I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 248

The warriors, transformed into werewolves, let out monstrous howls, their crimson eyes gleaming menacingly.

Under normal circumstances, even if the curse had manifested, they might have retained some semblance of reason.

But tonight was the full moon, when its light bathed the sky, amplifying the curse’s power.

Reason was lost, replaced by raw, untamed savagery.

The werewolves drooled, their eyes darting around, searching for prey.

Now completely dominated by their primal instincts, they were driven to hunt.

Naturally, their targets were their own kin, those who still retained their human forms.

Thud! Slash-!

“Aaaaaaah!”

“St, stop it! Please, come to your senses… Keuheok!”

The werewolves’ sharp claws tore through armor, and their massive fangs sank greedily into flesh.

The fate of the warriors who had not yet transformed was one of two things: to be brutally slaughtered by those who were once their comrades, or…

Crack, crackle.

Kuaaa… Aaaaaaaah!

To become one of them.

Those who were not killed instantly all transformed into werewolves.

After the initial chaos, only fallen humans and werewolves standing on two legs remained.

Grrr, grrr…

Grrrrr!

The werewolves, with murderous glares, split into two groups.

One group began to move towards the village, where prey was plentiful.

They walked on two legs, then quickly dropped to all fours and began to run like beasts.

“Damn it, I have to stop them…!”

Kureha, trying to chase after them, was blocked by the other group of werewolves.

The werewolves salivated, eager to hunt the only human left in the area.

Kureha clenched her teeth and raised her fist to fight back.

Thud.

Kuilan stood in front of Kureha, blocking her path.

A wolf monster, larger than any other werewolf, stood before Kureha as if protecting her. Kureha looked up at Kuilan, bewildered.

Even while still bleeding from his wounds, Kuilan murmured softly.

《Hh, uh… Okay…》

“…”

Kureha, clenching her fist tightly, glared straight ahead.

“Help me, Kuilan. We have to stop them.”

The group of werewolves running towards the village was visible.

They had to be stopped.

If they reached the village, who knew what kind of tragedy would unfold…!

Kureha pushed off the ground and charged towards the werewolves in front of her.

Kuilan, who had been hesitating, also followed behind Kureha, his massive body swaying.

The werewolves’ claws were like blades, and their limbs exuded monstrous strength, but their attacks were just instinctual swings, devoid of reason.

‘If I allow even one hit, it’ll be fatal! But, if I can dodge them…!’

Kureha narrowly dodged the werewolves’ attacks, smashing their jaws with her fists.

Kuilan also clumsily swung his arms, grabbing the werewolves one by one and slamming them to the ground.

The werewolves blocking their path were quickly dealt with. Kureha immediately pushed off the ground without resting.

The ones running towards the village were already far away.

‘They’re too far! At this rate, I won’t be able to stop them…!’

It was then.

Swoosh-!

Kuilan grabbed Kureha’s waist, tucked her under his arm, and leaped up—flying several meters with each stride.

In an instant, the werewolves’ backs were close. Kureha wanted to thank her brother, but there was no time.

The village was right in front of them.

Kureha stepped on Kuilan’s arm, bounced off her knee, and shot forward.

She landed on the back of the werewolf running right in front of her, wrapped her arms around its neck, and snapped it.

Thud, thud, thud!

The dead werewolf collapsed, and Kureha stepped on its back and shot forward again.

She saw Kuilan grabbing two other werewolves and slamming them to the ground.

‘Three more ahead…!’

There were three werewolves running in front of Kureha.

Kureha squeezed out every last bit of strength, caught up to the werewolf right in front of her, and tripped it.

The werewolf, running at full speed, crashed headfirst into the ground, making a sickening sound as its neck broke.

‘Two!’

The one in front of that noticed Kureha’s presence and charged back at her.

The wolf’s claws slashed sharply through the air, and Kureha desperately blocked them, then punched the werewolf’s jaw and side.

A short but fierce exchange took place, and Kureha emerged victorious.

The werewolf, its face from its brow to its nose caved in by Kureha’s fist, collapsed, spitting blood.

‘The last one…!’

Hope flickered across Kureha’s face. If she could catch the last one, she could prevent further damage!

Kureha looked straight ahead to confirm the last werewolf’s position.

And then.

Swoosh-!

The last werewolf ran madly, entering the village square, and pounced on the people who were chatting by the fire… It was all she could see.

Blood and flesh scattered. The dying screams and cries of the attacked people echoed through the night sky.

“…Ah, uh…!”

Kureha gasped.

There was nothing she could do. The dozen or so people in the square were all knocked down, spraying blood, by the werewolf’s swift attack.

And… just a few seconds later, they rose again.

Crack. Crackle.

Kuaaaaaa-!

With the sound of bones twisting and the cries of beasts.

The curse hidden deep within the tribe’s blood had awakened.

Under the full moon, the werewolves roared and ran into the village, searching for their kin who had not yet transformed.

They attacked the people who were awake and working late at the tavern next to the square, the mill by the river, the market in the center of the village, the blacksmith, the fields, and the general store.

Then it was the turn of those who were sound asleep.

The werewolves, like a wave, crashed into the densely populated residential area, wielding their teeth and claws. Screams and shouts, the sounds of fighting, and the sounds of transformation…

“…”

Kureha sat down in despair, watching the scene unfold.

Somewhere, a fight had knocked over a bonfire, and flames began to spread through the village.

Like the flames, the beastification spread.

Under the bright full moon, the village burned, and people transformed into wolves. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

As Kureha stared blankly at the scene, a seething voice reached her ears.

“It’s your fault.”

She turned around and saw her father.

Clutching his broken ribs from being subdued by Kureha, her father yelled, gasping for breath.

“You, you made our village…! Our tribe, like this…!”

“…”

“So, are you satisfied now? Huh? Because of your pathetic sense of justice, you’ve turned your homeland into this, are you satisfied!”

Her father raised his trembling cane and pointed it at Kuilan, who was next to Kureha.

“That damn monster…! What is that damn monster… for!”

Kuilan had collapsed to the side.

His brother’s body had shrunk, no longer a massive monster, but like that of an ordinary boy.

Blood continued to seep out of Kuilan’s body like black mist as he coughed violently.

As the people in the village regained their curse and transformed into werewolves, the tribe’s curse that had been sealed within Kuilan’s body was being released.

“Keuheok, cough! Cough!”

“…”

Kureha stared blankly at her brother, who was twisting in agony.

“You ruined it! The fate of our tribe! You severed it! You will be cursed, you bastards! Cursed…!”

Thud!

Her father, who had been spewing curses, suddenly staggered and collapsed to the ground.

A familiar figure stood behind her father. Kureha muttered, bewildered.

“…Mother?”

It was Kureha’s mother. But her appearance was different. Her mother had the form of a wolf.

However, unlike the other werewolves, she was dressed in ceremonial attire and held a staff in her hand.

“I knew a day like this would come, so I was prepared. I’m not as strong as your father, but I am a shaman too.”

With a wolf’s face, her mother wore a bitter smile.

“From the day your father took your brother, I’ve been waiting for the day your brother would be freed.”

“…”

“Your father was just trying to protect the tribe, so don’t resent him too much.”

Her mother, having laid her unconscious father neatly on the ground, spoke in a gentle voice with her wolf’s face.

“You also did what you had to do, so don’t blame yourself too much.”

“Mother, that form…”

“Yes. When it’s the full moon, we become wolves, and when it’s the new moon, we become human. It’s our tribe’s true form. If the day of liberation hadn’t been the full moon, a tragedy like today wouldn’t have happened.”

Her mother slowly looked up at the moon in the sky.

“It was bound to happen someday. For all of us to live in our true forms… It’s not your fault.”

“…”

“What can we do when we were born like this…”

Her mother approached and slowly knelt by the head of the fallen Kuilan.

“My poor second son. You’re going to die soon.”

“Die? Kuilan?”

“The curse of the entire tribe that he had been carrying his whole life has been released as each person manifested it. It must have been an enormous burden.”

Kuilan breathed raggedly, gasping for air. Kureha stared at her dying brother’s face, clenching her teeth.

“Now that the curse is all emptied, his share of the curse will remain. His weakened body won’t be able to withstand it.”

“…Mother.”

After hesitating for a moment, Kureha spoke carefully.

“I’ll become the new vessel.”

“What?”

“Please transfer Kuilan’s curse to me.”

“This magic doesn’t work that way. It’s impossible to extract curses individually. To do it, you’d have to accept the entire tribe’s curse…”

“Then give me all of it.”

Her mother, staring blankly at her eldest son, burst into a hearty laugh.

“Even after coming this far, when everything is already over, you’re going to take the curse back? What meaning would that have?”

“This child has suffered for the sake of all of us his entire life.”

Kureha slowly stroked her fallen brother’s forehead with her hand. A red scar in the shape of an X remained on his forehead.

“He deserves to be happy. That’s the right thing to do, isn’t it?”

“…”

“At least until this child can bear his own curse… I’ll take that curse instead.”

Her mother, taking in the sight of both her sons, smiled sadly.

***

The ritual to contain the curse was performed again at the maple tree altar.

As the branches of the maple tree emitted an ominous light, the curse began to flow out of the bodies of the werewolves rampaging throughout the burning village.

The villagers, who had returned to their human forms, collapsed, covered in blood.

Kureha accepted the black, tainted blood of her ancestors into her entire body. Even the curse that her brother had been carrying.

Kureha’s body was strong, but the pain was unimaginable.

Feeling as if her soul was being torn apart, Kureha clenched her teeth and endured.

Her brother, Kuilan, with his weaker body, had endured far more of this curse.

If she couldn’t endure this much, she wouldn’t be able to face him as his older brother.

After the ritual was over, Kuilan’s face was much more peaceful.

Her mother, having put away her staff, spoke with a human face.

“Because he was used as a vessel for the curse his entire life… your brother’s core is steeped in the curse. He will probably live the rest of his life sickly.”

Kureha, staggering as she stood up, grinned.

“I’ll take good care of him.”

“And you… I will let you choose. Decide.”

“Choose what?”

“How the curse manifests.”

The tip of her mother’s staff lightly poked Kureha’s chest.

“With my magic, I’ve deeply sealed the curse within your body, but if you suffer a major injury or use too much strength, the curse will try to surge up.”

“Then what will happen?”

“Originally, you would try to become a wolf monster. But if I suppress it with my magic, you won’t become a monster, but instead… that part of your body will become unusable.”

“…”

“Which is better?”

Her hesitation didn’t last long.

“It’s better for my body to become unusable. If I become a wolf monster… I might hurt Kuilan.”

“…I see.”

Her mother, with a heavy heart, watched her son walk into his own hell, then turned away.

“The Imperial Army is coming.”

Beyond the wooden fence of the village, which had been burned and collapsed, the Imperial Army was marching in an orderly fashion, their feet pounding the ground.

The warriors were lost, and what they had to protect was lost.

The Maple Tribe was now finished.

“Go, Kureha. Don’t look back, leave. I’ll take care of this place.”

Her mother said to Kureha, who was staring blankly at the approaching enemy.

“You’re the older brother. Show Kuilan… the happiness of living as a human.”

Kureha, with his body aching, took Kuilan into his arms. His brother’s body, which was nothing but skin and bones, was surprisingly light.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The enemy’s footsteps grew closer. The shouts of the Imperial Army commander echoed.

The metallic glint of shining weapons and the spreading fire demon…

Her mother whispered softly to her two sons as they left their burning hometown behind.

“I’m sorry for being such inadequate parents.”

Without turning back, Kureha also whispered.

“I’m sorry for being such an inadequate son.”

As he staggered away, holding his brother in his arms, Kureha didn’t know.

Was his choice the right one?

Was it a choice worth abandoning his hometown, his tribe, his parents?

His mind was in turmoil. The curse within his body was seething like insects, inciting confusion.

His values were being completely upended.

‘What am I doing this for…?’

It was then.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

Kuilan, in his arms, coughed dryly and opened his eyes.

Kureha smiled wearily and looked down at his brother.

“How are you feeling, Kuilan?”

“…Who, are you…?”

Kuilan asked with unfocused eyes, his voice fading. It seemed he had no memory of the time he had been transformed into a wolf.

“I’m your brother, Kureha. Do you remember?”

“…I’m not, sure… Where is this? Where’s Father…”

Kureha smiled gently, took off the coin necklace he was wearing, and put it around Kuilan’s neck.

“Kuilan. You’re a very lucky child.”

“…Huh? But I’m in so much pain…”

To the child whose entire life had been filled with pain.

Kureha said with conviction.

“You were born into this world.”

“…Huh?”

“I’ll make you lots of delicious food from now on.”

Holding his brother, who was nothing but skin and bones and as light as a feather, in his arms, Kureha vowed.

“Are you cold? I’ll get you warm clothes. Have you ever used a fluffy blanket? I’ll get you one. And of course, I’ll buy you a feather pillow too.”

This world is far wider than that narrow maple tree, he thought.

“In the spring, we’ll bask in the sun, in the summer, we’ll go to the river, in the fall, we’ll pick apples, and in the winter, we’ll watch the snow falling in front of the stove.”

It’s filled with things far more beautiful than curses.

“We’ll go fishing together, and… do you know our tribe’s traditional songs? And I’ll also, um, yeah! I’ll teach you martial arts. And…”

What else could he give him?

What else could he give to this child who had lived his life bearing the curse of an entire world?

Kureha stopped speaking, at a loss for words. In front of his brother’s innocent gaze, he felt like crying.

‘For the rest of my life, I’ll give you back everything I was lucky enough to have.’

So-

Don’t regret being born into this world.

Hugging his brother tightly, Kureha clenched his teeth.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for…?”

“I’m sorry for not knowing you were in pain… I’m sorry.”

Rubbing his reddened eyes roughly, Kureha grinned.

“I’ll protect you from now on.”

To his brother, who looked confused, Kureha said as if making a vow.

“Protecting my brother is what an older brother has to do!”