I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 463

To save the world from destruction, Ash and Fernandes worked together.

They efficiently optimized the path from the start of a new cycle to the capture of the monster front, and gathered excellent talent.

They pooled as much funding as possible and provided supplies.

Ash fought directly on the southern monster front, while Fernandes poured material and human support for Ash from the capital.

With each cycle, the war situation improved. With each new cycle, the monster front became stronger, and the Empire’s army efficiently eliminated the monsters.

Nevertheless.

A fundamental solution was not found.

No matter how much they optimized, they could not stop the final all-out offensive launched by the monsters.

No matter how hard they struggled, the world was destroyed in the end. Destroyed, destroyed, and destroyed again.

Before they knew it, the two’s cooperation had also reached a standstill.

…Even hope wears away.

Both Ash and Fernandes gradually grew tired.

Ash, who directly regressed, was wearing down much faster than Fernandes, who only inherited the records each cycle.

At some point, the two parted ways. Or rather, Ash turned away.

Cooperation ceased, and the two began to move separately.

Sometimes they conflicted. There were even cycles where they fought as if to kill each other, rather than working together.

They stole each other’s subordinates and seized each other’s forces. Sometimes they even switched positions.

There was a time when Ash’s closest aide was Reina, and Fernandes’ closest aide was Lucas.

There was also a time when Ash became the head of the dark forces in the center, and Fernandes became the commander of the monster front.

And after many cycles, enough to laugh off even these various conflicts…

Eventually, they realized that they were the only ones who could help each other, and they began to cooperate again.

Now, in a distant, repeated cycle where they had grown tired of each other, with neither affection nor hatred, they had become numb.

“Hey, bro.”

At Dustia’s funeral, Ash, who had just finished regressing, smiled at Fernandes with a haggard face.

“I’m tired of even saying hello now.”

“Ash…”

“Do you have a cigarette?”

Fernandes was dumbfounded by Ash’s request and let out a hollow laugh. Ash’s physical age was fifteen right now.

“You’re already like this at such a young age.”

“My mental age is dozens, maybe hundreds of times older than yours.”

“Smoking from a young age will ruin your health.”

“What does it matter, I’m going to die young anyway…”

Fernandes had a cigarette in his possession.

It was as if he knew Ash would look for it, he had brought it with him.

“Here.”

“Thanks.”

Fernandes placed the cigarette in Ash’s mouth and used magic to light it.

“Hoo…”

Ash, who exhaled a long stream of smoke, muttered.

“Will there ever be an end to this fight?”

“…”

“If we repeat it infinitely, there will be a day when we win. But… I don’t think I can make it that far.”

Ash’s soul had already exceeded its permitted limit.

After too many regressions, the durability of his soul had reached its limit, and a symptom called regression dementia was beginning.

Immediately after regression, he maintained his sanity, but as time passed, cracks in his soul widened… he became unable to live properly, not just as a player, but even as a human being.

“…I schemed with that guy, Aider.”

Ash, who spat out the burnt cigarette on the floor, opened his mouth.

“Since I can no longer function as a player, I’m going to borrow useful memories from another world… and overwrite myself with them.”

“What?”

“I won’t be myself anymore, but I’ll still be useful as a player.”

“That’s absurd… !”

“I couldn’t save the world no matter what I did anyway. So, I’m going to give it a variable by using the memories of another player.”

Fernandes, who had lost his words, stammered and asked.

“Are you okay with that?”

“…”

“Why are you fighting so hard, even to that extent?”

“I don’t know.”

Ash chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t even remember the reason anymore.”

“Ash…”

“I won’t be your brother anymore. So, our cooperation ends here.”

Once Ash loses his memories, the close cooperative relationship they had before would no longer be possible.

The strategy they had been carrying out, optimizing with each other without even a word, would no longer be possible.

“Thank you for everything, bro. Now, you find your own new possibilities.”

“…”

“And another me will help you out sometimes.”

With those words, Ash gave a shaky smile, tapped Fernandes on the back, and then, adjusting his coat, left the graveyard.

“See you later.”

Fernandes quietly watched his younger brother’s slender back as he walked away.

‘Even if we win by doing that.’

Fernandes clenched his fist.

‘You’re only losing.’

To bet everything you have, and not just lose, but even throw yourself away to fight.

There must be salvation at the end of this endless, desperate fight. It’s too cruel otherwise.

Fernandes wanted to save his younger brother no matter what.

‘There’s no chance of winning anyway.’

Fernandes had already come to a conclusion.

No matter what he did, he could not defeat the monsters. As the cycles repeated, and as hope wore away, that conclusion became more and more certain.

If the world is destined to be destroyed by the monsters anyway.

‘Then, rather…’

Fernandes lowered his gaze from his brother’s back, which had now disappeared, and thought.

‘Then, rather…’

***

Present.

New Terra, the Imperial Capital. The Audience Chamber.

“…”

Fernandes, sitting on the throne entangled with thorn bushes, and Ash, who had just opened the door and stood below the platform, looked at each other.

The brothers stared at each other silently for a long time. It was Ash who broke the silence.

“What, what’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you giving me that inappropriate, affectionate look?”

“…”

Ash was the first to pick a fight.

Fernandes, who had been staring blankly at his younger brother, finally chuckled.

“…You’re mistaken. Why would I look at you affectionately?”

This younger brother in front of him does not remember.

The cooperation of the distant past.

The days of their tedious joint front, where they fought together, conflicted, parted ways, and then joined forces again.

And he himself… does not remember either.

Only fragments of the records of those countless years are engraved on his body. He cannot actually recall those memories.

He only guesses at his and his brother’s days by reading the records, as if reading someone else’s memories.

‘There is a friendship that neither you nor I remember.’

They fought together for a long time, sometimes parted ways, and then silently joined forces again.

And now, no one remembers that relationship.

…What good are such memories?

The paths have already diverged.

“Ash.”

Fernandes blurted out.

“I’ve never told you this, but… I’ve always wanted to reach your loneliness.”

“…?”

Ash frowned as if he was talking nonsense. Fernandes chuckled and laughed.

“The relationship between brothers is truly strange.”

They cherish, hate, fight, and cooperate – the framework of brotherhood can accommodate any form.

“Yes, so… our fight now is still within the framework of brotherhood.”

“What are you talking about by yourself since earlier-”

“Now, Ash.”

Fernandes raised his head and glared directly at Ash.

“In this final cycle. My records. Your ordeal…”

The huge thorn tree inside the audience chamber – the main body of Everblack – began to vibrate.

“Let’s end it.”

As Fernandes reached out his hand, huge thorn tree vines coiled and rose, following his will.

Kwa-gwa-gwang!

Dozens, hundreds of thorn tree vines lashed out like whips, rushing towards Ash.

And,

Flap-!

In response, Ash unfurled his flag – [The Great Commander’s Flag].

That old, black flag, as if patched together, with no pattern on it.

And, he shouted.

“This is…”

Sticking the flagpole into the ground, with all his might.

“The forefront of the world-!”

Flash-!

A circular wind spread out from the place where the flagpole was stuck, and gray mana poured out in all directions.

The brothers, who once fought together to save the world, now no longer remember that fact.

They began a desperate battle against each other, with all their might.

***

At the same time.

Underground of the Imperial Capital.

“…Is this the shutdown protocol?”

The Emperor, who had descended underground using the secret passage exclusively for the Imperial Family, sighed.

“You’ve installed such a large thing without my knowledge.”

The huge magic circle installed under the entire Imperial Capital was enormous in scale. What could be seen in the basement of the Imperial Palace was only a part of that magic circle.

“Is it enough to destroy this?”

“I will check it.”

Junior, who had bowed her head, touched the magic circle. And immediately after,

Pachi-chik!

“Kuh?!”

As soon as Junior touched it, electricity sparked from the magic circle, pushing her back with a strong repulsive force.

“…The magic has already entered the activation sequence.”

Junior clenched her teeth, holding her tingling fingertips with her other hand.

“Even if we destroy a part of it, we can’t stop it from activating… !”

“Then what should we do?”

“We need to inflict a certain amount of damage to the entire magic circle! But the size of the circle is too large…”

Another voice took over Junior’s words.

“Yes. Realistically, it is impossible to destroy the magic circle.”

“…?!”

“Since the activation sequence has already begun, a little later… it will cover the entire Imperial Capital and activate.”

Everyone looked in that direction.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

A middle-aged female mage appeared, her staff tapping on the floor, echoing in the basement.

Junior let out a bewildered groan as she recognized her face.

“…Lady Reina.”

Reina did not even glance at Junior and saluted the Emperor.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

“Indeed. Reina. It has been a long time.”

The Emperor gestured with his chin towards the magic circle.

“If I order you to stop this magic, will you obey?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because my master is not the late Emperor.”

“The late Emperor… I have never relinquished the throne.”

“Only His Majesty Fernandes is the sole Emperor of the current Empire. Therefore, I am afraid I cannot listen to the words of the late Emperor.”

The Emperor sighed.

“Not only do you not treat me as the Emperor, but you don’t even listen to my orders? Are you still a soldier of the Empire?”

“I am a hunting dog, Your Majesty.”

Reina replied bluntly.

“A dog is loyal to the one who feeds it. Not the one who abandoned it.”

Fifteen years ago. During the Camila Kingdom occupation operation.

At the time, Jupiter, the captain of the 2nd Magic Corps, disobeyed orders and refused to participate in the massacre of civilians in order to save Junior.

This remained the only blemish on the operation directly commanded by the Emperor.

In the aftermath of the series of events… the Magic Corps was expelled from the 1st Army of the Imperial Army.

Reina, the captain of the 1st Magic Corps, was in charge of the entire Magic Corps.

Reina did everything she could to ensure the survival of her subordinates.

It was Fernandes who took in the Magic Corps that had been driven out.

At that time, the master of the Magic Corps had changed from the Emperor to Fernandes.

“…It’s ironic.”

The Emperor let out a hollow laugh.

“How many fates were divided because of what happened in the Camila Kingdom that day.”

Jupiter was dishonorably discharged,

Reina became Fernandes’ hunting dog,

and Junior lived with a lifelong disability, while also becoming a mage of the new era.