He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 114

Clang! Kwaaaang!

I managed to block Hatzgard’s axe at the last second, but the impact felt like weathering a massive storm.

“Is all that remains truly just rage, Hatzgard!”

“Oooooooo……!”

The question was thrown out as I was being pushed back by the combined might of the Empire Soul and enhanced Aura.

But all that returned was a bestial roar.

Kagaak! Shwaak!

Deflecting his power at an angle, I launched a counterattack.

I slashed deeply across his chest, but Hatzgard didn’t falter in the slightest, immediately retaliating with his twin axes.

It was a fierce and threatening counterattack, so I widened the distance between us.

“Dieeeeeeeee!”

The destructive Aura flying from the axe as he screamed washed over me.

There was no room to dodge, so I too swung my Aura-imbued sword to offset it.

It was a breathtaking confrontation, but Hatzgard didn’t stop there and quickly surged forward.

Chaeng!

“Kuk……!”

“Kuaaaaa!”

I blocked the descending axe, but Hatzgard attempted a kick as well.

Puh-uck!

Normally, it would have been a crude technique that wouldn’t work, but with Hatzgard’s combined strength and skill, it was a threatening assassination attempt.

Shu-shook! Shu-shu-shook!

Fortunately, his threatening attacks also had one weakness.

Each strike clearly had the power to easily split rocks, but it was excessively close-quarters combat.

Therefore, I widened the distance again and quickly scattered Shadow Blades [magical projectiles formed from condensed shadows].

Puh-ook! Puh-puh-pook!

As I widened the distance and attacked with long-range attacks, Hatzgard had no choice but to be hit repeatedly.

Although he didn’t seem to care much about the injuries inflicted by the Shadow Blades, the damage would certainly accumulate.

“Kueeeeeee!”

Tsutsutsutsu……!

“……!”

But soon, I saw an uncontrollable amount of magic emanating from his axe.

He immediately slammed the axe, overflowing with Aura or magic bearing an intense current, into the ground.

Pajijijijijik!

“Kuk! Not bad.”

Then, electricity rampaged in all directions as it surged towards me from the ground where the axe was plunged.

A bizarre event occurred where lightning rose from the ground.

I quickly pulled my body away, but I couldn’t avoid being slightly struck by the electricity. I am a skeleton.

Shuuuuuuuu-

The injuries were immediately healed with Divine Power, but it seemed difficult to face the current Hatzgard with just the 1st stage of the Empire Soul [a power source embodying the spirits of past emperors].

“Then let’s go with a bit more power.”

[Empire Soul Stage 2 Unlocked]

[Light Armor Deployed]

[Raging Holy Sword of Punishment Deployed]

[Wings of Light Deployed]

[Mana Heart Amplification, Amplification Rate 520%]

[Warning, prolonged maintenance of the current effects may result in severe rebound.]

Light envelops me.

The spirits of the Empire become one with me, becoming armor, sword, and wings.

“Behold, Hatzgard. The power of the Empire that will carry on your will.”

Shhweeeeeek!

The Holy Sword blazing with Aura imbued with Divine Power fired blades of exorcism.

“Kuaaaaaaaa……!”

The blades of light mercilessly pierced and slashed Hatzgard.

Hatzgard couldn’t easily counter it as it was fired while flying in the sky.

But just because he couldn’t do it easily didn’t mean he was helpless.

Hwiriririk

Kaang! Kwagwagwang!

He threw one of his twin axes.

I knocked away the quickly flying axe with my sword, but I was briefly stunned as the electricity imbued in the axe spread.

“Uooooooo!”

In the meantime, Hatzgard leaped as fast as a bullet.

He swung his axe at me as is, and I barely evaded it by flying acrobatically.

“Krrrreureureu!”

“Tch, he’s thrashing around more fiercely.”

But it didn’t end there, Hatzgard, who had reached the opposite wall, bounced back like a bullet as if he had rebounded off that wall.

He was getting faster and faster, not getting tired as time went on.

But just looking at the blood he was shedding showed that he was pushing his body to its limits.

Of course, the same was true for me. The Empire Soul, Divine Power, magic, and stamina were all rapidly decreasing.

It was close to a fight of who would run out of strength first between him and me.

Puh-uck! Chaeng! Kaang! Shwaak!

From then on, like storms colliding with each other, like hungry and wounded beasts fighting desperately, Hatzgard and I fought fiercely, smashing the crystals of the crystal garden.

“Hoo, hoo…….”

“Krrrreureureu…….”

[Warning, rebound is imminent. It is recommended to immediately release the enhancement effects.]

How long had we fought like that?

I was gradually reaching my limit.

Hatzgard was also tattered, but he was still burning with fighting spirit.

In comparison, I was on the verge of losing the Empire Soul effect.

“It’s dangerous…….”

If that happens, it would be my defeat.

Death would be waiting.

But strangely, I wasn’t afraid.

Rather, my heart was pounding as if resonating with something.

-Feel my power, Franz.

At that moment, I heard Kalibal’s voice, whether it was an auditory hallucination or not.

“Kyaaaaaaaa!”

Hatzgard lunged again.

I, exhausted, couldn’t avoid it, and even if I blocked it, I wouldn’t be able to hold out for long.

Kaaang!

Hwaaaaaaaak!

But when I blocked his attack, blue flames sparked from my Holy Sword and his axe.

Blue magic, Frost Flame [a unique magical flame with freezing properties].

That power was resonating with Hatzgard.

To be exact, it was resonating with the power of Kalibal [an ancient hero], residing within him.

The moment I saw it, I saw a memory from the distant past.

It was Kalibal’s memory.

Isborg where the warmth was fading.

Kalibal gathering his people to survive.

Mingling with them, fighting for them, and soon they become one.

And when the city’s warmth faded and Tatiana died.

-Tatiana, I will protect you. Your kingdom, your people, and even your legacy.

I saw him vowing again in front of her.

Hwareureureureureu-

The moment I saw that memory, the Frost Flame was burning even more.

Divine Power, magic, stamina, and the Empire Soul were recovering again.

Chwaak!

“Keuhuk……!”

Immediately, I slashed him again at a speed that Hatzgard couldn’t react to.

Unlike before, he couldn’t properly withstand the strike that split his chest.

It seemed that Divine Power had reached the demon within him and began to cause damage.

“Hwa, Your Majesty…… I, I, I…….”

“Hatzgard…….”

Perhaps that’s why, he seemed to have regained his human reason for a moment.

“Kill……. Kill me…….”

I gritted my teeth at the sight of him in agony, begging for death.

“Kueueueue…… Eueueue……!”

Soon, the demon began to dominate him again.

Now, his appearance began to change, perhaps because it was impossible for the demon to dominate him in his original form.

Demonic horns and wings began to appear.

Chuck.

I looked at it and pointed my sword at him.

“I will end your pain.”

Hwareureureureuk.

With those words, I surrounded the silver Holy Sword with flames of purification.

The flames burned more intensely than usual.

Holding the Empire’s Holy Sword imbued with those flames, I rushed towards Hatzgard.

Puh-ook!

The sword burning with the flames of purification pierced his heart.

-Kkyyaaaaaaaaaaak!

Soon, the demon that had been using him screamed and burned as the flames of purification engulfed his body.

Shuuuuuu-

As the demon disappeared, Hatzgard’s form began to return to its original state.

“Thank…… you. Your Majesty.”

“…….”

But that also meant Hatzgard’s death.

Because he was now on the verge of death, to the point where the demon couldn’t parasitize him.

Having stabbed him, I could only shed tears silently.

Even though I wasn’t that close to him, I shed tears as if the Empire Soul was leading me, as the Emperor.

“……Re, remember, us, those who have fallen…….”

“I will remember, Hatzgard.”

His body began to scatter into white light.

His soul will now become one with the Empire Soul.

His disappearing face looked peaceful, which was the only consolation.

“…….”

Thus, all that remained there was a terrible silence.

But I knew that it wasn’t over yet.

Soon, my gaze reached the crystal where Kalibal was sleeping.

I walked towards that crystal as if possessed.

“Kalibal.”

Kalibal, who was sleeping inside, was in eternal rest, but he was neither dead nor alive.

-Franz, you have done well.

Soon, his voice began to be heard from Kalibal inside the crystal.

I replied with a firm expression.

“……It was thanks to your help.”

-No, it was possible because you were qualified.

What does that qualification mean?

-The qualification to entrust the Empire, her descendants. The qualification to become a true Emperor.

Hwareureureureuk-!

At the same time as Kalibal’s words ended, Frost Flames began to burn from his crystal and from all the crystals in the crystal garden.

-Go forth and become the Emperor and Guardian of all humans, Franz. That is your duty.

Kalibal was demanding it.

Hearing those words, I made a bitter expression.

“When I became Emperor, I didn’t want anything so grand.”

At best, it was all about personal well-being, a humble desire to do whatever I wanted.

“But it gradually changed.”

But as time passed, I gradually became attached to the Empire, which I had little affection for.

When I finally obtained the Empire Soul, I realized the price of the power that this Empire gave me.

“It was a duty and responsibility befitting it.”

With great power comes great responsibility?

The power of this Empire Soul was like a power that embodied those words.

“As long as I exist as Emperor, I will never abandon that duty, Kalibal.”

-Excellent.

Hwareureureureu……!

The Frost Flame of the crystal garden became more intense.

Not only did it stop there, but the Frost Flame became so intense that it seemed to cover the entire north, and it became stronger as time passed.

[Your divinity is further strengthened as it inherits the divinity of the human god Kalibal.]

[Leonhardt’s favor for courage is increased to stage 4.]

And my divinity was also getting stronger.

But on the contrary, Kalibal inside the crystal was gradually turning to ashes.

Kalibal had been holding the last remaining embers of the Frost Flame for 3,000 long years.

Until the moment when the existence to inherit that flame and revive the Empire and humanity would come.

Even if it demanded an eternity-like wait.

Even if it was a destiny to burn himself out.

-Thank you, Tatiana is also happy thanks to you.

“Kalibal.”

-I ask you to take care of the Northerners, no…… the Imperials in the future. Just like my son did.

“…….”

[The Empire Soul has been strengthened and has begun to synchronize with the territory of the Empire.]

[It is now possible to search for hidden mysteries.]

[Maximize the effect through conquest, exploration, and reclamation.]

After seeing Kalibal turn to ashes for the last time, I quietly moved my steps.

I passed through the blue-burning crystal garden and returned to those waiting outside.

“Your Majesty…….”

And the eyes with which they looked at me were different from before.

As if anointed by God, I had changed.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

They bowed to the newly born Emperor.