He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 27

I Became the Greatest Crazy Emperor – Episode 27 (27/300)

I Became the Greatest Crazy Emperor 27

If he possessed the kind of immense power that could shake the ground, what else was he capable of?

Well, the ground shaking wasn’t purely from brute force; he was channeling his Aura. But still, the potential was vast.

Such a level of power could be applied in countless ways.

“How is he moving like that!”

“Haha, got any more tricks up your sleeve?”

[‘Blessing of Free Will’ is active.]

[Immune to abnormal conditions that restrict movement, such as stun, dizziness, and slowness.]

The earthquake caused by his immense power would normally be enough to knock people off balance or disorient them.

But having already experienced something similar against the Troll, I immediately countered with divine magic.

“Then how about this!”

Thwack! Rumble!

Realizing that the earthquake alone wasn’t effective enough, Hendrick unveiled another tactic.

He struck the ground, and suddenly, the earth rose up beneath me.

I could have been crushed by the rising rock formations or lost my footing and been injured.

“That’s quite something, but still clumsy.”

Distorting the terrain to attack is certainly an impressive technique.

But unfortunately, it’s a technique limited to the ground.

Simply jumping into the sky was enough to evade it.

“I know that much!”

Bang! Thwack!

“Oh?”

Hendrick struck the rock that rose from the ground like a baseball, sending it hurtling towards me.

A massive rock flew towards me while I was in mid-air.

Evading it was impossible at this point.

“Not that I need to evade it.”

Swish, slice! Shatter!

I infused my sword with Aura and sliced the incoming rock apart.

The bisected rocks all missed as they scattered away, and Hendrick seemed to have run out of ideas.

“You were more capable than you looked.”

Clang!

“But your limits are clear.”

“Kugh!”

I immediately dashed towards him like the wind and struck.

He blocked my sword with his war hammer, but his movements were slightly sluggish.

“Your stamina is terrible. Well, it’s only natural since you’re using such immense power recklessly.”

He knows how to use various tricks, but unfortunately, his physical talents can’t keep up.

The reason he couldn’t become a proper knight must be because of that.

Clang! Thud. Swish, swish, swish!

“It’s over. Surrender.”

“Kuh…….”

Soon, he couldn’t withstand my sword strikes and dropped his war hammer.

I surrounded him with the Holy Sword and Shadow Blade from all sides and urged him to surrender.

“Surrender quietly. You wouldn’t risk your life for Karstein, would you?”

“……Alright, I surrender.”

His attitude is a bit arrogant, but Hendrick surrendered willingly.

He’s smart enough to roughly understand the meaning of offering surrender when I could have just killed him.

“Have you returned, Your Majesty? This side is already taken care of. What about that guy?”

The Captain of the Guard had already subdued the other looters.

Many had died, but quite a few were taken as prisoners.

“This guy is Hendrick.”

“Ah, that’s him. I didn’t really expect you to capture him. So, what are you going to do now?”

“We’ll do as planned.”

I had already told the Captain of the Guard that I might try to win him over.

Of course, that’s only if he’s useful.

“Does he seem useful?”

“Well, it’s still a bit ambiguous.”

Just fighting him now only revealed his level of martial prowess.

He’s surprisingly resourceful, but there was a reason Karstein looked down on him.

He lacks conventional talent and has a strong heretical side, ultimately making him slightly worse than an average knight.

“He might have hit the limit of his talent.”

That’s a trial that ordinary knights also face.

They usually overcome it by training for years or decades.

But this guy seemed to be looking for a different path.

“With such a rotten mindset, he probably tried to become a looter.”

“The Captain of the Guard is right. But there’s a need for those kinds of guys in the world. Well, I should start interrogating him right away.”

From the start, I didn’t capture him expecting him to have talent as a knight.

I began interrogating Hendrick, separated from the other looters.

“Shall we introduce ourselves first?”

“……I already know who you are.”

Even in his bound state, Hendrick’s eyes were still sharp and unyielding.

“The Emperor, right?”

“Why do you think so?”

“Everyone around you is calling you Your Majesty.”

“It could be a nickname, couldn’t it?”

Logically, there’s no way someone who is the Emperor would come to a place like this, so I kept denying it.

But Hendrick seemed certain.

“Karstein was hostile to the Emperor.”

All the looting he committed was aimed at the Emperor and the Imperial Family, meaning me.

From the start, this gold transport convoy was also a transport convoy connected to a merchant guild affiliated with the Imperial Family.

“But if there’s an extraordinary person being called Your Majesty here, I can’t help but think that way. Of course, it’s strange why the Emperor is in a place like this.”

For someone who uses his strength and has a rough history, he’s quite sharp.

This type is more suited to be a strategist than a knight, but perhaps his talents and interests don’t align?

“Your reasoning is quite logical. But even knowing that I’m the Emperor, is that how you act?”

“I don’t think you’re the type of person who expects politeness.”

“That’s true, but I can’t help but feel a bit displeased. Well, fine. That’s not important.”

Whether it’s audacity or fearlessness, it’s good that he has guts.

Of course, just being disrespectful to me like this is enough to warrant immediate execution.

“Something more painful than that would be being thrown into a mine as a slave.”

“…….”

“Well, that’s one of the choices you can make for now.”

To be quietly exploited as a mine slave for the rest of your life.

Considering the crimes these guys committed, this is also a relatively light punishment.

At least I won’t kill you.

“Do you want to hear the other options?”

“Does giving other options mean giving me a chance?”

“A chance, if you will.”

At least it’s a chance not to rot as a mine slave.

“I’m planning to deal with Karstein soon.”

It’s partly for revenge for this looter incident, but it’s also time to start wielding the sword against the feudal lords.

Of course, I’m not going to operate on all of them at once; Karstein is the starting point for future plans.

“I want to use you to deal with him.”

“You mean as a spy?”

“Something like that. Of course, it depends on how you cooperate.”

That was the best offer I could make at the level I was evaluating Hendrick.

Then Hendrick looked at me for a moment and said.

“Is that all?”

“All? What more do you want?”

“Giving me a chance…… does that mean giving me a reward too? Or is that it?”

“Haha, this guy is interesting.”

Usually, they would gratefully accept this much or demand a better offer.

But this guy was precisely demanding a ‘reward’.

“Is avoiding being sent to the mines not enough?”

“……It’s not that, but it wouldn’t be any different from being under Karstein.”

“That might be true, but why should I give you more?”

Your value isn’t that high, is it?

……I asked, implying that, and Hendrick instead showed confidence.

“If you use me, you can get results beyond expectations.”

It wasn’t a bluff or boast, but a genuine display of confidence.

I could tell that he was truly confident, but I shook my head.

“I don’t believe in just talk.”

“Then how about this? I’ll persuade the rest of those guys right now. The more spies, the better, right?”

“That’s not enough. I’m going to make the same offer to those guys anyway.”

Swish.

I said that and drew my sword.

Then I pointed it at Hendrick’s neck, where he couldn’t resist at all.

“You must be mistaken about something.”

Just because you’re a bit arrogant, a bit smart, and a bit resourceful.

“It’s funny if you think I’m going to use you greatly.”

They’re all just tricks and clumsy, ambiguous talents.

It’s a miscalculation if you expect a fairy tale-like story where I take in and nurture someone just because I see potential in such things.

“Don’t think you’re special. You’re not that special.”

Even if you were special.

What makes a deal between people is immediate value.

Everyone living in reality has no choice but to be like that.

Well, unless it’s a life in the second round like in a regression web novel [a web novel where the protagonist relives their life].

“But do you have that kind of value right now?”

Enough to demand more rewards?

“If not, just accept what I throw at you, knowing your place.”

“Kugh…….”

Hendrick’s eyes shook greatly at my rebuke.

Did I hit the nail on the head? Well, a smart guy like him would know the level of his talent.

He certainly has talent, but it’s a bit ambiguous.

With that kind of talent, it’s usually normal to be satisfied with a certain level.

But he seemed like the type of person with a very high ego who chases after vain dreams.

“……You’re right. I feel like my eyes are opening.”

After hesitating for a bit, Hendrick seemed to admit it surprisingly willingly.

But the following answer showed that the direction of his admission was different.

“Then what if I prove my value right now?”

“What?”

“That immediate value. There’s something I can present right now.”

This was an unexpected reaction.

I had no idea what a guy caught with nothing could offer me.

“Instead, you have to include me in that. What I’m offering is information.”

“Information about Karstein?”

“Of course. But I’ll tell you the details if you promise me a reward.”

Hendrick said with a determined look.

It seemed like he would never reveal that information even if I tortured him right now.

“That’s quite something. Well, if the information is valuable, there’s no reason I can’t give you a reward.”

“You don’t have to give that reward right away.”

“Hmm?”

“If I properly create a profit for you, give me a reward that matches that profit. That’s what I want.”

Moreover, he even made an offer that was difficult for me to refuse.

Usually, they would immediately demand a reward for the information.

But this guy demanded a reward based on the results of his cooperation rather than a reward for the information.

“These are conditions that are too favorable to me.”

It was no different from saying that he would willingly cooperate with me without any reward until he produced those results.

Wouldn’t it be possible for me to wipe my mouth clean about the reward later?

“It’s as you said. This is the greatest value I can present right now. But that’s not enough for me. I want more.”

Hendrick didn’t hide his ambition at all.

If that’s the case, it wouldn’t hurt for me to take him in since I have nothing to lose.

“Alright, then prove that value. What is the information you’re trying to tell me?”

At my question, Hendrick confidently raised the corners of his lips.

And an unexpected statement came from his mouth.

“Karstein is in league with the demons.”

When he saw me showing a slightly surprised expression at those words, he said even more confidently.

“Winning me over was the greatest luck you could have had.”

Because you would have been greatly harmed if you didn’t know.