I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 59

30 minutes ago.

Above the southern wall of Crossroads.

‘I’ll go alone.’

At my words, everyone looked like they didn’t understand.

Lukas, standing in front of me, asked back with a bewildered expression.

‘……Excuse me?’

‘The rescue team will be just me. I’ll go save Evangeline alone.’

I said, ‘None of you will go as part of the rescue team.’

That’s exactly what I meant. You guys aren’t going.

Instead, I’ll go alone.

‘What…’

Lukas, who was stammering, shouted loudly.

‘What nonsense are you spouting, my lord!’

‘Ugh?! My ears, you brat! Speak softly!’

‘Are your ears the problem right now?! You’re the one who kept pointing out that this rescue operation is ineffective, and now you’re saying you’ll go alone?’

Lukas looked genuinely pissed. His usually gentle face was distorted with anger.

‘Are you trying to commit suicide or something!’

‘……’

‘I absolutely cannot let you go! Even if I have to break your arms and legs, not just your ears, I won’t let you go!’

Lukas reached out his large hand and grabbed my arm firmly.

The force was so heavy, it felt like he was really going to break my arm, this guy.

But I was serious.

‘Calm down, Lukas. And everyone else.’

I wasn’t joking, nor was I trying to commit suicide.

‘I’m not going to die. I’m going because I have a sure chance of winning.’

I’ll save Evangeline and defend the front lines.

This is the only way to satisfy both options.

‘In this game, who is the character with the biggest variable?’

Looking at performance alone, it would be Damian with [Clairvoyance], but in reality, Damian isn’t a big variable.

Rather, he’s a very straightforward character. His stats are just so ridiculously high that it’s hard to gauge.

‘The variable is me.’

Then I have to move. No, it’s better if only I move. Taking extra people would only increase casualties.

‘I happen to have a few trump cards prepared in advance.’

I was going to save them for later, but if I use them all, I can definitely return with Evangeline alive.

From the start, I’m not a combatant in a defensive battle. I’m just in a command role. And Lukas can take over that.

Defend the front lines with the entire force.

And I, the variable, will rescue Evangeline alone.

‘Of course, there are unreasonable parts. No, there are many.’

But there’s no other way. If I want to catch both rabbits, I have to be unreasonable.

The game keeps acting up like this, so I have no choice.

I have to gamble to some extent…!

‘Those of you who have been under my command should know. I know those monsters very well, and I’ve succeeded in attacking even in seemingly impossible situations.’

I made eye contact with each of my party members.

‘I have a secret plan this time too. There’s a good chance of winning. Trust me and let me go alone.’

I quickly explained the cards I had. And the general method of rescuing Evangeline.

It was a rather reckless plan, but the possibility was high enough. The other party members, convinced, nodded one by one.

‘……’

Only Lukas was staring at me with a pale face.

‘There’s no time. Lukas!’

I pushed hard.

‘You take over the overall command of the front lines. Just proceed as trained. Even if an unexpected situation occurs, you’ll be able to handle it well.’

‘I’d rather go save Evangeline. Please take command of this front line, my lord.’

‘No. There are roles that suit each of us better. I need you on this front line.’

‘We need you!’

Lukas spat out in a suppressed voice.

‘We need you.’

‘……Lukas.’

‘Why… why are you using your own life as a chess piece?’

I placed my hand on Lukas’s shoulder.

‘Trust my judgment. The judgment of me, your lord.’

‘……’

‘I promise. I’ll definitely come back safe and sound.’

Lukas shook his head slightly.

‘……My lord, you don’t have to do this.’

‘I don’t have to.’

But if I give up on Evangeline here, I’ll be abandoning the values I’ve cherished in this playthrough…

It would be no different from the previous playthrough where I used lives like bullets.

‘I will save everyone I can save.’

And according to my calculations, even if it’s a bit dangerous, I can definitely save Evangeline.

I squeezed the hand on Lukas’s shoulder.

‘This is the only way to save Evangeline and defend the front lines.’

‘……’

‘I’m counting on you with the front lines, Lukas.’

At my insistence, Lukas reluctantly nodded. I turned my head.

‘Lily. Jupiter.’

The two mages nodded in unison.

‘I don’t need to tell you how important you mages are. Go wild.’

‘Yes, yes…!’

‘Just come back safely, Your Highness.’

There was no need to add anything to these two. They’ll do well on their own.

Finally, I looked at Damian.

‘Damian.’

‘Yes, Your Highness.’

‘I have one request for you. Can you do it?’

Damian looked up at me with a trembling but unwavering gaze.

‘Order me. I am Your Highness’s trigger.’

A reliable guy. I gave him a gentle smile.

‘Thank you, Damian. What you have to do is…’

I gave Damian instructions in a low voice. After hearing all my instructions, Damian nodded his head vigorously.

‘Understood. Leave it to me!’

‘Thank you, Damian.’

I glanced at all the party members and shouted.

‘Alright, open the south gate!’

Kugugung…!

Immediately, the sound of the gate opening began to come from the city gate.

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly at Lukas, who was looking at me with a complicated expression until the very end.

‘Take care of the house, you mutt. I’ll be back.’

***

Present.

Southeast of Crossroads. The Cross Margrave’s villa.

‘……Senior?’

I smiled at Evangeline, who was muttering with a bewildered expression.

‘I came to save you, my cute junior.’

The golems were rampaging too fiercely, so the horse I rode couldn’t go any further, so I tied it up over there and ran like crazy.

Thanks to that, I was able to make it just in time.

‘How… how are you here…?’

Seeing Evangeline, covered in blood, made my heart ache. Such a young child…

‘Don’t worry, Margrave.’

Just as you and your family have thrown your lives away to protect this place, I will definitely protect your daughter.

‘First, recover. Drink this.’

I took out a high-grade recovery potion and threw it to Evangeline. Evangeline, who received it, shouted urgently.

‘No, what are you doing here! You have to run away right now!’

‘……’

‘Can’t you see that? It’s a golem army! They’re much stronger than the ones we met in the dungeon! The two of us alone are no match for them!’

‘……’

‘Run away quickly, to Crossroads! I’ll buy you time to escape!’

But it was too late to run away.

Two golems with elegant designs floated into the air.

Magic light scattered from their hands. Soon, magic would be fired.

They were new to me, but I could guess their identities.

[Enemy Information – STAGE 3]

– Lv.30 Magic Stone Golem : 5

– Lv.15 Rock Golem : 103

– Lv.20 Steam Golem : 149 (Kill Counts : 3)

Magic Stone Golem.

A magic-specialized golem, it can be said to be the strongest in terms of firepower among the golem army.

It’s a high-tier monster by birth, and it even has an elite tag. These guys can be seen as the boss monsters of this stage.

‘Two of the five came here as a separate unit.’

As they prepared to use magic, Evangeline urgently got up.

‘Kuh!’

Even while bleeding from the wounds all over her body, she stood in front of me and raised her shield.

‘Aish- seriously! Can’t you hear me?! You’ll die if you stay here!’

‘……’

‘I’m an orphan now, so no one will be sad if I die here! But you’re different! You’re royalty! You’re the new lord of Crossroads!’

‘……Hey.’

‘For the sake of the people who are waiting for you, please! Run away without looking back… Uup?!’

I took the potion bottle that Evangeline was just holding without drinking, opened the cap, and stuck it into Evangeline’s mouth, who was babbling.

‘Uuuuup?!’

‘Just swallow it and recover, kid.’

She’s quiet now.

After pulling Evangeline, who was standing blankly and just gulping down the potion, behind me, I stepped forward.

‘If you’re a kid, act like one, and sometimes rely on adults.’

Huh.

I took a breath.

It was a moment I was kind of looking forward to. I wanted to shout this out loud while using it.

‘Summon!’

Then a system window appeared in front of me.

[Summon Magic: Giant Steam Golem]

– This magic is one-time use. It will disappear from the skill list upon use.

– The summoned creature’s level is the same as the summoning character’s level. Only one summoned creature can be maintained at a time.

– Please specify the summoning location.

It was the boss monster summoning magic that I had registered in advance last time.

I specified the summoning location. Of course, right in front of me and Evangeline!

Whirr-!

The summoning magic was activated.

Blue mana particles swirled like flames, drawing a circle in the air, and soon began to form a shape.

From the head with a gleaming single eye, to the thick armored torso, and the long limbs.

Kugugung…!

The giant golem, which had completed its entire structure in less than a second, landed right in front of me.

The ground rippled like a wave as the monster of tremendous mass suddenly landed on the ground.

‘Wh-wh-wh-what… what is that?!’

Evangeline, who lost her balance and staggered, opened her mouth wide and screamed.

Well, that’s a great reaction. I feel like it’s worth coming to save her if she reacts like this.

《…….》

The giant steam golem rolled its single eye and glanced at me, then slowly stood on the ground with both legs.

It’s quieter than the one I met in the dungeon. I like it.

[The control of the summoned boss monster is with Ash(EX).]

[You have control.]

At the same time as the message that the control was transferred to me was displayed, I felt a sense of ‘connection’ between me and the boss golem.

The skills that the boss golem could use were displayed in front of my eyes.

Hmm, indeed. It’s a boss, so it has quite a variety of functions.

At the same time.

Ziiing-!

Ping! Pibibibing!

Red beams of light poured out from the golem army. It was their attack magic.

I reached out my hand forward.

‘Block it.’

Goooooo-

With the sound of the mana core activating, the boss golem stretched out one arm forward. As if mimicking my movements.

Mana gathered at the tip of the boss golem’s hand, forming a rectangular shield.

Pubeong! Pububeobeong!

The enemy golems’ magic collided with the shield, causing a grand explosion.

But not a single one of them could pass through to this side.

Evangeline, who was staring blankly at the flames bursting out from beyond the mana shield, muttered with a bewildered expression.

‘What… what is this?’

‘What do you think it is?’

I muttered indifferently.

‘It’s the lottery ticket I scratched this time.’

I didn’t expect to squander it as soon as I won, though.

At that time, the magical bombardment stopped.

Perhaps they also realized that long-range firepower was meaningless. The two magic stone golems slowly landed on the ground.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

At the same time, the rest of the golem army began to run towards us, stomping their feet in unison.

Are they planning to push with numbers?

I swung my arm forward and commanded.

‘Engage them.’

Gooooooo-!

The boss golem let out a huge driving sound like a lion’s roar.

And it kicked off the ground and charged head-on to meet them.