Chapter 71
Drakan, suppressing his simmering emotions while looking at the chat window, spoke.
“You’re not my mother, so I don’t know why you have to explain all this to me.”
[Eugene: I apologize.]
[Eugene-nim has donated 1,000,000 won.]
“You’re wasting money again. You don’t need to apologize, and I don’t need the money, so buy some beef ribeye with that money.”
[Eugene: Hahahaha;;]
Drakan’s gaze, having smoothly concluded his conversation with Eugene, turned forward.
Changwang Rio!
He was charging, wielding Mistilteinn with a terrifying force, grinding the undead like a shredder.
“Drakan-nim. What should we do?”
Ignis, who was beside Drakan, asked him.
Drakan laughed at Ignis’s words.
“I’ll handle him.”
Rune of Regression!
A single-use skill that allows him to transform into the ‘Drakan’ of his prime, albeit for only 20 minutes!
If he used that skill, Drakan knew he could crush the likes of Changwang in just 5 minutes.
Top Ranker!
The pinnacle wasn’t achieved through playing jacks, after all.
Of course, it wasn’t that the Rune of Regression skill wasn’t precious.
He could save it and use it later, but Drakan believed that now was not the time to conserve skills.
Mistilteinn!
For the future and well-being of the undead that would be subjugated to him. He had to destroy that cursed weapon, by gnawing away at its durability with Levateinn’s ‘Soul Incineration.’
From his perspective, he had no choice but to confront Rio’s weapon directly.
Of course, he could always gang up on him as he usually did, but while it might work in a raid, it wouldn’t be easy to induce a group attack in the midst of a chaotic battle. And above all, to directly reduce Mistilteinn’s durability with Levateinn, he needed to face it head-on.
In conclusion, Drakan needed the Rune of Regression to face an Over-Ranker head-on with his current strength.
If he hesitated to use the skill because it was precious, he might end up paying a greater price – his life – in Ard Saga Second, where a single death led to permanent death.
And more than anything, Drakan wanted to feel the ‘prime’ of himself on the battlefield as soon as possible.
Steel Monarch Drakan!
He wanted to show the viewers of the live stream, and everyone else, the Drakan of those days, who was called the terror of the battlefield.
And he wanted to say:
Drakan is not dead!
The Steel Monarch has returned!
Smirk.
Drakan smiled and spoke to Ignis.
“You lead the undead detachment with your party members and attack the enemy’s left flank.”
“Understood.”
Ignis, having received Drakan’s order, disappeared from his side with his party members.
Meanwhile, Rio continued his frantic charge with the elite forces of the Simseong Milky Way guild.
Drakan, gazing at Rio, opened his mouth in a low voice.
“Arch Lich.”
The Arch Lich, who had been hiding himself with an invisibility spell, answered Drakan’s call.
[Did you call, Contractor?]
“Take the Black Knight Commander, the Bone Dragon, and the detachment and attack the enemy’s right flank.”
[Understood.]
Black Knight Commander, Arch Lich, Bone Dragon!
The three strongest undead under the Undead King’s command began to move at Drakan’s order.
The Arch Lich, hidden by an invisibility spell, the Bone Dragon soaring in the heavily clouded sky, and the Black Knight Commander riding on its back, all began to move slowly. At that very moment……
“Drakaaaan!!”
Only Drakan was in Rio’s sight.
Drakan!
Former Top Ranker!
And a blue-chip of the Ard World, still showing his veteran skills even in the era of Second!
He was already too grown to be called a promising newcomer, and he seemed to be an important piece being nurtured by JDG and Jeil Group, whom Rio secretly considered his rivals. If he could just eliminate him!
Not only would he gain the trust of Vice Chairman Shin, but the buzz around him would also skyrocket.
Drakan!
He hadn’t even reached the rank of Ranker, let alone Over-Ranker, but he was a former Top Ranker and the Overlord who had briefly unified the continent. At the same time, his reputation as the only user to have directly confronted Eugene was still vivid!
If he could k*ll such a guy, perhaps he could get a little closer to the supreme position of Top Ranker, which he had almost forgotten.
Moreover, if he gained the trust of Vice Chairman Shin, perhaps the position of Top Ranker would be even closer.
Top Ranker!
The pinnacle of the Ard World!
Rio thought that there were probably few who wouldn’t covet that position among the Over-Rankers.
And as a sacrifice for that, Rio intended to offer Drakan.
‘Foolishly alone. Did he trust Levateinn?’
Rio scoffed at Drakan, who stood alone without any significant escort.
Levateinn!
The legendary sword that, according to the legends of the North, the Undead King had forged by refining his soul into flames to defeat Mistilteinn!
He would be standing alone, trusting in that sword, but unfortunately, that was a mistake.
Mistilteinn and Levateinn!
If the weapons were of the same grade, the victory would depend on the user.
And no matter how much of a former Top Ranker Drakan was, he was still a newbie user who hadn’t even become a Ranker in the current era.
Catching such a Drakan was nothing more than a piece of cake for him, Changwang.
‘K*ll him in an instant with an overwhelming performance.’
Therefore, Rio made up his mind.
Countless viewers would be watching him and Drakan through the live stream and broadcasts right now.
In other words, he was an actor on a glamorous stage with a massive audience, so he needed to respond to the audience’s expectations with a performance that exceeded them.
“Divine Spear Flash!”
Divine Spear Flash!
The ultimate skill that gave Rio the nickname Changwang, a thrust that pierced through the enemy like a ray of light, unfolded from the tip of Mistilteinn.
At that moment.
A low voice escaped Drakan’s lips.
“Rune of Regression.”
[Rune of Regression is activated.]
At that moment.
Along with a bland notification window, a dark red light erupted from Drakan’s body.
▄ ▄ ▄
[Skill ‘Rune of Regression’ is activated.]
[Temporary changes are occurring in the status window.]
Along with the notification window, I felt a destructive power wriggling throughout my body.
Steel Monarch!
Top Ranker!
The feeling from six years ago, when I was the leader of the Iron Blood Alliance, the terror of the battlefield, sweeping through the enemy lines.
The power of that prime was filling me from head to toe.
Flash!
A dark red light engulfed my entire body.
Whoosh!
An eerie tearing sound echoed in my ears.
The sharp tip of Rio’s spear, flying towards me, caught my eye.
Smirk.
The corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily.
Divine Spear Flash!
As it was Changwang Rio’s ultimate skill unleashed with all his might, it was sure to possess considerable power.
But it didn’t matter to me.
Because I was the Drakan of my Top Ranker days!
“Iron Blood Avatar.”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!
An ultimate skill for an ultimate skill!
I stared straight at the tip of his spear, wrapped in aura, flying towards me, and cast the skill.
[Skill ‘Iron Blood Avatar’ is activated.]
A dark red aura enveloped my entire body with a short notification.
The aura that surrounded my body soon transformed into a giant armor.
A dark red full-body armor made of aura!
Iron Blood Avatar!
The infamous skill that represented my past notoriety as the terror of the battlefield finally revealed itself again in the Ard World after six years.
[All stats have temporarily increased by 100%.]
[All attribute resistances have temporarily increased by 100%.]
[All skill attack power has temporarily increased by 100%.]
I felt the surging power without even looking at the notification window and blocked his spear blade with Levateinn.
Boom!
His spear blade and my Levateinn clashed, sending shockwaves through the surroundings.
[Mistilteinn’s durability has greatly decreased.]
The message that popped up before my eyes!
Seeing that message, I smiled.
In contrast, Rio’s gaze, directed at me, was filled with bewilderment and confusion.
[Hul, is this for real?]
[Iron Blood Avatar? Isn’t that old Drakan’s ultimate skill? Why is it appearing here?]
[Wow~ Seriously crazy, he’s facing it head-on.]
[Shout out to King Drakan!]
[G*d Drakan-nim, I apologize for being impertinent……]
A truly overwhelming performance!
I smiled as I watched the donations pouring in.
It was time to show the world that the Steel Monarch was still alive and well.
I looked at Rio, who was wearing a bewildered expression, and swung Levateinn once more.
Bang!
A roar and shockwaves swept through the surroundings.
[Mistilteinn’s durability has greatly decreased.]
With a short message, Rio was pushed back by the recoil.
“Ugh!”
A groan escaped Rio’s lips.
He must have been flustered.
I swung Levateinn again, and he desperately tried to block my attacks by swinging the shaft of Mistilteinn.
Bang! Boom! Crash!
Every time the aura-clad sword and spear clashed, a roar echoed, shockwaves erupted, and messages about decreasing durability endlessly popped up.
I swung my sword as if toying with him.
All his attack routes, the trajectory of his spear, were clearly visible and predictable to me.
This was a difference not in stats, items, or level, but in pure physical ability!
Of course, if my stats weren’t at their prime, no matter how good my physical abilities were, I would never have been able to defeat him. But unfortunately, I currently had the upper hand in stats and skills!
So, there was no need to use skills against such a newbie.
It was so easy that I almost yawned.
Thinking so, I curled my lips into a smile.
“Hey Changwang. Why don’t you rampage a little more?”
“Uh, uh-huh.”
Fear filled Changwang Rio’s eyes.
I smiled, looking into those eyes.
Those eyes I had seen countless times in the previous game!
Seeing that look, filled with fear towards me, I felt my heart race.
“What are you all doing! Protect me, protect me. What are you doing! Protect me!”
Seeing that scene, Rio belatedly screamed out an order.
