The Final Boss Has Returned 140

Chapter 140

“For now, I understand.”

A smile still lingered on Eugene’s lips as he answered Drakan’s whisper.

“Eugene, is something the matter?”

Sharp asked, seeing Eugene like that.

She was curious about the reason why Eugene, who had been wearing a rather unpleasant expression throughout the meeting, now had a genuinely happy smile on his face.

And this wasn’t just Sharp’s thought alone.

Even Sword Emperor Argen, who had been at odds with Eugene until now, reacted sensitively to the change in Eugene’s expression.

In any case, the final decision-making authority in this meeting rested with Eugene.

Top Ranker, Hero Eugene.

There was no user present who could defy the will of the man who held the hegemony of Ard World.

It was only because Eugene was not a tyrant like Drakan who pushed his own opinions to the end, but a person who respected the opinions of others, that Argen could freely express his opposing views.

“I received a message.”

“From whom?”

Argen asked at Eugene’s words.

Just which user had contacted Eugene?

Currently, the other three factions that had established themselves in the Broken World were virtually refusing to cooperate with the Five Eyes.

But a message in such a situation?

Moreover, judging from the fact that it was delivered through a whisper, it must have been a user with a certain degree of familiarity with Eugene.

“It’s from Drakan-nim.”

At Eugene’s following words, Argen’s expression hardened slightly.

‘What’s his scheme?’

Steel Monarch Drakan.

The user who was known to be the only one remaining in Ard World to carry out his Legacy Quest while all the high-level and Ranker users headed to the Broken World.

Why on earth would he contact Eugene in the Broken World now?

Even though he had learned the identity of the user who had contacted him, Argen was confused.

And he wasn’t the only one surprised to hear the news.

‘Drakan? Why did he contact him?’

Verda.

She, who served as the brain of the Lightwing Guild, was also confused.

Drakan.

The very fact that he had suddenly contacted Eugene to offer his cooperation was enough to surprise her.

However, unlike Argen, who was still confused, Verda quickly organized her thoughts.

In any case, it was true that he had contacted them.

Then, she had to speculate on the reason why he had offered to cooperate.

‘The possibility of him helping without any compensation isn’t non-existent, but……’

The possibility of Drakan helping without any compensation was small, but it did exist.

This was because Verda was well aware that what the current Drakan desperately wanted was the public opinion of the users.

If the Drakan of the past was an extreme egoist who would stop at nothing for his own benefit, the current Drakan could be called a shrewd politician who was willing to give up even his own interests to gain public opinion.

‘He might be hoping for some other kind of compensation.’

But the probability of him truly helping without any compensation was low.

By requesting cooperation, Drakan had shifted the balance of power in his favor.

Eugene, who wanted to minimize the sacrifices of the users and ensure their safety, would have no choice but to accept Drakan’s demands as much as possible.

And Drakan was not the kind of person to miss such a good opportunity.

Then, what kind of compensation would he demand?

Having thought that far, Verda shook her head.

She couldn’t even begin to guess what kind of compensation Drakan would demand.

He might want tangible items, or he might want intangible benefits.

The current Drakan was a person who had surpassed the scope of Verda’s predictions.

“Drakan, what did that guy say?”

In the strange silence mixed with confusion, Sharp was the first to speak.

In response to Sharp’s question, Eugene replied with a smile.

“He said he’d lend us his strength, so let’s negotiate.”

Verda felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck her head when she heard Eugene’s words.

Negotiation.

The existence of these two words meant the disappearance of the assumption that Drakan would help without any compensation.

If he were to help without compensation, there would be no need to mention negotiation.

He could just say he would help.

But the fact that he specifically mentioned negotiation meant that he had a price he wanted from them.

‘What is it?’

Since entering Second, Verda had tried to pressure Drakan more than once.

But every time, Drakan had exceeded her expectations and pressured her back instead.

From the Northern War to the Twilight Stone negotiations!

It was safe to say that Verda’s strategy against Drakan had been a complete failure since entering Second.

“Anyway, since Drakan-nim has proposed a negotiation, I think it’s best for me to go to the negotiation table. What do you all think?”

Meanwhile, Eugene spoke in an excited voice to the Over-Rankers of the Five Eyes, including himself, who were sitting at the table.

And there was no user present who could raise their voice in opposition to Eugene.

Even Argen, who had been the most vocal in his opposition, remained silent at Eugene’s words.

This was because his grounds for opposition had disappeared.

The basis of Argen’s argument for a solo strategy was that there were no factions willing to cooperate. But now that a faction had emerged, willing to cooperate, continuing to argue against it would be crossing the line.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Therefore, the only answer Argen could give was a single word, alright.

Following this, the other users agreed with him, and the Five Eyes meeting concluded in that manner.

Now, all that remained was the negotiation with Drakan.

▄ ▄ ▄

[I will accept the negotiation, Drakan-nim. The time and place will be according to your will.]

Drakan smiled as he heard Eugene’s reply.

This was because the big fish known as Eugene had finally been caught in the net he had cast.

“Eugene has accepted the negotiation.”

Shin Ha-yeon smiled at Drakan’s words, and Ignis silently went to his seat and sat down.

“The advantage is on our side. We can demand appropriate compensation from them, as long as we don’t cross the line.”

“Can we demand compensation other than Mythical grade material items?”

Ignis asked as soon as Drakan finished speaking.

As one of Drakan’s closest associates, Ignis already knew what the conditions for completing his quest were.

Mythical grade material items!

The fact that Drakan would receive the rights to those items, which were absolutely necessary to complete the Aerial Mobile Fortress Voltaha, through this quest was something Ignis could guess even without Drakan telling him.

Of course, it was questionable whether they actually had Mythical grade material items, but it was true that if they succeeded in the Hive Mind raid, the probability of obtaining Mythical grade material items was quite high.

“Yes. But we can’t demand more tangible compensation like items.”

“We have enough items. There’s no need to receive them if they’re not Mythical grade. And if we demand Mythical grade items, the negotiation is likely to fall apart.”

Shin Ha-yeon quietly spoke as soon as Drakan finished speaking.

As she said, Jeil E&M had plenty of items, no less than anyone else.

This was the aftermath of Shin Ha-yeon, who had desired the hegemony of Ard World, collecting Legendary grade items for a long time.

Of course, they didn’t have Mythical grade items, but since the other side didn’t have any Mythical grade items either, except for the equipment of the Lightwing Guild members, it was a fair trade.

Moreover, asking for Mythical grade items, in other words, the equipment they were currently using, would likely lead to the negotiation falling apart.

Even though they held the advantage, asking for their liver and gallbladder was no different from saying they didn’t want to negotiate.

Asking for future Mythical grade material items was still acceptable, as it was an item they didn’t currently possess and essentially asking for the ‘rights’ to it. However, demanding the Mythical grade items they currently possessed was an unreasonable demand.

To secure the maximum benefit without the negotiation breaking down.

That was the goal Drakan had set for the negotiation with Eugene.

“If this negotiation falls apart, the solo strategy faction within the Five Eyes is likely to gain strength.”

Ignis brought up a fundamental point.

At this point in time, the fact that the Five Eyes were divided into two different opinions was practically an open secret.

The solo strategy faction and the cooperative strategy faction. Eugene belonged to the cooperative strategy faction, which was why they hadn’t been able to do anything so far. However, if it weren’t for that, they would have definitely chosen to attack with their own forces.

Therefore, this negotiation could be considered a kind of watershed moment.

‘They have enough power to finish this phase with a solo strategy.’

Drakan recalled the strength of the Five Eyes.

Although he had caught up a lot, the Five Eyes still possessed enough power to finish Phase 2 on their own.

It was unknown how long this strange lull would last, but if it couldn’t be stopped, he had to use them to his advantage.

The Five Eyes.

The power that Eugene possessed still existed high above, even though he had been running tirelessly.

The gap of two years, the snowballing effect brought on by the hegemony lost in the World Revolution, was that significant.

Drakan smiled.

In any case, he couldn’t allow the enemy to choose a solo strategy.

“What kind of intangible compensation will you demand?”

Ignis’s question was directed at Drakan.

Intangible compensation.

Ignis was curious about what kind of compensation he would demand.

Drakan smiled and answered.

“An alliance that continues until the Hive Mind strategy, not just a one-time alliance for the Valley of Origins strategy. And they will recognize us as equals and give us equal shares. That’s the condition I’m setting.”

The smile on Drakan’s lips deepened as he finished speaking.

“Will they accept those conditions?”

Ignis cautiously asked after hearing Drakan’s answer.

As Ignis said, Drakan’s conditions could be seen as outrageous.

The difference in actual power between the Five Eyes and Jeil E&M was still firm.

In a situation where the Five Eyes had overwhelmingly superior power, demanding equal standing and shares was practically a robber’s demand.

“Of course. Eugene, that guy values fairness above all else. He can’t help but accept it.”

However, Drakan immediately answered Ignis’s question.

Eugene.

Drakan was one of the people who knew him best in this world.

And Drakan also knew what value Eugene cherished the most.

Fairness.

That was one of the values that Eugene cherished the most, and Drakan intended to exploit that gap.

If Eugene, who valued fairness above all else, was a sucker, he would have no choice but to accept their proposal.

Thinking so, Drakan smiled.

Eugene, the generous sucker.

It was time to go meet him.