I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 236

After walking back to the base camp, I returned to Crossroads using the teleport gate.

Verdandi stayed behind at the base camp.

When I asked if she wanted to come with us, just in case, she immediately refused.

“I can’t leave this place until I complete the mission I was given.”

Verdandi said, smiling awkwardly.

I was speechless for a moment, looking at her.

What would it feel like to wander in this darkness for 100 years, searching for a treasure that might not even exist?

Even though the king who gave the order, and the country, are already gone.

‘The NPC parties wandering the dungeons are all like that.’

It’s one of two things.

Either they’re crazy, or they’re clinging to a delusion that’s no different from being crazy.

‘…Are we going to end up like that too?’

If we fail to clear the game, my companions will probably end up in a similar state.

Even though the world has already been destroyed, they might continue their meaningless exploration of this underground, trying to save the world.

I glanced at my companions’ faces.

They were huddled in front of the teleport gate, all smiling languidly with their faces looking refreshed after washing in the hot spring water.

I clenched my fist and made a new resolution.

My dear friends.

I will not leave you in the darkness.

***

Over the next two weeks, we cleared four dungeons in Area 5.

It was necessary to clear all of Area 5 before advancing to Area 6.

And our goal was to get the members to level 50.

Hero characters need to reach level 50 to get their third job advancement and ultimate skills.

After that, stats will still increase and traits can be obtained, but the skill set stops growing at this point.

Because this level is so important, the experience required to level up is ridiculously high.

Especially the 48-50 level range, the growth feels so slow that it was nicknamed ‘the commute’.

No matter how hard they tried, saying they had to reach level 50 before the next defense battle, many characters ended up being deployed to the defense battle at level 48 or 49.

Viewers called this ‘being late’.

Currently, Lucas, Evangeline, and Damian are level 49.

There are still two weeks left until the start of Stage 10, so I think we can reach level 50 without being late.

“I’m sorry for not being able to keep up with the exploration…”

Early in the morning.

Junior apologized to us as we gathered in the backyard of the mansion, preparing for a new exploration.

“I thought my body was getting better, so I pushed myself, and the backlash was severe…”

All the other heroes have recovered from the aftereffects of the last Jormungandr battle.

Even Evangeline, who had been out of it, was back to her usual self, and Quillan had also finished recovering.

But Junior was still ailing.

Well, it’s understandable that she’s out of it. I don’t know how many times she used her ultimate skill that day, which already kills her when used once.

“But Lady Reina is still helping with the treatment, so I’ll be fully recovered by the next defense battle… I’m really sorry.”

Evangeline smiled brightly at Junior, who still looked pale and apologetic.

“It’s okay, Juju unnie [older sister]! More importantly, you need to recover!”

I nodded in agreement.

“Don’t feel pressured and focus on recovering. Okay?”

In any case, Junior has the highest level among the characters under my command, and there is no immediate need for additional training.

It’s a shame that we can’t bring a mage on the exploration, but the current members are more than capable of clearing the dungeons we face. She can focus on resting.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have taken you to the hot spring. It would have helped with your recovery, even if just a little.”

The hot spring requires a ticket that is issued after defeating the monsters at the entrance, so it cannot be used until the monsters are refilled next season.

If I had known Junior’s aftereffects would be this long, I should have just taken her.

“Ah… well, the bathhouse is a bit…”

“There are private baths too, so let’s go together next time! Unnie!”

Even though Evangeline kept coaxing her, Junior was still reluctant.

But I secretly made up my mind.

Every season, I’ll gather all the ailing members and put them in the hot spring once. Even if it’s just a small recovery buff, it will help.

Leaving Junior waving her hand with a troubled expression, we threw ourselves into the teleport gate.

Whoosh-!

***

The members who explored together for the past two weeks are as follows.

The main party of four, excluding Junior. Me, Lucas, Damian, and Evangeline. And Quillan and five members of the penal unit.

In addition, Verdandi, who has been helping with the exploration for the past two weeks, has joined, making a total of 10 people. Two parties.

“Ah, you’re here!”

Verdandi, who was checking her equipment at the base camp, smiled brightly when she saw us.

Although, because of the tear mark, her smile still doesn’t look like a smile.

Over the past two weeks, Verdandi has been a great guide.

She joined the main party, filling the spot left by Junior, and they’ve worked together quite well.

Her 100 years of experience here hasn’t been for nothing, she’s quite skilled at dungeon攻略 [dungeon conquering]. She’s been a great help.

So, I brought a reward today. I took out a pouch from my pocket and handed it to Verdandi.

“Here, the sunflower seeds I promised you.”

Surprisingly, there were no sunflowers in the Crossroads area, so I had to send someone to a neighboring city to get the seeds.

That’s why it took some time to get them.

“Hup!”

Verdandi jumped up in an exaggerated manner and received the sunflower seeds carefully.

“Thank you so much…! Sniff, I never thought I’d see these again before I die…”

Verdandi bowed repeatedly and carefully tucked the seed pouch into her arms.

‘I was expecting her to eat them like a squirrel, but is she saving them?’

I had been secretly expecting her to eat them right away, since she had shown great mukbang [eating broadcast] reactions whenever I gave her carrots, cabbages, and other ingredients.

But unexpectedly, she didn’t even touch the sunflower seeds she had requested first and hid them in her arms.

I was curious about the reason, but I didn’t ask. It could be her privacy.

“Today, we’re going to the Colosseum. It’s a place we cleared before. The main party members all remember, right?”

At my words, Lucas, Damian, and Evangeline all nodded in unison.

The last dungeon in Area 5. The Fiery Colosseum.

At the time, there was no way to get there by land, so we used a shortcut. We weren’t at a level to defeat the boss, so we broke through using tricks.

But now, the party has grown enough to walk there, and all the other bosses in Area 5 have been defeated by us.

‘Everyone has grown so quickly.’

I felt proud for no reason, looking at the main party members who were on the verge of level 50.

My precious babies. Let’s only walk the path of SSR [Super Super Rare] from now on.

“Are you really going to the Colosseum?”

Verdandi, who volunteered to be our guide again today, widened her eyes.

“After the vampire army invaded that area a few months ago, the entire area was completely devastated. There won’t be much to see even if you go.”

“A friend who was there helped me. And they were attacked by the vampire army as a result.”

The image of Jackal kneeling and sobbing in front of me came to mind.

I told him then. The Empire has not abandoned you.

Even if it was a blatant lie to overcome the immediate crisis.

Jackal believed those words sincerely and gave his life for me.

If so, at the very least, I must make those words true, not false.

The Empire has not abandoned you.

I have not forgotten you.

“Now that I have the power to help, I should go and see. At least I need to check if he’s dead or alive. Isn’t that the right thing to do?”

Then Verdandi’s eyes widened even more. Why are her eyes so wide? Did I say something strange?

“The right thing to do, the right thing to do…”

“Why?”

“No, I’m just amazed. …I never imagined I’d hear that word again in this hellish pit.”

I gave an awkward smile.

“It’s actually a word that’s hard to hear even outside.”

Both on Earth and in this world. Living by the right thing to do is foolish. Who doesn’t know that?

I just don’t want to forget the favor I received.

Even if I’m not a great saint, even if I’m insignificant and self-satisfied. I just want to be that kind of human.

– Hyung [older brother]!

…Yeah.

I will never forget, ever.

***

Even after teleporting to the closest safe zone to the Colosseum and walking, it was quite far.

Even when we took a shortcut back then, it took a lot of time.

‘Is it because the Colosseum itself is a noisy and dangerous facility, that it was built on the outskirts of the city?’

I can only guess at the intentions behind the placement of entertainment facilities in the Lake Kingdom’s city at the time. But I guess it’s something like that.

Anyway, after walking for several hours, fighting off monsters that attacked us in random events along the way, we were able to reach the Colosseum.

[Area 5 – The Fiery Colosseum]

A huge circular stone building, like the one in ancient Rome.

The Colosseum, which was magnificent and majestic when I last saw it, was completely destroyed.

The ceiling was gone, and the pillars were horribly collapsed. There was no sign of life on the dusty floor.

The party members glared fiercely and guarded around me.

Surrounded by guards, I walked into the Colosseum with my mouth shut.

“…”

The inside of the Colosseum was also empty.

The wide spectator seats, the arena where we fought fierce battles with monsters for 7 rounds. Everything was empty.

I clicked my tongue and looked around, when,

《A, Ash, Prince Ash…?》

A weak voice was heard.

All the party members turned their weapons towards it at once.

Upon closer inspection, there was an old goblin sitting in the corner of the Colosseum.

The goblin with a shaggy beard was covered in blood. I rushed towards him.

《Y, you really came. Jackal-sama’s words were right…》

“Who are you?”

《I am Jackal-sama’s subordinate, the goblin who manages this Colosseum…》

The goblin, coughing up blood, struggled to speak.

《After the battle with the vampire army, the Colosseum was half-destroyed, but Jackal-sama continued to protect this Colosseum and waited for you…》

Jackal, thankfully, seems to have been safe during the battle with the vampire army.

But what about now?

“Where is Jackal?”

《A, a few days ago, this time, the werewolf army suddenly attacked…》

I clenched my teeth. Is it them again?

There were five claw-like scars on the goblin’s chest.

I took out a potion and poured it on the goblin, but the wound didn’t heal well.

《We lost all our troops in the battle with the vampires, and as you can see, the Colosseum is not in a state to fight… Jackal-sama was eventually captured by them and taken away.》

“…”

《He told me to tell you, if Prince Ash ever came, not to worry about him… but I ended up like this…》

The old goblin’s voice faded away.

《But, I’m glad I could deliver the message before I die…》

The goblin’s body slumped.

It seems that he was holding on to life with a single mission, and his energy rapidly declined after delivering the message. The goblin died.

With a complicated feeling, I looked down at the goblin’s corpse and slowly got up.

Anyway, Jackal’s whereabouts have been identified. It seems he was also kidnapped by the werewolf army.

“We have one more reason to go save your comrades, Verdandi.”

I nodded to Verdandi. Verdandi also nodded back with a firm face.

The Wolf Den in Area 7.

The kidnapped NPCs are gathering there.

***

Whoosh-!

After finishing today’s exploration and returning to Crossroads,

“Huh?”

Aider was waiting in front of the teleport gate with a stiff face. I asked, puzzled.

“What’s wrong, Aider? Is something wrong?”

“Lord.”

Aider said to me with a face I had never seen before.

“Junior-nim and Lady Reina have been attacked.”

All the returning party members widened their eyes.

“…They are said to be in critical condition.”