I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 553

《Do you know why we are the 13th ranked legion?》

The leader of the Fallen Knights, the Fallen King Pendragon, asked.

The giant knight sitting on the skull throne exuded an innate eerie aura. The imp Low unknowingly swallowed hard.

《I-I don’t know.》

《Because I like the number 13.》

Pendragon, giving a bizarre reason, ran his hand over the helmet covering his face.

《I freaking love the number 13. 13 is the best. 13 is awesome. 13 is so cool.》

《…》

《That’s why there are exactly thirteen knights in our legion. The number of steps leading up to this chapel is also thirteen. The founding day of the knights is also Friday the 13th…》

After rambling about his love for 13 for a while, Pendragon lowered his voice with a wicked tone.

《That’s why I deliberately remained 13th in the legion rankings. I could have gone higher if I wanted to.》

《I-Is that so…》

《Do you understand why I’m telling you this?》

He had no idea at all.

Low shook his head. Pendragon chuckled.

《Those so-called Nightmare Legion Commanders, the monsters ranked up to 10th. Those vermin who each claimed to be a king.》

《…》

《I could tear them all apart with a single swing of my sword. If we had wanted to, the internal order of the monster legions in this Lake Kingdom would have been completely changed.》

Then why are you stuck here talking instead of going up?

Low thought inwardly, but for now, he just agreed, saying, “Yes, yes.” Pendragon continued.

《Our Fallen Knights are strong enough to be self-sufficient. That’s why we have pride. We have dignity and ideals.》

《…》

《It’s not like we’re so desperate that we’d wag our tails and jump out just because we’re told to mobilize now.》

His words were long, but in the end.

《In this situation, it’s not even the King of Kings himself who’s ordering us, but just a messenger sent to wave a royal scepter and order us to mobilize. Did you think we’d just happily go?》

It meant that he didn’t like the fact that it wasn’t the Demon King himself, but an imp like Low who came to order the mobilization.

《I refuse to mobilize.》

《…》

《If you want to order us to mobilize, at least the commander of the Guardian Legion should come.》

Pendragon waved his hand as if he had said everything. It was a dismissal.

The aide who came with Low made a face as if to say, ‘Well, of course,’ and turned around first. But Low took a deep breath and then,

《I see. Are you perhaps scared, Fallen King?》

He suddenly threw out a provocation.

The horrified aide flinched and looked back at Low. And Pendragon finally glared properly at Low.

《…What? What did you just say?》

《I asked if you’re afraid of that guardian of the human realm—that man named ‘Ash’.》

Low crossed his arms arrogantly. His tail was trembling unseen, but his voice was calm.

《Otherwise, there’s no reason to refuse the goal that everyone desires—the destruction of the human realm.》

And Pendragon was very weak against such provocations…

Thud!

…Very weak.

As expected, Pendragon jumped up from his seat and shouted.

《Don’t be ridiculous! I am the Fallen King! I fear nothing in this world!》

《Don’t make excuses. Isn’t it true that you, the Fallen King, are actually afraid of that guardian of the human realm… the fortress city that guardian protects?》

Low continued to provoke him with a sneer.

《You heard the rumors about that tall and mighty fortress wall that countless monsters and their kings have attacked and been destroyed by, and you got scared. That’s why you’re making excuses and refusing, isn’t it?》

Clang-!

Pendragon’s greatsword was instantly drawn from its scabbard. The demonic sword, overflowing with wicked energy, was aimed at Low’s neck.

《Do you really want to die, imp?》

《You don’t have the courage to attack the human realm, but you have the courage to kill me, the proxy of the King of Kings? I didn’t know that the sword of someone who calls himself the Fallen King has anger management issues like a bully.》

The greatsword that the Fallen King threw flew towards Low.

Swish!

The flying greatsword grazed Low’s cheek and then embedded itself in the wall behind him. Low didn’t even blink and stood still in his place.

‘…Damn, I almost peed my pants.’

Of course, he was just frozen and couldn’t move.

The provocation was successful. Because Pendragon was yelling at the top of his lungs.

《Oh yeah! Fine! Let’s mobilize! I’ll show you myself! This Fallen King! I will prove that our 13 Fallen Knights are stronger than anyone!》

Then Low shook his head.

《I refuse.》

《What…?》

《I said I refuse. You’ve already refused the order of this royal scepter, so there won’t be a second chance.》

Low turned sharply.

《As you wish, the mobilization will be called off. And it won’t happen in the future either. Now, if you’ll excuse me.》

As Low was about to leave the chapel with short steps,

Thud! Thud…!

The Fallen Knights, moving like lightning with their massive bodies, blocked Low’s path.

Low looked back again with a displeased expression, and Pendragon slowly sat back on the throne and spoke in a composed voice.

《I underestimated you too much because you’re small. Proxy. You’re more resolute than you look.》

《…》

《I apologize. So please, allow the mobilization. And don’t try to make me bow down any further.》

Clunk!

Pendragon, sliding his greatsword into its scabbard, growled.

《Next time, I’ll cut you down, proxy or not.》

It seemed like he had won the tug-of-war for dominance.

Low slowly nodded.

《I will allow the mobilization, Fallen King. But there’s a condition.》

《A condition? What is it?》

《You must follow my instructions from now on. More specifically, before the mobilization…》

Low was naturally giving instructions to Pendragon.

《The scouts from the human realm who are exploring the darkness of this Lake Kingdom as if it were their own backyard. Don’t capture them alive.》

《This Fallen King, instead of directly attacking the enemy’s main camp, should go and find and kill human scouts who are flying around like gnats?》

《It’s to catch a bigger fish.》

Low explained calmly.

《The guardian of the human realm and his fortress are strong. We need to have a way to shake them to create an opening. Capturing the scouts is part of that.》

《I want to say that I and my knights don’t need such things at all… but fine. I’ll do as you instruct.》

Pendragon gritted his teeth.

《But be prepared, little proxy.》

《…》

《After I tear the guardian of the human realm to pieces and destroy that fortress wall… I’ll personally tear apart that mouth of yours that spouted such arrogant words!》

Thud!

Low and his aide were kicked out, and the chapel door slammed shut.

The aide, who had quickly run down the thirteen steps, looked back at Low with a surprised face.

《You didn’t seem like it, but you actually do it when you need to?》

《I-I was surprised too, I don’t know where I got the courage to do that…》

Low, coming down the stairs with trembling legs, leaned on the floor with the royal scepter and twitched his lips.

《Anyway, it’s done. Now, we just need to go and watch if the Fallen Knights are doing it properly… and see them capture the scouts from the human realm!》

***

Lake Kingdom, Sector 7.

People holding torches carefully crossed the streets submerged in darkness.

They were a scouting party from the human realm—a party of five heroes.

Between stages. A scouting detachment dispatched during the free exploration period. They were carrying out an operation called autonomous exploration on the human realm’s side.

“……”

“……”

They cautiously walked through the silent streets of the Lake Kingdom.

Currently, the Lake Kingdom dungeon from Sector 1 to Sector 6 had been ‘occupied’ by Ash. They had succeeded in driving out the darkness.

But this wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

In shallow dungeons, weaker monsters appeared, making it easier for inexperienced heroes to train.

But now, they had to start from Sector 7, a deep dungeon.

Moreover, dungeon exploration also served as reconnaissance to identify the monsters of the next stage.

Now that they had to start exploring from Sector 7, the difficulty of this reconnaissance had also jumped up.

Therefore, the role of those embarking on their first autonomous exploration between stages was crucial.

They were veterans who were skilled in monster warfare.

From the elven archer of the Fairy Queen’s Royal Guard, to a dwarf warrior, a beastman warrior, and two human mages.

Their races and affiliations were different, but after suffering together on the battlefield, they had stopped caring about such things. They were five people who were skilled in reconnaissance missions.

And there was another person walking ahead of this party of five.

A muscular man wearing an animal mask—Jackal.

The owner of the ‘Flaming Colosseum’ dungeon in Sector 5, and a dungeon boss once known as the Gladiator King.

And now, he was Ash’s direct subordinate, leading an independently organized taming monster legion.

Based on his long experience living in dungeons, Jackal was assisting the scouting parties dispatched from Crossroads in their first reconnaissance missions for each stage.

These six had explored this hell together several times, and now they were very adept at navigating the darkness of the dungeon.

“It’s quiet.”

“Yeah. It feels quieter than usual.”

“A monster or two should have popped out by now…”

“Maybe we should enter the dungeon.”

The six looked at each other and nodded.

No monsters were visible in the dark streets of the Lake Kingdom. At this rate, reconnaissance wouldn’t be possible, so it seemed like they had to enter a nearby dungeon.

Jackal took the lead and raised his torch.

“The monsters in this defense battle are a small legion, so the dungeon might be empty… but let’s go check anyway.”

The six entered a narrow alleyway. It was to head to the nearest dungeon.

Clink.

And after entering the alleyway and walking a few steps, Jackal felt something catch on his foot.

“Hmm?”

Looking down curiously, he saw a piece of metal rolling around at his feet.

No, it wasn’t just a piece of metal.

“…?!”

It was a sickle with a sharp, blue edge.

And in the darkness right in front of them, something huge.

Lying flat on the ground, with a sickle extended forward like an antenna… waiting for its prey to approach.

Swish!

The huge sickle was swung, scraping the ground.

“Everyone, get out of the way-!”

Shouting, Jackal jumped up from his spot with animalistic senses.

But unfortunately, the other heroes weren’t as agile.

Thwack-!

The ankles of the five heroes were severed by the great sickle swung with monstrous power.

“…?!”

“Ugh?!”

“Kuh-”

“What is this-”

“Aaaah!”

Before the five heroes could even scream,

Swish! Swish!

Twitching tentacles and blood-spiked chains flew out and bound the heroes,

Whoosh!

Thud! Thud-!

A thick mist of blood and an unidentified, gruesome, slimy liquid poured over the heroes’ heads.

The five heroes, bound and incapacitated by their respective means, were tied up on the walls and floor. Blood was pouring from their ankles.

《Keehee. Keeheeheehee.》

The Fallen Knight who had launched the first attack, crawling forward hastily, picked up the severed feet of the heroes on the floor and swallowed them in one gulp.

《Delicious. Delicious. Nom nom nom nom nom nom nom.》

Watching this knight, who was swallowing their severed feet as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the five subdued heroes instinctively knew.

They had stumbled into the wrong place. They had stumbled into the wrong place very badly.

These guys are not ordinary monsters…!

That’s when it happened.

Thwack!

Another Fallen Knight, who had just appeared, smacked the back of the head of the Fallen Knight who was gobbling down the feet.

《You! Have you lost all your chivalry!》

It was the king of the Fallen Knights—the Fallen King Pendragon. Pendragon, who had smacked his subordinate’s head, roared.

《I’ve always told you! Divide the delicious things into 13 parts!》

《Keehee, keeheehee, sorry. Sorry. Nom nom nom nom nom.》

The Fallen Knight, who had been hit on the head, kept bowing his head, but didn’t stop gobbling down the feet.

Pendragon sighed, then drew his greatsword himself. And shouted.

《We must share fairly, fairly! Our knights are all equal!》

And then he placed his greatsword on top of the severed feet. As if the greatsword were a kitchen knife for cutting meat.

Taking a pose like a chef, the king of the things that were once knights gave a speech in a corrupted voice.

《Do you understand, my soldiers? I like 13. Before eating humans, let’s make sure to divide them into 13 parts!》