There was a time when I had practically staked my life on a game called The Defense.
Since then, countless things had changed, and yet—ironically—I was still wagering everything on this world.
Even my life.
'There's still too much I don't know.'
The Sail.
Humanity's home.
Project Noah.
The Church of Morte, who worships the Great Will.
The Marcus lineage, heirs to the Great Spirit.
Each one was a massive, headache-inducing problem. And they were all still piled up around me.
Could I really reach the right ending through all this uncertainty?
I didn't know.
All I could do was keep struggling with everything I had, even now.
"Kin."
As I stepped out of the Bone Sovereign's sanctum, lost in thought, the Turncoats were waiting for me with exhausted expressions.
"You're back."
Turncoat Rook, lying down, nodded at me.
I wanted to make it clear to him who his master was—but given everything that had happened today, I let it go.
"What about the Immortal?"
"Gone. Probably returned to the Cracked Desert. Or maybe chasing down the Church of Morte."
The answer didn't come from Rook, but from Turncoat Queen, who was watching something from a short distance away with a complicated expression.
"I see."
"…How did you even draw in the Immortal? That's not someone who moves easily."
"There's a method."
"No intention of telling me, I see."
Turncoat Queen shook her head in frustration.
"Truly… I'm starting to regret pulling you into this fight, Phon—no, Carl Marcus."
"Life is a series of choices."
"You sound like a king. Is His Majesty… still with you?"
"Yes. I'm sure he's still listening."
Turncoat Queen's expression twisted into something unreadable. Somewhere between crying and laughing. Then she gave a small nod.
"…I've committed a grave sin against His Majesty. One I cannot possibly atone for."
"Debts can be repaid."
"Now, at this point? Ha…"
Turncoat Queen let out a bitter laugh.
["Do not blame yourself. This too is part of a grander current. No matter how violently a river flows, its end is always the sea."]
"…Your Majesty."
Turncoat King's grotesquely twisted mouth parted as he spoke.
["Even that title holds no meaning now. You and I are merely beings swept along by the current."]
"…If that is Your Majesty's will, then I shall obey."
["There's no need. Walk your own path now."]
With that, Turncoat King's mouth sank back into Janus.
As if to say he wouldn't listen to a reply. Because he knew what Turncoat Queen would do if he did.
"…Your Majesty."
Turncoat Queen turned her gaze to me, now with a resolute expression.
"So, what will you do about the Immortal?"
"Why ask?"
"If you can't fully control him, we need to decide what to do about him."
Whether it was due to the King's words or something else, Turncoat Queen asked that as if she already saw me as her sovereign.
"Who knows."
"A vague answer. The Immortal's existence is useful, but also dangerous. You know that, right?"
I had called the Immortal here, but unlike the other Turncoats, he wasn't fully subordinated.
Now, perhaps—yes. But back when I first met him, Janus hadn't been strong enough to pull that off.
Which meant their relationship now was more of a mutual acknowledgment than true subjugation.
'Though at this point, I probably could fully bind him…'
Even so, I didn't pursue the Immortal now for a simple reason.
The most efficient way to use him would be to devour him outright—then harness his power to further amplify Janus, Horus, and the Turncoat force.
Just like how Turncoat King had once sought the Immortal, that immortal nature of his would greatly enhance bone-parasitic monsters.
"I'll leave him be for now."
But I chose to delay any decision regarding him.
There were many reasons—but above all, the Cracked Desert still needed the Immortal.
The power balance outside Ark was complex. And the Immortal's dominance over that region was no small matter.
It wasn't time to create unnecessary variables.
"Why?"
Turncoat Queen, not knowing this, pressed further.
I had no intention of answering her honestly.
"Must I explain everything?"
Her expression turned strange.
"…Right. A ruler doesn't need to explain. A subject only needs to obey. I suppose you finally look the part of a king."
"Where will you go now?"
"Back to Ark, of course. There are things to clean up, and considering your situation, Carl Marcus, I'll need to tidy up a few things."
"The Rose Cross Knights."
To draw me into this battle, Turncoat Queen had gone so far as to kill Agnes—the sub-commander of one of Ark's secret societies—and assume her identity.
She hadn't cared much for Ark's inner workings. She'd only done it to bring me here.
But the consequences would be massive.
'So, she's choosing to deal with it anyway… which means she's acknowledging me.'
I had no complaints.
Turncoat Queen gave a subtle nod.
"Understood. Go ahead."
"Take care of His Majesty."
[Gi-git!]
Janus's sudden response startled her.
That innocent reaction didn't match her image—almost made me laugh, though I held it in.
"…See you next time."
"Ah, yes."
Turncoat Queen spread the massive wings on her back.
Unlike before, they were now pitch black—giving her the aura of a fallen angel.
Or perhaps that wasn't just metaphor.
'Then…'
It was time for me to start wrapping things up here. I had to head back to Ark.
For example, Turncoat Bishop was still lying unconscious somewhere nearby.
"Rook."
"…What?"
"Bring Bishop here."
"Ugh… that's a hassle."
"Are you disobeying an order?"
[Gi-git!]
The moment Janus growled, Rook flinched and stood up.
"…Alright, alright. I'm going."
[Giit.]
Janus wiggled a few tendrils like he was saying "That's what I thought."
Grotesque—but kind of cute. It gave me a strange feeling.
["Seriously… He folds fast to authority."]
Esther clicked her tongue.
I agreed.
["Ah, they're back. That was fast."]
Sure enough, Rook returned quickly with Bishop in tow.
Faster than I'd expected from someone who was just whining moments ago.
"…Here."
"Put him there."
After fully absorbing Turncoat King, I now had control over his retainers as well.
But they only held value while alive.
And Bishop, poisoned by the Bone Sovereign, might not wake up on his own.
So, I intended to take firmer action.
Turncoat King had taken preliminary steps, but that had just been a stopgap under pressure.
"Janus."
[Gi-git!]
Tendrils emerged from Janus and embedded themselves in Bishop's body.
Thwip! Thwip-thwip!
At a glance, it looked like Janus was devouring him.
But in fact, the opposite was happening.
"Bishop."
At my call, Turncoat Bishop's brow twitched.
"…You summoned me, my King."
Though he'd been unconscious this entire time, he somehow instinctively understood his king had changed. He showed no resistance.
Rather, it felt like submission.
"You're adapting quickly."
"The one I must serve has always been the same."
"Is that so?"
Like Turncoat Queen, Bishop still regarded King as his sovereign. He simply accepted that the King was now part of Janus.
'Hmm…'
I looked around at my Turncoats.
Rook. Bishop. Knight.
Add King, now part of Janus, and Queen, who had just departed—and it was an overwhelming force.
'More importantly, the Turncoats are stronger now than ever before.'
After the battle with both the Bone Sovereign and Turncoat King—and with Janus having devoured both—their power was now at Beyond-Grade levels.
With this force, we could likely defend an entire Wave front without any additional support.
'No need to just imagine it.'
It had been a fruitful battle.
And I had no intention of letting that gain go to waste.
"Let's go."
Time to return to Ark.
* * *
A blade-like wind cut across my face.
Had I been an ordinary human, my skin would've been torn long ago.
Horus was flying at full speed—far beyond the speed of sound.
'Hmm.'
Even riding Horus, the journey back to Ark was long.
That only reminded me how far we'd gone to hunt the Bone Sovereign.
Maybe because of the long return… a thought occurred to me.
I had always believed The Defense was about defeating the incoming Waves and surviving to the final stage.
But what if it wasn't?
What if clearing the stages wasn't the real goal—just a countdown?
What if there was another, hidden way to clear The Defense?
'Just a possibility…'
If true, that would explain the game's brutal difficulty.
Enemies growing ever stronger. Allies slowly dwindling.
The Church of Morte. The Shadow Corps. Moebius. Countless problems within and outside Ark.
'…Have I misunderstood how to beat The Defense all along?'
Of course, this was just a theory.
And I wasn't about to slack on Ark's defense because of it.
Any proof of that theory would have to come after securing Ark's safety.
Just then—
["Master."]
Esther called out to me.
I knew why.
"Yes. It's time."
The Wave was about to begin.
===BREAK===
Like the story and want more chapters?
Join and support me by joining my Patreon!
[email protected]/SiRoasa