I Became a Tyrant of the Defense Game - Episode 727
727. [Side Story] Lake Kingdom (8)
After the barrier was restored and the water drained, the Lake Kingdom became a land of monsters..
The monsters took whatever part of the sprawling city-state they liked and made it their home base..
Many survivors who had managed to maintain their sanity for over a hundred years lost their minds at this time..
It was so frustrating to be hunted every day by the hideous and terrible monsters in my nightmares..
Monsters held a banquet every night, and the people of the Lake Kingdom, who came back to life even after death, became their prey every night..
It was blood-sucked alive, torn by claws, and burned by its own breath. Monsters played with humans, mocking their weak resistance..
A variety of monsters lurked everywhere in the kingdom, and their territory gradually expanded. Before we knew it, there was no space left in the city where humans could rest in peace..
Even in this situation, Ariel did not give up..
They rallied survivors from all over the kingdom to form a resistance force and came together to fight monsters..
But those desperate efforts soon faded..
“……Brother?”
It was because among the people, a traitor who joined the monster's side appeared..
“Now this... … what…….”
White-masked people who joined by disguising themselves as another group of survivors..
After digging into the resistance group, they kidnapped and appeased the resistance members one by one and took them to the devil..
“……The devil himself placed their consciousness in a dream..”
These white masked people - the leader who leads 'Nightcrawler'.
The man dressed as a clown who called himself ‘Crown’ was none other than Prince Christian..
“The same goes for Abama. He finally gave in, and now he's dreaming.”
“Prince Christian……!”
“Wake up, Prince Christian.!”
“I gave up that name..”
As the other survivors called out the prince's name one after another, Christian shook his head..
“I coveted the crown beyond measure, but in the end, I was just a funny clown..”
Underneath the smiling mask, the man laughed miserably.
“So from now on, please call me Crown..”
“Brother……!”
Ariel was furious..
Crown slowly picked up the flute from his belt - the power bestowed by the Demon King..
“Now you are the only people resisting this country..”
“Why! Why are you on the devil's side?!”
“Ariel. Why are you resisting??”
Looking around at the people still trying to fight, Crown let out a soft sigh..
“Have you not seen those mighty monsters? What about the devil who commands those monsters? The country fell to the bottom of the lake, and there is no way to break the curse..”
“…….”
“There is no hope anyway. Then, instead of making useless resistance, it would be better… … Wouldn’t it be better to get comfortable quickly?.”
“Brother, you……!”
Crown quietly looked at the face of his younger brother, who still called him brother..
Even in this hell, those upright eyes that still shine without losing their will.
“I, the one who committed the crime anyway, the one who caused the downfall of the country, is just trying to finish the last dirty work..”
Crown lifted the flute to his mouth. Then all of Nightcrawler took out the weapons they had prepared..
The resistance fighters also raised their weapons. Ariel cried out and cried..
“Don’t do this, brother! It's our royal family's fault for putting this country in hell! So we must take responsibility and fix it together.!”
“No, Ariel. You did nothing wrong. The fault lies only with me..”
Bloody tears flowed from inside the mask..
Crown let out a sigh with a heavy voice..
“so… … I’ll make you feel comfortable as soon as possible.”
Beep-
As soon as the crown played the flute,.
The monsters that heard the sound in the dark poured in here with their red eyes shining..
“what?!”
“Is it really possible to control a monster?……?!”
“Prince! are you really-”
The members of the Nightcrawler unit fired arrows and magic at the panicked resistance without hesitation..
The resistance group collapsed helplessly in front of the joint attack of monsters and traitors. Ariel desperately ordered a retreat..
In a world taken over by monsters.
Even the last remaining humans were divided and fought like this..
***
From monsters to fellow humans.
A situation in which the enemy is increasing and the fighting force is decreasing..
In the end, Ariel had to make a decision..
As a member of the royal family who brought down the country, to take responsibility..
To protect the remaining people, to continue fighting against the devil…….
It was decided to use the ancient magic that was secret to the royal family..
“I will offer my existence as a burnt offering to the goddess..”
The principles of magic identified by the Lake Kingdom are as follows:.
When the guardian beast of a race rooted in the spirit world brings the power absorbed from the other world into this world, that power is processed and used in this world..
And the royal family of the Lake Kingdom already knew..
At the root of 'Everblack', the guardian tree of humans, lies a fiery woman..
The goddess, commonly known as 'goddess', who is simply dismissed as a legend in the folk world, is real. She sees a strong connection between her and the magic of her humanity..
This ancient magic was a ritual in which, instead of offering one's being to the goddess, one borrowed her power..
“There is no need for the princess to do that.!”
“We would rather……!”
“no. It's not just about taking the lead and making sacrifices..”
Ariel shook her head at those who opposed her and smiled bitterly..
“Because I am the one who has the most to burn..”
and.
Because if anyone here is responsible for this whole hell, it's only themselves..
In the end, Ariel performed a ritual to offer herself to the goddess through ancient magic..
“dedicate.”
After setting magic fire on her body, Ariel chanted as she endured the heat that consumed her entire body..
“my identity.”
She was dethroned and gave up her status as a princess..
“my memories.”
From the time I was born until now, forgetting the precious days that were beautiful and the days of resistance that were difficult but did not give up.,
“my name…….”
I lost the name Ariel and became unknown..
“my everything.”
The burnt offering ceremony is over..
When the fire on her body went out, the princess's brilliant silver hair turned white..
A hundred years after the destruction, the red ribbons that were always tied to maintain one's humanity were all burned to ashes..
Instead of the memories being bleached cleanly, the facial expressions and emotions were cut into pieces..
flashing……!
A dazzling halo of light formed in the nameless hand..
The goddess gave the princess who gave her all the light that could destroy the devil..
The resistance fighters, who were crying as they looked up to the white-burned princess, knelt down toward her one by one..
Nameless silently picked up the rusty iron sword lying on the floor, breathed light into it, then turned to the people and said:.
“let's go.”
The bright smile you always showed to everyone and the rich emotions in your voice have all disappeared..
In the two clear eyes that seemed to contain a lake, only one purpose remained and was overflowing..
“to save the world.”
I will defeat the devil and save this country..
To kill monsters and protect people.
That's the only purpose.
***
…….And again, many years have passed.
The nameless continued to fight..
Her ordinary old, rusty iron sword cut down countless monsters and wrote many legends, becoming one of the best weapons that can cut any monster into pieces..
Nameless himself also became extremely trained during countless battles, becoming a swordsman more skilled than anyone else in the world when dealing with monsters..
And while time passes.
The resistance fighters disappeared one by one..
The Demon King persistently persuaded the members of the resistance group. Even after being appeased, they didn't simply turn him into a living device that causes nightmares..
Monsters that copied their memories were deployed to fight the resistance..
It wasn't enough that those who had been colleagues until a few days ago had surrendered, and they appeared in the form of monsters and attacked the resistance forces..
《There are rats, there are rats everywhere, there are rats! No matter how many times you kill them, there will be endless rats! Damn rats!》
《I also want to join the royal court someday and learn magic. I'm tired of sweeping and mopping this place like a machine..》
《20A centurion a year ago, a centurion 10 years ago... … Are you asking me to be a centurion for the rest of my life??》
《Execute those climbing the castle walls! No matter how emergency it is, it must be handled according to the law! It's all summary judgment! summary judgment……!》
《Become fertilizer for the future of humanity, you non-nationals.!》
In the endless battle in the hell below the lake, the resistance fighters went crazy one by one..
It has become difficult to tell whether it is day or night, under water or on land, and whether the person in front of me is a monster or a human..
Those who have gone crazy are in a state where they can no longer endure, such as attacking their allies, seeing empty things and going into confusion, or completely losing all will and being unable to move..
“I can't fight them anymore, but I don't want to become a living machine that gives me nightmares..”
The resistance fighter who was the first to leave made a request to Unknown..
“Please lock me up and seal me..”
“…….”
The unknown person who was silent slowly nodded his head..
“I will do as you wish, comrade..”
Afterwards, anonymous asked cautiously:.
“Do you remember where your original home was? I will let you rest there one last time..”
So, those who could no longer fight returned to their original homes and were sealed..
I laid my comrade down on the moth-eaten bed, and the nameless whispered as I stroked his forehead..
“May you retire peacefully.”
“I hope you regain your light sometime, anonymous.…….”
After saying goodbye.
A magical seal was placed on the house several times to prevent the devil from approaching. Just in case, the doors and windows were blocked from the outside..
This was called a ‘retirement funeral’ among the Lake Kingdom resistance fighters who could not die..
It was the only honorable end they could have..
***
…….
And again, after so many years have passed.
Throughout the Lake Kingdom, houses with their doors and windows sealed like this mushroomed..
Thump, thump, thump…….
After sealing another comrade with his own hands and nailing the door to that house,.
“…….”
Nameless looked back..
Before she knew it, she was alone..
The resistance fighters, who once numbered in the hundreds, all surrendered to the Demon King or held funerals and disappeared from the Lake Kingdom..
Still fighting, very few.
‘iced coffee.’
Even that is now limited.
Even anonymous himself felt that his own end was approaching. Because she knew very well that the light borrowed from the goddess was gradually faltering with difficulty..
‘Was there any meaning to all those days, all that resistance?.’
Nameless raised his tired eyes and looked up at the sky..
This kingdom, once beautiful and colorful, is now nothing but a dull colorless world, completely immersed in darkness..
‘The last time I saw pretty colors…….’
Suddenly, Nameless became lost in thought..
‘When was it?.’
Obviously, before the world became like this.
I think I saw something beautiful with someone…….
‘……I don't remember.’
Because everything was burned and sacrificed, nothing came to mind..
Nameless, laughing bitterly, staggered and walked back into the kingdom immersed in darkness..
To prepare for another endless battle.
And, just in case… … To prepare for new possibilities to come.
Today too, we had to hang torches throughout the Lake Kingdom, eliminate monsters, and patrol in search of visitors..
and.
“hmm?”
As I walked around the outside of the castle walls, I saw a group of people standing outside the closed main gate..
A young man with black hair and a blonde knight were at the forefront. A sniper with curly brown hair and a one-eyed, white-haired wizard. And a red-haired wizard in a wheelchair..
‘Are they adventurers?.’
People often came here after hearing rumors that the kingdom had sunk..
A very small number of them settled in the kingdom and became new forces, but the majority were scared when they saw the monster and ran away or died in vain..
So don't expect much.
“Are they grave robbers who came to this lake kingdom looking for treasure??”
But with just a little bit of hope.
I approached them with a warning so that they would not get caught up in this hell..
“There is nothing here that you want. Please return to earth while you still have life.…….”
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