◈ 014. [Side Story] To the enemy camp
“You will continue to die on the front lines!”
I conceded.
“Every week there will be new graves here in the cemetery, and the choir will resound.”
No matter how hard you try to keep the sacrifice to a minimum, people will die. Because a front without sacrifice cannot exist.
But
“let me be clear. Your death is more expensive than your survival!”
All these funeral expenses and compensation for the dead were enormous.
Nearly half of the money earned from selling magic stones had to be budgeted for compensation.
It was also planned to raise the salaries of all soldiers and mercenaries, but it was nothing compared to the cost of a funeral.
Yes. Death should not be common and trivial. Death must be very precious and expensive. so that no one can have it easily.
“So I will save you as much as possible. I will do whatever it takes to keep them alive, and I will use them on the frontlines.”
Even for my economic reasons as the lord. And also for the soldiers themselves.
we must not die
have to live
It has to survive.
“Then don’t die easily either.”
I looked at Jupiter and the mercenaries. Jupiter kept his mouth shut and looked up at me with one eye.
“Live and take my wages. Don’t let me die and pay a funeral.”
The speech was over.
As I stepped down the platform, Lucas swung his arms at the artillerymen.
pop! squirm… … !
The roar of the lions’ requiem echoed above the red evening sky.
How will my speech be received by the citizens?
An excuse from an incompetent commander? It’s the money of the stupid lord?
Either way it doesn’t matter.
It is only proved by future results. That I am more competent than anyone else here on the monster front.
“Well then… .”
He raised his eyebrows and clasped his hands.
“Shall we go and break stage 1?”
***
The next day, Jupiter and the mercenaries came under my command.
“Congratulations! A wonderful new colleague has arrived!”
Ader spoke like that as he came in carrying a bundle of profiles of the new mercenaries in his arms. be noisy man
This is the lord’s office.
I don’t have one or two things to take care of, but I’m also at work. Originally, even in the game, I handled city administration work… … .
‘Why do I have so many things to do as soon as I took office? What did the former lord do?’
I put away the paperwork that I was dealing with. Anyway, the important thing now is to attack the next stage. You have to live to run the city.
“We have hired all free mercenaries currently in the city! A total of 114 members!”
For Stage 1, which is about to take place, even one more soldier is needed.
All available mercenaries were hired regardless of amount.
“Everyone put their stats in the ‘system’! Feel free to check that way.”
Saying that, Ader threw all the profile bundles he was carrying into the trash can. If so, why did you bring it?
“Let’s see… .”
I opened the system window to check the newly hired mercenaries.
The forces in < Defend the Empire > are largely divided into two types.
into two categories: ‘Hero’ and ‘Soldier’.
‘Heroes’ are exceptional talents. You can use skills and organize into parties.
It can be said that it is the most important character that is the basis of the strategy of this game.
N-rank heroes, who are quietly ignored, are very powerful compared to ordinary soldiers.
‘Soldier’ cannot use skills and cannot be organized in a party. But without them, the front line cannot be maintained.
Soldiers also become stronger according to their skills, so you need to boost their morale and manage them.
‘Among the mercenaries hired this time, the hero is… … Five.’
More than 100 people were selected, and only five of them were heroes.
In addition, the probability of another high-ranking hero among these five is lower. Looking at it this way, it’s a pretty intense drawing game.
“Did you wake up?!”
I turned on the list of new heroes while shouting.
Flash!
The color that popped up in the profile images of the five new members… … purple one. gray net.
One SR rank. It’s an N-class four.
“Sheesh, yes.”
I snorted in disappointment, but I guessed it.
Now, this place is a city on graves where only the deadliest people gather. That infamous kaiju frontline.
It is a story after the middle of the year when the reputation of the city improves and income rises that high-level talents start to gather.
I guess I’ll just have to be content with getting one SR grade for now.
After roughly checking the four N-rank heroes, I finally checked Jupiter’s stats.
[Jupiter (SR)]
– Level: 35
– Title: Corruption Veteran
– Occupation: Advanced Lightning Master
– Strength 8 Agility 18 Intellect 30 Stamina 10 Horsepower 35
Level 35 from the start. After finishing the 2nd job, I got an advanced class! this is a dog thing
[Possess Skills]
> Passive: Get Rich
> Skill 1: Bleaching Zone
> Skill 2: Bleaching Again
> Ultimate: ??? (Unlocked after the 3rd job advancement)
Passive ‘Rapid Rich’ literally makes you thunder.
An average passive skill for property mages that changes their magic power into lightning properties.
Skill 1 is wide-area lightning magic. Strikes an area with lightning to attack enemies and leave a mark.
Skill 2 is a link skill. It inflicts an additional blow with a reinforced thunderbolt on the marked enemy, which is extremely powerful.
Like this, he possesses an extreme skill set that goes all-in on wide-area attacks.
Jupiter was my main striker in the game with its simple yet powerful power.
The problem is this grandma… … It is a case where the characteristic catches the ankle.
[Equip Attribute (1/3)]
– Golden Light (Undispellable)
Attribute Golden Light that cannot be dispelled.
In other words, it is the characteristic of being crazy about money. Especially if it’s a gold coin, I can’t use it.
When you find a treasure chest in a dungeon, if you have this attribute, there is a certain probability that it will go out of control and open the chest at will.
But what if that’s a trap?
In fact, in the last game, the trait exploded in the second half of the dungeon, and it was caught by a mimic disguised as a treasure chest and chewed to death… … .
‘… I have no choice but to control it well somehow.’
This place follows the rules of the game, but reality anyway.
I’m sure I’ll be able to stop at least opening all of the chests because I’m crazy about seeing them… … no please please.
I don’t want to lose the hard-earned SR-rank wizard in vain.
[New Hero Characters]
– Lv.35 Jupiter (SR)
– Lv.14 Tane (N)
– Lv.14 Ron (N)
– Lv.12 Jiya (N)
– Lv.11 Peke (N)
Anyway, newly acquired heroes is five people like this.
Here, Lucas, Damian, and Lily, who is scheduled to be retired.
‘How to organize a party… … .’
I was lost in thought for a while.
It’s good to change the composition of the party flexibly by looking at the enemy’s formation.
It is efficient to organize in the direction of hitting the counter as much as possible according to the species and type of enemies.
‘To do that, I need to know what kind of enemies they are.’
I glanced at the time limit floating on the stage information window.
[STAGE 1]
– Until the start: 3 days, 1 hour, 3
days until the start of the stage.
Have you already come this far? It’s pretty tight.
‘I’ll have to see the enemy’s information soon.’
Stage enemy information can basically be viewed after encountering an enemy.
In the case of the tutorial, I was already in the middle of fighting the enemy, so I could see it right away, but now the enemy information window is all covered with question marks. reconnaissance is essential
Originally, it would be correct to send scouts, but there is a trick here.
“Lucas.”
I called Lucas, who was standing guard outside the office door. As soon as I called, Lucas ran in front of me like flying.
“yes! Did you call me, Your Highness!”
“Come get some fresh air with me.”
asked Lucas, who immediately grabbed my coat.
“Where are you going today, Your Highness?”
“lake.”
I said calmly as I tucked my arm into the coat Lucas was putting on.
“I’m going to the enemy camp.”
“… yes?”
Question marks were plastered on Lucas’ face, who didn’t understand what I was saying. I chuckled.
“You’ll know when you go, man.”
***
After a while. Backyard of Crossroads Manor House.
Me and Lucas stood in front of a pile of rubble. Lucas didn’t know why, but he quietly followed me.
I reached out for the pile of stones. Then a system window popped up in front of me.
[Do you want to activate the teleport gate?]
– Yes/No
Of course yes.
Goo Goo Goo –
With a strange operating sound, the piles of stones rose into the air and turned round and round to form a magic door.
Surprised Lucas asked.
“What is this, Your Highness?”
“It is the gate leading to the dungeon under the lake.”
I dared to say it one more time to the bewildered Lucas.
“This is a free pass that leads to a hell infested with monsters.”
< Defend the Empire > is a game that mixes two genres.
Tower Defense & Dungeon Offense.
The rules of the game are as follows. First of all, the main ‘stage’ is tower defense.
It is an all-out war in which the monsters rising from the lake advance to the crossroads and block them with all the troops possessed by the city.
And between this stage and this stage.
When the enemy is not attacking, you can explore the dungeon under the lake, the enemy’s base.
This is called ‘free exploration’.
Players explore the dungeon with a small raid group to get hints for the next stage, farm experience points and items, and dig out the secrets of the dungeon.
The basic structure of the game is to exchange defense and attack in this way.
This teleport gate is a device for that free exploration.
In the game, the function was opened after Stage 1 was over, but I came because I wanted to, and it was as expected. I was able to get it to work right away.
‘It’s a dog-likely difficult game, but it’s not an unreasonable game.’
Besides, I know how to attack almost all monsters.
And he mastered the composition and gimmick of the dungeon under the lake almost by memorization.
In the defense stage, he nimbly gnaws at the monsters and then sweeps them away like a sheepdog.
In the attack free exploration, items and experience points that can be farmed in the dungeon are scraped.
‘It’s worth a try. No, it’s very worth it!’
It was only during Tuto that he struggled, but the start was quite good.
Demian, who can be called a cheat character, and Jupiter, an SR wide-area attacker, were selected and started.
Besides, there is a lot of money on hand.
The confidence that I can safely clear the game and make my wish come true… … filled the stomach.
“Okay Lucas. Let me tell you briefly.”
I explained the rules of the game to Lucas and said that I was going to scout the enemy for the next stage.
“I do understand.”
Lucas raised no questions. He only inspects his own armor and weapons.
“… .”
I swallowed dry saliva.
In fact, Lucas was probably the most questionable.
I, the prince whom I have served my whole life, has suddenly changed, and I know the composition of the city I came to for the first time and the presence or absence of dungeons.
It might feel strange, but Lucas silently followed me.
“hey. Do you have anything to ask me?”
I asked cautiously, and Lucas looked at me with a blue stare.
“… .”
“… .”
There was silence for a moment. I unknowingly swallowed my dry saliva.
Lucas hesitated a little before opening his mouth slowly.
“I am… .”
