I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 597

“……”

I was momentarily stunned by his absurd question.

How did I want to die?

《Aren’t you a mortal? Your life will eventually decline, and your ambitions will wither and perish.》

Night-Bringer spoke as if he were genuinely curious.

《The end is inevitable. So, what kind of end do you desire?》

“……”

《Tell me, the final grandmaster. As you fight to prevent the world’s destruction, what kind of death do you wish for?》

What kind of death did I wish for?

Instead of answering, I slowly pulled out the will I had in my pocket.

After taking a breath, I waved it in front of his eyes.

“This is the will I wrote before this battle.”

《Oh.》

A strange light flickered in the black dragon’s golden eyes.

And then, I,

Tear.

Tore the will in half.

Night-Bringer’s gaze was filled with bewilderment, but I ignored it and did what I had to do.

Tear, tear, tear-

In half, in half, in half—I tore the will to shreds.

My hands trembled as I tore the layered paper. But I managed to tear the will completely, scattering the pieces on the floor as I growled.

“This is my answer.”

《…….》

“There is no death I desire. There is only one thing I want.”

I spat out.

“Life.”

《…….》

“The lives of all my people… and all life above this front line, to continue with their own potential.”

《…….》

“I don’t know what the end of all that will be. But, I just want to see it. Everything that continues like that.”

Night-Bringer slightly shook his head.

《What meaning is there in all that mortality? It’s all destined to end, to eventually fade away.》

“So? Since everyone who lives will die and the world will eventually perish, are you saying I should just lie in bed and wait for the last leaf to fall?”

《Wouldn’t such a peaceful end be nice?》

“Maybe it would. But.”

—Hyung!

Suddenly.

The image of a young boy lying in a hospital bed, in a coma… flashed through my mind.

“…But I want to see that child smile.”

I blurted out.

“I want to see that child stand on his own two feet in this world and live. In this hellish world where only the iron-willed can survive….”

《…….》

“Even so, I want to see that child, who chose to live, smile in the end.”

Night-Bringer stared at me silently.

I met his shining golden eyes and spoke with conviction.

“So, let us live, Night-Bringer.”

《…What?》

“Step back. Give us one more chance.”

I straightened my back, not at all intimidated—I boldly begged for my life.

The black dragon seemed genuinely flustered, as if he hadn’t expected me to act this way.

《Why should I? With just a flick of my finger, all of you would be dead.》

“Don’t you understand, King of Nightmares?”

I raised my hands and pointed to my subordinates behind me.

Even though they were extremely exhausted and covered in blood, their eyes were burning brightly… ready to fight again, my heroes.

“We are the last amusement this world can offer you.”

《……!》

“We are the guardians who protect the human realm. If we fall, what remains will be worthless. The human realm will perish without resistance, and then… it will all be over.”

A slow, amused smile spread across the black dragon’s face.

Whether it was because my words were absurd or for some other reason, I couldn’t tell.

However.

“We are the last enemies you, as a king of kings, can face. If we disappear with just a flick of your finger, wouldn’t that be too futile?”

I was just struggling.

Ugly, foolish, and idiotic.

But somehow, one more time. To continue the game—

I would do anything.

As a player who bears the responsibility, somehow.

“Wouldn’t such an ending be too tasteless?”

《…….》

“Step back. And give us time. Time for us to prepare for the final battle….”

I didn’t bow my head or bend my back.

I demanded it, looking him straight in the eye, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“As a fellow king of kings, as a grandmaster facing you, for a magnificent match.”

《…….》

Silence fell.

Then, Night-Bringer smiled, stretching his mouth wide, and shook his head slightly.

《You are a selfish king.》

“……”

《If you had wished for a peaceful death, I would have granted it to you this time.》

Night-Bringer continued, looking around at my people, who were leaning on each other, embracing their wounds.

《You and your people could have escaped this painful life, like in a dream… and met a peaceful end in the quiet night. That would have been my greatest mercy.》

“……”

《But since you have chosen to fight, I will let you die painfully as you wish.》

The king of monsters tapped his royal scepter on the ground with a thud. And he raised his voice.

《I propose a truce.》

“……!”

《In the previous offensive, and in this offensive, both of our camps violated the rules. Two legions either deployed separately or merged into one.》

Night-Bringer nodded.

《If the previous king of kings were here, he would have imposed a fitting punishment on the deployed legions. But that fellow is currently in seclusion. Even the execution of punishment has been halted.》

“……”

《Instead, I will impose punishment on our camp. Until the next Great Flood, we will not invade the human realm. What do you say?》

I nodded.

“I accept.”

《Heh heh, don’t be too relieved.》

Night-Bringer chuckled, seeing my face, as if I had unknowingly relaxed.

《The one who will deploy during the next Great Flood—will be me.》

“……!”

《After all, this world will perish then.》

Spin—

Night-Bringer turned around. His long black hair rippled, following the trajectory of his body.

《Recover your strength. Heal your wounds. Devise a way to kill me, and struggle in vain. Like a mortal… burn your body and soul, and face me.》

“……”

《You said you wanted to see a child smile. Guardian of the human realm.》

Night-Bringer tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes flickering with a chilling heat.

《I also want to see it, the sight of you crying…》

…What?

《When your simple hope is trampled and burned, when your vain hope disappears, when even your firm resolve is broken, and when destruction finally arrives before your eyes…》

“……”

《How beautiful will your tears be? It will be enjoyable just to watch.》

I was trying to listen quietly, but I couldn’t hold back and blurted out.

“You sadistic bastard….”

《Haha.》

He replied nonchalantly as he moved forward.

《Is there a king who does not enjoy inflicting pain?》

The black dragon, who had been walking, suddenly stopped and turned to the side.

There, Dusk-Bringer was standing.

Her dress was torn and bloodied from the fierce battle, and her long black hair was a disheveled mess. Her cherished silver crown was covered in soot.

Ignoring all that, Dusk-Bringer stood proudly, glaring at Night-Bringer with fierce eyes.

《…….》

“……”

The black dragon, resurrected from the nightmare, and the half-dragon, who inherited the blood of the red dragon, stared at each other for a moment.

《…I see. That dragon’s blood, it still flows.》

Night-Bringer muttered and started walking again. Dusk-Bringer shouted at his back.

“Are you ignoring me, black dragon? Don’t you have anything else to say?!”

《…….》

“My ancestor burned you and devoured you! I will make sure you meet the same end as then!”

《Don’t be mistaken, half-dragon.》

Whoosh—

Night-Bringer tilted his chin and glared. A level of Dragon Fear, unlike anything Dusk-Bringer had ever unleashed, swept through the area.

《Your ancestor was a being so great that he cannot be compared to the likes of you.》

Thanks to my [Indomitable Commander], my allied heroes were not affected by the fear, but many soldiers gasped for breath, clutching their throats.

“Kuh…?!”

Even the mighty Dusk-Bringer turned pale and staggered backward.

Night-Bringer scoffed at Dusk-Bringer, withdrew his Dragon Fear, and started walking again.

《The only reason you are alive right now is because of the truce I declared with my own mouth. A king cannot go back on his word.》

“……”

《Don’t be too impatient. After all, during the next Great Flood…》

Night-Bringer lightly flicked his finger.

《Including you, and even the history your ancestors have built. I will annihilate everything.》

Crack!

The silver crown, symbolizing the dominion of the Bringer Principality, which was on Dusk-Bringer’s head… was crushed and fell to the ground.

Drop. Drop. Drop.

Whether it was from the attack or from wounds, blood trickled down Dusk-Bringer’s forehead and face.

Dusk-Bringer, her face stained with blood, stood motionless, glaring at Night-Bringer as he walked away.

《See you again, mongrel.》

Night-Bringer smirked and walked into the swirling sandstorm of the southern plains.

《I hope you can display even a ten-millionth of the achievements of your ancestors.》

Soon, the black dragon’s figure completely disappeared.

“……”

A long silence descended.

Even though the long battle was over, everyone was frozen in place.

Looking back at my subordinates, who were at a loss, I barely managed to open my mouth.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s luck. It doesn’t matter if it’s divine favor. It’s fine if it’s a coincidence, it’s fine if it’s pathetic, it’s fine in any form.”

I spoke desperately.

“We survived.”

“……”

“It is the duty of this front line to survive and fight until the very end. And today, you have all fulfilled your duties admirably. That is enough.”

That is enough.

For us who survived, that is….

After bowing my head and taking a breath, I commanded.

“…Ring the bells and light up the city. The battle is over. One by one, step by step… let’s do what we have to do again.”

My heart was heavy, and I had a lot to say, but.

There was too much to do right now.

“Send a messenger to the temple. The battle is over, so prioritize the transport of the wounded… no, set up a field hospital right here.”

“Yes…!”

“There are still many wounded who have not been rescued because it is dark. Those with relatively minor injuries, please receive simple treatment and join the rescue efforts.”

“Understood!”

As I gave mechanical and systematic orders, my subordinates, who had been at a loss, quickly began to move.

People in shock and panic, people weeping in sorrow, people screaming in pain from their injuries….

Everyone, with their own expressions, with their own voices, covered in blood and dust, ran to all parts of the city.

“……”

After waving away my main party members, who were looking at me with worried eyes.

I staggered and leaned against a flagpole, looking back at the ruined south of Crossroads.

‘It hurts.’

Could this city, which had collapsed so miserably, be restored?

Could the wounds etched in people’s hearts today be healed?

This deep pain, these scars, that were embedded in everything, in everyone….

And the blood that would continue to flow here in the future.

How should I comfort them?

I felt so overwhelmed that I couldn’t breathe.

‘It hurts so much.’

With each collapsed building, the faces of the people who had died today appeared one by one.

I quickly pressed my eyes shut. I clenched my mouth shut, trying to suppress the groan that was about to escape.

‘Why am I like this again….’

I was supposed to be the one comforting them. I was supposed to be the one encouraging and lifting everyone up.

Why couldn’t I be more composed, and again.

Again… why was I so weak….

“Kuh….”

It was my limit.

I quickly went behind a collapsed building and sat down, covering my face with my hands and stuffing my sobs inside. I desperately muffled my cries.

Fortunately, the night was dark, there was no moonlight.

And people pretended not to notice that I was hiding and holding back my tears.

At the halfway point of the third year.

The invasion of the monsters had begun in earnest, with devastating consequences,

The World Guardian Front had suffered the greatest damage since its founding,

And destruction was steadily rushing towards us.

It was a late summer night, as autumn was approaching.

***

[STAGE 35 – CLEAR!]

[STAGE MVP – Ash(EX)]

[Leveled Up Characters]

– Ash(EX) and 109 others

[Deceased Characters]

– Skuld(SSR)

– Kellyson(SR)

– Burnout(SR)

– And 52 others

[Injured Characters]

– Yoon(SSR) and 197 others

[Acquired Items]

– Fly King Magic Core(SSR) : 3

– Mutant Magic Core(SR) : 188

– Common Magic Core(R) : 519

– Individual Barrier Artifact(SR) : 44

– Fly Legion Magic Stone:

[Stage Clear Rewards have been distributed. Please check your inventory.]

– SSR Grade Reward Box : 5

– SR Grade Reward Box : 20

– R Grade Reward Box : 100

>> Get Ready For The Next STAGE

>> [Next STAGE : If the world was ending]