Chapter 16: Kill the Hunt
[Name] stood still and only used his eyes looked around to inspect ominous group of six standing before him. The twilight had begun to chill the air as the wind assisted the frigid air. [Name] knew something was up and after the first female spoke, he'd done the same.
[Name]: I take it none of you are out here to ask for directions. At least it doesn't seem that way.
The white-haired male smiled and placed hands on his hips with a snide attitude.
Syura: So then what does it seem like asshole?!
[Name] put to and two together. He knows exactly who these people are. They are the Wild Hunt, the former secret police lead by the son of the prime minister and the man standings in front of him now. He heard rumors indicating that they had to disband due to their extreme brutality and hostility towards harmless people. It appears they were just rumors, or they've got back together just for a special reason.
Izou: We're the Wild Hunt.
The red eyed man said.
[Name]: Why are messing with me? What did I do?
Syura: I've been following you around for little bit. I saw you with General Esdeath not to mention the scumbag who worked with the revolution. That crazy bitch filed a report on us and Daddy said we had to disband! So since I can't get to her, I'll get you and no one will know shit.
[Name]: But still though, why me?!
Syura: Because she likes you jackass! I saw the way she act around you when you two took out that revolutionary base! I even sent some rocky friends to say hello for me.
He said whilst pointing at [Name].
[Name]: So you sent those huge rock danger beasts?
Syura: You're damned right and you are a special case for us to close.
Case 0: This guy reportedly hailing from the empire has secured the occupation of an imperial sentinel. After eluding execution through skill, he seemingly found himself in the romantic graces of one of the most powerful beings in the hemisphere; General Esdeath. The general deemed our actions as treasonous and caused us to disband. That is where she messed up, now we're going to take something away from her as she did for us! Mission objective Kill [Name]
Enshin: So right now you'd best worry about what's about to happen. We're going to kill you, and do it nice and slow.
Champ: I wanna hear him scream.
Cosmina: He will soon, believe me!
[Name] unsheathed his obsidian blade and blitzed them immediately! He went to overhead slash Syura in half, but Izou blocked this instantly; protecting him.
[Name] twirled his blade backwards and Izou went for a lunge in which [Name] parried. After, the two entered a storm of blades. [Name] implemented strong physical strikes into this sword sequences. One of the blows connected and it made him stagger back. Syura laughed as he held his gut.
Syura: You're letting him beat you?!
[Name] then sent another gut busting side kick and connected with Izou's gut. Champ ran with far more speed than he anticipated and was palm thrusted; being sent into the dirt hard.
Enshin: OUT OF MY WAY!
He yelled to his comrade as the both entered a practiced sequence of swordsmanship. [Name] ducked, dodged, and parried whilst sweat poured from [Name]'s hands and face. His body became hot from exertion, and he knew one slip up, one faint from them can have a limb or his head lopped off within a second. Enshin jumped up and screamed.
Enshin: TAKE THIS!
Double Pronged Attack!
The man slashed the air and sent multiple devastating air cuts crashing into the dry ground as [Name] backflipped as each one almost killed him. [Name] stood up firm and as he prepared to attack the man Izou was already on him and [Name] blocked them all practiced ease. [Name] made a pained grimace and pushed his own onslaught. Within seconds he sent Izou staggering back but Enshin joined back in and teetered the momentum once again.
[Name] was then sent tumbling to the ground with a jaw breaking elbow. [Name] felt a cold rush of energy surge through his veins and he let out a grunt. He then ran to the two swordsmen and overwhelmed them with enormous strength and fury. Enshin as well as Izou spoke to themselves in intense fear. Izou had somehow managed to get a few blows in but were easily deflected by a stonewall defense on [Name]'s behalf.
Enshin: What in the hell just happened?! He was barely holding his own a second ago and I can even get a strike in! I'm stuck on defense!
Izou: We're getting pushed back! Both of us! When he blocked one of my blows it was like striking a boulder, there was no give! I'm not going to win this one!
[Name] then struck Enshin so hard, that Rom's blade easily sliced straight through Enshin's Shamshir and through both of his defending arms, severing all three of them at once! Enshin wailed in pain and fell to his knees as the remainder of his limbs hosed blood onto the dirt. The rest of the Wild Hunt were in astonishment but that didn't stop them from attacking.
Out of nowhere [Name] saw stripped knee socks tightly grasp his waists from behind. He felt an extremely sharp pain in his neck as well as blonde hair obstructing some of his sight. Dorothea had bitten deeply into [Name]'s neck and was fiercely sucking his bleeding wound. [Name] grabbed her hair to rip her off but he was punched in his face hard by the clown.
As he fell, Dorothea released her hold and hovered over his face and drooled as her mouth opened in ecstasy. She spilled copious amounts of his own blood and thick saliva over his forehead from her mouth. Champ then grabbed [Name]'s throat and held him down.
Cosmina then skipped over to a vulnerable [Name] and she stood over him. She then pulled out a device that resembled a microphone.
Cosmina: Hey! Want to hear me sing for you?!
[Name] while laying down kicked her away, crunched up, kneed Dorothea in the head, and Champ in the head as well. He then sprung up but was nearly deafened by a wave of sound and was weighed him down as though the gravity multiplied. Blood began to flow freely from his nose and ears as he lied down by force. Cosmina had used her imperial arms. After [Name] was down he felt tugging on his clothing as if someone was trying to remove them.
Cosmina: I'm gonna have some fun with you!
Twilight – Imperial Capital Squalor District
The sky was darkening as the twilight fell upon the Capital's lands. The ground in which three boys walked on was still damped with the rain. They walked along the carefully paved out stone streets as few people did early this morning. The boys walked with a purpose, the purpose to stop evil once and for all within the Capital.
Bet: When we beat the empire. I'm sure lots of people will just be forking over all their money in thanks.
Viot: Why money?
The shorter silver haired replied.
Bet: Cus' that's what people give to show thanks dunderhead.
Teg: What about other things?
Bet: Other things don't matter; you can get everything else with money.
Viot: Not everything.
Bet then stopped and leaned against a weak wall.
Bet: Look Viot, we're teenagers now; so you'd better start understanding shit. When you have money, you can get everything. Girls, more money, and best of all more girls.
Viot: Is everything about girls when it comes to you?
Bet: Yeah, because I can get any girl I want.
Teg: Uh huh, that's why you've never had a serious girlfriend at the house right?
Bet: Oh shut up. Commitment isn't really my thing.
Viot: Fine, I bet you won't go and ask out the next girl you see.
Bet: Bet you I will.
Viot: Fine then do it.
Bet: I will.
With the added pressure added to the weakened supply wood wall, he fell back and splintered the thin board into several pieces. The boys were in shock, because behind that wood was a girl. A smaller dark haired girl that looked to be around their age. She was sleep in the damped area but she awoke as she heard the sudden commotion.
Teg: Woah, it's a girl.
Viot: Yeah, what do you guys think she's doing there?
The girl replied in sudden sputter of words.
Girl: Well I was sleep here.
Bet: Why?
Teg: Yeah why?
?: Because my home got raided by the empire and I ran.
The boys then looked at one another and huddled up to her. Barely clothed in still very damped peasant clothes made up of a tie up top and long skirt, she huddled up into a ball and sat upward. Bet who was wearing a jacket larger than he was, instinctively removed it and wrapped her in it.
Bet: Where's your Mom and Dad?
?: They're dead.
Viot: Jeez, I'm sorry.
?: Don't be.
Bet: Come on we have a place to stay, wanna come with uh?
?: It's Kasumi and sure.
Night – Imperial Squalor District
Kasumi and the three boys walked along the crackled road and crumpled housing. Discarded clothes and other garbage littered the streets. Many people did their best to be happy in their situation. The poorer people lived in this district. The economic sanctions and classism together assured that these people's lives stayed here. However, there were people noticeably mentioning how less food there was. "There isn't enough food" "This is what little we found" "hurry up and eat it before it goes bad". Food stores were closing as they didn't have enough ingredients to prepare good cuisine for others let alone themselves.
Bet: We would've gotten here sooner, but we had to take another route. The area we take was blocked off because some guy got murdered in the street and the house got burnt out.
Kasumi's heart plummeted as she immediately knew who the victim was. Her throat was heavily strained from grief but she did everything in her power to keep herself together.
Kasumi: Yeah.
She replied with a broken voice. She then took a deep breath. The boys seemingly didn't notice. This was good for her.
They then entered a massive orphanage. Teens of multiple ages and children were doing multiple activities. Some were exercising, playing ball, chores, playing with toys, or training.
Teg: Home sweet home.
Bet: This is us. It's not pretty but this is where we all live.
Viot: Probably not for long. Given that this place was built with loads of hazardous materials like Asbestos, lead, mercury, and polychlorinated compounds not fit for habitation after long periods whe-
Bet: Okay we GET IT. As you can see Kasumi, this is the brains of the place and I'm the boss and Teg is my lutenant.
Kasumi: You mean Lieutenant?
Bet: Yeah, that word.
Teg: We're fighting the empire so that way other kids don't have to grow up like us.
Kasumi: Can I join?
The three boys then quickly huddled up.
Bet: So, boys are we gonna let her in on the action?
Viot: Why?
Bet: Because she's cool.
Teg: Cool? We just met her! You never said anything about letting the girls fight too?
Bet: True, she might get hurt.
Viot smiled.
Viot: If you do that she'll probably leave and you can't ask her out.
Bet: Ask her?! Why her?
Teg: Cus she's the first girl you seen since our bet.
Bet: Darn it now I gotta let her join! She'll leave if I don't. Why did you guys put me in this spot?
Viot: Technically, you put yourself in this spot. With your incessant rants of how alluring you are to girls. You unintentionally provoked us into provoking you into this position.
Kasumi drooped her shoulders in an extremely bored demeanor. Aggravated, she then walked up the whispering boys.
Kasumi: Come on? Can I join or not?
Bet then quickly jumped in front of her and stated.
Bet: Yeah, but only one condition.
Kasumi: Okay.
Bet: We need some more food. There's an high class imperial food bank around the edge of the district. We used to take little bits every so often but since we got so big there were more mouths to feed. So one time we took a little too much and they found out so now they heavily guard it.
Kasumi: What about the grownups here?
Teg: There aren't any, it's just us.
Bet: We got this far by just stealing stuff.
She smiled.
Kasumi: I'm in. As much as I don't take pleasure in doing wrong to do right but my caretaker taught me to follow my heart and do what's right. But we'll need reinforcements.
Bet and the others came to reassure her that they were in fact doing the right thing. But people didn't seem to care. Gaining more people to a small cause will be extremely difficult at this point. But Kasumi knows what she must do, and that is to inspire people. She learned how to do it from the best.
Night – Dry Plains
She tried to disrobe [Name]. He noticed and struggled against her grasp against his pants in particular, his dark steed rose it's front hooves and let out a massive holler. A holler in the likes of which had never heard from a horse, it sounded like a holler from a massive mega class danger beast. The horse then left the area within seconds. It appears that many people in the surrounding area heard this. The rest of night raid looked at the direction from various spots of the house as well as the newly returned Tatsumi.
Enshin: What the hell was that?!
Syura: I don't know why the hell didn't you kill it!
Then as Cosmina and the others focused on what just happened, [Name] reached in his pockets and retrieved a vile of the now incredibly rare demon extract that Kasumi had bought for him some time ago. He then uncapped it and threw it in Cosmina's face! She shrieked in pain and screamed as the liquid seared her eyes.
Cosmina: GODDAMN YOU!
[Name] from the ground sent her flying back with a thrust kick to her chest. Then [Name] noticed someone had come this way via horseback. Although it is far away, [Name] knew this was Tatsumi coming back to help him. Tatsumi must've been far more powerful than [Name] had thought as Syura and the other Wild Hunt members looked in shock and fear. Enshin; laying in a pool of his own blood had died of his injuries and the remaining members of the Wild Hunt were none the wiser.
Syura: SHIT! All of you huddle up!
The living members of the defunct team did as they were told and Syura used his teleportation imperial arms to evacuate. A massive yin and yang symbol materialized on the ground beneath them. The group then disappeared in a swirl of purple lighting and sparkles were the only thing left behind.
[Name] slowly got back up and felt the pain of the confrontation. Heart burning with adrenaline, neck wounds pulsating, and he and his clothes were caked in dirt. [Name] would give anything for a shower, or even a hot bath right about now. While [Name] staggered, he breathed sighs of relief as he was alone, except for the returning Tatsumi who's nearing his location but still far away.
However, [Name] noticed that the ground was pounding as though a gaggle of beasts were also nearing his location. He was right, an entire legion of various colored kamado dragon type danger beasts converged on Tatsumi's location and from [Name]'s point of view he saw him go to work after immediately dismounting.
[Name]: Can this day get any worse?!
[Name] screamed as he ran to assist Tatsumi. There was an enormous amount of them coming and Tatsumi would appreciate the help. So [Name] readied himself and sprinted towards the carnage. There were too many of the venom spitting creatures for him to even see the young man. [Name] had dove into the creatures and he began easily slicing through leathery skin and hard bone.
Some began to run away as other beasts stayed and continued to be turned to ground meat. He still didn't see Tatsumi though, So [Name] swung, slashed, stabbed, and cut many of them in halves. [Name] realized that the scream his horse let out must've been a call for other beasts to converge on the location. This would've caused a distraction to help [Name] escape. He did have a good horse. Then out of nowhere the ground was pounded and large shockwave sent throngs of the beasts and [Name] flying as dirt now covered the area.
[Name] sat up and rubbed his head. All the remaining reptiles fled as [Name] got up and walked over to Tatsumi, whom he still couldn't see because of the flying dirt.
[Name]: Nice move, but I-
He met a sword point an inch from his eye and so stopped moving entirely.
Esdeath: Who dares interrupt my slaughter! I'm having a bad day!
She yelled and finished with a very offended tone. Bent on slaughtering the danger beast on her own, she thought how "dare someone have the gall to join in"?! [Name]'s heart almost stopped. This was no Tatsumi, he was dead wrong the whole time. The dust still hadn't cleared from her attack that he couldn't see.
The dirt then cleared and he saw the blue haired warrior with her eyes glowing a blood red. Nothing but an insatiable bloodlust filled this woman's body. [Name]'s mind was taken aback by her milky skin, her long flowing ice blue hair, and her beautiful facial features. He remembered about how the last time he'd seen her when he was near death after fighting for his life, He'd almost forgot how she looked. But the smoke had cleared for about a second, and she still didn't react to seeing him positively. This was amazing she must've gotten over him or not recognize him. [Name] sighed in relief.
[Name]: Thank goodness she doesn-
Esdeath's eyes returned to their normal color and an unmistakably pink tint came to her face. Her sword dropped to her side and the sigh of surprise she let out made it seem like she had winded herself. Her awed face quickly morphed into a bright smile. [Name]'s heart sank and at the same time, he was filled with a strange level of excitement. The blue haired general then exclaimed with joy.
Esdeath: This has to be some sort of elaborate mirage!
Night – Hidden Nightraid Fortress.
Akame sat out with sheathed Murasame on the grassed hill overlooking the vast nothingness of the plains beyond. On her left was the massive home in which the rest of the nightraid were resting and were flanked by lots of trees. She wondered how and why exactly things turned out the way they did for her life now. While she did view her upbringing as terrible she also deemed it necessary. It was needed to mold her into the hardened woman she is today, to make the decisions that others like the corrupt justice system of the empire cannot do. Why her is probably a question that in which answered, wouldn't make things any better for her mentally.
It would just make her lament more on the lives her and Kurome could've had. She could've experienced things like a normal job, living amongst a community, and stresses that by this job's stresses should be considered menial. Maybe even love is something she could've experienced. But none of that matters right now, she doesn't matter either. She's another wanted assassin who fights for the freedom, for those who would never thank her. Her mind was then taken out of her thoughts of misery.
Tatsumi: Hey Akame?
He said somewhat sheepishly
Akame: What is it Tatsumi?
She replied without looking back to him.
Tatsumi: I'm really sorry about earlier, it wasn't any of my business for me to butt in like that.
This warmed Akame's heart, she thought the two would spend a while with silent animosity. But Tatsumi was special, his compassionate heart wouldn't allow for it. Akame did look back and she also stood up and walked over to face him.
Akame: It's my fault too Tatsumi. You don't share all the blame. I should've been more open with you from the start.
Tatsumi: Cool, but it's not me you should apologize too. Guess who I saw?!
He said with an extremely excited demeanor.
Akame then crossed her arms and said with a annoyed tone.
Akame: Tatsumi. . .you didn't
Tatsumi: [Name]! I saw him out there riding on his own.
Akame: Now I know you're lying.
Tatsumi: No honestly! He said he was looking for a girl he was taking care of.
Akame: Really? Why was he near Gelease?
Tatsumi: I think he came from the Celestial commonwealth. I tried to get him to join and he ended up telling me why you don't like him.
The young red eyed woman nearly shook. "How could he have found out why?", It isn't like he was a physiologist and even if he was there was no way how he could truly know what she felt about her seeming distaste for him.
Akame: What did he tell you?
She folded her arms and listened intently.
Tatsumi: He said that he saw underneath your skirt and now you hate him for it.
Akame almost immediately calmed. That incident was trivial and she knew it was an accident, but she'll play the part to keep Tatsumi satisfied.
Akame: Yes, I could never understand how I could work with such a dirty and inconsiderate person like that. It would be an affront to myself and the other women of the group.
Tatsumi: Yeah I guess. If he comes back and apologizes will you accept it?
Akame: Maybe though it's unlikely. But enough about that.
Tatsumi: Well, anyway I'm going to go read this "awesome" manga that you should too. It's already the final chapter.
Akame: Don't tell me it's about that one where this samurai gets flung to the future and has to fight to get back to the past.
Tatsumi: Yep!
He said with an excited tone. Akame then scoffed and replied with a smile.
Akame: For the last time, no; Mine would find that more entertaining.
In playful irritation, Tatsumi then pouted and proclaimed.
Tatsumi: Fine! Then I'll go bother her then!
He then waved at her and ran off into the house. Akame's pleasant demeanor had once again changed to a dower one. She sat back down in her original position and continued to muse. She was jealous; jealous of how Tatsumi and others can be so happy while she can't be. And anyway, "why should I be", she thought. It'll only end badly.
Another thought came to mind, is [Name] happy? He seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder, so if he isn't then they'd be even more of kindred spirits. Her darker emotions thrived on that possible fact, but she hated this side of her emotions. And as much as she'd like to uproot them and replant them with love, she cannot for it is impossible. But she found some semblance of solace in knowing she is meant to live and die as a ghostly assassin. For that was her only lot in life.