The Final Boss Has Returned 172

Chapter 172

“Verda…”

Eugene collapsed.

Although Eugene was equipped with a beautiful ideal, the iron will to realize it, and overwhelming skills, the driving force that supported him came from the happiness in his daily life within the fence of the Lightwing Guild.

Five members always as one.

His own family to replace his deceased parents.

But today.

That everyday happiness was shattered.

Eugene couldn’t bear that fact.

“Yes, Eugene-nim.”

Verda was blushing as she held Eugene in her arms.

It was definitely a bad situation, but the fact that she was hugging Eugene caused her heart to pound and her face to flush.

Worried that Eugene might hear her heartbeat, Verda spoke in a trembling voice.

“Speak.”

“Sharp… Elena’s heart… Is there a way… to bring it back?”

Eugene whispered into Verda’s ear in a voice that seemed about to break.

Verda closed her eyes tightly upon hearing his words.

The answer Eugene wanted was that there was a way to bring them back, but she knew very well that it was practically impossible.

And a little bit.

Just a tiny bit, she also had the desire that if everyone left and she was the only one left by Eugene’s side, she could monopolize him.

Verda closed her eyes tightly and erased the dark desire rising from her heart.

What mattered now was not her own heart.

Eugene.

It was his heart.

But Verda couldn’t bring herself to utter the answer that his heart desired.

That fact was incredibly despairing for Verda.

But she couldn’t just stop here.

Of course, she could temporarily soothe Eugene’s heart with the answer he wanted.

However, Verda thought that was the worst possible method.

A broken vase cannot be put back together, and spilled water cannot be gathered.

But if she answered that she could, Eugene, who valued his comrades more than anyone else, would surely become obsessed with winning back their hearts.

And that would inevitably lead to the division and stagnation of the Lightwing Guild, and Verda knew very well who would benefit from such a situation.

Drakan.

It was that bastard.

Therefore, it was time to tell the truth, even if it was cruel and temporarily hurtful.

Thinking so, Verda opened her closed eyes, took a deep breath, and answered in a trembling voice.

“…There isn’t.”

There isn’t.

Tears streamed down Eugene’s eyes upon hearing those words.

Even Eugene, who was insensitive to the emotions of others, had already half-realized that the relationship with the two had crossed a point of no return.

However, as soon as he received confirmation from Verda, Eugene’s mentality, which had been barely holding on to the last shred of hope, completely collapsed.

The two are gone.

The Lightwing Guild, which had always supported him, where five were gathered as one, had finally crumbled.

In the face of that cruel reality, Eugene’s spirit could no longer endure.

The Lightwing Guild.

The happiness that stemmed from it was one of the two pillars that supported Eugene’s life, along with his ideals, and it was the driving force of his life.

But now that he had lost one of the two pillars, Eugene’s heart was empty.

“Without Sharp and Elena… I… I… what will I do…”

At that moment, as Eugene mumbled blankly.

Something warm and soft touched Eugene’s lips.

It was Verda’s lips.

Eugene’s face flushed red at the sudden kiss.

The brief kiss ended as Verda pulled her lips away.

Looking at Eugene’s flushed face, Verda said with a faint smile.

“Even without those two, I am here.”

Verda gazed directly at Eugene.

“I will stay by Eugene-nim’s side until the very end. So you must not crumble here.”

Verda thought so.

Eugene.

He must not break down here.

The kiss was a shock therapy used to convey that fact.

Of course, it would be a lie to say that there was no desire, but Verda rationalized that there was no other way to quickly mend Eugene’s fraying sanity.

Eugene pursed his lips at Verda’s words.

It was because the soft sensation of Verda’s lips still seemed to linger.

Belatedly, Eugene’s face flushed red as if burning.

Looking at Eugene like that, Verda spoke, still clutching her pounding heart.

“The freedom of the users and the fate of Ard World rest in Eugene-nim’s hands. Didn’t you say you would protect Ard World… the world of the users?”

At Verda’s words, Eugene stopped in his tracks as if struck by lightning.

Ard World.

Another world that was now no different from his hometown.

He was Eugene, who had vowed to protect the purity of that world, to safeguard a world for the users.

“If you truly wish to protect Ard World, you must not crumble here.”

Verda’s words struck Eugene’s ears.

He cannot crumble here.

Those words pierced Eugene’s mind like a dagger.

Verda was right.

The phase of Ard Saga Second had already reached its final stage.

The one who unifies the continent will sit on the single throne.

It was a blatant hint towards the ‘ending.’

But if he were to let go of the fate of Ard World here, and miss the ending…

He might not be able to see the freedom of the users he wanted to protect, the pure form of Ard World, anymore.

“You’re right.”

A trembling voice flowed from Eugene’s lips.

“To protect Ard World… for the freedom of all users… I cannot despair here.”

Eugene wiped away his tears.

He remembered his past self, who had sworn to protect the purity of Ard World no matter what.

Yes.

No matter what happens.

No matter the cost.

He could never give up on his mission to protect Ard World.

No, if he gave up on that too, there would be nothing left for Eugene.

Looking at Eugene like that, Verda smiled, took his hand, and whispered.

“I will help you. Even if everyone, the whole world, abandons Eugene-nim, I will support you until the very, very end.”

Eugene’s eyes widened at Verda’s words.

Verda looked directly into Eugene’s eyes and said.

“So, move forward.”

After finishing her words, Verda embraced Eugene’s shoulders and kissed him once more.

The second kiss.

Eugene closed his eyes as he accepted her lips.

A situation that couldn’t be more heartwarming.

However, except for the two involved, this situation was nothing short of a terrible nightmare for a third party watching.

“Gasp.”

Elena, who was watching the two hugging and kissing from outside the CEO’s office, covered her mouth with both hands.

Tears streamed down her eyes silently.

Like a younger sister.

Despite saying such words to her.

Despite knowing her feelings, her unrequited love, and hurting her so much with the name of a younger sister, with the words ‘like family.’

Now, to hug and even kiss Verda.

Watching that scene, Elena felt like the world was collapsing.

I’ll think about it.

She had left those words and exited the CEO’s office, but it was true that regret washed over her as soon as she stepped out.

Did I say too much? Did I act rashly, swept away by my emotions? He didn’t treat me badly, did he? Such lingering feelings still remained.

And those regrets and lingering feelings turned Elena’s steps back.

But what greeted Elena as she returned was the embrace and kiss between the two.

The moment Verda hugged Eugene, Elena trembled all over.

It is said that you really can’t make a sound when you are truly surprised, and Elena realized the truth of those words.

Her mind just went blank.

She wanted to erase the memory of seeing the person she liked, the person she had liked, hugging the woman who was her rival, from her brain.

Already in shock, the conversation between the two didn’t properly reach Elena’s ears.

As Elena stood there blankly, the two kissed, and Verda said she would stay even if the other two were gone.

Hearing those words, Elena felt all the lingering feelings, regrets, and unrequited love she had harbored shatter into pieces.

‘Wh, what should I do?’

In a state of panic, Elena forced her unresponsive mind to work.

The image of one person came to mind.

Sharp.

The one who had unrequited feelings for Eugene along with her, a rival, but also a friend she had been close to, the older sister who couldn’t be honest about her feelings.

Thinking of her, Elena bit her lip.

‘Sh, Sharp-eonni, I, I need to tell eonni about this situation…’

She had to inform her about this unprecedented situation, to somehow, somehow put their heads together and come up with a plan.

Thinking so, Elena took a picture of the two kissing with a silent camera and sent a message to Sharp along with a disjointed explanation of the situation.

▄ ▄ ▄

Han River Park.

Sharp sat on a bench, gazing at the Han River, sparkling under the sunlight, with the skyline drawn by skyscrapers in full view.

‘Did I do the right thing?’

It doesn’t matter who wins.

It’s just a game anyway.

I’m leaving.

Those were the words she left behind as she ran out of the Lightwing Guild.

At the time, she was so angry about the fact that she was being led on that she said those words, but now that her emotions had calmed down to some extent, she felt a complicated mix of emotions, thinking that it might not have been something to be so angry about.

‘Was it really right for me to leave?’

Sharp chewed on the plastic straw stuck in the strawberry milk carton she bought from the store, continuing her thoughts.

Should I go back now? No, I can never forgive being led on. I was betrayed.

These two conflicting and contradictory emotions continued to clash within Sharp’s heart.

Sharp felt a throbbing headache.

Being led on is wrong.

It can never be forgiven.

But her feelings for Eugene, the time she spent with him…

No, even putting Eugene aside, for Sharp, who had a subtly affectionate personality, the memories she made with the Lightwing Guild members weren’t the kind that could be erased overnight.

Therefore, Sharp was conflicted.

This was especially true because of her past experiences of being swayed by emotions, ruining things, and regretting it a lot.

As Sharp was lost in thought.

Buzz.

Her phone, which she had placed next to her on the bench, vibrated.

‘Who is it?’

Startled by the sudden vibration, Sharp immediately picked up her phone and checked the notification.

And there it was.

A picture of Verda and Eugene kissing, sent by Elena.

Thud.

The strawberry milk carton in Sharp’s hand rolled to the ground.