I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 372

Before Stage 10, I was a goody-two-shoes player.

I was a model student, clearing the game within the established rules and permitted specifications.

But during Stage 10, after taking a critical blow from the werewolf legion and the Wolf King, I realized.

This world follows the rules of a game, but it is, in the end, reality.

There was no need to be bound by the narrow fence of rules.

So, I decided to go beyond the rules, trample them, and ultimately, from outside the rules, use any means necessary to win the game.

I decided to become a tyrant, defining the principles of this front line myself.

However, I was, in fact, still bound by the rules.

While I tried to twist and apply other rules, I was hanging myself on the final rule.

That rule was the grand principle of ‘killing monsters and protecting people.’

I thought I should never abandon this definition. But Kali-Alexander said.

To throw away even that last rule.

Whether it’s inside or outside the rules, the very act of distinguishing them means you are always conscious of the line of the rules.

Only a monster that has completely broken free from such rules and lines—a true king—can ultimately achieve victory.

***

The commander’s meeting was nearing its end. Kali-Alexander slowly rose from his seat.

《Though I’ve spoken at length, this is ultimately just my theory of kingship.》

He adjusted his helmet, as was his habit.

《You must have your own theory of kingship. And which theory is stronger will be confirmed in the battle that is about to unfold.》

“……”

《Let us have a good match, Ash.》

Then, he extended his right hand forward.

I was taken aback and stared blankly at the goblin’s outstretched right hand. Kali-Alexander looked embarrassed.

《Um… isn’t this the way humans of this generation greet each other?》

“…No. I was just momentarily surprised.”

I slowly extended my hand to meet his.

The hands of the Goblin God-King and the human commander grasped each other in the air.

His studded leather glove and my black leather glove squeezed each other tightly before finally releasing.

“Thanks for the advice, Kali-Alexander.”

I opened my mouth.

“I still don’t know the path I should take.”

《Hmm?》

“Whether I am still a goody-two-shoes player trapped within the rules, a tyrant standing outside those rules, or perhaps a monster that has completely broken free from both inside and outside the rules.”

I don’t know what kind of being I will become in the future. However.

“But one thing is certain.”

《What is it?》

To the Goblin God-King, who was listening intently to my words,

I grinned wickedly.

“No matter what kind of being I become, I will use every means at my disposal… to finish you off!”

Kugugugung-!

The earth began to tremble.

Startled, Kali-Alexander looked around. A surprised voice escaped his lips.

《This is…?!》

Chwaaaak!

From beneath the earth, a hidden gray fortress rose.

The gray walls, rising and parting the earth and rocks, instantly surrounded me and Kali-Alexander.

[Imperial Territory Declaration].

My ultimate skill, summoning a magical fortress that can change its form according to my will.

《Is that your fortress summoning technique?! But since when-》

“Since when, you ask?”

I laughed nonchalantly.

“From the very beginning, of course.”

Before the goblin army arrived at the gates of Crossroads—from dawn before the sun had even risen—I had activated [Imperial Territory Declaration] in advance.

Then, I changed the shape of the fortress, hiding it beneath the ground, and transformed some of the fortress walls into a table and chairs, leaving them behind.

The white flag fluttering beside it was a bonus.

Afterward, I endured the mana consumption required for summoning the fortress by drinking mana potions and mana juice made by Junior.

Until the goblin bastards came into my jaws….

Afterward, when Kali-Alexander appeared, I activated [Commander’s Meeting], successfully luring him here.

Gugugugugu-!

My gray fortress, which had now fully risen, somewhat resembled a prison.

Similar to when I had imprisoned the Aegis Special Forces before. The difference was that this time, I was inside.

And with the enemy commander.

Ding-

The duration of [Commander’s Meeting] ended.

The ‘non-aggression’ state between the two commanders was lifted. Now we could attack each other.

Kali-Alexander looked at me with a bewildered expression, and I belatedly rose from my chair.

“What’s the scariest thing about the goblin army? Their numbers? Their aggression? Well, they’re all scary… but in my opinion, what makes the goblin army the most powerful is.”

I slowly reached out and pointed at the enemy commander.

“It’s you. Kali-Alexander. Without you, your army is as good as headless.”

《Ash…!》

“I’ve been thinking about how to kill you. Ranged attacks and magic are all nullified… so I have to draw you into close combat, but you don’t even show up at the front lines.”

I slowly drew a green dagger from my waist.

[Gablisk].

The ‘knife that kills greenskins’ that Moomy gave me not long ago.

“But when I think about it, you’ve already shown me a situation where you willingly come within my range, haven’t you?”

During the previous dungeon free exploration.

Kali-Alexander appeared on his own, requested a meeting with me, and talked to me within arm’s reach.

“So, I set a trap.”

At that time, the conditions weren’t right, so I couldn’t capture or kill him.

But this time is different.

From the beginning, I requested the commander’s meeting to trap and kill him, and he fell for it, not even realizing it was a trap.

“Now…”

I pointed the drawn green dagger forward and grinned.

“Let’s dance with swords in this prison together. God-King.”

《…You seem to have underestimated me, Ash.》

Sreung-

Kali-Alexander drew a scimitar from his waist.

《Though I am a goblin, I am a warrior who has personally slain all seven of the great orc lords of this era. Are you confident that you can defeat me alone?》

“Sorry, but.”

Ttaak!

I snapped my fingers.

“I never said I was alone.”

The opponent is a boss monster.

Raids are the basics for bosses.

Flash!

Behind me, a subspace opened, and my captured monsters poured out.

[Captured Monster: Lv.30 Skeleton Knight (R) has been summoned.]

[Captured Monster: Lv.35 Scorpion Warrior (R) has been summoned.]

[Captured Monster: Lv.40 Troll Royal Guard (SR) has been summoned.]

[Captured Monster: Lv.45 Hawkbear Assassin (SR) has been summoned.]

Skeleton, scorpion, troll, and finally, hawkbear appeared.

Including me, there were five.

One party.

“Don’t call it unfair.”

My captured monsters slowly surrounded Kali-Alexander. I also adjusted my dagger and muttered.

“You guys attacked us with tens of times our forces in the first place. Isn’t this what war is?”

《…Haha.》

Kali-Alexander laughed.

I sneered.

“Why? Do you feel betrayed because I called for a meeting and then set a trap? Did you think that after talking a bit and exchanging a few verses of poetry, we had become friends beyond the boundaries of friend and foe?”

《…….》

“Or are you disappointed that I used such a trick instead of a proper head-on fight? Are you going to talk about morality or honor, you monster?”

《No, Ash. Not at all. It’s quite the opposite.》

Kali-Alexander laughed heartily once more, his red eyes gleaming from within his mask.

《Yes, this is how war is done!》

“……!”

《By pouring out all the means at our disposal, fighting, killing, and the one who survives wins! War is such a fundamental savagery! Traps? Tricks? What does it matter! They are just means to victory! Morality? Honor? I’ve never sought such things in my life!》

The Goblin God-King’s blade pointed at my neck.

《We are destined to kill each other anyway! The method doesn’t matter! In the end, only the victor and the vanquished remain in history!》

“……”

《To corner me so perfectly, you are excellent, Ash!》

The Goblin God-King is the most powerful individual among the goblins. Moreover, he is also receiving boss buffs.

But, he is still just a goblin.

His innate potential is low. Even if he is the strongest individual within his race, there are clear limits.

Moreover, Kali-Alexander is weak in close combat.

He will not leave this place alive. He must know it himself.

《Now, try to kill me. Kill me and stand on my corpse to prove it! That you are stronger! That you are more worthy of survival!》

But why?

In the voice of the God-King, who was adjusting his scimitar and taking a battle stance, a faint sense of enjoyment could be felt.

《Of course, it won’t be easy.》

Taaat-!

My captured monsters rushed at him all at once.

The Goblin God-King also swung his scimitar and charged to meet them.

At the same time as the defense began, the boss monster raid started.

***

In the center of the battlefield, a gray fortress suddenly rose.

The risen fortress swallowed the commanders of both armies.

The human soldiers were not surprised because they had been informed in advance, but the goblins were different.

Kyaaaaaak!

Kirik! Kiririk!

The goblins were extremely confused and excited at the same time.

In the sudden absence of their commander-in-chief, the goblin army quickly lost control.

Dududududu-!

And they began to run.

Towards the gray fortress that had swallowed their king.

At the same time—around the gray fortress, as many as fifty turrets sprang up.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Drrrrrrr-!

‘Shield Turrets,’ tank units that provoke enemies in a wide area.

‘Magic Turrets,’ specializing in wide-area CC [crowd control] and slow.

‘Automatic Defense Turrets,’ which automatically fire magic bullets.

Within the range of [Imperial Territory Declaration], the summon limit disappears. Using this, Ash poured all of his remaining mana cores to summon them.

The Shield Turrets, lined up in formation, provoked the goblins all at once, and the Magic Turrets poured wide-area slow spells over the heads of the goblins, who were attacking as if they were possessed.

The Automatic Defense Turrets’ shells tore apart the bodies of the goblins, who were struggling while slowed down.

At first glance, it seemed like they were defending well, but in reality, there were clear limits.

The durability of the Shield Turrets was steadily being worn down, and the Automatic Defense Turrets required a long reload time.

If the goblin army continued to rush in at this rate, the gray fortress would not last long and would be captured.

So, Ash had laid one more foundation.

Hwareureuk-!

Bright blue mana particles swirled like flames, drawing a circle in the air, and soon began to form a shape.

It was a summoning magic.

And what was summoned was-

《…Kyahat.》

A huge troll with a turban adorned with jewels.

The Troll King.

A one-time use boss monster summon that was summoned using the summon scroll obtained after defeating the troll army before.

《Kyahat, hahahat-!》

The Troll King, letting out a laugh similar to the main body, unlike a summon, charged forward.

Kwakang-!

The Troll King, throwing his body directly into the middle of the enemy lines, immediately began fighting the goblins.

As a boss monster with the best tanking ability in the world, he would at least hold the defense line for the duration of the summon.

“……”

The shoulders of the human soldiers, who were watching this scene from the walls, all twitched at once.

Among the goblin army that poured down like a wave, the central forces rushed towards the gray fortress, but the remaining flanks were different.

They were running straight towards the walls of Crossroads.

“All troops-!”

Lucas, drawing the light blade of his sword—[Bestowed Sword]—commanded.

“Prepare for battle-!”