I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 733

It was a long time ago.

Demons considered children their future and cherished them above all else.

When each legion left their home dimension to invade others,

The youngest and most talented child in the legion was appointed as the future legion commander.

The oldest and most experienced individual in the legion was called ‘Elder’ and assisted the young legion commander.

Before leaving their homeland,

The demon legion dispatched to this dimension was named the ‘Cromwell Legion’ because the name of the youngest and most talented child chosen as the new legion commander was Cromwell.

She was just a newborn, but she was a girl born with larger horns and greater potential than anyone else.

And the Elder had been taking care of this girl, Cromwell, since before they left their homeland.

A future legion commander destined for the throne, and an old man who was wise but could be discarded at any time.

The Elder was tasked with protecting and educating Cromwell until she came of age.

He did his best to care for Cromwell, diligently fulfilling his last glorious role.

And it was natural that young Cromwell came to see the Elder as,

《Dad!》

Every time, the Elder was perplexed and insisted on correcting her.

“We are not parent and child, but Elder and future legion commander.”

“I am just a lucky old man, and you are the future of the legion, full of talent and potential.”

The Elder told her this many times, but each time, Cromwell would smile brightly and say,

《Okay, Elder!》

She would only change the title and then act spoiled towards the Elder, just like a child would to their parents.

He should be strict, but he couldn’t.

The Elder accepted all of Cromwell’s whims. At the same time, he taught her with all his might.

The royal way.

The way of conquest.

The ambition of a great legion to conquer and rule the world…….

…….

Time passed.

The Cromwell Legion safely arrived in the target dimension, and in the meantime, Cromwell grew up admirably under the Elder’s guidance.

And, the day before the legion’s departure ceremony and coronation.

《Elder!》

《You are admirable, Your Excellency. There is nothing more I can teach you.》

《Hehe, it’s because you raised me well, Elder.》

The Elder looked up at Cromwell, who had now grown into a full-fledged legion commander, wiping away tears, and then said this.

《This is the final step, Your Excellency. Sacrifice me and devour me.》

《……What?》

Cromwell asked back in a bewildered voice.

She was just trying to act spoiled towards the Elder for the last time tonight, something she wouldn’t be able to do once she became the legion commander.

《Sacrifice me and absorb me completely, without leaving a single trace.》

The Elder, whom she had considered her father, was saying this.

《That is the last joy I can have.》

《What are you saying……?》

《This is our race’s way and tradition.》

The most talented young individual is appointed as the future legion commander, and the old and knowledgeable individual is appointed as their mentor.

After taking charge of education and guidance while the legion commander grows up.

In the end, they are eaten by the legion commander themselves, passing on all the knowledge they possess.

For demons with the ability called ‘Sacrifice,’ this was also the most rational method of inheritance.

The youngest, most talented, and longest-living individual eats all the knowledge of their predecessors and fully inherits it. Through this accumulation of knowledge, they become deeper and wiser.

Repeating this process to create the most ideal legion leader… a long-standing tradition unique to demons.

《Go, Your Excellency. Over my corpse……》

The Elder knelt before Cromwell and bowed his head.

《To a glorious future……!》

He had been waiting for this moment.

In this demon society where they are despised just for living long, this was the last moment to have his value recognized.

He would become a sacrifice for the completion of the legion commander.

Could there be any greater glory for him?

The Elder hoped that Cromwell would open her mouth and devour him in one gulp. However.

《I refuse, Elder.》

Cromwell refused.

《……!》

To the Elder, who was bowing his head to the ground with his eyes wide open, Cromwell commanded in an unusually cold voice.

《I will not eat you.》

《But, Your Excellency!》

《Why should I accept and eat the flesh of an old thing like you, with a worm-eaten soul that is sure to be tasteless?》

Cromwell turned away. The Elder, who had raised his head, cried out in agony.

《No, Your Excellency! This is our race’s tradition! You must eat me and take every last bit of knowledge in my head!》

《Such old traditions, such old knowledge. I don’t need them.》

《Your Excellency!》

《If you really need that knowledge, can’t you just keep telling me by my side?》

Cromwell’s will was firm.

《Live, Elder. Live long. And watch.》

The Elder’s collapsed forehead touched the ground. To such an Elder, Cromwell declared.

《The legion commander you raised will devour not you, but the entire world, with your own eyes……!》

***

Again, he could not die.

He could not gloriously perish on the battlefield, and the opportunity to be eaten by the legion commander at the end was also gone.

Thus, he survived.

As a powerless retiree who could do nothing…….

‘What should I do now?’

In a life that continued without death, the Elder simply watched.

Where the Cromwell Legion was going.

They contacted the ‘Mediator of the Destruction Game’ from a higher dimension, who had requested troops in this dimension – commonly known as the ‘Demon King’ – and began invading the dimension as his subordinates.

Cromwell was by far an outstanding being. She diligently assisted the Demon King for a long time and finished preparing to destroy this world.

During this long process, Cromwell gradually stopped seeking out the Elder.

Cromwell was busy, and the Elder was tired. Their relationship gradually grew distant.

And…….

…….

Cromwell died.

In a surprise attack by the Black Dragon Legion, Cromwell, who was acting as the Demon King’s proxy, was chewed to death by the dragon’s teeth.

Unable to even recover the body of the dead legion commander, the Elder had to flee hastily with the survivors of the legion.

While running and rolling to somehow maintain the legion’s lineage, the Elder thought.

It had been a very long time since they left their homeland following Legion Commander Cromwell and arrived here.

And during that long time…….

‘What have I done?’

He couldn’t tell what he had accomplished.

Was this futile end the end of a life that had stubbornly continued?

‘If it was a life that would disappear so meaninglessly anyway, then perhaps…….’

Perhaps……!

***

Present.

Inside the Abandoned Cathedral.

《Kaaaaaaah-!》

The Elder was frozen, staring at Cromwell as she roared and charged.

That form, which was nothing more than a huge mass of corpses.

In the Elder’s eyes, it suddenly changed to her appearance from when she was very young.

‘Dad!’

Thud-!

Cromwell’s massive body crashed into the main gate of the abandoned cathedral.

The entire cathedral trembled from the force of the impact. The young demon children inside screamed and hugged each other.

《Kaaaaaaah!》

Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!

She continued to slam her body roughly, and the entire cathedral vibrated as if it would collapse at any moment.

However, the main gate of the abandoned cathedral did not budge.

Ash had put up a defense using a magical barrier and the jade seal ring, and it was also reinforced with various magic and artifacts.

No matter how powerful Cromwell was as a demon, she could not use any magical abilities now that she was zombified. All she could do was smash with her body.

And with such physical attacks, she could not break through the reinforced main gate of the abandoned cathedral.

《Kaaa, aaaaack-!》

However, Cromwell, who had already lost her reason and was trying to kill the closest living being, had no choice but to keep charging.

“Don’t worry. It can’t be breached.”

Deermudine, who was observing the situation together, said.

“Unless it’s a more powerful magical attack, simple physical force cannot break down this abandoned cathedral. Everyone, don’t worry……”

After the humans connected this abandoned cathedral to a teleport gate, heroes were dispatched one by one in shifts. Currently, it was Deermudine’s turn.

‘The legion commander herself has appeared. I knew she was zombified, but what’s with the state of those horns? I need to report to Prince Ash quickly and gather the mages for research…….’

Something strange caught Deermudine’s eye.

The Elder, who had walked towards the main gate as if possessed, slowly reached out his hand and grabbed the lever of the gate’s opening switch.

《……Elder?》

The other demons were also flustered and stammered as they watched.

《Elder, what are you doing-》

Click!

But the Elder pulled the lever without saying a word, unlocking one stage of the lock.

Thud! Kuguung……!

The various locks on the main gate were immediately released. Everyone was shocked and gaped.

Because it was the most important device, the authority to operate that lever was magically bound to the Elder. Because he was the leader of the current survivors.

That Elder was opening the main gate with his own hands.

“Elder?! What on earth are you doing!”

Deermudine, who was aghast, shouted urgently.

As a fellow old man, Deermudine had formed a bond with the Elder and had frequent conversations over the past few days. So he thought there was still a chance to persuade him.

‘The lock is at stage 2……!’

Right now, the lock has only been released, and the door has not been opened, nor have all the defenses been neutralized.

If the Elder stops here without pulling the lever again, the abandoned cathedral can still be safe.

“Get a grip! What are you trying to do by opening that door?!”

《…….》

“The one outside is not the legion commander you were loyal to! That’s just a reanimated corpse! You know that, don’t you!”

《Deermudine.》

The Elder turned to look at Deermudine.

《If you are an old man like me, you would know. This feeling of being alive but not really alive.》

“What?”

《The feeling that the world is gradually abandoning me, saying I’m no longer useful. You know it too, don’t you?》

“……”

《When your body gets old, you retire from work, and you start to wonder what you’ve been living for all your life…… what do you do then?》

“If you’re alive!”

Deermudine sputtered, his beard trembling.

“You can do anything.”

《…….》

“You might be in pain because you don’t know what to do or what you can do right now. You might be frustrated right now as if the world has abandoned you. But!”

Deermudine tried to persuade the Elder at all costs.

“If you’re alive, you’ll see another path, for sure……!”

《…….》

“Don’t give up. Today is the youngest we’ll ever be. There’s no day faster than today to start something! So…….”

《Thank you for the kind words.》

The Elder nodded and put strength into the hand holding the lever.

《Thanks to you, I’ve gained courage.》

“Look, Elder…….”

《The courage to do what I’ve really wanted to do for a very long time……!》

“Get a grip, you fool!”

Deermudine pointed to the young demons who were hugging each other and trembling in the center of the abandoned cathedral.

“Aren’t there children of your race behind you!”

《My child.》

The Elder smiled sadly and put strength into the hand holding the lever.

《Is only that one out there.》

Deermudine possessed immense firepower, but his magic activation was slow, so he couldn’t stop the Elder.

Instead, other survivors among the demons, who were waiting with crossbows, urgently launched attacks at the Elder.

Thwack! Thwack, thwack……!

《Kuhk……!》

Even while spitting blood after being hit by dozens of arrows.

The Elder succeeded in pulling the lever.

Click!

Kugugugung……!

The main gate of the abandoned cathedral slowly began to open to the left and right.

All the locks were neutralized, and even the magical barrier and the wall of will that Ash had deployed were split open, creating a path.

《No way…….》

The survivors, with their mouths slightly open, let out blank voices.

And…….

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Through the open door, Cromwell, with her huge deer horns raised, slowly entered the abandoned cathedral.

Her hazy eyes were directed at the living creature right in front of her… the Elder.

《Your Excellency.》

The Elder, who was spitting blood after being hit by dozens of arrows, uttered in a weak voice.

《No, Cromwell.》

《…….》

《No…… my daughter.》

After uttering the real title he had hidden in the deepest part of his heart for the first time, thinking of her.

The Elder slowly spread his arms to the left and right.

《It was my life’s regret that I couldn’t give you everything.》

《Krrr…….》

《Here.》

The face of the old demon, which had always been listless and gloomy, was now lit up with a smile that was brighter than ever before.

《Eat.》

Cromwell, who slowly approached the Elder, stepped between his outstretched arms, as if embracing him…….

And opened her huge mouth wide.

Crunch!

She bit down.

Crunch, crunch! Splatter……!

The Elder’s entire living body.

Without leaving a trace. Gluttonously. Completely.

Splattering blood and flesh, she devoured him.