed Thousand-Year-Old Mandrake Tea.]

[All stats temporarily increased by 50%.]

[Magic Power permanently increased by 100.]

[Health permanently increased by 100.]

As expected of a thousand-year-old mandrake, I smiled with satisfaction as I saw the message indicating a permanent increase in my stats.

The stat increase notification was always a pleasant one to receive.

“So, what is it you wanted to tell me?”

I finished the mandrake tea and placed the cup on the table, speaking.

It was time to extract the next quest from her.

“Do you perhaps remember Voltaha Castle?”

As soon as I finished speaking, a familiar name escaped her lips.

Voltaha Castle!

There was no way I wouldn’t remember that name.

After all, Voltaha Castle was the former capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, the heart of the Iron Blood Alliance, and the place where the final battle against the Revolutionary Army led by Eugene took place.

The place that marked both the beginning and the end of the previous game!

That was why Voltaha Castle held both love and hate for me.

But why was Kirke bringing up Voltaha Castle now?

As I thought about it, a piece of information flashed through my mind like lightning.

‘There was no mention of Voltaha Castle in the Second’s Ard World.’

The fact was that Voltaha Castle didn’t exist on the continent of Second.

I had simply thought that the name might have been changed or forgotten over the thousand years, but judging by Kirke’s question, there might be more to it than I had initially thought.

“Of course, I remember.”

At my words, Kirke smiled and snapped her fingers.

Then, an image appeared before my eyes.

It was a cinematic cutscene.

“Until about a decade ago, Voltaha Castle remained intact in the central region of Ard World.”

As Kirke spoke, the image of Voltaha Castle appeared.

Although its appearance had changed slightly, the Voltaha Castle in the image still maintained its form as a major city, just like in the previous game.

A bustling metropolis teeming with people!

“However, Voltaha Castle could not escape the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm, a disaster that swept across the entire Ard World.”

Following her words, the content of the image changed.

The Great Cataclysm!

Countless cracks appeared in the air, and hordes of monsters poured out, overwhelming Voltaha Castle.

The residents of Voltaha Castle and the guards defending it took up arms and fought against the monsters, but it was a losing battle against the endless onslaught.

And that wasn’t all.

Rumble rumble rumble.

Natural disasters, including earthquakes, struck with a deafening roar!

The disasters that ravaged Voltaha Castle reduced it to ruins.

“But the disasters were not the end. An anomaly occurred due to the influence of the Great Cataclysm. This anomaly caused Voltaha Castle to vanish into the sky.”

Kirke’s explanation pierced my ears.

Her words materialized in the image.

Voltaha Castle, reduced to ruins by the various disasters!

The ground beneath the castle began to shake, and soon, the entire surrounding area, including the castle, soared into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

“Thus, Voltaha Castle transformed into a floating castle teeming with monsters, and its whereabouts remain unknown to this day.”

With Kirke’s final explanation, the image ended.

Kirke’s gaze met mine.

Meeting my gaze, she spoke to me slowly with an incredibly serious expression.