The Final Boss Has Returned 88

Chapter 88

“Eugene sent a ceasefire mediation proposal. Drakan-nim.”

When I questioned her, Shin Ha-yeon, without any sign of displeasure, spoke to me once again in a calm voice.

A ceasefire mediation proposal right before Snow Castle!

My face crumpled.

“What should I do about this?”

Proposal.

Of course, they call it a proposal, but I knew very well that this was practically a half-threat.

First of all, since it was a proposal and not an execution, I could refuse it.

Superficially, that is.

Eugene!

Because I knew very well what would happen to me if I dared to refuse the ‘proposal’ of the one who protects the justice of Ard World.

‘If I reject that proposal, I’ll be bombarded by public opinion.’

The underlying public sentiment of Ard World still supported Eugene.

I had confirmed this myself during the Infinite Eugene Church scandal, and since there had been no particular change since then, it would still be the same.

Of course, the single stone of doubt I threw during the live stream caused quite a stir, but Eugene’s support base wasn’t so weak as to crumble with just that, which made it all the more so.

This was like a customized attack aimed at me, who cared more about public opinion than anyone else and craved the hearts of the users.

‘Verda, you’re quite a formidable person.’

I thought of Verda.

I was certain that this ‘mediation proposal’ was also Verda’s creation.

As if to retaliate for ruining the entire picture Verda had painted with a single suspicion I casually threw out, Verda was now trying to ruin the picture I was painting with a single proposal.

Anger began to boil within me.

Helplessness, anger, and a thirst for revenge!

Complex emotions, like a wildfire, burned through the dry fields of my heart.

I gritted my teeth.

Because I felt self-loathing, anger, helplessness, and humiliation at my current situation, where I had no choice but to be dragged along by Verda and Eugene.

“Your expression isn’t good, what are you so worried about?”

Seeing my face, Shin Ha-yeon whispered to me with a worried expression and tone.

She gently reached out and clasped my hand in hers.

Feeling the warmth of Shin Ha-yeon’s hand gently holding mine, I said,

“I want to refuse the proposal, but I can’t.”

I wanted to refuse the threat disguised as a proposal, but reality wouldn’t allow it.

He was still a top ranker, and I was still an underdog.

This Ard World still belonged to Eugene, that bastard.

So I couldn’t refuse.

Just as I was suppressing my boiling anger.

“If that’s the problem, you don’t have to worry about it.”

Shin Ha-yeon’s voice reached me.

“Why?”

“Because Rio will reject the proposal.”

“Rio will?”

At Shin Ha-yeon’s following words, I asked back.

Rio will reject the proposal?

What did that mean?

Of course, I knew very well that Rio disliked me.

If I were in Rio’s shoes, I would feel the same way.

He had grasped the opportunity to raid the Undead King, a Mythical grade monster that even renowned rankers from both the previous game and the current one had challenged and failed, but because of some crazy bastard, he had failed. He had more than enough justification to hold a grudge against me.

But regardless of that, he would dare to refuse Eugene’s proposal?

Did he really hate me that much?

Enough to risk public condemnation?

“Why on earth?”

As if finding my expression amusing, Shin Ha-yeon giggled and answered me.

“That’s because Vice Chairman Shin Jeong-hyeok of Simseong Group is behind him.”

Vice Chairman Shin Jeong-hyeok of Simseong Group.

I seemed to have heard the name before.

“If it’s Vice Chairman Shin Jeong-hyeok……”

“He’s the crown prince of Simseong Group. And he has an inferiority complex towards me. He seems to have grown up being compared to me since he was young. Really, he’s completely inferior to you, Drakan-nim, from head to toe.”

At my words, Shin Ha-yeon nodded as if in agreement and smiled brightly.

Her face was slightly flushed as she compared me to Shin Jeong-hyeok.

“So he hates losing to me…… more than death. From rock-paper-scissors to the business rankings, everything.”

Hearing that, all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place in my mind.

“If that’s truly the case, you might be right.”

Vice Chairman Shin Jeong-hyeok.

The true owner of the Simseong Milky Way guild!

If his personality was truly as Shin Ha-yeon described, Rio would never accept the mediation proposal.

Because the sponsor of me and Ignis’s JDG, whom he declared war on, was Shin Ha-yeon, the very person Shin Jeong-hyeok had such an inferiority complex towards and hated losing to!

According to Shin Ha-yeon, the probability of Vice Chairman Shin Jeong-hyeok, who hated losing to Shin Ha-yeon more than anything, accepting the ceasefire as it was, was close to 0%.

At my answer, Shin Ha-yeon smiled deeply and whispered to me as she approached.

“Besides, Rio has already failed once. Shin Jeong-hyeok isn’t as broad-minded as you, Drakan-nim, so he won’t tolerate Rio failing twice.”

“If that’s the case, it’s fortunate, but……”

If Shin Ha-yeon’s words were true, it was a relief that one big worry had been reduced.

It takes two to tango, and if the other side refused the talks, Eugene couldn’t mediate.

Of course, he could use forceful measures like ‘execution,’ but Eugene didn’t have the justification for that.

The suspicion I raised was just a suspicion!

Moreover, since it was Verda who would be in danger if this suspicion was further investigated, they came up with an ambiguous measure like a proposal. Above all, there was no reason for Eugene, who valued principles and justification, to abuse ‘execution’ without clear evidence.

“Still, it’s infuriating.”

Shin Ha-yeon asked at my words, and I continued my answer while holding her hand.

“The fact that I have to be led around by them.”

At my words, Shin Ha-yeon raised a finger and lightly poked my chest, saying,

“Don’t forget that anger you feel now.”

“Not for a single moment, from 6 years ago until now, have I ever forgotten.”

“That’s how it should be.”

As if pleased with my answer, Shin Ha-yeon smiled.

“So you can pay them back.”

Shin Ha-yeon’s words whispered sweetly into my ear.

Yes.

She was right.

In order to pay them back, I had to engrave this current humiliation and anger deep within my heart.

Anger, hatred, revenge, humiliation, self-loathing……

I intended to sublimate all these negative emotions into driving forces.

Making that resolution, I looked at Shin Ha-yeon and said,

“Tell them I accept the ceasefire mediation proposal.”

Even though it was a mediation proposal that would be broken off because Rio would refuse it, that’s why I had to say I accepted it.

Because that way, I could gain an advantage over Rio in terms of public support and justification for the upcoming war.

I tried to stop the war, but he refused!

Something like that.

Besides, this situation wasn’t entirely bad for me.

No, it could even be said to be advantageous.

If Rio refused Eugene’s mediation, of course, public opinion would attack him, but Eugene’s authority as a top ranker would also be damaged.

In a way, it would be as if Rio had challenged the hegemony Eugene held over Ard World.

If this had happened 6 years ago, when I was a top ranker, I would have immediately crushed Rio.

But Eugene wasn’t me, and his ‘principles’ wouldn’t allow him to exercise his hegemony just because someone refused a proposal. Ultimately, it would appear as if Eugene was tolerating Rio’s challenge.

And ultimately, that result would damage Eugene’s own authority, even if only slightly, so it could be considered beneficial for me.

“As expected of Drakan-nim, a wise choice.”

While I was calculating the pros and cons in my head, Shin Ha-yeon said so and subtly linked her arm with mine as she moved to my right.

I left Shin Ha-yeon be and quietly looked at Neverfreeze Port, which was still burning.

Now, it was time to wait for Rio’s answer.

▄ ▄ ▄

Eugene sent a ceasefire mediation proposal to both the Northern Alliance and Drakan!

With this fact revealed through the announcement posted on Eugene’s official channel, the online public opinion that had been boiling with suspicions and rumors regarding Karun calmed down.

[A mediation proposal, wow, as expected of our God Eugene-nim’s class, awesome~]

[If it wasn’t Eugene-nim, who else would step up to mediate so generously?]

[Hey, where are all the people who were doubting Eugene-nim just a moment ago? Did they run away with their pants down? lol]

[Eugene-nim…… please forgive me for my lack of faith……]

Guardian of justice, Hero Eugene!

He once again stepped forward as a mediator between the two factions for the sake of peace in Ard World!

With this fact, most users, excluding a few who wanted the war to continue, sent their support along with applause.

Of course, the suspicions regarding Karun hadn’t completely subsided, but they were completely buried under the big issue of Eugene attempting to resolve the situation somehow, and the users’ attention shifted to Rio and Drakan.

Rio, and Drakan!

Would they show up at the negotiation table?

Or would they refuse the proposal?

Of course, an ordinary person wouldn’t even dare to think of refusing Eugene’s ‘proposal,’ but the problem was that the recipients of Eugene’s proposal were Drakan and Rio.

Rio was the one who committed the radical act of declaring war on the peaceful Ard World, and Drakan, while currently quiet, was undeniably Eugene’s greatest rival, even acknowledged by Eugene himself in the past.

They were individuals who wouldn’t be out of place refusing the proposal.

Of course, the consensus among users was that Drakan had a higher probability of refusing the proposal than Rio.

Just as the users were waiting for the two’s answers.

[I accept Eugene’s proposal.]

Between Rio and Drakan, it was Drakan who announced his stance first.

[I don’t want to fight anymore. The current war was also just a response because they attacked first. If they withdraw their intention to attack, there’s no need for us to continue the war.]

The users were shocked to see the video uploaded on Drakan’s official channel, stating that he would accept the ceasefire mediation negotiation.

Drakan, who had waged countless wars from the previous game to Second, was giving up on war!

As the users were reeling from Drakan’s answer, which defied their expectations of him likely refusing the proposal.

A video was uploaded to the Simseong Milky Way Guild.

It was Changwang Rio’s answer.

[I apologize to Eugene-nim who proposed the mediation, but I cannot accept the ceasefire.]

[We have already come too far to accept a ceasefire, and this war will not end until one of us falls.]

Rio’s video was short, but the meaning it contained was resolutely clear.

He would refuse Eugene’s ceasefire mediation proposal!

That was Rio’s stance.

With Rio’s refusal of the proposal, the ceasefire negotiations fell apart before they even began, and Eugene lost his justification for intervening in the war.

And so, finally, the war that had been briefly paused resumed.