I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game Chapter 280

Beastification occurs in three major stages.

1st Stage: Animalistic strength begins to take root in the human body. This is a relatively benign stage where one uses the beasts power as a tool while remaining human.

2nd Stage: Animal instincts start to overtake rational thought. One loses language skills and starts to act half-like a beast. Although a shred of human identity remains, the boundary becos blurred.

3rd Stage: One becos a complete beast. Losing all human reason and normal thought, one turns into a monster thirsting for violence.

If you reach the 3rd Stage, you can never return to being human.

And Lucas had co close to the brink of the 2nd Stage this ti.

Just half a step further, and he would have been no different from the werewolf legion we had just slain.

If that had happened...

I might have had to kill Lucas with my own hands.

"Do you know how many days it took for Karma Eater to stabilize your beastly tendencies this ti?"

His face, flushed red from the slap, was downcast, still chained as he was.

Lucas was swallowing my abuse with a defeated, dog-like attitude.

"A week, a whole week! Do you realize how far gone you were?"

"Im sorry, my lord."

"Sorry? You think sorry solves everything, you fuck?"

I growled as I rolled up my sleeves.

"What was the order I gave you this ti? Tell ."

"..."

"Speak!"

"To defend the southern walls... You transferred command authority to ."

"And what did you do?"

"I left the walls to charge into enemy lines."

"And?"

"I used Beastification."

"And!"

"I lost my reason. By the end of the battle, I had no mory of what happened."

Whack!

I slapped Lucass opposite cheek. Lucas gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.

"There are three reasons youre getting hit by right now. First, you ignored my order not to use Beastification."

"Im sorry, my lord."

"Second, you disregarded your command authority and fought like a mad dog in the middle of enemy lines. Do you know what the third reason is?"

"I dont know."

"Its because you dont value yourself at all, you fucking idiot!"

Whack!

I slapped the sa cheek again. This ti, blood spurted from his nose, dribbling down.

"Turning into a beast! Charging alone into enemy lines! Both are suicidal acts! All youre doing is chewing away at your own life and making yourself fodder! Why the hell are you doing this?!"

"..."

"Do you have so trivial sense of heroism? Do you feel so kind of catharsis by risking your life and sacrificing yourself each ti we win a battle? Huh?"

"..."

"If you understood the weight of the role you hold in this battlefront! You cant be like this! Why the hell dont you listen, you fuck?"

Lucas, who had been silently absorbing my words, finally opened his mouth.

"But, my lord, you also..."

"What?"

"Youre the supre commander, and yet... youre on the front lines too."

"..."

"Even you, my lord, always risk your life in battles. Every ti, every single ti. Always..."

My words briefly trailed off, and I found myself speaking almost absurdly.

"Hey, I am...!"

I am...

...

Is it really okay for to...?

I opened my mouth, but the words just wouldnt co out. Stamring, I finally shut my mouth.

Suddenly, I rembered sothing Evangeline once told .

- You really dont take care of yourself, Senior.

- Ive felt it for a long ti, but you have very little instinct for self-preservation. Its entirely unusual for a frontline commander to fight on the front lines himself.

- Youre too willing to throw yourself into battle. As if...

- As if your life doesnt matter.

"..."

Maybe she was right.

I might still be treating this battlefield as though it were part of a ga. Thats why I am risking even my own life like a chess piece.

Perhaps Lucas was just... mimicking . Who knows?

Ah.

I finally realized it.

All the words I had spat out at Lucas could also apply to .

It was as though I was cursing at a reflection of myself.

"... Sigh..."

I clenched my forehead and let out a long sigh.

Pushing my disheveled hair back, I coldly said,

"Beastification is permanently sealed. Never use it again."

Raising my finger, I warned him by pushing it close to his bleeding nose.

"If I catch you using it one more ti, Ill kill you for true insubordination. Got it?"

"Yes, my lord."

"..."

Looking at Lucas, whose lips and nose were covered in blood, a wave of guilt washed over .

But if I hadnt gone to these lengths, he would never have stopped using beastification. I had to be firm.

Pot calling the kettle black, huh?

A sardonic smile crept upon my face as I confronted my own contradictions. I sighed again and gestured to the guards who had co in.

They began to unlock the chains binding Lucas.

Staggering, Lucas was set free, and I nodded for him to leave.

"Youve been through a lot. Go get treated at the temple and rest."

"Yes, my lord..."

With a bow, Lucas exited the dungeon, his head lowered as he limped away.

"...Phew."

I looked at the spots of Lucass blood on the floor before also stepping out of the dungeon. Aider was waiting for at the entrance.

He handed a towel, and I hastily wiped off my blood-stained hands.

"I wish people wouldnt risk their lives."

Watching Lucass receding figure as he was taken to the temple, I mumbled, and Aider smiled gently.

"But the battles weve been in required risking our lives, didnt they?"

"I know. Still, I wish they didnt have to. If soone feels their life is in danger, Id prefer they retreat."

Staring at the blood stains on the towel, I muttered,

"I wish my comrades wouldnt get hurt. I wish nobody would die."

"..."

"I get it. Its like the whining of a child. Nonsense, really. But still."

I thought about my living party mbers, and those who were already dead and buried.

Stage 10.

How many people had recklessly thrown their lives away to get us here?

"I dont want to lose anyone else..."

"..."

"Every ti soone dies, it hurts. I thought Id get used to it, but I havent. Every single ti, it feels like my insides are being skewered with a red-hot fork."

"Dont forget that pain, My Lord," Aider calmly whispered to as I clenched my upset stomach.

"The mont that feeling dulls and numbs, the mont peoples deaths beco just numbers... you will beco sothing else entirely."

"..."

For now, the pain was still vivid.

Maybe thats why I reacted so strongly.

Because Lucas, the protagonist of this ga and my precious comrade, kept fighting recklessly without taking care of himself. I wanted to stop him.

But perhaps...

Perhaps my comrades had been feeling the sa way about for a long ti.

I tightly closed my lips and continued to wipe the blood on my hands. But it wouldnt co off cleanly.

...Ill never resort to corporal punishnt again.

I felt terrible.

Except when casting buffs with my [Maestro] staff, I should never use corporal punishnt again...

***

A few more days passed.

Autumn had fully ripened, the mountain trees had completely turned to fall colors, and the distant fields of neighboring cities were tinged in gold.

The sky was high and blue, devoid of clouds. It was a refreshing autumn day.

Life began to return to Crossroad, which had been quiet since the last defensive battle. Buildings were draped in various fabrics, and street vendors set up shop.

It seed like a festive atmosphere. Was it just because it was fall?

"An autumn festival?"

It turned out there was an upcoming festival.

"Yes! Its ti to harvest the years crops, isnt it? Its a national day of celebration. Though our city is not much into farming... everyone needs to eat and have fun after working hard all year!"

In the Lords office, Evangeline explained in her bubbly voice. I made a noise of acknowledgent.

So it was like a Harvest Moon Festival or Thanksgiving. Harvest festivals seed to be a universal culture, no matter the world.

Co to think of it, there was an autumn festival event in the ga every year.

It was just a brief ntion that boosted rcenaries morale by 5 or so, barely noticeable. But experiencing it firsthand felt like a major event.

"Whats the vibe of Crossroads autumn festival?"

"Oh, what can a rural festival offer? Vendors sell skewers, and every household brings out homade liquor to share..."

Evangeline shrugged.

"Theres usually a simple martial arts tournant."

"...A what now?"

A martial arts tournant?

"And maybe a dance festival?"

"...What kind of festival?"

A dance festival?

At that, Evangeline energetically waved her hands.

"Kid, its not as grand as you might be thinking. Its really just a tiny, rural area."

"Hmm..."

Even so, upon hearing those words, a flash of inspiration swept through my mind as a city lord.

Festival... Martial Arts Tournant... Dance Festival...

...Isnt this a tourist attraction?

If I just slap on Festival or Event tags and promote it well, tourists will flock like hyenas.

The Crossroad Tourist City Plan, which I had put on hold, ca to mind.

Id been itching to build a luxury hotel with a casino.

Co to think of it, the architect from the Imperial Capital still hasnt arrived.

The architect to design the hotel. And the distribution of magical stones accumulating in Crossroad.

Both were supposed to be handled by the rchant Guild of Silver Winter. Still, no word.

Well, its understandable given the distance; it will take so ti. But when will they arrive...

...Thats when it happened.

"Lordddd~!"

Aider quickly approached. When I looked to see why, he said,

"A guest has arrived from the Imperial Capital!"

"...!"

Speak of the devil!

I swiftly grabbed my coat and headed outside. Aider and Evangeline followed suit.

Upon arriving at the north gate by carriage, the streets were already buzzing with citizens who had co to gawk.

And through the wide-open north gate,

As if so parade was happening, an endless stream of opulent and sophisticated wagons was entering.

It was the wagons of the rchant Guild of Silver Winter.

"Wow... What is this? Whats going on?"

Evangelines mouth fell open as she gazed at the procession. I also whistled. Seriously, Silver Winter!

"Your Highness!"

Then, from the front of the parade, a familiar voice rang out.

Looking in that direction, a woman with vivid aqua-colored hair, billowing in the wind and dressed in an elegant suit, ca into view.

Under the bright autumn sun, her silver eyes were striking.

She was energetically waving her arm at . Her slender and pale arm shimred against the backdrop of the blue sky like a painting.

I warmly smiled and uttered her na.

"...Serenade."

The owner of the rchant Guild of Silver Winter.

My business & dance partner who had weathered hardships with in the Imperial Capital.

Serenade Winter had arrived in Crossroad.