The Final Boss Has Returned 52

Chapter 52

PantyWarrior!

A high-ranker with ten million subscribers and SS-rank skills in real life is participating in the naval battle!

But PantyWarrior was just the beginning.

Queen Honey with 8 million subscribers, Ma Boo-jang with 5 million, FlyingMan with 7 million……

All the streamers affiliated with Jeil E&M simultaneously released videos or notices, or even live broadcasts, announcing their collaboration for the naval battle, and finally, Drakan uploaded his video.

[I believe you all have heard the news that all streamers affiliated with Jeil E&M are heading to Lawless Port Granado.

However, this war is not just theirs. Just like the recapture of Lawless Port Granado, I will welcome anyone who wishes to participate this time as well.

Those who want to fight the Pirate King, come to Lawless Port Granado. I will share the quest with you anytime, without any restrictions.]

Unlimited quest sharing declaration!

With Drakan’s declaration that he would share the quest with general users, just like during the recapture of Lawless Port Granado, countless users started heading east.

Thus began the Great Migration.

▄ ▄ ▄

[What will be the outcome of the naval battle?]

[The Pirate Alliance’s base is the Pirate Archipelago, located in the middle of the eastern sea. The Pirate Archipelago is a barren island, but the Pirate Alliance has fortified it and is defending it with a powerful naval force. It’s not an easy place to attack.]

[What if they mobilize the Merfolk?]

[The Merfolk can be considered the joker card that Drakan’s side possesses……]

I was sitting in the conference room, watching TV on a large screen.

The male panelist on TV was diligently calculating the odds of victory, comparing the forces of my side and the Pirate Alliance, and I chuckled as I watched him.

It wasn’t just the TV.

Ard Live, Ard Forum, even SNS!

Everything was about the naval battle.

The eyes of countless people were focused on me.

‘Finally, it feels like the scale is getting bigger!’

I finally felt like I had just entered the main game.

Of course, it didn’t mean that the results I had achieved since returning to Ard Saga Second were bad.

From the time I ranked 6th in the tutorial until now!

I had been constantly moving forward, and my actions had created ripples in the stagnant Ard World.

But that was it.

While my actions certainly attracted the attention of many general users, it wasn’t enough to catch the eyes of the true rulers of Ard World, such as the top ten guilds and Over-Rankers.

Of course, Eugene, who had fought me for hegemony in Ard World in the past and was connected to me through a sticky bad fate, and Ignis of JDG, who was in the same company as me, were very interested in me, but that was it.

Other rankers weren’t interested in me.

But the moment the naval battle quest appeared and Jeil E&M’s large-scale collaboration event was announced!

I finally succeeded in stepping onto the world stage.

Not just general users, but rankers and the top ten guilds!

Almost everyone interested in the game Ard Saga Second was paying attention to my actions.

Just like six years ago, when I climbed to the position of top ranker.

Smirk.

I drew a smile on my lips.

It was because I felt exhilarated by the fact that I had finally succeeded in reaching the position of a chess player, not a chess piece, or rather, by the fact that I had finally stood at the starting line of a grand journey to bring down Eugene!

“Users continue to flock to Lawless Port Granado today. Since you, Drakan-nim, have instructed the management NPCs in the city hall to distribute the naval battle quest, the quest sharing is also proceeding smoothly.”

Team Leader Lee reported to me as I continued watching the SBC Games broadcast.

The number of 50,000 that gathered during the recapture of Lawless Port Granado had long been surpassed.

“What about shipbuilding?”

“We are expanding the shipyard to its maximum capacity with the donations received from the Executive Director-nim, and we are continuously converting requisitioned merchant ships into warships, repairing captured pirate ships, and purchasing warships.”

I smiled with satisfaction as I listened to Team Leader Lee’s report.

Just when I thought everything was going smoothly.

Buzz! Buzz!

My cell phone on the table vibrated.

I touched the screen of the phone and soon found out who was calling me.

It was none other than my mother.

The moment I saw my mother’s name, my hand trembled.

Everyone interested in Ard Saga was paying attention to me, and the scene of me and Eugene shaking hands became famous enough to be broadcast live on TV.

That meant it wouldn’t be strange if my parents found out I was playing the game again.

I took a deep breath with a pounding heart and answered the phone, preparing myself for my mother’s answer, or rather, her scolding.

[Is that Joon-pal?]

“Yes, Mother. What’s the matter?”

I spoke in a trembling voice due to nervousness and prepared myself for my mother’s scolding.

[You should have told your parents first if you got a job at a large company!]

However, what I heard in my ears was not a scolding, but my mother’s voice mixed with joy.

A large company? A job? What is she talking about?

[I heard our son joined Jeil Group! A young lady named Shin Ha-yeon, who said she was your colleague, came by earlier and told me everything. I don’t like the fact that your job is playing games, but still, getting a job at a large company is something these days!]

From my mother’s following words, I was finally able to grasp the whole story.

Shin Ha-yeon!

She must have visited my parents and told them this and that about me.

Well, it wasn’t a lie since I did end up doing something similar to working at a large company.

[And that young lady gave us a Mediterranean cruise ticket, saying you bought it for us to go on a filial piety tour! Thanks to our son, we even get to go on a filial piety tour. We’re so blessed. Ho ho.]

A Mediterranean cruise ticket?

I bought that?

While I was surprised by the sudden mention of a cruise ticket that I didn’t even remember buying – which Shin Ha-yeon must have bought and delivered – my mother continued talking.

[Oh, right. That young lady, Shin Ha-yeon, is so polite, pretty, and has such good manners and a bright personality. Our son is at the age to think about getting married, and now that he has a decent job, you should meet some young ladies, right?]

I couldn’t help but be surprised again by my mother’s following words.

I wasn’t clueless, and I knew very well the hidden meaning in my mother’s words.

In short, she was telling me to give Shin Ha-yeon a chance since she liked her.

Of course, I didn’t have any romantic feelings towards Shin Ha-yeon, but at this point, I became curious.

What did Shin Ha-yeon do to make my mother evaluate her so positively?

But since I couldn’t ask my mother directly, I answered politely.

“I understand, Mother.”

[Okay. Work hard. I’ll hang up now since our son seems busy. We’ll have a good trip!]

With that, the call ended, and I calmed my pounding heart.

I didn’t know the full story yet, but I was relieved that I didn’t have to worry about my parents anymore.

Just when I was fiddling with my phone, thinking about my parents and letting time pass by.

“I’m back, Drakan-nim.”

The conference room door burst open and Shin Ha-yeon appeared with her usual smile.

“Did you receive your mother’s call?”

Looking at Shin Ha-yeon asking that, I nodded and slowly spoke.

Because I had a question I wanted to ask her and an answer I wanted to hear.

“I received it. But why did you visit my parents?”

The question I wanted to ask!

It was why she visited my parents.

Of course, I had a hunch, but I also wanted to hear the answer directly from her.

“To solve your worries, Drakan-nim.”

“My worries?”

“Didn’t you tell me before? That you were worried because you were hiding the fact that you were playing the game from your parents.”

She was right.

I remember telling her something like that in passing when we were having a meal together a while ago.

At the time, it was a really insignificant story, close to everyday conversation, but I didn’t know she would care about my situation like this.

“So you remembered that and went to see my parents?”

“Creating an environment where Drakan-nim can focus solely on the game. That’s my job.”

Shin Ha-yeon said with a smile at my words.

An environment where I can focus solely on the game!

She was right.

Management companies were originally supposed to do that kind of work.

However, it was rare for them to take care of even personal matters like this.

“Was it a presumptuous intrusion?”

Shin Ha-yeon asked again in a slightly cautious voice when I was silent for a moment.

I chuckled at her expression.

It was because it was the first time I saw her looking so restless.

“No.”

Her expression returned to normal as if nothing had happened at my answer.

“You did well.”

Since she had solved the problem I had been wondering how to solve, it wasn’t bad for me either.

“My mother praised you. She said you were a good young lady.”

Besides, if my mother praised her so highly, Shin Ha-yeon must have not only been polite during her meeting with my parents but also acted in a way that pleased them.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and said in an awkward voice, scratching my cheek.

“And thank you.”

“Huh?”

Shin Ha-yeon’s eyes widened as words of gratitude escaped my lips.

“For the cruise ticket you gave my parents as a gift. Thank you.”

“Thank you? It was something I should have done.”

Shin Ha-yeon smiled brightly as if she was genuinely happy at my words.

I looked at her and smiled back, getting up from my seat.

Of course, I didn’t bring up the topic of marriage or anything like that to make the atmosphere awkward.

Now that the matters in reality were resolved, it was time to focus on Ard World again.