I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 455

“I will now explain the operation for the Imperial Capital Assault.”

After finishing the story about those who had deserted in the night,

I began to explain the operation for the Imperial Capital Assault to the kings.

“First of all, there’s something I need to tell you… We have no chance of winning in an all-out war.”

It was an obvious fact, but the kings seemed somewhat surprised when I, as the commander, stated it so calmly.

I spread out a map of New Terra on the table and pointed at it with my finger.

“The walls of the Imperial Capital, New Terra, are sturdy. They’re covered in various magical defensive devices, and they even have the Empire’s proud air fleet.”

I know this well, as I was the commander of the Southern Front.

Fighting with the walls as a defense is an incredible advantage.

Even with a makeshift army of veterans and recruits at a base made of ordinary stone walls, you can offset a several-fold difference in troop numbers.

So, if we were to fight at the walls of the Imperial Capital, which are enchanted with all sorts of magic, with their elite troops and state-of-the-art equipment…

The defending side has an overwhelming advantage. Our chances as the attacking side are virtually zero.

“From the quality of our troops to our equipment, we are inferior in every aspect. Winning through a siege is practically impossible.”

The enemy is the elite of the elite, having even defeated Larc.

On the other hand, we are a gathering of fallen kings who were pushed to the fringes. A ragtag bunch who have never even trained together.

Could there be a more fitting description than ‘throwing an egg at a rock’?

If we fought properly, we would be annihilated, one hundred out of one hundred times.

“Yet, the fact that we’ve come this far means, Ash, that you have a clever plan, doesn’t it?”

Dusk Bringer asked. I nodded.

“I’ve infiltrated a key into the enemy lines.”

The ‘Gamblers Club,’ with Mettalic acting as a double agent, had been deployed into the Imperial Capital.

They would carry out various operations.

“Using them, we’ll open the ‘back door’ of the Imperial Capital, and an elite force will enter additionally.”

I skipped over the walls on the map and pointed to the heart of the Imperial Capital with my fingertip.

“We will infiltrate the Imperial Palace and neutralize Fernandes.”

“…That sounds like a very difficult operation, but you’re talking about it quite easily.”

“Whether it’s difficult or not isn’t important.”

It’s just a matter of whether we can do it or not.

“From the start, with His Majesty the Emperor on our side, Fernandes’ cause and justification are like a candle in the wind.”

If it were a normal war situation, we would have leisurely dragged out the time, waiting for their morale to drop and internal strife to occur.

The Emperor is on our side, and Fernandes, who tried to kill his own father and beheaded his own brother, would lose the people’s trust as a traitor.

If we could engage in a war of attrition, the Imperial Capital would have collapsed on its own.

“The problem is Fernandes’ plan… there isn’t much time left until the activation of the shutdown protocol.”

Fernandes, that crazy bastard’s insane plan.

To activate the human sacrifice magic circle shutdown protocol throughout the Imperial Capital, New Terra, melting all the citizens of New Terra – and loading their spirits onto the ‘Ark’ to flee to a new world.

Putting aside how insane the idea is, the problem is that there isn’t much time left until activation.

Perhaps, at most, a few days.

Time is not on our side.

‘We must subdue Fernandes quickly.’

To do that, we have no choice but to push ourselves.

“The Imperial Palace infiltration team is as follows.”

I announced the personnel who would infiltrate the Imperial Palace with me through the back door.

Me, Damian, Junior, Quilan and the Punishment Unit, Verdandi and the Holy Grail Exploration Team.

Dusk Bringer asked worriedly after hearing the personnel.

“…Isn’t that too few?”

“We need to do it secretly. We don’t need any more than this.”

They are all heroes, superhumans, each worth a hundred men.

This is enough to carry out the operation. Any more would only draw the enemy’s attention.

“All of you, please draw the enemy’s main force’s attention at the South Gate. Bringer, I entrust the command to you.”

“Hmm.”

Dusk Bringer nodded. I added.

“The key to this operation is to subdue Fernandes. In other words… you just need to draw the enemy’s attention. Don’t risk your lives by fighting recklessly.”

They all need to fight alongside me in the war against the monsters later.

It would be a problem if they were to lose their lives in this internal conflict between people.

“It seems the simple operation briefing is over. I’ll convey the details as we head north.”

I looked around at the kings and nodded.

“From now on, it’s a race against time. Let’s go!”

***

After all the World Guardian Front’s forces diligently marched north, the Imperial Capital, New Terra, began to appear in the distance by evening.

The center of global logistics and trade, and the largest city in the world.

Naturally, even outside the city surrounded by walls, citizens had established their livelihoods.

Endless fields and villages stretched along the fertile plains.

But there was no sign of life anywhere.

The fields, which appeared to have been unmanaged for months, were overgrown with weeds.

We silently swallowed hard, observing the eerie scenery.

“Where have all the citizens gone?”

“It’s probably one of two things. Either they evacuated because this place will become a war zone during the battle for the throne, or they struggled to get into the Imperial Capital to board the ‘Final Ark’….”

While listening to the kings’ conversation, I silently examined the cobwebs that had been spun in the houses.

Since it was close to evening, we stopped our march.

We would reach the walls tomorrow. A battle might break out, so we couldn’t approach the Imperial Capital any further in the dark of night.

We set up camp and prepared for another night. In the meantime, I went to check on the sleeping Emperor.

“…”

I was going to use him as a cheat key, but he’s just sleeping.

I wonder if he’ll wake up after a few days of good sleep.

At the campsite, the soldiers began to sit comfortably, eat dinner, and rest. But there was a faint tension in the air.

Everyone was sensing it. The time for the final battle was near.

“Your Highness, please eat.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

At that moment, Damian came toddling up to me and handed me dinner. It was some kind of stew with unknown ingredients cooked thoroughly.

Damian, who was diligently setting out bread and pickled vegetables in front of me, suddenly shuddered.

I, who was putting a spoonful of stew into my mouth, widened my eyes.

“What’s wrong, Damian?”

“…Something.”

Damian turned his head sharply to the north.

“Something’s coming.”

“What?”

I also looked urgently to the north… but what Damian could see wouldn’t immediately be visible to my eyes.

“What’s coming?”

“Airships.”

Damian muttered with a pale face.

“…The three airships that came as reinforcements to Crossroads before.”

Looks like a big shot is coming.

I calmly put down the spoon I was using to scoop the stew. And I gritted my teeth.

“Aish, they say even dogs don’t bother you when you’re eating!”

***

Thud-!

From the direction of New Terra, a cluster of lights flashed in the sky, and then, with a terrifying mechanical sound, three airships flew in.

They were familiar airships. As Damian said, they were the same airships that had been dispatched as reinforcements to Crossroads before.

The Imperial Special Task Force Ship, Alcatraz. And its escort ships, Anchor 1 and Anchor 2.

The three black airships that rose in the red evening sky looked like grim reapers. And their actions weren’t much different.

Kiiiiing…!

As it slowed down and stopped in the sky, the hatch of the Alcatraz slowly opened, and an old, familiar mage walked out, leaning on a staff.

“This is Reina Windwell, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Magic Corps, an independent unit directly under the Imperial Family, delivering a message from the Imperial Special Task Force Ship, Alcatraz.”

Reina said bluntly, her black hair – no, the roots of her hair, which were now starting to turn white – fluttering in the wind.

“By Imperial decree, we have come to dispose of the rebels. This is a final ultimatum. If you surrender now, I will spare your lives.”

Of course, there would be no surrender. Our soldiers were also ready to respond.

I stepped forward and shouted.

“The real Emperor is here, so what Imperial decree? Rebels? What nonsense are you spouting, Reina! The only one who can issue an Imperial decree is the real Emperor, and you are the rebels!”

“The only Emperor I serve is Emperor Fernandes.”

Reina shook her head slightly, then,

“It seems that this is not a situation that can be resolved with words.”

She stretched out both hands and began to gather magic power.

“Execute.”

Gooooooo…!

Before I knew it, four other mages appeared behind Reina and began to assist her.

I know this magic.

When Reina and her magic corps first came to Crossroads as reinforcements, it was the combined magic of the five wind-attribute mages that massacred the wyvern corps…!

Kwaaaaaa!

In an instant, several giant tornadoes formed in the air and then plunged straight down towards the ground.

The tornado bombardment, with its tremendous power that had torn apart hundreds of wyverns in an instant, poured down on our heads.

The soldiers screamed and crouched low to the ground-

“…[Elemental Disassembly].”

Jjeong-!

At the same time, a giant halo appeared in the sky, and with the sound of space cracking – the tornadoes all disappeared.

The sky cleared as if by a lie. The sudden phenomenon startled not only our soldiers but also the mages on the airships, causing them to hesitate.

“…Indeed.”

But Reina was not surprised.

As if this was to be expected, as if she had anticipated it, she smiled… and exclaimed refreshingly.

“Magic nullification through formula reverse calculation… it’s still an absurd ability, Junior!”

“…”

Next to me, Junior, who had used his ultimate skill [Elemental Disassembly], was bleeding from his nose.

As soon as I noticed the airships approaching, I had Junior prepare to cast his ultimate skill, and we were able to stop Reina’s magic bombardment at the right time.

“…All the magic elemental authority in this area is mine. They won’t be able to use magic for a while.”

“Excellent, Junior. Take a rest.”

“Yes… *cough!* *cough!*”

Due to the backlash from using his ultimate skill, Junior coughed up blood. Even so, he was glaring at the sky.

Reina and Junior’s eyes met.

“…”

What were these two mages thinking?

I don’t know, but right now, I have a job to do as commander.

“Anchor 1, Anchor 2! Prepare to fire-!”

As magic became impossible to use, Reina quickly retreated the Alcatraz and ordered the two escort ships to attack.

Clank! Clank!

The two escort ships pulled out the gun ports that were built into various parts of their hulls and aimed them at us.

The ends of the gun ports began to glow red. They would be ready to fire at us in a few seconds.

I grinned as I watched this.

“The Imperial airships are covered in defensive magic.”

The magic engraved on each piece of armor provides tremendous defensive power. It was so sturdy that the attacks of hundreds of wyverns couldn’t even leave a scratch.

“But there’s a moment when that defensive magic is nullified.”

That is when they pull out the gun ports and fire.

For that instant, the magic supply to the armor is cut off, and the defensive magic disappears.

Of course. You can’t shoot a gun while wearing a barrier. You have to lower the barrier for the moment you attack.

In other words,

“If we attack right before you try to attack, even the most advanced airships are nothing more than paper!”

I shouted and raised my hand high.

At the same time,

Chwaaaaaa-!

The air directly above Anchor 1 and Anchor 2 rippled like water, and then the magic camouflage was removed, revealing something that had been hidden there.

Dududududu-!

What had been hidden there was… an airship that looked like a dull lump of scrap metal, with huge propellers on its head and tail.

Our airship, the flagship Geronimo.

“What…?!”

Reina let out a bewildered groan as she looked up at the sky.

“The flagship Geronimo?! That’s impossible, how did it get so close while cloaked…?!”

“Sorry, but I’m not kind enough to explain magic tricks.”

I waved my hand in a circle.

“Figure it out while you’re being shot down.”

Anchor 1 and Anchor 2 hurriedly tried to retract their gun ports and switch to a defensive stance, but it was too late.

Several dozen gun ports deployed from the bottom of the Geronimo fired simultaneously.

Tutututututu!