He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 194

“Why… why have you only come now?”

The Baron burst into tears, his voice thick with resentment and sorrow. I could feel the weight of his pain.

If I had arrived sooner, if I could have saved him earlier during the last civil war, perhaps he could have protected his family.

But there was more to it than that.

“Why would you try to help someone as foolish as me…?”

His resentment soon turned inward, directed at himself. The guilt of failing to protect his wife and daughter was a heavier burden than any resentment he felt towards me. It was this guilt that had been tormenting him until recently.

Without even that self-blame, he probably wouldn’t have been able to endure it. I felt a pang of pity for those I couldn’t protect.

“Because you are one of the people I failed to protect.”

I try to save everyone, but I can’t. It’s a harsh truth.

That’s because I’m not omnipotent.

“But rest assured.”

The Emperor has arrived.

* * *

Pajijijik! Kwahang! Hwareureureuk!

“Attack! It’s an attack! The dolls are going crazy!”

-Enemy detected, eliminating!

“Uwaaaagh!”

The rebels’ underground hideout descended into chaos.

The dolls, animated by the Empire’s Soul [a form of magical energy or artificial intelligence], and responding to my commands, relentlessly attacked the rebels.

Conversely, the rebels fought back, using their own dolls imbued with spirits.

The power of both sides seemed evenly matched for now, but I was at a disadvantage in terms of time, as there were fewer dolls under my direct control.

Of course, now that the fighting had begun, Hendrick, who was waiting outside, would have requested reinforcements from the Dark Elf army, but their arrival would take time.

I had something I needed to finish before then.

“Who would have thought… the Emperor himself would come.”

This was the moment to sever my long-standing connection with the Spirit King once and for all.

“You’ve taken on quite a cute form since our last encounter. Were you so desperate to be resurrected that you chose such a form?”

“…It’s been a while since I’ve heard you running your mouth like that.”

The Spirit King and I stood face to face before the throne in the burning hideout.

“A battle in front of the throne… a fitting stage for this moment, where one of us will meet our end.”

“Do you truly believe you can defeat me again, Emperor?”

“I’ve defeated you countless times. You’ve never won even once, have you? So, yes, I believe I can win.”

“…Hmph.”

Hwareureureureuk, Chwaaaaaaa-

As if unwilling to hear any more of my words, the Spirit King unleashed his spirit magic.

Flames and water intertwined, swirling around the young girl’s body, before transforming into ice spears and fiery arrows that hurtled towards me.

I easily deflected the attacks with my sword, the purifying flames imbued within it burning the spirits.

However, something was different this time. The flames lacked their usual intensity when burning the spirits.

Even when I swung my sword repeatedly, and the flames touched the Spirit King, they quickly dissipated, as if they were losing their power, unable to find purchase.

“…Just like the dolls, he’s resisting the purifying flames.”

“That was the very purpose of my resurrection, Emperor.”

The Spirit King revealed himself, overcoming the purifying flames.

He seemed more comfortable in his new body, his attire now reflecting an integration with nature and the tree spirits.

“I have reviewed everything you displayed in the collapsing Spirit Realm. Even that accursed flame and that accursed power you call the Empire’s Soul.”

Shusushuk!

Poison needles flew towards me, as fast as bullets.

I dodged them quickly, but continuous attacks followed: blades of wind, bolts of lightning, a waltz of ice and fire.

“I focused all my strength on my resurrection. I squeezed out my last bit of power and sent my servants to the demons to request support.”

“So, the support they sent is that, huh.”

“That’s right. Those foolish things must have believed they could subordinate me….”

Paah!

Hwareureuk!

“…It was a truly foolish decision. I have been completely resurrected. Stronger than ever.”

The counterattack was fierce. I could no longer suppress him with just the purifying flames.

The same was true for the Empire’s Soul. There was no way to infiltrate it into his body. He was now perfectly controlling and protecting the spirits. When flames and the Empire’s Soul tried to penetrate, he could organically sever and block those parts.

“Save the talking for after you win!”

[Sylvatein Humanoid Type]

[Mana Core Efficiency 400% Amplification]

[Aura Blade Maximum Output]

Kwaaaaa!

I immediately activated Sylvatein [a powerful magical artifact or suit of armor] and charged at him with the Aura Blade deployed.

If I couldn’t defeat him magically, I would resort to physical methods.

Intuitively, the Spirit King, in the form of a young girl, seemed vulnerable to a direct attack. It was worth a try.

“Foolish.”

Kugugugu- Kaang!

“…!”

“Didn’t I say I analyzed everything about you?”

Earth spirits rose from the ground, forming golems.

They blocked the Aura Blade with their bodies.

The maximum output of the Aura Blade easily cut through them, but they regenerated almost infinitely, blocking with sheer numbers.

Moreover, as time passed, the more they were cut, the stronger their hardness became, reaching a point where even the aura became dull.

At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to reach the Spirit King.

“Keuk! Prepare the Silvan Cannon!”

[Command Received]

[Silvan Cannon Operational Readiness]

[Empire’s Soul Stage 3 Deployment-]

“I told you it’s useless.”

The Spirit King immediately summoned the wind and darkness spirits.

Darkness mixed as if swept away by the wind, and soon it covered my surroundings.

[The Empire’s Soul is being blocked.]

[Immediately escape from the darkness spirit’s barrier.]

Although limited, he had even found a way to block my Empire’s Soul.

Shusushuk! Chwaak! Paat!

“Keuk!”

“Emperor, there are no eternal victors. You have won countless times, but in the end, you will be defeated by me.”

My body was torn apart by the spirit’s barrage pouring from beyond the darkness.

I coughed up blood and knelt on one knee.

The Spirit King looked down at me with that characteristic arrogant expression, even though his appearance had changed.

“It might be good to kill you… but perhaps it would be more entertaining to trap your soul inside a doll.”

Pushuk!

“Keheok!”

Sharp wooden stalks rose like stakes and pierced me. I hurriedly cut them down, but I couldn’t avoid a fatal wound.

“Kulok, keuek….”

“Yes, that would be better. Making you die here would be too easy of a death.”

The Spirit King said, as if to mock me.

“Kekeke, keuheuheuh….”

But I burst out laughing.

“…Have you lost your mind? Why are you suddenly laughing?”

“I can’t help but laugh… kekeke, you’re always the same, Spirit King.”

I staggered to my feet and declared to him.

“You always lose because of your arrogance.”

[Dark Blood Release]

[Using Cerebres’ Dark Blood to maximize black magic.]

Black magic enveloped me.

The Spirit King felt uneasy and poured out the spirit’s barrage again, but I desperately deployed a barrier with the Empire’s Soul to block it.

“Do you know what, Spirit King?”

The darkness magic that had enveloped me disappeared.

Then my appearance had changed.

“Doppelganger’s transformation is an act of stealing a soul.”

The silver hair had turned gold. The eye color was also blue, and even the face would be that of a woman.

It resembled someone very much. Except that it was an older, more mature version.

“…What does that mean? Are you going to change into someone else to overcome this situation? Then you’ve transformed into the wrong person!”

Hwareureureureureuk, Shusushushuk!

“You won’t be able to defeat me in that weak woman’s form!”

Once again, the spirit’s barrage poured down. But I just reached out my hand to it.

“Stop.”

And I commanded.

“What?”

The spirits stopped as if obeying the command.

“Go back and kill the fake.”

Wiing-

The spirits were confused. As if flowing backward, they began to attack the Spirit King again.

“No way! No way!”

“That’s right, Spirit King.”

“Did you steal my soul!”

I gave a bitter smile at the Spirit King’s scream.

Because that statement was only half correct.

“No, what I stole was half of your soul. The soul of my people that you tried to take.”

“…!”

The young soul that the Baron sought to save.

That soul still remained in the Spirit King’s heart.

I stole that soul. And I took control of the spirits from him.

“No way! No way!”

“Did you think you could overwhelm that child?”

If it were the Spirit King in his complete state, he would have.

But this was the Spirit King’s soul, tattered from being repeatedly defeated by me.

In comparison, the Baron’s daughter, Loretta’s soul, had been subjected to all of the Baron’s devoted procedures.

Naturally, the soul’s durability itself was different. When the spirits had to judge which was real and which was fake, which one would they judge to be real?

It was a simple question. Of course, they would just choose the stronger soul.

“My soul…! My soul is disappearing!”

“Disappear, Spirit King. It was a tiresome relationship.”

I mercilessly erased the Spirit King’s soul with Loretta’s soul.

His soul was helplessly absorbed, like milk mixing into black tea.

“Emperor… I… will definitely….”

“I won’t listen to futile last words. Disappear. I will make good use of your race.”

“…!”

The Spirit King disappeared.

The doll in the form of Loretta, no, the being that had now become more than a doll, collapsed.

I picked up the child.

“Your Majesty….”

“Baron.”

The Baron arrived just in time. He looked exhausted and injured because he had been operating the dolls with the marionette [a magical construct or being that controls puppets].

I released the transformation and returned to the Emperor’s appearance.

And I released a little of the Empire’s Soul to restore Loretta’s energy.

“…Dad?”

“Loretta. Do you recognize me?”

The Baron approached his daughter with tears in his eyes.

“Dad, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m okay. I’m okay….”

Watching the father and daughter reunite, I smiled bitterly.

It was touching, but also heartbreaking.

That child, who possessed the Spirit Realm within her body, would no longer be able to live a normal life.

But that would be enough for the Baron. And the Baron would be loyal to the Empire from now on.

“Good job, Emperor.”

“Yeah. But you, what’s with that appearance?”

The appearance of the marionette who spoke to me was a bit different. It looked like a female version of Mirror.

“This is my true form… or rather, it’s the basic form I usually take when I’m bored.”

The marionette added, “I’m tired of that child’s appearance now.”

“Well, you’re my puppeteer now. Please take care of me.”

“Hmph, just don’t betray me. I’ll show you a painful lesson.”

“I won’t, as long as you satisfy me. But, do you know about that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hmm, you didn’t know?”

The marionette soon looked at me with interest.

“Well, it’s better not to know now. About the Creator God.”

“…If you’re going to say that, just explain it.”

“No. I don’t think it would be good to say it now. More than that… aren’t you more curious about that?”

The marionette said with a playful smile.

“About what the Dawnlight Society is aiming for again.”