I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 625

In this raid, a large number of different races, who could be considered one of the main forces of the monster front, were excluded.

It’s not because they were unsuitable for the raid, but because the four representatives of their races have become avatars of their respective racial gods.

They’ve collapsed, unable to control their overflowing power, and are now groaning in pain. It’s impossible for them to sortie in this state.

‘Chosen Ones of the racial gods, huh? That wasn’t even in the game…’ [Referring to the game the protagonist is familiar with].

I don’t know their specs or how to use them yet. So, for now, they’re excluded from the battle force. Let’s see after they recover a bit.

Thus, the list of heroes participating in this battle is… based on the Martial Arts Tournament, it’s as follows:

Main Party.

The Old Guys.

The Scary Sisters (replaced Nobody with a Holy Knights Order priest).

Glory Knights.

Dragon Blood Knights.

In addition, two more parties that showed excellent performance in the Martial Arts Tournament were added. These two parties will be on standby in the rear, observing the battle situation. They’ll be deployed if necessary.

“The 25 people participating in this raid will reorganize into parties according to their roles.”

I reorganized the 25 people into one melee tank party, two melee damage-tank parties, one melee damage party, and one ranged firepower party.

At this time, Lucas, who had been quietly observing the situation, cautiously spoke to me.

“My lord, the current composition seems a bit too skewed towards the front.”

“……”

“The firepower is lacking. Are you sure this is okay?”

In short, the number of ranged damage dealers is small.

The number of archers (snipers) and mages is much smaller than the number of melee units.

Dragon raids are special compared to other monster battles. The dragon is huge and powerful.

All of its patterns are area-of-effect, which means that even the slightest movement of the dragon has a high chance of sweeping away our allies.

The basic strategy for a dragon raid is to have an appropriate number of melee units draw the dragon’s attention while the ranged firepower steadily accumulates damage. That’s how I’ve taught them so far.

But this time, there are four melee parties, so it’s understandable that Lucas is flustered.

“You’re right, Lucas. If it were a standard raid, it would be better to adjust the ratio.”

I grinned.

“But this time, we’re going to use a little trick. This composition is just right.”

“Ah, I see…”

Lucas’s face brightened at my mention of a trick. He’s seen my various bizarre tricks, so he naturally trusts me.

‘Should I have called it a strategy instead of a trick…?’

Anyway, there was no need to delay, so I told everyone the trick I was going to use in this raid.

Those who were going out and those who were on standby all listened attentively.

After detailed tactical meetings and discussions, several hours had passed.

Finally, Lucas asked.

“Then, when do we sortie, my lord?”

“Three days from now.”

I nodded heavily.

“After training with the new formation, we’ll head straight to the enemy lines. Everyone, prepare diligently.”

Then, I pointed at one of the heroes with the end of my staff.

“Make sure Violet is well restrained.”

The other Gamble Club members, and Lily, who had tried to escape several times before, said, “Yes.”

With her whole body restrained, Violet made a hollow sound.

“This damn life…”

I chuckled.

Even though she says that, I know that Violet has become a proper warrior, working hard on this front.

***

Three days later.

West of the city. The cemetery.

Candler’s funeral was held.

The funeral was small. But the number of people who gathered was not small at all.

People who had a connection with Candler as a mercenary, people who had a connection with her when she worked in the production guild. And people who knew the miracle she had performed…

Many people gathered and watched as her coffin was buried in the ground. Some cried, some were composed, and some silently suppressed their emotions.

“……”

The coffin, wrapped in the World Guardian Front’s flag – a black flag with no pattern – was placed in the ground, and I personally placed a white flower on top of the coffin.

Nobody and Chain, dressed in mourning clothes, personally took shovels and sprinkled soil on the coffin.

After the ceremony proceeded, and even the choir’s song and the sound of cannons subsided.

I didn’t go up on the platform, but stood shoulder to shoulder with the people who had gathered in a circle, and instead of a grand speech or oration… I bowed my head and recited a poem.

I do not seek a path without thorns

Nor do I demand that sorrow disappear

I do not seek only sunny days

Nor do I wish to stay in the summer sea

With only an eternal day of sunshine

The earth’s greenery would wither

If there were no tears in the passage of time

The heart would close the peaks of hope

This was a poem mourning Candler’s death, and at the same time.

It was a declaration of war for the upcoming series of battles against the Black Dragon Legion.

“Let’s go.”

The 25 raiders and 10 reserves, all having taken off their mourning clothes, put on the armor and equipment that had been prepared.

At the head of them, I lowered the flag on the flagpole a little lower than usual. As if hoisting a flag at half-mast.

I don’t know if this is appropriate for the etiquette of this world. I don’t even know if it’s appropriate for the etiquette of Earth.

But what’s important is the meaning I put into it.

Fluttering the lowered black flag – I declared to my heroes.

“To our thorny path.”

***

“Are you going?”

The Emperor was waiting in front of the teleport gate in the backyard of the lord’s mansion.

I bowed my head and replied.

“Yes, Father.”

“I heard that in this battle, you might actually die.”

“That has always been the case.”

We have been fighting with the fate of the world at stake.

There has never been a time when I haven’t risked my life.

“Haha.”

The Emperor, swallowing a laugh with an unknown meaning, looked at me intently.

“Normally, it should be the opposite… but while you risk your life to fight, this father will stay here and plan for the future.”

That’s only natural.

If we are annihilated under the lake.

Then the only person to entrust the world to is this man, the Emperor.

Even if Crossroads is captured, if there is a commander who will continue to resist by retreating the front line to the north, it would only be the Emperor.

“I entrust the land to you, Father.”

“The more I think about it, the more ridiculous it is. Usually, the father would go out, and the son would plan for the future…”

Of course, my determination to go to the battlefield did not change, and the Emperor did not try to change my mind.

“Have you reached a conclusion?”

The Emperor suddenly asked.

He must be asking about the conclusion to the question, the trial he gave me during the festival.

I hesitated for a moment.

And after looking at the Dusk Bringer and Hecate standing behind me, and the other heroes with solemn expressions, I replied.

“…Not yet.”

“I see.”

The Emperor, nodding readily at my answer that I was still pondering, asked.

“Do you remember what I told you before?”

“What do you mean?”

“I said that if you have the will to find a path, there is a path everywhere, and it leads everywhere.”

That was a conversation between us, father and son, when we met while drifting in the spirit realm.

“I remember. You told me to wander as much as I wanted. That the path would surely be at the end.”

The Emperor smiled at my words.

“Yes. I’ll say it one more time. Wander as much as you want, my son.”

“……”

“Whether you’re in the darkness or in the light, it’s okay. Wherever you are, that’s also life.”

Having said that, the Emperor stepped aside.

“Go now.”

“Yes, Father.”

After showing my respect, I gave a simple command to my heroes.

“Enter!”

“Yes!”

We stepped into the wide-open teleport gate.

Because the darkness we had to face was there.

***

[Now Loading… Teleporting.]

[Tip – There are various gimmicks prepared in the Dragon Raid. Try to lower the difficulty by actively using the gimmicks!] [A game-like tip, likely from a system interface].

Wow, how long has it been since I’ve seen a tip like this? Did Aider recover some strength?

I chuckled at the sudden timing of the tip.

It was an obvious story, but I could still feel the heart that was trying to help me…

The tension that had been tightly wound was loosened just a little.

Flash!

***

The Black Dragon Legion’s bases, the so-called Dragon Lairs, are all in 9 districts.

It seems that the Night Bringer has taken over the royal palace in the 10th district, but the other five must be nesting in their respective lairs.

Among them, ‘Black Dragon’s Claw’ – Parekian’s lair is on the outermost edge of the 9th district.

“It’s incredibly bustling…”

Evangeline muttered in a daze.

It wasn’t just Evangeline. All the heroes who had entered this place were bewildered and amazed as they looked around.

The ‘districts’ of the Lake Kingdom refer to the depth of the dungeon, and the numbers increase as you head towards the center of the city.

It is presumed that the 6th district was the residence of the aristocratic class, and the deeper you go, the higher the social class of those who lived there.

Now, we are in the 9th district.

The royal palace in the very center of the 10th district is right in front of us, the very center of the Lake Kingdom.

It’s all shrouded in darkness, but even a rough look shows that it’s a terrifyingly developed city. Honestly, it seems more splendid than the imperial capital New Terra.

‘When I was adrift before, I only wandered around in the 10th district.’

The memory of wandering around the 10th district with the Succubus Queen Salome suddenly came to mind.

At that time, I could only enter the path connecting the 10th and 9th districts – the Great Bridge. I vividly remember trying to cross the bridge to get out to the 9th district and falling under the bridge.

There was a bottom village under the bridge, and people living there.

‘Once I’ve occupied all of the 9th district…’

I looked at the edge of the 9th district in the distance, the Great Bridge. And I scanned the darkness surging under the bridge.

‘I wonder if I can join up with the people of the bottom village.’

The bottom village is connected to the 1st district ‘Dried-up Drain’ by a drain. It’s a kind of shortcut, a shortcut.

I had tried to enter this shortcut before, but the heroes I sent to scout got lost in the maze-like drain and almost got stranded, so I gave up for now.

It seems that it won’t be easy to enter through the shortcut unless an NPC from the bottom village guides us directly.

It would be safer to occupy all of the 9th district and then calmly go to meet them.

“……”

Suddenly, the faces of the people who fought with me at that time came to mind.

Salome, Mason, the Sword Demon, the Spear Demon…

Soon, I shook my head to clear my mind.

‘First of all, it’s a dragon raid.’

There are a lot of worries to sort out, a tangled ball of yarn.

But if I solve the problems in front of me one by one, I believe that I will eventually find a complete conclusion at the end.

I decided to focus on the immediate task, the dragon raid. In fact, this alone is a huge crisis. It’s a situation where I have to risk my life.

We slowly crossed the darkened street in formation.

Thanks to the Night Bringer’s declaration of a truce, there are no overflowing monsters, and the Lake Kingdom is quiet. The scouts we sent ahead also said they didn’t find anything.

Still, we didn’t let our guard down and walked carefully, and finally arrived at our destination.

It’s the place in charge of the Lake Kingdom’s public order, like a police station in Korea on Earth… [A cultural reference, explained for clarity].

The sixth of the Black Dragon Legion, Claw Parekian, has set up his lair here.

I turned around and nodded, and the heroes nodded in unison with tense faces.

“Enter.”

“Enter!”

Just as we were about to rush into the police station.

“Wait!”

A clear voice came from behind. Everyone was startled and turned around, raising their weapons.

From the other side of the street, the one who appeared through the darkness was… none other than Nobody.

Everyone was relieved and lowered their weapons. I smiled, happy to see her.

“Nobody!”

“I’ll join you, Ash.”

Nobody, who had approached lightly, reached out and placed her hand on the closed door of the police station.

“Besides, if you want to enter a place like this… it would be better if I were with you.”

A magical pattern formed on the back of Nobody’s hand,

Kugugugung-!

The lock on the police station was released, and the rusted door slowly began to open to the left and right.

She is a member of the Lake Kingdom’s royal family. She has the right to enter any facility.

“Thank you, I’m counting on you.”

Everyone’s faces brightened as if they had gained a thousand troops, but Nobody’s face was serious.

“As you know, there is a member of the Black Dragon Legion inside. They are as cruel and vicious as any monster.”

“……”

“Don’t let your guard down. Understood?”

I nodded silently, and Nobody, taking a deep breath, took the lead.

Passing through the entrance of the police station, a huge landscaped garden appeared before entering the main building.

The soil was rotten black, and there was no trace of life on the withered trees.

And, on the wide platform leading from the garden to the main building of the police station…

The black, huge dragon was lying down.