765. [STAGE 46]
The enemy of the 46th defensive battle is the Rat Army.
It is an army that is the body and collection of all rat-type monsters that serve the Great Mother Rat, the ‘mother of all rats’, as their monarch and god.
Shoot…!
The rat army that rose above the black lake, creating foam, looked orderly.
The massively bloated Ratmen stood at the head of the line, heavily armed, and the sleek Ratmen wearing bone armor followed in formation.
And right behind that elite army….
Rumbling!
An incredibly large cart that comes out with a sound like a thunderbolt.
On top of the cart was a huge lump of flesh the size of a large hill or small mountain.
Near the top of this gigantic mass of flesh was a small head breathing heavily, topped with a crown made of bone.
This is the rat that this being worships.
I will become the commander of a monster army that is the mother of all rats.
Even at this moment, the gigantic body of the Mosin rat was functioning as a biological factory.
The newly born baby rats struggled and clung to the thousands of nipples attached to the body of the rat they were feeding, and thanks to the unknown magical effect contained in the milk, their bodies grew and became huge at once.
The rats that had finished growing like that fell from the cart and were thrown backwards…
Squeak!
Squeak squeak…!
In the space right behind the cart, they formed a circle and ate each other.
After this terrible selection process in which newly born blood relatives eat each other, the strongest individual of that generation that survives escapes this Colosseum of blood and flesh… doo doo doo doo doo…
!
Only then was I able to join the endless rat army.
Like this, the elite rat man at the head, the mother god rat in the center, and the endless army of regular giant rats behind them.
The opponent of this defense battle is the rat army.
“That’s a lot.”
As I was observing these monsters from above on La Mancha, I spoke in an unimpressed voice.
There are a lot of them, but they are still inferior to the composition of the monsters from the previous defense battle, when all the zombified monsters came rushing in. We have already established defense measures against the rat army.
but.
“…?”
As I was closely examining the monster army, I noticed one strange thing.
He belatedly realized that a familiar figure was at the front of the huge cart carrying the mother goddess.
“….”
The person who was silently looking up at the airship I was on was a clown wearing a mask.
After realizing the other person’s identity, I muttered his name in confusion.
“Crown…”
The crown looked the same as usual, but there was only one difference: the previously pure white mask had turned black-grey, as if covered by a shadow, and was waving.
“….”
“….”
We looked at each other from afar for a moment.
Crown slowly looked away, and I, looking away, entered the void.
I gave a concise order to my subordinates who saw me.
“Prepare to bomb!”
I don’t know why that guy is there, but anyway, what I have to do is decided.
Kill monsters and save people.
Do anything for this purpose.
“The rat hunt starts now…!”
“yes!”
“Prepare to bomb!”
Eventually, a report came that preparations were complete, and I stretched out my hand.
“Start bombing immediately! “Turn them into charcoal!”
At the same time as my command, La Mancha’s lower hatch opened and the explosives stored inside fell on the monsters’ heads.
And at the same time.
“Hu…”
Crown put the flute in his mouth and
beep…!
A long, sharp sound was emitted.
《Kirik…?!》
《Kikiik!》
Immediately, the rat army changed its formation.
By rapidly changing course, they avoided a direct hit from the bombing, while at the same time, the rat swarm in the rear row covered the heads of the lead swarm, acting as a meat shield.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee_eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeow
… Kwagwagwagwagwang!
Under the rain of explosives pouring down from La Mancha, the rat army continued to advance despite the damage.
A swarm of ordinary rats died endlessly, guarding them with their lives, while the Mosin rats and elite ratman units began their journey north.
With perfect command through the Crown’s flute….
“….”
I, who was coldly glaring at the battlefield, turned to the side and said.
“Prepare plan B.”
Now all remaining stages are life or death.
In order to survive and win….
“This side will give everything it has.”
***
3 days later.
The Rat Army, which broke through all of our bombardment and defense, finally reached the end of the plain south of the Crossroads.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any damage so far.
Most of the regular giant rats died. It was a natural result as it was used generously as a meat shield to protect the worshiped rats and elite ratmen.
And also the mouse that was enshrined.
《Kii… Kiiii….》
I’m dying.
This is because there has been intensive sniping from our side over the past three days. Especially in the face of Damian’s ultra-precise sniping, no matter how many meat shields you put up, you couldn’t avoid being hit.
The fact that the Mosin Rat is still holding on despite being hit by dozens of shots from Damian is thanks to the monster’s innate transcendent tenacity and overwhelming vitality.
But that also has its limits.
The rats that have already been raised are no longer able to give birth to baby rats, and they are unable to feed the babies as they are not producing milk. There is only the loud screams of baby rats screaming for milk that is not coming out.
And – the leading elite ratmen.
Thousands of well-trained giant ratmen succeeded in reaching the southern plains with most of their strength intact.
There will be no choice but to have a decisive battle with these guys.
《Kkikkikkiit…!》
《Kirik… kirik… Kirik…!》
The eyes of the excited rat men turned red upon seeing the castle wall of royalties.
Right now, they are stopping for a moment and setting up their camp, but as soon as the attack order is given, they will immediately start running like crazy towards the Crossroads.
And before that I.
“This is Ash ‘Bornhater’ Everblack, commander of the World Defense Front.”
We had a conversation.
I walked alone and reached the center of the plain and planted the flagpole in my hand into the ground. Then, my magical energy condensed on the flagpole, forming a flag made of magical energy.
“I request a ‘commander’s meeting’ with the head of the monster!”
“….”
As soon as my request was made, an uneasy silence fell over the entire monster camp.
I waited calmly and eventually the answer came.
“I accept.”
It was Crown who walked out through the crowd of ratmen.
Crown slowly spiraled towards the center of the plain and stood before me.
“Crown.”
“ash.”
We looked at each other in silence for a while.
I drew a disturbing black shadow on Crown’s mask, and Crown glanced at my eyes and chest.
“You changed the color of your mask?”
I said it first as if I was joking.
“Yes, in life, you need a change of mood. “If you only drive white cars for the rest of your life, you could get sick of it, right?”
“….”
“You should try black and gray, try blue, and try red. How about a bright green mask next time?”
Crown laughed at my joke and tapped his black-gray mask with his fingertips.
“This is the devil’s work, Ash. By his will… I must now act as his puppet until the end.”
“….”
“The Demon King went into the nightmare to find the person he was looking for, as he had been doing all this time… and I took over the rest of the battle.”
After hearing about the devil’s actions, I slowly closed my eyes and opened them.
After all…
we all look alike.
“…Not much time has passed since the Battle of the Black Dragon.”
This time Crown looked at me and smiled.
“It seems like the light in your soul has become stronger.”
“Is it noticeable on the outside?”
“Why don’t you at least look in the mirror? “Just from the look in your eyes, I can feel that you have already entered complete divine status.”
There is no need to even look in the mirror.
The power of the two dragons I have accepted and inherited, as well as the dozens of crowns I have worn, are gradually assimilating with me.
Deification.
My soul has long ago entered the stage of transcendence. I was already moving away from the framework of being human.
But I was suppressing this divine power as much as possible.
To protect myself as a possible person. To not forget my purpose as a person.
And…
because it’s not the time to use this power yet.
“Yes, if it were you now…”
Crown muttered bitterly.
“Maybe you can kill my brother.”
“….”
“Maybe you can give that child some peaceful rest in the end.”
Crown nodded slightly.
“What I hope is that the child will escape this long nightmare and fall asleep with a peaceful dream. That’s all… Will you help me like you promised, Ash?”
“no.”
I denied that.
“Crown. “Isn’t what you really want to avoid that kind of death?”
“…?”
“For my younger brother to get his name back, his life back, and his smile back.”
I grinned.
“That’s what you really want.”
“But that’s…!”
“I will save.”
I stretched out my hand toward Crown’s trembling gaze.
“Obviousness.”
“….”
“You too.”
“…!”
“All the Lake Kingdom people suffering under that hell. And…”
After hearing the last name I whispered, Crown’s eyes widened under the mask.
I grinned.
“Because they are all people within my reach. “I will save everything.”
“You…”
His mouth, which had been gaping several times as if it was absurd, opened in emptiness.
“Are you really crazy…?”
“I did not know?”
I grinned confidently.
“I’m the biggest crazy person in this district.”
“….”
Crown shook his head and slowly picked up the flute.
“I really can’t believe your bravado, but… you’ve proven it by accomplishing everything. “I can’t just dismiss it as mere nonsense.”
“Do you understand me now?”
“But in order to achieve your bluff, you will first have to overcome the invasion led by me.”
Crown lifted the chin of the mask and slowly lifted the flute and put it to his mouth. As
Crown played
the flute, the group of Ratmen behind him suddenly flashed red eyes.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t care, Ash.”
Behind the mask, his eyes were shining red and he spat out in a cracked voice.
“The path you spoke of… If you want to reach the miracle that will save everyone within your reach, all you need is this foolish clown’s last joke! “It should be easy to tear it apart…!”
I grinned, pulled out the flagpole, and stretched it horizontally.
The magic flag undulated and flowed like waves along the flagpole’s trajectory.
It was a firing signal.
“I’ll show you Crown.”
To deal with the Pied Piper and the army of rats behind him like this. Suddenly, a scene from a long time ago appeared overlapping with me.
I shouted loudly.
“It’s no longer the brat commander or clumsy defense line from Stage 2…!”
Crown and I staring at each other.
The Pied Piper and the Horseman of Royalty.
The next moment, countless monster armies rushed behind each other, and artillery and arrows rained down.
