I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 728

After the final strategy meeting, Aither disappeared to make his own preparations. I wouldn’t see him again until the final battle, Stage 50.

“Alright, then I guess we need to prepare to survive until the final boss battle.”

Right now, it’s Stage 45.

This is another boss stage. If we mess up here, we won’t even get to see the final boss’s face, and it’s game over. We need to stay sharp.

So, I organized an exploration team to scout the dungeon, but…

“What?”

After hearing the identity of the enemies we’d face in this boss stage, I muttered in bewilderment.

“Zombies?!”

***

The monster army we have to face in Stage 45 is zombies.

To be precise, they are the ‘zombified’ ‘Demon Guardian Corps’.

‘What were they doing when they died? And what were they doing when they came back to life…?’

It’s full of questions, but anyway, they’re zombies, demons, and monsters. We need to kill them thoroughly.

First of all, demon-type monsters, unlike other monsters, don’t have clear strengths or weaknesses.

Instead, they have superior stats in all aspects compared to humans, and they can use equipment like humans.

The Demon Guardian Corps is the top-tier unit among such demon types, possessing outstanding specs and very good equipment.

And these guys have become zombies…?

‘In the end, I have to plan the strategy thinking of them as super-spec zombies.’

And if it’s the Demon Guardian Corps, then their leader would be the commander of the Demon Guardian Corps – ‘Cromwell’.

This demon duke, who is the pinnacle of the demon race, is armed with various powers to command her subordinates. The Demon Guardian Corps she commands shows a well-trained, military-like combat style.

If we had clashed with her and her corps in their original state, the battle would have unfolded like a fight against a powerful special forces unit.

A small elite army and its commander would have infiltrated the city and cleverly tormented us.

‘But they’re zombies…’

The zombies in this world are not a race or a corps, but a kind of ‘state’.

They are resurrected from death, lose their reason, and simply attack the opponent in front of them… Moreover, they are in a state of ‘contagion’.

In the game, I had encountered a monster army that had fallen into this zombie state before.

If bitten, allies also become ‘infected’, and if they die in that state, they revive as zombies and join the enemy army.

‘It’s not like the movies on Earth where you turn into a zombie as soon as you get bitten, but anyway, they’re a troublesome enemy.’

If I think of these guys in that state, it’s like a bunch of fit special forces soldiers have all turned into zombies and are charging at us…?

‘They’re similar to the ghouls of the blood clan, but also slightly different.’

I made a ‘hmm’ sound, recalling the memory of Stage 5.

I soon came to a conclusion.

‘I need to check them out myself.’

I need to take a close look at the state of the zombified demons to establish a battle plan for this fight.

I immediately ordered.

“Lucas, summon all the heroes!”

When I called, Lucas immediately came running in a hurry. I gave Lucas a series of orders.

“Select personnel to go directly into the dungeon for exploration!”

***

I told the assembled heroes about the opponents in this stage.

Having faced all sorts of monsters so far, everyone was no longer surprised by the fact that they were zombies + demons.

‘No, aren’t you all a little too indifferent? Have you all become too hardened?’

I was rather disappointed.

Even so, they’re zombies and demons, a staple of horror movies. I was hoping at least one person would scream ‘Eek!’ or ‘Kyaa!’…

“Cough, Lily, I miss your prime days…”

“…Excuse me? What are you talking about?”

Lily had already opened her documents and was making a list of water-based artifacts that would work well against zombies and demons.

She’s become too mentally strong too, is this the power of a mother…

“Ahem, anyway!”

I cleared my throat and continued, drawing attention.

“This exploration doesn’t have a grand purpose. I just want to see and judge the approximate state of these zombie demons… demon zombies… whatever they are.”

I nodded in front of the focused gazes.

“So, I don’t intend to engage in a full-scale battle.”

“Then…”

“Like the scouting team that was dispatched earlier, the team entering this time is also a scouting team. But we’ll be looking a little deeper and then coming out.”

I briefly explained the characteristics of demons and zombies to the heroes.

They have great specs, and if you get bitten, you get infected.

In other words, to go deep into a place swarming with these guys for scouting…

“We’ll go with the fastest friends in our World Guardian Front.”

Speed is key.

Quickly scout and run away with our tails between our legs. That’s the concept of this scouting mission.

“So, I’m going to select those among you who are fast…”

As I looked around at the crowd,

Swish, swish, swish!

Everyone raised their hands as if they had agreed beforehand.

…What is it, do you all think you’re fast?

“As you know, Ash.”

Verdandi chuckled and placed her hand on her chest, speaking confidently.

“Our elves are second to none when it comes to speed.”

“Oh.”

“And as you know, I’m an assassin… I can be said to be the fastest on this front.”

Verdandi raised her nose as if to show off.

I couldn’t help but smile. It was because it was a bright face of Verdandi that I hadn’t seen much since her sister Skuld died.

Then, Kellybay, who was listening, burst out.

“As you know, Ash!”

“Yes…?”

“In underground tunnels, our dwarves are faster than any other race!”

“Huh…”

“And that Lake Kingdom dungeon is a structure that’s no different from an underground tunnel! In other words, dwarves are faster than elves!”

Immediately, Verdandi and Kellybay started a staring contest.

It was a classic rivalry between elves and dwarves. Oh…

Kellybay’s face has also brightened a lot. So I felt a little more relieved.

But there was no time to admire it. It was because all sorts of heroes were appealing to me one after another.

“Captain, include me too!”

Kuilran, who had lost all the remaining wolf fur and had completely transformed into a human, jumped out.

“I’ve never lost in a short-distance race since I was a kid!”

“What about long-distance?”

“You’re touching a sore spot, ugh…”

Kuilran immediately shrank back.

A glass cannon with a stamina stat of 5 can’t be good at long distances. Hmm, but he’s definitely fast at short distances…

Next, the Archmage of the Ivory Tower, Diarmuidin, subtly appealed to me.

“I may be old.”

“Yes.”

“But I’m still very healthy for my age, you know?”

“Yes.”

“More than anything, you know? I can fly? Very fast?”

The old mage flapped his robe with a triumphant face.

That’s right, this person is a flying senior citizen…

Moreover, he can provide wide-area flight to allies. It can be said that he fits the concept of this exploration very well.

After giving him a bonus point, I looked at the heroes who came forward after him. Let’s see.

“Torkel?”

“…”

Our front’s best tank rolled his eyes inside his helmet.

After a while, Torkel cautiously said.

“If I put my mind to it, I’m quite fast too?”

Dude… where’s your conscience…?

“There’s a mirror over there, go check your size.”

“Ugh…”

Torkel stepped back with a bitter expression.

From the start, your strength isn’t in speed, but in other areas. Don’t needlessly fuel your competitive spirit here.

Besides that, other heroes took turns to show off their speed.

And even in the midst of this, the Gamble Club members were all looking away and didn’t even raise their hands. You guys are consistent, and I like that.

After listening to each of them introduce themselves, I looked at the quiet kids.

“But why is the main party not saying anything?”

Then, Junior, startled, pointed at himself.

“Yes? Aren’t we all going, of course?”

“No. I’m going to pick only five people from the people gathered here.”

It’s a scouting mission, there’s no need to go in a large group. We should only go with the minimum number of people. That’s why I’m picking the fastest ones.

Junior, flustered, quickly racked his brain and said this.

“I, I’m fast at magic calculations…!”

“Stay.”

“Tch.”

Damien next to him also pondered with his head in his hands, and then, with a brightened face, shouted.

“Your Highness! My bullets are fast!”

“Yeah. You’re out.”

“Hing…”

I looked at the remaining two main party members.

“Lucas, Evangeline. Do you have any appeal points?”

Then, Lucas, who was standing leisurely with his hands behind his back, smiled gently.

“Do I really need to? You know better than anyone how fast I am, and how useful I am.”

“…”

Evangeline next to him, munching on a snack she had brought from somewhere, said this.

“I’m looking forward to it~ The sight of you regretting not bringing me after you get there.”

“Ugh…!”

They’re annoying, the knight duo…!

But it’s also true. I had already decided to take these two from the beginning.

So, this is how the scouting party was formed.

Me. Verdandi. Diarmuidin. Lucas. Evangeline.

I appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm, but I didn’t want to give them beautiful memories (+scars) by getting bitten by zombies, so I formed a squad with only those who were truly fast.

‘With the mage Diarmuidin, we can handle various situations, and we have Verdandi who can move stealthily, and the knight duo who can push through like tanks if necessary.’

This is a great combination. Hmm, hmm.

While thinking, I suddenly flinched.

‘No, the slowest one in this party is…’

Isn’t it me…?

Am I lowering the average speed of this fastest party…?

“…”

Well, of course, my average speed is slower compared to them! But even so, if I become the all-out Prince, I have various means of transportation!

I was convincing myself when it happened.

“Oh my, look at the time! The nanny has something to do today, so I have to go pick up Sid!”

Lily, who had noticed that it was late evening, was startled and began to frantically operate the buttons on the magical device attached to her wheelchair.

“Then I’ll prepare the water-based artifacts well for the next defense! I’ll be going first, Your Highness!”

I quickly nodded.

“Okay, go pick up Sid quickly!”

“Thank you!”

As I gave my permission,

Whoosh-!

A magical flame flashed behind Lily’s wheelchair, and the next moment, Lily pulled her wheelchair and sped out of the reception room at a terrifying speed.

“Then everyone, see you tomorrow!”

And she slid down the hallway and left the lord’s mansion in the blink of an eye.

“…”

Everyone watched with their mouths open as Lily’s wheelchair quickly disappeared into the distance outside the window.

I muttered in a daze.

“…No, isn’t she the fastest one here?”

She’s drifting and using boost in a wheelchair?

Strong, mom…

***

The next day.

Our five-person scouting team, composed of the fastest heroes, entered the Lake Kingdom dungeon.

And… we soon had to discover.

One element I had overlooked.

“Oh my god, it’s a zombie apocalypse-!”

I screamed as I ran through the dark city.

“These bastards, they attacked and infected other monster corps, so…”

I turned around with a shudder.

“Their numbers have increased-!”

There…

Groooaaan!

Groooaaan!

All sorts of monster corps, all bitten and zombified, were chasing us like crazy.

The zombified Demon Guardian Corps attacked and infected other monster corps, and those monster corps attacked and infected other monster corps…

The majority of the monster corps in the Lake Kingdom had turned into zombies!

Their numbers were much higher than what the scouting team had reported just a day ago!

“I…”

And finally, someone among us couldn’t bear it and screamed.

“I hate it!”

It was Diarmuidin.

Along with the old mage’s feeble scream, zombies filled the alleys and avenues of the Lake Kingdom and endlessly chased us.