The maid quickly arrived with old records and Akashi had enough time to read through most of them until he found something interesting.
"Zank the Beheader, huh?" Akashi muttered while narrowing his eyes.
"Do you think you have found the culprit? After all, anyone can be the culprit..." Poney asked while sitting near him on the spare chair. She was skeptical about this because the chance of Akashi finding the culprit in one of the records of the criminals is already quite low.
"Not just anyone...One of the murdered guard's spear had slightly chipped blade, I believe that he was able to protect himself from the first attack but that person still beheaded him without inflicting any other damage to his body which means that he is either quite arrogant or it is simply because he likes beheading people. And coincidentally, I just found this man who used to be an executioner for one of the Empire's prisons where he apparently went mad. He was able to steal Teigu from the Empire and then he fled. He began a series of murders of many civilians and guards without any discrimination until the Empire took an action against him, that's the last note about him." Akashi explained.
"Ugh, alright, this sounds highly like someone who could be the culprit but how do we know that this guy named Zank is even still alive?" Poney groaned and agreed that the description of someone indiscriminately beheading people who fled from the Empire is very accurate to what happened to those guards but it could also be a coincidence.
"I will think of a plan on how to lure that guy out, even if the guy outside isn't Zank. I did my research just not to rely on my strength alone, still, it would be nice to know which Teigu exactly Zank stole." Akashi said while rubbing his chin.
"Alright, since you don't need me for anything at the moment, I will go take a walk outside in the mansion's perimeter." Poney said with a smile while waving her hand at Akashi before walking towards the door.
"Don't forget to wear your mask" Akashi reminded her before she could leave.
"I know, call me if you will need me." Poney said her last piece before leaving the room.
---In the evening---
"Akashi, I might have heard something I wasn't supposed to!" Poney burst into Akashi's study without even knocking while he was changing clothes for tonight mission but thankfully, he already had his pants on.
"Hehe, oops?" Poney laughed while scratching back of her head with a silly grin.
Akashi just glared at her but he was currently not in the mood for jokes so he just continued dressing up, ignoring Poney's eyes on him. Well, she had both her hands in front of her eyes but it was obvious that she was peeking through small gaps out of curiosity.
"How do I look like?" Akashi asked when he was done while spreading his arms to present himself in front of her.
"Umm...like a guard?" Poney answered with a confused expression.
"Good." Akashi nodded his head.
"It suits you!" Poney widely grinned and showed him a thumb up.
"...I won't ask if that's supposed to be compliment or insult just for your well-being." Akashi said while glancing at her before turning his eyes at the weapons of his deceased guards.
"Anyway, I need to tell you something important!" Poney quickly changed the topic and started explaining the things when Akashi turned at her once again.
.
.
"So Kurome wants to take care of this problem on her own?" Akashi muttered, not even a bit of surprised by Poney's report.
"Hm? Why don't you sound shocked or why aren't you reacting to it in any way?! Don't tell me you already knew and I just walked in on you dressing up for nothing..." Poney asked while holding her forehead with one hand.
'Is she checking if she doesn't have a fever?' Akashi thought before shaking his head.
"No, I didn't know about it but it was within my expectations." Akashi replied with a small smile.
"Then...What are planning to do about it?" Poney asked while raising her eyebrow.
"Nothing, I actually wanted her to gain some real battle experience against someone strong. If that guy is a Teigu user, it will be good practice for her." Akashi replied while shrugging his shoulders.
Of course, he would also try to lure the guy out, then it would only be upon luck who will lure him out first.
.
.
.
Akashi waited for Kurome and the other 2 guards to leave the mansion before he went to also find 2 guards to go with him. They were quite nervous, however it was unknown to Akashi if it was because they knew that Kurome just left or because they had to go on night patrol with him of all people. Not to mention that he was playing to be one of them.
Akashi currently had 2 shortswords at each side attached to his belt and 2 spears, 1 in his hand, and another was on his back. Those weapons were the weapons of his deceased guards and he was planning to avenge them by using their own weapons, that is if Kurome doesn't kill the guy first. He also tried to hide the spear on his back since he was already heavily armed just by looking at his waist where he had 2 shortswords, just this was quite unusual but it's not like he is dealing with a sane person so it doesn't matter that much.
---On the highest tower in the middle of the Capital---
"Kuku, I hope there will be more of those guards tonight, it was much more satisfying killing someone who can react to my movements instead of beheading weaklings." The man from before said to himself while looking towards Akashi's territory.
Despite light mist being present in the air, he was able to see clearly anything hundreds of meters away from him.
"Hm? Just two groups? Come on...Oh?!" He muttered with a slightly disappointed expression when he noticed just 2 groups but when he noticed Kurome, his attention reached its peak.
"Kuku, what a determination I can see in those eyes, she definitely isn't part of those guards. She must be determined to hunt me down after the previous night...I have decided! She is the perfect target!" The man said with an excited tone and crazy smile before descending the tower.
Of course, in such a silent night Akashi was able to feel someone's eyes on him for a moment but he decided to ignore it.
'I guess I haven't gathered his interest, time to change the plans' Akashi thought when he felt that the person previously spying on him was no longer looking at him.
"Guys, let's go back to the mansion." Akashi said to other 2 guards as he turned around to return back.
"Huh? Y-Yes!" They were obviously surprised by his sudden change of mind but they still followed him without any questions.
---Kurome's side---
Kurome who was walking together with the other 2 guards was constantly watching the surroundings with a cautious expression. She didn't even bother to hide her outfit so it was completely visible that she wasn't the part of the guards.
"Are you perhaps looking for me, miss?" They suddenly heard an amused voice behind them which made them swiftly turn around while readying their weapons except for Kurome who kept her hand on the hilt of her sword without drawing it out.
Kurome looked at the man in front of her with narrowed eyes.
"Two of you, get back. Don't get involved in this." Kurome ordered and despite them wanting to argue with her order, they stepped back after they received stern look from her.
"So you are the one who killed those 4 guards, last night? You sure are an insane person." Kurome said in cold voice while spreading her feet, putting her left hand on the sheath of her sword and right hand on the hilt of her sword. getting into the stance suitable for Iaido.
"Kuku, you can call me Zank the Beheader!" He said with a crazy smile while showing both of his hand blades.
'It's still incomplete but it should be enough to take him out in one go but I still haven't practiced it enough to use it without this stance...I have to somehow provoke him into attacking me first.' Kurome thought with narrowed eyes.
"Kuku, then it must be a very scary technique if you have to stand still to perform it!" The man suddenly said while holding back his crazy laugh.
"?!" Kurome's eyes widened in shock and knew that she fucked up.
'That thing on his forehead...is that a Teigu?' Kurome thought while gritting her teeth.
"Bingo! It's called Spectator but I would like you to experience its true power first-hand, kuku." He replied and guards who heard this one-sided conversation were looking at him with a strange expression.
"Show me! Show me your thoughts! What will you do now that I have discovered your trump card?! Kuku" He laughed like a maniac.
"Heh, I am just angry because I won't be able to practice it on you, that's all!" Kurome released a smirk before she dashed forward, making him smile ear to ear.
She couldn't perform her new technique without a stationary stance but she was able to perform Iaido even while moving with just its efficiency being slightly lowered, nevertheless, it was still a dangerous move.
When she was close enough, Kurome drew her katana, performing a wide attack from the left at an extreme speed.
*Clang*
"So happy!" The man smiled happily and blocked her attack as if he already knew from before where she will attack.
'Hm? Oh, right, he can read my thoughts...Asshole.' Kurome immediately realized why he was able to block her attack quite effortlessly despite her using a technique that was able to catch off-guard someone in an armor type Teigu and injure him.
"Come on, no need to be so rude!" He said while quickly jumping away from Kurome and just a second later, Kurome's katana became coated in yellow lighting.
'Hm...then let's change the strategy.' Kurome thought and did as Akashi previously advised her. She started fighting by her battle instinct while occupying her thoughts thinking of all various insults about the man.
They started to clash their weapons and in a few exchanges, it was visible that Kurome was on the winning end but he was still capable to block her attacks even if they were unpredictable and she hasn't planned any of her attacks which slightly puzzled her.
"Even if your only thoughts are your insults at me, I can still predict all of your movements by seeing even the smallest twitch of your muscles!!" He shouted with an excited smile while pointing at his Teigu with the tip of his hand blade. Despite him being slightly affected by her lighting, the exchanges were always short so his movements weren't much affected so she stopped wasting its power.
"Thanks for the tip!" Kurome said with a smile while performing an overhead slash with everything she got.
"Useless!" Despite her attack being almost twice as fast as before, he was able to react and crossed his hand blades in front of him to intercept her attack.
*Clang!*
"What?!" Despite him blocking her attack in time, he was forced to kneel on one of his knees by the power behind that attack.
"?!" While he was distracted, Kurome kicked out towards his midsection which he was unable to react in time and was blown away into one of many old unused buildings.
'What kind of strength is that? Is that even possible for someone so small to have so much raw power?' The man thought with a surprised expression when he got out of the rubble and immediately was forced to kneel due to the damage on his body.
"Have you really thought that I was using my full strength the entire time? I was taught to never use my full strength at the beginning of the battle. Giving you an exciting battle and confidence in blocking all of my attacks eased up your guard and I used that against you. Even if you can read my attacks, if your own mind can't keep up after being surprised out of nowhere, the little hints you get from that little thing on your forehead won't matter at all." Kurome said with a smile while pointing her katana at his forehead.
'After I take your head, I am sure, his mood will brighten up' Kurome thought when she walked up near him and got ready to behead him.
"How lukewarm, trying to please someone you care about, kuku" The man said with a crazy laugh.
Kurome only glared at him before she slashed her katana at him but before her weapon could make a contact with his neck, she stopped her attack in midway.
"?!" She widened her eyes when she saw a kneeling Akashi with a battle-scarred appearance.
The man's mouth curled up.
"Kill him!" Kurome only woke up when she heard shouts from the guards who were spectating everything but it was already too late and Akashi in front of her attacked her midsection with his hand, however, Kurome still gritted her teeth and also resumed her attack.