I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 796

After the Outer Gods chose this world as a stage for their game of destruction, they forcibly widened the boundary between life and death, this world and the next, creating a new space in the gap. That artificial space is this place, the Spirit Realm. And through the Spirit Realm, the Outer Gods began to interfere with our world. They planted the guardian trees of the races they had chosen, allowing those races to use magic, and in that way, they gradually began to spread their influence throughout the entire world.

“The Spirit Realm is the passage through which the Outer Gods interfere with this world. In other words…” I looked around and explained, “If we ‘close’ the Spirit Realm, the Outer Gods will no longer be able to play with this world.” To expel the Outer Gods, it is inevitable that we must close this Spirit Realm.

“And to completely close the Spirit Realm, we must eliminate the trees of each race—the ‘Guardian Trees’—that have taken root between the Spirit Realm and this world.” The Guardian Trees have their roots in the Spirit Realm and their trunks in this world. They are structured to draw the power of the other world from the Spirit Realm and bring it to this world. And above all, they are rooted between this world and the next, creating a gap between life and death, and acting as a ‘wedge’ that maintains that separation. We must first eliminate these Guardian Trees to sever the connection between the Spirit Realm and this world and completely close the Spirit Realm.

‘To put it simply, after all that!’ To drive out the Outer Gods, we must first eliminate all these trees!

It was then. The Emperor, who had been listening to the story, opened his mouth. “If we burn and uproot the Guardian Trees, all magic, all mysteries, all powers will disappear from our world.” Even though it was already decided at the World Guardian Front meeting, the Emperor asked me again, as if to confirm that my resolve was firm. “All the laws that have sustained our world for the past thousand years will collapse. Civilization will decline, and the royal authority of all the nations that were ruled by magic will weaken. You are no exception.”

“……”

“Everything that makes you special… are you truly saying that you will give it up yourself?”

“I am an ordinary human.” The value of a human is not determined by what power they possess. “If there is a moment when an ordinary person like me becomes special, it would be when I challenge everything. Just like now.” The value of a human, I believe, is determined by how much they do not avoid the challenges they choose. I am not a special or great human. However, I will not run away from the challenge I face now. The Emperor smiled, baring his teeth. “Do as you please.”

I bowed my head once and continued my explanation to the commando unit. “As I said, the roots of the Guardian Trees are also wedges that maintain the Spirit Realm. The Outer Gods will not leave the task of eliminating them alone.” I glanced upwards. “That’s why the ‘Great Monster Invasion’ in the mortal realm… the World Guardian Front, which is fighting against the monsters, needs to draw their attention as much as possible.” Currently, the Outer Gods’ attention is focused on the ‘Sleepless Lake Princess’ who is invading the mortal realm. They are focused on the destruction of this world, the greatest tragedy she brings. In this gap, we will carry out the operation to destroy the Guardian Trees in the Spirit Realm.

“While the mortal realm holds out, we will finish our preparations and burn all the trees at once.” If the Guardian Trees disappear, the supply of magic power from the Spirit Realm to the mortal realm will immediately stop. Then, my heroes currently fighting on the front lines will immediately experience difficulties in securing magic power. They will have to fight by squeezing out only the remaining magic power, without any further supply. But this is the same for the monsters. The monsters are beings that have been resurrected by refining nightmares. Their origin itself comes from magic. They will be struck at their very core. Moreover, the connection of the Outer Gods will be immediately disrupted. The ‘Sleepless Lake Princess,’ who is directly controlled by the Outer Gods, will also weaken.

《And after that?》 The Demon King asked coldly. 《The Outer Gods will immediately notice your attempt at rebellion. And even if you eliminate all the Guardian Trees, it will take time for the Spirit Realm to completely close.》

“……”

《The Outer Gods will try to forcibly open the Spirit Realm by extending their power directly here. In the process, they will try to slaughter us as well.》 The Demon King crossed his arms and tilted his head. 《Of course, the Outer Gods will face many restrictions if they try to extend their power directly into this world. Even if they use their power, it will be considerably weakened.》

“Yes. That’s why they exerted influence on this world through intermediaries, like you, who are constellations that have jumped directly down.” It’s like the layers of existence are different. Or, to put it differently, it’s like the frequencies don’t match. The Outer Gods are powerful but distant beings. Because they are in a far-off outer world, it is difficult for them to exert their full influence on our world. That’s why they have been intervening through intermediaries like the Demon King or Bai Ye. They can use their power without going through such intermediaries, but the impact does not properly reach this world. It is reduced and chipped away. In other words, it’s bearable enough.

《On the other hand, you seem to have raised your level of existence in various ways, so you will be able to withstand the direct attacks of the Outer Gods for a while. But…》

“It won’t last long.” I nodded. No matter how much their power is weakened without an intermediary, the difference in power is fundamental. Those Outer Gods are vast and infinite. On the other hand, I am a small and finite being. I can hold out for a while, but eventually, I will be crushed.

“Here, there is a ‘one shot’ that Aither prepared.” Aither, the original player of this game of destruction. When the name of the previous hero who entrusted me with the proxy came up, the Demon King’s eyes narrowed. “That foolish, idiot director made it, risking his long life… a card that can only be used once. It is being prepared in the mortal realm.”

《…….》

“If we use this card, we will surely be able to inflict damage on the Outer Gods.” If the mortal realm takes the baton again and delivers a blow, “In the gap where the Outer Gods are damaged and retreat, we will completely close the Spirit Realm.” We will take the baton from the Spirit Realm once more and finish it. I looked straight at the Demon King. “You, Demon King, must do this final closure.” After a moment of silence, 《Since I, as the first intermediary, selected this world as a stage for the game and opened the gate to the Spirit Realm,》 The Demon King slowly nodded. 《I can also close it.》 And when the Spirit Realm is completely closed, the intervention of the Outer Gods will also be completely cut off…. All magic, mysteries, and powers will disappear from the world. The monsters, having lost the power of nightmares, will also disappear, and thus, our war will end.

“Well, that’s the general overview of the ‘Spirit Realm Showdown.’” I looked around at the commando unit and summarized. The detailed operation will be instructed separately, but the big picture will unfold like this. The final battles in the mortal realm and the Spirit Realm must help and complement each other, working together in tandem.

《…It’s easy to say anything.》 The Demon King let out a soft sigh. 《Well, it is a theoretically possible operation.》

“That’s why you followed me all the way here, right?” When I grinned, the Demon King was silent for a moment, then, 《Before we start. I want to confirm.》 His voice trembled faintly. 《If she is really here.》 I nodded. “Follow me.”

The operation began. The four deities all moved to the places where their respective Guardian Trees were planted, and the Emperor and the Glory Knights rode La Mancha and flew back into the air. Meanwhile, the Demon King and I headed to the space beneath the roots of Everblack.

《…….》 Stepping on the white sand and heading towards the roots of Everblack, for some reason, the Demon King seemed a little nervous. And we entered the narrow space beneath the roots. “Ash!” There, as always, there was a woman burning, her whole body bound by thorny vines. “What’s the matter? It was a little noisy outside.” The goddess, who had asked kindly, widened her eyes when she saw the being behind me. “You are…?!”

《…….》 The Demon King remained silent and followed me into the space beneath the roots. “What do you think, Demon King?” I asked him, who was silently looking around. “Can you see her?”

《…….》 The Demon King, who had been staring intently at the space where the goddess was, finally answered slowly. 《…No.》 He shook his head slightly. 《I can’t see her.》 The goddess bit her lip tightly. The Demon King continued. 《But, I feel the complete void that I am facing for the first time here. Such a complete absence is here.》

“……”

《And for some reason, this void is warm. As if trying to warm this tree, this world.》 The Demon King slowly, his eyes on the empty space, looked up at the place where the goddess was. 《That’s how I know. You are here.》

“……”

《You are burning even your own existence and are here alone.》 Paradoxically, because a complete absence is there. Pain, emptiness, loss—that is the undeniable proof that something existed there. 《You really are here…》 The Demon King, in the space that was just empty to his eyes, he brushed the air next to the burning goddess’s cheek with his fingertips. 《You foolish person.》

“……”

《You who have lived only for others, not for yourself.》 The Demon King took a deep breath, and the hesitation in his voice disappeared. 《A thousand years of endless repetition is enough.》 He turned around and left the space beneath the roots. 《Let’s end it now.》

After the Demon King disappeared outside, the goddess, who was breathing heavily, looked at me. “Ash. What… what are you trying to do?” I smiled at her. “Ah, I’m really sorry about this. Goddess…” On purpose, a little more than usual, like a rascal. Grinning, I said, “You’re going to have to fall.”

“……Huh?”

“All the way. Completely. Without leaving anything behind.” The goddess, not understanding, blinked her eyes and muttered in bewilderment. “What?!” I grinned once more, then turned around and followed the Demon King.

‘This world was built wrong from the beginning.’ Like a Jenga puzzle full of gaps, shaking from the bottom. It was a world that was flawed from the foundation. Without power received from the outside, they had to live as slaves, and a being who wanted to save their people in such a world sacrificed themselves for countless ages. The laws of the world injected from the outside. Salvation guaranteed by someone’s sacrifice. Everything was wrong from the beginning. So-

‘I’ll break it.’ I will shatter it into pieces. I will eliminate, destroy, and smash everything. And, on that ruin….

‘I’ll start over from the beginning.’ A world where no one depends on anyone anymore, where we can walk, looking at each other at the same level, equally. Because I want to create that. So-

‘I will challenge it.’ Towards this huge wall that stands before me. From now on, I will challenge it. When I went outside, the Demon King was waiting for me on the white sand. I met his gaze. We no longer needed to talk. With just a look, we understood each other’s intentions. That’s because, we were rivals who had shared moves with each other so many times that we were sick of it.

“Here…” I stretched out my right hand to the side. Then, a huge pillar of light fell into my right hand, and I snatched it. The pillar of light soon changed its shape into a huge flag of light. “I declare a rebellion against the entire universe!” I planted my flag on the white sand with all my might. Then, Flash-! With a dazzling burst of light, a brightly shining gray fortress began to rise from beneath the beach.