I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 274

A few hours earlier.

As soon as I entered the base camp, Verdandi came to me and told me everything that had happened yesterday.

“Last night, the Legion Commander of the enemy came to see me.”

It was about the Succubus Legion Commander, Salome, visiting Verdandi.

And that she had made a proposal to Verdandi.

The proposal was that she would spare all of Verdandi’s companions, but in return, she wanted the human commander… that is, me, to be handed over.

She pretended to accept it for the time being, but now she didn’t know what to do, so she came to tell me right away.

“…I see.”

I listened to Verdandi’s story in silence, then asked her.

“But why are you telling me this?”

“Pardon?”

“If you kept it a secret, you could have just handed me over, right? Then you could have saved your companions, and…”

I hesitated for a moment, then just said it.

“As that succubus said, you could have eliminated me… the human commander who is also an enemy of the elves.”

“……”

Verdandi, who had been silent with her mouth shut, slowly opened her mouth.

“Certainly, we may be enemies on the surface. I came here to save my homeland, which was defeated in the war against humans. It would be a lie if I said I didn’t have any resentment towards humans.”

“Then, why?”

“But, Ash.”

Verdandi smiled faintly and looked at me.

“You are a good person.”

“……”

“And you are a person who knows what is right. In this hellish dungeon, and on the front lines stopping the monsters on the surface, you are still holding onto the humanity that you should have abandoned long ago.”

All I had given this elf was a single dagger.

A few handfuls of sunflower seeds. And an empty promise to save her companions.

“You can go far. I can tell.”

Verdandi already trusted me.

Whether it was because of the harsh environment of this dungeon under the lake.

Or whether this elf truly had a good eye for people. I couldn’t tell.

“It is foolish for someone to be blinded by past grudges and throw away greater possibilities. A king must look further than that.”

“……”

“I must find the Holy Grail in this dungeon. And ultimately, I must save my fellow people on the surface and reclaim my homeland.”

Verdandi slowly bowed her head to me.

“For all of that, Ash. I have a feeling that I will need you.”

“……”

“I will never deceive or betray you. I want to walk alongside you.”

“Even if it means losing all of your companions in the worst case?”

“There is one reason why my companions and I have been able to endure for over 100 years in this hell without going insane.”

Verdandi spoke quietly.

“Let’s not lose our humanity. Let’s not become monsters. Let’s not forget what is right. That’s what we promised each other.”

“……”

“Rather than betraying our benefactor to survive, it is better to die as warriors. My companions will think the same.”

I stared into Verdandi’s determined eyes, then slowly opened my mouth.

“I have a way. A way to easily save your companions, and… to deal with the enemy commander at once.”

Verdandi’s eyes widened.

“What is that way?”

“We’ll go along with the Succubus Queen’s proposal. I’ll be handed over, and your companions will be returned.”

“What?! But then, Ash, you’ll be swayed by that succubus’s seduction…”

“You don’t have to worry.”

I smirked.

“I have a trump card.”

***

Present.

Succubus Queen Salome’s room.

Thwack-!

Salome, who was hit in the jaw by my right straight, rolled backward.

‘Hmm, clean hit! It landed perfectly!’

Although I’ve never had proper combat training, I’m someone who has been on the battlefield with [Lucky Strike] for a short time.

I’ve awakened a sense for combat.

The punch landed as cleanly as it could! Ah, so refreshing.

《Ugh, ugh, ugh?!》

Salome, who was lying pathetically on the floor, grabbed her red, swollen jaw and teared up.

《Ugh? Ugh, ugh? What? What? What is this…?》

“You’re slow to understand the situation, succubus.”

I strode towards Salome.

“Today is your memorial day.”

I don’t know if she has any family to prepare a memorial table for her!

《H-hic?! D-don’t come closer-!》

Salome’s red eyes flashed as she stretched her hand forward again.

《Now, ‘fall asleep’! Very deeply-!》

Whoosh-!

A pink aura swept over my body again.

“……”

But I calmly picked my ear and continued to advance.

It felt like being hit by a gust of wind mixed with a strong floral scent. I’d wear a mask if I had one, but I can endure it without one.

《H-how?! How are you not affected by my mind control?!》

Salome, terrified, shouted as she hurriedly moved backward.

《Except for the King of Kings, my hypnosis is powerful enough to affect every being under this lake… How are you?!》

“Sorry. It’s a trade secret.”

I said nonchalantly and took another step towards Salome.

Salome’s face turned pale as she crawled backward until her back hit the wall, and she let out a strange sound like, “Hiiit-?!”

I smirked. How did I resist your mind control skill?

The answer is simple.

It’s thanks to my passive skill, [Unyielding Commander].

[Unyielding Commander Lv.3]

– A skill born from a noble spirit that never gives up in any situation.

– Provides immunity to mental status ailments to all allies within a 20m radius.

Mental status ailments, a full ‘Immune’. I’m completely unaffected.

It’s been like that since I first got this passive. It’s a cheat skill.

But in the beginning, there were no enemies that inflicted mental status ailments, so it was almost useless. But from the mid-game, it’s useful.

It became exactly that.

As long as I have this passive skill, I become a hard counter that can chew up all enemies that use mental attacks.

And the Succubus Legion. Especially the higher-ranking succubi and incubi of the Succubus Legion.

Their only means of attack is to inflict mental status ailments.

Their combat abilities are terrible, but they are terrible bastards who use mind control and hypnosis to take our heroes and induce team kills.

That’s why I’ve been wiped out 200 times out of my 742 games when I’ve encountered these bastards. They are the biggest obstacle in the mid-game.

But? Oh my goodness! EX rank, oh my god!

The passive skill I received at the beginning is such a cheat.

‘It’s showing its usefulness only at stage 11, it’s quite late though.’

Still, thank you, director bastard! For giving me this cheat skill!

“Now, then…”

In front of Salome, who was trembling with nowhere else to retreat, I began to roll up my sleeves in earnest.

“Shall we have a fun time of righteous education together?”

Then Salome covered her body with both arms and shouted.

《A-are you going to hit me?!》

“Yeah. I’m going to hit you.”

《No, come to think of it, you already hit me! Someone who has never been hit even by my dad!》

“Don’t say lines that sound like they’re from a cheesy romance comic from the 80s. I’m going to beat you up more anyway.”

The succubus’s main body has the durability of paper.

Even with my weak physical strength, I can beat her up enough to finish her off.

And at the same time, I can extract various information. How rewarding is this time?

《W-wait a minute! Look at this first!》

Salome, who was stopping me from raising my fist, suddenly stretched out her hand to stop me,

Then, whoosh!

She suddenly lowered the shoulder part of her old monk’s robe, slightly exposing the skin of her shoulder.

Then,

《Ooh, ooh, ooh~!》

She made that sound, taking a stiff pose like a wooden doll.

“……?”

《Ooh, ooh…》

Somehow, with her face flushed, Salome repeated that action. Making strange sounds with stiff movements…

I was dumbfounded because I didn’t understand the situation, so I asked.

“…What are you doing now?”

《I-it’s seduction.》

“Seduction?”

《Yes, that… seduction.》

“……”

《…Ooh-hoo~?》

After a moment of silence.

I reached out with my angry hands and grabbed Salome’s collar. I shouted without realizing it at the terrified Salome.

“Don’t talk nonsense! Is that what a succubus is supposed to be! How is that seduction-!”

《Hiiiiiiit-?!》

“It’s an insult to succubi, you succubus bastard! If you’re going to do it, do it properly!”

There’s an image that people have of succubi, an image! It’s all about to be shattered, you punk!

《B-but! I’ve never actually seduced anyone with my own body!》

“Huh?”

《Everyone just falls when they’re in a dream! So who told you to resist mind control?!》

“……”

《I’ll give you a good dream! I’ll let you have a good time with your ideal partner! Trust me! Everyone is so happy, you know? So just let me mind control you once, okay?》

My ideal partner?

Then, suddenly, Serenade’s face flashed through my mind…

‘Gasp.’

Ah, no. It’s just that Ash’s first love came to mind first.

Don’t get caught up in the succubus’s wicked tricks. Ahem.

Salome, who seemed to have noticed that I was wavering for a moment, continued to shout excitedly.

《Is it just going to be a lewd dream? I’ll let you dream all sorts of other things! The ideal you wanted to achieve! The person you wanted to meet! Endless mountains of delicacies, and even wishes you couldn’t reach! Everything! You can achieve it!》

“……”

Wishes?

Wishes that I couldn’t reach…

– Bro!

Suddenly, text appeared in front of my eyes.

That short chat that I couldn’t forget.

– Mr. Classic Otaku, you have a wish you want to achieve, right? Not something like money, but a more precious wish.

– I’ll grant that dream for you.

– As long as you still hold it in your heart, that dream is not a failure.

I also remembered the promise I made with the self-proclaimed director at the beginning.

Yes, a wish.

To achieve that, I am here.

《I can do anything! Really, I’m the Succubus Queen! Among all the succubi in this world, my output is the strongest! I don’t know what principle you used to block my mind control, but if you just lower your mental wall for a moment, I will…》

“Shut up, monster.”

I snarled fiercely and cut off Salome’s words.

“Do you think I came here just to get self-satisfaction with a mere dream?”

《Wh-what?》

“I came here to conquer.”

The hand that was holding Salome’s collar tightened.

“I’m here to fight with my life on the line and get my wish.”

Salome’s red eyes, looking up at me, blinked blankly.

“Whether what you can give me is a sweet daydream or a terrible nightmare, it doesn’t matter.”

Once again, I clenched my fist and raised it.

“I will achieve my wish in my reality, with my efforts.”

I will protect people and kill monsters.