Chapter 545: Hammering the Emperor
Chapter 545: Hammering the Emperor
Bang!
Ji Xinghuo's fist slammed into the Iron Emperor's face, fast and precise, with not a hint of deviation.
Even though he only used seventy percent of his strength and didn't utilize the Lightning Chopper Ship to activate "Thunderous Heaviness," the power of this punch, amplified by the Meta Transformation, Overload, and the power of the stars, was still stronger than the Iron Emperor's most powerful state!
Furthermore, this was an Electric Spiral Fist, and the ion vortex carried super-high temperatures that unleashed terrifying damage.
The motion force field of the Skywalker Battle Armor was triggered and instantly collapsed like a bubble.
The nano-outer layer of the battle armor was also pierced.
The Diamond-like Indestructible Body appeared, and the Iron Emperor's head, harder than alloy, took the brunt of the punch. It held for a moment before the metal-like indestructible body shattered, and electricity surged in.
A loud crash reverberated.
The Iron Emperor's head was flattened, and his towering giant body was sent flying, the Giant Spirit Hammer slipping from his grasp.
The Bloody Battle Soul was blasted apart, the bloody light exploding before quickly reforming.
This Starfall ability consumed a lot of energy, but as long as it was maintained, it guaranteed that he would never be killed. Even if his entire body was shattered, he could instantly recover, like having a lock on health in a game, ensuring he would always have at least one health point remaining.
The Iron Emperor was half "Iron Blood War God," and with this assurance of not dying, his recovery ability was extremely tenacious, always maintaining his combat strength.
Otherwise, Ji Xinghuo wouldn't have dared to strike so heavily.
Boom...
The Iron Emperor crashed into the audience seats of the arena, smashing through a dozen layers of walls. Just as he was about to fall out of the arena, his consciousness finally cleared, and his injuries healed, but he realized his hands were empty, the Giant Spirit Hammer gone.
Pa!
An invisible force field squeezed the Iron Emperor's body, slowing him down, and a flash of electric light pursued him through the hole he had crashed out of.
It was Ji Xinghuo.
The Giant Spirit Hammer had fallen into his hands, and the hammer, weighing over a thousand tons, was swung without the slightest hesitation, delivering a crushing blow.
The Iron Emperor had just stood up when he was hammered down again.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ji Xinghuo's hammer swung as fast as a phantom, hammering the Iron Emperor's body into the ground, smashing through layer after layer of flooring, causing a large section of the arena's audience seats to collapse.
With each hammer strike, there was a metallic clang.
Fragments of the Iron Emperor's battle armor flew out, and the bloody light of the Bloody Battle Soul was hammered apart and regrouped. His extremely tough body, like an ingot on an anvil, was hammered into constant deformation, without any chance to fight back.
After a few hammer strikes, the Iron Emperor had been hammered to the very bottom of the arena, his whole body in excruciating pain.
The "Will of Iron Rings" maintained his consciousness, preventing him from fainting.
But this only made the pain worse.
He tried to counter-attack several times, but Ji Xinghuo always anticipated his moves, and the Giant Spirit Hammer relentlessly smashed down, crushing his defense.
Ji Xinghuo didn't bother with any fancy techniques; he just swung the hammer with all his might.
The Iron Emperor's battle armor, indestructible body, and giant incarnation, supported by the Bloody Battle Soul, crumbled and reformed repeatedly. The bloody light exploded and regrouped, and as his star power and vitality were severely depleted, his recovery gradually slowed.
Meanwhile, Ji Xinghuo's offense showed no signs of weakening; he seemed to be getting more and more relaxed as the battle went on.
The Iron Emperor had never fought such a humiliating battle in his life.
His strength was inferior to Ji Xinghuo's.
His proudest defense was shattered in one blow, and his two centuries of combat experience and martial arts realm were useless before Ji Xinghuo. His strongest advantages were completely crushed, and he was simply not in the same league.
"Stop!"
The Iron Emperor shouted.
The Giant Spirit Hammer instantly halted, its head a mere half-centimeter from his nose, as steady as a mountain, without a hint of trembling.
Ji Xinghuo retracted the Giant Spirit Hammer and smiled, "Your Majesty?"
The pain from various parts of his body made the Iron Emperor's mouth twitch, but he couldn't show weakness in front of Ji Xinghuo. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I admit that you defeated me. Your strength is stronger than I anticipated."
"You're welcome."
Ji Xinghuo's words were gracious, but his expression said it was only to be expected—it was their own fault for insisting on taking this beating.
"What about the Ivanograd Declaration?" he asked.
"I will comply immediately."
This time, the Iron Emperor did not hesitate.
Ji Xinghuo nodded in satisfaction, then turned the Giant Spirit Hammer around and returned it to the Iron Emperor. He commented, "Your Majesty's war hammer is excellent. It feels very handy to swing, worthy of being a two-star apocalyptic weapon."
Holding his war hammer, the Iron Emperor thought of how he had been hammered dozens of times and endured the whole beating. He had a bitter taste in his mouth, but he couldn't say anything.
It took a few seconds for the pain in his body to disappear.
Both men returned to their normal sizes, and the Iron Emperor found that his Skywalker Battle Armor was severely damaged and could only maintain its appearance. He looked around and saw that the underground part of the Imperial Arena had collapsed by half, turning into a huge pit.
"Your Majesty, please." Ji Xinghuo urged, "The Fuhrer is still waiting for Your Majesty's report."
Report...
The Iron Emperor took a deep breath.
Since the establishment of the New Roman Empire, for a century and a half, he had always been the one receiving reports. Now, he had to humble himself and report to his long-time rival, leaving him with a mix of emotions.
This change in status took some getting used to, but the Iron Emperor quickly adapted to his new role.
"Very well, please ask the Fuhrer to wait a moment."
The Iron Emperor flew out of the Imperial Arena, with Ji Xinghuo following closely behind. The two of them quickly returned to the Iron Palace.
The Imperial Palace remained under lockdown, with the Imperial Guards containing the situation.
However, rumors were already spreading like wildfire outside.
Many of the New Roman Empire's dukes, prime ministers, high-ranking officials, and generals had gone missing, and those in the upper echelons of the empire sensed that something was amiss. There were also movements within the military and fleet of the Asia-Pacific Community, causing global citizens to realize that something significant was unfolding.
"Your Majesty!"
Upon seeing the Iron Emperor's return, General Yevgeny and several ministers initially felt relieved, but their expressions changed as they noticed Ji Xinghuo.
They could discern the signs of battle on the Iron Emperor, but they were clueless about what had transpired.
"Continue to maintain control over the Iron Palace," the Iron Emperor ordered before turning and entering the grand hall alone, leaving his guards behind. Under Ji Xinghuo's supervision, he re-established communication with the dukes, prime ministers, high-ranking officials, and generals, not needing to say a word as these core members of the empire already knew their fate.
"I will immediately announce my abdication to the world," the Iron Emperor said to the figures on the screen.
"Your Majesty!"
"This cannot be, Your Majesty..."
Despite their mental preparation, some couldn't help but voice their objections upon hearing the Iron Emperor's declaration, desperately trying to dissuade him.
Some genuinely refused to surrender, while others were merely putting on an act.
"My decision is final," the Iron Emperor said, his expression unyielding.
No one in the world wanted an alternative more than he did, but the brutal reality and the pain he had just endured made it clear that there was no room for negotiation. He knew that any hint of hesitation on his part would result in merciless retaliation from Ji Xinghuo, and countless lives would be lost in the Iron Palace, including most of those currently on the screen.
He straightened his attire and turned to Ji Xinghuo, "Please connect me to the Fuhrer."
Ji Xinghuo took out his phone and initiated a video call.
On the screen appeared the solemn face of Ji Daosheng. The Iron Emperor looked at his long-time rival and gave a slight bow, "Fuhrer."
"Ivan," Ji Daosheng replied with a smile.
The two had been engaged in a complex struggle for years, both rivals and allies on the stage of international politics, and they knew each other well. Now, with the outcome decided, one was the loser, and the other, the winner—there was no need for pretense or delay in their conversation.
Unlike their previous exchanges laden with diplomatic rhetoric, their current interaction was straightforward, befitting their new relationship as superior and subordinate.
Ji Daosheng reaffirmed his promises to the Iron Emperor, guaranteeing the rights of the citizens of the New Roman Empire and outlining their future plans.
In just a few minutes, the two leaders concluded their discussion.
The first step was, of course, the transfer of control over the military and nuclear weapons systems.
Ji Xinghuo's shadow clone controlled the most critical individuals, and the Iron Emperor ordered them to cooperate. The Asia-Pacific Community personnel, who had been waiting patiently, swiftly moved into various parts of the empire.
The land, sea, and air forces; the space fleet; the Star Realm Army; the Alien Special Forces; the Roman Praetorian Guard; the anti-missile systems; the nuclear weapon launch systems... The internet, communications, security forces, the cabinet, and high-ranking officials from various ministries—all were swiftly brought under control.
Those who dared to defy the Iron Emperor's orders were dealt with swiftly and mercilessly.
Strict lockdown orders and warnings were broadcast repeatedly on every channel and screen, whether on the streets or on buildings. Any sign of unrest or aggressive behavior was immediately met with a heavy-handed response.
The citizens of the nation realized the gravity of the situation.
However, due to the disruption in information flow, the vast majority had no idea about the specific events that had transpired.
Two hours later, the truth became evident.
The Asia-Pacific Community had taken over the New Roman Empire from the top down, with their troops pouring into Ivanograd and other major cities, firmly establishing control.
In front of the grand hall of the Iron Palace.
The Iron Emperor had changed into a plain set of clothes, no longer wearing the medals that symbolized his imperial title. He stood silently before the camera.
His gaze swept across the dukes and ministers gathered on the steps below, as well as his wives, concubines, and children by his side—the most important members of the royal family. Their expressions varied, reflecting shock, fear, stupefaction, and bewilderment, but none of them could offer any assistance.
Standing on the periphery of the crowd were a row of titanium-cobalt dragonmen clad in powered armor.
Most of the Roman Praetorian Guard had been removed from the Iron Palace and were being temporarily detained, with only a few dozen remaining to maintain order.
"Your Majesty," General Yevgeny said, his voice heavy with emotion. "The time you set has arrived."
He had served the Iron Emperor faithfully, following him through countless battles and weathering countless storms. Yet, he never imagined that it would come to this. When he learned that the empire was about to be incorporated into the Asia-Pacific Community, his faith in their cause nearly shattered.
However, this was a direct order from the Iron Emperor himself.
After a internal struggle, Yevgeny decided that he would continue to follow the Iron Emperor, even if he was no longer the emperor.
The Iron Emperor nodded.
The live broadcast began.
At that moment, every screen in the New Roman Empire displayed the Iron Emperor, who addressed his citizens, "My people, I am Ivan Zhugashvili. This is the last time I will speak to you as your emperor..."
The empire's citizens were stunned, unable to believe what they were hearing.
As Ivan's speech progressed, his words landed like an Ivan Bomb, sending shockwaves throughout the world.
(End of Chapter)
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