I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 789

The small twig of Everblack, the guardian tree of humanity, took root in the spirit realm the moment it was planted on the ground. Immediately, humanity began to resonate with magic and learned how to use it. People quickly noticed the anomaly. But they were not happy about this fact. ‘If it’s discovered that we have gained the power of magic, we will be hunted by other races.’ The human race was a race born to be slaves. Rather than rejoicing in the sudden power, they were more afraid of the repercussions if it was discovered that they possessed this power. The other races that had enslaved the human race would not leave them alone. They would surely try to kill them before the human race could develop their ominous power. People panicked and began to search for the culprit who had caused this situation. And those who could feel the magic naturally found the source of the magic—the guardian tree of humanity—and also discovered the identity of the person who had planted the guardian tree. A certain mad woman, a wanderer all her life, living in a lakeside village… The woman was captured, and after a meeting, the people came to an easy conclusion. They would execute her as a representative and then beg for leniency. They were satisfied with their current lives and did not need the light of magic. Everything was the sole act of this woman. They would kill this woman with their own hands, so please forgive them… Thus, now. “……” The woman, tied to the execution platform with a pile of firewood, was watching the people throwing stones at her. The people of her hometown, whom she had tried to save, were now trying to kill her. 《Look, pitiful woman.》 The Demon King murmured. 《Look at those who repay your kindness with stones and fire!》 “……” 《This is the price for stealing the divine flame with a mere mortal body. You have reaped a result you cannot handle, so your destruction is only natural.》 Wahhhhhh…! The angry mob throwing stones urged the woman’s son. The son, with tears in his eyes, but with a cold face… threw a stone at the woman. Thud! The stone hit the woman’s forehead. Blood flowed from the torn wound. “……” Flames flickered and approached beneath the woman’s lowered head. Someone had set the fire. Terrible heat and voices condemning her poured in from all directions. Thief. Witch. Monster. Monster. Monster… 《Aren’t you resentful?》 The Demon King whispered. 《Those who do not understand the sacrifice you made for them and treat you like a monster. Aren’t you resentful?》 “……” 《This is the true nature of those you tried to save. This is the ugly face of those you tried to protect.》 The Demon King spoke more vehemently to the silent woman. 《Look at the faces of those who hate you without knowing your kindness! Look at the face of your son throwing stones at you!》 “……” 《Now, resent them.》 The Demon King’s whisper, like a spreading fire, relentlessly penetrated the woman’s heart. 《Be honest with your heart, resent them. Resent those who defile your life’s work and trample on your noble intentions. Set the fire of resentment in your heart!》 “……Then.” The woman quietly asked back. “Then, what will happen?” 《You can do anything and become anything according to your heart.》 The Demon King tempted her with an even more enthusiastic voice than before. 《I will give you what you desire as much as the great work you have accomplished. You can become a fire demon that burns the world, a serpent that swallows the lake, or a hail of stones that kills all life.》 “……” 《The great work you have accomplished is that great. It is not small enough to be wasted and destroyed in such a place with such treatment! You must become much greater!》 Thud! Whether it was because of the heat of the fire or because of some evil power, the rope that had bound the woman to the execution platform untied itself. The woman, momentarily free, staggered and broke free from the execution platform. 《Now.》 The Demon King’s outstretched hand was in front of her. 《Take my hand.》 “……” 《Only I know your journey. Only I know your sacrifice. Only I! Know your noble will and great achievement.》 “……” 《I will acknowledge you, mortal. So, let’s go together!》 The Demon King was floating on the cold, calm lake. The woman turned her head and looked in the opposite direction. She saw the spreading flames, the pouring stones, and the hatred of the people glaring at her. “……” What to choose was clear. Slowly, the woman leaned her back against the execution platform again. The ropes had fallen, and the restraints were gone, but she clung to that place by her own will. “No.” The woman murmured to the bewildered Demon King. “I will die as a monster.” 《What…》 “I understand their hearts. I thought I had spread the light of salvation to my race, but from the people’s point of view, it is natural that they feel like a spark suddenly flew onto their clothes.” Flames rose up the woman’s body. “Still, it’s okay. Everyone will understand someday.” 《…….》 “Even if it’s hot now, when they learn how to handle the spark… a new era of life will open.” Seeing the woman turning to ashes in the smoke that was burning her flesh, the Demon King roared. 《So, you’re going to die like this?!》 “……” 《Without being understood by anyone, burned at the stake as a witch, stoned as a monster… are you saying you will die so miserably?!》 “It’s okay.” The woman slowly closed her eyes. “It wasn’t something I did to be acknowledged by someone.” There was something she had decided to do herself, and she had simply done it. Neither fame nor infamy mattered to her in the first place. Therefore, the woman could accept death without shame, proudly, and even with a slightly happy heart. Soon, the woman’s body completely crumbled amidst the rising flames and pouring stones. 《…….》 The Demon King simply watched her end. *** Click. ……Again. Click. Click. Click. Mercilessly. Click, click, click, click, click- Gray magic rotated, making an inorganic mechanical sound. *** The woman opened her eyes. Again, it was that young summer day. The hut by the lake. “……Huh?” The woman looked around with a pale face. She had regressed. She had returned here again, to this time. Life does not end. Life… does not end. “Ah, ah, ah, ah.” A meaningless voice flowed weakly from her lips. “Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…?” 《Did you think it was over?》 The Demon King, looming like a shadow, looked down at her with a sneer. 《You achieved your desired goal and even forgave the ungrateful ones, so did you think this hell would end now?》 “……” 《No, foolish one. This is not such a peaceful curse.》 The Demon King’s cold mockery echoed in the woman’s ears. 《No matter what you accomplish, no matter how much you fail, it doesn’t matter. Your regression will just repeat endlessly. Forever, forever, forever…!》 Only then did the woman truly understand. Why this was a curse and not a blessing. That endless time was such a cruel and inorganic violence. 《If you had followed my previous offer, you could have escaped the cycle of regression, but since you refused… I will tell you another way to end this regression. Moreover, this method is very easy.》 The Demon King whispered to the woman, who was trembling in shock. 《Agree to pass on the order of all these tragedies to your child. Then, I will allow you to end your own life.》 “……!” 《The curse of your clan is passed down to one person at a time. Bloodline succession. It ‘accumulates’ in only one person in one timeline. In other words, if you transfer it to your child, you can escape.》 Only then could the woman understand. The method her father had used to escape this curse. “Did my father… end himself like that…?” 《Yes. Not only your father, but all your ancestors. In the end, they succumbed to infinite time. And they agreed to ‘push’ this curse to their descendants. That’s how it has continued endlessly.》 “……” 《They proclaimed a noble cause, but in the end, they could not overcome their own pain and transferred the curse to their descendants! That is your ancestors, your father, and also human beings. And you will become like that too.》 That no matter what her life achieved, it was meaningless. And that her ancestors had betrayed and fled their descendants for their own peace. The Demon King spoke, pretending to be kind, to the woman who was trembling as she realized this. 《Now, here are two choices. Pass on this curse that will continue forever to your descendants. Or become a true monster that covers the world with resentment.》 “……” 《The first choice is to follow in the footsteps of your ancestors, and the second choice is a new ending that has never existed before. Whichever you choose, I will respect you and let you act according to your will.》 To escape this infinite and worthless curse of regression, two paths were laid out before the woman. Kill her child. Or kill others and the world. 《Now, choose!》 The Demon King spread his arms and laughed wildly. 《Will you pour all the curses that you and your ancestors have accumulated onto your beloved child, onto all your descendants…?》 The woman tightly closed her eyes. 《If you don’t want that, then as I suggested earlier, will you become a resentment that destroys the world in exchange for the great work you have accomplished?》 “……” 《Which one is it, now! Choose!》 A long silence flowed. Slowly, the woman raised her knees. And she walked past the Demon King, who was waiting for her choice… and walked out of the hut. The Demon King’s face became puzzled. 《……What are you doing?》 “Can’t you see?” Staggering, but without stopping. The woman was starting her journey again, towards the outside of the village… towards the world. “I’m going to start a fire again.” 《……?!》 “Once again, I will create a tree for humanity… and once again, I will bring back the light.” True bewilderment flashed across the Demon King’s face. 《Then what is your choice?》 “I won’t choose.” 《What?》 “I will not curse my child, nor my world.” Just. On the repeating world. She would just plant a tree. The Demon King, shocked, shouted. 《Don’t you still understand? No matter what great work you accomplish, no matter what journey you take, everything is meaningless!》 “……” 《You will return here again. Unless you pass the curse on to your descendants or become a monster yourself! The regression is infinite!》 “No.” The woman smiled bitterly and turned to look at the Demon King. “There is a third way.” 《What……?》 “I will die with this curse.” The woman placed her hand on her chest. “If my soul breaks. Then the curse will end with my generation. Right?” 《You’re going to repeat the regression until your soul can’t bear it anymore…?》 The Demon King, horrified, shook his head. 《Even I don’t know how many more lives you will have to repeat to do that! Literally, countless eons are laid out before you!》 “……” 《Do you really think you can endure it? Hasn’t your heart already been broken once! It’s meaningless, meaningless, meaningless! Even though you know it yourself…!》 Ignoring whatever the Demon King was shouting. The woman silently walked forward. 《Don’t do it.》 Rather, there was urgency in the Demon King’s voice. 《If you give up now, your soul can go to the afterlife. But if your soul breaks, you will be eternally annihilated in this universe! Without reincarnation, without the afterlife, without anything!》 “……” 《Can’t you hear me? Have you gone deaf now?》 The Demon King cried out to the woman’s back as she walked away. 《There is no salvation for you-!》