He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 244

I, along with a few Imperial Knights and Legions, descended to investigate the island shortly after. As ordered, the airships and fleet kept their distance, as we couldn’t be sure what traps the island might hold.

“Strange. Even if they retreated, there’s not a single person left on the island?”

Something felt off from the start. Constructing a floating island requires significant manpower, and intelligence suggested they were using beastmen from the Southern Continent as slave labor.

Yet, there wasn’t a single one of them left on this island. It was as if we were looking at a ghost island after the Beast King’s army had withdrawn.

“It is indeed strange. If it were a pre-fabricated floating island, there would be no reason to expend it in this manner.”

“True. But if there was something worth sacrificing a floating island for, the story changes. Something more valuable than anything else…”

I pointed to myself and added to the Captain of the Guard, “Like me being here? It’s possible this is a trap aimed at me.”

“…I don’t think the Beast King could have known Your Majesty would come here.”

“Well, you never know. He might have foreseen this. Though, the guy I know wasn’t that meticulous… Maybe time has changed him.” The battle plan itself felt different from what he would have done in the past. The Beast King of old would have stuck to simple tactics of defense or offense.

But now, the fact that he had set up some kind of scheme made him feel more formidable than before.

“Well, let’s quickly examine the interior-”

Kugugugugu-

Just as I was about to start exploring the interior, the island shook as if there was an earthquake.

“An earthquake? No, it’s not an earthquake.”

“The island is rising.”

“So, they had already completed the island?”

To expose a completed floating island like this? It really doesn’t make sense.

“It’s getting more suspicious. Stay alert; we don’t know what’s inside.”

The floating island rose into the sky and began to fly along a set course. The direction was towards the Empire.

If the Beast King wasn’t really planning to hand over the floating island to us, then there must be something inside.

“Here. This must be the entrance to the island’s interior.”

“A reverse pyramid structure?”

“Presumably, it’s designed to descend to the deepest part.”

It was a fact I had overlooked, but the size of the floating island was quite enormous.

The sight of a huge island flying at low altitude must be quite magnificent from the outside.

Well, that’s why it’s being treated as a final weapon at this level.

Anyway, because of its size, the interior space was incredibly vast, even just on the first floor.

And on that first floor, we were able to solve one of our questions.

“The slaves were here.”

“They’ve all been killed.”

“Yes… but something about their condition is strange.”

It was as if they were trying to destroy the evidence, killing all the slaves.

But the state of the dead bodies was odd. They weren’t killed by sharp blades or guns, but…

“It seems like something burst out from inside their bodies.”

“…Could it be?”

“Yes? Do you have something in mind?”

“I do, but…”

Surely, they couldn’t have created something like that-

Sasa삭-

“…Something’s there!”

No sooner had I thought it than something crawled across the ceiling.

It wasn’t just me who sensed it; the Imperial Knights and Legions accompanying me also felt it, and drew their swords and guns.

The lighting inside the first floor was dim. That meant that if it was a creature skilled in stealth, there were many places to hide.

“This reminds me of the old days. Captain of the Guard, do you remember that time? The cultists’ lair where we joined hands with Karstein.”

“I remember. They were raising enhanced soldiers with drugs that turned people into monsters.”

“Yes. And I have a similar feeling now.”

My intuition is similar to that time.

There’s no need to discuss intuition; the beastmen of the Southern Continent, controlled by the Beast King, are famous for handling chimera-like [genetically modified creatures] biological weapons.

Among those chimera-like creatures, wouldn’t there be some so-called ‘Aliens’?

No, when you think about it, it would be stranger if there weren’t any of that type!

촤아아아아악

“Be careful!”

터억!

A long tongue flew like an arrow from somewhere, trying to snatch and kidnap a knight. But he quickly swung his sword and cut off the tongue, saving the knight.

“T, thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Save the thanks for later. They’re coming. Everyone, prepare for battle!”

As if the skirmish was over, countless presences were felt walking out of the darkness.

“Good heavens, what are those?”

Even the valiant knights were shocked when they shone their Silver Rose lights [specialized lights used by the Imperial Knights].

Their skin wasn’t properly formed. As if skin wasn’t necessary, their red flesh and muscles were exposed, creating a grotesque shape.

They seemed to be based on bipedal creatures but mostly walked on all fours. They seemed to have no reason, only revealing wildness.

Their eyes were degenerated, and they only had a nose and mouth. They also didn’t have ears, but it was guessed that their skin sensed vibrations, replacing hearing.

What should I say… Visually, they were similar to, yet different from, the Alien I knew. At least, I wouldn’t call them space monsters.

One thing for sure was that they seemed to have multiplied by feeding on the slaves who were here.

“The Beast King has crossed the line, but he can’t stop us.”

Silver Rose shone. At the same time, shadow blades formed behind me.

This enclosed space was a very good environment for using both light and shadows.

-캬아아아아!

서컥!

Silver Rose cut down the ‘proliferation-type chimera’ that was rushing straight at me.

Even though it was completely cut off above the waist, it was still struggling and alive. No, beyond being alive, it was even regenerating.

The same was true for those the knights and legions were fighting.

“They have regenerative abilities! Unleash the flames of purification!”

Normally, there would have been a response, but now everyone just nodded and infused their swords with the flames of purification.

All the Imperial Guards, even those who were knights rather than legions, had been trained to unleash the flames of purification [a technique to destroy regenerative creatures].

This was because enemies with regenerative abilities were more common than expected.

Of course, it is difficult for those with moderate faith or loyalty to demonstrate that ability.

Handling the flames of purification is not easy even for the purifiers of the Eastern Territory unless they are at a considerable level.

But the carefully selected knights of the Imperial Guard were those who had completed that difficult training and reached that level.

“Everyone, fire at once!”

And it wasn’t just the sword that they applied the flames of purification to.

The knights simultaneously pulled pistols from their holsters, and the legions aimed the linked guns attached to their armor.

타다다다다당!

A simultaneous shotgun blast. The shotgun contained the flames of purification they had imbued.

-캬아아아!

A group of chimeras rushing in were all cut down by that simultaneous shot.

Dozens were torn to pieces without even resisting, but they continued to rush in, maintaining their numerical superiority.

촤아! 촤아!

Some were shooting poisonous needles filled with potent venom. A legion holding a shield stood in front to block them.

But there were also many types of chimeras.

Tank type, assassin type, standard combat type; each of their skills was inferior to the knights and legions, but they were basically pushing with greater numbers.

Originally, it would have been impossible for the Imperial Guard to block them without taking casualties.

촤악! 서컥! 슈슈슈욱!

“The injured retreat and recover! Don’t let anyone die!”

But I filled the gap where they could break through.

I quickly moved back and forth across the flanks, which they were trying to collapse by persistently pushing with numbers, intercepting and assassinating their elite individuals.

There was no need to deal with the small fry. It was enough to leave it to the Imperial Guards.

-쿠오오오오오!

서컥!

A leader individual, shaped like a giant elephant and wielding bladed arms, charged.

But I simply bound and sealed the blades with shadow blades, then cut off its head.

Even after its head was cut off, it twitched for a while before dying.

“They’re retreating.”

“They’re not just fighting according to animal instincts. They’re being commanded by something.”

“I felt it too. I know the purpose of this floating island now.”

Proliferation-type chimeras that eat living things and reproduce quickly.

To make matters worse, something that commands them is also enclosed in this floating island.

And this floating island is flying towards the Empire.

“This is what the Beast King was aiming for. He intended to spread these dangerous creatures throughout the Empire.”

In other words, he was planning to spread creatures like Aliens.

Of course, these guys aren’t as powerful as the monsters in that movie, but if these guys were released all over the Empire, the damage would be incalculable.

“That’s strange. It’s well known that the beastmen of the Southern Continent handle chimeras, but I haven’t heard news that they’ve created these kinds of monsters.”

“The Beast King receives support from the Creator God. Now that he has taken control of the Southern Continent, it wouldn’t be strange no matter what he does.”

The Creator God is that dangerous. He wasn’t at full strength 10 years ago, but he must have recovered to some extent now.

It wouldn’t be strange if this level of retaliation came back.

“First of all, we must destroy this floating island. We don’t have time to think about anything else right now.”

It was not yet known exactly how much of this chimera they could mass-produce.

Rather than finding out about that right now, it was urgent to drop this floating island, along with the chimeras that were already inside.

“Then we must head to the deepest part of the floating island. If we destroy the core, it will lose power, and the floating island will crash.”

“We have to drop it in the sea no matter what. If we drop it on land, these guys might survive.”

They’re regenerating creatures. If they fall into the sea, they’ll die because they can’t breathe, but if they fall on land, some individuals could survive.

If even a few survive and enter the Empire, an irreversible disaster could occur.

“So, we must hurry. Move out immediately!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As soon as we set our goal, we started moving quickly.

However, for some time, the chimeras did not attack us, perhaps to assess our strength.

That’s when we went down to the next floor.

-Welcome, Emperor of the Empire. I’ve been waiting.

“Hologram… Who are you?”

A hologram appeared, revealing someone’s appearance. It was a man with long hair like a wolf’s mane.

-You defeated me, but this is the first time you’re actually seeing me. Nice to meet you. My name is Kark, also known as the Beast King, the ruler of the wild.

“Oh…”

So, this was him. I exclaimed in admiration, then answered him.

“So you were that coward.”

To the coward who ran away when I counterattacked 10 years ago.