You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

Without hesitation, Iori decisively ordered the execution of all these people after the verdict was announced. The gushing blood silenced the officials, while the people were excited, and many even shouted themselves hoarse!

That afternoon, after counting the embezzled funds in the governor's mansion, Iori set aside half of it and then personally oversaw the distribution of this portion of the wealth to the residents of the city by the samurai.

Looted items were returned to their owners first; items whose ownership could not be proven were temporarily sealed; and large amounts of gold coins were distributed to citizens in a relatively equitable manner, prioritizing the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled.

Each citizen received a certificate that clearly stated that the funds were compensation from the imperial court, which was legal income and did not require further taxation.

Interestingly, in addition to the official seal, the certificate also bears a strange blue symbol, said to be the word "soul" from the East, which is the general's personal seal.

As a result, the whole city was filled with jubilation, as if it were a festival, and joy was everywhere.

The mark of the "Soul" and the name "Masked General" also spread among the people...

-

“Amazing… The Revolutionary Army has also conducted public trials and distributed wealth to the people, but each time it has encountered various problems and has never been able to be completed smoothly… Look, their joy is genuine, something that cannot be seen anywhere else in the Empire.”

Najenda and Akame were also in the city this time, and they watched Iori's actions from beginning to end, their faces full of disbelief.

The girl with long, straight black hair asked directly, "How did you do that?"

"Fair, just, and transparent!"

Iori succinctly stated: "Crime must be judged fairly, without prior deals or compromises with the governor. Wealth must be publicly accounted for, without private distribution. Money must be distributed fairly, without only appeasing local youths and powerful families."

"Amazing... So it's really that simple?" Akame seemed to understand but not quite.

"..."

Najenda knew a little more, but couldn't help shaking her head.

Iori has his own team of just over two hundred people, which allows him to completely control each of his subordinates and ensure fairness and impartiality in the execution process.

But it would be almost impossible for the Revolutionary Army to follow his example... Putting aside everything else, the Revolutionary Army is a mixed bag, with people from all walks of life and different styles of doing things. Why should they follow your rules?

But Najenda was unwilling to admit the Revolutionary Army's weaknesses, and pointed out a problem through gritted teeth: "But if you do this, won't the ministers become suspicious once the word gets out?"

"Let them suspect me if they want," Iori laughed. "I have no intention of continuing to rise in the imperial system. The title of general is enough for me. What can a minister do if he suspects me?"

He appeared very calm and indeed seemed fearless.

If this is done seven or eight times, his reputation will likely cover the entire empire. Then everyone will know that the "Masked General" is the conscience of the empire and a hero who stands on the side of the people—and Iori's goal will be achieved.

Ultimately, he himself possessed superior martial prowess and didn't need to worry about the ministers' reactions. Besides, the ministers had already received their money and should be content!

If you piss him off, he'll just flip the table at you; after all, he's already gained both the moral high ground and the prestige!

"...But you are not a local civil official after all, and you can't stay here forever."

Najeta said very seriously, "When you're here, naturally no one dares to make any trouble, but if you leave, can these people keep the money they've received?"

"Maybe we can keep it, maybe we can't." Iori shrugged.

"Don't you care at all?" Najenda frowned. "All the hard work you've done could be destroyed overnight by those insects!"

"You seem to really want to see me fail."

Iori looked at Najenda with a half-smile: "What, did today's events touch a nerve?"

“Hmm…” Najeta remained silent.

"Actually, I knew long ago that some people would covet the money in the hands of the people. After all, in the eyes of some people, ordinary people are just objects to be preyed upon... Not to mention imperial officials, the revolutionary army might do the same in the future."

“No, I believe it won’t happen!” Najeta firmly denied.

"...I hope so." Iori gave an awkward smile, not intending to argue with her.

"But if you don't care, why bother giving out money? Wouldn't that be pointless?"

"Is it meaningless? I don't think so."

Looking at the jubilant crowd below, Iori asked quietly, "How do you think they'll feel when their compensation money is snatched away again?"

“…Anger?” Najenda mused. “Want to overthrow the Empire?”

"No!"

Iori said firmly, "They will miss me!"

"—!"

Najenda slowly opened her eyes wide. She finally understood something, and combined with how Iori had infiltrated the military system, a terrifying guess surfaced in the female general's mind:

Could it be that the man in front of us is the most ambitious one?

What he wanted was not simply power, but a more direct presence—the hearts of the people!

"You're such a...terrible man~"

Najeta suddenly relaxed, glancing at Iori with a mixture of admiration and apprehension. Surprisingly, despite knowing Iori's ambition, she didn't feel any disgust.

Unlike ordinary ambitious individuals, Iori's appearance is a good thing for the people...

"But perhaps it is people like you who can truly change the world!"

Gradually, a strange, complex look appeared in Najenda's eyes—

Akame, who was slightly behind, blinked, her gaze shifting back and forth between Najenda and Iori. The female assassin was unusually hesitant.

what happened?

Sisters, does anyone understand why my female boss looks at my male friends with such "affection"?

Chapter 55: Iori: Well said, but I'm using cheat codes.

"All that pure silver has been given to the poor, what a tragedy!"

In the luxurious manor, Minister Ernest sat at one end of the long dining table, furiously biting into a thick steak as if venting his frustrations.

"You unfilial son! How dare you do such a thing! You fool! Is he really my son, Ernest's son?"

"Minister, it is said that the one in charge of this matter is not young master Shira, but his general named Izang."

“What, Izo?” Ernest’s eyes darted around. “That man… a foreign warrior, didn’t he say he only cared about his sword? This doesn’t seem like something a murderer would do.”

A tall, thin man with clearly defined muscles was reporting to the minister. He was a member of the "Four Demon Rakshasa" and came from the martial arts holy land of Kokenji. Although he was not a Teigu user, he had the same level of strength.

"This Yizang's identity is also suspicious. After all, he has never shown his face. He said he saved Young Master Sheila, but the Revolutionary Army headquarters is heavily guarded. It's not that easy. Maybe the Revolutionary Army sent someone to impersonate him just to get close to Young Master Sheila and you!"

"That makes sense..."

Ernest nodded, but then became troubled: "But I personally introduced him to the Emperor, and now he's immediately called a traitor... And Sheila's relationship with him is far too close, willingly being treated like a toy... Is that boy even my biological son?"

"Minister, you can have another one."

"That's right."

Ernest nodded, disregarding any father-son relationship, and made a decisive decision.

“I can’t let others say my son is a traitor. Let’s kill them quietly. You four Rakshasa demons will do this.”

"understand!"

"But then again..."

Ernest thought of the valuables that had been sent to his mansion, and his eyes darted around again.

"Let them make a fuss for a while before taking it down."

"Hmm? What do you mean, Minister?"

"Hmph! I wouldn't have known if they hadn't caused trouble; these bastards have been falsifying accounts all along!"

Ernest was insane: "My money! It's all my money! I only get one million, they get two million, and I have to thank them!"

"Uh... I see."

This man had served the minister for a long time, so he naturally understood Ernest's thoughts.

It's very simple. Iori's current approach is merely to confiscate the property of the local officials, without purging the bureaucratic system itself. The empire's rule remains unaffected; at worst, they can simply replace the governor.

Ernest had no shortage of people who wanted to be officials, so he could take the opportunity to replace them with a group of people he was more satisfied with, thereby strengthening his control over the region. If doing so would cause dissatisfaction among his subordinates, he could simply throw Sheila out.

Look, this is all their doing. To protect our common interests, I even killed my own son!

—That's Ernest's only son, and at his age, it's almost like a generation has ended. Such a pledge of allegiance is definitely enough.

“Money is a wonderful thing… those bastards have amassed so much behind my back, it’s time they gave it back.” Ernest picked at his ear. “By the way, tell all the nobles in the capital that I have a batch of official positions for sale. Ask if anyone is interested.”

"Yes, Minister."

The two discussed their plan and smiled broadly.

—At the other end of the table, Iori also wore the same smile.

During the day, he would cause trouble outside, and at night he would use [Shangri-La] to teleport back to the capital, where he would act as a spirit to openly observe Ernest's reaction. Then, based on the minister's plan, he would formulate his own action plan in reverse.

He even set up relocation markers not only in the capital, but also at the headquarters of the revolutionary army!

Iori has the advantage in both strength and intelligence. He can freely travel to different places using his Imperial Arms, and in a crucial moment, he can even overturn a table and kill Ernest on the spot, joining the Revolutionary Army on the spot.

With a dragon charging right in front of us, how can we possibly lose?!

That's why Iori is so unscrupulous!

Ernest, that old fox, probably never imagined there would be someone like Iori who would cheat; conventional methods simply didn't work.

He felt that distributing money to the poor was a sin, and he also felt that the empire's rule would not be affected, but he didn't know what kind of attitude Iori was playing in this game of power struggle.

Iori never wanted to win people's hearts or manage territory; he just wanted to create a big enough sensation so that his name would spread quickly throughout the empire.

This approach would be undesirable in a normal chaotic struggle for supremacy, but it is most efficient for Iori because what he has always wanted is "fame"!

As for governing the country and bringing peace to the world, once his art style level improves, he can deal with Esdeath and the Guardian Machine God, and suppress the world with overwhelming force like the first emperor. These problems will be solved naturally!

Ultimately, this is not a normal world, but a magical world where a top expert can single-handedly take on an army of 400,000!

[CG included]

[Imperial General·Eagle Watches Wolf]

Category: Art Style

grade:--

quality:--

reward:

Art style value +2

Eagle-like gaze and wolf-like stare? I don't like that phrase. I'll change it to "General of the Heavenly Strategy" sooner or later!

……

"Formerly a member of the Imperial Navy, here to report for duty!"

A young man dressed simply in a blue overcoat, with a dignified and resolute face, stood at the office door.

"Is this Will? Come in."

After receiving permission, Will pushed open the door and entered, only to find that quite a few people had already arrived.

One was a handsome, elegant blond man; another was a strange middle-aged man wearing glasses; a third was a tall girl holding a strange little dog; and finally, there was… well…

Will was startled by the strange man on the far side, because the man was shirtless but wore a terrifying gas mask on his head, looking like someone who only appeared in supernatural novels.

That's just perverted no matter how you look at it!

Then look at the officer sitting behind the table. He was also wearing a mask and had bandages wrapped around his hands. In terms of how bizarre they were, they were equally bizarre.

Where exactly have I ended up?

"Don't panic, Will."

Iori sat in a chair, her hands crossed to cover the lower half of her mask, and said to the five people in a calm tone: "Some of you were personally invited by me, some were transferred by your superiors, and some were recommended by trusted seniors."