The Final Boss Has Returned 131

Chapter 131

I smiled as I looked at the completed airship.

The majestic appearance of the massive airship, comparable in size to an aircraft carrier, was truly magnificent.

The airship, which was so large that it should be called a flying battleship, was equipped with offensive magic cannons and even had space inside to carry a Wyvern unit.

The culmination of the ancient magic civilization’s Over-Technology was right before my eyes.

The price was outrageously expensive, but that wasn’t a problem.

‘He who rules the sky rules the battlefield.’

Money overflowing aside, this ‘airship’ had that much military value.

Air Force!

The effectiveness of securing air superiority in war was obvious.

In the sky of the Ard World, where Wyverns were all there was, the airship was nothing short of a game-changer.

And I had the blueprint to build that cheat unit.

‘Now it’s time for a practical test.’

I thought as I looked at the airship.

Now, truly, all that remained was the practical test.

So I boarded the airship, and soon the massive airship lifted its enormous body into the sky with a roar from its magic engine.

The long voyage to the Floating Castle Voltaha had finally begun.

▄ ▄ ▄

Drakan’s journey on the airship drew the attention of the users.

However, that interest quickly faded away like melting snow.

[Construction of the Broken World Dimensional Gate has been completed.]

[The Broken World Dimensional Gate is starting operation.]

Eastern Lorraine Castle!

The construction of the Broken World Dimensional Gate located there had been completed.

“It’s finally finished!”

“The Dimensional Gate!”

The moment the construction was finished, Lorraine Castle was in a festive mood.

Lorraine Castle, which had been reduced to ruins by the Eastern Colony Siege, had already been fully restored by the hands of the users who participated in the construction.

Broken World.

Another world seen only through broadcasts, the main base of the monsters!

The fact that the gate to that place had opened was enough news to overshadow Drakan’s airship departure.

And at that moment, a quest appeared before the eyes of all users in Ard World.

[Ard World’s Counterattack]

[Grade: Myth]

-The Dimensional Gate leading to the Broken World has been completed.

The time when we only received invasions from another world is over. Now is the time to strike back at the enemies who have invaded Ard World.

Cross over to the Broken World through the Dimensional Gate. Build settlements, establish bases, and attack the enemy. And cut off the breath of the Conquest Lord, Hive Mind, who is behind all this.

The blessings of the Pantheon and the Demon Court will be with you.

[Quest Completion Goal]

-Kill Hive Mind

[Rewards for this quest will be differentially paid based on quest contribution.]

Myth Grade Quest!

Ard World’s Counterattack!

Seeing the final goal of killing the Hive Mind, all the users were excited.

Wasn’t it an event itself for all users?

Moreover, it was an exceptional event for all users to share the same quest.

Of course, the quest didn’t end there.

[Quest Contribution Ranking]

[1st Place: -]

[2nd Place: -]

[3rd Place: -]

……

[The Contribution Ranking can be checked at any time during the quest.]

Contribution!

The appearance of the ranking window that popped up right after the quest information window confirmed that the most important point in this Myth Grade quest to kill the Hive Mind was the quest contribution.

Numerous users murmured as they looked at the Contribution Ranking window that appeared following the quest information window.

Who will be the user to take first place in the Contribution Ranking!

However, that debate was concluded soon after.

“Eugene will be first this time.”

“Because Drakan isn’t here?”

“It’s a shame about the timing of Drakan’s Legacy Quest.”

“What are you talking about? Even if Drakan was here, Eugene-nim would obviously be first.”

Drakan!

Due to the fact that he was not present, the majority predicted Eugene’s victory.

Of course, a minority of users, often referred to as ‘Heuk-U’ (Black Cows), argued that if Drakan completed his Legacy Quest and joined the Broken World counterattack with combat power equal to Eugene, there was a sufficient possibility of a reversal.

However, the majority of users, who knew well how important it was to widen the gap in the early stages, were skeptical about that possibility.

“It’s finally completed.”

And among the users who were happy to see the completion was Ignis.

Flame Emperor Ignis!

The Guild Master of JDG, one of the Eight Great Guilds, and now considered to be Drakan’s right-hand man, had a smile on his face.

He and the JDG forces remained behind, not participating in Drakan’s Floating Castle expedition.

This was to lead the users of the Dark Alliance to the Broken World.

Drakan had anticipated this from the beginning.

The fact that it was impossible to simultaneously progress through the Legacy Quest and the Broken World’s main story!

The arrangement Drakan left behind was Ignis.

Even if Drakan himself might fall behind in the rankings, the ‘Dark Alliance’ could not lose to the ‘Holy Alliance’.

This was because, at this point in time, when numerous users were starting to feel a sense of belonging to their respective factions, they could not show weakness in the competition between factions.

And JDG, which had simultaneously taken control of the North and East, would be able to carry out the counterattack at a level that would not disgrace the Dark Alliance’s reputation.

That was the future Drakan had predicted, and now Ignis had to make that future a reality.

‘Building a settlement.’

Ignis thought as he stared at the quest window.

Although not as much as Drakan, Ignis was also a veteran second to none in this game!

He also possessed the basic techniques of analyzing the keywords in the quest information window to find a strategy.

‘The order to build settlements and bases means to station troops. This means that this quest could extend beyond the long term to the ultra-long term.’

Ignis whispered instructions to his guild members about the quest content, which seemed obvious in a way.

The content was to prepare the materials to build a base in the other world beyond the Dimensional Gate.

After delivering the whisper, Ignis stood in front of the giant Dimensional Gate.

Broken World Dimensional Gate!

Looking at the swirling rift in the middle of the open gate, Ignis boldly threw himself into the rift.

[You have entered the Broken World.]

A short message appeared before Ignis’s eyes.

Broken World.

It was the moment he first set foot there.

▄ ▄ ▄

I erased the quest window that appeared before my eyes.

‘A quest that openly shows the ranking.’

I was already well aware of the concept of the Contribution Ranking.

It was a common occurrence for a ranking window to appear along with a message stating that rewards would be differentially paid based on contribution whenever local defense events or guild wars took place.

However, this quest was the first to rank contributions for all users.

‘I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.’

This was a result that deviated from my expectations.

Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t anticipate a counterattack-related quest appearing after the Dimensional Gate was completed.

Anyone could have easily predicted that outcome, even if it wasn’t me.

However, I never imagined that the quest would be in this format, where all users would be scored.

‘If this is the case, I need to finish the Legacy Quest as quickly as possible.’

Of course, just in case, I had Ignis, JDG, and their cooperative guilds on standby near the Dimensional Gate.

Thanks to that, the airship was carrying an expeditionary force consisting of my fandom, commonly referred to as ‘Heuk-U’ (Black Cows), some Jeil E&M streamers, and Shin Ha-yeon.

Recruiting expedition members from my fandom was an idea suggested by Team Leader Lee.

His opinion was that since my fandom had grown considerably and a significant number of core fans had formed, there was a need for fan service or fan meetings like other users, and since Ignis and JDG couldn’t be mobilized, we should use them to provide fan service and clear the quest at the same time.

And I accepted his suggestion as it was and recruited an expeditionary force from my fandom through an announcement.

The competition rate for the expeditionary force soared higher than I expected, and the fans who participated in the expedition were no exaggeration to say they were the core of my core fans.

‘I never thought this day would come.’

I smiled awkwardly, recalling the sight of the fans gathered before departure, gazing at me with fervent eyes.

Even though I should have gotten used to having a fandom, I still wasn’t.

Eugene, that guy, who had been dragging countless fans around like clouds under the name ‘Infinite Eugene Church’ since the previous game, might not understand, but for me, who was only used to the hierarchical guild system, the concept of a fandom was still awkward.

I had witnessed firsthand the fans who were delighted with the ‘fan meeting’ after receiving the quest at the expedition departure ceremony, but I couldn’t know which way their opinion would swing, even if they were my ardent fans, after missing the large-scale quest of the Broken World’s main story right before their eyes.

I looked out the window.

The blue sky spread out above the sea of white clouds beneath the airship came into view.

We had already surpassed the altitude Wyverns could reach a long time ago!

‘It’s quite a spectacle.’

I thought so because it was the first time I had seen such a sight in the game.

I was playing this game to make money in the previous game and to defeat Eugene and get revenge on him in Second, but that didn’t mean I didn’t like Ard World.

I had liked this world reasonably well in both the previous game and Second.

If I hadn’t liked it, I wouldn’t have come back.

‘I’m getting unnecessarily sentimental.’

Thinking that far, I shook my head to clear away the sentimental thoughts.

Anyway, my goal now was only one.

To get revenge on Eugene, that bastard!

That’s all.

Just as I was thinking that.

“Drakan-nim.”

Someone’s voice came from behind me.

It was Shin Ha-yeon.

“Did you see the quest window?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and replied to Shin Ha-yeon’s question.

“How’s the public opinion of the expeditionary force?”

At my question, Shin Ha-yeon subtly approached me, gently took my hand, and whispered in my ear.

“There’s no significant change in the public opinion of the expeditionary force. They are still looking forward to the Floating Castle expedition with Drakan-nim. In fact, there are more people who are looking forward to the Floating Castle than the other world.”

The public opinion of the expeditionary force that I heard from Shin Ha-yeon was something I hadn’t expected.

To support me despite the ranking being revealed!

It was such an unexpected result that I wondered if my worries had been unfounded.

“That’s a little…… unexpected.”

“The loyalty of the core fandom doesn’t waver that easily.”

I smiled at Shin Ha-yeon’s words.

This was because I was reminded of the Infinite Eugene Church.

Fanatics who would throw themselves into a fire pit for Eugene!

Of course, my core fandom wasn’t that extreme, but as she said, it was true that I had underestimated the loyalty of my core fandom.

“I’m glad there’s no public opinion fluctuation.”

Just as I was thinking that and smiling with satisfaction.

Kwaaang!

With a loud noise, the airship shook violently.