I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 137

◈ 138. [STAGE 5] N-Rank

This is a cruel game.

Not only because mistakes are irreversible, but also because it ranks humans.

Ranks.

The value of humans, classified as SSR-SR-R-N.

The resources of this game are limited. Equipment, items, experience points, all are clearly finite.

To clear it, resources must be distributed efficiently.

Ultimately, resources are concentrated on high-ranking characters with greater talent.

They receive good equipment, get priority in acquiring items, and receive a surge of experience points.

The gap widens.

A chasm forms between high and low ranks that cannot be bridged.

The difference in talent is real. It is an undeniable fact.

But what makes it a decisive difference is ultimately the player’s choice.

While high-ranking characters become the protagonists on stage and are praised as saviors of the world.

The majority of low-ranking, especially the lowest-ranking N-rank characters.

Without even a decent chance, they are used and discarded as meat shields, pawns, and bullet sponges…

They die, get injured, or worse.

They quietly retreat backstage in the shadows.

…….

That is just one aspect of the countless cruelties this game possesses.

***

Therefore, N-ranks must prove themselves.

There is only one chance.

High-ranking characters continue to receive chances even if they fail, but such luxury does not happen for N-ranks.

The moment they are thrown onto the battlefield.

They must seize that first and last opportunity.

Their usefulness.

Their value.

The value of their lives.

They must show the world that they are not just meat shields, pawns, or bullet sponges.

To step out of the shadows and into the light.

Because everyone wants to be in the spotlight.

Because everyone wants to be the protagonist.

Because everyone…

Lives with such dreams.

***

In the battle against the Great Vampire, the number of humans is meaningless.

Rather, if they become targets, they only serve as a means for the monsters to recover their stamina.

It is better for the regular soldiers to fall back and for a small elite force to engage.

That was Ash’s instruction, and Lucas agreed it was reasonable.

While Ash was facing the Vampire King alone, command of the front lines was transferred to Lucas.

As the vampires climbed the walls, Lucas tried to retreat the regular soldiers to the rear and prepare for battle with the hero party.

However, before the regular soldiers could finish their retreat, the vampires reached the walls.

《Many.》

Looking at the humans crowding the walls, the vampires—no, the predators—all smacked their lips.

《How long has it been since such a feast?》

《The humans of the Lake Kingdom are all sprawled out like corpses, they don’t even taste good.》

《Let’s suck fresh blood to our hearts’ content.》

“…….”

Clench.

In front of the monsters smacking their lips and chattering, Lucas gripped his sword tightly.

They must not be allowed to attack the regular soldiers.

For vampires, blood and life are military supplies.

The more damage they inflict, the more they benefit. The damage to the regular soldiers must be minimized.

However.

‘…I can’t block them all at once.’

Lucas glanced at the two vampires dressed as a butler and a maid.

Alpha and Beta.

Vampire Generals—the highest-ranking individuals right below the Vampire Lord, vampire generals.

‘Our core forces must deal with those two.’

They had planned and trained for Alpha and Beta’s opponents in advance. They couldn’t change the squad now.

In the end, it was up to them to stop the five regular vampires.

“Sir Knight! Please leave it to us!”

“……Dion.”

Lucas groaned as he looked at Dion and his five subordinates stepping forward. Dion raised his voice.

“Our role was to buy time by blocking the regular vampires in the first place!”

“…….”

“We can do it! We’ve trained hard too!”

That was true. However, the situation had changed.

‘It’s not just about blocking five vampires. We also have to protect the retreating regular soldiers.’

The difficulty of the mission had doubled.

Was it right to entrust this to Dion’s mercenary group, who were still inexperienced?

‘What would my lord have decided if he were here?’

Lucas shook his head vigorously.

Ash had trusted Lucas and given him command. He couldn’t keep clinging to Ash like a child forever.

The vampires were right in front of them. It was time to make a decision.

“As acting commander, I order. The main strategy will remain as His Highness Prince Ash has instructed.”

Lucas glared at Beta, who was slowly approaching, dragging her axe on the ground.

“First, I will block that monster maid.”

Beside her, Alpha was following, casting blood magic.

“Evangeline. You block that butler blood mage.”

“Leave it to me~!”

Evangeline grinned, adjusting her shield.

“God Hand. Bodybag. Support us both.”

God Hand and Bodybag nodded with stiff faces.

“Jupiter. Junior. Damian. Old Girl. Skull. You are the attack team. Choose the optimal target to attack flexibly.”

The two mages and three snipers were organized into an attack team.

While the rest of the party formed a defensive line, they would take down the vampires one by one.

Everyone silently checked their mana and equipment.

“The rest of the Old Hunters, and all of Dion’s mercenaries.”

Lucas looked around at all the remaining members and nodded.

“Block the regular vampires. However, do not be too aggressive.”

The veterans of the Old Hunters nodded in unison, and Dion and his mercenaries grinned, banging their weapons against their shields. Bang bang!

“The situation is different from what we had anticipated. They will try to kill the retreating regular soldiers first, not you.”

It was obvious that they would avoid engaging the hero characters and target the weak regular soldiers.

“You will protect the regular soldiers while they retreat… but remember. Your lives come first.”

Lucas repeatedly told the team facing the regular vampires.

“Vampires are different from regular monsters. They are very cunning… and evil. If they see an opening, they will try to kill you first.”

Lucas looked at everyone and nodded.

“Hold them back as much as possible, and respond according to the situation.”

“Yes!”

“Good. Everyone, move out!”

With a blue glint in his eyes beneath his visor, Lucas pressed down on his helmet.

“If we can just stop these guys, we win! Let’s go-!”

The hero characters gripped their weapons and began to run towards their respective enemies.

Dion and his mercenaries shouted, “Uwaaaaah-!” and charged towards the five approaching regular vampires.

***

“No matter what, maintain formation while fighting! We die if we scatter!”

Dion shouted, clutching silver daggers in both hands. Dion’s mercenaries nodded in unison.

How much they had trained to move as one.

Dion and his mercenaries knew it well. That they were insignificant as individuals.

But when five of them were united, they could create a synergy much stronger than the sum of their parts.

That they could sufficiently block even those powerful vampires.

However. It was as Lucas had said.

The vampires were cunning and evil.

They didn’t even care about Dion’s mercenary group’s defensive line.

They easily bypassed the defensive line and rushed towards the regular soldiers behind them.

“No!”

“We have to stop… !”

Lightly leaping over the despairing screams of the humans.

The five vampires rushed towards the regular soldiers who were still retreating below the walls.

Pshoo-!

Blood splattered everywhere.

The regular soldiers were also veterans who had seen their share of battles on this front.

Especially those who remained last in the rear were the Twilight Legion.

They were not just veterans, but survivors who had fought and lived through hundreds of battles with monsters.

Crack!

But shields were bent like taffy,

Shwaak!

Armor was torn like paper.

Crunch-!

And their necks were bitten.

The five vampires buried their heads in the necks of the humans and greedily sucked their blood.

The five regular soldiers who became victims died without even screaming.

《Ah…》

One of the vampires, with blood dripping from his mouth, muttered softly.

《Not enough, not enough…》

Carelessly throwing the human corpse, which had withered like an old tree, to the ground, the vampire turned to look for his next prey.

“Eek… !”

“I’ll buy time, you guys retreat quickly!”

The commander of the Twilight Legion shouted, raising his iron mace. And that became the old man’s last words.

Shwaaak-!

One of the vampires, clad in armor, swung his longsword downwards.

The Twilight Legion commander’s iron mace shattered into pieces with that one blow.

Not only that, but his body was cut diagonally from his shoulder to his waist.

“Kuh… huck.”

The end of the old soldier, who had been in charge of commanding the regular soldiers during the four defensive battles since joining in Stage 2, was futile and tragic.

The bisected body fell backward. The vampire who killed the old soldier buried his head on the ground and greedily swallowed the blood.

“Commander!”

“Those damn monster bastards dare to… !”

Seeing this, the eyes of the other Twilight Legion veterans turned red.

The soldiers who were retreating all drew their weapons and turned back.

“This is not the time! Retreat! You have to retreat! Damn it, everyone!”

Dion shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Retreat-!”

But his cries had already fallen on deaf ears. The soldiers, enraged by the death of their commander, gave up on retreating and rushed back towards the vampires.

Of course, the veterans knew.

Having experienced countless battles, they knew well that there was no chance of winning by rushing at these vampires.

But in the face of the death of their commander, whom they had spent their lives with.

They were too old to turn away from death and run towards life.

And they had to pay the price.

Thud! Thwack! Pshoo…!

A massacre occurred.

The veterans who had stained this wall with the blood of monsters for decades now stained the wall with their own blood.

In an instant, the wall became a field of corpses. On top of it, the vampires held a feast.

Blood.

Flesh.

They greedily swallowed, chewed, and craved.

“Th-this… !”

In the face of the deaths of those they had been with until just yesterday.

The composure of Dion’s mercenaries was also evaporating. Hessen, the warrior at the front, was the first to lose his reason to anger.

“You fucking vampire bastards-!”

“No, Hessen! If you charge out alone… !”

Hessen kicked off the ground and charged towards the closest vampire.

“Maintain formation! Stay calm! Damn it, Hessen!”

Dion reached out to grab Hessen’s nape, but it was too late.

“Uwaaaaaaah-!”

Hessen, who had rushed out with his silver longsword, swung down at the vampire right in front of him.

Hessen’s level was 25.

He had cut down countless monsters in that hellish dungeon.

Perhaps he was secretly confident. That even if the opponent was a vampire, he could land at least one blow.

Clang-!

But the silver sword struck the empty ground, not the vampire.

‘Huh?’

When a flustered Hessen raised his head.

The vampires were surrounding Hessen as if they had been waiting for him.

Yes, there was no other expression that fit better than that.

As soon as Hessen charged out, they surrounded him as if they had been waiting, and then grinned.

Revealing their sharp fangs, stained red with blood.

“Shit…”

Thud! Thwack!

The vampires’ swords and claws pierced through the gaps in Hessen’s armor.

Hessen, who was coughing up blood, barely turned his head towards Dion and his comrades, and muttered softly.

“I’m sorry, guys.”

The next moment, the fangs of five vampires simultaneously sank into Hessen’s neck.