He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 207

“So, the Dragon’s Trial had that kind of significance.”

“Indeed. It’s also a trial that grants the qualification to seize the Beast King’s territory.”

The Dragonkin didn’t just give me the Dragon’s Trial to gauge my abilities.

They had strategic possibilities in mind.

“You didn’t just pass the trial; you proved the true spirit of the Dragon. Thanks to that, you’ve secured a considerably advantageous position.”

“Seizing his territory, you say.”

“That’s right. But more importantly, the Beast King is completely unaware that it’s even possible.”

That was true.

There’s no way he could have imagined I was capable of such a feat.

In other words, he wouldn’t expect his territory to be taken.

The damage of being caught off guard is always more painful than facing a known threat.

“Then we don’t have time to waste. Let’s move immediately.”

It was time to seize all the territories that bastard had arbitrarily created.

* * *

“Humans are coming! Wild brethren, let us fight bravely and seize the glory of victory!”

Though called dungeons or gates, they were essentially sub-spaces mostly open to the outside.

It seemed to be a characteristic of the places created by the Beast King, and beastmen forces were lying in ambush there.

“Easily over 5,000. Considering they were teleported to the rear, that’s a considerable force, isn’t it?”

It was a medium-sized gate, but even so, the number of troops in a single gate was quite large.

With a dozen or so such gates, it meant there were over ten thousand enemy troops in the rear.

That was dangerous, even with me around. If they had all come out of the gates and disrupted the rear, it would have been very difficult.

“Among them, there aren’t many direct subordinates of the Beast King. There are only advance units. The rest are ordinary residents living in those gates or dungeons.”

“Is there a difference between the two?”

“Of course. The beastmen who are ordinary residents haven’t yet pledged allegiance to the Beast King. That means they can pledge allegiance to a stronger spirit.”

The Dragonkin man pointed at me and said.

“Like you, a human with a soul capable of controlling dragons. The Beast King only handles lesser dragons; he doesn’t control real dragons.”

That was good news for me. It meant they could see my spirit as greater than the Beast King’s.

“However, to do that, you must show them your power and majesty. Naturally, in battle.”

“Won’t fighting create resentment?”

“Beastmen don’t do that. They consider it a virtue to follow the stronger one.”

“That works out well.”

It was similar to what I did in the Northern Territory. I showed my strength to the tribesmen when uniting the northern tribes.

However, I had to show them not only physical strength but also the power of my spirit.

“Then let’s begin.”

I drew Silver Rose and confidently walked towards the plains where the beastmen were lying in ambush.

The tall reeds swayed in the wind as if wolves were dancing.

“Kyahhhhh!”

And indeed, wolves, or rather, wolf beastmen, jumped out from the reeds.

They tried to pounce on me all at once and tear me to pieces.

Swoosh! Slash! Thwack! Stab!

But before they could, Silver Rose flashed a chilling light and cut through everything.

“Kuaaaak!”

“Don’t stop! Keep attacking!”

The beastmen were instantly thrown into disarray. Half a dozen of them were seriously injured at once, but they didn’t lose their fighting spirit.

[Dark Blood Power Release]

[Shadow Blade – Sweeping Deployment]

Whir- Whack!

I deliberately cut them down with the power of Dark Blood.

I swept the ground with the Shadow Blade like a whip.

It was a decent area-of-effect attack, but in this environment with so many flammable reeds, it would have been more effective to unleash the Imperial Soul and burn everything with the flames of purification.

But I deliberately used Dark Blood.

“M-My god!”

“What is that power…!”

“Something… I feel a terrifying power from it!”

[The enemy beastmen are greatly agitated by Cerebres’ Dark Blood.]

[Eliminating the enemy leader will allow you to attempt to seize control over them.]

As the Dragonkin had said, they reacted to strong spirits.

Of course, the Imperial Soul was also an aggregate of powerful spirits, but what directly resonated with them was Dark Blood.

Just as the Dragon’s souls were not damaged by the Imperial Soul but were fatal to Dark Blood.

“Eit! Release the large beasts and lesser dragons! Crush him!”

The beastman leader of this area was shouting.

I knew his location, but I deliberately pretended not to know.

It was to show the beastmen an even more overwhelming display of power.

[Dark Blood Stage 2 Release]

[Replacing the Imperial Soul with Dark Blood from the Abyss’s Heart.]

[Dark Energy Amplification Rate 220%]

[Dark Aura Activation!]

Faaaaaaat!

“Keuheoeok!”

“C-Can’t breathe…!”

The Dark Energy gathered by Dark Blood was unleashed all at once.

The beastmen exposed to the Dark Aura collapsed as if they were being stabbed by thousands of needles.

Even those who weren’t directly harmed were overwhelmed by the sinister energy emanating from the Dark Aura and became paralyzed.

Confirming that the beastmen were neutralized, I charged towards the large beasts and lesser dragons that were rushing towards me.

There were giant bears, wolves, and even lesser dragons of the Wyvern Clan that the Dragonkin mainly hunted.

“This is the end.”

[Dark Blood Stage 3 Release]

[Unleashing the form of the Dark Dragon.]

[Taking the form of Cerebres, the Dark Dragon of the Underworld.]

[All races possessing mana instinctively shrink before you.]

[Those completely overwhelmed in battle will submit to you.]

It was time to unleash my full power.

I transformed into a black dragonkin with black scales, horns, wings, and a tail.

Then, Silver Rose was also enveloped in black energy and transformed into a black dragon’s magic sword. It was like a black rose.

[Magic Sword Black Rose deploys ‘Black Storm Slash’.]

And soon, the Magic Sword Black Rose danced a storm-like sword dance.

It was as if a storm was raining down with black blades.

The executor of that black storm was none other than me.

Screams, blood, fear, despair, pain… Magic Sword Black Rose devoured everything of the sacrificial victims that occurred in that storm.

“…This ability is dangerous.”

The lesser dragons and giant beasts that were charging at me were already minced and fragmented by the storm.

Their bodies were brutally butchered, but that dance had horribly tortured the beings within that black storm.

And the magic sword drank that madness. At the same time, I felt like I was getting drunk on that madness.

That’s why it was a dangerous ability. It was the exact opposite of the purifying flames and light emitted by the Imperial Soul.

But it was definitely an attractive power.

“I-I can’t win.”

“Overwhelming power. I feel a strong soul!”

“We will not serve the Beast King! We must serve that one!”

The beastmen, overwhelmed by the power of Dark Blood, immediately reacted.

As the Dragonkin had said, they quickly changed their object of allegiance.

This dark power had a power that the light power like the Imperial Soul did not have.

Survival of the fittest!

It had the power to dominate the dark races that followed the logic of power.

“Y-You guys, get a grip! Wild brethren, are you going to serve such a human!”

“Shut up! The Beast King’s soul is far weaker than that human’s soul!”

“Where is he now! We will serve the stronger one!”

“T-This…! Kuaaaak!”

The leader, who seemed to have been sent by the Beast King, was soon torn apart by the other beastmen.

“O great soul! Accept our submission!”

Soon, they offered me the head of that leader and bowed their heads.

The sight of the beastmen wagging their tails and submitting was quite amusing.

“Good, I will accept you. You are now citizens of the Empire.”

I accepted them without needing to think any further.

* * *

“You were hasty, Your Majesty. To accept them as citizens?”

I was ‘liberating’ all the dungeons and gates in the rear areas with the Dragonkin and the joined beastmen.

The dungeons and gates were good resource zones in themselves, and I accepted all the beastmen I liberated there as citizens.

Regarding that point, Jurgen, the former head steward of the Imperial Palace and regent of the Western Knights Territory, said it was a hasty measure.

“What’s the problem with that?”

“Do you know that they are a race of 100,000? Of course, the number of those who can be used as soldiers is significantly smaller. Right now, Your Majesty is accepting races that can become minorities as citizens.”

What Jurgen was concerned about was the issue of minorities.

Originally, ethnic consciousness was weak in the Middle Ages on Earth, but it was different here.

In addition to humans, there were completely different races, and even if they didn’t have a national consciousness, they had an identity at the race level.

What Jurgen was worried about was that accepting such minorities or minor races would cause future problems for the Empire.

“Jurgen, you’re worrying too much. 100,000, but it’s ‘only’ 100,000. They won’t demand independence yet. At most, they’ll demand autonomy.”

“Demanding that autonomy is enough of a problem…”

“Just give it to them. How wide is the Western Territory, and how many unexplored areas are there? Gates and dungeons have sprung up everywhere, so there are even more.”

“In the future, that could become a demand for independence!”

“That won’t happen in my generation. My descendants will take care of it.”

“…”

Jurgen was stunned by my perfunctory attitude, but soon he sighed and said.

“Of course… it’s true that they are useful now. But Your Majesty, what are you going to do if the Empire later becomes independent into numerous kingdoms?”

“Jurgen, you seem to be mistaken about one thing, but I started ruling with that in mind from the moment I ascended the throne.”

At that time, it wouldn’t have been strange if the Empire had been divided into four or five pieces.

Somehow, I managed to patch up the Empire with minimal measures, but frankly, I couldn’t say it was completely intact.

“So, even if that happens in the end, I have nothing to regret. However, if possible, I think it would be enough if the kingdoms that secede still have an identity with the Empire.”

“…If that is Your Majesty’s will, then there is nothing I can do. Then, what are you going to do with the Western Territory now? Are you going to counterattack as it is?”

I shook my head at Jurgen’s question.

“Not yet. Use the Dragonkin and the joined beastmen to build up strength. Send the resources obtained from the dungeons and gates to the Imperial Capital. I will exchange them for weapons.”

“You intend to take care of other places first.”

“That’s right.”

I broke one of the Beast King’s moves, but it’s too early to start a decisive battle.

Other places might be pushed back right away. In particular, I need to go to the Eastern Territory immediately.

While I’m at it, I’ll check the internal affairs of the Central Territory as well.

“Well, let’s watch the enemies’ next move.”

My turn is over. Now it was time to see how the enemies would come out.