Imperial Capital.
It was already past the first watch (around 7:00-9:00 PM), and the sun had set, shrouding the land in darkness. Countless lights illuminated the city, turning the upper and middle districts of the capital into a sleepless metropolis.
At this moment, on the outskirts of the upper district, in a lush and well-maintained noble estate:
"Hey, I heard the young lady brought home two more country bumpkins today..." At the estate's main gate, two bored guards were chatting under the glow of the lamps.
The other guard nodded in response, "Yeah, the steward came back earlier this afternoon and told us to prepare two more 'beds' in the warehouse."
"Ugh, how many times has this happened?" The head guard exhaled deeply, looking up at the sky as he sighed, "When will this kind of life end..."
Although the Empire didn't have a saying like "assisting evil," it was the same sentiment. If life hadn't forced their hand, they wouldn't be involved in something like this.
Better them than me.
Most importantly, in a country like the Empire, a semi-feudal, semi-slave society with an absolute monarchy, the control over servants was exceptionally strict. Servants had no ability to resist their masters, being nothing more than personal property.
"Shut your mouth!" The other guard quickly scolded, "If you want to live, stop talking like that!"
Suddenly, "What a day! I'm so tired!"
Following the sound of the voice, they saw Lady Aria, the young lady of the estate, walking down the path with two new "friends." She was chatting and laughing, her bell-like laughter almost intoxicating to those who heard it.
But the two guards knew all too well that it was all a façade, a mask.
"Miss Aria, you're so energetic! I almost couldn't keep up with you when we were shopping earlier." Unlike Aria's voice, this one was gentler, giving off a refreshing, soothing feeling.
"Yeah, right, I was the one carrying everything all day!" Another voice chimed in. Although it sounded like a complaint, it was spoken with a carefree, hearty tone, hinting at the speaker's outgoing nature.
"Hmph, what do you mean you carried everything? The guards helped out too! And... what, you're not willing, Ieyasu?!" The tone turned threatening, especially when she said the name with extra emphasis.
"Uh... of course not! We've grown up together, Sayo. You know what kind of person I am!" Ieyasu hurriedly explained.
"Hmph! If it were Tatsumi, he wouldn't be complaining at all... I wonder where he is right now..." Sayo's expression softened as worry for Tatsumi crept in.
"Childhood sweethearts, huh? How envious... Don't worry, I'll help you find your companion," Aria said with a smile.
"Thank you, Lady Aria," Sayo replied, gratitude clear in her voice.
"No problem... Oh, we're home! What do you think? My house is pretty impressive, isn't it? Still worried about not having a place to stay?" Aria gestured enthusiastically toward the grand estate in front of them.
At this moment, the two guards quickly stepped up to help Aria unload her purchases. "Miss, are these your new friends?" one of the guards asked.
This wasn't the first time she had made "friends," and they were already familiar with the process.
"Yes, have the kitchen prepare a grand feast. Don't hold back on the special 'ingredients.' They're my new 'friends,' so we must entertain them well," Aria instructed.
"At once, miss..." The guard gave a respectful bow before turning to Sayo and Ieyasu, saying, "Please, follow me."
"Miss Aria is so kind... The capital really is different from what I imagined. The people here are so warm and welcoming," Ieyasu remarked as they followed the guard.
Upon hearing Ieyasu's comment, the guard leading the way paused slightly, glanced back at him, and then quickened his pace, keeping his head down.
Sayo, however, noticed something strange. The guard's earlier look—was that... pity?
Why pity us? Is it because we're from a small village?
...
After Sayo and Ieyasu were led away, Aria slowly lowered the hand she had been waving with, and her expression darkened. Her fists clenched, and the sweet smile vanished, replaced by a grotesque, twisted look of jealousy.
"That peasant girl! How dare she be prettier than me! And her hair... it's so much nicer! Unforgivable! Ahhh! Any woman more beautiful than me must die!" Aria snarled, her eyes brimming with envy.
"I'll pull out each one of her silky black hairs, strand by strand. Then, I'll cut off her fingers, one by one, ahhh..."
They were perfect! Childhood sweethearts! If I can tie them together and torture them at the same time, it'll be such a delight!
Oh, and they had a third companion who got separated on their way to the capital... I must catch him too!
Hugging herself, Aria trembled with excitement, her legs squeezing together at the thought of the pleasure she would derive from torturing two perfect specimens tonight.
"Ahh, it's time to meet with Father and Mother."
The sweet smile returned to Aria's face as she walked off, leaving no trace of the twisted expression that had marred her cute appearance moments earlier.
"Don't see any guests tonight."
"Yes, miss!"
Watching Aria leave, the guards who had been carrying the bags shook their heads, one of them muttering, "That girl... what a shame."
"Yeah... a real shame," the other guard agreed, his voice heavy with pity. "She's pretty, too, with such smooth, black hair..."
"If the young lady hadn't taken a liking to her, she might've had a good life. I don't get why so many people are drawn to the capital like moths to a flame..."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Before he could finish his sentence, orange laser beams flashed. The heads of both guards were instantly pierced through, blood spraying out along with shards of their iron helmets.
Above the grand mansion, an intricate web of silk threads crisscrossed the night sky, forming a dense net. Silhouetted figures stood on the thin silver strands, their forms swaying gently in the breeze as they gazed down upon the estate, bathed in the light of the blood-red moon.
"Nice shooting, Mine," one of the figures remarked.
"Hmph! Of course, I'm a shooting genius! And hey, Leone, get your paws off my head! Stop messing with my hair! I won't grow tall!"
Hearing this, Leone, the blonde, busty beauty with a mischievous grin, stopped ruffling Mine's pink hair, throwing her hands behind her head and laughing. "Alright, alright. I didn't know you were so sensitive about your height, Mine..."
Mine's grip tightened on her weapon, the Imperial Arm Pumpkin, as a vein bulged on her temple. "Damn it, Leone, you..."
"Alright, focus on the mission," a middle-aged man with a stern expression said, frowning slightly.
"Based on the investigation, it's confirmed that this noble family has been secretly torturing and killing the country folk they lure here. Leone, wipe them all out!" he ordered.
"Got it, Deputy." Leone grinned before leaping into action, dragging Mine along with her.
The hunt had begun!
Meanwhile, inside the central mansion, Aria was preparing to introduce her two new "friends" to her parents.
"This is Ieyasu, and this is Sayo," Aria said sweetly, her voice soft as she introduced them to her parents.
Hearing this, both Sayo and Ieyasu bowed respectfully, greeting in unison, "Hello, Uncle and Auntie. My name is Sayo." "Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I'm Ieyasu."
Sitting across from them, Aria's parents smiled warmly, nodding in acknowledgment.
"Very well, I've heard about your situation from Aria. Don't worry, we will help you find your lost companion..."
Splurt—!
Suddenly, Aria's father froze mid-sentence. The next moment, his body, along with the luxurious sofa he was sitting on, was violently split in half, blood spraying everywhere.
"Target eliminated," a cold, emotionless voice stated. A young man clad in black, blood splattered across his night gear, stood in the reception hall, holding an enormous pair of scissors.
"Ahhh!" Aria screamed in horror.
"Assassins! Protect the young lady and madam!"
Two guards rushed to react, but before they could even draw their weapons, flashes of steel filled the room.
Splurt!
Blood and limbs flew everywhere. The once opulent and lavish reception hall, filled with beauty and luxury, was now drenched in terror and gore.
Aria's entire family—slaughtered.
"Lubbock, I've cleared the estate... What about those two?" The assassin, still holding the giant scissors, turned to his companion outside the broken glass door. "Do they need to be dealt with?"
"No, they aren't part of the mission. They're just country folk who got lured here. The mission is complete—let's retreat."
Click!
Stowing the massive scissors on his back, the young man named Lubbock turned and vaulted through the shattered window.
Jolted awake by the sound of breaking glass, Sayo and Ieyasu looked at each other, their faces pale and stained with blood. Horror filled their eyes.
What had just happened? In the span of only seven or eight seconds, the kind Aria and her family had been brutally murdered by thieves!
"The east wing is clear."
"West wing clear."
"Boss, the warehouse is dealt with... This noble family was rotten to the core!" Lubbock, his green hair tousled, descended from the silver threads, wearing a grim expression.
"Good. Since we've cleaned up, let's go..." Leone, with her furry beast ears twitching, stretched lazily, satisfied as the rest of the team regrouped in front of the mansion.
"You thieves! How dare you kill Miss Aria!"
Suddenly, from the second floor of the mansion, a shout of fury rang out, grabbing everyone's attention.
Standing at a broken window, Ieyasu held a rusty iron sword, glaring at the group with pure rage.
"Who's this guy? How is there still someone alive?" Lubbock asked, puzzled.
"I let him live. His name wasn't on the target list. Seems like he's just a clueless country bumpkin who got lured here," said Lubbock's companion, still holding his giant scissors.
"Ah, I get it now. Poor guy, he doesn't realize what's going on."
"I'll avenge Miss Aria..." Ieyasu roared.
Thud!
Leone easily knocked Ieyasu to the ground with a punch, sighing, "I went easy on him, but this poor kid got completely duped."
"Ugh... what do you mean? Aren't you just a group of wanted criminals?" Ieyasu coughed, shakily trying to stand.
"Ieyasu, are you okay?" Sayo asked, drawing her bowstring and aiming it at Leone, worry evident in her voice.
Clutching his sword tightly, Ieyasu glared at the well-endowed, golden-haired woman before him. "I'm fine! These people are thieves!"
"Thieves?" Thwack, thwack—Leone disarmed them both with ease.
Flexing her now beastified, furry fists, Leone said, "Don't accuse me of being a thief... though I'm no saint either. If we hadn't arrived in time, you wouldn't have survived the night."
"Hmph, let me show you the true face of your dear Miss Aria." Without another word, Leone grabbed both Ieyasu and Sayo, leaping off the second floor of the mansion and heading toward the forest warehouse.
"Lubbock, this isn't part of the mission!" the deputy called out.
"Don't worry about it... The mission's over anyway, and it looks like Leone just wants to show the kids the truth," Lubbock said, shrugging.
"Fine, let her do as she pleases. Leone's never one to sit still." The deputy sighed. "Back when I was in charge, I'd have punished her severely for such behavior."
"Too bad we're not in the Empire's military anymore," Lubbock quipped.
"You brat... But you're right. We're not. Let's hope Najenda's dream of the paradise described by the Revolutionary Army truly exists," the deputy said, crossing his arms, his tone filled with a hint of melancholy.
Indeed, the middle-aged man was Najenda's military deputy who had survived. While Night Raid had lost Akame and Sheele, many of Najenda's original soldiers, who would have been annihilated by Esdeath, were still alive.
With these military officers bolstering Night Raid, the organization was now far more formidable than in the original story.
"It will exist. But from the way Leone is acting, she probably wants to recruit these two country folk into the organization... Let's wait for her," Lubbock suggested.
"...Alright." The deputy nodded, agreeing with Lubbock's assessment.
"But we need to move quickly. Even though this is on the outskirts, it's still part of the upper district. The Duke of Habsburg's estate is nearby, and who knows what monsters he's hiding."
"Don't worry, the entire estate's been cleared..."
Suddenly, Lubbock's words were interrupted by Mine's panicked shout, "Lubbock, get down—!"
"Crushing King—!"
Boom!
Cornelia's eyes, filled with killing intent, appeared before Lubbock in an instant. The silver gauntlet on her arm erupted with a dazzling light as a massive vortex of energy gathered around it.
Boom—!
A shadow streaked by, smashing through the entire mansion, causing large cracks and collapses as the building crumbled.
Seeing Cornelia's attack, the deputy immediately shouted, "It's the Empire's assassination unit! Be careful..."
"Akame, move in!"
"Burial!"
Slash!
With a flash of lightning, the Revolutionary Army assassin who had been wielding a gun had his throat slit, blood gushing out. Strange, intricate runes began spreading from the wound, crawling over the body of the assassin.
"This is Tsukushi's [Prometheus]. You don't deserve to use it!" Akame growled as she pulled her [Murasame] free, her blade dripping with blood. Without missing a beat, she charged toward Lubbock, who wielded a giant scissor-shaped Imperial Arm.
Clang!
The clash between the blade and the scissors produced a scorching burst of sparks.
Imperial Arm Cutter of Creation: Extase, huh?
Its sharpness and hardness were impressive, and its hidden ability was the emission of a blinding flash as a distraction.
As they locked blades, Akame processed the information on the Imperial Arm in her mind. Thanks to Selene's intelligence, Akame already knew the number, type, and capabilities of Night Raid's Imperial and Subordinate Arms.
That's why she and Cornelia had waited to strike after Leone left. The heightened senses and sixth sense of The King Of Beasts Transformation: Lionelle would've made a sneak attack impossible.
Clang, clang, clang...
As the fierce battle continued, the deputy reminded Lubbock, "Remember, don't let her blade touch you! Its curse is lethal and impossible to break!"
"Understood!"
Seeing Lubbock momentarily distracted, Akame seized the opportunity, gripping her sword with both hands and delivering a powerful slash.
Suddenly, whoosh!
An orange laser shot toward Akame's head, forcing her to retreat and kick Lubbock in the knee as she did so.
Crack!
Lubbock's face twisted in pain as his left leg snapped backward, causing him to collapse to the ground, his leg bent at a gruesome angle.
Akame flipped gracefully to the ground, choosing not to follow up on her attack. Instead, she turned her gaze to the source of the laser.
Pumpkin, the Romantic Turret. Akame would never forget Najenda's Imperial Arm.
"Najenda!"
"Damn, what's with that look in her eyes?!" Mine, peering through the scope of Pumpkin as she aimed at Akame, felt a chill run down her spine. Akame's dark, murderous gaze, combined with her relentless charge, made her hesitate.
No time to waste. Activating Pumpkin at full power, Mine yelled, "Bulat! Get over here and help!"
"On my way!" Bulat called back, revealing himself as he deactivated his invisibility. wrapped in his steel-grey armor, he positioned himself directly in Akame's path.
"You're not getting through!" Bulat roared as he hurled his weapon, Redback Shrike (Note: In the anime, it was called 'Grand Chariot').
"Finally showing yourself..."
In the blink of an eye, Akame shifted her stance, her waist-mounted jet boosters roaring to life.
Whoosh!
A white plume of exhaust shot out, propelling Akame forward with a sudden burst of speed.
Her true target? The incapacitated Lubbock!
Slash!
The sound of flesh being sliced filled the air.
"Lubbock!"
The weapons in the Great General Selene's armory are truly top-notch... Akame thought silently as she flicked the blood from her blade. "You can't escape."
Behind her, Lubbock's lifeless body fell to the ground.
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