I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 15

[Ash(EX) has changed jobs to ‘Beginner Commander’!] A fanfare celebrating the job change rang out. And. [A minus 50 percent debuff is applied to stat growth rate.] [A minus 50 percent debuff is applied to equipment proficiency.] ……? What? What did you just say? “What, what is it?!” I blinked for a while at the messages that kept popping up. What did it just say? “No, seriously?” I checked, and it was real. The growth debuff was actually plastered on my stat window. “Don’t screw with me!” What is this nonsense! Seriously! What kind of job comes with a debuff like this?! Setting a trap like this, I’m going to destroy that bastard Aider, the director…. [Trait – ‘Attack Totem’ has been acquired.] [Trait – ‘Defense Totem’ has been acquired.] [Trait – ‘Super Buffer’ has been acquired.] [Trait – ‘Main Order’ has been acquired.] [System – ‘Party Synergy’ is now available.] I stopped, about to grab a weapon and go kill Aider. Messages about acquiring new traits and systems flickered before my eyes. Attack Totem? Defense Totem? Super Buffer? Main Order? Party Synergy? What are these things? I opened the trait window. [Attack Totem Lv.1] – Just by being deployed on the battlefield, it boosts the morale of allies, providing a 5 percent bonus to all allies’ attack power. [Defense Totem Lv.1] – Just by being deployed on the battlefield, it boosts the morale of allies, providing a 5 percent bonus to all allies’ defense power. “…….” So, it’s literally a totem trait. Just by being on the battlefield, I give a bonus to my allies’ attack and defense power. Moreover, [Super Buffer] – Enhances all buffs provided by the commander character by one level. It even comes with a one-level enhancement. ‘This is awesome.’ No, it’s more than awesome. If this buff applies to the entire ally force, it’s just broken. With just one character’s trait, you can give a collective attack and defense boost to thousands of allies. ‘So that’s why they put a debuff on me personally.’ The buff itself is broken, so if the buffer, the commander unit, could also grow, it would be too overpowered. That’s why they put a debuff on the growth rate. It’s not bad at this level. No, if you look at it coldly, it’s very good. ‘The only minor problem is that you can only equip three traits.’ These three traits are good, but if I equip all three, I can’t use other traits. I looked at the other new traits I got. Let’s see. [Main Order Lv.1] – The ability to accurately convey orders on the battlefield. It conveys the commander’s intentions more accurately, allowing subordinates to be controlled like limbs. It was a trait related to troop control. In the game, I could easily control hundreds or thousands of troops, but this is reality. It’s hard to move the battlefield as I intend. It seems to be a trait that makes it easier. ‘And I also have [Map Creation].’ So, a total of five traits. The trait change cooldown is 24 hours, so I’ll have to change traits according to the situation and fight. ‘Okay, that’s enough about traits.’ They said the party synergy system was also unlocked. This is also new. [Party Synergy] – Commander class perk. – Depending on the job composition of the party members, stat bonuses are provided to the party. Try various combinations. It gives bonuses depending on the composition of the party members? I opened the synergy list and checked the very top line. [Party Synergy List] – Knight Synergy: Increases physical defense based on the number of knight characters in a party. > (Knight 2) Dual Knights: Increases the physical defense of all party members by 20 percent. > (Knight 4) Iron Squad: Increases the physical defense of all party members by 50 percent. > (Knight 5) Unbreakable: Increases the physical defense of all party members by 90 percent. “Hoo.” So, you get additional stats depending on the party composition like this. As you continue the game, the number of heroes you recruit increases, and the number of parties you operate increases. All those parties get synergy bonuses depending on the combination. “Not bad…….” This system itself is a perk of the commander class. I, who was a player, am being directly deployed on the battlefield, and I don’t think there could be a better job than this. I quietly put the poker I had grabbed to kill Aider back into the fireplace. Sorry~ *** I considered several strategies to clear this Stage 1, but the final conclusion I reached was one. The standard approach. There are several tricks, but I’m not ready to use them, and I don’t have time. The best thing to do is to steadily prepare for defense during the remaining time. Under that judgment, I conscripted carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, and alchemists to reinforce the defense line. “……No, but. I told you to conscript them.” I looked at the four people in front of me and broke out in a cold sweat. The head of the carpenters’ guild. The head of the stonemasons’ guild. The head of the blacksmiths’ guild. The head of the alchemists’ guild. The old men with grim faces were dragged in front of me, their whole bodies bound with ropes. “Not kidnapping, conscription!” “Well, no one responded to the conscription order, so….” Aider scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I just brought the guild leaders as a matter of urgency.” The guild leaders, who couldn’t hide their displeasure at the polite ‘bringing’, shouted as if they had been waiting for it. “What is this all of a sudden!” “Even if you are royalty, there are limits!” “The magic stone processing line is in full swing, how can you drag us here like this! If there is any loss to our processing line, will Your Highness take responsibility?!” See? They’re all angry. Look at them yelling with veins popping out of their faces. I couldn’t hide my apologies and spoke to them gently. “Do you want to die, you bastards?” “…….” “What’s with all the yelling? Huh? Seriously, do I look easy to you?” The four guild leaders immediately shut their mouths. I continued to soothe them warmly. “If I, the prince of this country and the lord of this city, called you, huh? You should have crawled here on all fours, no matter what you were producing, huh? And you’re glaring at me after being dragged here? You’re hurting my feelings? Do you really want to die?” “No, well, that’s….” “We, we’re sorry…….” “It’s our first time serving a royal lord, so….” The guild leaders immediately backed down and lowered their eyes. Ash is grateful at times like this. Thanks to building a nationwide reputation as a crazy delinquent, I can comfortably act like a jerk. “Attention.” When I growled, the guild leaders immediately straightened up. Cold sweat glistened on the old men’s faces. I think I’ve scared them enough, should I try to calm them down again? “Hey. I know you’re busy. It’s been a while since you got a lot of high-grade magic stones, and you’ve got a good deal. You must be busy processing and packaging them.” “Y-yes, that’s right.” “But who got those magic stones?” I pointed at myself with my thumb. “And who will get them in the future?” “…….” “The person you should be most loyal to! That person is! Who?!” “Y-Your Highness…….” “That’s right. Keep that fact in mind.” I wiped the smile off my face. “Let’s get to the point. A monster legion is invading.” “……?!” “They will arrive in this city in three days.” The bewildered guild leaders looked at each other. “But the monsters have been quiet for the past few years….” “Even if they occasionally appear, most of them are defeated before they even reach Crossroads, right?” “The situation has changed. Didn’t you hear the news that the forward base was destroyed?” I clicked my tongue and shook my head. “The monsters have started moving again in earnest. And the scale is not normal. There are thousands of them. This won’t be the end, they will keep attacking.” “……!” “And we… let’s be honest. We lack the power.” I crossed my arms and looked heavily at the guild leaders. “I need help. The help of all the production workers in this city.” “Even if you say that… what can we do?” “I want to borrow your hands to produce military supplies. Of course! I’m not asking you to do it for free. I will pay you a fair price.” I grinned and snapped my fingers. “The monsters’ rampage is a crisis, but it’s also an opportunity. Isn’t it?” As the monsters had become quiet for the past ten years, the mining of magic stones had naturally decreased. There were various difficulties in the magic stone processing industry. But what if the monsters increase again? The production of magic stones also increases. If the production of magic stones increases? Money will pour in! “Let’s do this.” I clapped my hands. “I will provide you with some of the magic stones recovered by the military at cost price. Would 20 percent be enough? We’ll adjust the ratio later.” The guild leaders’ eyes widened. “Yes?!” “R-really?!” “Of course, it’s real. If you have a direct line to get magic stones, it would be beneficial for you, right?” Until now, the military sold the recovered magic stones to merchants, and the merchants commissioned the processing of those magic stones to production workers. But there’s no need to do that, right? “There’s no need to fatten up the middleman. Let’s trade directly with each other.” There’s no need to share the profits. I was planning to bring all the production workers in the city, and even the magic stone distribution line, under my control in the long term. Not only the production of magic stones, but also the processing, distribution, and sales, I was going to take it all. “Instead. If I give an order, you must prioritize the production of military supplies. Of course, I will pay you fairly for the production.” I gestured to the guild leaders, who were swallowing hard. “What do you think? Isn’t it a good deal?” In the end, I was using money and interests as cards to win them over. Isn’t that too much of a money-is-everything approach? “We’ll do it!” “Let’s give it a try!” “When do we start and what do we need to do?!” Well, what else can I do? There’s nothing as reliable as money in this world. *** After finishing the meeting with the production guild leaders, I went out to the entrance of the mansion, and all the hero characters were gathered there. Lucas. Damian. Lily. And the new party representative. Jupiter. Lucas, Damian, and Lily were already acquainted, so they greeted each other comfortably. However, Jupiter was standing awkwardly apart from them, perhaps because of her unique sinister atmosphere. Of course, Jupiter, who wasn’t the type to care about such things, was puffing on a cigar and staring at the other party members. This old woman, she looks like she’s watching her cute grandchildren. ‘They’ll get to know each other.’ I didn’t pay much attention to it and started explaining to the party members. “I think you’ve heard the general situation from Lucas.” I nodded, looking at each of the four people who were staring at me. “Monsters, specifically a Living Armor Legion of 1,000, are advancing towards this city. The estimated time of arrival is about three days from now.” Well. Everyone had a ‘We’re screwed!’ look on their faces. It’s kind of funny to see.