I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 540

“Okay, Zenith.”

I rubbed my forehead, trying to sort out the story.

“I get it, you’re a pushover and a fool, but a good person, and I understand your relationship with Hannibal. I get it, but…”

I looked around at the other men, sweating.

“…How am I supposed to tell Hannibal this?”

“…”

“…”

Again, a hellish silence.

The already musty atmosphere of the men’s barracks turned even darker. Everyone lowered their heads, hiding their faces in the shadows, avoiding eye contact. There was no answer.

‘My dad is here,’ Hannibal had declared, appearing out of nowhere.

From that child’s perspective, how long had he waited, anxiously anticipating his father?

But in reality, they weren’t related by blood at all. It was just a lie to save the child’s life at that moment…

A noble but foolish decision made by a complete stranger.

Who would deliver this news?

Who would bell the cat?! Huh?!

“…No, there’s no need to tell him the truth.”

Zenith scratched his stubbly chin and nodded.

“Wouldn’t it be okay if I were his real father? I’ve been living with that mindset anyway.”

“Should I call this truly saintly, or just plain foolish…”

I was honestly impressed, when Lucas tapped my shoulder. Huh? Why?

“…Um, my lord.”

“Yeah?”

“Over there… that…”

Over there? What? Why? What’s there?

I looked where Lucas was pointing, and among the crowd of men listening to the story…

“…”

Hannibal was there.

He was so small compared to the other mercenaries that no one had noticed him. When I stared at him, mouth agape, the men around Hannibal belatedly realized and scattered in a panic.

“Huh?! What!”

“How long have you been here?!”

Hannibal looked around cautiously and answered.

“…Since the story about being assigned to the Misty Kingdom?”

“You heard everything, damn it!”

“Who didn’t keep him away from here?!”

…It was me, you bastards.

I had left him in the dining hall next to the barracks, but the story had gotten long, so he must have slipped back in. Oh, dear.

Anyway, the men, who didn’t know how to handle this situation, scattered left and right, and Zenith and Hannibal stood facing each other, separated.

“…”

“…”

An awkward atmosphere spread everywhere.

Both of them looked clearly embarrassed. Zenith wouldn’t have wanted the truth to be revealed like this, and Hannibal wouldn’t have expected this truth at all.

They didn’t know what to call each other, and as the two of them stood frozen, staring at each other, the emergency bell suddenly rang.

Ding ding ding ding-!

“…?!”

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

Everyone in the barracks, who had been holding their breath watching Zenith and Hannibal, looked up in confusion. I did too.

This piercing sound, echoing sharply throughout the city, was definitely…

Bang!

“Enemy attack!”

A guard burst through the barracks door, reporting urgently.

“Monster attack! The forward base is under attack, Your Highness!”

“What the hell, the next enemy sortie isn’t for a few days…”

I stopped mid-sentence. I had experienced something similar before.

I quickly opened the system window, and the time remaining until the start of the stage rapidly ticked down to zero. At the same time, the dark event for this stage appeared.

Dark Event: ‘Surprise Attack’.

Monster legion sortie time reduced, monster legion randomly replaced, and not detected by our dark event tracker.

Seriously, why are there so many effects on one event! The balance is a mess!

“Damn it, you damn monsters!”

I was furious.

They were always interfering with everything, but they even had to interrupt a father-son reunion! Seriously!

“The story can wait! All troops, prepare for deployment!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Prepare for deployment!”

The soldiers, who had been listening to Zenith and Hannibal’s story with sparkling eyes just moments before, quickly returned to their rooms and began to arm themselves as soon as the emergency was declared and I ordered the deployment.

“…”

“…”

Amidst the chaos of everyone moving around, Zenith and Hannibal stood still for a moment, looking at each other. Like two stones in a river.

But soon, they both pushed off and ran to where they needed to be. Like all the other heroes and soldiers.

I wanted to pay more attention to them, but I didn’t have the time.

I quickly took Lucas and the other hero party ‘uncles’ with me and ran outside with the guard who had arrived earlier.

‘Scouting the existing dungeon is pointless… The monster legion has also been replaced due to the dark event ‘Surprise Attack’.’

I manipulated the system window to check the identity of this monster legion. If the clash had started at the forward base, it would be reflected in the system window.

And then.

“…?!”

I was shocked when I saw the name of this stage’s monster legion.

Scarecrow.

‘A scarecrow legion…?!’

Damn it, damn it, why now!

The scarecrow legion uses mental status effects such as fear and mind control. In other words, I, who can use the [Unyielding Commander] effect, am the counter.

‘But what if I’m not there?’

They would be helpless…!

My very existence is a perfect countermeasure against the enemy’s mental status effects, so conversely, I hadn’t established any mental status effect countermeasures other than myself.

It was much more profitable to invest those resources elsewhere.

I was furious. Why did this have to happen now!

“Who is on duty at the forward base right now?”

“Ivory Tower Master, Diermuidin, is on guard duty at the forward base today!”

I was relieved to hear the name of the great mage.

That old geezer could easily shrug off mental status effects.

“And, and…”

But then the guard stammered, hesitating before adding.

“Prince Mikhail, who was originally on duty, is also there…”

“…What?”

“W-Originally, the Vermillion Kingdom army was on duty at the forward base today. But since they will be returning home soon, they were removed from the list, but he volunteered to stand guard since it was his last duty…”

My mouth dropped open.

My gut was screaming.

This is,

Bad.

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“Everyone! Sprint to the teleport gate! To the forward base as fast as possible!”

I ran with all my might, but damn it.

Tatatatat!

The other heroes were much faster than me. They all shot past me like bullets.

No, I’m needed on this battlefield! Why is my body so weak even after my third job advancement!

As I was thinking that, it happened.

“My lord!”

Taat!

Lucas stopped in front of me and offered his back.

“Thanks!”

I quickly climbed on, and Lucas used [Tenacity Step] to shoot forward.

Lucas overtook all the other heroes who were leading the way and flew at top speed. The teleport gate was quickly approaching.

People should use their brains! If your legs are slow, just take a ride!

‘Please, everyone!’

I jumped into the teleport gate, praying.

‘Hold on…!’

***

Earlier.

Forward base. On the wall.

“…”

Mikhail stood at the edge of the wall, looking at the countless felled trees in front of the forward base.

The forest, which the Crossroads carpenters and workers had diligently cut down, was vast and desolate.

It didn’t have the same eerie feeling as when they had swarmed towards us, but the forest still had a suffocating, gloomy aura.

Mikhail took a breath, his face pale. He clenched his fist, which was trembling slightly.

It was in the center of this forest that all of his subordinates had died.

Because of his mistake.

Mikhail had been bound and unable to move, forced to watch the entire scene with his own eyes. The sight of his subordinates being killed one by one.

“…”

Blood trickled from Mikhail’s bitten lip.

Then, he heard footsteps behind him. Mikhail slowly turned around.

“Ahem.”

Ivory Tower Master Diermuidin approached, stroking his long white beard. Mikhail gave a slight nod.

“Diermuidin.”

“Crown Prince Mikhail.”

Diermuidin stood silently next to Mikhail and glanced at him.

“I won’t offer empty words of comfort.”

“…”

“However, remember this. All heroes and legends are completed only after enduring their own pain and adversity.”

Mikhail said nothing. Diermuidin continued.

“You are young, so don’t dwell too deeply on this and blame yourself. You have a bright future ahead of you, don’t you?”

“…That’s a good point, but that’s for those who have another chance.”

A self-deprecating smile formed on Mikhail’s lips.

“I was in a position where I couldn’t afford to fail. I only had one chance.”

“…”

“Since I failed so miserably, as soon as I return home… I will be ‘discarded’.”

Diermuidin was surprised and widened his eyes.

“Who said that?”

“The people who created me.”

Mikhail slowly closed his crimson eyes.

“They taught me that if I failed even once, I would be discarded. Just like my brothers.”

“…”

Diermuidin shook his head.

“Is the Vermillion Kingdom still doing such things?”

“Creating the ‘perfect king’ is our country’s long-cherished desire.”

“…”

“And at least, it seems I am not the right material to become that king.”

Diermuidin spoke slowly to Mikhail, who was hanging his head.

“Again, I won’t offer empty words of comfort. However.”

“…”

“You are young enough, and remember that there is not only one path in life.”

Diermuidin turned away and went inside the forward base, leaving only those words behind.

Mikhail, watching the old mage’s back, chuckled.

“That was quite an empty comfort…”

There was only one path given to him.

And since he had fallen on that path, there was nothing left.

“I am, we are, I am… a failure…”

Mikhail muttered and looked at the forest beyond the wall again.

And then,

“Huh?”

He noticed something standing at the edge of the forest that hadn’t been there before.

It was,

Squeak… Squeak… Squeak…

A scarecrow, made of straw, with a straw bag over its head, swaying its limbs wildly in the wind, making a creaking sound.

“…?”

Mikhail rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. Then he opened them again.

Then.

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak…

Was it his imagination?

The scarecrow had stepped closer.

It had been at the far edge of the forest, but now it was in the center…

“…What is it?”

And every time Mikhail blinked.

Creak. Creak. Creak.

The scarecrow got a little closer.

Mikhail’s trembling legs slowly moved backward, but the scarecrow was running much faster.

When Mikhail came to his senses, the grotesquely swaying scarecrow was standing right in front of the wall, and it had also grown in size.

Enough for its arm to reach Mikhail on the wall.

“…What are you?”

Mikhail asked in a trembling voice, and the mouth part of the straw bag that the scarecrow was wearing on its head ripped open…

《What do I look like?》

It spoke in a dry, laughter-filled voice.

Creak, creak…

Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.

Before he knew it, countless scarecrows filled the entire forest.

The scarecrows all reached out their hands towards the unmoving Mikhail.

《I am your fear.》

The abnormally long arms of the scarecrow closest to him slowly embraced Mikhail.

《…Your nightmare.》