The Final Boss Has Returned 193

Chapter 193

Flash!

Light exploded.

Kwa-gwang!

A roar and a monstrous scream followed immediately.

“Die!!!”

In Eugene’s already mentally broken vision, there was only one person visible: Drakan.

The moment Eugene swung his holy sword and the golden aura flew towards Drakan.

“Demon God’s Shield.”

The Dark Holy Magic manifested by the Dark Saintess Elena shimmered on Drakan’s body.

A murky grey shield arose from Drakan’s body and deflected the golden aura that Eugene had shot.

Drakan.

His role in the ‘Hero Raid’ was the main tank and dealer.

This was because Eugene’s ‘aggro’ was entirely focused on Drakan.

While Eugene’s aggro was focused on Drakan, the other Over-Rankers’ attacks were concentrated on Eugene.

“Hundred Steps Divine Fist!”

Hundred Steps Divine Fist!

MuscleMan, the Fist King’s ultimate skill, and the ultimate martial art that could strike an enemy from a hundred steps away, revealed itself.

The moment MuscleMan thrust his right fist, condensed with aura, into the air.

An aura sphere resembling the shape of his fist flew fiercely through the air and instantly approached Eugene. Just then.

“Rainbow Barrier!”

The Great Sage Verda, who had been following Eugene like a shadow, quickly deployed a barrier.

Rainbow Barrier.

The moment the translucent barrier, shimmering with rainbow colors like its name, enveloped Eugene’s body, the Hundred Steps Divine Fist’s aura sphere collided with it.

Bang!

A roaring sound echoed as the barrier shattered into pieces. However, the aura sphere of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, its power reduced, failed to inflict a fatal wound on Eugene.

But the attacks didn’t stop there.

From the Evil Spirit Arrow of Sharp, the Divine Archer, to the Ice Fang of Yume, the Ice Queen, the Chain Lightning of Rook, the Magic King, the Black Spot Strike of Layla, the Assassination King, the Earth Splitter of Paul, the Axe King, the Light Splitting Sword Draw of Wu Jing, the Sword Emperor, and the Inferno of Ignis, the Flame King!

Excluding the Dark Saintess Elena, the supporter in charge of buffs and healing, all the Over-Rankers unleashed their colorful skills, accurately timed like a stopwatch, at Eugene.

Tank, Dealer, Healer! The flower of a raid!

That golden cycle was implemented here in its most beautiful form, against the Hero Eugene.

Kwa-kwa-gwang!!

As the skills continuously landed, explosions roared, and the magical shockwaves swept the surroundings, devastating the land.

Over-Rankers.

Although they couldn’t be compared to EX-Rankers like Eugene and Drakan, they were still Rankers among Rankers, the best of the best, veterans among veterans, who had achieved great things and reached the pinnacle of their respective fields.

For them, coordinating the Tank, Dealer, Healer cycle and dealing damage to Eugene was easier than eating cold porridge.

Furthermore, Eugene’s aggro was entirely focused on Drakan, and Drakan was faithfully fulfilling his role as a tank, single-handedly absorbing Eugene’s aggro.

In a situation where the tank was properly drawing aggro, there were no Over-Rankers present who couldn’t even deal damage properly.

Kwa-gwang!

Another skill landed, and the explosion shook the surroundings.

“Ugh!”

Verda bit her lip as she continuously used barriers to block the incoming attack cycle of the enemy Over-Rankers.

She looked at Eugene beside her.

The brilliant golden aura flickering around Eugene’s entire body came into her view.

Avatar of Radiance.

A self-buff skill and a defensive skill that significantly increased all of Eugene’s stats and defense.

If it hadn’t been for this skill and her supplementary defensive magic, if she hadn’t occasionally cast offensive magic to keep the enemies in check, Eugene might have already collapsed.

No, even now, Eugene and Verda were being unilaterally pummeled, and Drakan was still only drawing aggro without launching a proper attack.

Kiee-eeeee-eeck!

Just then.

A chilling scream echoed from afar.

Along with it, an arrow with a black tail flew straight towards Eugene’s neck.

Sharp, the Divine Archer.

It was the Evil Spirit Arrow shot by her, who had now betrayed Lightwing and fallen into darkness as a Dark Elf.

Verda checked the mana bar displayed in the corner of her vision.

[Warning! Less than 10% mana remaining.]

A warning message appeared in her vision.

‘This is the last barrier.’

Verda knew.

That this was the last barrier.

Of course, her inventory was filled with potions, but in this situation where they were under concentrated fire, there was no time to take out and use a potion.

In the brief moment she hesitated to open her inventory, in that split second, the enemies were a party of proven experts, capable of taking her life.

But even so, Verda had to deploy a barrier.

For Eugene.

“Rainbow Barrier!”

The barrier, created by squeezing out Verda’s last remaining mana, collided with the Evil Spirit Arrow shot by Sharp and shattered into nothingness.

Looking at that, Verda smiled.

Her mana was gone.

However, she still had one skill left that she could use without mana.

[Rune of Self-Sacrifice]

[Classification: Legend]

[By using this skill, you can burn your own soul and sacrifice your life to grant a buff to the designated target, greatly increasing all stats, attack power, defense power, and skill power.]

[One-time use skill, cannot be used again once used.]

Rune of Self-Sacrifice.

A skill she received as a reward while completing the Legacy Quest of her own Legacy, the ‘Great Sage.’

Remembering the time when she received this skill as a reward, thinking about how she had buried it away, wondering where she could ever use such a skill, Verda smiled.

Eugene.

If she could sacrifice herself to grant him a buff.

If she could help him achieve his dream, his ideals.

Verda could throw away the character she had raised until now.

Anyway, her character, unable to replenish mana, would only be a burden to Eugene. With her usual cold rationality, Verda quickly made her decision.

“Rune of Self-Sacrifice.”

“Verda!”

The moment Verda used the Rune of Self-Sacrifice.

Eugene, who was beside her, finally came to his senses and shouted.

“No!!”

But by the time Eugene shouted, the Rune of Self-Sacrifice had already been activated.

A giant rune appeared on Verda’s forehead, shining with a blue light.

The moment Verda’s avatar, with the skill activated, turned into particles of light from her toes and enveloped Eugene’s body.

Fwoosh!

An explosion of light occurred, centered around Eugene’s body.

Simultaneously, Drakan and the other melee dealers around Eugene were pushed back by the shockwave.

[User ‘Verda’ has granted you the effect of ‘Rune of Self-Sacrifice’.]

[All stats are greatly increased.]

[All skill power is greatly increased.]

[Health is fully recovered.]

…….

Within the pillar of light created by Verda’s sacrifice, Eugene shed tears.

Verda.

The memory of just a moment ago, when he promised to return to her after everything was over, flashed through Eugene’s mind.

But Verda had now sacrificed herself for him, and that promise could no longer be kept in Ard World.

At that fact, Eugene gritted his teeth.

Tears continued to stream down his eyes.

‘Unforgivable.’

Verda.

Eugene could not forgive Drakan and his gang, who had made him sacrifice his beloved Verda.

‘Your sacrifice will not be in vain. Verda.’

Remembering Verda’s sacrifice, Eugene gritted his teeth and once again tightly gripped the hilt of his holy sword.

At that moment.

As the pillar of light dissipated, he appeared before Eugene’s eyes.

A man with black hair, sharp features, clad in black full-body armor, holding a dark red longsword in his hand, and a skull-shaped earring on his left ear.

The culprit who had made him sacrifice even Verda, the one who had exploited his goodwill, and furthermore, the one who had collapsed Eugene’s world and deceived the world.

Drakan stood there with his betrayers and henchmen.

“As expected, Verda used the Rune of Self-Sacrifice. We’re entering Phase 2.”

Drakan’s indifferent voice flowed out.

The moment he heard that voice, the last thread of reason snapped in Eugene’s mind.

Drakan.

He was not acknowledging him as an equal opponent, not even as a fellow user.

A monster.

He was treating him like a monster.

Eugene could no longer tolerate Drakan’s insults.

Moreover, Drakan’s words, belittling Verda’s noble sacrifice as a mere ‘Phase 2,’ were even more unforgivable.

Drakan.

He and Drakan were indeed enemies who could not coexist under the same sky.

Thinking so, Eugene shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Solar Manifestation!”

The moment Eugene’s shout pierced the sky.

Flash.

A brilliant sun, made of the power of light, rose in the sky that had been filled with dark clouds.

Eugene’s Awakening Skill, Solar Manifestation, finally revealed itself.

Just as Eugene’s body began to be invigorated by the sunlight from the rising sun in the sky.

“World of Steel.”

Rumble!

As if to swallow Eugene’s sun entirely, dark clouds gathered in the sky, red sparks flew, and thunder began to shake the world.

Soon, a dark red energy, spreading from Drakan’s feet, began to rapidly erode the land.

World of Steel!

The world where the Tyrant Drakan had ruled Ard World with an iron fist in the previous game, the land of iron and blood stained with blood and steel, descended upon the sun of light created by the Hero Eugene.

[You have entered the World of Steel.]

[The effect of the skill ‘Rune of Self-Sacrifice’ has been dispelled.]

Along with it, a despairing notification popped up before Eugene’s eyes.

The skill effect of World of Steel, which dispelled all buffs on the enemy ‘once’, had been activated.

Of course, since it was a one-time effect, he could reapply the dispelled buff, but the problem was that the Rune of Self-Sacrifice was a one-time use buff that only Verda could use.

Verda.

The power gained through her noble self-sacrifice had been erased by Drakan before he could even wield it.

“Ah, ahhh……”

A groan escaped Eugene’s lips.

Verda’s self-sacrifice had become meaningless.

Her sacrifice had amounted to nothing.

He had ultimately failed to accomplish anything.

As his thoughts reached that point, a roar erupted from Eugene’s mouth.

“Drakaaaan!!!”

Eugene’s holy sword swung towards Drakan.

Looking at the holy sword being swung haphazardly, without any proper form, unlike usual, Drakan quietly said,

“Iron Blood Chains.”

As soon as Drakan finished speaking, Iron Blood Chains rose from the crimson-stained earth and bound Eugene.

However, just like with Sword Emperor Argen, it was impossible to hold Eugene captive with the Iron Blood Chains for long.

“Don’t try your petty tricks!!”

Indeed, the moment Eugene broke free from the Iron Blood Chains.

“Come, Undead King.”

A low voice flowed from Drakan’s mouth.

Along with it, a gloomy blue magic power emanated from the ‘skull earring’ on Drakan’s left ear, a gift from the Undead King after releasing his seal.

Simultaneously, a gate, deep enough to swallow even the abyss, opened right behind Eugene.

From that gate, the Undead King finally revealed himself.

The ruler of the undead, three meters tall, clad in a black robe, wielding the flaming sword Levateinn, and emanating an eerie blue magic power from his entire body.

The ruler of the dead, the strongest monster in Ard World, and a being that had ascended to the level of a demi-transcendent being!

[Apostle of Darkness, why have you summoned me?]

The moment the Undead King asked his question in a gloomy voice, Eugene’s holy sword was already flying towards Drakan’s solar plexus.

However, in a situation where his mind was not sound due to various circumstances, Eugene’s sword, swung purely based on emotion, was a mess.

Drakan lightly deflected Eugene’s messy holy sword with the Iron Blood Executor and said,

“Restrain the Hero.”

[Death God’s Binding.]

As soon as Drakan’s command fell, the Undead King used a binding skill.

Death God’s Binding!

The strongest binding skill used by the Undead King, a being who had ascended to the level of a demi-transcendent being!

The dark blue chains created by that skill tightly bound Eugene’s entire body.

Bound by the Death God’s Binding, Eugene struggled to break free like before, but it was useless.

Death God’s Binding was a Mythical grade binding skill, on a different level from the Iron Blood Chains.

“Ah, ahhh!!”

Looking at Eugene, who was bound and continuing his meaningless struggle, Drakan approached him and faced him.

“Was the hope of a power-up sweet?”

Drakan said, looking at Eugene.

Verda.

He already knew from Sharp that she possessed a skill called the Rune of Self-Sacrifice.

Therefore, Drakan relentlessly attacked both Eugene and Verda without giving them a break.

Because he anticipated that when they were cornered to the point where they couldn’t even drink potions, when their mana was completely depleted, Verda would definitely use the Rune of Self-Sacrifice.

Of course, if Drakan had pushed the attack cycle even more relentlessly, he could have easily eliminated both Eugene and Verda before she used the Rune of Self-Sacrifice, but Drakan didn’t do that.

Eugene.

Treating him like a ‘monster’ instead of a user.

Making the only remaining comrade sacrifice herself before his eyes.

Making him momentarily experience both despair and hope through that comrade’s sacrifice.

Then, using the ‘World of Steel’ to render the sacrifice of the comrade he cherished so much meaningless.

Summoning the Undead King to make even the unspoken rule of a ‘duel between users,’ which he might have been thinking about, meaningless.

Ultimately, making everything Eugene had left meaningless and shattering the world around him.

That was the best final battle scenario that Drakan himself had painstakingly written after much deliberation.

And now, Drakan had almost perfectly performed most of that final battle scenario.

All that remained was the epilogue leading to a happy ending.

Eugene looked at Drakan and slowly said,

“……Why…… Why are you doing this to me?”

Eugene knew.

That he had lost.

That no matter what he did, he couldn’t defeat Drakan in this situation.

However, even if he lost, he wanted to ask this question.

Why, exactly, had he done this to him?

To that question, Drakan leaned back and laughed loudly, then approached Eugene and whispered in his ear,

“Revenge.”

Drakan’s words were a chilling single word, filled with all the resentment and vengeance he had accumulated, as if he had crawled up from hell.

Hearing those words, Eugene felt an inexplicable chill and looked up at Drakan with trembling eyes.

“What does that……”

“It’s thanks to you.”

Drakan smiled brightly and brought the Iron Blood Executor to Eugene’s chin.

“It’s thanks to you that I had to board a deep-sea fishing vessel and catch tuna, that you made me, who was trying to live an ordinary life without even looking at the game after disembarking, return to the game, that you guaranteed on TV that day that people like me would never be able to set foot in Ard World again, that you would make sure of it.”

The memories of that day were still vivid in Drakan’s mind.

The nightmare of the grueling and indescribable tuna fishing.

The memory of disembarking from the deep-sea fishing vessel and resolving never to look at the game again.

The TV in the arrival hall of Busan Station, broadcasting an interview stating that people like Drakan would never be able to set foot in Ard World.

Seeing Eugene’s interview on TV, seeing him living a comfortable life, he had vowed to return all the pain he had suffered, with interest, on that day.

The thought of catching Eugene and showing filial piety to his parents.

The contract made on the day he met Shin Ha-yeon and promised to work together on the grand scheme of rebellion.

Drakan still remembered everything clearly.

“So, thank you. Eugene.”

Drakan quietly whispered his gratitude in Eugene’s ear.

The moment he heard those words, a roar erupted from Eugene’s mouth.

“For such a trivial, insignificant reason…… To commit such a heinous act! You…… You are the most wicked person in the world!!”

Eugene.

He couldn’t understand.

He never imagined that the reason Drakan harbored resentment, the reason he had broken him like this, would be such a trivial matter.

He hadn’t even anticipated that he would meticulously plan and deceive the world to carry out his revenge so cunningly and wickedly for such a reason.

But the moment he learned the whole truth.

Eugene thought.

In his mind, Drakan was a villain composed of pure evil, without even 0.1% of good intentions.

“Yes. Eugene. I am a villain.”

Drakan laughed at the words that called him a villain.

He wasn’t particularly angry.

Eugene was already a loser, and there was nothing he could do now.

What he was doing now was just a loser’s struggle.

Thinking so, Drakan smiled brightly and made his final declaration to Eugene.

“Therefore, you will have to live in the world created by a villain for the rest of your life.”

Living in the world created by a villain for the rest of his life.

That was the epilogue of the revenge scenario Drakan had painstakingly written for Eugene.

The moment Eugene’s eyes widened at Drakan’s words.

“Overlord’s Sword.”

Wooooooooooong!!

A terrifying amount of aura gathered and condensed on the Iron Blood Executor that touched Eugene’s chin.

The moment the Overlord’s Sword finally descended upon the dark red blade, Drakan removed the sword from Eugene’s chin and immediately swung the Iron Blood Executor towards Eugene’s neck.

An explosion erupted.

The aura exploded.

The sky split, and the earth trembled.

And a notification window popped up in Drakan’s vision.

[You have defeated the Hero Eugene.]

[You have partially fulfilled the completion conditions for the quest ‘The Final Holy War’.]

Eugene.

With his death, the long grand scheme of rebellion finally came to an end.