The Final Boss Has Returned 26

Chapter 26

Attack!

As soon as the short command from Drakan, the commander-in-chief, was given, the elite forces of the East, including Ignis, immediately charged at the pirates.

“Old man! I’m surprised you’ve managed to cling to life for so long!”

“I’ll take your head myself, lizard!”

The clash between Riach and Khalid stood out among the rest!

As the Over-Rankers exceeding level 400 collided, a terrifying shockwave swept through the surroundings.

The sight of black magic and bluish aura clashing was truly a war of the stars!

It was a scene where the fearsome power of Over-Rankers was on full display.

“Wail, Death’s Cog!”

“Mangle them, Dark Blades!”

A grand clash of dazzling skills!

The fight between Riach and Khalid drew spontaneous exclamations from the viewers watching in real-time through Ard Live.

Over-Rankers.

In Ard Saga Second, only twenty of these super-powered individuals existed among the users!

The fierce battle between two NPCs of that caliber was truly the pinnacle of spectacle.

Of course, the problem was that it wasn’t spectacular at all for the users fighting nearby…….

“Shit, splash damage incoming! Dodge!”

“Uwaaaack!”

The sight of nearby users getting hit by splash damage they couldn’t avoid became a common scene.

As Riach and Khalid fought in the middle of the port, the tide of the battle, as expected, flowed favorably towards Drakan’s side.

“Cursed Land!”

Five black magicians from the Black Ring Society, excluding Khalid.

Although not as powerful as Khalid, these black magicians, each possessing the strength of a high-ranking Ranker, joined forces to cast a spell. As the black magic unfolded, black magic power engulfed the entire port area.

[Weakening Curse applied.]

[Slow Curse applied.]

[Stats decreased.]

It was the appearance of Cursed Land, a large-scale black magic spell that randomly curses enemies.

And the Eastern users did not miss the moment when the pirates, affected by the curse, were inflicted with status ailments and their stats decreased.

“Die!”

“You pirate bastards!”

The Rankers and named players of the East.

Although high-level, they had suffered various tangible and intangible damages from the Pirate Alliance while leveling up. They gritted their teeth and unleashed all sorts of skills, slaughtering the pirates.

However, the one who truly stood out on the battlefield was the Flame Sorcerer, Ignis.

“Wave of Fire.”

As Ignis activated his skill, a crimson wave of fire followed!

After the surging flames engulfed the pirates, all that remained were items signifying their deaths.

With a mere wave of his hand, flames erupted and turned enemies to ashes. The pirates even ran away at the mere sight of Ignis, overwhelmed by the majesty of the Over-Ranker.

And the Rankers of JDG followed behind Ignis.

Having worked together for a long time, they efficiently slaughtered the pirates through a thorough division of tank, damage dealer, and healer roles.

And there was one user who stood out on the battlefield in a different sense than Ignis.

“Drakan! There’s Drakan!”

“Kill him!”

It was Drakan.

The instigator of this war, a former top-ranked player, now known to be only in the 100 levels, he appeared, at first glance, like easy prey in this battlefield where the minimum level was 380.

No matter how much the importance of levels had decreased in Ard Saga Second compared to the previous game, the gap between a level 380 user, practically considered max level, and a level 100 user was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Therefore, they rushed towards Drakan like moths to a flame.

Even though Drakan was only a level 100 user, the fame he possessed was real!

If they killed Drakan, they would be able to gain fame both in Ard World and on the internet as the one who defeated him!

But the expression on Drakan’s face, surrounded by attacks from all directions, was overflowing with composure.

“The experience points are coming to me on their own!”

[Look at his confidence lol]

[lol Crazy lol]

[Drakan is a cocky bastard, but that’s why I keep watching lol]

Drakan glanced at the chat window, took a step forward, and activated a skill.

“Overlord’s Stride.”

The tyrannical majesty of the Steel Monarch Drakan, etched in the history of Ard World, was fully realized in this legendary Legacy skill, finally revealing itself here.

The intangible force emanating from Drakan’s entire body instantly enveloped those attacking him.

[Faced the might of Overlord’s Stride.]

[Inflicted with the status ailment ‘Slow’.]

The speed of the pirates hit by Overlord’s Stride slowed down all at once.

“Wh-what?!”

“What kind of skill is this?”

“This is crazy!”

While the pirates were bewildered by the unconventional skill, Overlord’s Stride!

Drakan didn’t miss that opportunity and mercilessly swung the Iron Blood Executor, his sword surging with a black-red aura.

“Ugh!”

Just one strike.

With a single sword stroke, Drakan forced all the pirates charging towards him to take a step back.

[Critical Hit!]

Drakan’s stats were currently boosted fourfold by a super-special doping potion!

Although he was level 100, his stats, numerically equivalent to level 400, made dealing with pirates around level 380 a piece of cake.

An ordinary level 100 user might not be able to adapt to the sudden increase in stats, but he was a former top-ranked player!

He was a person born with monstrous talent in physical abilities, unmatched by others.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve felt this sensation! This is about a quarter of my prime!’

Instead of struggling to adapt to his increased senses, he even had the leisure to compare his current state to his time as a top-ranked player, and Drakan laughed.

Looking at the bewildered pirates, he once again raised the Iron Blood Executor.

A black-red trajectory was drawn in the air once more!

The pirates desperately tried to attack Drakan, but he dodged their attacks with Overlord’s Stride and continued to attack them flawlessly. In the end, the pirates, who had underestimated him for his low level, could only meet their demise.

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

…….

[Legacy Level of the Legacy ‘Steel Monarch’ has increased!]

[Legacy Level of the Legacy ‘Overlord’s Stride’ has increased!]

[Legacy Level of the Legacy ‘Steel Swordsmanship’ has increased!]

The moment he defeated the pirates!

Drakan’s vision was filled with notifications of level ups.

It was the legendary power leveling!

This was the result of the bonus experience points from defeating users of higher levels than him, combined with the effect of the double experience coupon.

But the notifications that pleased Drakan didn’t end there.

[New Legacy Skill ‘Berserk Sword’ unlocked!]

[Berserk Sword]

[Grade: Legendary]

[Implementation Level: Beginner Level 1]

[A skill that concentrates and then explodes aura, annihilating enemies within range with terrifying destructive power. According to the Legacy of Steel Monarch Drakan, he used this skill as his main attack and achieved the feat of single-handedly slaughtering an army with Berserk Sword.]

[Condensation: Condenses aura.]

[Explosion: Explodes the condensed aura.]

A new Legacy skill unlocked as the Legacy Level of the Steel Monarch Legacy increased!

Berserk Sword!

It was because the main skill he had enjoyed using in the previous game, the skill that was practically the symbol of Steel Monarch Drakan, had finally been revealed.

After confirming the contents of the Legacy Skill, Drakan burst into laughter.

“Now I can really start rampaging!”

Steel Monarch Drakan!

His main skill had returned!

A satisfied smile spread across Drakan’s face as he regained his main skill.

Now, it was time to seriously collect experience points.

▄ ▄ ▄

‘T-this is unbelievable! It’s a dream, it must be a dream!’

Jacques was looking around with trembling hands, clutching his cutlass.

The burning Lawless Port Granado!

The collapsing pirates!

And the enemies mercilessly killing his allies without mercy!

It was truly the worst-case scenario.

The only hope he had was Riach, but even Riach was now in a 2:1 fight, joining the battle between the Flame Sorcerer, Ignis, and the black magician, Khalid, making his chances of victory slim.

Jacques searched for an escape route, but it wasn’t easy to escape from this chaotic battlefield where fierce battles were raging in all directions.

‘Damn it! Damn it!!’

Jacques cursed inwardly.

Why? What had he done wrong to deserve this fate?!

He was truly frustrated.

Both in the previous game and in Second, he had only tried to enjoy his hobby of PK.

But why was the same guy always blocking his path?!

Drakan!

Resentment towards him began to boil within Jacques’ heart.

‘I’m going to die anyway!’

Jacques’ eyes filled with venom.

He was going to die anyway!

Then, Drakan, the one who had put him in this situation!

He would kill him and then die!

That way, he would feel less resentful even if his character was deleted.

Thinking so, Jacques took a step forward, clutching his cutlass.

At that very moment.

“There! It’s Jacques!”

One of the users who spotted him on the battlefield shouted.

“What, Jacques?”

“Jacques has appeared!”

“Let’s kill him!”

Soon, numerous users flocked towards Jacques.

Jacques, the Butcher of Outsiders.

He had gained notoriety as the Lord of Lawless Port Granado, committing countless evil deeds, including PK, as a member of the Pirate Alliance in the East. Thanks to that, many users gathered in an instant to kill him.

And the result was disastrous.

“N-no! No! Uwaaaack!!”

Jacques, the Lord of Lawless Port Granado!

He couldn’t even touch the toes of his nemesis, Drakan, and met his death at the hands of the blades and skills of countless Eastern users.

▄ ▄ ▄

The battle at Lawless Port Granado, as expected, resulted in my victory.

No, it couldn’t even be called a battle.

It was a one-sided massacre!

Not only did we have superior numbers, but the black magicians had inflicted all sorts of debuffs on the pirates, and, crucially, there was one Over-Ranker on their side and two on ours.

So the pirates had no chance of winning against me from the beginning.

There was only one reason why those pirates fought.

They had no way out.

Behind them was a burning city, in front of them the sea!

In this desperate situation, all they could choose was to fight.

Looking at the battlefield where the battle had concluded, I approached Riach, who was groaning.

“Kugh! Ugh!”

Death’s Cog Riach!

Even though he was the third-in-command of the Pirate Alliance and a legendary pirate, he couldn’t win against two opponents of equal strength. As a result, he was now captured and looking at me.

His entire body was bound, and he was covered in blood, a truly pitiful sight.

Looking at Riach’s grim face, I smiled.

“Human, are you the leader of this army?”

“Yes.”

I readily answered Riach’s question.

“What are you going to do with me?”

“Well.”

I smiled as I looked at Riach.

“You’re not unaware that killing me now would make you enemies with the entire Pirate Alliance, are you?”

Riach’s threatening voice reached my ears.

I chuckled at his words.

He was threatening me now.

Saying that if I killed him, the entire Pirate Alliance would become my enemy!

The Pirate Alliance!

They were undoubtedly a powerful force, controlling the entire Eastern Sea and coastline.

And they were also the ones I had to destroy.

From the moment I received the help of the Eastern users in attacking Lawless Port Granado, I was practically in debt to them.

The Eastern users!

What they ultimately desired, having been tormented by the pirates incessantly, was the destruction of the Pirate Alliance.

It meant that the public sentiment wouldn’t subside just by burning down one Lawless Port Granado.

Of course, the dissatisfaction would temporarily subside now that we had captured Lawless Port Granado, but it wouldn’t last forever.

If I compromised with the Pirate Alliance and let this slide, the Eastern users who had supported me so far would immediately turn their backs on me.

Moreover, there was little to gain by sparing him here.

From the moment I burned down this city, which was nothing more than a cash cow for the Pirate Alliance, no, from the moment I decided to undertake the quest to attack Lawless Port Granado, I was destined to become an enemy of the Pirate Alliance.

It was the so-called point of no return. I had crossed that river.

The Pirate King!

Now that I had captured Lawless Port Granado, a fight with him was inevitable.

Thinking so, I raised the Iron Blood Executor.

“I know.”

“Then quickly kill me….”

I swiftly beheaded Riach, who was spouting nonsense.

As soon as I killed Riach, numerous notification windows appeared in my vision!

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[…….]

[You have defeated Death’s Cog ‘Riach’.]

[Fame increased by 1243.]

[…….]

[Quest ‘Resurrection of the Black Ring Society’ completed.]

Looking at the notification that appeared at the end, I smiled.

Resurrection of the Black Ring Society!

It was because the system had finally confirmed that the damn quest was over.