He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 64

Became the Crazy Emperor – Episode 64

Became the Crazy Emperor 64

“Herman, I can’t believe you’re a traitor.”

“No, I really am not!”

Herman, detained in the Western Ranger headquarters’ prison, voiced his frustration at the Rangers’ suspicions.

“But the evidence is pretty clear.”

“That wound was from something else!”

“You just happened to get that injury by chance? Sadly, it’s hard to believe.”

“There’s no proof that I’m lying!”

Herman pointed out the lack of concrete evidence, but the Rangers remained skeptical, even if some harbored doubts.

The situation seemed too perfectly incriminating to apply the principle of presumption of innocence, making the suspicion very strong.

Not only the wound found during the body search but also the prior compromises of ambush locations and patrol routes were things Herman, as a team leader-level officer, could have orchestrated.

“Anyway, I have no choice but to keep you under watch as ordered. There are definitely unclear aspects, so the Commander will understand.”

“…….”

Herman could only nod silently at the words of the fellow Ranger acting as his guard.

Lacking any real way to defend himself, he was grateful that they still gave him the benefit of the doubt.

“Ah, Commander! For the Rangers!”

“Ah, you’re working hard, soldiers.”

Just then, someone approached the prison.

As the guard’s salute indicated, it was Commander Leonard.

“Is Team Leader Herman behaving himself? Any disturbances?”

“No, sir. He’s cooperative, so there are no problems.”

To the Commander, who seemed to be on a routine inspection, the guard subtly defended Team Leader Herman by emphasizing his cooperative behavior.

“Hmm, that’s fortunate. Or should I say, unexpected.”

“Yes? Cough!”

Crack!

Suddenly, Commander Leonard grabbed the guard’s neck and snapped it with tremendous force.

“W-What!”

Herman was shocked. Not only had the Commander killed a Ranger, but the Commander’s appearance was changing.

Black veins pulsed on his face and the hand that had twisted the guard’s neck. In addition, one of his eyes had turned blood red, as if possessed by a demonic spirit.

“To not even resist despite being falsely accused… it would have been better if you had tried to escape.”

“Commander… you were the traitor.”

Herman glared at him with contempt.

In response, Leonard’s usual benevolent facade vanished, replaced by a vile and wicked smile.

“Why? Why did you betray the Rangers?”

“I want to ask you the same. Why wouldn’t I betray them when I was promised enormous rewards?”

“You too… you swore an oath as a Ranger.”

“Hahahaha!”

Upon hearing Herman’s words, Leonard burst into laughter as if he had heard a hilarious joke.

“That half-baked pseudo-chivalry? It’s ridiculous that those who aren’t even nobles imitate what they impose on those muscle-brained thugs called knights.”

“Have you forgotten? There are Rangers who are from noble families.”

“Yes, they’re all second sons, disinherited, or bastards who have nowhere else to go, or well-fed fools whose brains are soaked in romance. I’m different from those guys.”

Leonard picked up the guard’s crossbow and aimed it at Herman, continuing to justify his actions.

“I offered the souls of the Rangers to the demons. In exchange for strong souls, they gave me power. With that power, I can become a king.”

“You’re going to do such a thing just to hear the word ‘king’? Betraying the Empire and selling out your comrades?”

“Even those separatist fools who are called lords dream of their own kingdoms, so why can’t I?”

Click.

“I will become the king of a new era. You’ll have to die for the birth of the new king, Team Leader Herman.”

Leonard, uttering arrogant words, immediately aimed the crossbow at Herman.

Herman considered shouting or resisting, but quickly gave up and lowered his head.

He knew Leonard would have taken precautions to prevent anyone from hearing him, and resisting to buy time would be pointless.

More than anything, he was heartbroken that the Commander he trusted most was a traitor.

Just as he closed his eyes in resignation.

Clap- Clap- Clap-

“Excellent. Those who want to be king always have such delusions. Truly, it’s such great nonsense that it deserves applause.”

A man in black full-body armor, Shadow, stood there, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Sir Shadow… and you all…!”

And starting with Shadow, other Rangers revealed themselves.

* * *

“The Commander is a traitor….”

“So no one suspected a thing.”

The Rangers, carefully gathered after the body search, had overheard the entire conversation between Herman and Leonard.

“Soldiers, what are you talking about? I just came to inspect the prison. Unfortunately, the guard was killed by the prisoner.”

But whether he was ignorant of their presence or simply trying to deny everything, Leonard spoke shamelessly.

“You’re being pathetic. Do you think anyone will believe that after everything you just said?”

“Kuh….”

Of course, trying to deceive the Rangers now was a futile attempt that crumbled under my sarcasm.

Moreover, there was someone who could corroborate the evidence.

“Commander, I already suspected something was off, but I never thought you would really be a traitor. I never thought you would really be in league with the demons.”

“Van Horn… how are you still alive?”

“…I unintentionally received the grace of the Imperial Family.”

Van Horn added, seemingly mindful of my presence, as I was supposedly dispatched by the Imperial Family.

Since I saved him, he was now considered to be under the Imperial Family’s protection.

“Hmph, so there’s no way out now, is there?”

“That’s right, Commander. Why did you do it? Was it really for the pathetic reason of becoming a king? Were you so out of your mind with such a delusional ambition?”

“You guys are the ones who need to come to your senses!”

Cornered, but still unwilling to surrender, Leonard shouted back defiantly.

“Are you so caught up in half-baked knightly ideals that you can’t see reality? The Empire is as good as ruined, and in the future, there will be a world where the lords each claim to be kings! What’s wrong with me becoming a king in such a world and leading it?”

“By selling out the Rangers? By handing over the West to the lords and the Greenskins [Orcs or similar barbaric humanoids]?”

Van Horn’s rebuke continued, but Leonard remained confident.

“What’s wrong with that! I just did what I had to do in a world where everyone has to fend for themselves! Yes, I gained power by selling out the Rangers. But that was an unavoidable sacrifice to become king!”

“…There’s no reasoning with you. But this was never about persuasion.”

Van Horn said, aiming his crossbow.

The Rangers who followed also glared at the traitor who was no longer their Commander and raised their crossbows.

“Keuheuheuh… good, I’ll show you right here, right now. The power of one who will become king!”

“Fire!”

At Van Horn’s command, dozens of bolts rained down on Leonard.

Bolts instantly lodged in his body like a hedgehog, but his body, twisted and distorted, lightly endured and regenerated from the injuries.

The demonic energy that had been dwelling in his black blood vessels spread to his skin, turning it gray, and horns and wings sprouted, making him look completely demonic.

“Tremble before my power!”

“Everyone, scatter!”

Black magic poured out from the hand he stretched out towards the Rangers.

As soon as the black magic, unstable and volatile, was unleashed, Van Horn shouted for everyone to scatter.

Kwang!

But there weren’t many places to escape in the narrow prison passage, and the radius of the magic explosion was large enough to kill them all.

“Heh heh, simple.”

“Why are you celebrating already?”

“……!”

But not a single Ranger was killed or injured.

Because when that magic flew, I had already deployed a shield with divine power.

Immediately, I broke through the smoke and remnants of the magic explosion and rushed towards him, wielding a silver holy sword.

Clang!

“Kuek! You keep interfering with me! You dog of the Emperor!”

“Much better than a fool who thinks he’s strong.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

Leonard blocked the sword with his hardened hand, and in that state, he swung his sharp claws to counterattack.

Because the sword was caught, it was difficult to avoid the claws unless I abandoned the sword.

But suddenly, his arm, which had been aiming at me, was severed by a shadow blade that rose from the ground.

“Kuaaak! You, you bastard!”

“The power you got from licking the demons’ asses is too weak.”

Thwack! Swish!

“Uwaaak!”

Even the hand holding the holy sword was immediately chopped into pieces like sliced ham when the aura mixed with divine power was activated.

Immediately, I slashed him once. His speed was far too lacking, and he couldn’t avoid the blow.

“Well, no matter how demonic they are, they wouldn’t give proper power to a traitor, would they? It’s pathetic that you’re talking about a crown with that kind of power.”

Thud!

“Kkeu, kkeueueueuk-”

He was trying to create distance, but his leg was cut off first.

His regeneration was excellent, but he couldn’t regenerate a thigh that had been completely severed.

“Wa, wait. Spare me. I’ll do anything you tell me! I’ll tell you everything I know about the enemy, so please, just spare me!”

Stab!

“Kkeueok!”

“I’m not really interested. How can I trust information from a traitor?”

I could interrogate him about the lords, demons, or Greenskins he was in contact with, but even if I heard information from him, a traitor, I couldn’t trust it.

So it was right to just kill him. Killing him comfortably would be a bit annoying, so as painfully as possible.

“If you kill me, something terrible will happen!”

Leonard seemed to realize this and immediately changed his strategy.

“If I die… they’ll move soon.”

“Who? The separatist lords? Demons? Or Greenskins?”

“All of them! I was connected to all of them! If they know I’ve been discovered, they’ll attack the Rangers! The lords will think that’s the right time to rise up!”

When I showed a slightly troubled look upon hearing those words, he seemed to think his threat was working and began to speak with greater urgency.

“If you kill me, a civil war will break out. But if you use me, you can stop it! I’ll cooperate! I’ll become a dog of the Imperial Family!”

“Hmm, that’s a bit persuasive.”

“……! Th, then spare me-”

Thud!

I immediately cut off his head.

His face, with his head severed, was a mixture of pain and shock, creating an ugly expression.

“Too bad, but I have no intention of stopping the civil war.”

I said, looking at the dead Leonard with disdain.

Just trying to fend for themselves, packaging it as if they had excellent foresight.

Well, those are the kind of guys who would sell the country and try to play king.

Without knowing that I, the Emperor, have sharpened my sword.