A heavy silence descended in the room at Bane's revelation.
"How can you know?," Bulat asked with clenched fists.
"I have read Najenda's diary on Teigus for an entire week and from there I came to know about your teigu, Incursio. I know It puts too much physical strain on its user's body." Bane explained grimly.
Bulat absorbed the words quietly, his face barely showing a reaction. He exhaled softly, unclenching his fist. "Is that so."
"..." Bane's hands slowed for a brief second, as if he'd expected more from Bulat, some sign of anger or disappointment.
But Bulat's face was calm, eyes steady as he looked down at his own damaged body, the truth sinking in as deep as the burns that scarred his side.
Bane's gaze lingered, a flicker of something unreadable behind the hard, bandaged exterior.
"So, how did you two get caught in this ordeal?" Bulat said, trying to shift the heavy atmosphere.
Bane looked at the muscular man and began to recount the events.
Bulat listened intently, piecing together the story from Bane's steady, controlled voice.
It had begun with a simple inquiry. Bane had asked Sheele about a certain bar owner.
Sheele didn't know the man, but she mentioned her acquaintance might know more.
When both of them disguised themselves and reached Mika's house, her father, who was a bastard drunk drowning in debt, had already sold his own daughter to a brothel to settle his debts.
Both of them had tortured that man and dragged him to the pleasure district's brothel and, once inside, it had spiralled into a bloody massacre.
Ruthlessly and mercilessly, they had fought their way through the guards and gang members, cutting down anyone who stood in their path.
By the time they reached Mika, who was imprisoned in one of the hidden rooms, the girl had been broken beyond repair, mentally shattered by her ordeal.
Sheele, faced with the unimaginable, had ended her friend's suffering.
Following the murder of the brothel's owner, Bane realized it was actually a trap orchestrated by the Imperials to lure out Sheele and her companion Mine. Subsequently, Bane proceeded to recount the subsequent events.
As Bane finished his explanation, Bulat's eyes darkened. A flicker of anger flashing through his gaze before he forced it down, letting out a heavy sigh.
"So, in the end, Sheele had to kill her own friend to end her suffering…" His voice was quiet, resigned, as he considered the brutal cost of the lives they led.
Bulat didn't comment further, knowing this was the reality of their lives as rebels.
However much they tried to shield their loved ones, however much they might want to keep their hands clean of such brutality, the enemy's reach found a way to twist every bond against them. It was a grim reminder of the price they paid.
Deciding to lighten the mood, Bulat cast a sidelong look at Bane, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, you've got a bit of a soft spot, eh? Willing to be the bait for Sheele?"
Bane scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the suggestion. "Don't get the wrong idea. I was just repaying a favour. That's all."
Bulat chuckled, wincing as the movement pulled at his ribs. He grinned despite the pain. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
After a minute of quiet laughter, he sighed, sobering. "I get it, but… I doubt the Boss will let this slide without punishment. You two went in without her approval, taking an enormous risk."
Bane fell silent, his gaze shifting downward to the worn wooden floorboards. After a moment, he nodded, a resigned expression crossing his bandaged face. "I know."
Bulat studied him thoughtfully, a question lingering in his mind. He hesitated before finally asking, "By the way… why do you only have bandages across your face?"
Bane glanced at him, his gaze unreadable beneath the layers of cloth. "My mask broke," he replied bluntly. "I feel more comfortable with something covering my face," though his reasoning differed from what was implied. He simply sought to avoid eliciting pitying glances.
Bulat nodded slowly. He also knew the real reason but didn't comment.
Then, with a slight smirk, he raised an eyebrow. "Well, don't get too attached to that look. If Najenda catches you and me skipping out, you'll need a lot more than bandages to cover up what she'll do to us."
A flicker of amusement crossed Bane's eyes, though his expression remained stoic. "Good thing I'm already halfway mummified, then."
"Ha ha." Bulat laughed but in a few moments became silent. After a minute, he broke the silence. "How long was I out?"
"Five hours," Bane replied, glancing up.
Bulat nodded, taking in the timeframe. His mind was still adjusting, processing everything Bane had shared. "And Sheele? What's her situation? And how did you even know she was in trouble?"
Instead of answering directly, Bane extended his hand, revealing a small white snake coiled around his wrist. Its tiny, beady eyes gleamed as it lifted its head, flicking its tongue.
"My teigu grants me the ability to control snakes," Bane explained, his tone businesslike. "Not Danger Beasts, but ordinary ones. There are limits, though, distance, how many I can control at once, and so on. But I can use them to see, hear, sense, and even transmit my thoughts through mental currents. It drains my mental energy depending on the distance and how many or which function I use, but… it works."
Bulat's eyes widened slightly as the pieces came together. "So, you had one of these little ones on Sheele? Was she aware?"
"No," Bane replied bluntly, his gaze sharp. "I placed it on her without her knowing. Don't ask why. I didn't fully trust her. I don't trust most people easily, and having a few hidden cards never hurts."
Bulat nodded slowly, understanding. "Smart move, I guess." He couldn't help but wonder just how many other 'hidden cards' Bane might still have up his sleeve.
His expression turned serious again. "What's her condition now? You've got that link. Can't you sense or see her?"
Bane hesitated before admitting, "I can't. The mental link with that snake... it's been cut off."
Bane knew that Bulat had sent Tatsumi and Mine to help Sheele, but he hadn't been able to focus on their side of things. He had had his own chaos to deal with.
By the time he had a moment to check in, his connection to the snake trailing Sheele had vanished.
Bulat grimaced, the grim reality of their situation dawned on him.
"This whole thing stinks," Bulat muttered, tension lacing his words. "Maybe Sheele, Tatsumi, and Mine made it out. Maybe they're safe. But… what if they aren't?"
Bane's expression hardened. "We don't have much time to sit around wondering. Even if Budo's out of commission, the Empire will send someone else. They might even bring an entire army down on us." His voice was calm but urgent, a reminder of the clock ticking down.
With effort, Bulat moved his hand, bracing himself to get up, but a sharp, searing pain shot through his side, forcing him back down with a grunt.
"Where do you think you're going in this condition?" Bane asked, his tone flat and his eyes narrowed.
"You already know," Bulat replied, his tone equally grim.
Bane's gaze grew sharper. "Even if they're in danger, you're in no position to save them. You're not even fit to hold a sword, let alone wield Incursio."
"....."
Bulat's jaw tightened, and his voice dropped. "Even if I die, I want to die fighting for my comrades."
Bane rolled his eyes, then lightly punched Bulat on the shoulder, right where the burns were still raw.
"Argh!!!" Bulat let out a strangled scream of pain, glaring at Bane, who smirked in response.
"Then die peacefully in a bed, bodybuilder," Bane said dryly, throwing the same line Bulat had used on him back when Budo had nearly killed him.
"Always trying to act like you're above it all. But you're no different from Tatsumi. Why do you Night raiders all have a death wish?" Bane shook his head, feigning exasperation.
A tense silence hung in the air before Bulat glanced over with a wry smile. "Don't forget that for now you are one of us and aren't you still a brat yourself? What are you, seventeen?"
"I'll be eighteen next week," Bane retorted, crossing his arms.
"Oh? Well, if we survive this, maybe we'll celebrate with barrels of ale," Bulat said with a mischievous grin. "Just let me handle 'guests' that will show up for the party."
"Speaking of barrels of ale," Bane cut in, a glint in his eye, "didn't I win a bet against you? I believe you promised me one request." Bulat's face became stern, and he gave a nod of confirmation, curious as to what Bane would ask.
"Perfect timing," Bane replied as he pulled a small white snake from his sleeve and placed it gently on Bulat's palm. "This little guy knows a safe route. Follow him to a horse waiting outside and get the hell out of here."
"....."
Bulat blinked, taken aback. He knew what was Bane implying in this situation. "Didn't you just say you don't care about any of us?"
"I did," Bane replied tersely.
"Then why?"
"Because I'm an idiotic fool," Bane muttered, giving him a tired look.
---
A/N: Yup, our idiotic fool has set out to save the day. But what do you think will happen when he finally arrives at his destination? Just a heads-up, some of you might need to steel your hearts for what's coming in the next few chapters (it's Akame ga kill you know). And, who knows, some of you might end up cursing me for what's about to unfold.