I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 511

[Evil Side] White Night (3)

In the back alleys of the Lake Kingdom, White Night lay collapsed, blood splattered everywhere.

《Hah, hah…》

Another version of herself had seized the magic tower, and the nest she had fortified for hundreds of years had instantly transformed into a death maze designed to kill her.

She barely managed to escape, but White Night had suffered severe damage. The physical damage was significant, but more than anything, she had lost all her foundations.

《…What am I fighting for?》

White Night laughed, coughing up blood.

She had been killing others and prolonging her life with the sole purpose of avenging herself against the Demon King and the Outer Gods.

But was that goal truly ‘hers’ in the first place?

In the countless copy-paste-delete processes, was there any guarantee that the original purpose hadn’t been altered or distorted?

Having become an undead, and having changed her body countless times, did this life still hold any meaning?

Just as White Night’s cloudy eyes were slowly dropping downwards, a voice spoke.

《Have you finally realized the truth, you rebellious mage?》

Someone was standing before her.

《Then perhaps now we can have a genuine conversation.》

It was someone whose entire body was made of dark shadows. The flickering form was impossible to clearly perceive, no matter how hard one focused.

Staring blankly at the figure, White Night mumbled dazedly.

《Who… are you?》

《Who am I? Haven’t you been desperately searching for me all this time?》

The figure slowly bent down, bringing its face close to White Night’s.

《It is I.》

In the middle of the black shadow face, a white smile curved upwards, as if pleased.

《Your nemesis—the Demon King.》

***

White Night frantically gathered her magic and unleashed a barrage of attacks at the Demon King.

However, the Demon King stood there calmly, taking all the attacks. He received them, but seemed to suffer no damage.

《Don’t waste your energy. You can’t kill me in your current state.》

《Kuh…!》

It was literally a different dimension.

To encounter them like this, before even finding a way to reach them.

Realizing that none of her methods could harm the Demon King, White Night tightly closed her eyes.

《…Did you come to kill me?》

《Didn’t I say? I came to have a genuine conversation with you.》

The Demon King crouched down in front of White Night, who had given up and was speaking in a weak voice.

《I have been observing you since the distant past. In a way, I can say that I understand you better than anyone else. So, answer me honestly—what do you desire, White Night?》

《What?》

《What have you been living for all this time?》

White Night gritted her teeth and trembled.

《You said you’ve been observing me? Then why are you asking? I only desire one thing.》

She was no longer sure if it was even her own wish, but based on her remaining memories, White Night spat out the words.

《For the Demon King and the Outer Gods, you bastards, to get out of our world! To stop using our world as your playground. That’s all!》

Then,

《…Pfft,》

The Demon King,

laughed.

《Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!》

The resounding laughter shook the entire area. It was as if an earthquake had struck the entire Lake Kingdom. White Night barely managed to endure, even while coughing up blood.

After laughing his fill, the Demon King, still gasping for breath, gestured with his hand.

《You’re not good at lying, mage. Now, I’ll give you one more chance. What do you truly desire?》

《Don’t insult me… It’s exactly what I just said.》

White Night shouted, trembling with rage.

《I’ve survived and continued my research to drive you Outer Gods out of my world!》

《Hmm? I don’t think so?》

The Demon King’s white lips curved into a pleased smile.

《Did you really hate us?》

《What?》

《Weren’t you actually envious of us?》

《What are you…》

《I know you better than you know yourself. The reason you were angry was because you were in the position of an ant.》

The Demon King’s long finger pointed right in front of White Night’s nose.

《What if you were the one setting fire to the anthill, pouring water on it, and watching the destruction of that small world—enjoying the game?》

《…?!》

《If you had watched all the destruction you experienced from the same perspective as us… wouldn’t it have been very enjoyable? Isn’t that right?》

White Night tried to deny it, but a memory from the distant past flashed through her mind.

– No matter how long it takes, I will definitely reach them.

– I will never be the target of those gazes again. I will never be looked down upon again.

– I will definitely reach the same level as you…!

That’s right.

She had always wanted to reach them and attain the same level.

To drive them out and save this world?

…No.

Perhaps the reason was… as the Demon King said?

Saving the world was just a pretext. Wasn’t her true, ugly intention exactly as the Demon King described?

《No. I, I could never be like that… The reason I’ve endured and researched for the past hundreds of years is…》

《White Night.》

The Demon King shook his head.

《What good are the past hundreds of years? What matters is who you are now, isn’t it?》

《…》

《Forget the past where you were just a copy, and listen to your own heart now. Now, if given the chance, what would ‘you’ want to do?》

White Night looked at the Demon King with trembling eyes. The Demon King whispered like a snake.

《Tell me. You actually want to set fire and pour water, too.》

《…》

《You want to stand at the same level as us, and crush the ants together. You want to watch the destruction of the world together.》

《…》

《If you tell me that honestly, I will take you as my subordinate and gladly show you the path to reach the heavens.》

The Demon King stood with his arms wide open and shouted loudly.

《Dream of ascension, mage!》

《…!》

《Obtain divinity and ascend to the constellations! Become a higher-dimensional being who enjoys this game of destruction, not a trampled ant, but one who plays with the lives of insignificant creatures!》

Silence fell.

For a moment, White Night reflected on her long life. Two hellish scenes flashed through her mind.

The water hell that had descended upon this Lake Kingdom.

And the fire hell that had descended upon her homeland.

The countless eyes that had looked down upon that terrible sight.

…If.

If she could truly watch that scene, not from below, but from above.

《I…》

That would be,

how enjoyable would that be?

《…What do I need to do?》

A cruel smile appeared on the Demon King’s lips.

《It’s simple. I’ll give you a little power, and you…》

The Demon King grabbed White Night’s shoulders with both hands and slowly helped her up.

《…Just move honestly, according to your instincts.》

《According to my instincts?》

《That’s right.》

The Demon King stretched his white lips to his ears and smiled cruelly.

《Not as White Night, the researcher who tried to save the world, but as my subordinate, the monstrous undead lich White Night…!》

***

White Night joined the Demon King’s ranks.

She beat to death all the mage monsters that the Demon King had resurrected, proving that she was the strongest mage.

She began preparing to destroy the human world with the Demon King, and took command of the lich army.

While planning to trample the human world, White Night suddenly realized.

That she was no different from the Demon King or the Outer Gods.

A mad monster who was eager to set fire to the anthill and pour water on it.

A clan’s long-cherished wish?

A lifelong goal?

Who cares about that? All of that disappeared when she died as a human.

She was already a monster.

White Night donned the attire that the emperor of her homeland, the Eastern Continent, had worn.

She wore a beaded crown.

With a fluttering robe draped behind her.

Standing in front of the mirror, White Night, the third-ranked commander of the Nightmare Legion, smiled cruelly.

Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?

Father, do you not see the Demon King?

Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?

The Demon King with a crown and a cloak?

The mage who tried to kill the Demon King had become the Demon King herself.

It was such a common story.

***

“Man, what a messed up setting…”

Recalling the information from the game, I crossed my legs and grumbled.

“The dilemma of a cloned ego. Shouldn’t this be in the SF genre, not fantasy?”

As someone who had played the game to death, I knew a fair amount about the pasts of the named monsters.

Especially White Night, who was such a terrible enemy, I had read her lore almost to the point of memorization, hoping to find some hints about her gimmicks in the setting book.

‘Although the setting book doesn’t reveal her entire past…’

Roughly, she was a mage from the destroyed Eastern Continent, who became a lich for some research, then prolonged her life as a Jiangshi [a type of Chinese hopping vampire], and then went crazy after realizing she was a clone. After that, she joined the Demon King’s army… That’s about all the information in the setting book.

So, in other words, when playing the game, there was no useful information in the setting book. How could you use this in gameplay?

But this is reality.

Even this seemingly useless information can be used in a strategy.

Unlike in the game, I was determined to use all sorts of unconventional methods to devour these monster bastards.

And there was definitely a part of White Night’s past that I could exploit.

“My lord.”

Lucas opened the door to the office and pointed behind him.

“As you ordered, I have brought the members of the Gamble Club party.”

The five members of the Gamble Club entered behind Lucas.

Violet, Orange, Lime, Cobalt, and Scarlet.

The illusionist, the mind reader, the clairvoyant, the puppeteer, and the gambler.

Before, these five had a playful, gambler-like mischievousness on their faces, but now they all had dark circles under their eyes and pale complexions.

That was because the five gamblers of the Gamble Club had been undergoing hellish leveling training.

They had been forcibly mobilized for almost all dungeon explorations, gaining experience alongside the combat party.

The Gamble Club was a non-combat party where all members’ skills and traits were focused solely on utility. Just leveling up was a huge challenge.

But in RPGs, there’s a long-standing tradition called ‘power leveling’.

Once you form a party, you can just follow behind other high-level bus drivers while they hunt, and you’ll still get experience somehow.

Through this desperate, semi-forced training, the five weak gamblers, who previously couldn’t even defeat street thugs, had forcibly succeeded in leveling up.

They didn’t have any decent combat skills, but they had now accumulated enough combat experience to be able to fight most monsters with their bare hands.

They were all on the verge of awakening, just before reaching level 50.

“It’s good to see you all training so hard.”

When I said that with a smile, the five gamblers gave me a dumbfounded look.

Well, they didn’t do it because they wanted to, but because I forced them to, so it’s understandable that they would make that face.

But you guys need to reach level 50 and get your ultimate skills for this operation to work. Sorry, but let’s try harder until level 50.

Ahem! After clearing my throat, I began explaining the plan.

“There’s one reason why I’ve called you all here. I’ve caught a sucker.”

“Huh? A sucker…?”

“Yes. A juicy sucker that’s perfect for ripping off.”

I clasped my hands together and lowered my voice.

“My gambler friends.”

Games exist to be exploited.