I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 763

Dungeon beneath the Lake Kingdom.

Base Camp.

With the next monster invasion, the ‘Flood,’ imminent, this place was also in an uproar.

Regardless of the battles thus far, intense evil energy emanating from the heart of the Lake Kingdom—the royal castle—enveloped the entire kingdom.

The base camp was intact, but the entire kingdom was shrouded in an ominous aura, with a sinister air flowing through it.

Squeak, squeak…

Squeak, squeak, squeak…

Outside the base camp, the rustling sound of insects gnawing in the darkness echoed, and within it, I could feel countless red gazes staring at me.

However, unfazed, I entered and approached my destination.

It was the magic workshop, where a huge witch was silently stirring the contents of a cauldron.

“Grandma Coco.”

“……”

At my call, Coco turned, her eyes haggard.

I gave a gentle smile.

“How have you been?”

“Young Prince… no, I can’t call you that anymore.”

Coco, having taken her hand off the cauldron, turned to me.

“The last hope of this world, what brings you to this old witch in the outskirts?”

“I need Grandma Coco.”

I cut to the chase.

“Please come to Crossroads, Coco. I need you for the final journey.”

“……”

After a moment of silence, Coco let out a long sigh and shook her head.

“If you want to save the world, you will eventually have to kill Muyeong. That child.”

“……”

“So, I can no longer help you. Killing Muyeong… even if it’s for the sake of the world, I can’t do it.”

I listened quietly. Coco cast her gaze deep into the dungeon.

“The princess… no, Muyeong is already beyond saving. In front of the royal castle, she has already transformed into a monster. There’s no way to save her anymore.”

“……”

“She has accepted all the darkness of this nation herself. She chose to bear all the suffering of the people of this nation on her own. It was a predetermined ending from the start.”

Coco sadly shook her head.

“All I can do… is to be by her side when she destroys the world…”

“…I heard. Grandma Coco, you were Muyeong’s nanny.”

At my words, Coco smiled bitterly.

“I thought of her as my own granddaughter.”

“I think of Muyeong as my friend.”

I looked straight at Coco.

Coco lowered her head, hiding her eyes with the brim of her hat.

“And yet, you intend to kill her? To save the world?”

“No.”

I grinned.

“I will save her.”

“…That’s impossible. Muyeong has already become the embodiment of all nightmares. Once she gathers all her power, she will set out to destroy the human world.”

Coco shook her head again.

“The world and that child, one of them is destined to disappear.”

“There is a way.”

But I spoke with conviction.

“A way to save both this world and Muyeong… just one.”

“……”

Coco looked at me with an incredulous expression, but I smiled confidently.

“For that method, Grandma Coco, I need your help.”

“…Well, tell me. What do you want me to help with?”

I got to the point.

“I want to move the dimensional transfer magic reactor from the demon ship to our ship. I’d like you to help with this task.”

It was something only Coco, a master of teleportation magic that was lost in ancient times, could do, something that modern magic could not handle.

Coco tilted her head, as if she couldn’t quite understand.

“It’s something I can help with, but… how does that save the world and Muyeong?”

“We need that ship for the final expeditionary force to set out.”

To save everyone within my reach.

And, to end this endless, tiresome defense game forever…

“To the final stage.”

What I will prepare…

To the last stage of this game.

***

I explained the detailed plan to Coco.

After much deliberation, Coco decided to help me. It seemed she wanted to give meaning to the attempt itself, even if there was a slim chance of saving Muyeong.

Thus, I succeeded in recruiting Coco.

Not only Coco, but also the adventurers who remained at the base camp. And even the Sword Demon and Spear Demon from the bottom village.

I persuaded everyone who could fight and brought them under my command.

Before the final battle, I gathered all the forces I could possibly scrape together. All of them were used to slicing through monsters in the dungeon, so they would be a great asset.

As the short break came to an end, and Stage 46, signaling the start of the final five-round battle, was fast approaching.

Kiiiiiiing-!

A new airship, one I had never seen before, flew into the sky above Crossroads.

It was a flying pirate ship, with a Jolly Roger [a traditional pirate flag with a skull and crossbones] emblazoned with a skull.

Soldiers, wary of the suddenly appearing unidentified airship, aimed their weapons. I muttered with a frown.

“A ghost privateer fleet?”

I was reminded of the ghost pirate monster army I had faced before, but King Poseidon, who had approached me, shook his head.

“No. They are not monsters. They are reinforcements I called for.”

“Ah. So they are the ones you mentioned before…”

“That’s right.”

A faint sense of relief appeared on King Poseidon’s old and weary face.

“Pirate King Rompeller.”

A huge anchor fell with a thud from the pirate ship, and the massive hull slowly landed.

Those on board were all wearing the same uniform—marine uniforms—like a single army. It was clear at a glance that they were highly disciplined.

And at the forefront of them stood a pair of twin men and women in admiral uniforms.

The two, who looked very much alike, were quite young, and both had transparent blue hair. And both had long scars across the bridge of their noses.

“Captain of the Rompeller Pirates, Rompeller.”

They spoke almost simultaneously. The twins were both captains…?

The twin pirates, standing before me and King Poseidon, bowed together and then bowed to me again.

“Having answered the call of the Merman King, we have come to join the World Defense Front.”

“We owe Uncle Poseidon several lives. We will help as well.”

I smiled and extended my hand first to shake hands.

“Welcome. Rompeller. I welcome you.”

“So you’re the famous ‘Bonehater’… ?”

The female Rompeller whistled as she looked me over, and the male Rompeller grinned dangerously.

“The legend written on this monster front has spread far and wide to the outer seas. I’ll be watching your skills with pleasure.”

I chuckled silently. You’re not just watching, you’re going to be rolling with us now.

“Hoo-ooh…”

At that moment, Kuilan, who was watching us with his arms crossed, let out an uncomfortable, hissing sound.

The two pirates glanced at him, and the next moment, Kuilan and the two Rompellers began a staring contest.

‘Ah, come to think of it.’

Kuilan was more famous as the Bandit King.

Suddenly, a Bandit King VS Pirate King showdown was formed.

Kuilan’s subordinates hurriedly stood behind Kuilan, striking poses to show off their muscles, and Rompeller’s subordinates began to polish their ship meticulously, sneering.

‘This is, a summit clash…!’

Are bandits stronger? Are pirates stronger? Isn’t this a pretty hot topic? Though it seems the showdown has devolved into a muscle-flexing and ship-bragging contest rather than a heated battle.

I swallowed hard, watching their conflict unfold.

And, at the moment when the two groups’ battle of wills reached its peak…

“Hmm~?”

A clear, feminine hum pierced through the middle like a thunderbolt.

“There are many familiar faces gathered here?”

Speaking thus, walking with a click-clack sound, was Serenada in a neat suit, and behind her were the people of the Winter Silver Merchant Guild.

Serenada had a smiling face, but a terrifying chill was emanating from beneath her narrowed silver eyes, and the people of the Winter Silver Merchant Guild following behind her had angry faces.

And as soon as they were identified, bandits and pirates alike let out deflated screams and scurried away.

“Kyaaaaaa!”

“Waaaaaah! It’s Winter Silver!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“I’m sorry for being born, I’m sorry for being born, I’m sorry for being born…!”

“I will never steal again! Please have mercy!”

Ah.

Come to think of it, merchants and bandits & pirates are also closely intertwined in a way…

In the scene where the bandit and pirate grunts ran away together, Kuilan and Rompeller remained steadfast, still glaring at each other.

However, Kuilan was trembling while glancing at Serenada, and the two Rompellers had pale faces and trembling lips.

‘Winter Silver… they might be a scarier merchant guild than I thought…’

I broke out in a cold sweat, seeing the Bandit King and Pirate King trembling. No, are they really that scary?

Clap!

Serenada, standing between the Bandit King and the Pirate King, smiled brightly.

“…Mr. Kuilan, we already reached an agreement regarding your debt, didn’t we?”

“Yes, yes! That’s right, Sister-in-law!”

“Huhu, yes. Keep your behavior in check in the future… you can go now.”

“Thank you! Thank you! I will live a life of repentance!”

Kuilan, who had been bowing repeatedly, let out a sigh of relief and stepped back.

What kind of agreement did they have? And when did the honorific become like that? Sister-in-law…?

Serenada nodded a few times as if she liked the title, then glanced at the two Rompellers.

“And… the infamous Rompellers. It’s finally nice to meet you.”

Serenada, adjusting her glasses, took out a ledger from her pocket and began to read it out.

“The damage you have caused to our guild so far… twenty-six merchant ships, and the jewels, pepper, spices, silk, and porcelain that were on board…”

The list went on endlessly, and the two pirates’ faces were covered in cold sweat.

“And in addition to this, there are a total of one hundred and seventy-two lawsuits for damages against the Rompeller Pirates that the Continental Merchant Alliance has entrusted to us to handle…”

Clap!

Serenada, closing the ledger, smiled fiercely.

“We should settle this issue first, shouldn’t we?”

“No, well, we…”

“We were just having a little trouble making ends meet, so it was a bit impulsive…”

The two pirates shrank like mice in front of a cat.

No, I thought that when a merchant and a bandit & pirate met, the merchant would usually give in… but when the leaders meet, it’s reversed…

“I would like to settle this right here and now, but.”

Serenada sighed and took off her glasses.

“Considering that the Rompeller Pirates have not harmed people, even though they have stolen goods, and that you have voluntarily come to this front for the sake of the greater good of protecting the world.”

The two pirates, who were almost in tears, suddenly regained their vitality.

“If you fight your best and work hard during the remaining monster defense battles. And if you help protect the world…”

Serenada looked at the two pirates’ hair.

The same transparent blue color as hers. The color of the merfolk.

“…And thus, if you enhance the honor of the merfolk and positively influence the future of your kin.”

Serenada shook the ledger in her hand.

“I will take responsibility for erasing these ledgers, and I will settle the damages at my level.”

“Is that… is that really true, Guild Master of Winter Silver…?!”

“Indeed, the world’s top merchant guild! So generous!”

The two pirates hugged each other and jumped for joy.

I walked over to Serenada and placed my hand on her shoulder. Serenada let out a short sigh and then glanced up at me.

Her eyes seemed to say, ‘I did well, right?’

I nodded gently.

“Thank you.”

It seems like I always say this, but still.

I was grateful to her for washing away the past grudges for the sake of the unity of the entire front.

‘So, once again, yesterday’s enemy has become today’s ally.’

I looked around.

Kings and lords from all over the world, chiefs and monarchs, adventurers and warriors and mages, pirates and bandits and merchants, humans and other races and half-breeds, the immortals from five hundred years ago and the people of the present…

All of us, shoulder to shoulder, looking at the same star for a greater cause.

After making eye contact with each of them, I spoke.

“Let’s go.”

Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!

The sound of drums echoed from afar. It was a signal that a monster was approaching the city.

Before the start of the final five-round battle, I grinned.

“To the end of this war!”