I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 620

“Hey, you jerk, Ash! Are you really going to be so underhanded?!” Kellybay, one of the four representatives of the different races, spat out those words in an angry voice, but I didn’t back down and shouted back just as loudly. “Who cares about being underhanded in a competition! Enough already, just surrender quickly!” I couldn’t possibly lose to someone ranked lower than Dusk Bringer! The command of the Black Dragon subjugation operation is on the line! I’m desperate too! Hannibal, who was struggling in my arms, shouted with a very sulky face. “You’re really being underhanded, Your Highness!” “You be quiet too! I have to win! Now, quickly advise your comrades to surrender!” As I grabbed Hannibal and threatened him, Janice, who was watching from the audience, couldn’t bear to see this horrible sight and tried to jump into the arena. “Hannibaaal! Daddy will save youuu!” Of course, she was immediately subdued by the guards. Even as she was being dragged away, Janice was screaming and making a fuss, and Hannibal covered his face with both hands as if he was embarrassed. Woo-ooo! Boos poured down on me from the audience. Dirty, wicked, but we also like the bad prince, and all sorts of reactions could be heard. I calmly spread my arms and accepted the boos. Like a villain wrestler enjoying the boos in professional wrestling. “Well, a show needs a villain, after all, hehe…” “No, you’re not a villain, you’re actually doing bad things…” Junior, who looked displeased, asked Hannibal, ‘Are you okay?’ and Hannibal replied cheerfully, ‘I’m okay!’ Somehow, I felt like I was the only bad guy, so I tickled Hannibal’s side once more. Hannibal let out a scream mixed with laughter, and the four representatives of the different races, unable to watch this, painfully grabbed their heads. “Ash! You brat! Let go of my assistant!” “Ash, I didn’t think you were like this…!” “Prince Ash, actually, I thought you were like that…” “You seem to have quite the talent, Captain! If we were back in our bandit days, I would have scouted you!” “Kuhahaha! I’ll give you one minute! Surrender within one minute!” Anyway, like this, our main party, the kidnappers, and the Outsiders, who had their comrade taken away. The two parties were shouting at each other, engaging in a war of nerves… That’s when it happened. The bodies of the four representatives of the different races, who were looking at me with angry faces… suddenly began to be enveloped in an enormous energy. Kwaaaa! An unprecedented, terrifying flow of magical power enveloped the four of them. The four representatives of the different races simultaneously let out a ‘Wooo-ooo’ sound and emitted tremendous magical power in all directions. I was so dumbfounded that I opened my mouth wide and broke out in a cold sweat. “…What? Why is it suddenly a pattern where they awaken in anger because their precious comrade was kidnapped? What is this?” Everyone was flustered when a calm voice was heard from the audience. “Ah. It seems like it’s started.” When I turned around, the Emperor was sitting in the audience. Yesterday, because he had told Dusk Bringer all the details about what happened between us, I was dying to blame this tattletale old man, but the matter at hand was more frightening. I gestured towards the four representatives of the different races and asked. “Started? What on earth is going on?! Why are those people suddenly becoming super-Outsiders?!” “Didn’t I tell you before? The deities of each race descended through the spirit realm… and decided to lend their strength to this front.” The Emperor nodded. “And the method is to select their ‘avatars,’ that is, proxies, and have them wield their power instead.” “Eh, then could it be?” “Yes. It seems that the selection has been made now.” So. In the middle of the martial arts tournament, while we were fighting, just when I kidnapped a precious comrade, the gods of the different races decided to give power to those four? “Aish, don’t trigger a power-up event at a time like this!” From the way things are unfolding, it looks like I’m the villain who’s about to be defeated! Even though I actually am! Kwaaaa! Flowing with magical currents of colors matching the guardian trees of each race—Evergreen, Everred, Evergold, and Everblue. The four, who had become the Chosen Ones of each race, finished their power-up and glared at me with terrifying eyes. I couldn’t help but hiccup. Hee-ik. The audience was already in a frenzy over this typical classic cliché power-up. “Waaaah!” “Outsiders! Outsiders!” “Give the Prince a good one!” “Grab the Prince and tickle his side the same way!” “More! More severe treatment! We want more severe treatment!” What do you mean you like it, you guys are like malicious viewers! Don’t ask for weird things! It was at that moment. While I was distracted by the power-up of the four and the noisy reactions around me, “Eek!” Hannibal had quietly slipped out of my arms… and smoothly escaped on an earth spirit! “Huh?!” I opened my mouth wide. This, this tactic! ‘The same tactic I used when facing the Scarecrow Commander!’ I even taught him this! “I told you, I can do my part too…!” Hannibal smiled and slid away on the spirit. Damn it! It was a mistake to underestimate Hannibal just because he had the lowest individual combat power among the five Outsiders. Hannibal was already a great mercenary! “Our son is doing great-!” Janice, who had somehow revived in the audience, raised her cheer and roared. And at the same time, the four representatives of the different races, who had finished their power-up of anger and justice, charged towards me like bulls. Damn it. “There’s no choice, prepare for battle-!” As I commanded, the main party members also hurriedly took up battle stances, Waaaah…! With the cheers of the crowd, our two parties collided. *** …Fortunately. The match ended quickly without anyone getting hurt. The problem was the power of the deities that had taken hold of the four representatives of the different races. The four, who had just received the immense power, couldn’t properly control their bodies, and eventually collapsed in pain, like people who had overeaten. “Why… why at this timing…” Kellybay muttered, trembling as he supported himself on the ground with his arms before finally collapsing to the floor. “At this timing, something like this…” In front of the fallen four representatives of the different races, our main party members wiped the sweat from their foreheads with the backs of their hands. For a brief moment before they collapsed, the power of the four, imbued with the power of the deities, was extraordinary. If we had fought properly, I really don’t know how the match would have turned out… “…By the way, if I knew they would self-destruct like that, there was no need for this kidnapping drama.” The four representatives of the different races were carried away on stretchers to the temple for recuperation. And Hannibal walked out to the street stalls with Janice, happily. Cheers and applause poured down on those who were leaving. Woo-ooo- But playful boos flew from all directions towards our party, who had been declared the final victors. Well, I brought it on myself, so I can’t complain. “It’s been a while since we’ve been treated like villains.” Damian smiled bashfully. Then, I suddenly remembered the time of the ‘Fiery Colosseum’. Back then, with this same group, we had overturned all the victory odds of the monsters, and won everything while being booed and mocked. As if they had remembered the same thing, smiles crossed the faces of the main party members. It’s fun to win while being cheered on, but it’s definitely fun to smash everything as a villain underdog. “Well, fine.” I chuckled and waved my hand towards the audience. “Shall we win this time as well, overcoming the boos like a villain?” “Oh my, senior, you’re getting carried away again…” Evangeline was muttering something from behind, but shut up! “Now that it’s come to this, I’ll go with a villain concept for this martial arts tournament…!” I covered my face with my hand for no reason and curled up the corners of my mouth wickedly. Then, I turned to the main party members and laid down the law. “Alright, you guys too! Switch to villains! Do it!” “Huh? Ah, switch to villains…?” The main party members, looking bewildered, turned to each other, and after a moment, they diligently contorted their faces as if imitating me. “Very well. It’s time to return to the delinquent Lucas who skipped academy classes with our lord. Hehe.” “Kuh, kuh-kuh… This eye… can see the darkness well…” “Hwa, gold maniac. I’m a gold maniac because I look like my mom!” “Crossroads is mine-!” “…” Looking around at the party members who were each doing their best to immerse themselves in their villain roles, I thought to myself. No, honestly, it doesn’t seem like you guys have much talent for that… *** The tournament progressed smoothly. Sometime after lunch, the semi-finals began. And our semi-final opponents were- “Glory Knights! Glory Knights!” “The strongest knight order in the Empire!” “Please beat the Prince!” “Be sure to tickle his side! Torment him thoroughly!” The Glory Knights. As they came out into the arena, Hecate looked surprised, her eyes wide, at the unexpected cheers. The other four knights also looked flustered by the sudden cheers. It was understandable that they were flustered, having received such a warm reaction despite having joined this front not long ago. “But isn’t this enthusiastic reaction all thanks to our main party’s villain switch?” When we entered the arena with our chests puffed out, enthusiastic boos and playful whistles filled the air. Especially the heroes who had been defeated by us and eliminated—old men, scary older sisters, Outsiders, etc.—were at the forefront of the boos. “Taking our party members as you please!” “Using all sorts of underhanded methods to win!” “Is it all about being handsome?” “Is it all about paying well? Is it all about holding a festival?!” “Is it?” “It kind of is?” “Anyway, woo-ooo!” I raised both hands and accepted their boos, smiling contentedly. If the reaction is rich in any direction, it’s good for the show’s success. Thank you, thank you, comrades. “Woo-ooo-!” Among them, Moomy looked like he didn’t even know why he was booing, but he was booing the most enthusiastically. You too, really… “…” Before the match started, I looked around the audience and suddenly made eye contact with Dusk Bringer, who was standing alone in the distance. Could it be that he came to scout his opponent for the finals? I smiled brightly, but Dusk Bringer snorted and turned his head away. How cold. “The sunlight… is being blocked appropriately.” Before today’s match, I had installed a large awning over the arena, large enough to cover the entire arena. This was because I had heard that the Glory Knights were unable to withstand sunlight. Thanks to that, the arena was covered in a suitable shade. “This match, at least, should be fair without any differences in conditions.” As I muttered quietly, Lucas nodded, smiling contentedly. The match preparations were complete. Our main party and the Glory Knights, standing at opposite ends of the arena, quietly stared at each other. The cheers and boos that filled our ears faded away. Waiting for the start of the battle, the ten heroes began to focus entirely on each other. And… Ding-! With the sound of the bell signaling the start of the match, everyone except Lucas in our party rushed towards the fake dragon. At the same time, the four black knights of the Glory Knights also rushed towards the fake dragon. It had been agreed in advance. In this match, these eight would not engage in direct combat and would focus on attacking the fake dragon. The reason was… “…” “…” To create a stage so that the two knights could fully concentrate on their duel. Lucas, who had drawn his wooden sword, lightly stretched his body and walked towards the center of the arena. On the opposite side, Hecate, who had gently folded the parasol she had been holding—and tied it with a string—also walked gracefully towards the center of the arena. Hecate’s white dress and white brimmed hat fluttered in the breeze. Hecate, who had closed her eyes and inhaled the southern air, squinted and looked up at the awning that covered the sky. “It’s a nice day.” A faint smile formed on her lips. “Enough for even evil spirits to dance.” Taat-! The next moment, Hecate, who had kicked off the ground with the tip of her shoe, flew towards Lucas—and the two knights clashed. Wooden sword and parasol intertwined in the air. As they matched their swords and competed for strength, they laughed. “I feel like I have no regrets even if I die now.” “You shouldn’t say that yet, Hecate.” Lucas put strength into his wooden sword and pushed Hecate’s parasol back, “There are still many things you haven’t done, like…” He shouted and charged. “Like losing to me-!” While we were watching the two knights bickering with a strange, heartwarming feeling, “…Um, Your Highness.” A displeased voice was heard from the side. “Huh? Why?” When I turned around, Damian was gesturing with a cold sweat. “That’s… I’ve found it, the reverse scale…” “…” At Damian’s words, the shoulders of our side’s members stiffened. That, well, look at the atmosphere and find it slowly! You’re like a super-high-performance clairvoyant! We should give those two some time to duel after a long time! The shoulders of the four black knights, who were diligently sticking to the fake dragon to find the reverse scale, also stiffened, as if they had heard Damian’s words. Whirr- We quietly looked at each other. “I’m sorry, but…” Damian smiled like an angel and then drew his bow. “We’re villains now, right?” This, this guy who is so faithful to his duty…! The next moment, Damian’s arrow was on the bowstring, and the four black knights threw themselves to block the arrow. Junior, Evangeline, and I were with them. Not yet, you jerkkkk!