Chapter 185 - #184 The End ?/? (1/2)
'Hm?!' Budo narrowed his eyes when he saw that Akashi just bowed without kneeling down, not to mention it was a very half-assed bow.
”...Ha-ha, good. I ȧssume that you are here today with General Esdeath to ask me for my blessing, right?” The emperor also sensed a strange atmosphere but he wasn't bothered by Akashi's antics since in the young emperor's mind, Akashi was something like an idol for him, unfortunately, he couldn't say something like that at public.
”Well, something like that” Akashi raised his head and said with an amused smile if not a bit crazy considering the situation he was in.
*Whisper* *Whisper* Everyone inside the throne room started to whisper to each other but since all of them decided to do that, it was very loud.
”Quiet! Akashi, General Esdeath, both of you have done so much for the Empire and its protection, there is no way I would ever be able to refuse your-” The emperor began speaking but he suddenly stopped when Akashi's entire body caught on fire.
*Gasp!* Everyone near him immediately took numerous steps back.
”Now” Akashi muttered while being enveloped by the flames.
”This is bad, protect the Emperor!!!” Budo shouted and kicked off the ground, attacking Akashi with his charged Teigu, Adramelech, taking the form of gauntlets.
'What is going on-?!' Honest narrowed his eyes while intending to take his hand out of his pocket just for Esdeath to appear in front of him with her palm extended towards him.
”General Esdeat-” Before he could call out her name, he was completely frozen with his hand only partly out of the pocket.
”I apologize but our collaboration ends today” Esdeath said with a wide smile while touching the ice sculpture of Honest.
On the other side, Budo who attacked Akashi completely missed his target as Akashi already disappeared from his sight once he got close enough which completely shocked Budo.
'What a speed?!' Budo thought and quickly went into defensive stance since he lost the sight of him however he was never Akashi's target.
”?! Your majesty!” Budo looked towards the throne just to see Akashi in his changed form standing next to the throne with his hand resting on the emperor's shoulder, having him completely locked down by his killing intent and powerful presence.
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[Health: 2000/2000]
[Energy: 3450/5000]
<Stats>
[Strength: 47 (105)]
[Agility: 50 (106)]
[Intelligence: 50 (119)]
[Constitution: 48 (108)]
[Charisma: 40 (166)
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Akashi even forcefully activated his biggest cheat which gave him +60% to his stats so now his charisma was over 250. Their actions caused an enormous commotion in the palace and palace guards started gathering in the throne room but once Akashi transformed and used his biggest cheat, everyone's legs froze. Just imaging what the emperor must be experienced by sitting right next to him without pissing himself must have taken a great amount of bravery and dignity, as expected of royal blood.
”Heir of the Phoenix house, Akashi! What do you think you are doing?! This is-” Budo was the only one who was still able to move since his bravery had no limits and that was something Akashi valued.
”A treason, yes...I am aware of that.” Akashi interrupted him, finishing his sentence for him.
”Inform all guards, apprehend everyone from Phoenix house!” Budo shouted at one of the palace guards standing in the doorway.
Hearing the Great General shouting at him, the guard found some courage to move but when he took 1 step back, he was locked on by Akashi's eyes and he was once again immobilized.
”Now, now, let's not be hasty, Great General Budo. I have the emperor with me, however, there is no need to worry because I have no harmful intentions toward the emperor.” Akashi said with a threatening smile while gently patting the emperor's shoulder with his hand covered in black scales.
”Then release his majesty if that's so!” Budo shouted with an angry expression while aiming with his both gauntlets at Akashi, ready to shoot electricity at him.
”I can't do that because you wouldn't listen to what I have in mind, you are too stubborn to listen if I don't have the upper hand. I know that you would rather die than to listen to me but unfortunately, this isn't about your life, but about the emperor's life.” Akashi explained with a smile.
”I still think it's pointless to keep this stubborn man alive...how about letting me fight him?” Esdeath said with a bored expression while sitting on the stairs.
”You can do that however only if he refuses after he will hear me out...How about it, Budo? Will you give me 5 minutes without you interrupting me or shouting at me?” Akashi asked with a calm smile.
”...Talk” Budo gritted his teeth but he still agreed to listen because the more time Akashi wastes here, the bigger commotion will become and possibly alert all guards outside of the palace.
”Thank you very much, I will try to make it short. First of all, I have studied your family's history and your father, father of your father...all were Generals that protected this empire till their last breath.” Akashi said which made Budo raise his eyebrow in question.
”What about it? It's not private information.” Budo said back.
”Are you still unaware of the situation outside? Do you think your father or father of your father would protect this ”empire”? The empire full of corruption and of numerous kids dying every day?” Akashi asked with a stern look.
”I am well aware of the situation outside, however, the extermination of the rebels is the main goal for me. The cleansing from within comes later.” Budo replied with a frown.
”You are supposed to protect the Empire but from what I can see is that you are just protecting the emperor. The emperor isn't the Empire, the Empire is its people with the leader together, you are supposed to protect all, however, I can understand your obsession with the protection of the emperor when you already failed to protect his father once” Akashi said without any mercy while smirking.
”?! SHUT UP!” Budo widened his eyes before shouting aloud, making the entire throne room quake a bit.
”Considering the time it happened, you must have been still very young and inexperienced...Unfortunately, you had to take a position after your father early since he died even before the emperor.” Akashi continued unbothered by Budo's outburst.
”The emperor died due to health problems, there was nothing I could do” Budo closed his eyes and replied with a regretful tone however hearing Akashi's next words, his eyes opened wide in shock.
”That's where you are terribly wrong, Budo” Akashi said with a wide smile, showing off his white teeth.
”?!” Even the emperor himself reacted to Akashi's words by shakily turning his head at Akashi with a surprised expression, earning for more answers.
”Look at all of this!” Akashi said and threw a stack of papers tied together at Budo.
Budo caught them still with a shocked expression, when he started reading the content, his heartbeat sped up as he began visibly sweating on his forehead.
”W-What is it, General Budo?!” The emperor shouted when he noticed the great changes in Budo's expression.
'?! This kid...' Akashi was actually surprised when the emperor was able to turn his head at him not to mention shout out at Budo.
”...This is...impossible. How come you have such information on you?!” Budo shouted at Akashi without answering the emperor's question.
”At that time, I was still too young but this information is what my father gathered right from the start of the emperor's death. I bet you never paid attention to the deaths of the cooks who were responsible for the last emperor's meals but that was the biggest mistake. Those people died before anyone was even able to question what kind of ingredients were they using. Don't you find it a bit suspicious?” Akashi explained with a patient smile.
The emperor started thinking hard about the past and how they actually never tried to find the culprit since it looked like his father's health deteriorated periodically which caused them to think that he was just ill.
Even Budo frowned, hearing his words. Although he looked quite unconvinced, he didn't open his mouth to argue with Akashi anymore.
”And don't even get me started on his wife's suicide...Are you actually so stupid to think that mother would leave her small child without protection just because her husband died, Budo?! I bet if she had a choice, she would choose to save the child instead of her husband, yet she committed suicide, and by the poisoning out of all kinds of ways?” Akashi continued and threw another stack of papers containing the information regarding the current emperor's mother's case.
Upon reading another stack of information, Budo raised his head to glare at a few people gathered in the Throne room.
”I-Is what you are saying the truth? Were my father and mother actually murdered?” The emperor asked with a shaky voice and eyes.
”Yes they were murdered by the one person who you were following the entire time, treating him as your most trusted adviser. Under your reign, the Empire only suffered defeat after another defeat, its former glory long ago disappeared. I highly doubt your father would be proud of you.” Akashi harshly said.
The emperor who heard this from someone who he even considered a little idol, hit him very hard. His body started to violently shiver as he began looking into empty space with his eyes gradually becoming lifeless.
”I...have...failed?” The emperor muttered with an unbelievable expression.
”Tch!” Budo grit his teeth and pointed his gauntlets at frozen Honest, firing an orb of electricity at him. However before he could destroy the ice sculpture, a few ice walls appeared in front of his attack, completely negating it.
”Looks like he still doesn't want to listen...Are you really sure I can't just fight him?” Esdeath asked with a bored expression while sitting on the stairs with one hand touching the ground.
”Why are you protecting him, General Esdeath?!” Budo narrowed his eyes.
”We need to give the public some satisfaction, no?” Akashi replied in Esdeath's stead with an evil smile.
”...Release the emperor, he is in no condition to listen to all of this anymore...” Budo requested with furrowed brows.
”I already gave you my word that I am not planning to harm him, however...I doubt public would want him as emperor any longer.” Akashi said.
”I...I-I want to redeem myself!” The emperor said after regaining some life in his eyes, looking at Akashi with a pleading look.
”As I said before...The Empire is not about the emperor, yet it can crumble just because of the emperor. You never gave other people the second chance to redeem themselves, you need to face the same fate as them...your title of the emperor will be officially nulled starting today.” Akashi shook his head at the child.
”I...I” Now former emperor closed his eyes.
'I have failed to become a great emperor as my father once was.' The former emperor thought with closed eyes while gripping his knees, holding back the tears to appear strong.
”Now, let's with cleaning up...Esdeath, if you will , please” Akashi said with a wide smile.
”Killing weaklings is no fun...but I will do it for you.” Esdeath said with a sadistic smile while getting up from the ground, looking towards the certain people inside the throne room.
”W-Wait, General Esdeath, please- GHAAA!”
The next a few minutes, only screams resounded inside the Throne room as blood painted the walls and pillars of the entire room in crimson color.
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Budo frowned, seeing so much blood in the throne room but in the end, only those people mentioned in the papers he just read were killed so he didn't care about their lives. If it wasn't for Esdeath, he would have killed them himself some time later.
”...What do you plan to do with the rebels and his majesty?” Budo asked while looking at Akashi standing next to the kneeling child with the expression of despair.
”Rebels or not, most of them deflected because of Honest and your ”emperor's” actions so I am willing to give them second chance, of course, if they keep resisting, I will crush them myself. By the way, he is no longer emperor so no need to call him that. My father will act as substitute for him and someone to take over Honest's position is already on his way here.” Akashi said towards Budo.