The Final Boss Has Returned 41

Chapter 41

As expected of a legendary-grade quest, the interim rewards were satisfying.

Along with the level-up and stat increase notifications that always sound pleasant, a new Legacy Skill was also acquired!

Especially since the new Legacy Skill was useful for the upcoming war, I smiled even more, feeling delighted.

“Thank you, Guardian Beast-si.”

While I was closing the translucent notification window that appeared before me with joyful finger movements, Nereus, who had obtained the qualification of a king, expressed his gratitude to Kraken and stood up, walking towards me.

“Thank you for helping our Merfolk, Contractor.”

“You’re welcome.”

“But you know better than anyone that I won’t stop here, right?”

I nodded at Nereus’s words, and he continued.

“Now that I have been recognized as the rightful king, I will convene a tribal council, announce Kraken’s resurrection, ascend to the throne, and gather the eight tribes under my royal command to reclaim the throne stolen by the Mermaids.”

Nereus’s eyes showed a resolute will.

War!

Finally, a full-fledged war to reclaim the kingdom would unfold.

“Will you help me, Contractor?”

“Of course.”

I nodded at Nereus’s words and said,

“However, we need some preparation on our side. Could you postpone the tribal gathering until then?”

Preparedness prevents poor performance!

I knew very well that thorough preparation was the shortcut to quest success.

Moreover, the quest I was currently undertaking was a legendary-grade quest!

Simply gathering the eight tribes and waging war wouldn’t guarantee an easy victory against the Mermaid army and the recovery of the kingdom’s territory.

Furthermore, while underwater exploration or raids were manageable, war was uncharted territory, even for me, who had experienced all sorts of battles on land, air, and sea in the previous game.

A war underwater! It was undoubtedly the first such event in Ard World, and a strategy was needed.

Therefore, I needed time to prepare.

“Alright. I’ll wait. Let me know when you’re ready. I’ll summon the tribes then.”

After hearing Nereus’s words, I whispered to Shin Ha-yeon to have a meeting and logged out of the game.

Now, it was time to formulate a plan.

▄ ▄ ▄

The Infinite Eugene Church!

This group, which refers to Eugene’s fandom, originated before the World Revolution, drawn to Eugene’s charisma and popularity as he single-handedly confronted the Guild Alliance through the Rebellion Quest.

However, given the circumstances and Eugene’s ongoing Rebellion Quest against the Guild Alliance, the Infinite Eugene Church inevitably ended up supporting Eugene and rebelling against the Guild Alliance.

The Guild Alliance!

The cartel, comprised of ten massive guilds, including the Steel Monarch Drakan and his guild, the Iron Blood Alliance, was formidable, and they ruthlessly suppressed any users who defied them.

Ordinary users who weren’t members of the Guild Alliance were burdened with backbreaking taxes.

They had to pay exorbitant entrance fees whenever they used dungeons, hunting grounds, and gathering areas like mines.

That wasn’t all.

The Guild Alliance practically held the entire economy of Ard World in their grasp.

Most of the workshops that produced equipment, the mines, and other resources and production facilities were under their control, which was only natural.

The Guild Alliance, having unified the continent, seized the immense wealth accumulated through economic monopolies and user exploitation to recoup the war funds they had spent, and at the apex of it all was the top-ranked player, the Steel Monarch Drakan.

The World Revolution was a major event instigated by Eugene against this backdrop, and behind him stood his fandom, the Infinite Eugene Church.

The Infinite Eugene Church acted as a bridge between Eugene and ordinary users, consolidating and organizing their anger.

They formed the Revolutionary Army and finally crushed the Guild Alliance and the Iron Blood Alliance, defeating Drakan, the invincible top-ranked player and the overlord who had unified the continent.

Thus, the World Revolution became a myth written by the users, Eugene became a top-ranked player, and even after the revolution, the Infinite Eugene Church continued to support Eugene and became his strength.

Of course, as they rose from underdog to top dog, the organization grew excessively large, attracting malicious fans, and the image of the Infinite Eugene Church plummeted from revolutionary vanguard to a malicious fandom steeped in elitism.

Nevertheless, they not only sent unwavering support to Eugene and the Lightwing Guild but were also one of the major forces driving current internet public opinion.

In any case, the current headquarters of the Infinite Eugene Church was the portal cafe, “Ga-eum.”

The number of members in the official fan cafe, “Infinite Eugene Church,” established after the World Revolution, reached a staggering two million!

Based on this vast membership, the Infinite Eugene Church had established branches and headquarters in the in-game world, Ard World, facilitating communication among themselves.

Although they lacked a physical presence in the game like a guild, the Infinite Eugene Church possessed all the necessary elements, including branches, headquarters, enthusiastic members, and a leadership structure. The public estimated their power to be comparable to that of a top-ten guild.

The Eastern Branch of the Infinite Eugene Church.

In their branch located in Fran, the capital of the Gasan Kingdom, the high-ranking officials of the Eastern Branch, including the branch manager, were currently holding a meeting.

“I believe you’ve all heard the news about Drakan.”

Lexus, the branch manager of the Eastern Branch of the Infinite Eugene Church, a middle-aged man in a robe, spoke in a grave voice from the head of the long table.

“The speed of his growth is alarming. Moreover, public opinion in the East has already shifted from Eugene-nim to Drakan, that disgusting creature whose name is repulsive even to utter!”

Lexus slammed his fist on the table with an indignant expression.

His cheeks were trembling.

For Lexus, who had fought alongside Eugene against the Guild Alliance in the past World Revolution, the former ranked players, especially Drakan, who had been at the pinnacle of the Guild Alliance, were sworn enemies.

Furthermore, while it might be different in other regions, the region Lexus oversaw as branch manager was the East!

It was JDG’s territory and the home base of Drakan’s fandom, who fervently supported him as the rising star of the East.

With the situation as it was, the Infinite Eugene Church found itself unexpectedly surrounded by enemies on all sides.

“Members from other branches are mocking our Eastern Branch behind our backs. They ask what we’ve been doing instead of stopping Drakan, that scoundrel!”

Lexus let out a long sigh, recalling the whispers of officials from other branches during the recent general assembly of the Infinite Eugene Church.

The Infinite Eugene Church was a massive organization.

With two million members in the official fan cafe alone, it was inevitable that factions and power struggles would exist within this colossal organization.

Not only were there malicious fans who had completely tarnished the image of the Infinite Eugene Church and light fans who quietly enjoyed their fandom, but due to the vastness of the Ard continent, said to be comparable in size to the supercontinent Pangaea, factions existed based on regions as well.

Already enraged by Drakan, Lexus’s rage meter was now skyrocketing after hearing the backbiting.

“Moreover, that villain has joined hands with Jeil E&M in reality, and in Ard World, he has made a contract with the Dark God and is currently progressing through what is presumed to be the Apostle of Darkness quest! This means that he could potentially become Eugene-nim’s adversary once again!”

Lexus’s outburst was met with silence from the officials.

Drakan!

He was Eugene’s former adversary, a defeated villain, and just one of the many enemies Eugene had vanquished.

Yes.

Until his return, he was merely a figure of the past.

But not anymore.

He had joined forces with Jeil E&M, the company Eugene was wary of, and he was rapidly gaining support from new generation users who had never experienced Drakan’s era and Eastern users who had been plagued by the Pirate Alliance, using the Lawless Port Recapture Battle as a springboard.

Of course, even so, Drakan was still far from reaching Eugene’s level.

No, Drakan’s current position was even lower than that of an ordinary ranked player.

However, Lexus knew him because he had fought against Drakan on the front lines of the World Revolution.

Drakan!

He knew how terrifying and wicked this man was!

In Lexus’s view, Drakan had the potential to become a significant obstacle in Eugene’s path, even if he couldn’t reach Eugene’s level.

Perhaps Lexus felt this way even more strongly because he was the branch manager of the Eastern Branch, where JDG and Drakan held a firm grip on public opinion, unlike other branches.

And for Lexus, a fanatic follower of Eugene, this was an unbearable future, a reality that must not come to pass.

In the heavy silence, one of the officials cautiously spoke.

“Then shouldn’t we stop him now?”

“How?”

“That repulsive and filthy creature may have immense fame and notoriety, but the power he possesses individually is still at the level of a promising newcomer, not even a ranked player. Furthermore, the details of his quest have already been revealed. It’s about reviving Kraken, uniting the Merfolk, and waging war against the Mermaids.”

Lexus’s expression brightened slightly at the official’s words.

He was right.

Drakan!

Because that fool had summoned the Merfolk in a harbor teeming with users, the details of his quest were already widely known.

“So?”

“As you know, his quest is not something that can be completed quickly. As a low-level player, it will inevitably take him a long time to clear the quest. So, if we somehow contact the Mermaids during that time and wipe out that villain and the Merfolk while they are preparing for the quest?”

The official’s eyes gleamed, and everyone’s gaze, including branch manager Lexus, focused on his lips.

“His disgusting name will also disappear right then and there!”

After the official finished speaking, Lexus stroked his chin and replied.

“That’s a good plan. But how do we find the Mermaids?”

Indeed, his method was a sound strategy.

Except for one thing.

Finding Mermaids in the vast ocean, not just on the surface but underwater, was more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack!

“I’ll take care of that.”

Another official raised his hand in response to Lexus’s question.

“I am the contractor of the Goddess of the Sea. And according to legend, Mermaids are said to be a race belonging to the Goddess of the Sea. So, I will go to the temple, offer sacrifices, and pray to the Goddess to ask for a way to contact the Mermaids.”

Direct communication with a god!

In the previous game, this would have been dismissed as nonsense, but in Second, where users could directly communicate with transcendent beings like gods and demon lords, it was no longer absurd but a feasible task.

It was common for gods to directly bestow divine quests or for users to offer sacrifices in exchange for information.

“Good. Good! Then let’s do that and kill that villain!”

Madness flickered in Lexus’s eyes as he nodded in agreement with the official’s suggestion.