Chapter 8: [STAGE 0] The Decisive Battle (3)

Kyeeegh-!

Monsters have been pouring endlessly around the battery of the mana cannon that’s being reloaded for the third shot.

The defense line that Lucas is in charge of is still holding up, but it won’t last long.

“Reload complete!”

“Demian!”

The artillery captain announced the completion of the reload. I immediately shouted at Demian.

“Fire!”

Both of Demian's eyes were dyed red with blood vessels bursting out.

It might’ve been a side effect of the Thousand-Mile Eyes. However, this was no time to consider that.

Clunk!

Demian, who had already finished aiming, pulled the trigger without any hesitation.

Spark, Ptsss…!

Bam-!

This was the third shot.

The mana shot pierced the sky into the far distance.

Boom…!

It hit exactly where the Spider Queen was.

This precise aiming could already be called a divinity.

Whether it was a divine mistake or a developer’s joke, Demian's eyes were a miracle that existed in this reality.

Now, the problem is,

Kyaaargh-!

The Spider Queen did not fall despite that.

the queen was not foolish. When she was hit for the 2nd time, she realized that she had become the target of a sniper and started taking measures to counter it.

The countermeasure was simple and effective. She used the body of her subordinates as a shield.

The mana shot falling in a parabolic shape was received by the escort spiders instead.

The mana shot pierced through all of the resistance, but by the time it reached the queen, the power had already weakened.

“The Black Spider Queen was hit, however, she’s still standing strong…!”

The skirmisher looking through the telescope reported in a trembling voice. I shouted out, as I tried to stay calm.

“What are you all standing there for?! This is no time to relax! Reload the next shot, quick!”

The artillerists who were cooling the barrels and loading the next cannonball were drenched in sweat, and their faces filled with despair.

“Uryaah-!”

The first floor of the forward operating base, around the battery.

Lucas was desperately swinging his sword, commanding the line of defense that had been pushed back so far.

“We must protect the battery! We must protect His Highness-!”

Lucas was fighting restlessly as he was the strongest knight among the troops here.

Even though he was half the level of the Black Spider soldiers, he skillfully wielded his sword and parried their claws, fighting as hard as he could.

Where Lucas was, the defense line was not pushed back at all.

However, at other parts of the defense line,

“Urgh!”

“Ahh…”

“H-help me! Send me back home…”

There were numerous casualties.

On the ally information window, the number of allies was dropping at a tremendous rate. I couldn't stand to see the window anymore and turned it off.

I didn’t know.

I didn’t know when I played this as a game.

That this place too was a place where people lived.

And that death wasn’t just simple numbers—it was accompanied by terrible screams and stench.

Our frontline was quickly pushed back. At this rate, the defense line will be completely demolished before we can even shoot the 5th shot.

“Hey- You goddamned monsters!”

It was at that moment.

From outside the line of defense, someone let out a hoarse roar. I glanced over there.

The person who stood amidst the monsters and screamed was Ken.

“Over here! Look! Look at me!”

Just a while ago, Ken was succeeding in attracting a portion of the spiders by repeatedly going stealthy and attracting the attention of the enemies outside the castle walls.

But when the Spider Queen changed her orders and all the spiders rushed to the turret, he was left alone outside.

He could have just run away because he had many family members to take care of.

“Damn you, wretched spiders! I am a knight of the empire, Sir Ken!”

But Ken was faithful to his duty until the very end.

Although he trembled with fear, he continued to loudly draw the enemy's attention.

Could it be because of my threats? Or…

Kyeegh-!

When dozens of spiders that had broken the defenses turned to look at Ken, I got this gut feeling.

The gut feeling that I won’t be able to ask him about the reason anymore.

Dozens of Black Spiders stopped their attack, turned back to Ken, and started rushing toward him.

Ken led them away, trying to activate his stealth trait behind a collapsed stone wall, but—

“Ah.”

He was not able to activate the [Survival Method of a Petty Thief], as he had no HP left to spend.

Dozens of spiders rushed at him. Ken looked at me standing on top of the battery and smiled bitterly with a tearful face.

“Damn it, I knew it would end up like—”

Stab! Stab! Stab!

The terrible shattering sound of the body could be clearly heard even from a distance.

I didn’t turn away from that scene and witnessed his death clearly.

It wasn't just Ken. Humans were being slaughtered by monsters everywhere.

Blood gushed out as I bit my lip.

Before I came into this world, I sacrificed my allies if it was needed.

This damned game was just designed that way. In order to proceed to the next stage, somebody had to die.

To save someone, to get an item, to complete a sub-mission, to unlock an achievement…

Somebody had to die, and I willingly killed them.

In order to effectively clear the entire game, I threw countless subordinates to death without any remorse. And I had no question about committing such acts.

“Stop.”

But now I finally realized.

“Stop…”

The true meaning contained in the actions I’ve committed until now.

“I said stop, you fucking monsters!”

The fact that all death is accompanied by heart-wrenching pain.

Seeing people falling with blood scattering everywhere right in front of me, I couldn’t help but scream in despair.

“Stop—!”

However, they won’t stop.

Monsters won’t be stopped with mere screams. Because there is and has always been only one way to stop the monsters.

We must kill them.

Before we are killed.

* * *

[Translator: Dawn ]

[Proofreader: Alissa ]

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* * *

“Your Highness!”

I glanced around at the voice of the artillery captain.

“The fourth shot has been loaded. However, the repeated usage and cooling has made the barrel much weaker, so…”

“Demian!”

I cut off what the artillery captain was about to say and shouted at Demian.

“Fire-!”

Tears of blood streamed down Demian's large eyes.

His face was also pale. It seemed that his body couldn't stand the use of [Thousand-Mile Eyes].

But Demian still clenched his teeth and pulled the trigger.

Spark! Ptsss…!

Bam-!

The fourth shot has been fired.

The deep blue mana shot cut through the sky in a spiral arc and flew over to the Queen's horde again.

This time, dozens of escort spiders competed with each other to block the mana shot.

But the mana shot drew bizarre spirals in the air, dodging most of them, and—

Boom!

The shot landed.

Right on the head of the queen.

This is the effect of Thousand-Mile Eyes.

The overflowing accuracy value provided by the most overpowered trait has even disregarded the laws of physics and succeeded in landing the shot on the queen.

Keeeh, Shhheih…

However, however—

Kyeaaah-!

In the flames and smoke of the blazing explosion, that goddamn Spider Queen was still alive and well.

The artillerists collapsed on the floor after hearing the horrifying cry of the queen. Demian, who was standing and holding the aiming rod, could not stand it any longer and also collapsed.

Despair laid clear on all of our faces.

“It doesn’t work. Our attacks…”

The artillery captain said in a tired whispering voice. His hand, which had been burned from cooling the heated barrel, was covered with blisters.

“The barrel of the cannon is also at its limit. If you try to fire it one more time, then the mana cannon itself will explode.”

“......”

“It’s all over now. We might as well give up…”

All the other soldiers looked up at me as if they agreed with that statement. I took a rough breath in and took a look around.

The defense line was on the verge of complete annihilation.

The spiders completely surrounded the battery.

Lucas was now defending the last line of defense, encouraging the handful of remaining soldiers.

His body was drenched more with his own blood than the blood of the spiders.

I turned to Demian. Demian was groaning in pain with blood flowing from his tightly closed eyes.

The cannon was about to break, the defense line has already been broken, and the sniper isn’t able to open his eyes.

I piled up everyone's sacrifices and bombarded the queen of monsters, but that wasn’t enough to defeat the queen.

Is it over?

Is there really no hope left…?

“No!”

It was at that moment.

“The damage has accumulated on the queen without a doubt! The queen’s outer skin has been stripped!’

Someone shouted. Surprised, everyone turned to look in that direction.

Even amid this desperate situation, there was still a soldier faithful to his role until the end. It was the skirmisher. He exclaimed as he took the telescope that he was looking through off his face.

“One more shot, and we will be able to kill—”

It was at the next moment.

Rumble…

The entire battery started to shake roughly,

Bam!

The floor collapsed.

The Black Spider Demolishers approaching slowly rammed their heavily armored bodies all at once and smashed the battery.

The entire battery was shattered in a single all-out assault. Everyone standing on top fell helplessly.

Amidst the pouring people and the wreckage of the shattered cannon,

I closed my eyes as I fell to the ground.

It has collapsed.

This whole world, and the hopes of clearing it.

All of it.

* * *

“Your Highness.”

I heard a clear voice.

I barely managed to open my eyes, in pain that felt as if my entire body was splitting apart.

And in front of my eyes… there was Lucas.

Lucas was crouching on top of me as if covering my body.

And on his back, there were the rubbles of the collapsed building.

“Lucas?!”

I hurriedly got up after coming back to my senses.

Lucas moved the stones on his back with a groan when I tried to get up from the floor.

“Are you… okay, Your Highness.”

“That’s for me to ask, Lucas! Are you oka…”

I stopped what I was about to say.

Lucas’s back was covered in blood. The wounds he got from protecting me from the collapsing building were bigger than the wounds he got from the spiders.

“Cough!”

Lucas muttered with a smile on his face as he vomited blood.

“Your Highness, do you remember? It’s almost been 20 years already.”

“......”

I do not remember.

Because I am a mere player of this game, and cannot share any memories with you.

“On that day, when you took me in as your escort, you said this to me,”

“...What did I say?”

“‘I may not be able to become the Emperor, but I’ll become the coolest guy in the world.’”

A faint smile appeared on Lucas's face as he remembered his childhood.

“‘So, as the one who will become my knight, aim to become the best knight in the world.’”

“......”

“Although it was back when I was a growing child, Your Highness’s words touched my heart so much that I still bear them with me even to this day.”

Lucas looked at me with his face covered in blood.

“Your Highness. I trust you.”

“Even in this situation?”

“Whenever, wherever.”

Then Lucas collapsed.

I took Lucas, who fell sideways, and carefully laid him on the floor. The wounds seemed fatal, but fortunately, he did not die.

‘Hang in there, Lucas.’

You’re the main character. The savior of this world.

You mustn’t die in a place like this.

I looked around quickly to grasp the current situation. At the bottom of the collapsed battery were the shattered cannon and wounded soldiers.

Why haven't the spiders killed us yet?

“Your Highness.”

The question was quickly answered.

On the first floor of the collapsed battery, at the entrance of the narrow passage.

“It’s not over yet.”

Lily stood there.

With her [Fire Skin] trait activated, she was taking the spiders’ attacks with her body. She blocked the spiders from entering through the entrance.

Lily, who drank the last mana potion with a pale blue expression, asked with her trembling lips.

“Isn’t that right?”