In 'Protect the Empire', the most frequent period for game overs is when?
Based on 742 attempts, and 741 failures, it can be said.
The game ends most often, naturally, at the very beginning.
In the beginning, difficult enemies appear, bad luck and mistakes accumulate, leading to the demise of key heroes, and with the damage piling up.
In the early stages, when all resources are scarce, even a small loss can trigger a massive snowball effect. Thus, the majority of game overs occur right at the very beginning.
Then, after the very early stages.
When is the next most frequent time for game overs?
'When the frontlines have stabilized.'
The time when awakened heroes join the party, endgame equipment is acquired, and various resources begin to cycle organically.
This is the moment when one would think that any crisis could be safely overcome.
Right now - the very end of the second year, the beginning of the third year.
This is when the game ends with high probability.
Because of the most fatal mistake of all - 'complacency'.
Even an awakened hero who has finished farming equipment can be killed if surrounded by numerous monsters.
And even fully upgraded walls will crumble in the face of the waves of siege monsters.
A small moment of complacency can instantly ruin the game. As a commander on the frontline, I must not let my guard down for even a moment.
...That's why I felt so aggrieved right now.
'I never let my guard down!'
I had brought my elite party and was always prepared for any emergency.
Especially since, from experience, the late second year to the early third year is when complacency most often creeps in.
Of course, I had also considered the possibility of being attacked by monsters.
How many commanders of the Nightmare Legion had I encountered in this darkness? I even had an escape plan ready for that.
But... what is this?
The flames of the torches and the lanterns' light went out simultaneously. That much is possible.
But the [Blue Flame Torch] I was holding is a special torch that's supposed to never go out.
It's a torch that doesn't extinguish even in strong winds or when drenched with water.
Yet, the light was gone.
In other words, it's not that the flame went out - the torch itself was nearly destroyed.
The concept of 'darkness' enveloped us, and every item capable of producing light was neutralized.
In an instant, a sticky darkness poured down. I shouted urgently.
"Everyone, find a way to produce light-!"
Before I could finish speaking, my quick-witted party members were already using their means to light up the area.
Whooosh-!
Lucas drew his Sword of Light, and Evangeline summoned the spirit of fire enchanted in her spear.
Junior sparked lightning, and from Damien's gun muzzle, a Muzzle Flash burst forth.
But - it's too late.
The party members, each flashing a brilliant light, were already swept away by the pouring darkness, scattered in all directions. The darkness poured over us like floodwaters, casting us aside.
And even the faint light emitted by each party member was engulfed.
The party members shouted something at me, but I couldn't hear them anymore.
I was swallowed by the raging currents of darkness.
***
Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.
The sound of insects gnawing on something.
A familiar sound made by the darkness enveloping the Lake Kingdom.
The sound grew louder. As I listened, the insect noises took on the form of words, amplifying and becoming clear in my ears.
Die.
Perish.
Explode.
DiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplodeDiePerishExplode.
"..."
I remember hearing these cursed words before.
In the first year, when facing the Vampire King, when entering the 'Path of the Overlord'... that's when I heard the voice.
'You won't die, you fucking bastards.'
I didn't know who was hurling such curses.
But I gritted my teeth and muttered to myself.
'We won't fail, we won't lose.'
With just this level of curse.
With just this level of darkness.
If they thought they could stop me, us, wasn't that a rather insignificant attempt?
I had faced all manner of tangible threats and fought hellish battles. The depth of the struggles we've endured is far too great to kneel to such intangible fears.
Whooosh-
I felt my inner mental barrier activate, neutralizing the pouring curses.
My passive, [Unyielding Commander], was a broken skill that shone even brighter as we moved towards the endgame.
It was blocking all kinds of mental attacks that could come at any time.
But, even if I was okay... what about my party members?
That worry was brief. I soon realized that my body was sitting somewhere.
In pitch darkness. Despite my eyes being wide open, I couldn't see anything.
But because of that, my hearing became extremely sensitive-
Click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack.
I could clearly hear footsteps approaching from afar.
I stared in the direction from which the footsteps were coming.
Soon, the footsteps stopped not far away. And then.
"Do you know where the darkness that shrouds the Lake Kingdom comes from?"
A cool, refreshing, and slightly cracked voice of a young woman reached my ears.
I retorted irritably.
"Now are we even distinguishing between imported and domestic darkness? If it's shrouding the Lake Kingdom, it must be local darkness, right? Is foreign darkness more expensive or something?"
Then the unseen interlocutor chuckled softly.
"If it were ordinary darkness, you would be right. Darkness, after all, is simply the absence of light."
"..."
"But the darkness here is not so simple. It's the result of a curse, a tangible evil."
I heard the footsteps of the newcomer sit down somewhere in front of me.
"Well, if we're being precise, it could be considered imported. It's not from this world."
"...?"
I was the one taken aback. My flippant remark was true? Darkness is imported?
'Ah, seriously! Recently, more and more incomprehensible plot twists keep coming up!'
I'm not interested in such settings, you know? Just let me clear the game!
"This darkness from another world is very interested in you, player. Just as I am very interested in you."
The voice chuckled softly.
"So, from now on, be more careful with your light. Otherwise, you might get caught again by someone with impure intentions."
"..."
"Oh, wait a moment. May I light one up?"
The figure in the darkness said this, rummaged around, and then...
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Click-
Struck a match.
In the pitch-black darkness, the small match flame felt almost like a firework. The figure slowly touched the brilliant match flame to the end of a long pipe.
"..."
I watched quietly as the figure leisurely lit a cigarette and packed the tobacco, illuminated by the bright match flame.
Wearing a wide-sleeved robe, a small beaded tiara with dangling decorations, and a face covered by a large talisman attached to the tiara.
An Undead, a Lich Archmage, seeking eternal life.
The 3rd-ranked Legion Commander, Grand Sorceress - White Night was there.
Finally, White Night finished packing the tobacco in the pipe and was ready to smoke, then grasped the talisman covering her face.
"Excuse me. I can't keep my face covered while smoking."
With that, she removed the talisman.
Beneath the talisman, a face with the pale moonlight color of light blue was revealed.
Jiangshi.
A high-ranking Undead created by the sorcery of the East.
Despite being a corpse's body... surprisingly, her face was flushed. If not for the blue complexion, she could easily be mistaken for a living person.
White Night then removed the beaded crown she was wearing.
With the removal of the ornate crown and the beaded decorations, her neatly tied up hair cascaded down her back.
"Sigh!"
Looking much more relaxed with a pipe in her mouth, White Night slowly drew in the smoke, then exhaled leisurely.
The tobacco, seemingly enchanted, emitted a creepily sweet scent.
With a languid expression of satisfaction, White Night was enjoying her smoke when she suddenly exclaimed. Her cat-like tricolored eyes narrowed.
"Sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm White Night."
"I know."
"Have you already met another version of me, Player?"
White Night gave me a sly smile. The red makeup around her eyes was irksome... but since when do Jiangshi smile with their eyes?
"..."
I recalled the other White Night I had met.
The Lich, White Night, realized the finiteness of the body after seeking immortality.
Therefore, she decided to pursue eternal life by transferring her consciousness, digitized, into a machine.
The research was successful, and White Night managed to digitize her consciousness and insert it into the machinery of the Mage Tower.
But that's when the problem arose.
The White Night that remained in the physical world inside the Jiangshi's body (the one in front of me).
The digitized White Night in the electronic world of the Mage Tower (that other one).
One consciousness had thus split into two separate entities.
Originally, as per the agreement, the physical world's White Night should have committed suicide to maintain the uniqueness of her existence... but she refused to die.
In hindsight, it makes sense. A Lich is an Undead mage who has fled from death.
Even if the other 'me' achieves immortality, there's no reason for 'me' to die.
Thus, the two White Nights went their separate ways, and the material world's White Night joined forces with the Demon King, becoming a commander of the Nightmare Legion.
The electronic world's White Night continued her research in her Mage Tower.
I had first met the electronic world's White Night and promised to cooperate with the skull inside her monitor.
In exchange for her various forms of assistance, I agreed to kill the material world's White Night right before my eyes.
Now, the material world's White Night has approached me in this situation.
'...Damn, it's confusing with both having the same name.'
Could one of them change their name to Black Night or something?
It's getting increasingly ambiguous for me, caught between two with the same identity.
"Sigh..."
White Night exhaled a long stream of smoke again and gestured with her chin.
"So, what did you think of meeting me trapped in the Mage Tower?"
"At least there was no smell of cigarettes."
I waved my hand irritably to disperse the smoke drifting my way.
"Weren't you a Lich seeking immortality? And yet you smoke like this? Statistically, smokers die earlier than non-smokers, you know?"
"Why would I care about smoking with a body that neither dies nor decays? Rather, it's a benefit to indulge in the vices I couldn't easily indulge in when I had a body of the living."
The next moment, White Night snapped her fingers. Snap!
Immediately, flames lined up beside her. Turning to look, a long table was there, and dozens of candles on the table were simultaneously lit.
On the table were exotic delicacies I had never seen or heard of before, and various luxurious bottles of liquor I had never seen before, filling the table.
White Night gestured again, and one of the bottles floated up, filling two crystal glasses.
Grabbing the floating glass, White Night sent one towards me.
"Want a drink? It might lead to some honest conversation."
"I have nothing honest to discuss with you."
"That's disappointing. I had quite a chat with the other me."
Muttering, White Night gulped down the drink.
"Ahh! Wonderful! The Lake Kingdom might not be known for much, but its liquor is exceptional."
"..."
While White Night kept drinking and smoking, she also enjoyed the snacks on the table.
This was getting more and more unlike what I had imagined.
A Lich Archmage pursuing eternal life. I thought she would have a more religious, ascetic vibe.
But why is she so earnest about human indulgences like smoking and eating?
"I never cared for these things before. I paid no attention to bodily pleasures, immersed in magical research."
While nibbling on a fruit from the table, White Night murmured.
"But then, after completing my research on immortality and transferring my consciousness to the digital world."
"..."
"The moment I saw that 'she', a copy of me, reached the utopia I had spent my life building, and not me."
White Night's face, busy with eating and drinking, did not show satisfaction from the meal.
"It was when I was left here in this reality, unable to reach the world of immortality, I realized."
It was a sense of loss.
A hunger that could never be filled.
"My life's work was just a sacrifice for 'someone else', not me."
"..."
"In that utopia, she, my copy, told me to commit suicide. That's when I decided."
White Night smirked.
"To hell with it, I'll live as I please."
"..."
"Don't make me laugh. Why should I be the one to sacrifice? I'm the one who's lived this long life, who's done this cursed research on immortality. She's just a lucky copy!"
Her growling was surrounded by a mist-like darkness that rose around her.
After calming down, White Night glanced at me and smiled slyly again.
"Well, by now you must have guessed why I brought you here to have this conversation."
"...Yeah."
The reason she's rambling on without attacking me is probably that she wants the same thing from me as the other White Night requested.
That is -
"Kill my other self."
As expected, that was it.
Both of the split Lich mages wanted the same thing from me.
To kill the other version of themselves.
Crossing my legs, I asked slowly.
"Why should I do that?"
"If you do, I'll rebel against the Demon King."
"...What?"
I frowned. White Night put her hand over her chest and continued.
"Me, White Night, the 3rd-ranked Legion Commander and Grand Sorceress, along with my entire legion of Liches will rise against the Demon King. We'll join your side and fight together."
White Night narrowed her distinctive tricolored eyes even more.
"Most importantly, I have the means to kill that Demon King."
"...!"
"How about it?"
The sly smile on the pale face of the Jiangshi grew wider.
"Quite an appealing offer, isn't it?"