I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 343

“It’s you.”

The Demon King pointed to the last seat at the table.

All the legion commanders’ gazes turned to the end of the table at once.

And the one sitting there was-

《…….》

The Goblin God King, Kali-Alexandre.

《Huh?》

《No way…》

《What is this-》

A small commotion spread among the Nightmare Legion Commanders.

In fact, anyone among those gathered here could have been chosen, and it would have been understandable.

Each of them was a being capable of destroying the world, a near-catastrophe from the perspective of humanity.

But, however.

That goblin was an exception.

No matter how much of a mutation he was among goblins, even if he was the strongest individual of his race, he was still just a goblin.

He was such a weak being that the other legion commanders gathered here could turn him into a puddle of blood in an instant if they so desired.

《…I don’t know what kind of mischievous prank this is this time, King of Kings.》

Raven, the Plague Lord and fourth in command, clicked his tongue behind his raven mask.

《First of all, I agree with your decision. If we’re going to use that lowly goblin and his legion, it’s better to send them out as soon as possible. Before Ash and his subordinates get any stronger. While those goblins are still of some use.》

《…….》

Kali-Alexandre just listened silently, even as he was being insulted to his face. Raven continued.

《But King of Kings, shouldn’t you retract what you said earlier?》

The Demon King’s white lips curled upwards as if amused.

《What I said earlier? Which part of my words do you want me to retract?》

《Didn’t you say you would ‘select someone you could trust to destroy the human world’? Yet, you chose such a trivial being, excluding the earth-shattering monsters gathered here.》

Raven, who had risen from his seat, scanned the other legion commanders with his hand, then placed his hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.

《From our perspective, it is disappointing, and it is also taken as an insult to us.》

A wave of agreement spread among the other Nightmare Legion Commanders.

The Demon King now covered his mouth and chuckled, trying to hold back his laughter.

《So, to put it simply, you’re saying that I said I would choose the most trustworthy among you, but then I chose the weakest goblin, so you’re offended?》

Raven didn’t bother to answer, only bowed his head.

The Demon King cleared his throat with a cough, suppressing his laughter.

《There are several reasons why I chose the goblin legion for this Great Flood.》

He slowly raised his hand and scanned his subordinates sitting at the table.

《First of all, all of you except the goblin legion are ‘too strong’.》

《……?》

A puzzled look crossed the faces of the Nightmare Legion Commanders.

How could being too strong be a problem?

《For this Great Flood, I have not used the ‘blessing’ that I have always given to my legions invading the human world, the Dark Event.》

《……?》

《Its power is amplified when used together. But all of you except the goblin legion are too strong to use this blessing.》

When the difficulty of the stage reaches its maximum, the [Dark Event] cannot be used.

That’s why the Demon King couldn’t use the [Dark Event] in every boss stage.

The Vampire Legion of Stage 5 and the Werewolf Legion of Stage 10 were too powerful, having already maxed out the difficulty.

However, the goblin legion was a legion that could be mobilized in the boss stage, and the difficulty did not quite reach its maximum.

This meant that the [Dark Event] could be applied in Stage 15.

For this, the Demon King had amplified the [Dark Event] from Stage 11 to 14 without using it.

《…What on earth are you talking about?》

However, the legion commanders, who were hearing this story for the first time, were bewildered, with faces that showed they couldn’t understand.

《It’s the ‘rule’ of this game. You don’t need to understand it. Just know that such a thing exists.》

The Demon King waved his hand as if he was too lazy to explain further.

《Anyway, the only legion among you that meets this condition is the goblin legion. That’s why I chose them. And above all.》

The Demon King smiled and stared at Kali-Alexandre.

《I don’t think the goblin legion is particularly weak.》

《…….》

《In terms of the individual strength of the legion commander, it’s true that Alexandre, you are the weakest among them.》

The Demon King dropped the prefix ‘Kali-‘ from Kali-Alexandre’s name and called him by his last name only.

The eyes of the Goblin God King, who had not moved behind his mask despite all the insults he had received, twitched.

However, he did not show any reaction on the outside.

《And the individual members of your race are also the weakest among all the nightmares in this Lake Kingdom.》

《…….》

《However.》

The Demon King gently gestured with his chin.

《Your ‘legion’, where your race gathers and unites… is by no means weak. Isn’t that right?》

《…Great King of Kings.》

For the first time, Kali-Alexandre opened his mouth.

The Goblin God King, who slowly rose to his feet, bowed respectfully.

《If you give me the opportunity, I will prove what you have said.》

From within the helmet that combined a mask and a crown, the Goblin God King uttered a deeply condensed voice.

《I will show everyone in the world the reason why my legion has taken the last seat here.》

《I will give you the opportunity.》

The Demon King, reaching out his hand, commanded.

《Invade the human world. Kill everything and burn everything. Unleash the full potential of you and your legion.》

《…….》

《And prove it.》

The Demon King spoke the next words as if to be heard by the other legion commanders, or rather, in a tone that seemed to provoke them.

《Prove that you are a being that is not inferior to the other legion commanders here. And that your race is a legion that aims for the strongest, not inferior to any other nightmare…》

Clack!

Kali-Alexandre bowed his head in respect. The other Nightmare Legion Commanders glared at the goblin, not hiding their displeasure.

Slowly straightening his back, Kali-Alexandre, having finished his bow, asked.

《King of Kings. May I ask just one thing?》

《Of course.》

《You said you would give a blessing to our race… May I know what it is?》

A white smile like a crescent moon appeared on the Demon King’s black face, covered in shadows.

And the Demon King told him the blessing—the content of the [Dark Event] to be used in the next stage—without hesitation.

《’Reproduction’.》

《……!》

《You can look forward to it, Alexandre.》

The Demon King laughed heartily, “Pu ha ha ha!”

《Because you will be commanding a massive army of unprecedented scale, one that you have never commanded before!》

Listening to the Demon King’s wild laughter, and receiving the gazes of the other legion commanders who were looking at him with hostility, Kali-Alexandre slowly lowered his head.

Inside the mask, the Goblin God King’s face was filled with complex emotions.

Yes, in the end.

There is no other way but to kill and burn.

To prove that a goblin is a goblin, and to prove that he is a useful goblin among them.

That was the only way.

***

“Happy New Year~!”

“Happy New Year!”

I woke up in the morning, scratched my belly through my pajamas, and staggered into the dining room, only to be greeted with these sudden greetings.

It was Evangeline and Damian. The two youngest members of our party were smiling brightly and scattering winter flower petals in front of me.

Lucas and Junior were also visible in the dining room.

The two, who were busily setting the table, waved their hands when they made eye contact with me. What’s going on?

“…Huh? New Year?”

I rubbed my swollen eyes with the back of my hand and asked in a sleepy voice. What are you talking about, New Year?

“Oh my, Senior, you really don’t look at the calendar, do you? Look!”

Evangeline pointed to the calendar hanging on the wall.

It was a handmade calendar where you tear off one page each day, and it was true. It had been replaced with a thick new one, and the number January 1st was clearly marked on it.

I took off my sleep cap, scratched my messy hair, and spoke in a weak voice.

“I was sick for the past few days… How could I have had the mind to look at a calendar…”

Several days had already passed since that incident a few days ago. I had been groaning in bed all that time.

But today, my body felt a little better, so I somehow managed to crawl to the dining room, only to find that the party members were preparing a surprise Happy New Year event.

“Actually, we were planning to wake you up after we finished preparing and surprise you all together, but you came out first, so we ambushed you here…”

“Do you really have to surprise me…?”

“Yesterday, we even had an event where we burned last year’s calendar as soon as it turned 12! You didn’t even attend because you were sleeping!”

“I was sick… Please have some mercy…”

More than that, you guys were playing with fire at night. If you play with fire, you’ll wet the bed. Be careful.

After Evangeline’s devilish nagging, Damian, who was smiling like an angel, gave me a blessing of health.

“Happy New Year, Your Highness! I hope you will be healthy this year without any sickness!”

It wasn’t just words, it seemed like there was some divine power mixed in with the flower petals. I felt my condition improve a little.

“Sob sob, Damian, you’re the only one for me…!”

I was so moved that I hugged Damian and pretended to cry. Damian struggled, asking why I was doing this and to let him go.

“I can’t sprinkle divine power, but I’ll give you health in a different way.”

Evangeline said proudly from the side.

I wiped my snot secretly on Damian’s shoulder and frowned. What is it? What are you planning this time?

“Now that you seem to be almost fully recovered… It’s morning exercise every day!”

“Nooooo-!”

I couldn’t help but let out a piercing cry of opposition. What a terrifying thing to say! I hate mornings and I hate exercise, and you’re combining the two!

“Are you a demon!”

“I’m your junior… No, more than that, you really need to exercise.”

Evangeline and Damian guided me to the dining table. Lucas and Junior had finished setting the table and were waiting for us.

“Good New Year morning, my lord.”

“Happy New Year, Your Highness!”

“Thank you all. Happy New Year to you too.”

I should give them some New Year’s money later… No, wait a minute. Then shouldn’t I receive their New Year’s bows first?

I sat at the head of the table, and the party members also sat in their respective seats.

“You’ve been waiting for a long time!”

Then, Aider appeared, pulling a tray with a large pot on it.

Aider, wearing oven mitts on both hands, carefully moved the pot and placed it on the table.

“For the New Year, it’s got to be! Hot~ meatball stew!”

When the lid was opened, a stew with chunks of meat, meatballs, and vegetables floating in a red broth emitted hot steam.

Aider ladled the stew and distributed bowls to us. The stew was so hot that the bowls quickly became warm.

“Hmm~! You have to eat this on January 1st to feel like you’ve welcomed the New Year, right?”

Evangeline shivered her shoulders as she smelled the stew. What is it? So, is it like rice cake soup?

“You have to eat this to get a year older, right?”

“Huh? What are you talking about? I eat five bowls of this every year, so does that mean I’m older than you, Senior?”

Evangeline, who didn’t understand the rice cake soup culture of Earth-Korea, widened her eyes in horror.

It’s a joke, so don’t take it too seriously…

“…More than that, you eat five bowls?”

“My record is eight bowls. Hehe!”

What are you so proud of?

Then, Lucas, who had been listening silently from the side, muttered in a low voice.

“Ten bowls.”

“Huh? What did you say, old man?”

“This body. Record. Ten bowls.”

Lucas smiled triumphantly and smirked as if to show off. Evangeline’s mouth, with her prominent fangs, trembled irritably.

“I’m growing every year. As I get taller, my stomach will get bigger too! Then I’ll push your record way down!”

“But right now, you’re small, and your stomach is small too. Eight bowls is your limit.”

“Eeeek! Okay. Let’s compete! Come on!”

“Can you keep up, kid…!”

The two knights began to blow on the hot stew competitively to cool it down.

Evangeline even ladled stew into a second bowl, perhaps to cool it down in advance for the next bowl.

I couldn’t stand watching this and shouted.

“Hey, eat moderately from the New Year’s morning! You pig bastards!”

If you eat it all like that, what are we going to eat! Huh!