Seeing the gleaming blades poised near its master's heart and neck, the hulking beast began to back away, growling threateningly, as if to warn Tatsumi that his actions would have consequences, but Tatsumi didn't flinch. Instead, he pressed the blade closer to Seryu's neck, ensuring the beast understood its master's precarious fate.
"You bastard, just kill me... Koro, don't care about me and f—"
Before Seryu could finish, Tatsumi shoved his foot down on her head, forcing her face into the grime and filth of the sewer water. Her muffled curses were drowned out by the sound of her humiliation.
But in the middle of this, a metallic clatter echoed through the tunnels, followed by the synchronized sound of several others.
Tatsumi instantly tensed. His heart raced as rows of heavily armed imperial soldiers emerged from the shadows, their polished armor reflecting the dim torchlight affixed to their helmets. The soldiers halted several meters away, their guns trained on him, creating a suffocating sense of dread. His escape route was completely cut off.
Seryu's maniacal laughter filled the tense silence.
"Your time is over, sewer rat! You'll die here like the vermin you are!" she cackled, her muddy, blood-streaked face contorted with triumphant glee.
Tatsumi's grip on Ecstasy tightened as his mind raced for options. But before he could act, the soldiers suddenly parted, making way for a single figure to step forward.
"Oh my, what a mess~," a playful, syrupy voice chimed.
A petite, tanned girl emerged from the shadows and into the dim light. Her blonde hair was styled in pigtails adorned with horseshoe-shaped weights, and her green eyes gleamed with mischief. She wore long leggings and an open shirt that revealed a daring top, with armored gauntlets covering her forearms.
Despite her seemingly nonchalant demeanor, Tatsumi immediately recognized the danger she radiated.
She took in the scene, Seryu pinned under Tatsumi's foot, and the tension in the air which was so thick that it felt like a physical force.
Ignoring the hostility in Tatsumi's eyes, the girl rested a hand on her chest and introduced herself casually.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mez, one of the Rakshasa Demons from Kouken Temple who directly serves Prime Minister Honest."
Her tone was light, almost playful, but Tatsumi's instincts screamed at him to stay alert. He didn't lower his blades, his gaze flickering around the room, searching for any chance to turn the tide.
Mez grinned, licking her lips. "So, you're the stubborn type. Why don't you just hand yourself over, cutie? You might survive this mess. I'll even let your comrade over there live," she said, nodding toward Bane's motionless form slumped against the wall.
Tatsumi remained silent, his blade pressing closer to Seryu's throat. Mez let out an appreciative whistle.
"Ooooh, hard to talk, huh?" she teased, tapping a finger against her lips before her gaze landed on the blood-soaked cloth stuffed in his mouth and the torture marks scattered across his body. "Ahh, Seryu, you naughty girl~ Defying orders and torturing rebels for your personal vendetta? Tsk tsk." She shook her head in mock disapproval.
"B-But—" Seryu sputtered, only to be silenced by a wave of Mez's hand.
"Reasons don't matter, darling~. Only results do," Mez said with an unwavering smirk.
Turning her attention back to Tatsumi, she tilted her head, her green eyes narrowing slightly. "You're Akame's comrade, a night raider to be exact, aren't you?" she asked, watching closely as his eyes widened ever so slightly.
She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a silky whisper. "How about this? I take you in, and I promise I'll put in a good word for you at your trial. Witnessing your strength, I am sure you can even land in an excellent position within the imperial army."
Tatsumi remained motionless, but he scoffed inwardly at her words.
A few months ago, as a naïve country bumpkin, he might have fallen for such a ploy. But now? Now he knew better than to trust the words of an imperial, let alone one tied to the Prime Minister. Even in his nightmares, he will 'not' join this disgusting and corrupt imperial system, not after seeing the atrocities being committed under its regulators.
Also, even if Mez's claim of being Akame's stepsister was true, he knew she was only trying to manipulate him. Akame wouldn't have remained with Night Raid if she shared an amicable relationship with someone like Mez.
'I have to try to take advantage of the fact that she wants to capture me alive, but how?' Tatsumi started to think in a hurry.
Mez clicked her tongue in disappointment. "Tch, I thought that would work." Clapping her hands, she barked, "Bring her over!"
Two soldiers stepped forward, dragging an unconscious Sheele into the light. Her body was caked in mud and blood, her condition grim.
"Give up now, or she dies painfully," Mez said with a grin.
Veins began to bulge on Tatsumi's forehead as he reflexively gritted his teeth, disregarding the agony.
'H-How did they find her?' The agonizing question echoed in his mind, 'We had made sure-' but he quickly halted the futile thought, realising his current predicament.
Clenching his trembling knuckles, he drew a heavy breath, stabilising the whirlwind of emotions. For now, he knew that their fate in the imperial army would be far more dire than death. If it came to it, he'd rather bring them all down with him. It would be far preferable if he, along with Sheele, and Bane died here rather than being sent to the imperial torture chambers and tormented day and night in order to obtain information.
His killing intent spiked, filling the air like a tangible force. Mez's smile faltered briefly.
'Even his state is not good, for now this man is still dangerous just by wielding Ecstasy which has excellent defence and attack power, and seeing Seryu's condition he also has decent martial skills.' Mez quickly accessed Tatsumi's threat level in her mind. 'For now, he is the worst matchup for someone like me who has been trained in hand to hand martial skill and has body manipulation techniques.'
But all in all, it didn't matter. For Mez, who is the daughter of one of the most feared assassins in the vast empire, Gozuki, only the mission objective matters, as life and death are common in the field in which she works.
She quickly sighed, her dramatic tone returning."Well, I wanted to do this the easy way... but I guess you're not into that," she said, clicking her tongue again. "Alright then."
*BOOM*
A thunderous explosion echoed through the tunnels, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Tatsumi was hurled backward, slamming into the sewer wall with a sickening crack. A sharp pain flared through his chest as blood dribbled down his chin. His vision swam, but he forced himself to stay conscious.
Through the swirling dust and mist of the sewer, the beast emerged.
Kuro had transformed into a hulking monstrosity, standing over ten feet tall. Its black fur shimmered ominously, its claws gleamed like obsidian blades, and its crimson eyes burned with feral bloodlust. The air grew dense with its killing intent, and even the imperial soldiers hesitated, their guns wavering.
"Good, now stop your dog-" said Mez who halted in middle as a laugh echoed throughout the chambers.
Seryu's laughter pierced the chaos as she didn't listen to Mez and roared with a wild fervor. "YES! YES! KILL HIM! KILLLL HIM!, Kurooo!"
Kuro growled low and deep, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth as it locked onto Tatsumi like a predator.
Mez's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "Seryu, shut your mouth! We want him alive," she barked, then turned her attention back to Kuro. "Stand down! That's an order!"
The beast didn't obey.
"RAAWRRR!!!" Instead, it roared, a deafening sound that reverberated through the tunnels and lunged at Tatsumi, its massive clawed fist raised to strike.
Tatsumi's instincts screamed at him to move, but his body refused to respond. The walls of the sewer cracked under the sheer force of Kuro's movements, water spraying into the air, creating a suffocating mist. The weight of his own powerlessness crushed him as he stared at the monstrous fist descending toward him.
BOOOOOM!
Before the blow could land, another explosion rocked the tunnels.
The mist thickened, swirling chaotically, obscuring the scene. The soldiers staggered, trying to regain their footing, while Seryu's grin disappeared, replaced by shock.
As the dust settled, the hulking form of Kuro's fist was stopped mid-air.
Standing in its path, dwarfed only slightly by the beast, was an unknown figure. A towering, monstrous humanoid creature clad in gleaming obsidian scales that shimmered in the dim torchlights directed at him by the imperial soldiers.
Kuro growled, its fist trembling against the sheer strength of the figure blocking it. The creature turned its head, slowly, almost deliberately, to look at Mez, Seryu, and the stunned soldiers. Its aquamarine eyes locked onto them with an otherworldly intensity, piercing through the chaos like beacons.
"GRR!!" Kuro growled, its fist trembling against the sheer strength of the figure blocking it. The creature turned its head, slowly, almost deliberately, to look at Mez, Seryu, and the stunned soldiers.
The sewer fell deathly silent as its jagged teeth parted, unleashing a guttural, earth-shaking roar. The walls trembled, the water rippled, and several soldiers dropped their weapons in pure terror.
The creature's massive hand tightened around Kuro's fist, and with a sudden, violent motion, it wrenched the beast's arm back, forcing Kuro to stagger.
Mez's eyes widened in recognition. "What the... You've got to be kidding me. Isn't he—"
Amidst the chaos, the obsidian monster turned its head, its aquamarine eyes flickering as they landed on Tatsumi. The monster paused, its overwhelming presence briefly softened by a glimmer of recognition.
"B-Bane..." Tatsumi's hoarse voice broke through the suffocating tension, barely audible above the sound of crumbling stone and rushing water. His wide, bloodshot eyes locked onto the creature, filled with confusion and faint relief.
—
A/N:
So, how did you like the chapter? I know, I know, you probably have tons of questions, but don't worry, all will be revealed in the coming chapters. Stay tuned with me! Also, for those who haven't left a review yet, I'd really appreciate it if you could take a moment to do so. We're nearing a hundred chapters, and there are still so few reviews. Not that it matters too much, but it might help new readers realize this is an original work and not some translated or fake review-filled project. Trust me, when I started, I knew next to nothing about writing, and I've come this far thanks to all of you. Whether it's a positive review or a constructive criticism, I welcome it all! Thank you, and have a great day!