Chapter 178: Review (Spoilers Ahead)

The ground trembles as if an earthquake has hit.

The soldiers I’d dragged along look utterly bewildered, their faces painted with shock, while I can’t help but grin like it’s Christmas morning.

– Rumble rumble rumble!

Seriously, what are the odds of an earthquake happening right now? The only cause for the massive shake could only be one thing.

“Have you… truly gone insane!!!!”

Guess who? The Emperor himself, bursting onto the scene like a startled cat.

His usual poker face, which could rival that of an emotionless statue, is now flushed red like a ripe tomato.

Clearly, I’ve gotten under his skin quite well.

“After preaching about equality and peace, are you really gonna ditch humanity and massacre the Empire’s citizens?”

He glares at me while asking this question, and from the sincerity in his tone, it seems he views me as some heroic figure straight out of a history textbook.

He probably imagines a tearful reconciliation where I’d drop my radio out of reverence for his lofty morals.

“Isn’t it more about me surviving? Whether the Empire’s folks kick the bucket or not is none of my business, right?”

Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of melodrama.

I only found out I was part of this equality-loving organization not too long ago, ironically enough.

Whipping my radio out of my pocket, I connect it to Eden’s headquarters. Sending orders takes less than a second.

“Annihilate them. Burn everything to the ground.”

The Emperor’s face contorts in disbelief. I can practically hear the gears turning in his head.

He’s probably questioning whether I’m for real or just pulling a fast one.

Given my history of peaceful initiatives and charity, him doubting my threat isn’t too surprising.

“Well, to be fair, I am bluffing, sort of.”

The civilian revolutionaries I’ve trained to use basic defensive magic have grown to a formidable number. Plus, thanks to Rubia, I’ve got protective scrolls up my sleeve.

With those absurd numbers in play, even if a bombing really happened, lives could be preserved.

Sure, buildings and infrastructure might turn to rubble, but hey, it’s not like I’m the owner of those wreckages!

This is a gamble.

If he figures out I’m not actually planning to commit mass murder, it’s game over for me.

Thinking about it, I’d normally be in a tight spot, but…

“I just don’t feel like I’m gonna lose.”

I’ve got instincts and a streak of luck. I’m sure I won’t fall behind anyone with that. Plus, the nature of this guy means he’ll inevitably get duped by me.

“I’ve already drained all the divine power I could from those guys. But looking at your furious state, it seems you still have some left, huh?”

Pure selfishness. A psychopath used to treating people as tools instead of human beings.

Which sounds more believable? That I acted like a savior for my own benefit or that I genuinely wanted to help people?

That’s a no-brainer.

“You little bastard…!”

Of course, it’s the former.

And this is why it’s essential for a person to grasp dedication and love.

Isn’t it true that the villain who took over a school, with golden locks and good looks, ended up falling flat due to his lack of love?

With that in mind, I smiled brightly at the Emperor, now trembling with rage.

“Although I’m not from the Tang clan, my motto is to repay kindness tenfold and grudges a hundredfold.”

I raised my hand high… and then I slammed it down.

Simultaneously, a deafening roar filled the air.

A shower of light cascades from the sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle. I turned to the Emperor and said, “This time, give it your all to stop this.”

The brilliance drew closer.

This is orbital bombardment that could make even a celestial steed tremble. Just one of these is intimidating enough, and it’s raining down like it’s a monsoon, making it impossible for the Emperor to just sit back.

And no surprise, he starts flinging insults my way as he rises into the sky, immense energy radiating off him.

The final boss earns that title. It feels as if time has halted; all the beams of light stop in their tracks.

But that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective.

Just looking at his twisted face made it clear this isn’t something he can casually deal with.

He seems to be planning to hold everything back and systematically neutralize them one by one, but the incoming attacks are way faster than his capacity to respond.

The Emperor, so long seen as invincible, is stunned at our offensive hitting home, leaving some Imperial soldiers gaping in disbelief…

But I give them a good smack on the back of the head.

I never thought taking him down would be this easy; I never entertained such complacent thoughts from the start.

“What are you doing? Why are you just standing there watching?”

This isn’t some kiddy show.

Caring for everyone like a hero sounds noble and all, but the opponent isn’t a Power Ranger or a magical girl; he’s just some old dude past his prime!

Why would anyone wait for a transformation scene?!

“Concentrate all firepower! All Imperial soldiers, unleash everything you have and attack the enemy!”

Let’s be real. The Imperial troops could take down the Emperor with a flick of his finger.

The only chance to leverage that strength is now, while he’s too busy to do anything else. There’s no way I’m letting this golden opportunity slip away.

The Imperial army jumps into action immediately upon my command.

Everyone’s in a desperate frenzy.

Thanks to the vow of mana, the soldiers absolutely obey my orders and launch a full-scale attack.

Sure, individually their strength isn’t overwhelming, but together with this crowd, the whole story changes.

From ice spike spells to glimmers of sword flashes, every attack is aimed at the Emperor, desperately trying to save everyone.

The sheer volume is overwhelming.

The Emperor stumbles under the pressure.

With his concentration shattered, he struggles to control the incoming bombardments. He tries to counter them, but fails to stop them all.

He looks my way.

A face filled with murderous intent and hatred.

But regrettably, such expressions bring happiness to me instead of fear.

“Good luck! I’ve experienced that before, and trust me, it’s gonna hurt a lot more than you expect.”

He grits his teeth, but what can he do? He has no more cards to play. There’s nothing he can do but try and stand there defensively.

The hero of justice soars to protect everyone.

Enduring the burning pain all over, that hero stands strong against the onslaught of fifty strikes of my orbital bombardment.

That resilience brings to mind the cursed king from some far-off land.

His singed body gradually begins to recover. Breathing heavily, he glowers at me as if he’s going to choke me right there.

“Foolish one… you’ve dug your grave with your own hands.”

Is this some common trope of mental victory?

I think about that as I look at the Emperor. But his gaze is far too sincere—not just empty bragging.

“Your power mimics that of a savior. But now, who would ever believe a wretch like you, who tried to turn the Empire into a sea of flames?”

With that, the Emperor smirks.

Theoretically, it sounds reasonable.

My expression, however, remains unimpressed. Couldn’t help it; there are a million ways to refute it, but the most ridiculous accusation is…

“When did I ever do something so horrible?”

It’s absurd that this horrific villain is trying to pinned his desire for mass murder onto me.

Such a disgusting mentality!

I promptly began broadcasting the scene to the entire nation to thwart his vile scheme.

Of course, for dramatic flair, I made sure to singe a bit of my clothes and conjure some ‘wounds’ with my camouflage magic.

I loaded my tears into the chamber and shouted at the world.

“The Emperor has lost his mind! He’s screaming that he wants to slaughter everyone and cleanse the world!”

For some reason, the Emperor looks at me as if I’m something beneath human dignity. But frankly, I couldn’t care less about that.

Wanting to set the Empire ablaze, plotting to massacre the citizenry—how could such a monstrous individual possibly look down on me?

Ignoring the appraisal of such a scumbag, I focused on the broadcast and cried out passionately.

“Citizens! Please lend me your strength!”

Having played the villain, it was now time for me to step into the role of a hero.