"Boom♪," the shockwave blasted Leone back, her opponents voice drowned out by the sound of the explosion. Storm orb. A large whirlwind shot out from one of the blonde's orbs, Leone diving out of the way at the last moment, glancing back to note the crater created by the attack.
Isn't that firepower a bit too much?! "Who are you?!" Leone yelled as she resumed her stance.
He tilted his head at her question, "Could it be that you have some class? I do not see you as anything more than scum so I don't believe you deserve to know my name," Leone growled, "but I do not wish to be so inelegant as to begin a battle without doing so, hence I shall tell you." Raising his right arm in the air and hovering his left fingers over his mask, he struck a pose, "I am the one who shines brightest, Albus♪!"
Leone snorted, lunging, "Awesome name, Abus."
"Blow," Leone darted away as the ground ruptured, a deafening explosion rocking the wilderness. He twirled his index finger in a circle, an orb leaving the middle as one of the other five took its place. Glancing up from the floating orbs, he muttered, "It's surprising that I let myself get angered by the likes of you but what's worse is that I believed you would be civil enough to speak elegantly, but alas!" he looked up to find Leone before him.
"Got ya!"
Burn. Bright orange flames shot out of the orb, bathing Leone as her screams rang out. His forehead creased slightly as he walked over her charred form to the wreckage of the carriage. The guard whimpered as Albus approached, traces of calm returning as he gazed past him. Freeze! Leone's fist collided with the ice wall, cracks running through it as the shockwave blew the debris in the surroundings about, Albus's ponytail flying past his shoulder.
She looked up to notice him snatching an orb with his left and flick towards her, the ice shield instantly giving way. Leone stomped down hard, kicking up a large piece of the rocky ground as she braced herself. A sharp stinging sensation caused her to dart back, sparing a glance at her shoulder to spot her exposed bone, the surrounding flesh sizzling and popping. Grabbing a chunk of wood, she gritted her teeth and ripped out a part of her upper forearm, groaning as it began to regenerate.
"Regeneration? I wondered how you managed to remain standing after getting hit by the flame orb," he pointed at Leone with his right hand, five orbs hovering around his wrist and one hovering before his index finger while he stuffed his left in his pocket. "Do me a favor and die flamboyantly," the orb spun and spewed an immense fireball, Leone running past.
The orbs, they've all got different abilities huh! She slid and backflipped, narrowly avoiding an explosion. Acid, fire, explosions and that wind? "It's two left? That's good!" Move fast, faster than he can react! Leone's eyes widened as she lunged.
There! He spun around, using his hand to mimic a finger gun, an orb rotating before his finger. Dust clouds rose and parted as Leone raced through avoiding the fireball. Leaping once more, she paused behind him, throwing a jab which connected solidly with the ice shield instantly created. Twisting her waist, Leone spun and hopped, dropping to deliver a powerful axe kick, shattering the shield. Her ears twitched and she jumped back, a dark hole on the ground where she previously stood.
"Rot," she crouched, dashing forward as she circled him, her eyes darting from him to her surroundings, Storm. He read her movement and timed it, firing a powerful whirlwind from the orb, -eh? He barely registered as Leone was before him, her right fist shooting forward in a jab. The beast hand connected with an ice shield, shattering it as the force knocked Albus back several paces, a trail of dust following his path. "Tsk!" He clicked his tongue as two orbs switched places, a large plume of dirt rising in the air as he triggered another explosion. Huh? He leapt back, startled as a large rock crashed in the spot he stood.
That bitc- Another crashed narrowly missing as he dived aside. Leone stood on the edge of the ridge, two large rocks in her arms. "Here's Leone!!" she smirked wolfishly, throwing the rocks at him.
He hopped back, neatly avoiding rock after rock, his annoyance, growing. Picking an orb from the six surrounding his wrist, he used his left index and middle finger to spin it, firing off a bright blue fireball, incinerating a good portion of the ridge.
Leone flipped in the air, rock in hand as she positioned herself directly above Albus. Placing the rubble beneath her feet, she shot off it, shattering it as she crashed into the spot he stood a moment before.
Stun. A jolt ran through her body her body as it shuddered, unable to move. "I really wish I would not give the likes of you the blessing of being touched by me." He threw a punch at Leone's abdomen, a twister picking up and throwing her back, pieces of her flesh trailing after her as she crashed into the ridgeline, groaning as she leapt away, avoiding another explosion.
He's not entirely stupid huh? Leone crouched, her labored breathing reducing slowly as she clutched her torso, sparing a glance at it. She held her breath, sucking in her stomach as the bleeding stopped, her flesh slowly knitting itself together. "Alright Albus, you've messed around long enough!" she let out a low growl, assuming a sprinter's pose.
Freeze! The ice shield exploded as he was knocked airborne, Leone darted from rubble to the surrounding ridge using it as leverage as she leapt into the air. Mid air he gestured at her once more, one of the six orbs before his index finger. His eyes widened behind the mask as his fireball met a large piece of rubble, the recoil from the explosion knocking him down. She landed on the rubble, her right ear twitching as a blast of wind cleared the area; the surrounding dust clouds and the rubble.
Albus stood, his hands twitching as he spotted the dust patched on his white trench coat and his black trousers. He shuddered violently, suddenly screaming, "SUCH INSOLENCE!! I'LL KILL YOU, BITCH!"
"If only I had a bottle of sake every time someone told me that-" Leone stepped back startled as he gestured at her with two of the orbs, the duo firing off his hands revolving around each other as they flew to her. Two?! She leapt in the air with a spin, launching the smaller pieces of debris at the firestorm that formed, using them for cover as she sprinted forward.
Her beast ears curled inwards, her hair and fur singed and her skin and eyes stung as she ran through the tornado of flames. The ground shook as the two were knocked back a bit, the heated air blowing away the dirt and revealing their unguarded forms before each other. NOW! She squatted and charged, her hand aiming for his.
She was yanked back, worriedly looking from the frost casing that surrounded her feet to the three orbs Albus held in between his fingers. He can use three? Leone's body jolted violently as a dark liquid sprayed all over her, her scream echoing across the eerily silent clearing.
Her disfigured body fell backwards, crumpling on the ground as her flesh bubbled and sizzled, melting away. He glanced at her with disgust; portions of her skull were exposed as the muscles on her face rotted away leaving behind a gaping eye socket. Bits and pieces of her body were missing from were the liquid hit her.
Sighing in relief, Albus turned around, flinching as he resisted the urge to dust off the dirt on his trench coat.
"R…real shame…"
Eh? He turned around, screeching as he fell forward, his leg bending in awkwardly. Albus clutched the broken leg, shuddering as he watched her approach.
Leone's skull was exposed and her jaw dangled slightly, her muscles and flesh closed themselves up as she walked towards him with a limp, a large portion of her hand replaced with several bite marks. Her lips or rather what was left of it curled up, showing off her glistening white fangs.
He shivered, scared shitless by her appearance, "MONSTER!!" He aimed at her, an orb slowly spinning in front of his left index finger as he held himself up with his right.
"…don't you learn," she dashed past him, holding up a human arm as she inspected the orbs that hovered around the wrist closely, "those tricks won't work on me anymore." She turned around with a dazzling smile, her golden hair reflecting the midday sunrays.
Albus screamed, clutching the bloody stomp, his white trench coat becoming a deep red.
"Maa, maa, you're damn noisy," Leone said light heartedly, kneeling before the heavy breathing guard. "You've fixed yourself up eh?" she teased.
" 'course I have. I was worried about you, y'know, with that last attack and all," he frowned in concern, handing the case over to her.
"It was really hard, 'ya know," she whined, "I had to eat my hand to help regenerate faster, since it technically counts as a danger beast when I transform."
"You regenerate faster when you eat danger beasts?"
"Yeah, after all Lionelle's the king of beasts," she winked, hitting the arm against the open case, the orbs falling in one after the other. The guard smiled nervously at her actions, glancing past her with a brow raised, "Was Hijiri-san supposed to meet up with us?"
"The hell? Why're you bringing him u-"
"Where the hell have you been?! How dare you let this happen to the star that shines brightest?! Kill that wretch and just maybe I'll forgive you!" Leone shuddered, turning around swiftly to note the cause of the yelling.
Beside Albus stood a fairly tall man with a light complexion, his head shaved apart from a long mohawk of silver hair tied in a long ponytail reaching the end of his back. He donned a flowing white robe with red vertical lines on the coattails and sleeves, loosely fastened at the waist with a tasseled belt along side a pair of black baggy pants.
"So not only were you late, you failed woefully," stepping forward, he crushed Albus's head with his foot with little effort. Turning around to face Leone, a black bow staff in hand, she tensed watching the man approach. He had thin eyebrows, a broad nose and crimson eyes that reminded her of Hijiri's.
"Oi, get up and run," Leone muttered, her eyes fixed in the man.
"Isn't that Hijiri-san?!"
"Get up, take the case and run!" Leone yelled, startling the guard who scrambled to get up, taking off. No presence at all, even with my beast transformation. If Albus hadn't yelled, I wouldn't have noticed him. Leone rose, assuming a fighting stance. The hair on her neck stood, her muscles tensed and her heart pounded so hard that she felt it in her ears. "Hey! Who the hell are you?!" Leone flinched, turning around as the sound of a groan reached her, spotting the white robed man above the bleeding body of the fleeing guard.
"If you'll excuse me…" Leone leapt in the air, throwing a kick that was deflected with ease. She hopped back as he reached for the case, maintaining her posture. "I am only here for the weapons and do not wish for any unnecessary deaths. As for your colleague, he is still alive but I apologize for the injury I caused, he should be fine with some first aid," he nodded, walking past Leone.
She turned and punched, her fist caught by his open palm. Drawing her closer, he slammed his knee into her torso, knocking the wind out of her as he swung his arm down, slamming her back first into the ground. "For your good, I'd advise you to not pique my interest. People that do usually don't last," he stated, squatting to her level."
"I…I asked a question, who the hell are you?" Leone asked, stabilizing her heavy breathing.
"Haruma," he rose, dusting off his robe as he turned away, the bow staff slithering up his arm and forming a band as he picked the case. Leone shot off the ground, throwing a lightning fast jab. Haruma sighed and stepped back, a loud crack echoing as Leone's arm bent down in an awkward angle. She groaned in pain as he planted a front kick on her knee, the bone popping and giving way as her leg bent backwards. He's too fast! His palm covered her face, planting her back first into the ground.
She griped once more, it was taking immense willpower for Leone to not scream out in pain. Her left leg and right arm took their precious time in getting fixed which was to be expected after all her stamina was already low after her reckless manner of fighting Albus. But what truly scared Leone was the doubt that crept into her heart, doubt she hadn't experienced since Hijiri joined Night raid. And that doubt was in her returning alive, after all Haruma was overwhelmingly powerful and Leone was unsure of her victory.
"I did warn you against piquing my interest, didn't I?" His husky voice came out in a concerned tone, that is if Leone didn't know any better. She tried to rise, sharp pain originating from the middle of her palm halted her movement. Leone glanced down at the black bow staff that dug itself into her flesh.
"Your recovery ability is interesting…for an imperial arms user," he rose, pulling the staff out of her hand. "I wonder if the regeneration rate differs depending on the part of your body," Leone's expression morphed into one of fear and surprise as the end of the rod hovered over her eye. "Let's put that to the test, shall we?" Haruma stated with a gentle smile, a shudder running through her.
"First your eyes," a sloshing sound signaled the beginning of a pained shriek.
"Then your cheek," the staff ripped through flesh and muscle, leaving behind a partly dangling jaw.
"Next the hands," her scream drowned out the sickening sound of the metallic rod crushing her bones.
"Hmm, how about your shoulder," flesh and muscle gave way as the staff grinded through the bones in her shoulder, a cracked scream escaping her lips. He stepped back exhaling as Leone's shrieks finally died down. "For an imperial arm, it sure grants impressive vitality," he crouched, using Leone's white scarf to wipe off the blood from his feet and sandals.
Whistling sharply, a short-rugged man scampered into view, breathing heavily. "That fool was already late so make sure this," Haruma handed over the case with the imperial arms to him, "reaches the capital before tomorrow so I suggest you hurry." The man whimpered, taking off in a sprint.
Turning back to Leone, Haruma tilted his head slightly at her slowed breathing and her closing wounds. "Since I have completed my mission, I can test and see how strong your vitality is by giving you similar wounds over and over again so please," he knelt beside her, his voice dropping to a whisper, "don't disappoint me." His statement was replied with a pained shriek as his staff plunged into her thigh.
…
Hijiri shielded his eyes with his hand, sighing in exhaustion, "Ugh, this sounded way more exciting on paper."
"You're saying that but you're actually eager to see Leone, aren't you?" Akame stared at him, deadpan.
"Dunno what you're talking about," he whistled, purposely avoiding Akame's stare.
"Ooooh, to think it was Nee-san,"
"Keep talking and I'll haul your ass down the next hill we cross," Hijiri barked, earning a snort from Kanae.
"But Nii-san, is there a reason we're following this route?" Kanae asked, genuinely curious.
"Well…your turn Akame-chan," he gestured at Akame who shook her head with a sigh.
Was it the second or the third day, Leone didn't know, the constant pain made it difficult to keep track of time, especially since she had passed out more times than she could count only to be forcefully fed by Haruma and have the passive trump card of her imperial arm; Lionelle, kick in with full force. She blinked slowly, after all she had found out that dried blood made it really difficult to move. Sun rays hurt her reddened eyes and she narrowed them, gulping silently. Her tongue moved around less, the all too familiar taste of blood irritating her no less than before.
Unbearable agony shot through her eyes and she screamed, the sickening crunch sending shivers down her spine. The staff twisted about in her eye socket, the metal end creating a sickening cocktail of skin, her eye and a dash of her skeleton. Leone stifled her groan, she didn't wish to give Haruma more satisfaction than what he gained from his sick "experiment" on her. Her healing was never any help with the pain because even after the wounds sealed, at the very least a dull throb remained.
The staff stabbed just below her ribs, flesh giving way as intense pain shot through her entire body causing her to jerk forward violently, her arms and shins pulling against the black spikes that held her to the ground.
"Stay still, would you?" Haruma said, no, commanded coldly as he dropped his staff in Leone's unharmed eye, drawing it out sharply and leaving behind a bloody mess. "Congratulations, this is your third morning," Haruma chuckled lightly as his rod began to bore through her thigh, the dried blood offering no resistance.
Leone sucked in air sharply as the rod was yanked out of her leg, the distinctive sound of metal clashing resonated throughout the clearing. She thought she was hallucinating, her vision cleared slowly as it had become blurred with tears, not those of pain but of joy. Leone smiled at the white-haired figure that stood before her, one she couldn't mistake for another. "Took you long enough," she muttered, her vision fading to dark.
"Hijiri of the Hono family, the Order of Flames," Haruma pointed at him, his staff gripped tightly.
Hijiri turned to Leone, violently shuddering. Her right eye socket was clogged with her ruptured eye and blood, her thigh had an open wound, dried blood covering a stab wound just below her ribs on the right side and her body was covered in patches of dried blood. "Tatsumi! Akame! Kanae!" Hijiri barked, waking Leone from her slumber. Between her labored breathing, she murmured, "Hijiri, I wish you didn't have to see me like this…" Tatsumi who had activated Incursio, arrived alongside Akame and Kanae, inhaling at Leone's state. "Nee-san!!" Tatsumi blurted out, hovering above her hesitant. Kanae covered her mouth with her palm, teary eyed, gasping as she noticed Leone's wounds slowly regenerating.
Tatsumi turned to Haruma enraged, shouting at the top of his voice, "You sick bastard!! I swear I'll kill y-"
"That's enough, Tatsumi," Glancing back to Akame and Kanae, Hijiri stated, "Do what you can to help her."
HEY, YOU'RE LETTING ME HANDLE THIS RIGHT?
"No,"
HAH?!
"I want to crush this bastard myself," the bandages burnt and fell off his lower arm, the red cracks glowing brighter. His arm gained an inhumane form, subtle black and crimson spikes growing off it as the crimson cracks on his claymore shone intensely.
Kanae gulped at the ominous energy coming off Hijiri, turning to the other three to see they shared the feeling of concern with her. "Tatsumi-san, Akame-senpai, I know you have your doubts, but if you wish to see a fraction of Nii-san's true strength, I suggest you don't blink."