I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 780

It wasn’t just those with equipment made from Commander-class magic cores, or their owners.

But also those who had faced their own fears, their nightmares, and overcome them. All of them were my Nightmare Slayers.

They hadn’t succumbed to the nightmares of this world and were waiting for my call in the outside reality.

And they answered my call.

Flash! Flash! Flash!

As the last of the heroes appeared, a lancer in dazzling white armor and a knight in black armor wielding dual swords descended behind me.

“Whoa, long hair! Oh my god, what is this, it’s Senior Long Hair!”

Evangeline exclaimed in shock upon discovering me.

“My lord.”

Lukas, who bowed to me, extended his hand to the side.

Swish…!

Then, fragments of light gathered from within the sword sheath and coalesced into the form of a long ceremonial sword.

Lukas, kneeling on one knee before me, respectfully presented it forward.

“Thank you.”

I received this Nightmare Slayer – [Light and Shadow], and then, in one swift motion, drew it out and transformed it into the shape of a banner.

A dazzling banner of light unfurled in the empty air, erecting a magical barrier around us.

At the same time, the armor that had been only fragments on my right hand – [Owner of the High Tower] – also restored its complete form, covering my entire body like a coat.

We stood on the fortress, fully prepared.

《……!》

From within his mask, Crown’s face contorted as he looked at us.

But that emotion didn’t seem to be anger or frustration.

《Yes, as expected…….》

The emotion I felt was,

《If you’re the final player, you should at least be this good-!》

It seemed closer to relief.

Peeeeeeee…!

With Crown’s sharp whistle, the speed of the monsters rushing towards us increased even more.

Thud thud thud-!

The numbers were infinite.

Truly, the entire horizon was bubbling, and an endless horde of monsters was surging in.

Even in all the previous defense battles, we had never faced such numbers.

All of my companions could have been overwhelmed, but,

“Let’s begin!”

No one was afraid.

In fact, when you think about it, it was only natural.

We were Nightmare Slayers.

The natural enemies of nightmares, and the masters of nightmares.

Knowing that this place was a dream, there was no reason to fear the endless enemies rushing in…!

Damian, smiling brightly, didn’t hesitate and fired [Black Queen] first.

Thwack-!

With an enormous firing sound, a dazzling magic bullet struck down, and the enemies in one direction among the infinite monsters rushing towards us were completely annihilated.

“Let’s go-!”

Following him, Quillan, Kellybay, Verdandi, Thorkel, Mikhail, Zenis, Evangeline, Lukas… everyone began to fight the infinite monsters, wielding their respective weapons.

Each time their weapons were swung, their respective ultimate techniques were unleashed, literally sweeping away the pouring monsters.

Each one was a match for a thousand, a match for ten thousand.

In the world of nightmares, the Nightmare Slayers were all displaying near-invincible power.

However.

Thud thud thud……!

The enemies were also infinite.

Following the rat legion and the greed, hatred, and delusion legion that Crown had brought from reality, and the Apocalypse Knights, all sorts of unheard-of, enormous monsters flooded in without a break.

In the end, a stalemate.

The invincible warriors were only defeating the infinite enemies, and the war situation remained stagnant.

Moreover,

Saaaaaa…….

The enemy commander was approaching.

‘The Sleepless Lake Princess’.

Even in a dream, her existence was on a different level.

Because she was also a master of nightmares.

Therefore… what we had to do had been decided from the beginning.

“Junior!”

I shouted to the mages who were gathered and preparing magic.

“You’ve properly prepared the method to release the nightmare from within, right?”

To end the nightmare itself.

We came all this way to use this method from the start.

“Of course, Your Highness!”

The mages, including Junior and Diarmuid, all grinned at once.

“Besides, we have an ‘expert’ in this field!”

And standing at the center of the top mages of the continent, who were drawing a joint magic circle, was….

“It’s this kind of development again, again!”

Our illusionist, Violet.

“Don’t keep making a commoner like me do things like saving the world!”

“What do you mean commoner, you’re already a hero in an epic saga! Don’t back down!”

I extended my hand forward.

“Tear this nightmare apart, Violet-!”

“Since it’s an order from someone, of course I have to do it…!”

Violet, grumbling as always, shouted as she perfectly completed the magic.

“Illusionary Domain, Maximum Release-!”

Thwack…!

A dazzling light burst out from Violet, and then, the next moment.

Urrrrrr….

Kugwagwagwagwang!

The world began to collapse.

Cracks appeared in the sky, then shattered and poured down, the ground shook, and the earth plummeted below.

Violet was a Nightmare Slayer who faced the darkness within herself and overcame it, and who also swallowed the Dragon King’s wish-fulfilling jewel and transcended her own limits.

She was one who manipulated ‘daydreams’ [a state of being lost in thought, often with pleasant fantasies].

When the illusionary magic that such a nightmare slayer unleashed with all her power collided with the world that was the nightmare itself, a crack was revealed in an instant.

And, in the collapsing and shaking world-

“……Found it!”

Junior discovered the source of the formula that had captured people’s nightmares and created this world.

“[Elemental Disassembly]-!”

Junior’s ultimate technique, fired without a moment’s hesitation, exploded.

Clang-!

A halo appeared in the sky, and the space was seen breaking apart, and then, the next moment, the source of the formula was shattered into pieces.

《Kuh……?!》

It was the flute that Crown was holding in his hand.

He had been manipulating and gathering nightmares through that flute, and constructing this world within the nightmare.

And, at the same time as the flute shattered and Crown swallowed a groan….

Saaaaaa…….

The nightmare world began to quietly disappear from beyond the horizon.

Having lost both the formula that gathered nightmares and the means to manipulate them, collapse was the natural course.

“…….”

After examining this nightmare world that was now completely collapsing and disappearing, I looked forward again.

《…….》

‘The Sleepless Lake Princess’.

She was standing still in front of me.

Beyond the burnt morning veil, she was staring at me silently with emotionless, dry, turquoise eyes.

“…….”

In this world, and in countless worlds of the past.

This evil being had always destroyed the human world and killed my precious people.

Even though it was a nightmare, experiencing it made me realize how terrible and frightening the being before me was.

“Nameless.”

But,

Even so.

“Still… I want to save you.”

My heart does not change.

My strategy does not change.

“Now I feel like I understand your feelings a little better.”

A world that has already been destroyed.

Hope that does not exist.

A harsh life and accumulated fatigue.

Companions who are one by one turning traitor, or being worn down and falling.

In all that hell, yet not giving up and lighting a lamp….

Your good heart that willingly bore the nightmares of all your people.

Now that I’m in your position, I think I understand a little how difficult and exhausting it must have been.

“Now I feel like I understand you a little bit… truly.”

The nightmare was disappearing.

The monsters in the nightmare were also scattering as light.

To the enemy in the disappearing illusion, no… beyond that, to the real Nameless who was still suffering in the darkness of the Lake Kingdom.

I whispered.

“Wait. I’ll save you.”

After the nightmare world collapsed, the place where I stood was on the southern wall of Crossroads.

My companions were standing neatly to my left and right.

And below the wall, in the southern field… Crown was seen sitting on the ground.

With a shattered flute clutched in his bloodied hands. This man, staring blankly into the air with a detached look.

“Crown.”

I said honestly to him.

“Thank you.”

《……?》

I smiled at him, who was puzzled.

“For giving me the final trial.”

《…….》

“For allowing me to face and overcome my last fear. Thank you.”

Crown, who was staring blankly at me, let out a hollow laugh.

《……Say whatever you want.》

Crown, grumbling, put his hand into his pocket and took something out.

It was a shining key.

《Keep it. You’ll need it on your last journey.》

Crown, who threw the key carelessly on the ground, looked at me intently.

《Ash.》

And, after hesitating for a long time, fumbling with his lips.

《……Good luck.》

He barely said that much.

And then, he scattered and disappeared in the snowstorm that blew in the next moment.

“…….”

After staring blankly at the place where he disappeared, I turned around.

The nightmare was ending.

My long hair had also become short, and the dragon scales that had grown on my body had all disappeared.

And in this place where almost all of the nightmare world had been cleared and disappeared, there was still a last trace left.

“Huh…….”

The boy in the nightmare, who had lost consciousness for a while after collapsing….

Sixteen-year-old Sid blinked his haggard eyes and looked around.

“Teacher Diarmuid, Sister Junior, Uncle Zenis, Brother Damian, everyone…….”

“…….”

“Haha, what is it. Is it because I’m about to die… did everyone come to see me off……?”

The boy recognizes them, but they don’t know who the boy is.

My heroes looked at me, puzzled.

“Your Highness, who is this child……?”

“…….”

I didn’t answer, and quietly knelt on one knee beside Sid.

I knew.

This child was not a real being.

It was just a nightmare, a fantasy that passed through a one-night dream, where the memories of a long-ago, destroyed iteration and my fears were mixed together in a plausible way.

Even so….

I spoke to Sid in the nightmare.

My companions didn’t ask any further about who that child was or what his identity was.

Because everyone knew it with their hearts, with their souls.

Everyone, with determined expressions, quietly turned their bodies and looked back at the inside of the city.

In Crossroads, which had been as quiet as a mouse while people were swallowed by the nightmare, voices and lights were spreading out like ripples.

The nightmare was over, and people returned to life.

The forty-ninth defense battle was over.

We survived once again.

The world had not yet been destroyed.

“Let’s go.”

And.

It would not be destroyed in the future either.

Because I would stop it.

Because I promised to do so.

Looking down at the brightening scenery of the city, I murmured with determination.

“To the final stage.”

***

[STAGE 49 – CLEAR!]

[STAGE MVP – Ash(EX)]

[Leveled Up Characters]

– None

[Injured and Deceased Characters]

– None

[Acquired Items]

– Lake Kingdom Royal Castle Key: 1

[Only the final stage remains.]

– After thorough preparation, proceed to the final battle.

– Good luck, player.

>> Get Ready For The LAST STAGE

>> [LAST STAGE : The Only Path]