The Final Boss Has Returned 181

Chapter 181

Verda closed her mouth after hearing Drakan’s words.

His proposal to drive out Argen and divide the world in two was quite persuasive.

However, Verda was not foolish enough to accept his proposal right away.

The fact that Drakan made the first proposal meant that Drakan’s side was in a hurry, but above all, Verda still didn’t know Drakan’s true intentions.

Having been outwitted by Drakan countless times, Verda spoke cautiously while looking at him.

“What benefit is there for us in dividing the world in two?”

“At least there’s the benefit of reducing one competitor.”

Verda replied to Drakan’s words.

“If that’s all, there’s no need for me to listen to your proposal.”

“Then, are you planning to side with the Sword Emperor?”

“I’m not obligated to answer that.”

Drakan smiled as he heard Verda’s ambiguous answer, neither confirming nor denying.

Verda taking advantage of the Two Kingdoms Strategy that Drakan himself had proposed and joining hands with the Sword Emperor to attack the Iron Blood Alliance.

It wasn’t that Drakan hadn’t considered that possibility.

But Drakan knew.

Eugene and Verda.

Those two could never join forces with the Sword Emperor.

“You can’t join hands with the Sword Emperor anyway.”

Drakan spoke in a relaxed voice, and Verda closed her mouth.

Drakan continued to speak while looking at Verda.

“The current Sword Emperor is receiving exclusive sponsorship from SI Games, well, it’s called sponsorship, but he’s practically their puppet.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“What do you mean what does it have to do with anything? Do you think I’m really saying this without knowing anything?”

Drakan looked directly into Verda’s eyes at her question.

He didn’t miss Verda’s pupils trembling slightly.

“What Eugene advocates for is the freedom of users and the purity of Ard World, and what Eugene hates the most are the puppets of external forces who try to take control of Ard World using corporate capital.”

Verda remained silent at Drakan’s words.

“Then, do you think Eugene can really join hands with the Sword Emperor, even if it’s temporary?”

“That……”

Verda was speechless.

Because there was nothing wrong with Drakan’s words.

Eugene.

He, who valued justification and righteousness above all else, would never dare join hands with the Sword Emperor, who had fallen to the status of a ‘puppet of external forces,’ for a mere reason like ‘profit.’

“Furthermore, the Sword Emperor has more Over-Rankers than you. Even if you persuade Eugene and join hands with the Sword Emperor, do you think the Sword Emperor will leave Eugene alone, the only remaining rival after I’m gone?”

Betrayal!

Drakan smiled as he mentioned those words, and Verda bit her lip.

There was nothing wrong with Drakan’s words.

Eugene would not join hands with the Sword Emperor, and even if they did, it was too obvious that the Sword Emperor, who possessed the most Over-Rankers in Ard World without Drakan, would betray Eugene.

Drakan was a dangerous opponent, but the Sword Emperor had the potential to become an even more dangerous one.

“On the other hand, I’ve cut ties with Jeil Group, and I don’t have as many Over-Rankers as the Sword Emperor.”

Drakan continued to speak while looking at Verda.

“And you know that this is the perfect time to take down the Sword Emperor with minimal damage, right?”

Verda’s cheeks trembled at Drakan’s words.

There was nothing wrong with his words.

Verda already knew that the only chance to defeat the Sword Emperor with minimal damage was now, before his internal discipline was properly established and before he received a massive influx of external funds.

If they gave him time like this, the Sword Emperor’s power would surely grow uncontrollably.

“Choose. Whether to join hands with me and crush the Sword Emperor, or to give the Sword Emperor the advantage in this Three Kingdoms Strategy. Or, join hands with the Sword Emperor and eliminate me, only to be betrayed later.”

Verda’s mind raced at Drakan’s words, and she soon reached a conclusion.

In the end, both the Sword Emperor and Drakan were enemies that Verda had to defeat.

It was just a matter of who to deal with first.

And the basic principle of strategy is to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses when they are most vulnerable.

And the faction that was currently showing the most vulnerability was none other than the Sword Emperor.

‘I hate to admit it, but in the current situation, joining hands with Drakan and attacking the Sword Emperor is the best course of action……’

Verda bit her lip.

If she had to prioritize between the Sword Emperor and Drakan, it would be the Sword Emperor.

She couldn’t deny that fact.

Verda shook her head.

She couldn’t refuse Drakan’s proposal.

Then, she would rather accept his proposal and look for his weaknesses while being by his side, preparing for the future.

Just like one has to enter the tiger’s den to catch the tiger.

Thinking so, Verda spoke to Drakan.

“I accept your proposal. However, our alliance will be temporary, lasting only until the end of the war with the Sword Emperor.”

“A wise choice.”

Drakan smiled at Verda’s words.

And so, within the private room of the Korean restaurant, the second temporary alliance between Drakan and Eugene was formed.

▄ ▄ ▄

Drakan and Eugene’s Temporary Alliance!

Originally, this would have been big news, hot enough to blow up the internet, but the internet was eerily quiet.

This was because Drakan and Verda’s meeting was kept secret, and naturally, their alliance remained a secret as well.

Therefore, on the surface, Ard World appeared peaceful, and Argen’s proposed Three Kingdoms System seemed to be working properly.

That is, until the army of the Dark Alliance, led by Drakan, crossed the central border.

Troizen Castle.

The castle served as a gateway from the east to the central region and was currently a large fortress occupied by the Troika forces. In front of it, the army of the Dark Alliance, led by Drakan, stood in formation.

An endless army stretching as far as the horizon!

At the forefront was Drakan.

“What in the world is the meaning of this?”

Facing Drakan was Gale, the Twin Sword King and vice guild master of the Breaker Guild.

Gale, with his symbolic twin swords on his back, looked at Drakan and the endless army of the Dark Alliance behind him.

This was a gesture that anyone would interpret as a declaration of war.

The problem was that Drakan had not yet declared war.

Then it could be a simple show of force, not a war.

Thinking that far, Gale spoke to Drakan.

“Didn’t you agree to the Three Kingdoms System?”

The Three Kingdoms System!

Hearing those words, Drakan silently raised the Iron Blood Executor.

Wooong.

With a vibrating sound, a crimson aura enveloped the blade of the Iron Blood Executor.

The moment Gale saw Drakan’s stance and placed his hands on the hilts of his twin swords.

Flash!

A crimson light exploded, followed by a deafening roar that shook the heavens and the earth.

Overlord’s Sword.

The Mythical grade skill used by Drakan directly hit the Twin Sword King Gale, who was caught off guard.

And soon after, the Twin Sword King Gale met his death at the hands of Drakan without even putting up a proper fight.

[‘Dark Alliance’ has declared war on ‘Breaker Guild.’]

Soon, a notification window popped up in front of all users connected to Ard World.

The war had finally begun.

It wasn’t just Drakan who started the war.

Ard Live Eugene Official Channel.

A live stream was turned on on the channel that hadn’t uploaded any videos since the fishing scandal.

[Huh? Eugene’s streaming?]

[What’s going on?]

The moment the live stream started, countless people flocked to the chat room.

A handsome man, Eugene, appeared in the video.

[It’s Eugene-nim!]

[Yooha, means Eugene hi~]

[Eugene-nim, are you okay?]

[What have you been up to?]

[What do you think about the Five Eyes disbanding?]

As soon as Eugene appeared, the chat window exploded with messages.

Countless incidents had occurred since the fishing scandal, and some of them involved Eugene.

In particular, the fact that Sword Emperor Argen led the Breaker Guild, Blue Phoenix Guild, and Arcane Guild to leave the Five Eyes and establish a new power was a shocking event even for ordinary users.

Five Eyes!

No one would have predicted that Eugene’s alliance, which seemed to rule Ard World forever, would crumble so easily.

Except for one person, Drakan, who orchestrated the whole situation from behind.

Eugene took a deep breath as he looked at the endlessly scrolling chat window.

Sharp, Elena, and MuscleMan leaving the guild was a major incident that nearly shattered Eugene’s strong mentality.

No matter what anyone said, the people Eugene cherished the most were none other than his colleagues in the Lightwing Guild.

The fact that such colleagues had left, especially that even MuscleMan, his childhood friend and brother-in-arms, had abandoned him, was enough to crush Eugene’s spirit.

But despite that, Eugene did not collapse.

No, he couldn’t collapse.

Verda had told Eugene that he couldn’t give up here to protect the purity of Ard World and the freedom of the users.

For the sake of Verda, the only one left, for the sake of the users who believed in and followed him, and for the freedom of Ard World and all its users, Eugene had to keep moving forward.

And his first target was Argen.

[The reason I’m standing here today is because there’s something I need to tell you all.]

Eugene slowly began to speak, thinking of Argen.

[Sword Emperor Argen. He was a member of the Five Eyes and a reliable companion who shared the same goals as me for a long time. But as you all know, he left the Five Eyes and established his own power.]

The image of Argen appeared in Eugene’s mind.

Sword Emperor Argen.

The image of Argen, who was the first to support him when he rebelled against Drakan to overturn the bleak Ard World ruled by him, flashed through Eugene’s mind.

[But he brought in an external force, SI Games, a corporation’s capital, into Ard World. This is clearly crossing the line and is a heinous act, no different from selling Ard World to an external force.]

Eugene’s voice gained strength.

[I can neither tolerate nor condone Argen’s evil deeds. I will go out and fight. I will defeat Argen to prevent Ard World from falling into the hands of a greedy external force and to protect the freedom of all users!]

The moment Eugene finished speaking.

The live stream’s chat window exploded.