I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 103

“Everyone’s here.”

Looking at the hero characters gathered in the reception room, I nodded.

There was some commotion, but anyway, the three parties gathered as initially planned.

“I’ll now explain the base camp recapture operation.”

Everyone looked at me, their eyes shining. I met each of their gazes.

“The participating parties are the main party, including myself, the Shadow Unit, and the Dion Mercenary Group. That’s three.”

The main party—me, Lucas, Evangeline, Damian, and Jupiter Junior.

Then, the Shadow Unit led by Godhand, and the Dion Mercenary Group led by Dion.

A total of 15 people.

It was the highest number of personnel ever deployed into the dungeon under the lake.

‘The most unstable one is the Dion Mercenary Group.’

I glanced at the Dion Mercenary Group, which was made up of only N-rank newbies.

The Dion Mercenary Group… had been repeating hellish hard training for the past week.

They kept trying to explore the 2nd area autonomously.

They failed and ran away four times, and once they were almost completely wiped out.

But they finally succeeded in clearing it on their own.

In the process, they leveled up a lot, and more than anything, all five of them gained a lot of experience and improved their teamwork.

‘Even if it’s a makeshift team, they’re good enough to use in the field.’

That meant they had enough combat power to be deployed in this operation right away.

For today, I had all their equipment replaced yesterday, and they were also given new uniforms as a set.

Even now, they’re wearing new clothes and new equipment, so excited that their mouths are practically hanging on their ears. These little chicks.

‘Well, if we’re talking about instability, there isn’t a party that isn’t unstable.’

I looked at the other two parties as well.

Godhand had only just returned from his injury, and the main party hadn’t properly coordinated since the new mage joined.

‘We did a simple exploration in the 3rd area with the two parties combined, but that’s it.’

Unstable factors are always and everywhere.

But.

‘Overcoming those unstable factors is what I have to do.’

There’s no more time to nitpick conditions. I raised my voice.

“I’m now giving the operation orders!”

This time, Aider brought the chalkboard with the drawing that he had prepared in advance.

I pointed at the drawing on the chalkboard and explained.

“The main party and the Dion Mercenary Group will move together. The two parties will use the teleport gate to enter directly into the heart of the enemy camp.”

They would infiltrate the base camp through the teleport gate and strike by surprise.

I wanted them to strike immediately if possible, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“Most likely, they’ll be prepared too. Fierce resistance is expected. We might even take quite a bit of damage.”

We would have to endure their prepared crossfire.

I looked at the party’s tanks and nodded.

“But we have to draw their attention.”

That’s right.

In this operation, we are the bait.

“Now, and… Shadow Unit.”

I turned my gaze to Godhand and the elf kid.

“I’m sorry, Godhand, who just returned, but you’ll have to take on the toughest job.”

Godhand asked back, looking displeased.

“Are you saying there’s something harder than charging into the enemy camp and taking attacks?”

“That’s right.”

This is the core of this operation.

I smiled and explained what the Shadow Unit had to do.

“What you have to do is…”

***

After the operation briefing.

The Shadow Unit had already left the reception room.

The main party and the Dion Mercenary Group were touching their equipment, preparing for battle.

“……”

I carefully approached one of them.

It was Damian, who was laying out six magic rifles on the floor and checking them one by one.

“Damian.”

“Ah, Your Highness.”

My gaze met Damian’s for a moment.

I asked briefly.

“Can you shoot?”

“……”

Something Damian hadn’t been able to do until now.

Shooting people.

If this was impossible, there would be no point in taking him to this battle, and it would also cause problems with Damian’s tactical use in the future.

Damian lowered his head, then looked up at me with a determined face.

“I will shoot. If it’s Your Highness’s order.”

“Have you made up your mind?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to push yourself. I don’t intend to break your beliefs.”

“It’s not about beliefs…”

Damian lowered his eyes and spoke honestly.

“It’s just that I’m scared.”

“Of killing people?”

“No.”

Damian quietly looked at his hands.

“If I pull the trigger at a person, at that moment, something inside me… feels like it will change forever.”

“……”

I gently gripped Damian’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to take lives. With your skills, you can subdue them instead of killing them.”

There’s no need to aim only for vital points with sniping.

It’s entirely possible to subdue them by hitting their hands or legs, making them unable to fight.

“Damian. I don’t know what kind of sniper you’ll grow into in the future.”

I smiled.

“But no matter what path you take, you’re the ace of our party. Don’t forget that.”

Damian stared blankly at me, then slowly nodded.

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“Good.”

I tapped Damian’s shoulder and checked the time.

10 PM.

There was still some time left until 2 AM, the time for the operation.

“Aider! Prepare some bedding in the spare rooms. So we can get some sleep.”

After giving Aider a task, I ordered the party members.

“Everyone, get some sleep. Don’t doze off in the enemy camp later.”

By now, a bright moon had risen outside the window.

I stared at the bright moonlight and muttered.

“Today is going to be a very long night.”

***

And, at 2 AM.

The time for the operation.

In the backyard of the mansion, in front of the teleport gate, a total of 10 people from the main party and the Dion Mercenary Group had gathered.

I designated the order of entry.

“Evangeline, take the lead. Lucas, follow right behind her.”

“Yes’m!”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Attacks may come as soon as the teleportation is complete. Prepare your defenses and go in.”

Evangeline, as well as Lucas, were equipped with shields.

It was an equipment choice considering that they were entering the heart of the enemy camp.

“Next, Junior. You’ll have to do magic defense. Cast in advance and enter.”

“Leave it to me.”

Junior smiled. She’s reliable, being SSR rank [Super Super Rare, a high rank].

“Damian and I will go in after that.”

When our eyes met, Damian quietly nodded.

Damian had to neutralize the enemy’s ranged attackers and cannons. I was in charge of all sorts of tricks.

“After that, the Dion Mercenary Group. Enter in order as explained in advance.”

The Dion Mercenary Group would first have three warrior-class members enter. They would deploy their shields to solidify the additional defense formation.

Finally, two rogue-class members would enter with items to use on the field. Something like that.

“Okay, there’s no need to delay. Let’s start right away.”

I nodded to Lucas and Evangeline.

“Go in!”

“Entering!”

“See you later~!”

Lucas and Evangeline jumped into the spinning teleport gate one after another.

“Then, me too.”

Following them, Junior waved her hand and then jumped into the gate.

I turned around and smiled.

“Let’s finish this quickly. Let’s go!”

I threw myself into the gate.

A bright light covered my vision.

Flash-!

***

[Now Loading… Teleporting.]

[Tip – Dungeon NPCs have various relationships with each other. Utilizing them well is the shortcut to conquering the dungeon.]

I want to use NPCs!

Instead of hostile forces that suddenly shoot arrows and magic, send me some interactive NPC friends!

***

Flash!

As soon as I passed through the teleport gate, I drew my staff ‘Maestro’ and pointed it forward.

In front of me, Lucas and Evangeline, who had arrived first, were holding up their shields, also looking around with sharp eyes.

Junior was also casting elemental magic with a slightly tense face, unlike her usual self.

“……”

“……”

“……”

A tense silence flowed.

The base camp was covered in dark shadows.

The campfire in the center of the camp was losing its strength, barely maintaining a flame.

‘They’re not here?’

I swallowed hard, scanning the left and right sides of the quiet base camp.

‘They’re not here? Really?’

No, no. That can’t be.

They were the ones who had been waiting here long before we cleared the 3rd area. There’s no way they would leave their posts.

Rather, the opposite.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

It’s an ambush!

From all over the open space, about a dozen NPCs rushed out, aiming weapons such as bows and crossbows at us.

I smiled bitterly. It’s a familiar scene. I think I saw something similar last time.

“I thought, ‘There’s no way they’d enter this way,’ but…”

Then, a familiar baritone voice was heard.

“I didn’t think you’d actually walk in here on your own.”

Looking in that direction, a man wearing a smiling mask, a black pointed hat, and a minstrel’s outfit was walking towards us.

Crown.

The leader of the Nightcrawler unit.

“What are you relying on to walk into your own death, ‘Player’?”

“Stop calling me ‘Player,’ ‘Player.’ I have a perfectly good name.”

I pointed to myself and introduced myself.

“My name is Ash. Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack.”

“Everblack…? Hmm, I’ve heard of it.”

“Of course, you’ve heard of the Great Everblack Empire. I am the third prince of that country. If you want to show respect, you can prostrate yourself.”

Then, Crown, who had been tilting his head, snapped his fingers.

“Ah, that small, remote country.”

“What?”

“Has so much time passed on the surface that that small country is calling itself an empire? This is… I feel old every time this happens.”

I frowned, dumbfounded.

It’s been a hundred years since the Everblack Empire seized control of the continent.

It’s the strongest country in name and reality, ruling half the world.

But to call it a small country. When was that story from?

‘Is he really hundreds of years old or something…?’

“Anyway, there’s no need to have a new conversation.”

As Crown raised his hand, the weapons held by the Nightcrawler unit members were charged with power.

They looked like they were about to fire at any moment.

“Shall we resume the slaughter we couldn’t finish last time? You even came to our base on your own… Can I assume you’ve accepted your death?”

I coldly retorted at Crown’s sneer.

“No. I never made any such acceptance.”

Flash-!

Damian, who had popped out behind me from the teleport gate, immediately aimed his magic rifle, and the Dion Mercenary Group warriors who came out after him added shields to the front line in perfect order.

Finally, Dion and the female rogue arrived with large equipment.

Dion immediately installed and activated the equipment he had brought.

Whoosh-!

It was the SR-grade [Super Rare, a high rank] defensive artifact that Lily and the alchemists had been busy repairing today.

Anti-Missile Barrier.

One of the best defensive artifacts for local warfare that slows down enemy projectiles and reduces damage.

“Oh?”

Crown, who had noticed the identity of our artifact, let out an exclamation.

“You guys should be thinking straight.”

I grinned.

“The enemy has come to our base. Our base is about to get wrecked. You should surrender and run away!”