*sizzle* *sizzle* This may be one of my best batch of Chebureki yet! If only i have mayo right now, it would've made this a perfect meal. Since Victor and Sergei are both constantly on fire, i have to redesign their cloaks to be more advanced and insulated to conceal their identities. *crunch* Aaaand Esdeath is already devouring the Chebureki, 3 seconds of distraction is all it takes for me to lose my lunch huh?
Me: Esdeath, it's kind of rude to dig in like that.
Esdeath: It's not my fault your food is so delicious.
Me: Eh just saying, i don't mind but other people may.
Esdeath: Why should i care about their opinion.
Me: You'll understand when i give you a strategy lesson later. Tactic is as important as skills in a battle and war.
Esdeath: When will we resume training?
Me: Right after the meal actually so finish up your food and grab your rapier.
About 15 minutes later, Esdeath returns after cleaning herself in a nearby river. She warms up a little bit, practicing a little bit of maneuvering before entering a duelist stance in front of me. On the sideline, Sergei and Victor along the knights are spectating us to hone their own moves.
Me: Alright, Esdeath why don't you start the battle off, offense suits you better than defense.
And Esdeath did just that going for a quick jab at my abdomen. Though the action was somewhat sluggish, it was quite fast for someone of her age. But alas, it wasn't quick enough and i backhand the blade sideway.
Me: Good technique but mediocre execution, try that again but faster.
Thrusts after thrust, Esdeath's strikes were steadily accelerating until it is fitting of an amateur assassin. Now that she have the basic to offense down, let's work on her defense. Using my left hand which wasn't equipped with Damascus, i send a punch to her left shoulder. Esdeath attempted to block the hit but ultimately failed and was knocked back a few feet.
Me: No that's not it. Can you tell me what was wrong with your move Esdeath?
Esdeath: I lacked strength to intercept the strike?
Me: No, it's not about your strength but your technique. Although your blocking stance was without flaws but the stance itself was a problem. Rapiers are meant for speed and precision unlike swords which rely on force. Blocking with a rapier is a death wish unless you can use magic which i'll teach you when you have mastered a Teigu.
Esdeath: I see... But master, if i cannot block with a rapier then am i expected to be fast enough to dodge all attacks?
Me: Such thing is impractical. Instead of blocking with a rapier, i want you to counter using it, use your opponent's attack against them. *conjures a wooden rapier* Hit me again so i can demonstrate.
Esdeath obeys once again hitting me with a jab now aimed for my heart only to find that it was futile. Using my wrist guard, i caught Esdeath's blade with it and proceed to swing my rapier away effectively disarming Esdeath before pointing the tip of the blade at her neck.
Me: Just like that. When an attack is coming, predict its movement and utilize the wrist guard to stop the assault. When you feel that the blade has been imbedded deep enough inside the wrist guard, immediately flicks the rapier to the side to disarm your opponent. Keep in mind that this is only viable if the attack is a light or medium one. If your opponent is a slow powerhouse, it's ideal if you try to dodge by rolling away instead. Now pick up your rapier, i have a techniques i think will quite suit you.
(recap of the past 12 years)
Then recalling Ricard's rapier moveset, i taught Esdeath how to effectively use a rapier. 5 days later, i decided to test what she has learned and looked for a danger beast for her to fight. I eventually discovered one by a meadow. It was a Lunar Bear easily distinguishable by its moon like pattern on its head. Although this is a class 1 danger beast that i found out by observing it, Esdeath insisted that she could kill it. The bear's hide is thick enough to resist bladed weapons but it also has a weak spot on its stomach. The bear can extend its claws to 1m and charge it with electricity. Its healing factor was also worth mentioning that it can regenerate a lost eyeball within 15 minutes. Esdeath stalked the bear through the fields before it laid down under a tree to sleep. During my lessons, i also taught Esdeath the importance of a plunging attack. She sneakily climbed atop the tree and lunges down with her rapier aimed for the bear's head. Rapiers weren't meant to pierce armor but given the added force from the plunge, the tip penetrated the bear's skin but wasn't enough to instantly kill it. It tried to shake Esdeath off but she held on while continuously slashing at its neck. When the bear managed to Esdeath off, its body was already covered in flesh wounds and it was starting to bleed out. Mustering all the power it had left, the bear tried to out speed Esdeath clawed at Esdeath with its extended claws. This was a huge mistake as Esdeath was specifically trained to counter such attacks. Because the bear focused on the speed of the attack, there wasn't much strength put into it making the thing laughably easy to counter for Esdeath. And Esdeath then finished it off by gutting the bear. All of this happened under 2 minutes. She really is growing fast. The next couple of years we spent wandering the wilds looking for a good hunt. Throughout all these years, Esdeath's body and skills have grown into that of the ones in the anime. Her voluptuous figure could arouse a man a mile away and she can easily slaughters any danger beasts she come across. The only difference from the anime is that she isn't a homicidal sadistic battle junkie. Between the strategy and combat lessons, i also taught her social lessons and the rights and wrongs. At the end of those lessons when Esdeath actually has morals, she asked me about joining the rebellion. I know what they are aiming for but it's better if we do it Run's way by changing the empire from the inside. Who knows how many civilians were killed amidst the crossfire not to mention the battle with Shikoutazer. We then made our way to the capital for Esdeath to begin her career as a general and my own career as a guard. Esdeath wondered why i chose that and i explained to her the benefits that it has to the position of a general. No matter where i am i would always dread fucking paperwork. When we arrived at the recruitment office and signed up. One of the guys at the counter had the audacity to call Esdeath weak while another one tried to hit on her. She grabbed them by throat and tossed them out of the second floor window without breaking a sweat. Nobody else tried anything funny later on and they were dumbfounded at her enormous strength during the physical test. Afraid that they may get busted balls from pissing her off, the recruitment judges immediately made her an officer to begin while i concealed my powers and got the ordinary guard position. We sort of parted ways there with Esdeath having to work outside the capital and me having to patrol the city.
(end of recap)
Alright first day on the job, i wonder what scumbags i'll get to brutalize. I change into the standard imperial guard armor with a custom helmet to hide my appearance. Since it was already hard to conceal Sergei and Victor using magic, they will be immediately noticed in public wearing the uniforms so i have them keep track of important characters such as the elite seven and Tatsumi. They haven't made any progress so far but it's understandable because they're looking for a top secret assassination group and a tiny village that isn't even on the map. I start off with a stroll in the slums otherwise known as the ghetto, if any shady business is going to take place then it's definitely going down in there.
Casually walking down the bleak old streak, i can feel my both my disgust and hatred rise within myself. The block was so rundown that a house here looks worse than a noble's tool shack. Homeless people filled the streets and the stench of mold is unbearable for normal people yet they seem unperturbed by it. What's worst is that everybody no matter how many problems they are facing, actively avoid me to the point where they would start walking/running away when i make eye contact. I wonder if i can trap Honest in an infinite Gold Experience Requiem's death loop inside the mindscape, that would probaly the only fitting punishment at this point. I know that may be somewhere out there is an actual hardworking guard like Seryu minus the whole psychopathic tendency but as of it right now all of the guards are either power abusers or the embodiment of laziness. Odd, still nothing has happened so far... Is this not the slums and the actual slums are even worse? As i was about to head to a new area, i heard a commotion coming from a market nearby. Rushing there, i walk up to the scene of a crowd surrounding a fight. Moving in to take a closer look, my fists clenched at the outrageous crime before my eyes. A little boy in rags was on the ground bleeding everywhere from the multiple gashes and bruises on his body with one leg bending the way it wasn't supposed to. 3 guards despite this still continue to hit the boy with the pommel of their swords. I can see sorrow, pity, anger and a whole lot more in the bystander's eyes but they wouldn't dare to act. I can't blame them at this point, the world is THAT fucked up. Having seen enough, i walk past the crowd and towards the offenders.
Me: What the fuck is going on here!
Guard 1: Huh? This dirty street rat think it can get away with stealing a loaf of bread so we're teaching it a lesson.
Guard 2: Why don't you join in?
Me: As matter of fact, I WILL!
Opposite of what the crowd expected, i draw my sword at the guards and lob off all of their arms before they can even blink. They howl in pain and fall to the ground but before any of them can register what happened, i chop off the rest of their limbs and skewer all 3 of them with my sword before planting in deep in the ground. The crowd was in utter shock at the outlandish behavior of the monster they see everyday and some even pinch themselves to see if they're dreaming. I approach the kid and try to heal him but i stop dead in my tracks as i see his soul flickers out right in front of my eyes but not before muttering a last quiet "thank you."... I guess not all of them can be saved, the sooner i realize that the better. But it's not going to stop me from trying to prevent Night Raid's deaths and the others. I give him one last prayer and retrieve my sword now covered in blood and guts. Turning to leave, an old man in the crowd suddenly calls out to me.
Old man: Sir... what is your name?
Me: It's just Yosif.
Old man: Are you... with the rebellion?
Me: Hah! Hell no!
The old man eyes widen under his bushy eyebrows as the crowd gasps in surprise. In their eyes, never would an imperial be remotely kind to them so they thought that i would be a rebel. Yet here i am, defying all of their beliefs like nothing.
Old man: B-but why would you care for us?
Me: Old man, you don't need a reason for kindness. I care about every single person suffering under the empire's corruption but i'm not stupid enough to raise countless bloodshed and tear my own home apart. I helped you all because i can and i wanted to, it is as simple as that. Oh and take these, Maybe you won't have to steal just to get by the day with it, at least until i can set up my kitchen.
He barely catches the 8 pouches full of copper and silver coins that i threw each containing 80 copper and 12 silver. Being dirt broke, 50 copper is the most money they can get and a silver coin is like a fortune yet this guard has just given them so much without any strings attached. The crowd breakdowns crying tears of joy as the old man kneels on the ground wondering if their prayers to god have finally been answered. Although i didn't manage to save the kid, i would still consider this a happy ending now that those people can survive the next few days without having to worry about starving. If only i knew that my actions have attracted the attention of a certain Lioness.
I take more rounds patrolling the slums before making my way back to the normal residential area. I expected a noon rush with people dashing back and forth between shops and stalls but i didn't expect to see panic in all of them. Several guards were also running around like a headless chicken trying to calm the people down. I see one of the guards who seemed to be the most collected hanging up wanted posters but they didn't have any pictures or sketches on it.
Me: Hey what's happening with the people and why are those posters empty?
Guard: Oh you must be the new guy. Shit just went down man, nobody expected a rebel to infiltrate the capital and assassinates the guards yet just now 3 horribly mutilated bodies were found near the market in the slums. The higher ups want to maintain the capital's image immediately issue wanted posters but nobody have really seen or heard of the killers so they are empty.
At this point the panicked townsfolks have calmed down and the guards have gathered them near the posters to announce the wanted order. Yet what they didn't realize is that they have coincidentally created a perfect stage for me to drop the bomb on their heads.
Me: Oh you mean the bodies with their legs and arms chopped off and pinned to the ground by a sword through the chest?
Guard: Yeah... that's exactly how they looked like, how did you know that?
Me: Of course i know what they look like, i was the one who killed them after all.
Everyone goes dead silent at my words. Some of the people even quietly chuckle thinking i was joking but hearing the seriousness in what i said, they quickly shut up. As if it was a rehearsed play, both the guards and the people let out an "EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH???" at the same time.
Me: What's the big deal?
Guard: WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? YOU JUST COMMITTED TREASON!
Me: Oh? But i thought it was okay? Wasn't it you who extort money from the people, rape innocent girls, randomly beating up the elderly and the the young, tortures the poor just for fun? Wasn't it you who fucked this empire up in the first place? Wasn't it you who abuse your powers just because you can? If such things are legal then what are your sinners' life worth?
Guard: YOU'RE UNDER ARREST FOR MUR-
Me: SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN HERE CUNT! THOSE ASSHOLES HAD IT COMING! If you're so hellbent on arresting me then by The Imperial Rights Section 9 part 7, i challenge you to a duel to the death for absolution.
Guard: HAH! I AC-
Not even letting the arrogant bastard finish his sentence, i punch straight through his chest and rip his still beating heart out before crushing it to a pulp. All of the guards shit themselves at the savagery of a danger beast while the crowd throws up from the brutal sight.
Me: Anybody else wants to arrest me?
At that, all of the guard hightails out of sight while some frantically tears down the wanted posters. The people here in the residential area doesn't get oppressed the poor folks living in the slums but they also suffer from unreasonable taxes and extortion. Even so, they didn't want to see someone killed that cruelly, the public executions are already enough.
Me: Well if that's all then i believe its time for me to leave. Oh and if you have any problems or issues then come find me around the slums or the barracks.
Total inventory:
Ascended Wraith set
Primordial's wrath: Damascus
Diadem of supreme arcane might
76 copper 53 silver 38999 gold
Current familiars:
- Sergei the Armor Demon
- Victor the Soul Of Cinder