I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 13

“You will continue to die on the front lines!”

I acknowledged it.

“Every week, new graves will appear in this cemetery, and the choir’s lament will echo.”

No matter how hard we try to minimize sacrifices, people will die. A front line without sacrifice cannot exist.

However,

“Let me make it clear. Your deaths are more expensive than your lives!”

All these funeral costs and death compensations were an enormous sum.

Nearly half of the money earned from selling magic stones had to be allocated to the compensation budget.

There were also plans to increase the salaries of all soldiers and mercenaries, but it was nothing compared to the funeral expenses.

That’s right. Death should not be common and cheap. Death should be very precious and expensive. So that no one can have it easily.

“So, I will save you as much as possible. I will save you by any means and use you on the front lines.”

For my own economic reasons as the lord. And, for the soldiers themselves.

We must not die.

We must live.

We must survive.

“So, you guys, don’t die easily either.”

I looked at Jupiter and the mercenaries. Jupiter was staring up at me with one eye, her mouth tightly shut.

“Live and take your pay from me. Don’t die and make me pay for your funeral.”

The speech was over.

As I stepped down from the platform, Lucas waved his arm at the artillerymen.

Bang! Thump, thump…!

The sound of cannons echoed into the red evening sky, a requiem for the fallen.

How would my speech be received by the citizens?

A lame excuse from an incompetent commander? A crazy lord’s money-wasting antics?

It doesn’t matter which.

I will prove it with future results. That in this monster front line, I am more capable than anyone else.

“Well, then….”

Crack, crack, I loosened my hands and raised the corners of my mouth.

“Shall we go clear Stage 1?”

***

The next day, Jupiter and the mercenaries came under my command.

“Congratulations! We have wonderful new colleagues!”

Aider came in, holding a stack of profiles of the newly joined mercenaries, chattering like that. Shut up, you.

This is the lord’s office.

There are so many things to handle that I’m also working. I did handle city administration tasks in the original game, after all….

‘Why is there so much to do as soon as I take office? What did the previous lord even do?’

I grumbled and cleared the documents I was working on. Anyway, what’s important now is clearing the next stage. I need to survive to run the city.

“We have completed the hiring of all the free mercenaries in the city! A total of 114 people!”

For the upcoming Stage 1, we need as many troops as possible.

I hired all the available mercenaries without considering the cost.

“Everyone has put their stats into the ‘System’! You can check them easily there.”

With those words, Aider threw all the profile stacks he was holding into the trash can. Then why did you bring them?

“Let’s see….”

I opened the system window and checked the newly hired mercenaries.

The troops are largely divided into two types.

‘Heroes’ and ‘Soldiers’, two categories.

‘Heroes’ are exceptional talents. They can use skills and be organized into parties.

They are the most important characters that form the basis of this game’s strategy.

Even the N-rank heroes, who are often underestimated, are very powerful compared to ordinary soldiers.

‘Soldiers’ cannot use skills or be organized into parties. But without them, the front line cannot be maintained.

Soldiers also become stronger with experience, so they need to be encouraged and managed.

‘Among the mercenaries hired this time, there are… five heroes.’

Out of more than 100 people, only five are heroes.

Moreover, the probability of getting a high-ranking hero among these five is even lower. Looking at it this way, it’s quite a terrible gacha game [a game with a loot box mechanic].

“Did I get an SR?!”

I shouted and opened the list of new heroes.

Flash!

The colors that appeared on the profile images of the five new heroes were… one purple. Four gray.

One SR rank. Four N ranks.

“Tch, figures.”

I snorted in disappointment, but it was an expected result.

This place is a city on a grave where only the worst of lives gather. The infamous monster front line.

High-ranking talents start to gather after the city’s reputation improves and income increases in the mid-game.

For now, I should be satisfied with getting one SR rank.

After roughly checking the four N-rank heroes, I finally checked Jupiter’s stats.

[Jupiter (SR)]

– Level: 35

– Title: Corrupt Retired Soldier

– Class: Advanced Electro Mage

– Strength 8, Agility 18, Intelligence 30, Stamina 10, Magic Power 35

Level 35 from the start. She has completed her second job change and obtained an advanced class! This is a great gain.

[Skills]

> Passive: Lightning Rich

> Skill 1: Bleaching Zone

> Skill 2: Bleaching Again

> Ultimate: ??? (Unlocked after 3rd job change)

The passive, Lightning Rich, literally allows her to wield lightning.

It’s an average passive skill for an elemental mage, changing her magic power into the electric attribute.

Skill 1 is a wide-area electric magic. It strikes enemies with lightning in an area and leaves a mark.

Skill 2 is a combo skill. It deals additional damage with enhanced lightning to enemies with the mark, and its power is immense.

Thus, she is a holder of an extreme damage skill set focused on wide-area attacks.

Jupiter was my main attacker in the game with her simple yet powerful abilities.

The problem is this old woman… her trait often holds her back.

[Equipped Trait (1/3)]

– Gold Mania (Cannot be removed)

An unremovable trait, Gold Mania.

It literally makes her crazy about money. Especially gold coins.

When a treasure chest is found in a dungeon, if this trait is active, there is a certain chance that she will lose control and open the chest on her own.

But what if it’s a trap?

In the previous game, this trait activated in a late-game dungeon, and she was caught by a mimic [a monster disguised as an object] disguised as a treasure chest and chewed to death….

‘…I have no choice but to control her well.’

This place follows the rules of the game, but it’s still reality.

I should be able to prevent her from going crazy and opening every treasure chest she sees… no, please do. Please.

I don’t want to lose a hard-earned SR-rank mage so meaninglessly.

[New Hero Characters]

– Lv.35 Jupiter (SR)

– Lv.14 Tain (N)

– Lv.14 Ron (N)

– Lv.12 Ziya (N)

– Lv.11 Peke (N)

Anyway, these are the five new heroes I’ve acquired.

Including Lucas, Damian, me, and Lily, who is scheduled to retire.

‘How should I organize the party….’

I was lost in thought for a moment.

It’s good to change the party composition flexibly based on the enemy’s formation.

It’s most efficient to organize it in a way that counters the enemy’s species and type as much as possible.

‘To do that, I need to know what kind of enemies they are.’

I glanced at the time limit displayed on the stage information window.

[STAGE 1]

– Until Start: 3 days 1 hour

Three days until the stage starts.

It’s already so close. It’s quite tight.

‘I should go check the enemy information soon.’

Stage enemy information is basically available after encountering the enemy.

In the tutorial, we were already fighting the enemy, so we could see it right away, but now the enemy information window is all question marks. Scouting is essential.

Originally, it would be right to send scouts, but there’s a trick here.

“Lucas.”

I called Lucas, who was guarding outside the office door. Lucas rushed to me as soon as I called him.

“Yes! Did you call, Your Highness!”

“Let’s go get some fresh air.”

Lucas, who immediately brought my coat, asked.

“Where are you going today, Your Highness?”

“The lake.”

I said casually, putting my arms into the coat that Lucas was helping me with.

“I’m going to the enemy’s camp.”

“……Yes?”

Lucas’s face, who didn’t understand my words, was also covered with question marks. I chuckled.

“You’ll know when we get there, you.”

***

A little later. The backyard of the Crossroads Lord’s mansion.

Lucas and I stood in front of a collapsed pile of stones. Lucas had a puzzled look on his face, but he followed me quietly.

I reached out towards the pile of stones. Then, a system window appeared in front of my eyes.

[Activate the Teleport Gate?]

– Yes/No

Of course, it’s Yes.

Gurgle, gurgle-

With a strange operating sound, the piles of stones floated into the air, spinning and forming a magical door.

Lucas, surprised, asked.

“What is this, Your Highness?”

“It’s a gate that leads to the dungeon under the lake.”

I told the bewildered Lucas once more.

“It’s a free pass to hell where monsters are swarming.”

is a game that combines two genres.

Tower Defense & Dungeon Offense.

The rules of the game are as follows. First, the main ‘Stage’ is Tower Defense.

Monsters that emerge from the lake advance towards Crossroads, and it’s an all-out war to stop them with all the city’s forces.

And between these stages.

During the time when the enemy is not attacking, you can explore the dungeon under the lake, which is the enemy’s base.

This is called ‘Free Exploration’.

The player explores the dungeon with a small attack force to get hints for the next stage, farm experience and items, and uncover the secrets of the dungeon.

The basic structure of the game is to proceed by exchanging defense and offense like this.

This teleport gate is a device for that free exploration.

In the game, the function was unlocked after Stage 1, but I came here just in case, and as expected. I was able to activate it right away.

‘It’s a ridiculously difficult game, but it’s not an unreasonable game.’

Moreover, I know the strategies for almost all the monsters.

And I have memorized the structure and gimmicks of the dungeon under the lake.

In the defense stage, I will cleverly nibble away at the monsters and then sweep them away like a mob hunt.

In the attack free exploration, I will scrape up all the items and experience that can be farmed in the dungeon.

‘It’s worth a try. No, it’s very doable!’

I had a hard time during the tutorial, but the start is quite good.

I started with Damian, who can be called a cheat character, and Jupiter, an SR wide-area attacker.

Moreover, I have a considerable amount of money in hand.

The confidence that I can clear the game safely and fulfill my wish… filled my stomach.

“Okay, Lucas. Let me explain it simply.”

I explained the rules of the game to Lucas and told him that we were going to scout the enemy now for the next stage.

“Indeed, I understand.”

Lucas didn’t raise any questions. He just checked his armor and weapons.

“…….”

I swallowed hard.

In fact, Lucas should have the most questions.

The prince I’ve served all my life has suddenly changed, and he knows the structure of the city and the existence of dungeons in this new place.

He should feel something is strange, but Lucas silently followed me.

“Hey. Don’t you have anything to ask me?”

When I asked carefully, Lucas looked at me with his clear blue eyes.

“…….”

“…….”

A moment of silence passed. I swallowed hard without realizing it.

Lucas, who hesitated slightly, turned his gaze and slowly opened his mouth.

“I….”