Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 532
◈ 532. [Side Story] Cracks (3)
The next morning. forward base.
This place has been undergoing restoration work and a series of battles over the past three months, and the aftermath of the previous battle remained intact..
The outer walls have collapsed in places and are eroded by tree roots..
The tree monsters that came right in front of the forward base stopped moving, took root in their original places, and returned to normal trees..
I broke into a cold sweat as I looked at the trees lined up in the field south of the forward base..
“……I'll have to cut it down?”
The head of the carpenters’ union that was moving with me to restore the forward base nodded..
“It's not very profitable as lumber, but I think it has to be done..”
“I can't use it anymore?”
“These are all rotten or burned trees. There was a time when I was haunted by a ghost. I think it would be difficult to use it with wood..”
Well, it would be a bit uncomfortable to make something out of a tree that was alive until yesterday and was trying to kill people..
“Cut down just enough to clear the view. Let it form a natural barricade.”
“I will do that, Your Majesty..”
Workers and technicians brought from the city began maintenance of the forward base..
Kang- kang- I looked at the castle walls with the sound of hammers and when I turned around, I saw an old man with a white beard with his back to me..
The owner of the ivory tower. An archmage who currently serves as the head wizard of the World Defense Front. It was Diarmuddin..
“The battle line is in danger, Prince Ash..”
Diarmudin said, stroking his beard. I laughed bitterly..
“You did a great job yesterday, Diermudin..”
“What is the performance? I did what I always did. It's only natural that my skills are better than those blood clots making clumsy nonsense..”
This old man took the lead and made a fuss when he joined the World Defense Front, but after he actually joined the front, he started working very hard..
What can I say, I'm the type of old B who can't just watch the newbies shoveling.?
‘He's nagging everyone everywhere, saying things like 'Oh, that's not how he uses magic', 'Oh, that's not how he uses magic', and he's taking the lead in every battle, shooting out a lot of magic..
Every time that happens, I nag and whine, so I don't gain much popularity... … I think I finally know what kind of personality he is..
“We will have to fight dozens more battles like this in the future.?”
It seemed like the target of Diarmuddin's nagging this time was me. I listened quietly..
“I bet. If things continue like this, the front line here will collapse..”
“…….”
“On other fronts, we are repelling major offensives every few days that would have been repelled once every few years. Even if it's okay because supplies are being supplied from all over the world, how on earth are you going to deal with the fatigue that builds up on people??”
It was just as Diarmuddin said..
fatigue.
The third-year monster wave, which has been coming at twice the frequency of previous monster invasions on average, has been steadily accumulating fatigue on our side..
In fact, the cycle will become shorter and shorter in the future. For a while, defensive battles will occur once every two weeks, and in the second half of the third year, monster waves will arrive once every ten days..
As the cycle becomes shorter, it would be ideal to rotate them and send them into battle in turns... … I can't do that now..
Because it is impossible to conduct a defensive battle without elite heroes and veterans,.
Even if ordinary soldiers rotate, ultimately the elite must continue to fight..
And it gets chipped away.
“It was no coincidence that the Sky Knight, Michael Vermilion, made a wrong decision, narrowly failed, and wiped out his knights..”
Diarmudin fired without stopping..
“Everything is inevitable. Everything in everything has a cause and an effect..”
“…….”
“Over the past three months, the Sky Knights have been overworked and are steadily taking steps toward destruction. And at a critical moment, I made a fatal mistake in judgment..”
I looked at Diarmuddin intently..
“In the end, the Sky Knights were annihilated... … Are you saying it's my fault for treating them harshly??”
“Then you are going to deny it.?”
The eyes of the Ivory Tower owner and I met in the air..
Our gazes clashed fiercely, but eventually I sighed and looked away..
“……That is correct. Dear Diermudin.”
I am the commander-in-chief of this front. I am responsible for all deaths.
In addition, Diarmudin's view of looking at the situation from a structural perspective at a macro level also makes sense..
If you look closely, you may see that the Sky Knights were annihilated for no reason due to Mikhail's mistakes and recklessness..
However, from a distance, the operational situation of the entire front was pushed to its limits, causing fatigue and strain, and the annihilation of the Sky Knights could be interpreted as just one of the results of this situation..
‘Also, it may be just the beginning.’
Due to accumulated fatigue, other heroes also begin to make unusual mistakes, and that small flutter of butterfly wings can become a fuse that ultimately leads to the destruction of the front line..
This is exactly what Diarmuddin points out:.
The Monster Front is in structural crisis..
“Everyone is being used up. And Prince Ash. The same is true for you too..”
“……I'm being consumed?”
“So does that mean no? As the number of deaths increases, you can clearly see them sinking into the water..”
I kept my mouth shut. Diarmudin pointed his finger at me..
“If you keep fighting like this, you won't be able to last the rest of the long race and will inevitably collapse before the finish line. Like Michael and the Sky Knights who fell first.”
“……I am.”
I asked cautiously.
“What should I do? Could you please lend me your wisdom??”
“You already know what advice I can give you.?”
Diarmudin shrugged..
“put your life on the line.”
“……!”
“Instead of reducing fatigue by reducing the frequency of elites' departure, fill the empty spaces with cheap lives. Even though troop exchange costs will plummet and the number of graves buried under the dirt will increase, the front line can be maintained..”
Elite of the elite, wizard.
A small nation made up of only wizards, the ivory tower.
Diarmudin, the lord of the ivory tower, said so. To preserve the power of the elites, the lives of non-elites must be sacrificed..
“But you won't do that. Because we'll be fighting not to do that..”
The old king’s eyebrows furrowed..
“You are a commander full of contradictions, Prince Ashe. It is true that there are many people who are loyal to you because they are attracted by that contradiction, but.”
“…….”
“Since you have decided to walk a difficult path, it is no wonder that trials constantly come your way.?”
Diarmuddin clicked his tongue..
“But keep in mind. The world calls a leader who can find a good compromise between ideals and reality a famous king..”
“……If you can't find it?”
“It's probably one of two things. Either he's an idiot, or he's a fool..”
Or- Without saying another word, Diarmudin winked meaningfully at me and turned around. And then it was gone.
I grumbled for no reason..
“……After all, you are a dear old man..”
However, even though it was expensive, nothing was wrong..
If things continue like this, the front will not be able to hold up and will collapse..
It was like that in games too. Unlike the first and second years, more battles occurred in the third year, so the fatigue of heroes and soldiers was almost always at its limit..
In the game, it was enough to just play evil and gangly with the stat debuffs that come with fatigue..
That is not possible here in reality. Fatigue doesn't just reduce shame; it breaks a person's spirit..
Suddenly, I thought about player management in professional sports, especially professional baseball..
Losing in a league-based professional baseball game is a strategic choice..
Throw away the games you can throw away, and accumulate wins in the games you can definitely win..
And in this game, we use the best - reliable starting pitchers and solid closing pitchers..
Because players are people.
If you make him play all the games just because he is a good player, he will eventually break down due to wear and tear. It is ideal to send it out at a point where it can be won..
‘The problem is, monster defense is not a baseball game.…….’
If the monster front collapses, it's over..
Even one loss will result in the destruction of the world. Every battle has no choice but to be an all-out war that risks one's life..
In this situation, starting, broadcasting, finishing, bullpen... … There is no way we can save our elite members..
So I've been fighting, throwing everything away, and I've somehow survived..
3The year was not easy. It was a time when change was needed.
So - how?
‘It's rough..’
I muttered to myself as I rubbed my throbbing forehead..
‘It's painful and difficult…….’
***
Temple.
Standing in front of Mikhail's hospital room, I caught my breath, pushed the door open, and went inside..
It's good-
Inside the open hospital room, Mikhail was crouched and motionless..
I was leaning against the wall at the corner of the bed, with my face buried between my upright legs. Still.
“……mikhail.”
As I approached, I dragged a chair and sat in front of it..
“I heard you aren't even drinking a single sip of water. That won't work.”
“…….”
“Are you refusing treatment? If things continue like this, the wound may become more severe and cause a bigger illness. I need to get treatment before that happens..”
“…….”
“mikhail.”
To Mikhail, who didn't move, I reluctantly spat out the following words:.
“You should think of your comrades who fell while trying to save you. If you fall like this…….”
slap!
Before I could finish speaking, scarlet eyes flashed on Mikhail's shadow-covered face - and the boy knight's fist grabbed my collar..
Mikhail shouted with a haggard face with dried bloody tears..
“Don't say it easily!”
“…….”
“Don't say it easily! Before my eyes, all my colleagues who had been with me my whole life died because of me... … ! But how can I……!”
“It's not easy to say. I too have lost a lot before my eyes..”
I gently scolded Mikhail, who was shaking and shouting in a shaky voice..
“But there are others left for you to lead.”
“……!”
Seeds. Soldiers. And even a spare griffon.
The remaining forces of the Vermilion Kingdom Army and the Sky Knights still remain here at the Crossroads. And I only hope for the crown prince's recovery..
Is that all? In the far northwest of the continent, his homeland will also be waiting for his safe return..
The shock of defeat must be indescribably great... … Cutting off food and drink and even refusing medical treatment is not something a crown prince can do..
Mikhail seemed to have calmed down a little when he remembered the remaining people for whom he was responsible, and slowly loosened his hands from my collar..
Mikhail lowered his head and mumbled in a weak voice..
“I lost my comrades, my griffon, and my weapons. now I… … Can't we fight anymore??”
“The Sky Knights and the Kingdom of Vermilion have contributed sufficiently to the world defense front. Me and everyone on this front know it.”
“So, what is it? You can go back now, that's it.?”
“……okay.”
Not only was the Kingdom of Vermilion's main force, the Sky Knights, annihilated, but even the crown prince was injured. How can we ask for more participation in the war under these circumstances?.
But the corner of Mikhail's haggard mouth curled up in a cruel way, as he must have taken my words..
“……Don't laugh, I can't go back like this.”
“mikhail.”
“Losing all my precious colleagues... … How can I return to my home country after such a miserable failure?.”
Mikhail's pale hands bled and he gripped the bed tightly..
“Don't be funny, don't be funny. I, we, will prove it. I have to prove it. That I, we, the firmament, are the highest flying knights in the world.…….”
“…….”
With his head down, Michael continued to mutter to himself..
The psychological shock is quite significant. I lost all my friends right before my eyes..
I patted Mikhail on the shoulder one last time and stood up..
“For the sake of the people left behind, you must receive good treatment and eat well. got it?”
“…….”
“I'll come again, Mikhail. I'm eating and resting comfortably. Don't think anything…….”
Feeling confident, I left Mikhail’s hospital room..
Even at the moment I left the door, in the dark, unlit hospital room, Mikhail was curled up on the bed, muttering..
“It can’t go on like this… … I can’t admit it… … I'll prove it... … I, we…….”
Staring into space with nervously fluttering scarlet eyes,.
“That you can save the world…….”
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