I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 786

As the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ clenched her hand, the darkness of another world engulfed everything from all directions.

The airship Blue Pearl had no means to evade or block this attack.

However,

Thud-!

The acting commander of the monster front had a way.

“Haaaaaaah-!”

Lukas, who had leaped from the bridge to the deck, combined his two swords, [Bestowed Sword] and [Excalibur].

The two swords transformed and merged, reassembling into a massive greatsword – [Toward the Stars].

Originally, it was a transcendent weapon that no living human could wield, but Lukas, having used [Divine Descent], was temporarily released from all those restrictions at this moment, forcibly pushing his foot into the divine realm for an instant…

Clang-!

He could swing the greatsword without any issues.

A dazzling flash erupted, tearing apart the darkness summoned directly by the master of nightmares.

“……”

After briefly crossing the boundary between life and death.

Lukas shouted to everyone on the Blue Pearl, who were still in shock, and indeed to everyone on the battlefield.

“That monster cannot be defeated!”

“……!”

“All troops, retreat from the battlefield and regroup! Since the enemy commander has appeared, proceed to the next phase of the ‘Thunder and Tsunami’ operation!”

On the bridge of the Blue Pearl, the two captains and the crew quickly manipulated the instrument panels.

The Blue Pearl, having swiftly changed direction, urgently left the airspace, followed by the Sky Knights. The snipers who had been preparing to fire from nearby spires also began their retreat through teleport gates.

《…….》

The ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’, instead of launching another attack, simply watched the knight on the departing airship.

“……”

After separating [Toward the Stars] again and canceling [Divine Descent], Lukas also stared at the enemy commander… then lifted his head to the sky.

‘I will wait, my lord.’

It is impossible to fight and win against that monster.

However, as his lord had commanded, it was possible to stall for time.

While his lord fought another decisive battle on another front, everyone on the World Defense Front here had to block the enemies by any means possible… and survive.

‘Please return with news of victory.’

The black lake began to endlessly spew out monsters again.

To the left and right of the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’, who was slowly and lightly walking north, the swarm of monsters that had poured out was bubbling and crawling across the ground.

Lukas, having taken one last look at that scene, returned from the deck into the bridge.

The final war had just begun.

***

Thump…! Thump…! Thump…! Thump…! Thump…!

The ground trembles.

Far above, the world vibrates with the sound of the monsters’ footsteps.

Destruction has already risen to the very neck of the human world.

“……”

From the distant ground, I prayed that my warriors would fight well.

Praying that they would endure well… I was walking in the dark shadows.

Lake Kingdom.

District 10.

Deepest depths.

Royal Castle.

“……So, you’ve finally come this far.”

I raised my head, looking up at the heart of the nightmare.

A skyscraper soaring high into the sky, shrouded in black mist and emitting darkness.

The final dungeon of blood and death, where the final battle always took place in the game.

I silently moved my feet and approached.

Rustle, rustle, rustle….

The sound of insects gnawing at something echoes.

It is the sound of the otherworld’s darkness surrounding the royal castle.

No, this is not the sound of insects.

If you listen closely, carefully.

– Die.

– Perish.

– Explode.

This is a curse.

– Dieperishexplodedieperishexplodedieperishexplodedieperishexplodedieperishexplodedieperishexplodedieperishperishdieperishperishdieperishperishdieperishperish….

That thick curse, filled with malice, so childishly pure.

I am no longer afraid.

Their wish for me to fall, their desire for this front to be defeated, their hope for this world to be destroyed….

I will shatter it all.

Because that is why I came here.

Step…!

I stood before the entrance of the royal castle.

The cursed mist that covered the surroundings had become even denser, to the point where not even the castle gate, let alone the surroundings, could be seen.

“……Hoo.”

I took a breath.

The ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ had already left this place.

This place no longer functions as a dungeon. It is not a target for capture. I know this, but I deliberately came here alone.

‘I didn’t come here to kill the ‘boss’ of the ‘dungeon’.’

My purpose in coming here is different.

I assembled the ceremonial longsword [Light and Shadow], made it into a flagpole, and held it.

A bright flag of light was created and fluttered, and the cursed darkness that had been encroaching on my surroundings retreated all at once.

However, the darkness covering the gate remained unchanged.

I silently reached into my pocket and took out the key that Crown had given me.

“……”

The large golden key, shaped like a flower, was stained black, but it still possessed its beauty.

After turning the key once in my hand,

After staring at the key for a while,

“……Even if thunder and tsunami are the only path.”

I uttered an old verse that suddenly came to mind.

“Open the door, flower, open the door, flower……”

I forcefully thrust the key in my hand forward.

Flash-!

The key, which the rightful heir of this royal castle, the rightful owner, had kept hidden in his bosom all his life, was itself a right.

No matter what curse, no matter what obstacle stood in the way, it would open the door and allow entry into the royal castle….

Whoosh-!

The cursed mist parted.

Beyond the mist, a magical light spread across the entire door where the key was inserted, and I forcefully turned the key.

Clank!

Crrrrrr….

The solid gate of the towering royal castle slowly opened as if being sucked inward.

Through that gap, I entered without hesitation.

Step, step, step….

My footsteps echoed in the wide corridor of the royal castle.

The royal castle, from which all nightmares had escaped, was silent.

Without any soldiers, any vassals, any political enemies, any historians, or any citizens.

Without laughter, without tears, without commands, without sighs, without even the sound of breathing.

As if even the concept of silence had disappeared, it was simply nothingness.

At the end of this empty corridor where nothing existed, in the audience chamber….

《…….》

The Demon King existed alone.

He was slumped on the lonely throne as if exhausted, staring at the empty sphere of nightmares with tired eyes.

“……”

I quietly observed him.

Beneath the faded golden crown, entirely made of shadows… the source of all the events that had brought this world to such ruin.

Perhaps having finally noticed my presence, the Demon King slowly turned his head and looked at me.

《……Player.》

Our gazes met.

Although he had no organs that could be called eyes, covered in shadows, at this moment, we definitely exchanged glances.

It was our first meeting, but.

For some reason, it felt as familiar as if we had known each other for a very long time.

I quietly spoke his name.

“……Demon King.”

The Demon King rubbed his face with his hand, as if tired.

《I don’t know how you got here… but yes. Did you come alone to kill me?》

“……”

《Instead of the final enemy, the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’, you are eliminating me, the real culprit hidden behind her… Certainly, if you succeed, the game of destruction will be stopped, and this world could face a different ending than before.》

“……”

《It’s quite a good change of perspective, but even so, are you going to face me alone?》

The Demon King slowly rose from his throne.

《I guess you don’t know how many countless heroes have met their fate at my hands.》

“……”

《The dragon that has existed since the beginning of the universe, the master of the most brilliant myths, the kings and ministers whose achievements reached the heavens, the superhuman on a white horse… none of them could defeat me, and none of them could even touch me with the tip of their sword or fang. Rather, they all fell into corruption in the face of my temptation and were reduced to mere monsters.》

His hand, made of shadows, pointed at me.

《What makes you different?》

“……”

《What are you going to use to kill me? What weapons, what poisons, what strategies have you prepared?》

I did not answer and slowly moved my feet towards the Demon King’s throne.

Step, step, step….

With each step closer to the Demon King.

The long adventure so far, the desperate journey that my front had gone through, flashed through my mind.

The faces of the people who had fallen at the hands of monsters, the faces of my comrades who had bled and died, vividly came back to life and flickered before my eyes.

My teeth clenched, and my fists tightened.

– Those who were born into this world are sinners. They must all be killed and eliminated.

– Wouldn’t you say that these monsters are sinners for being born into this world?

– Because we are sinners for being born into this world….

Blind hatred for him still seethes within me.

The urge to deny his existence from the root is within me.

– Between some people, there is a gap that can never be filled. A gap so deep and profound that it can never be filled….

– A deep hatred that cannot be overcome even with effort, and cannot be ignored even if you turn away from it.

There is an unbridgeable distance between him and me. There is a chasm that can never be filled.

We will never fully understand each other until the very end.

Because we are destined to fight and kill each other.

…….

…….

…….

However.

– Come and sit down, Vampire King. Let’s have a drink and talk.

– I request a ‘Commander’s Meeting’!

– I would like to stop fighting for a moment and talk. What do you say?

– As king to king, I propose a meeting to you!

Then why, until now, have I tried to talk to my enemies?

If they were truly just enemies to be hated and finished off. If there was not even a one in a nayuta [a very large number in Hindu cosmology] chance that dialogue would be possible. Why have I always tried so hard to understand the other party’s intentions?

Why have I tried to look into the eyes of my enemies and listen to their voices?

– I believed that they could also become like us. Because they also had human nature.

Because.

I also know.

– Although it is like a faint flame that has disappeared before our eyes, I have clearly seen the possibility. The moment when yesterday’s enemy almost became today’s compatriot….

The path that I, and our front, have walked so far.

It was a process where those who hated each other talked, understood, and finally stood shoulder to shoulder together.

Countries that had been at war, races that had fought for a thousand years and lived as slaves for over a hundred years, people who hated each other because of an old past that could not be erased….

They finally forgave each other, embraced each other, loved each other, gave birth to the next generation of children, and everyone willingly gave their lives to protect those children.

I have clearly witnessed such a miraculous scene.

I have seen the hearts of the wounded who realized that there is no such thing as a ‘sin of being born into this world’ and finally forgave themselves.

I have seen the desperate hearts of children who lowered the guns and swords they had aimed at each other across the unfillable chasm… and desperately tried to shout and talk.

I have watched it all.

This is what I, and my city, my front, have proven over the past three years.

‘I know.’

This is idealism.

This might be a foolish act.

But….

Because this is the path that my heart is pointing to.

– It’s okay even if you’re in tatters. It’s okay even if you’re shattered. No matter what form you’re in, I love you.

Even if I am shattered by this attempt, it doesn’t matter.

– If you don’t lose your heart, even if you are split into a thousand or ten thousand pieces, you are still you.

Because I believe this path is right.

To be who I am, I have no choice but to believe in my strategy and move forward.

– Ash. You have the strongest heart in this world… the courage not to hate.

A faint, tender voice, already distant, echoed in my heart.

– The ability to embrace others instead of hatred and anger. The ability to embrace a divided world and heal the wounds of others. Truly strong… goodness.

Whether this is truly an expression of such courage.

Or a reckless act that will pay a terrible price, I do not know.

– Love, Ash.

I will live according to your will.

I will love.

“Hoo……”

I stopped in the center of the audience chamber.

The Demon King’s throne is now close. Both of us are at a distance where we can aim for the other’s heart and launch an attack at any time.

I took a deep breath and looked straight at my adversary.

And I declared.

“I did not come here to kill you.”

《……?》

A puzzled light flickered in the Demon King’s tired gaze.

I gritted my teeth and refined my words.

This is not forgiveness.

This is not revenge.

This is, simply.

A continuation of the winding path that I and my front have walked,

The only direction that leads to the future that my flag has pointed to,

And also, the best struggle that I, a mere ordinary human, can put up.

“Demon King!”

I, towards the one I hate the most.

Squeezing out all the courage I had-

With all my might, I shouted.

“I have come to save you!”