I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 576

Everyone volunteered for this suicide mission.

I was speechless.

I didn’t know whether to be grateful for everyone’s dedication or scold them for not caring more about their own lives… I felt conflicted.

But since not everyone can go anyway, I need to form a squad best suited for this infiltration operation.

“Everyone, put your hands down. You can open your eyes.”

The heroes cautiously opened their eyes and chuckled awkwardly as they saw each other with their hands raised. I smiled wryly as well.

“Since everyone volunteered without exception, I’d love to charge in and tear the enemies apart with all of you… but that’s not an option.”

The main purpose of a defense game is defense.

In the end, the defense team on the wall needs to hold strong for the infiltration, disruption, and attack teams to do their jobs.

We need to distribute personnel appropriately, and the defense team also needs to be made up of elites. I made sure to emphasize this point first.

“…Therefore, the formation that will be captured into the monster’s belly is as follows.”

I called out the names.

“Quilan and the Punishment Unit.”

Quilan grinned as if he expected it and stepped forward. The members of the Punishment Unit looked tense but followed him.

They are not only powerful front-line heroes who can play the role of damage dealers and tanks in any situation, but they also have experience being trapped and escaping from the monster’s belly.

‘The only concern is that they are in human mode, not their beast mode…’

Still, their accumulated skill and experience cannot be ignored. That’s why I chose them first.

“Next. Lucas and the Lucas Party.”

Lucas stepped forward with a matter-of-fact expression, followed by Torkel, Janice, and Nobody.

Lucas is undoubtedly the strongest hero in my front line in terms of solo combat power, and the rest of his party also has a high level of synergy.

In particular, Janice, the healer, is also included. She will increase the overall stability of the infiltration team.

‘There’s one spot open, but I’ll skip it for now…’

Chain is missing, so there are only four of them, but I’ll fill the empty spot later. Next.

“Verdandi and the Holy Grail Expedition.”

For some reason, Verdandi and the elves stepped forward with a sigh of relief. Why are they relieved?

The support of a ranged firepower team is essential in any operation.

The Holy Grail Expedition members are all masters of archery and dagger throwing, and they can also engage in close combat if necessary.

‘Their stamina is a bit lacking, but…’

They are valuable assets who can handle both melee and ranged firepower. I can’t leave them behind.

“And me, two members of the Shadow Unit, and… two of Kellyson’s escort warriors.”

As expected, everyone was shocked when I said I would participate, but I didn’t accept any objections. I can’t be left out of this operation.

After all, I’m the one who can cause the most chaos inside the enemy’s belly.

Similarly, Burnout, who can also wreak havoc inside the enemy’s belly, and Bodybag, who has various utility skills, are useful in variable situations.

The two dwarves… well, I need a front line in my party, and there are many dwarves among the missing, so I chose them.

It’s more likely that members of the same race will be able to search for each other.

“That’s all.”

When I finished calling out the list, the heroes murmured. In particular, Evangeline and Damian tried to protest from the front, but I waved my hand.

“I want to take more, but there aren’t that many escape scrolls.”

Of course, this is an excuse. I have plenty of escape teleport scrolls because I’ve been saving them and hardly using them.

But if I take more, the defense of Crossroads will be shaken.

Evangeline’s melee unit is essential for the defense of Crossroads’ main castle, and Damian and his sniper party shine the most in defense battles, not infiltration battles.

Both are among my strongest cards, and they would certainly be useful in this infiltration, but… it’s best to deploy them where they are more useful.

‘In the worst case, if the infiltration team is annihilated…’

Evangeline needs to command the front line, and Damian needs to work miracles with his clairvoyance.

I looked at the other heroes as well.

The faces of everyone who has been with me from the beginning, or who has joined very recently, and who fights with me regardless of the time, risking their lives.

“…I’ll try not to be too late. Until then, Evangeline will be in charge of the overall command of the front line.”

“Leave it to me, senior.”

Evangeline chuckled and thumped her shield. I chuckled back.

After all, I’ve shared all the detailed defense tactics with everyone and conducted training. Everyone is skilled, so they will fight well in their respective roles.

***

After conveying a few more instructions and having a brief meeting.

Just as I was about to leave, the young mages blocked my way.

“Your Highness!”

“Please take us with you!”

“…”

I was speechless.

They were the mages who had been studying and training with Junior. The children desperately clung to me.

“You’ll need mages to save Junior!”

“We want to help our sister too!”

“We don’t know what the situation is inside! If you take us…”

But I shook my head.

“No.”

“Why not?!”

“Is it because we’re young? Because we’re not trustworthy…”

“That’s not the problem. It’s because you’re mages.”

The place we’re heading to is inside the belly of the Lord of Flies.

Probably, fly monsters will attack from all directions. Above, below, and all around, they will attack, and there is a high possibility that we will have to engage in physical combat.

And the most vulnerable class in such a chaotic situation is the classic mage. Wearing cloth armor, taking time to cast spells… basically, a glass cannon that needs protection.

“In this infiltration, even mages need to be skilled in melee combat to some extent. That’s why I can’t take you.”

The young mages all looked dejected. That’s when it happened.

“Then take me instead.”

Everyone turned to look, and an old mage appeared, stroking his long white beard. I sighed.

“…Dearmurdin.”

“I know it’s a death trap without you having to say it. But that’s why we need mage power.”

Certainly, Dearmurdin, who has more experience than any other mage, would be able to handle melee combat situations well.

But…

“Or what, are you saying an old man like me is not needed?”

Dearmurdin frowned in dissatisfaction.

“Wasn’t it Prince Ash who told me that today is my youngest day?”

In the end, I gave up.

“Please join Lucas’s party. I’m counting on you, Dearmurdin.”

“That’s the way. You’ll look back on this and say it was a good choice to take me.”

Dearmurdin, finally satisfied, joined Lucas, who was standing on the other side of the hallway.

I sighed as I looked at them, and when I turned around, someone else was standing in front of me this time.

“Ah, um, I…”

A middle-aged woman with disheveled hair and an awkward posture was standing there. She couldn’t make eye contact with me and stammered.

“Th, that’s…”

It didn’t take me long to realize who she was.

Candler.

A golemancer who used to be on the blacklist and retired after the Gorgon battle. After that, she was said to be helping with construction work with golems…

And the person who feels the most responsible for Junior and Chain’s disappearance.

“Candler. You look a little different from before, so it took me a while to recognize you.”

I smiled gently.

“You’re not tying candles to your head anymore?”

“Ah, that was… a ritual to control golems well, but now that I’m retired, I don’t do it anymore…”

Candler, who was rambling, looked up at me with trembling eyes.

Without the candle crown and the cult-like attire, she really looked like an ordinary citizen, not a mercenary anymore.

Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth.

The tooth that was broken when she collided with the Gorgon sisters was clearly visible. She limped forward.

“I, I… I also… take…”

“…”

“I also, in the rescue… team…”

“Candler.”

I gently grabbed her trembling shoulder.

“Not all of us need to be warriors.”

“…!”

Candler looked at me with a deflated expression. I looked at her leg, which was difficult to move.

“You retired after doing your part. You no longer owe anything to this front.”

“But…”

“You’re not a soldier anymore. You’re a citizen. You’re no longer someone who fights. You’re someone we have to protect.”

Candler lowered her head.

“But, because of me… because I was a coward, that’s why those two…”

“It’s not because you were a coward that those two were harmed.”

Candler’s eyes widened at my words.

“It’s because those two were brave enough to overcome their own fears that they saved you.”

“…!”

“We’re all afraid, actually. We’re all cowards, actually. That’s natural. So don’t be ashamed of your fear.”

I turned around.

The faces of all the heroes preparing to depart were filled with tension. My heart was also pounding.

“It’s natural for humans.”

“…”

Everyone wants to run away from an incomprehensible enemy. That’s the same for everyone.

Those who can fight despite such fear remain soldiers. And those who eventually reach their limit retire.

This is not a matter of being better or worse. It’s not a matter of right or wrong either.

It’s just, that’s how it is.

Just one of the things we all experience as we struggle in this crazy world.

“Junior and Chain, we’ll definitely rescue them… so when you see them, don’t apologize, thank them.”

I patted Candler’s shoulder.

“Because those two saved you.”

“…”

“So please stay alive. We’ll need reconstruction work again after this battle. We’ll need you then. Okay?”

I said sincerely to her, who couldn’t open her mouth anymore.

“Thank you. For not running away and staying here.”

“…!”

“See you again, Candler.”

I walked past Candler. The heroes who were departing followed me.

Behind us, Candler suppressed her breath and made a strange sobbing sound. I prayed that she would overcome her ordeal.

And that we would too.

I prayed that we could overcome our own ordeals…

***

“Operation name, ‘Worm in the Worm’.”

I handed out five doses of paralysis poison antidote and five dungeon escape teleport scrolls to each party leader.

The party leaders distributed them to their party members.

“From now on, we will become parasites inside the belly of a bug.”

The heroes chuckled. So did I.

I’m even having the experience of going inside the belly of a giant fly and causing chaos… This monster front is a tourist attraction full of diverse activities.

“After moving to the point where the Lord of Flies is currently anchored, engage in combat appropriately and get captured.”

I shook the paralysis poison antidote in my hand.

“Take the antidote as close to being captured as possible. It’s a modified version of the existing paralysis antidote, so safety is guaranteed, but on the other hand, we don’t know how vicious their paralysis poison has become, so we don’t know how much the antidote can offset it.”

If we’re unlucky, we might not wake up and become fly food, but…

Actually, that won’t happen. Thanks to the Immortal Peach I ate before, I’m in a state of invulnerability. Thank you again, Raven.

As soon as I snap out of it, I’m going to slap everyone else awake.

“Make sure to secure your main equipment to your body. It would be a problem if you woke up inside the bug’s belly without your weapons, right?”

I can just put them in my inventory, but the other heroes don’t have such a convenient system power.

Everyone diligently tied their weapons and equipment to their bodies with leather straps. I watched them and explained the tactics of this operation.

“The outline of the operation is simple. After regaining consciousness, join up with nearby personnel and move up to the top of the bug’s belly…”

I gave a concise instruction.

“And tear it to shreds.”

At this point, everyone cheered and whistled. I also felt a surge of power in my hand.

I’ll show you, you fly bastard.

I’ll show you why I, Kim Ash, am called the Empire’s greatest troll, right inside your belly…!