He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 76

I Became the Greatest Crazy Emperor – Episode 76

The ground buckled and heaved, triggering a violent earthquake.

Soldiers scrambled for safety, only to be crushed by falling rocks.

Most managed to grab onto something or lie flat to minimize the impact.

Taaht!

Whoosh!

“You possess considerable skill, human emperor.”

“…You too.”

Even amidst the earthquake, I leaped toward the Spirit King with surprising agility.

I swung my sword, but he intercepted it with a powerful gust of wind created by spirit magic.

Whirr!

The wind held the sword as if by telekinesis, but the purifying flames on the blade quickly began to consume the wind.

“…You also possess troublesome skills.”

Seeing the purifying flames completely incinerate his spirit magic, he relinquished his hold on my sword and sent it flying.

I landed on the ground and watched as he skillfully extinguished the purifying flames.

He demonstrated far greater mastery of spirit magic than the elders of the Purification Church, who struggled to extinguish even a small flame.

“Why are you here alone? It appears the druids have all been captured.”

“Human Emperor, I came to assess your strength. But… you’re quite disappointing.”

The Spirit King snapped his fingers with an arrogant flourish, and flames of spirit energy erupted.

Unlike the purifying flames that felt sacred, these were mischievous and, in some ways, destructive.

The flames swiftly transformed into arrows and hurtled toward me.

Swish! Swish! Whirr!

I parried the increasingly rapid and numerous fire arrows with my sword, slicing them apart.

The arrows also rained down on the other soldiers, but Stella erected a barrier of flames to shield them.

“I had hoped to finally encounter a worthy opponent, but… you’re merely a pathetic whelp.”

“Why don’t you descend and face me directly instead of resorting to insults?”

“I see no value in that.”

Woo-woo-woong-

The spirit flames coalesced into a massive sphere.

Several fireballs, each the size of large rocks, plummeted to the ground like meteors.

It was beyond my ability to block with my sword alone. I immediately plunged my sword into the ground and unleashed aura imbued with divine power.

Stella’s flames layered over it.

Kwakwakwang!

The fireballs created by the fire spirit magic detonated in a violent explosion.

Had the soldiers scattered on the ground in the earthquake’s aftermath been caught in that explosion, they would have been annihilated.

But the divine shield I erected and Stella’s holy flames protected them from the blast.

“Hoo…”

However, I had to pause to catch my breath, having expended a significant amount of aura and divine power at once.

The Spirit King was arrogant, but his strength justified it.

“How utterly boring. You’re not even worth my time.”

“Then cease your prattling, come down here, and attempt to kill me!”

“No, I shall not. I will allow you to live.”

With those words, he raised his hand as if summoning something.

-Woahhhhh!

Then, a colossal bear emerged from the collapsed ruins.

But it was not a complete bear; it was a grotesque amalgamation, bearing human features.

“I will allow you to live and witness the crumbling of your insignificant empire.”

-Kuaaaah!

The giant bear, its face contorted with a pained human expression, lumbered toward the surrounding soldiers.

Fortunately, the soldiers had recovered from the earthquake and mounted a defense.

Of course, even with shields, those unfortunate enough to bear the brunt of the bear’s heavy blows were generally left injured.

“If you survive, seek me out. I shall await it with anticipation, Human Emperor.”

With those words, he vanished like smoke.

But I had no time to dwell on his departure.

The increasingly ferocious and powerful monster bear before me presented a more immediate threat.

-Kwaaaaa!

“E, evade the flames!”

“It’s breathing fire!”

“Ballista troops! Fire the ballistae!”

Now that it was breathing fire, the soldiers attempting to hold the bear at bay were in even greater peril.

Whirr!

“Ugh… Huh? W, what?”

However, some of those who had been set ablaze soon found the flames extinguished, and they were unharmed.

Instead, their wounds healed as the flames died out.

“Do not fear. The flames of purification are with you.”

“Saintess…!”

Fortunately, Stella was tending to the soldiers.

As long as she was present, they would not suffer significant harm.

“Then I shall do my part!”

I charged toward the roaring bear, wielding the silver holy sword imbued with blue aura and red purifying flames.

-Woahhhhh!

Kooong!

The large, long-armed bear attacked first. But I lightly leaped and dodged its blow.

Shushuk! Shushushuk!

Simultaneously, I unleashed shadow blades. The five shadow blades latched onto the bear’s neck like hooks.

Zhuuuuk-

Instantly, the shadow blades contracted, pulling me, the main body, closer.

Now that my skill with shadow blades had greatly improved, it was possible to exert this level of physical force.

Puk!

-Keuaaaak… H, Emperor… I…

The creature, with half of its face retaining human features, spoke in a human tongue as the sword pierced its neck.

It was a desperate and agonizing voice, like the grinding of metal.

“That voice… Duke Druid, it was you.”

Stella seemed to recognize the voice.

-Ki, kill me…

“…Your wish is granted.”

Puk! Swish! Puhaaaak!

I severed the bear-Duke Druid’s neck.

It seemed quite powerful, but I dispatched it more easily than I had anticipated…

-Badeudeudeudeuk…!

“This…!”

…Just as I thought that, sharp, thorny vines erupted from the severed neck.

They attempted to ensnare me, but they were quickly incinerated by the purifying flames.

However, they poured forth like a flood, and some managed to breach the flames, forcing me to quickly create distance.

-Keuaaaak…

Then, it seized the severed neck and reattached it.

The small wounds inflicted by the flames were also regenerating, but it was screaming as if in excruciating pain.

The corruption that the spirit was inflicting upon the human was evident in each of those successive processes.

“How terrible. Why did you place your faith in such a thing?”

-Kueueueu…

I had heard that Duke Druid and other Druid followers had been captured, so seeing this, it was clear they had endured a horrific ordeal.

Whirr-

Patsutsu!

But regardless, my priority was to eliminate that creature that was spewing fire and lightning.

“Your Majesty!”

[Your subordinate, ‘Stella, the Saintess of Flames,’ casts ‘Purifying Flame Shield’ on you.]

[As long as the shield’s flames are maintained, it will incinerate all impure forces.]

At that moment, Stella enveloped me in purifying flames as if reading my thoughts.

The intensely burning flames completely surrounded me, shielding me from the flames and lightning generated by spirit magic.

Trusting in the purifying flames, I charged at Duke Druid once more.

[Sharp Weakness Detection ability is temporarily enhanced by divinity.]

[Identifies the weakness of ‘Mutated Duke Druid’.]

As the sharp Weakness Detection ability activated, the world was bathed in blue, and the creature’s heart glowed red.

Red vines were entwined around the heart.

That appeared to be the source of its incomprehensible abilities.

I had to extract it and burn it.

Kooong! Kwang!

As if unwilling to be defeated easily, it swung its forelimbs and thrashed incessantly.

I adjusted my pace, approaching and immediately retreating to evade danger.

Patsutsu! Whirr!

Flames and lightning also struck, but Stella’s shield deflected most of them.

For those that were too powerful, I swung my sword to cleave through the magic or reinforced it with purifying flames.

Then, when I detected a fleeting moment of opportunity-

Puhuuk!

-Kuwoaaaa!

I unleashed high-speed movement like lightning and impaled the creature’s heart with my sword.

-Keueok, keueok… H, Emperor…

The heart, exposed by the gaping wound, was ensnared by vines, and at its center was a stem rooted deep within.

-Pu, pull it out…

“Understood!”

Tup.

Kadeuk, kadeuk.

I began to extract something akin to a cursed parasite rooted in the heart.

It coiled around my arm as if resisting fiercely and attempted to invade my body and take root.

Whirr!

But the purifying flames would not allow it.

The vines that attempted to take root were incinerated, and after a struggle, they were wrenched from Duke Druid’s heart.

Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!

A piercing, banshee-like shriek, reminiscent of a mandragora, echoed through the air.

Even after being extracted, the grotesque vines, stems, and roots writhed, but they were soon engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes.

“Keuk, cough…”

As the parasite was removed from the heart, Duke Druid began to revert to his original form.

Even in human form, he was a giant, but he was no longer in bear form.

However, he had sustained a fatal wound to his heart, and his life was ebbing away.

“Duke Druid. Why did you do this? Did you not foresee this outcome?”

“Hoo, hoohoo… How could I not, Emperor? We knew better than anyone that the elves… are treacherous.”

Cough- cough… He coughed up blood and spoke to me, expending his last breath.

“We had no choice. We are… those whom the empire failed to protect…”

“…”

“You wouldn’t understand. Also, it’s not your fault. But you must realize, Emperor… you, you, you must…”

The Duke Druid, whom I had only known as a traitor, uttered some cryptic words.

He gestured weakly to one side. Beyond where he pointed, the young World Tree cultivated by the elves could be seen in the distance.

“Sto, stop them… He’s trying to… destroy the empire… Fo, follow the path of the founding emperor…”

“Duke.”

“The path… follow…”

“…”

Duke Druid breathed his last.

“The Druid Church… is rumored to be a religion brought in by those who were abducted by the elves. It’s one theory regarding their origins, but…”

“…Since it’s a religion situated in an area bordering the elves, it’s plausible.”

What the Duke had just revealed seemed to be connected to that as well.

“What course of action do we take now? I am uncertain of the Spirit King’s plan, but it must be linked to that World Tree.”

Stella cut to the heart of the matter. I nodded and responded.

“Precisely. But he has illuminated the path for me.”

“Yes?”

[You have fully accumulated divinity for the liberation of Empire’s Soul Stage 1.]

[Confront and defeat the Founding Emperor (Growth Phase).]

[This trial may be very dangerous. Attempt it after you have grown sufficiently.]

“He instructed me to follow the path of the Founding Emperor.”

That is what Duke Druid said, and reflecting on the various powers I have acquired thus far,

I may be emulating the power of the man who established the empire 3,000 years ago.

Perhaps many heroes have walked that path since then.

“But I will surpass him.”

I will, without fail.