"Stop."
Kaguya's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to make Kurome freeze in place. She turned around, her tear-streaked face filled with a heartbreaking mix of sadness and worry.
"Come here," Kaguya said, her voice strained as she coughed and tried to steady her swaying body.
Kurome shot a resentful glance at her sister, who was standing silently in the distance, before biting her lip and walking over to Kaguya.
"It really hurts," Kaguya grimaced, her usually composed face scrunched up in pain.
"How are you feeling?" Kurome asked, her voice trembling as she stared at the blade still lodged in Kaguya's chest, tears welling up in her eyes.
Kaguya's injury was severe—no one, no matter how strong, could survive such a wound to the heart. The sword remained in place, and Kurome knew that if it were removed, Kaguya's life would be in imminent danger, with blood gushing from the fatal wound.
"What do you think?" Kaguya responded through gritted teeth, trying to keep her composure despite the pain.
It had been a long time since Kaguya had been injured like this, and the sensation of pain was almost foreign to her now. She hadn't expected Akame's final strike, empowered by her secret technique, to break through her defenses.
With a determined expression, Kaguya grabbed the hilt of the sword and, with a sickening sound, yanked it out of her chest.
Blood spurted from the wound.
"Ah!" Kurome gasped, rushing forward in a panic to press her hands against the gaping wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. Her hands were quickly stained red.
"Are you trying to take advantage of me?" Kaguya joked weakly, tossing the blood-soaked blade aside.
The sword clattered to the ground with a loud clang.
Kurome was on the verge of tears again, but then she froze, staring at Kaguya's chest in disbelief. The blood that had been gushing from the wound had stopped, and even the horrific gash had vanished, leaving nothing but Kaguya's flawless skin.
How is this possible?
Kurome's eyes widened in confusion. She had seen the blade go through Kaguya's heart, yet now there wasn't even a trace of injury. Curiosity getting the better of her, Kurome's hands moved to Kaguya's chest, poking and prodding as if searching for the wound, even squeezing a bit.
"Are you really trying to take advantage of me?" Kaguya's eye twitched as she tried to suppress her embarrassment. "Why don't you poke your own chest instead—not that there's much to poke."
Kurome suddenly looked up, her big, beautiful eyes staring directly into Kaguya's, making Kaguya swallow her words. She remembered that Kurome didn't like anyone pointing out her flat chest.
Just as Kaguya was feeling a bit nervous under Kurome's intense gaze, Kurome suddenly threw herself into Kaguya's arms, hugging her tightly.
"Hey, are you trying to strangle me?" Kaguya teased, though she was genuinely struggling to breathe from the strength of Kurome's embrace.
Kurome's grip was surprisingly strong, even for Kaguya. But just as Kaguya was about to say something else, she felt a warm wetness on her chest. Realization dawned on her, and her expression softened.
"It's okay. I'm fine now," Kaguya reassured her, gently patting Kurome's back. "I haven't even lifted the curse yet."
Kurome slowly loosened her grip, pulling away from Kaguya, her eyes still red and puffy, though her expression had calmed. However, when she glanced over at her sister, Akame, there was still a trace of anger in her gaze.
"Your Teigu's ability is quite impressive," Kaguya said, turning her attention to Akame, a small smile playing on her lips. "But unfortunately, it has no effect on me."
As she spoke, a strange purple aura began to emanate from Kaguya's body, swirling around her like a mist. It was an ominous, tangible energy that radiated a terrifying aura.
Akame, who was closest to Kaguya, felt the full force of this energy. It was as if she were standing before a vast, dark ocean—cold, endless, and utterly overwhelming. The chill seeped into her bones, freezing her in place, and she couldn't help but feel an unfamiliar sense of fear.
This was Kaguya's Dragon Veins Chakra, a power so dark and corrupt that even Kaguya rarely used it. It was a malevolent force that could taint the mind, awakening the darkest desires and driving even the strongest-willed individuals to madness.
In the face of this extreme evil, the curse of Akame's Teigu, Murasame, was like a single drop of rain in an endless ocean—completely swallowed up and rendered powerless.
Within seconds, the curse marks that had been spreading across Kaguya's body melted away like snow under the hot sun, disappearing without a trace.
"This… this can't be," Akame stammered, her face paling as she stared at Kaguya in disbelief.
Ever since she had obtained Murasame, no one had ever survived after being struck by its cursed blade. The only way to survive was to amputate the affected area, like Esdeath had done in the original story. But no one could survive a wound to the torso, much less the heart.
But now, Akame was witnessing something impossible—Kaguya had been stabbed through the heart and yet showed no signs of death. It made Akame question whether she had truly struck Kaguya's heart at all.
And now, the terrifying power emanating from Kaguya made Akame feel an overwhelming sense of dread. For the first time in her life, she was truly afraid.
Kaguya took a deep breath, the purple aura retracting back into her body, though the oppressive atmosphere only grew stronger, almost suffocatingly so.
"Much better," Kaguya said, stretching her arms above her head with a satisfied smile. "My strength has finally returned. Being restricted and suppressed for too long really frustrating."
Akame's eyes widened in shock, her pupils contracting as she realized the truth.
Could it be that this terrifying power is her true strength?