I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 504

Legion Commander Baekya and Magic Tower Lord Baekya.

The Jiangshi [a type of Chinese hopping vampire] Baekya of the material world and the cyber Lich Baekya of the digital world.

Which side should I take?

This was a branching quest that also occurred in the game. And depending on which side you chose, the subsequent progress would change.

If you support the Legion Commander, the Jiangshi Baekya.

The Lich Legion will become independent from the Demon King’s forces and oppose the Demon King as a third faction.

The defense battle where Baekya and the Lich Legion invade Crossroad is also skipped.

If you support the Magic Tower Lord, the cyber Lich Baekya.

The 8th District Dungeon Magic Tower will expand its power and take over the area, swallowing the entire 8th District, and the entire district will become a friendly area.

In short, if you support Legion Commander Baekya, you can skip the defense battle and gain additional benefits in subsequent defense battles.

If you support Magic Tower Lord Baekya, you can skip the 8th District free exploration and gain additional benefits in subsequent free explorations.

Tower defense or dungeon offense. The choice is functionally determined by which you prioritize. Who to make the real Baekya.

“…….”

However. I know through the game’s memories.

That both choices have risks to bear later.

《I wanted to negotiate with you like this. It’s not my time to deploy yet, but I came to meet you in advance.》

Baekya said nonchalantly.

《Let me tell you in advance, the next opponent you’ll meet after this invasion is me. There won’t be any room for negotiation then.》

“Thanks for the heads up.”

So, the Stage 25 opponent is this Magic Emperor.

A perfect, crappy boss monster to mark the start of the third year.

《I’m strong, player. It might sound arrogant, but I and my legion are by no means inferior to those demon guard corps or black dragon groups.》

Well, of course.

It’s a legion of Lich mages who have been around for hundreds of years.

Considering that mages in this world are strategic weapons comparable to fighter jets, and that these ancient mages possess the essence of magic that has been lost in modern times.

This legion of undead mages would possess truly earth-shattering power.

“But if you’re so strong, you don’t need to ask me for help, do you? Can’t you just take down the magic tower and kill the other you with your and your legion’s power?”

《That’s impossible.》

Baekya let out a long sigh mixed with the smell of nicotine and alcohol.

《We know each other too well to kill each other. We know all the moves each other will use.》

The magic tower occupied by Magic Tower Lord Baekya is a powerful magical fortress.

It’s the strongest stronghold in the 8th District, covered in various magic traps and artifacts.

The reason I was able to clear it easily before was because Magic Tower Lord Baekya allowed me to enter.

So, even the mighty Lich Legion can’t break through it. Moreover, the two Baekyas would know each other’s thoughts inside and out.

It was a situation where they couldn’t kill each other, repeating tit for tat.

《That’s why I’m asking you. If you, who have killed other nightmare legion commanders, can kill the other me.》

“What about the other monster friends?”

《Are you kidding? There’s no way those morons could kill the other me who’s holed up in the magic tower, right?》

Baekya snorted, crossed their legs, and gestured at me with their chin.

《You, the living variable itself… the nightmare slayer, are the most likely to succeed. That’s why I’m asking you.》

“Thanks for the high praise.”

I grumbled and gestured back with my chin.

“What if I refuse this offer?”

《Then this defense battle will be more brutal than you expect.》

A monstrous, savage smile appeared on Baekya’s lips.

《Who do you think it was that lured the Gorgon sisters in the last defense battle?》

“…It was you after all.”

The Gorgon who invaded in Stage 23 said this before dying.

– Baekya, that bastard… tricked me… made my sisters die again…

It was this monster in front of me who brought forward the Gorgon sisters, who were originally supposed to appear in the third year.

“Why did you do that?”

The city suffered considerable damage from the three Gorgon sisters, and precious lives were lost.

When I glared and asked, Baekya chuckled and put a cigarette in their mouth.

《I showed and proved my ability in advance. That if I just lift a finger, I can lure and deploy higher-ranking monster legions that wouldn’t normally deploy.》

“…….”

《So think carefully, player.》

Baekya was openly threatening me.

《If you refuse my offer, I’ll not only deploy the bird monster legion in this invasion, but also lure and mix in all sorts of other higher-ranking monsters. Then this winter will be a very terrible season for you, won’t it?》

“…….”

《Even if you manage to endure it, in the next invasion – I will personally destroy the human world.》

Baekya didn’t emit the terrifying evil energy like the other monster legion commanders.

They just quietly stirred up the darkness.

Like cigarette smoke. Quietly, secretly, and fatally – the rising darkness eroded the surroundings.

《But if you just kill the other me.》

“…….”

《You can gain a powerful Lich Legion as an ally, which can command other monster legions and has the means to kill the Demon King.》

Isn’t it obvious that you don’t need to think about it? Baekya muttered, glancing at me with cat-like eyes.

《Above all, you can understand us, right?》

“…What?”

《You’ll fully sympathize with our position. That’s why I approached you.》

The pale lips of the Jiangshi monster parted in a sinister smile.

《You’re a fake too, player.》

“…….”

《A fake, with someone else’s personality copied into you.》

I pursed my lips and glared at Baekya.

…How do they know?

That I’m a patchwork existence, with the personality of another world overlaid on me…

Baekya smiled leisurely and smoked a cigarette.

After a moment of silence.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Okay. I’ll do as you say. But I have conditions too.”

Baekya raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘Go ahead.’ I continued.

“Show me your sincerity first.”

《Sincerity?》

“In this defense battle, the monsters that will invade the human world… the bird monster legion, deal with them yourself.”

Let’s just skip Stage 24 for free.

It was just a bait I threw out, but Baekya nodded surprisingly readily.

《That’s a piece of cake. Is that really all it takes?》

“…It’s just to confirm your sincerity.”

《Okay. Deal. I’ll gladly kill that bird king! Don’t worry. Your winter will be very peaceful.》

Then Baekya leaned their upper body close to me.

《But player, you know, right?》

The monster’s three-white eyes and my eyes stared at each other from right in front.

《It’ll be a problem if you only take my sincerity and don’t pay the price. If you do, I’ll make you pay back several times the interest later.》

“…….”

《Let’s have a wise and satisfactory deal.》

Baekya slowly moved away from me.

That’s when it happened.

Whoosh-!

Darkness was torn apart from afar. And a dazzling light exploded. I frowned and looked in that direction.

What emerged from the darkness was… a familiar woman.

Wearing a tattered robe, dragging long white hair on the floor.

Holding a dazzlingly shining old iron sword in her hand-

The merchant NPC of this dungeon, and the rightful heir to the Lake Kingdom.

Princess Myeong appeared.

“Ash!”

Myeong, who was running while swinging her sword to cut through the darkness, shouted urgently.

“I’ve come to save you!”

《Oh my, how unfortunate.》

Baekya clicked their tongue and quickly moved away.

《The hero of light has come to save the frail prince. The evil witch must quickly flee.》

“Even for you, it seems like it’s too much to deal with that friend?”

《Well, yeah. For monsters like us, that princess’s ‘light’ is the worst possible match. But…》

Baekya chuckled briefly.

《That won’t last long either.》

“…?”

《That princess is reaching her limit.》

Leaving behind those meaningful words, Baekya snapped their fingers.

《Then I’ll run away! Let’s keep our promises!》

As they snapped their fingers, the table with food and drinks, and the smoking pipe disappeared, and Baekya was also covered in thick darkness – and disappeared like mist.

Clang…!

Myeong, who had swung her sword into the empty space where Baekya had disappeared, was breathing heavily.

“Haa! Haa! Haa… Did they escape?”

As the nightmare legion commander disappeared, the entire darkness of the area slowly began to recede. Only then did I realize where this place was.

Endless rows of seats and a huge stage.

Dungeon 8th District. The Grand Theater.

The last dungeon of the 8th District and the base of the Lich Legion. They dragged me all the way here…!

Fortunately, there were no other monsters. It seems Baekya had moved them all away.

I quickly ran towards the panting Myeong.

“Myeong!”

“Ash.”

Myeong smiled weakly with a haggard face.

“You’re doing reckless things again.”

“You’re the reckless one… Did you come all the way here to save me?”

“I happened to run into your subordinates… They said you were kidnapped and begged me to save you. So I rushed here.”

“Are my subordinates safe?”

“They’re strong friends. They were caught in the darkness here, but they’re all safe.”

I ran to the staggering Myeong and tried to support her, but Myeong refused and slumped to the floor.

“Now, you go back to your subordinates quickly.”

“What about you?”

“…I’ll rest here for a bit and go back.”

Myeong shook her head slightly.

“Don’t worry. I’m just a little tired… I’ll be fine after a little rest.”

Behind Myeong’s back, something that wasn’t there before was stretched out.

Darkness.

The darkness, like chains… like those that bind a prisoner’s legs, was tied and stuck to her back and limbs, sprawled on the floor.

Seeing her entangled in something I had never seen before, a sense of unease washed over me.

– Myeong has realized that her destiny has ripened.

Grandma Coco’s words flashed ominously in my mind.

The image of the final boss I had defeated only once in the game, the ‘Lake Princess Who Cannot Sleep,’ also passed before my eyes.

“…Myeong.”

I don’t know why Myeong transforms into that form in the end yet.

I don’t know how to save Myeong yet either.

But still, I spoke with strength to give her what I could give her.

“Actually, I was looking for you too.”

I had been looking to meet her again for quite some time, but I hadn’t had a chance to tell her because Myeong had been constantly secluded.

Myeong blinked in confusion at my words.

“Me? Why?”

Her eyes, which were like a clear lake, were clouded, perhaps due to fatigue.

Looking into those eyes, I smiled.

“I’ve created an alliance called the World Guardian Front in the outside world. It’s an alliance of all the countries with free will in the world… a coalition fighting against monsters.”

“You’ve accomplished such a thing? Well done, Ash.”

“Join us too.”

“…What?”

Myeong’s eyes, which had been hazy, suddenly gained strength.

I nodded to Myeong, who was looking at me in bewilderment.

“As a representative of the Lake Kingdom, as someone who fights against the darkness… you too, the Lake Kingdom too, join the World Guardian Front.”

“…….”

“After all these battles are over… when the Lake Kingdom returns to the world of light, it’s also necessary to become a member of the world again.”

Myeong’s dry lips, which had been listening to my words with a blank face, slowly moved.

“…Can we go back? Really, my country?”

The black chains wrapped around her limbs vibrated, trembling.

“Me… escaping this darkness, into the light?”