"Akame, are you sure you're okay? You're clearly injured—why not just stay and rest?" Cornelia, the leader of the "Elite Seven" of the Assassination Unit, asked with concern.
"Yeah, Akame, maybe you should head back..." added Green, adjusting his glasses.
"Huh? I'm fine, just hungry... I really want some meat..." Akame replied, rubbing her belly with a blank expression.
"Fine, have it your way." Cornelia parted the bushes in front of her, spotting a large wild boar across the river, gnawing at tree roots.
"Green, get ready..."
Suddenly, grumble, grumble~
"..." The scene became awkwardly silent for a moment.
"Akame, was that...?"
The boar, already on alert, immediately noticed the three who clearly harbored 'sinister' intentions for its flesh—especially the red-eyed one!
It stopped eating and turned towards Akame on the other side of the river, letting out a deep warning growl before beginning to retreat.
Just as the boar was about to flee, Green snapped, "[Sidewinder]!"
His black whip extended with a swift motion, coiling tightly around the boar's hind leg.
In the next instant, zing!
Slash!
Akame burst across the river with blinding speed, her blade, [Murasame], slicing cleanly through the boar's body. It collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from its wound.
"Alright, Akame, this boar should be enough to replenish our strength. Take it back to camp. Green and I will clean up the traces and maybe gather some wild veggies for an extra meal..." Cornelia instructed.
Before Akame left, Cornelia added sternly, "And don't even think about sneaking a bite!"
"Mmm... I know..." Akame puffed her cheeks in annoyance as she hoisted the boar onto her back and slowly walked back to the temporary camp.
"...Green, clean up the blood and tracks," Cornelia called over to Green before heading towards the nearby forest to forage for wild vegetables.
Suddenly, boom!
"Ah! Cornelia, watch out! It's an Earth Dragon!" Green shouted, pointing at the towering figure of a Class 1 Danger Beast that had erupted from the ground behind Cornelia.
Turning to see the massive Earth Dragon, standing over ten meters tall, Cornelia cursed internally.
A beast this size making such a racket—there's no way the rebels won't come after them now.
"Damn it! A Danger Beast? Fine, let's do this. [Crushing King], activate!"
Cornelia's right hand was instantly encased in a silver-gray gauntlet. She swung with all her might, landing a solid punch on the Earth Dragon's belly.
The Earth Dragon, unable to withstand the sudden blow, coughed up a mouthful of blood, splattering Cornelia in the process. "Die already!"
Once more, the power of the [Crushing King] gathered, and Cornelia's next punch tore straight through the Earth Dragon's abdomen, causing blood to spray out in all directions.
"Green! Grab some Earth Dragon meat. We need to move fast! The rebels are bound to hear this and come running."
Without a second thought, Cornelia ripped a few chunks of meat from the beast's carcass, urging Green to hurry.
"Cornelia, let's go!" Green, unfazed by the blood splattering everywhere, likewise tore off several chunks of meat from the Earth Dragon.
"Let's move!"
...
"Akame, where are Cornelia and Green?" Poney asked, watching as Akame solemnly skinned the wild boar.
"Meat... meat... Oh, huh? Cornelia and Green? They're probably still gathering wild veggies..."
Suddenly, boom!
"What was that?" Hearing the noise, everyone inside the shelter rushed out to investigate.
"It's coming from Cornelia's direction..." Akame, sensing danger, immediately grabbed her weapon, [Murasame], and bolted towards the source.
At that moment, Najasho, the leader of the Seven, shouted, "We have to relocate, our position has been compromised!"
...
Meanwhile, at a large temporary rebel camp not far away, nearly a hundred seasoned soldiers moved through the area.
"Where the hell are those dogs' hideouts? We've been marching for ages and still haven't found anything. Not a soul in sight."
"Hah, how the tables have turned! We used to be the ones hiding from the Empire's dogs, but now they're the ones running!"
"Hahaha... Doesn't that mean the Empire is on the decline? We, the Revolutionary Army, will soon be the new rulers of this land!"
...
In the center of the camp, Chelsea sat by a campfire, holding a document she had obtained from the Empire's defense forces. She sifted through the scattered information, trying to piece together the location of the Imperial Assassination Unit's base.
Swinging her legs and sucking on a lollipop, Chelsea wore a casual English-style school uniform, with her tea-red hair flowing loosely down her back.
"Chelsea, any new intel?" asked a girl standing next to her. She wore a single-handed sword at her waist, her attire clean and practical, giving her a sharp, dignified look.
This girl was none other than Taeko, a rare genius in swordsmanship who had inherited the teachings of Babara Oarburgh, and was a ruthless assassin in her own right.
Barbara, her master, was widely regarded as the strongest among the younger generation. (Until Akame killed her, that is.)
Unfastening her cloak, Taeko sat beside Chelsea. Despite her petite frame, her chest was noticeably large, even rivaling Esdeath's. "Loli with big boobs" would be an apt description.
Waving the document in her hand with confidence, Chelsea said, "Don't worry, you know my skills. Plus, with the proof Najenda provided, I can walk in and out of these defense camps at will."
"Still can't believe you guys managed to flip someone like Najenda, an Imperial General. Too bad I was on another mission that day, would've loved to see the two most famous women generals of the Empire in action."
"Chelsea-chan, don't worry, you'll get your chance. Hmm? What are you... Hey, stop that!"
Chelsea suddenly grinned mischievously, tossing the document aside as she pounced on Taeko, burying her head in Taeko's ample chest.
"Mmm, so soft... I gotta say, how do you fight with these? It's a wonder they don't get in your way," Chelsea teased, giving them a playful squeeze.
"W-wah... I don't know..." Taeko stammered, clearly embarrassed.
Just as the two girls were playing around, an elderly voice suddenly interrupted them. "Taeko, Chelsea, what kind of behavior is this? We're in the middle of a war!"
"Master! You're back. What's the situation?" Taeko quickly pulled away from Chelsea's grasp, using the moment to change the subject.
"Hmph! Don't ask. That slippery old fox Gozuki managed to escape to the north. There are Imperial Guards stationed there, so we couldn't pursue him further. Such a pity..."