I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 624

The dawn of the festival’s end.

Poom, poom…

The fireworks that filled the sky gradually subsided.

Two heavily drunk mercenaries, reeking of alcohol, stumbled into the temple.

“Ugh~ I’m wasted. So wasted I can’t even see straight.”

“You can’t see straight anyway, you idiot… Ugh. My head’s gonna split.”

It was Nobody and Chain.

The two mercenaries, carrying new bottles of liquor and bundles of snacks, staggered arm in arm towards the intensive care unit.

“That Candler guy, he’s still out of it, just lying there sleeping.”

“Let’s at least have a drink by his side, hee hee.”

The two mercenaries chuckled mischievously, revealing their wicked plan to crack open some booze and snacks in Candler’s private room.

They had been visiting him every day since, telling the unconscious Candler about what had happened each day.

Today was no different. The two mercenaries planned to tell Candler about what had happened at the festival today, while having a drink by his side.

“…Huh?”

“Yeah?”

And then, the two mercenaries who entered Candler’s room stopped in their tracks, puzzled.

He was sitting up.

Candler was leaning against the headboard of the bed, gazing out at the dark window.

Poom, poom…

The intermittent flashes of fireworks briefly illuminated the private room before fading away.

Startled, Nobody and Chain dropped their liquor and snacks and rushed into the room.

“Candler!”

“You’re awake?! How’s your body?”

Candler didn’t turn around.

He continued to stare out the window, muttering in a faint voice that seemed about to fade away.

“…Beautiful. Was today the last day of the autumn festival?”

“H-How do you know that?!”

“You were conscious!”

“Haha. You guys kept telling me what happened.”

Nobody and Chain were about to call for a priest, but Candler stopped them.

“It’s okay… Tell me about the festival today.”

Nobody and Chain hesitated for a moment, but soon, they excitedly began to ramble about what had happened that day.

Listening to the fun, noisy, and chaotic stories from all over the city… Candler faintly smiled with his burnt lips.

“I’m glad. That I could open my eyes today.”

Now, even the fireworks had completely stopped, and it was pitch black…

And after looking up at the sky where the dawn was breaking in the distance.

“To have been of some help… in protecting this city… this festival.”

Candler took a deep breath.

“I’m glad.”

That night, Candler passed away.

With a satisfied smile on his face.

***

After the festival ended.

Work immediately began to pile up. While I was having fun, a mountain of things to deal with had accumulated.

I was buried in a pile of documents, busily moving my pen.

‘The resources are overflowing…’

The Fly Legion was the most horrific and numerous monster ever, and its spoils were enormous.

It had been a month since the battle ended, and only now was the recovery of magic stones complete.

The magic stones and the funds converted from them filled the warehouse and then some, and we also acquired a terrifying number of magic cores. We are using these to manufacture various equipment.

In addition, all sorts of support came from all over the world. The supplies are very abundant.

Supplies, yes.

‘The troop situation is…’

I had sent out a proclamation to the whole world this time. Recruiting heroes, and the autumn festival. Those were the two things.

And for the autumn festival, a huge number of people flocked to Crossroads… I thought they were all tourists, but they weren’t.

Most of them had come in response to the hero recruitment. They just happened to enjoy the festival as well.

Is it because it’s a romantic fantasy world? I clearly wrote in the proclamation, ‘Low survival rate, extremely low success rate.’

It seems that those who saw that were even more motivated and packed their bags to come.

“…”

But romance is just romance. Reality is cold.

They are, strictly speaking, volunteers.

Of course, there are many with extensive combat experience. There are quite a few heroes who are R-rank or higher. Moreover, since they volunteered to come to this front line, their morale is also high.

However, even if they stay on the front lines until the very end, it will be a long way before they become an elite force.

‘We lost too much.’

We lost many elite heroes and soldiers in the last battle.

This damage will not be recovered until the day the World Guardian Front is disbanded. Whether we win or lose, either way.

‘…Let’s put aside the negative thoughts.’

Anyway, there are so many people who have put aside their own safety and gathered to fight for the world.

We need to provide them with uniforms and equipment, feed them well, and conduct thorough training. The battles ahead will be harsh.

There were several approvals for equipment to be distributed to the new recruits and accommodations for them to stay in, and I carefully reviewed and signed them.

And…

“…”

I picked up the next document and held my breath.

It was the news of Candler’s death.

He had suffered serious injuries in the last battle and had miraculously survived, but… he finally passed away on the last night of the festival.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and took out a new piece of paper to write an official document. It was about preparing for Candler’s funeral.

After handling several other matters.

“…”

And, finally.

My true calling had finally arrived.

Killing monsters. It was time to go on an expedition.

“Lucas, summon the heroes assigned to the front lines.”

Lucas, who was entering the office with a stack of documents, looked at me with surprised eyes. I nodded.

“I’m going to start hunting the Black Dragon Legion.”

***

When I went down to the first floor of the mansion after ordering the heroes to be summoned, Muyeong was waiting for me.

“Ash.”

Muyeong smiled brightly.

It had been about a month since she came here. Maybe it was because she had slept well, but her complexion had improved a lot.

I was about to smile back, but my lips hardened.

I saw the luggage bag on Muyeong’s back. She was ready to leave.

“Thanks to you, I was able to enjoy the festival to the fullest. I don’t know when was the last time I rested so well in my life. It was like a dream month.”

She said, adjusting her bag.

“But my duty is not here. For my people who are sunk beneath that lake, I must take up my sword and fight.”

“…”

“So, I will leave again now. To where I need to be.”

There was no longer any reason to hold her back.

Muyeong had eaten, drank, laughed, sang, and danced during the festival. Like any ordinary person.

But the fate she carried was ultimately in the darkness beneath the water.

“Goodbye, Muyeong.”

I reached out my hand and shook hers.

“Let’s meet again soon. Under the lake.”

“Hehe. Since I received such great hospitality in the mortal realm, I will treat you well in that darkness.”

“I appreciate the thought. Let’s just try to keep each other alive.”

Muyeong headed towards the teleport gate. I followed her to see her off.

Aider was waiting next to the teleport gate. Aider was holding a small bag with some luggage and a red cloth.

“Princess.”

“Aider.”

After a brief greeting, the two were silent for a moment.

“…May I tie your hair one last time?”

Aider asked carefully, and Muyeong, instead of answering, turned her body and offered her hair with a faint smile.

I stood behind them, silently watching Aider comb, groom, and braid Muyeong’s hair.

After the hair styling was finished, Aider took a step back and bowed deeply.

“Farewell. And…”

Aider whispered in a rustling voice.

“I hope we can meet again someday.”

“You too. Please stay safe.”

As Muyeong stood in front of the teleport gate, a pile of stones rotated, forming a magical door.

Muyeong turned around, looked at me and Aider alternately, and smiled brightly.

“It was fun, Crossroads.”

And Muyeong disappeared beyond the teleport gate.

I and Aider stood there for a while, quietly reminiscing about her disappearing figure.

At this time, I did not know.

That this was the last moment she visited the mortal realm as ‘Muyeong’…

***

“The Black Dragon Legion has a total of seven members.”

At the gathering where all the heroes under my command were summoned.

I began the briefing.

“First, the True Black Dragon, Night Bringer. The first black dragon and the only true one.”

That bastard who had come to Crossroads and then quietly disappeared.

Everyone here had encountered him. Some of the heroes trembled as they recalled the power he had unleashed at the time.

“And six of his own kind created by this Night Bringer.”

I scribbled on the whiteboard.

“He scattered his blood, claws, fangs, wings, eyes, and pure scales into the Milky Way, and from each of those, six dragons, his children, were born.”

“…Do dragons give birth to children like that?”

Evangeline muttered, and everyone looked at Dusk Bringer as if they had made a promise. Then Dusk Bringer blushed and yelled.

“Why are you looking at me, you guys! That’s mythology! Stories from the mythological era are bound to be exaggerated!”

“…Ahem. Whether it’s a mythological fabrication, self-reproduction, or cloning. I don’t know the principle, but anyway, these six dragons are Night Bringer’s children and subordinates.”

I cleared my throat and continued the explanation.

“Except for the True Black Dragon Night Bringer, they are all successors of the black dragon’s blood… but they are all somewhat lacking.”

Of course, even if one of those half-wits were to descend, they could devastate the mortal realm. But compared to that monster Night Bringer, they are very weak.

“The last of the seven, the youngest, who is said to have been born from Night Bringer’s blood, is already dead.”

To be precise, we killed him.

In the ‘Flaming Colosseum,’ we one-shotted him with [Black Queen] thanks to the Colosseum rule’s damage multiplier.

But he was a particularly weak being among the Black Dragon Legion.

The one born from the ‘blood’ that Night Bringer scattered had no intellect or reason, but instead could divide himself and increase his numbers, making him a noticeably weak mob position even within the Black Dragon Legion.

What we caught was the weakest version of him, after he had divided himself many times… but anyway.

“So, the total number of dragons we have to defeat is six.”

I pointed the end of my staff at the remaining ones written on the whiteboard – claws, fangs, wings, eyes, and pure scales.

“We will kill five of them, excluding Night Bringer, and make weapons from their bones and armor from their hides and scales.”

Defeat the evil dragons and produce as many dragon slayers as possible.

Tap!

My staff landed on the name of the one written at the top of the list.

“The first target is the one called ‘Black Dragon’s Claw’.”

He is the weakest of the remaining Black Dragon Legion.

Even so, he is a much more powerful dragon monster than any ordinary boss monster.

“He has no fangs, wings, or eyes. Therefore, he cannot speak, fly, or see. He is just one who rampages and crushes. His name is Parekian.”

Having said that, I let out a sigh.

He was the easiest enemy in the Black Dragon Legion raid, but ironically, he was also the one who caused the most casualties.

This was because he was usually the first dragon raid boss encountered. In the game, I died to this guy so many times.

‘I won’t let that happen this time.’

I renewed my resolve and looked around at the heroes.

“For each raid, I will select and take a suitable team with me. Some of you will have to go on every expedition, some will only be taken on specific battles, and some may not be called at all. But this is the conclusion I have reached after much deliberation, so I hope you will follow me without objection.”

Everyone was silently looking at me with shining eyes.

I nodded deeply.

“Okay, then I will call out the names of those who will participate in this ‘Black Dragon’s Claw’ raid.”

I took out the paper I had prepared from my pocket.

Then, I slowly called out the name written at the top.

“…First, Violet.”

Glug.

Immediately, the illusionist Violet foamed at the mouth and collapsed to the side.