185 #184 The End ?/?
'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 assume 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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Special Class: Kagutsuchi (+120 Cha, +60 Int, +40 Const, +20 Str, +20 Agi) [FUSED FORM]
[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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[Absolute Dominance - ACTIVATED]
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.
Hearing his words, Budo's eyes widened in shock.
"You can't do that! Generations after generations, only those of royal blood can become emperor. You are completely breaking the traditions!" Budo immediately disagreed.
"Hahaha" Akashi actually started laughing after he heard Budo's words.
"? What is so funny?!" Budo frowned and questioned.
"The Empire was at its peak during the rein of the First Emperor yet it gradually started crumbling with each new descendants of the First Emperor. Just because you have the blood of someone capable doesn't make you capable, blood is nothing but genes that determine your appearance. Not to mention there are numerous genes mixed in by their wives so if we speak about purity of his bloodline, it will be very thin. HE IS a descendant of the emperor but that doesn't qualify him to be one himself. End of the discussion, we are done here, understood?" Akashi said before he walked away from the former emperor, approaching Budo. When he was walking past him, he ordered with narrowed eyes.
"...Yes" Budo replied without looking at Akashi, having his own worries to think of.
'All of what he said does make sense but...is it really fine to end tradition like that?' Budo thought with a hard expression.
"I-It's not just about my royal blood...it's because my blood is a key to activate the Capital's ultimate Teigu." The former emperor suddenly raised his head and shouted at Akashi who was walking towards the exit and his words managed to stop him.
"Hm? Haha, kid, I don't know if you are more naive or brave, maybe it is just ignorance...By telling this information to me, you are just endangering your own life. I can just use your body to experiment with your blood..." Akashi once again laughed right into his face.
"I know but you promised that you have no ill intentions towards me" He replied with a resolved eyes.
"That was under different circumstances when I still had no idea about this information...Well, whatever, I will have you show me that ultimate Teigu and I will either destroy it or come up with a plan to destroy its bond with the Emperor's bloodline, that is if this ultimate Teigu will be worth it." Akashi waved his hand before leaving the throne room with Esdeath behind him, completely shocking Budo and the former emperor.
Outside of the Palace, inside the Capital, a big commotion began once a few people heard rumors about fight ongoing inside the palace. Some of the braver ones started rebelling on the streets but they were quickly apprehended by the Imperial police.
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Akashi and Esdeath went to the room usually used by her subordinates where they found everyone. Akashi's group and also Esdeath's special unit.
"Commander!" Everyone from Esdeath's unit exclaimed with happy expressions when they saw Esdeath walk in but that happy expression haven't lasted for long before they noticed her just looking at them, not helping them.
"A-Akashi? Is that you?"
Akashi heard a shaky voice so he turned its direction and saw an acquaintance.
"Oh? Seryu! How are you doing?" Akashi asked with a friendly smile while seeing her in binds with her teigu being paralyzed by Kurome's weapon.
There was one more person who was completely paralyzed by her lightning and it was someone covered in dark blue armor, similar to Incursio.
'That must hurt...Mostly those types of Teigu have elemental resistances but it seems that Kurome didn't waste any energy on him and his armor turned into misfortune instead of his greatest defense.' Akashi thought while looking at a guy lying down on the ground in dark blue armor, his body was shaking with the yellow lightning constantly running on the surface of his armor.
"Hm?" Akashi turned to one...man or at least he looked partly human who was already dead so Akashi looked at Taeko to explain the situation.
"He injected something into his body so I deemed it was safer to quickly kill him instead of waiting for the effects of that drug." Taeko explained with a regretful look in her eyes.
"No problem, who is he?" Akashi shook his head before turning at Esdeath.
"We called him Dr. Stylish" Esdeath shortly replied.
"I see...let's brief all of you about the current situation, shall we?" Akashi said while helping the guy in armor to get rid of that armor.
"*huff* I can't feel anything...thanks" Once the armor disappeared and turned into a dark sword, a man with short dark blue hair was revealed.
Akashi looked strangely at him for thanking him but he proceeded to the explanation.
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After around 10 minutes, most of them calmed down a bit and were ready to be freed of their bindings.
"I knew it would come to this one day...I guess it's my time." A big muscular guy wearing a mask typical for an incineration squad said with a sad tone while rubbing his wrist.
"What are you saying Bols?!" The armor-guy exclaimed with an upset expression.
'Jeez, he is an annoying one...Maybe I shouldn't have freed him but I must admit he recovered quite fast once the armor was removed which means he is quite tough even without it.' Akashi thought while looking towards guy named Bols and the other guy he freed.
"Wave...I appreciate your concern but I am guilty. When I was member of the incineration squad, I have done many bad things...And if I say bad, I mean the worst of all." He replied with a tone as if he was ready to atone for his sins.
"But what about your wife and daughter?!" The armor-guy named Wave asked while gritting his teeth.
"..." This time, Bols just looked at the floor without replying.
*Clap* *Clap* Akashi started clapping which made everyone look toward him.
"Good display of friendship and hardship! You two would be able to write down and perform some really good theater plays." Akashi said with an amused smile and a playful tone.
"Unfortunately, you aren't guilty...yet! I will firmly have people go through all records about everyone and if they have never done anything truly bad on their own, they won't be charged as guilty. However don't misunderstand, just because you were under orders doesn't mean you are innocent, but it looks like I don't need to remind this to you when you already consider yourself as a sinner" Akashi said with a more serious tone.
"So you mean-?" Bols raised his head and asked with a surprised voice.
"Yes, I will give everyone a second chance...well, not everyone, heh." Akashi said with a small chuckle that caused all members of Esdeath's unit to shiver.
"Taeko, Poney, Kurome, here you have some additional targets that might still be hiding inside the palace. The commotion we caused was still just a few moments ago so we have to use that chance to catch everyone." Akashi said while giving Taeko a few posters.
"It will be done" Taeko nodded with a faint smile before leaving together with the girls.
"I am leaving them to you, Esdeath. I am going to return to the throne room to talk with Budo and our former emperor" Akashi said sarcastically before leaving the room.
'Not letting me have a word in this, huh?' Esdeath thought with a small grin that actually surprised everyone inside the room.
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Outside, the rumors were only getting wilder and people started gathering around the palace and since most of the guards were called to the throne room, those few guards outside had no chance at suppressing the crowds for a long time, fortunately for them, a few people walked out of the palace right at the moment of need.
"Great General Budo!!" The guards exclaimed with new hope in their eyes but that hope quickly disappeared when they noticed a small person next to him.
"Y-Your majesty?! Please return, you can't be here!!!" The guards who were holding of the crowd immediately shouted when they started losing control over the situation.
Akashi who saw this narrowed his eyes and focused his aura on the crowd in front of the palace and everyone froze in place, including the guards, they could only move their heads a bit.
"Listen up, citizens of the Capital! I, heir of the Phoenix house, Akashi Phoenix would like to announce to you of our emperor's abdication of the throne!" Akashi shouted as loud as he could and people closest to him even had to protect their ears.
"..." There was complete silence and only disbelieving faces, from both citizens and guards.
"This country has faced corruption for too long! However, all of that will end today! Most of you have to be aware of the state of my territory, maybe some of you already visited it...Imagine, imagine how would the country advance if this was realized across the entire Empire! No longer, no longer we would have to watch children on streets starve and die without their parents!" Akashi continued with an extended arm towards the crowd. A big part of the crowd started to cry just from remembering all the things that happened to them or to their family members.
"I will personally see to it that all those who are responsible for the state in which this country is, will face justice! However, to build something anew, to build a country I am speaking about, we need a lot of capable people and we can't afford to be blinded by our hatred. Some of the people like those guards just did as ordered or they would have been the ones killed, of course, that doesn't mean that they are innocents, however, it is a perfect opportunity for them to redeem themselves by working towards this country's bright future!"
By this time, Akashi already stopped restraining the crowds with his aura and they just stood there obediently and listened to him with various emotions raging inside them.
"Fear not, I will have my people investigate all people before giving anyone a second chance. My ultimate goal is to make this country stronger, more prosperous than during the time of the First Emperor! The Blood doesn't give one talent to rule, we have already seen that with our own eyes, however, we cannot blame the former emperor who is here with us! Look at him, he is just a child, his parents were murdered by the Prime Minister Honest and then he was raised by Honest himself or more like controlled by him. I agree with most of you that he should be held responsible but do you actually think that as a descendant of the Emperor, he likes to see his country slowly crumble? He will suffer much more by watching someone else rule the country and making it prosper! He will realize his wrongdoings!" Akashi said while clenching his fist to appear more dramatic.
The crowd was mostly agreeing with Akashi but a little commotion began once he mentioned sparing the former emperor although no people were getting violent, only shouting back at him in disapproval.
"Don't forget that he isn't your main target here! Bring him here!" Akashi shouted before waving behind him and the guards with uncertain expressions brought tied up Honest who had his arms broken by Akashi for "security" reasons.
The commotion once again started but this time, people were only shouting and throwing rocks at Honest who was kneeling on the ground with moist eyes.
Akashi continued his speech for a while before returning to the palace, of course, without Honest who was left outside to face the wrath of all people. It's wonderful sight how thousands of thousands of people can work together and agree on terms when it comes to their common enemy. The guards around the palace no longer tried to stop the crowds from doing whatever they want with Honest.
Thus started Honest's eternal torture, people were taking turns in stabbing him and those proficient in medicine were there to heal him. They were making sure not to make any big wounds that would be hard to heal but they compensate for it by selecting very painful locations.
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When the Prime Minister Chouri arrived at the Capital, he was surprised to see only a few people on the streets however he quickly noticed the queue leading towards the palace. He was quickly escorted there with Mera's help and then he was once again shocked to see the sight of Honest bloodied body.
'It looks like Akashi fought the entire battle alone and now I am here just to help stabilize the situation.' Chouri thought with closed eyes and a faint smile.
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"...That was something else" Budo commented while walking next to the former emperor and Akashi.
"It's always annoying to do these embarrassing speeches." Akashi muttered with an uncomfortable expression.
Even the former emperor was looking at Akashi with reverence in his eyes, he was prepared to face death for his bad ruling but he was surprised to see Akashi's ability to satisfy crowd however it would have been impossible if Akashi wasn't already well known for his strength and also for his territory which was the most prosperous part of the city.
