Chapter 150: Imperial Capital
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Kurome followed Aoki out of the room.
"Come on," Aoki said, "don't look so dejected. How can an immortal life and an infinitely regenerating body come without any cost?"
Kurome glanced at him with a resentful look.
Aoki laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm working on solving this problem. It's not entirely impossible to taste food again."
Kurome perked up, looking very excited. "Really?"
"Really!" Aoki nodded. "But it may take some time."
A smile appeared on Kurome's face. "Well, now we have all the time in the world, don't we?"
"That's right."
Aoki raised the back of his hand and looked at it. The energy in the "World Shuttle" mark was fully charged. He could sense that the pole was far to the west, likely beyond the empire's borders.
But for now, his goal remained unachieved, so he wasn't in a hurry to leave and had no immediate plans to seek out the pole.
"Let's go," Aoki said, "let's find a place to replenish your puppets, and then head to the imperial capital."
Aoki started walking forward, and Kurome followed briskly, her hands clasped behind her back.
"What are you going to do in the imperial capital?" she asked.
"Kill the emperor," Aoki replied.
"Why?!"
...
Squeak. Squeak.
A carriage drove slowly and stopped at the city gate. The old man with a white beard lifted the curtain.
"Aoki, Kurome, we've arrived at the imperial capital."
A man and a woman stepped down from the carriage. The man was tall and handsome, and the girl wore a black dress, with a pretty face and a slim figure.
Aoki looked up, and a majestic city came into view. The imperial capital was built on a mountain, with the terrain rising towards the center where the imperial palace stood. Even from outside the city, the luxurious palace was visible.
"Imperial capital," Kurome murmured, her expression complex.
She was back, but in a completely new identity.
She wondered if her wanted posters were plastered all over the capital by now.
Aoki turned to the old man. "Thank you, sir."
On the way here, Aoki had helped the old man with a small problem, and in return, the old man had insisted on bringing them to the city. Aoki agreed, curious about riding in a carriage.
The bearded old man shook his head and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Aoki, Kurome, be careful while living in the imperial capital. It's not a peaceful place."
Aoki pretended to be naive. "The imperial capital is the center of the empire. How could there be enemies here?"
"Not enemies, no, not enemies. Just... be careful."
The old man shook his head and sighed.
Aoki and Kurome watched him leave, then turned and walked towards the imperial capital.
The magnificent city walls bore the marks of time. This city had a history of more than a thousand years. It looked prosperous, but in reality, it was riddled with decay.
Aoki sniffed the air lightly. "The smell of decay!"
In the city where Mitsuri Kanroji lived, the Fujita family had established the "Yahime Society," kidnapping many girls for themselves and other powerful people to fulfill their dark desires. But in this city, the Fujita family and the Yahime Society were everywhere.
Kurome was stunned. "My sister, Akame, betrayed the empire, joined the Revolutionary Army, and has been fighting to overthrow the empire."
"It's a night raid," Aoki said, glancing around at the half-naked homeless people scattered along the roadside.
Kurome looked up at him. "Aoki, you know about them?"
"How could I not have heard of the infamous Akame and her one-hit-kill demon sword, Murasame?" Aoki said with a smile.
"Infamous..." Kurome echoed quietly.
Kurome pursed her lips. "No way! My sister is incredible for being willing to fight for the people and change the world!"
"You really admire your sister," Aoki observed.
"Of course, I love my sister the most, but..." Kurome's expression grew somber. "I once wanted to kill her, to turn her into a puppet with the Yatsufusa. It was crazy."
Aoki remained silent.
In truth, Akame also wanted to kill Kurome, to free her from the Empire's control. They truly were sisters, both extreme in their ways. However, after stopping the medication, Kurome's mental state gradually returned to normal, and her thoughts were no longer so morbid.
"Do you want to see Akame?" Aoki asked.
"See my sister?" Kurome's face lit up with anticipation.
Aoki chuckled. "After all, you've now betrayed the Empire. You're no longer in a position to be her enemy."
Kurome glared at Aoki, annoyed.
This guy really knew how to rub salt in her wounds. But soon, she started to laugh, her eyes filled with longing, and her face showing a youthful excitement.
"Yes, there's no need to be my sister's enemy anymore. Plus, I don't have to take those meds anymore, and my body is getting better. I have so much good news to share with her!"
"We'll see," Aoki said. "Night raids are happening all over the imperial capital, and they'll only increase. We'll definitely cross paths with her one day."
Suddenly, there was a loud noise. The two of them looked around and quickly figured out what had happened.
A homeless man had died.
This wasn't unusual. The crowd quickly dispersed, and the body was dragged away by the security team.
After they moved on, Kurome asked, "Is all of this Minister Honest's fault?"
Aoki shook his head. "The ice is three feet thick; it didn't freeze overnight. Minister Honest only accelerated this process. He didn't create this situation—he's not capable of that. This country has been rotting at its core for thousands of years. When a nation is on the brink of collapse, evil emerges. Honest is that evil, the one who finally pushed the empire into the abyss."
In fact, the empire had lasted a thousand years simply because the imperial arms were so powerful. Esdeath alone was worth an entire army. The Shikoutazer was practically a god on earth. If many imperial weapons hadn't been lost in the civil war hundreds of years ago, it would have been nearly impossible for ordinary people to overthrow the empire, even in its current state of decay. This was the terrifying nature of supernatural power.
Kurome remarked, "My sister, or rather, the Night Raid, seems to have always targeted the ministers. Can killing the ministers really change this country?"
Aoki replied, "It will definitely help, but it's hard to say how long those changes will last. You'll see it for yourself."
The Night Raid and the Revolutionary Army eventually overthrew the empire and established a new country. But it also left behind many hidden dangers. No one can predict how the future will unfold.
"And what about us?" Kurome looked at Aoki. "What should we do?"
"Didn't I tell you? Our goal is to kill the emperor and seize the Shikoutazer!"
"Huh? Are you really going to kill the emperor?"
"Of course. Do you think I'm joking?"
"What is the Shikoutazer?"
"Your history lessons must have been lacking. The Shikoutazer is the original and most powerful imperial weapon."
The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance.
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T/N: There is a Patreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early chapters.
Patreon link:- Patreon.com/ANelite
And also:
Imperial weapon = Teigu
Teigu = Imperial weapon