The Final Boss Has Returned 99

Chapter 99

After Eugene accepted Drakan’s proposal, the Twilight Stone purchase negotiations proceeded smoothly.

Drakan’s side offered Lightwing Entertainment 5 billion won as the purchase price for the Twilight Stone, and Eugene tried to lower the price.

This was because the price was excessively high, considering the market price of legendary-grade material items is usually 2 billion won.

Of course, Drakan’s intention was to deliberately purchase it at a higher price than the market price to suppress the positive public opinion about Eugene that would arise from this transaction as much as possible, and Eugene’s reason was simply that he felt sorry for Drakan for buying it at a price much higher than the market price, like a sucker.

Thus, the strange negotiation, where the buyer tried to raise the price and the seller tried to lower it, was finally settled at 3 billion won, and they both signed the purchase contract, and Drakan was satisfied with the result.

‘It was resolved perfectly, using the best possible method.’

Drakan was pleased with the result of the negotiation.

This was indeed the best approach.

Certainly, other methods existed.

For example, he could have intentionally let the negotiations fail without disclosing the reason and then later manipulate public opinion through media outlets or Ard Live, claiming, “We tried to purchase the Twilight Stone to unlock a new race for the users, but the Lightwing Guild refused to negotiate!”

This tactic of deliberate failure followed by framing the Lightwing Guild as obstructionists initially seemed quite appealing to Drakan.

However, this method had a critical weakness.

‘They could easily turn the tables on us, highlighting our refusal to disclose information as the reason for the negotiation breakdown, and then use my past actions against me. This could turn the public opinion battle into a messy, inconclusive fight, or even worse, result in us being criticized.’

The Lightwing Guild could exploit the “refusal to disclose information” loophole and use it to manipulate public opinion against him.

Drakan never underestimated his opponents.

Eugene was by no means an easy target, and the Lightwing Guild had a strategist like Verda, capable of expertly executing such a counter-strategy.

If things played out that way, the public opinion battle would undoubtedly devolve into a mudslinging match, likely ending in a stalemate or even a victory for Eugene, who held sway over the general Ard World populace.

And if the worst-case scenario, a victory for Eugene, came to pass, the hard-earned public support Drakan had garnered could easily dissipate.

This was precisely why Drakan opted against the strategy of breaking off negotiations and then manipulating public opinion.

Of course, Drakan briefly considered revealing the details of the Vampire quest and then aiming for a negotiation breakdown, exploiting the “refusal to negotiate” as a weakness. However, he quickly realized the folly of this approach and abandoned it.

Verda!

She was the reason.

Although he had managed to outmaneuver her earlier, Drakan knew from his experiences during the World Revolution, where he had repeatedly fallen victim to her strategies, that Verda was neither incompetent nor foolish.

He was certain that if he revealed the information about the Vampire quest to Verda, she would instantly grasp the underlying intention—the shift in public opinion following the unlocking of new content—and offer to donate the Twilight Stone for free, just like Eugene had done. This would not only put him in her debt but also further solidify the Lightwing Guild’s core support base.

Verda was a formidable opponent, and Drakan was not foolish enough to underestimate her.

Therefore, after discarding the aforementioned strategies, the best course of action Drakan devised was to exploit Verda’s psychology, pressure her into relinquishing control of the negotiations, and then call in Eugene, who was relatively inexperienced in such matters.

This strategy proved successful, and Drakan smiled.

His success wasn’t solely due to securing the Twilight Stone.

He had also achieved a secondary objective: gaining Eugene’s trust.

Drakan!

To achieve his other crucial goal, sowing discord within the Lightwing Guild, earning Eugene’s trust was paramount.

Eugene, in his naive innocence, was an open book, his emotions clearly displayed on his face. This allowed Drakan to read him effortlessly.

Eugene.

He genuinely believed, without a doubt, that he had reformed and been rehabilitated.

Of course, Drakan had already noticed that he believed in himself during the interview when Drakan himself had knelt, but now Drakan could see that the trust had become even deeper.

‘To catch a tiger, you have to enter the tiger’s den.’

Drakan smiled, recalling the old saying.

To catch a tiger, you have to enter the tiger’s den!

Just like that proverb, Drakan intended to willingly enter the tiger’s den that was the Lightwing guild to catch the tiger named Eugene.

And he intended to eventually divide the tigers living inside that tiger’s den.

Five Eyes!

To dismantle them, he had to strike at their head, the Lightwing Guild.

However, the Lightwing Guild was a tightly-knit unit, seemingly impenetrable.

Therefore, he needed to patiently earn their trust while subtly planting seeds of distrust.

And for that, he needed Eugene’s trust.

“I’m glad the negotiations concluded successfully.”

Unaware of Drakan’s true intentions, Eugene smiled innocently and offered Drakan a handshake. Drakan accepted, replying,

“Likewise. Thank you for selling us the Twilight Stone.”

“Not at all. It was the least I could do for Ard World and its users.”

Eugene spoke sincerely, scratching his cheek with an awkward smile.

“And, thank you for what you said earlier.”

“What do you mean?”

Drakan inquired, and Eugene, still smiling, explained,

“You reminded me that loot obtained through fair play should be traded at a fair price. I had forgotten that principle, so I’m grateful for your reminder.”

Eugene felt genuine gratitude towards Drakan.

Loot obtained through fair play should be traded at a fair price!

He was ashamed of himself for forgetting such a simple principle. Moreover, he was genuinely impressed by Drakan’s magnanimity in advocating for a fair price, even though it meant a financial loss for him. Drakan could have easily accepted the Twilight Stone as a donation and saved money, but he chose to uphold the principle instead.

“If you’re grateful, remember that principle in the future.”

“Understood.”

Drakan responded with a straight face, his shamelessness almost comical, and Eugene expressed his gratitude once more.

“Well then, since the negotiations have concluded, I should take my leave.”

As Drakan turned to depart,

“Excuse me, Drakan.”

Eugene called out to him.

“What is it?”

Drakan turned back, his gaze fixed on Eugene, surprised by the unexpected call.

Even Drakan, who had meticulously planned for every contingency, hadn’t anticipated Eugene calling him after the negotiations had ended. He waited patiently, curious about what Eugene had to say.

“I have a favor to ask…… Would it be alright if I mentioned it?”

The words that followed from Eugene’s mouth were quite shocking.

A favor!

It was an unforeseen development, but instead of expressing surprise, Drakan quickly began analyzing the situation.

‘If he’s asking for a favor after the negotiations have concluded, it must be something personal. I need to hear him out.’

Reaching this conclusion, Drakan nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“Would you be willing to help me with a dungeon raid?”

The moment those words left Eugene’s mouth,

Verda’s hands trembled noticeably. Drakan, looking at Eugene, questioned him,

“A dungeon raid? Why? With your combined strength and that of your allied guilds, aren’t you the strongest force in the world?”

Eugene, the leader of the Five Eyes, the most powerful force in Ard World, asking for help with a dungeon raid!

Even Drakan was taken aback by this unexpected and seemingly absurd request.

Driven by genuine curiosity, he asked Eugene,

“Why ask me? With all your powerful companions and allies, why me?”

He was eager to understand the reasoning behind this peculiar request.

“Well…… it’s a dungeon with a two-person limit.”

Eugene stammered, scratching his cheek nervously.

Entry restrictions!

Certain dungeons in Ard World had special entry requirements. In this case, the dungeon Eugene referred to had a strict two-person limit.

Drakan was well aware of such restrictions.

However, he also knew that this explanation was insufficient.

“That makes it even more perplexing. What’s the issue then?”

“Well, you see……”

Eugene hesitated, uncharacteristically flustered by Drakan’s persistent questioning.

He needed Drakan’s help to resolve this personal, yet significant, issue. However, the individuals involved in the problem were present in the room, making it difficult for him to speak freely.

Therefore, to explain the situation properly, Eugene called upon his younger sister.

“Yuna.”

“Yes, brother?”

“Could you take Verda and step outside for a moment? I need to speak with Drakan in private.”

“Alright. Come on, Sister, let’s go!”

“……Understood, Lady Yuna.”

At Yuna’s behest, Verda was practically dragged out of the conference room, resembling a lamb led to slaughter. The door closed with a thud.

Drakan observed this scene with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

What in the world was going on?

Ignoring the absurdity of the situation, Eugene took a deep breath and addressed Drakan.

“Actually, the two-person limit is the problem.”

Eugene continued, his expression serious,

“It might sound trivial, but Elena, Verda, and Sharp have been locked in a cold war for weeks, each wanting to be the one to raid that two-person dungeon with me.”

And after hearing Eugene’s answer, Drakan was finally able to grasp the essence of this situation.

‘It’s a lovers’ quarrel.’

That’s right.

Eugene’s proposal, which seemed abrupt and absurd at first glance, had a lovers’ quarrel hidden behind it.

Eugene!

The rivalry between Elena, Verda, and Sharp for his affection was an open secret, often referred to as a “catfight” or a “heroine battle,” although these terms hardly captured the seriousness of the situation for the women involved.

Drakan was well aware of this rivalry.

After all, it was quite obvious that they harbored feelings for Eugene. Unless he was completely oblivious, he would have noticed their affections.

Unfortunately for them, Eugene was notoriously dense when it came to romantic matters.

As part of this rivalry, each of the three women desired to be the one to raid the two-person dungeon with Eugene, essentially a “dungeon date.” This was the underlying cause of the current predicament.

While it might seem trivial to an outsider, matters of the heart often amplified even the smallest issues. Understanding this, Drakan could empathize with their predicament.

“I asked other acquaintances, Seonghyun, even MuscleMan, for help, but they all declined, claiming to be busy……”

Drakan inwardly chuckled at this.

Could they have really refused because they were busy?

Naive Eugene might think so, but from Drakan’s perspective, absolutely not.

It was clear that the three of them had put pressure on Eugene’s acquaintances, one hundred percent.

“But, because I was worried that if I chose one person, the other two would feel hurt…… I decided to ask Drakan-nim for this favor, even though it’s impolite.”

However, if there was something they hadn’t expected, it would be that they didn’t know Drakan would gain Eugene’s trust so quickly.

Looking at Eugene, who was scratching his cheek as if he was genuinely troubled, Drakan quietly raised the corners of his mouth.

Whether Eugene was truly insensitive enough not to notice the affection of those around him, or whether he was ignoring their feelings because he didn’t want his current camaraderie to break, Drakan couldn’t know his true feelings.

Even amidst that, seeing him worry about hurting their feelings and ultimately choosing to go with a third party, Drakan thought it seemed he had a talent for giving false hope to the women around him.

Anyway, this wasn’t very important right now.

The important thing was that a way to take advantage of Eugene’s situation had come to Drakan’s mind.

“If that’s the case, it’s not something I can’t do.”

“Thank you.”

Having decided to use the situation surrounding Eugene to his advantage, Drakan accepted his proposal, and Eugene breathed a sigh of relief and bowed his head to Drakan in gratitude.

“So, where is this dungeon in question?”

To Drakan’s following question, Eugene answered with a smile.

“It’s in Monster Land, a place called Wolf’s Den.”

Hearing the name of the place, the corners of Drakan’s mouth reached his ears.

Wolf’s Den!

That was the place Drakan himself had to visit to carry out the Lycansrope quest.