I Became the Tyrant of a Defense Game - Chapter 115
◈ 115. [Free Exploration] Path of the Loser
The party members agonized over whether to go to the library or the courthouse.
But unfortunately,
“the correct answer is not all three.”
I crossed out all three routes. Everyone’s mouth fell open.
“If it’s a standard clear route, you’ll have to attack one of the three places. But I know a lot about this dungeon.”
okay. you know too well
I drew a new route starting from the base camp and passed the 4th district that leads to the library-grand park-court.
I will go to these three places later. Not today.
“Today we skip the 4th area by following the secret passage. Go straight to District 5.”
My chalk stopped behind it.
“This destination is District 5, ‘Colosseum’.”
And after writing the word “Colosseum” in large letters, he stamped a dot.
“Attack this place.”
“… .”
There was silence for a moment.
Evangeline, stuttering, asked cautiously.
“wait a minute. Doesn’t area 5 mean it’s more difficult than area 4? Is this a place we can clear now?”
“of course.”
In fact, this is the easiest place to clear at this point.
“That’s because there’s a trick.”
Same with the dungeon gimmick. Same with the boss monsters.
It is a dungeon optimized for cheating. In fact, as soon as the base camp opened, I was thinking of robbing right here.
“Don’t worry about clearing. I have all the ways.”
Speaking confidently, I ran my hand through the road between the base camp and the Colosseum.
“But as you can see, it’s quite a distance.”
Depth of base camp is 3.
From here, you have to go all the way to the depth 5 Colosseum.
In other words, it means that you have to crawl into the depths of the dungeon for a long time.
“The physical distance is quite far. Inevitably, 2 days and 1 night is confirmed.”
“indeed… .”
“I will explain the trick as I go. It’s a long distance anyway, so there won’t be anything to do except talk while we’re gone.”
I put down the chalk and wiped my hands with a handkerchief.
“It is more than that. question… Let me take it as I go.”
Evangeline and Junior, who seemed curious about something, lowered their hands in regret. I grinned.
“If you don’t want to do 2 nights and 3 days, let’s start soon. You spent too much time getting ready.”
***
[Now Loading… Teleporting.]
[Tip – There are many roads leading to various places in the Lake Kingdom dungeon in the base camp. Explore various places freely!]
***
Arrive at the base camp through the teleport gate.
This time, the blacksmith, Kelly Bay, was nowhere to be seen. Only Grandma Coco, a space magician, welcomed us.
“Uhihi our babies! Are you here to play again?”
No, I didn’t come here to play. I’m risking my life to explore.
“Why do you say you seem to have lost more weight than last time? wait. This lady will give you something delicious.”
“ah… I’m sorry Grandma Coco. We are really busy right now.”
Coco Granny tried to take some jellies out of her studio again, but I stopped her and looked around.
“But what about Kelly Bay?”
“That dwarf inspiration? well It looks like he went inside the dungeon to get some materials.”
“hmm… .”
Kelly Bay is an NPC who always guards this place. Are you also vacating your seat?
you know what to do Anyway, Kelly Bay is also higher level and stronger than us at this point. I’m not going to commit a crime.
“Then, Grandma Coco, I have one other request… .”
I brought Grandma Coco to the center of the base camp.
In the center of the base camp, something like a manhole cover was installed. I pointed to it.
“Please break the seal on this.”
“Hey, are you okay? The passage down here is the path of the notorious loser.”
Grandma Coco lowered her big head and stared at me with a smile on her face.
“Your heart may break as you pass by.”
“are you okay. It doesn’t break.”
“If you can’t conquer the battleground at the end, you can’t come back. that it becomes a one-way street. Are you really okay?”
“are you okay. I will conquer it.”
“Ooh hee hee hee! Kelly Bay said that this new product is pretty good!”
Grandma Coco, who was holding her stomach and laughing, waved her hand lightly.
rattle!
Then, a light flashed from the manhole cover and it was gently opened upwards.
“Okay go! I am waiting for your heroic story.”
“thank you. grandma.”
Grandma Coco put her hands behind her back and stepped back. I pointed my toe down the manhole and winked at the party.
“Okay, shall we go?”
The inside of the manhole is dark. There was a three-dimensional darkness unique to the dungeon.
Even in this already dark neighborhood, it was even darker because the road led underground.
As I approached, a guide message came to my mind.
[Road of the Loser]
– All skills are sealed while passing through this passage.
– If you do not clear the sector, this road will be closed.
– Only the truly courageous take on the challenge.
sigh sigh… … .
The peculiar gnawing sound of the darkness here echoed loudly in the passage.
“… .”
“… .”
It was clear that everyone was unwilling. Even Lucas.
That’s right. Because this is a physiological problem.
“Let’s go first.”
Then what should I take the lead?
“yes? Wait a minute, lord-”
Before Lucas could say anything, I took out a ‘blue flame torch’ from my inventory.
A torch that never goes out, obtained as a reward in the past.
I threw it into the aisle first.
The torch fell inside, lighting the surroundings blue. The long vertical circular passage was densely lined with ladders.
Tung-!
It didn’t last long and the sparks bounced on the floor.
“Isn’t it very deep?”
I smiled and pushed myself into the aisle first.
All the other party members followed me one by one with determined faces.
***
If the darkness had a will, what would he do?
That thought occurred to me as I descended the shaft.
sigh sigh… … .
The sound of gnawing insects constantly rang in my ears.
It was to the point where I had the illusion that they were eating away at my ears.
It was as if I could see something in the dark corner of my vision. But when I looked back, there was nothing.
sigh sigh… … .
The darkness seems to be whispering something.
As we went deeper and deeper, the sound of insects formed the shape of language. It became clear in my ears.
die.
ruined
explode
Dying, dying, exploding, dying, dying, exploding, dying, dying, exploding, dying, dying, exploding, dying, ruining, exploding, dying, dying, exploding, dying, exploding, dying, exploding, dying, exploding, dying, exploding
“… .”
scary.
honestly it’s terrifying
but.
‘It’s less scary than Game Over.’
You have to go through this to go to the Colosseum, and you have to go to the Colosseum to get the Dark Crystal, and you have to get the Dark Crystal to get a way to deal with the Vampire King.
then you should move
If that is the only road to clear. No choice but to jump into the darkness or into the lava.
widely.
My toes touched the ground after the eons-like vertical passage.
At that moment, like a lie, the sound of gnawing insects, words of curse, and something whitish that was cluttering the edge of the field of vision completely disappeared.
“… .”
I picked up a blue flame torch off the floor and held it up.
A white marble aisle, neatly hewn in straight lines, stretched out ahead.
‘Road of losers.’
Well, it’s cool, but it’s just a secret passage.
All speed runners who aim to clear < Protect the Empire > in the shortest time used to break from the Colosseum through this path.
It’s an RPG, but I want to know what kind of speed run it is. That was the name of the achievement… … .
fault-!
Then Lucas tumbled down the aisle behind me. I looked back at Lucas.
“Was it worth coming down, Lucas?”
“… .”
Lucas looked at me with a pale face drenched in cold sweat and asked cautiously.
“for a moment… May I rest, sir?”
“of course. Let’s wait until everyone comes down.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lucas collapsed into his seat.
I didn’t ask what I had seen or heard. But I stood next to Lucas and put my hand on his shoulder.
“… thank you.”
Lucas quickly settled down. thank god.
‘On the loser’s road, all skills are sealed.’
It means that my passive skill [Indomitable Commander] was also sealed.
I can’t defend the mental state of the party members. I just hope that each of us will overcome this ordeal well.
Udangtang!
The second to come down was Damian.
Damian almost tumbled down the aisle and crouched in a corner shivering.
“I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong! please don’t hit me… … .”
“Damian.”
“I’m sorry, Van. I’m sorry. sorry for being alive I was wrong. therefore… .”
“Damian!”
Holding Damian’s shoulders, I met Damian’s gaze.
“I’m with you.”
“Ha ha ha ha… .”
“Whatever was above is over now. And I will never bother you again.”
Damian, who was examining me with trembling eyes, muttered in a muted voice.
“Prince. Please hold my hand… … .”
“okay.”
“Lord Lucas. please.”
“I will.”
Lucas and I held Damian’s hands one by one. Damian closed his eyes tightly and trembled.
Blame-
Junior came down next.
“hmm.”
Junior looked up the aisle with interest and pulled down his big hat.
“I see. It’s a curse that works this way… … It’s fun.”
“fun?”
“It’s a bit old-fashioned because it was done 500 years ago, but it’s interesting.”
I glanced at Junior’s leg.
“My legs are shaking.”
“No, this is… Wizards are weak when it comes to using their bodies. It’s not because I’m afraid.”
“Okay, let’s do something like that.”
At that time, Junior, who saw this side, narrowed his eyes.
“By the way, what are the three of you doing now?”
“You come here too. Hold Damian’s hand.”
“yes?”
“hurry. Can’t you see the baby is shaking? It needs human warmth.”
Junior hesitantly approached and carefully reached out his hand and placed it on top of Damian’s hand.
thud-!
The last one to come down was Evangeline. I lowered my shield and landed gracefully. Are you Captain Crosslord?
“and! My whole body is covered in cold sweat.”
Evangeline swept back her sweaty hair and grumbled.
“Why did you take a shower?”
I’m going to ask you, little boy.
And Evangeline, who saw this side, showed the same reaction as Junior.
“What are the four of you doing now?”
“what… Kang Kang Su Wol?”
“… .”
After looking this way with a pouty gaze, Evangeline held out her hand and the dodo came running.
“I’ll do it too.”
“That’s it.”
prison.
Even Evangeline’s tiny hand covered Damian’s hand.
“… that’s it.”
stay like that for a while
Damian rolled his big brown eyes and glanced at us.
“I… I’m fine now… … .”
“huh? no no no I’m still trembling Let’s stay like this a little longer.”
“That little… embarrassing… .”
“no it’s okay! There is no shame in being afraid of such a curse! Cheer up Damian!”
“cheer up!”
“cheer up!”
“Let’s do our best~!”
“Oooh.”
Damian’s neck and ears went red, and he slumped his face down.
We looked down at Damian and laughed hahahaha. It’s fun to tease.
I don’t know what kind of terrible past Damian went through and how deep the wounds are.
Because the party members are here.
Just like hunting monsters together, it would be nice to defeat painful memories. That’s what I thought.