I Became The Tyrant Of A Defense Game [EN]: Chapter 808

809. [LAST STAGE] Long Days, Long Nights

In the void, the final light and darkness collided.

The light I gathered and unleashed, the ‘will of the world’.

And the Outer Gods’ final resistance to block it, that dense darkness.

Kooooooo…!

Surrounded by a torrent of light, I gritted my teeth, pouring out the ‘will of the world’.

Within this ‘will’ lies not only the will of the commando unit fighting alongside me in this spirit realm.

But also the will of my comrades who have embarked on the final battle in the mortal realm.

And the will of all those living ordinary lives in the world.

All to become the true masters of their own destinies.

All to break free from the shackles of puppetry and gain complete freedom.

They abandoned the foundations of civilization that make up our world, gave up the warmth of magic, and followed my banner into the cold wilderness.

The fate of this entire world, which believes in me and follows me, hangs on my banner, on my fingertips.

Do you think I will lose…!

“Just a little more…”

Crack, crack…

On the [Imperial Seal Ring], which could not withstand the fierce battle, cracks began to spread little by little.

“Just a little, more…!”

And very slowly, the light… the ‘will of the world’ began to be pushed back.

I gritted my teeth.

I had already gathered all the will that could be gathered from our world. This was the maximum output.

Is it not enough to overcome the oppression of the Outer Gods with this?

‘Someone…’

I desperately prayed.

‘Someone, even if it’s just a little… if someone could add their will to mine…!’

It was then.

Whoooosh…!

A faint but clear current of will blew from behind me.

That current joined the ‘will of the world’, and the light I emitted grew stronger little by little. On the other hand, the darkness of the Outer Gods, their final resistance, weakened little by little in inverse proportion.

I was surprised and looked at the source of the newly joined will.

The ones who lent me this will were none other than…

“… !”

Beyond that sky.

Among the countless Outer Gods, a few.

In those fierce eyes that glared at me with malice as if to kill me, some eyes were sending me a look of support. They had added their will to mine.

‘Ah.’

And I, those gazes.

I realized now that they were very familiar and old.

In this absurd game called ‘Extinction Play’.

Giving out many top-tier rewards that exceeded the standards.

Giving the necessary tools, set equipment, and hints according to the situation.

Among the other Outer Gods who poured out malice, telling me to die, fail, and explode, they were the ones who quietly watched over me, this world, with goodwill.

Within the limits of the system, they were the very Outer Gods who had struggled to help me in any way they could…

They were the ones who had been cheering me on for this long time.

『What…?!』

The other Outer Gods, aghast, shouted.

『What are you doing, you fools!』

『Why are you helping the ant’s rebellion?!』

『Their misfortune is our joy! Their tragedy is our nourishment! Why!』

The rest of the Outer Gods were furious, but.

The moment those few Outer Gods lent their will, the tide had turned.

The clash between light and darkness, which had been in equilibrium, was now gradually shifting towards the victory of light – towards the side that the ‘will of the world’ was pushing back.

“Aaaaaaaah-!”

I squeezed out my last strength and thrust my fist forward.

Flash-!

The light completely pushed back the darkness.

The ‘will of the world’ completely dyed the passage to the other realm white.

Finally, all the Outer Gods could not withstand it and retreated, and the next moment.

Kugugugung…!

The sky closed.

On the completely closed sky, I applied the final process.

Like melting candle wax to seal a letter with a stamp.

Gathering the last of my will, I sealed the closed passage and then… stamped the [Imperial Seal Ring].

Thud-!

At the same time as the ‘World Guardian Front’ emblem was stamped on the sky, the completely shattered [Imperial Seal Ring] scattered into golden fragments.

The sky was completely closed, and the passage was sealed.

Beyond the closed sky, countless hands that the Outer Gods belatedly poured out slammed down. Beyond the glass-like barrier, angry fists and palms were swung. But it was no longer of any use.

『…!』

Far away in that sky, the Outer Gods’ enraged roars echoed.

Among those gazes filled with seething anger, frustration, and a hint of admiration…

There were the gazes that had helped me a little while ago, no, that had helped me throughout this long defense game.

Those gazes that had been with me through those long days and long nights.

“…”

I tried to break the rules, stand above the rules, and see the world without prejudice, but.

In fact, I was still trapped inside the egg.

I thought the world outside the egg was full of malice. I believed that no one was on my side, that everyone was my enemy.

But it wasn’t.

“…Thank you.”

There was goodwill everywhere.

Even in the opponent I thought was the most terrible enemy, there was a heart that helped and cared for me.

That fact made me so happy that I cried.

“Really, thank you…”

To everyone who watched and cheered me on until the end, in all the ways I have lived so far.

I said that with all my heart.

“Thank you. For not giving up on me and watching over me.”

They whispered something to me.

Perhaps because the passage was blocked, I could no longer hear their voices.

But I could clearly feel what they were trying to say.

In the meantime, the other Outer Gods had whispered with malice. They had wished for my game over and prayed like this.

Die, fail, and explode.

But those who were cheering me on were saying this.

Live.

Grow.

Bloom.

Hope.

Love.

Rejoice.

Sprout new buds.

Throw yourself into life and do not fear!

“…”

Wiping away my tears.

After giving them a bright smile.

I stood facing the rest of the Outer Gods.

Facing all of their gazes, mixed with hostility, anger, admiration, and affection, with dignity-

“…The next time we knock on this door.”

I said with emphasis.

“I hope that we will not look down on each other as lower beings, but treat each other at an equal level.”

I smiled faintly.

“I hope that we will have matured enough to respect each other.”

If such a day ever comes.

The moment will come when we can open the door with joy, look each other in the eye, and talk.

“I sincerely pray that the moment will come when we can talk to each other for each other.”

Today, we faced each other in death, but.

Because we have also proven that we can share our hearts, not just fight with hostility.

The day may come when we can stand side by side, looking in the same direction.

Believing that, I put my hand on my neck.

I grabbed the choker-shaped necklace that had been on my neck since the tutorial stage.

The ‘Necklace of the Traitor’.

I took off that necklace… my streaming equipment, with a refreshing feeling.

And after stroking my neck, which had been exposed for the first time in three years.

“Hoo!”

I took a deep breath.

And then, I bowed respectfully, lowered my head, and with all my heart… paid my respects to the sky.

It was a greeting after the dance was over.

Like an actor announcing their farewell as they lower the curtain on a long play.

After finishing my heartfelt greeting, I straightened my back again.

And whispered to the many gazes that were looking at me, gradually fading away.

“Thank you for playing.”

Thank you for playing.

My long adventure, together…

An aurora spread like a curtain over the sky.

I stood there until the sky of the spirit realm was completely covered in aurora, and until the last gaze of the Outer Gods was no longer visible.

“…”

Like an actor standing at the end of a long play, I wiped my eyes several times with teary eyes.

And then, I slowly turned around.

The stage was over.

It was time to return to life.

***

Bottom of the spirit realm.

Under the roots of Everblack.

《…….》

The demon king, who was terribly broken, was lying there.

With his soul itself torn to shreds, the demon king was dying. He felt that his end was near.

Thud! Kugugugung!

It was then.

The entire spirit realm began to collapse with a violent tremor. Ash had succeeded in completely sealing the gate to the other realm.

With the success of the rebellion, the artificial space created by the Outer Gods to interfere with this world – this spirit realm – was naturally on the path to extinction.

《…….》

Fragments of the shattered Everblack poured down on the demon king’s head. The demon king stared blankly at the collapsing world with blurred eyes.

It was then.

Sapak. Sapak.

Faint footsteps were heard.

Surprise flashed across the demon king’s face as he struggled to turn his head.

“…”

There, a woman.

A woman who was so familiar, yet so unfamiliar. A woman he longed for was approaching with an emotionless face.

“…Are you satisfied with this?”

The woman, once called a goddess, but now an ordinary being, asked.

“Are you satisfied with destroying one world like this, even at the cost of your entire life?”

《Of course.》

A satisfied smile appeared on the demon king’s white, cracked lips.

《I couldn’t be more satisfied.》

The woman’s body no longer had any divine radiance or transcendent holiness.

The thorny vines that had been wrapped around her body, the flames that would not go out, and the wounds from the stoning had all disappeared.

She had simply become an ordinary soul.

《In the end, I succeeded, didn’t I.》

The demon king raised his broken hand and pointed at the woman.

《You, you have fallen for me…》

The woman smiled bitterly and shook her head.

“…You foolish person.”

Thud, kugugugung…!

Again, the world made a sound of collapsing.

The ground that made up the spirit realm was collapsing, and the sky began to pour down. The white sandy beach surged like a fountain, and the clear sea swelled high, sweeping the beach.

The black thorny vines that had lost their magical light shattered and poured down like rain.

As she was hit by the rain, the woman approached the fallen demon king and sat quietly beside him.

The two of them watched the dying world side by side.

《What will happen to you now?》

“I will go to the afterlife.”

The woman replied calmly.

“And I will be reborn and die again, and live countless lives in that cycle of reincarnation.”

《I see…》

“And you.”

The woman whispered, looking at the demon king’s broken face.

“Since you are not originally a soul of this world, you will probably disappear like this.”

《…….》

“Even if you do not disappear and your soul reincarnates here, you have committed so many evil deeds… it will take an eternity to pay for all your sins.”

《It doesn’t matter if I disappear. It doesn’t matter if I am punished forever.》

The demon king smiled again.

《I found the purpose of my life, and I achieved it. That’s enough.》

“…”

After a moment of silence.

“If you do not disappear, and if you pay for all your sins for a time close to eternity.”

The woman said in a gentle voice.

“And if, in that distant future, the moment comes when we meet again. Then… I will greet you with a smile.”

The demon king, who had been staring blankly at the woman, asked.

《Is that pity?》

“No.”

The woman smiled faintly.