Night Raid Headquarters, Infirmary.
The atmosphere in the infirmary was heavy, and the medical personnel who were treating the wounds remained silent, diligently working. Even Leone, who was typically cheerful and carefree, was unusually quiet. The expressions on everyone's faces were grim—four comrades who had fought alongside them had fallen in the recent battle, never to return.
This painful failure felt like a hammer blow to their cause.
Mine sat silently, allowing the medical staff to bandage her arms, which were covered in numerous small cuts. She sat like a lifeless statue.
Lubbock, his chest wrapped in bandages, his face pale from the medication, spoke softly to her: "Mine, I understand how you feel, but this is the fate we face. We're assassins, and death is always with us..."
As a former Imperial soldier, Lubbock's mental resilience was far stronger than that of Mine and Leone, who hadn't been hardened by the military.
"I know... casualties are inevitable. But... if I hadn't stubbornly insisted on killing those two Imperial assassins, maybe Captain Tennyson and Brother Bulat could have escaped..."
"It's my fault!" Mine buried her face in her hands, sobbing as she blamed herself for her recklessness and incompetence.
"Alright, Mine, you shouldn't blame yourself. It's not entirely your fault," Lubbock said, seeing that Mine was shouldering the blame for the delay in their retreat. He tried to comfort her.
"Yeah, Mine, Lubbock is right. It's not your fault. If we start pointing fingers, then all of us share responsibility..." Leone, forcing a smile, moved her newly grown arm in agreement.
"But..."
"No buts! Lubbock and Leone are right, this wasn't your fault. I also bear responsibility for failing to properly assess the situation before giving out the mission."
Before Mine could continue, the door to the infirmary opened. Najenda, wearing a black suit and sporting her signature short silver hair, stepped in. She picked up where Leone left off.
"BOSS!" Upon seeing her, the remaining members of Night Raid spoke in unison, as if they had found their pillar of strength. Their previously despondent moods instantly lifted.
Even though Selene often disdained Najenda's "weak" and conciliatory stance, she had to admit Najenda's leadership skills were formidable. Her unique charisma made her well-loved by her subordinates, which helped stabilize morale quickly.
To make a comparison, while both Selene and Najenda could earn their soldiers' loyalty without withholding resources or mistreating them, Selene ruled with an iron fist, akin to the harsh rule of Qin's Shang Yang. Under Najenda, life was much more relaxed.
Selene emphasized strict discipline, where occasional lightheartedness was allowed, but her command was absolute. Obedience was not a choice, it was a requirement.
Under Selene's command, one's power and wealth could grow rapidly, with opportunities for advancement coming continuously. But the cost was steep—daily relentless training, and the certainty of death on the battlefield.
In contrast, under Najenda, life was more comfortable, with less of the suffocating pressure that came with Selene's harsh rule. But with that ease, opportunities for achievement were also scarcer.
Which style was better? It was a matter of perspective.
In the Empire, Selene's methods were far more popular, producing a corps of bloodthirsty warriors who reveled in war.
Najenda's style was rare in such a brutal empire.
"Hmm..." Najenda nodded slightly and stepped in front of Mine. She placed a hand on Mine's forehead and spoke calmly, "Mine, don't let yourself get too emotional. Death among us is not unusual. I've made it clear to all of you, haven't I?"
"When we kill, we must be prepared to be killed ourselves!"
"I know, but as their comrade, I will avenge them!" Mine dropped her hands from her face, her voice rising with determination. Her teeth clenched tightly, making a grinding sound. "The next time I meet them, I won't be so weak. I'll shoot them myself!"
"Captain Tennyson and Brother Bulat will not have died in vain..." Najenda sighed and handed Mine a handkerchief.
Mine wiped her tears with it, and the confusion in her eyes gradually faded.
Seeing that Mine had regained her fighting spirit, Najenda felt reassured. She stood up, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a ring of smoke. "Alright, let's put the grieving behind us. It's time to get back to business... Leone!"
Squeak~
Once Leone followed her out, Najenda shut the door to the infirmary before continuing. "Leone, are you certain there's nothing wrong with those two? Why was it that right when they arrived, you were attacked?"
Leone took a deep breath before replying, "I'm sure. In [Lionelle] mode, I didn't sense any malice from them... so it must have been a coincidence."
"Hmm..." Najenda nodded slowly, accepting Leone's assessment. "Then Leone, those two newcomers will be under your care for now. Test them for a while and see what potential they have."
Imperial Arm The King Of Beasts Transformation: Lionelle, a belt-type Imperial Arm that allows the user to transform into a beast, greatly enhancing physical abilities, as well as senses like smell, sixth sense, and perception.
"Got it, no problem."
"Alright, then bring everyone to the meeting room, including those two newcomers..." With that, Najenda turned and walked out.
...
Sigh In the meeting room, Najenda took the main seat. After everyone gradually filed in, she lit another cigarette, took a deep breath, and then spoke:
"Lubbock, what exactly happened? With your group of six Imperial Arms users and one Shingu wielder, there should be hardly anyone in the Capital who could stop you unless you ran into the Imperial Palace or the Duke's mansion."
"Budo stays in the palace and rarely leaves, and Selene regularly returns to her territory for vacations. According to the latest intel from the Revolutionary Army's informants, she's still in the Springs Palace... Was it Esdeath? That doesn't seem right; she's supposed to be on the frontier."
Najenda tapped her finger rhythmically on the table as she quickly listed her concerns. "And who are those two newcomers? Also, what exactly did you encounter? Why were the casualties so heavy?"
After finishing her questions, she flicked the ash from her cigarette. Although Night Raid had suffered severe losses this time, she regained her composure swiftly after the initial shock.
"We're from the countryside..." Sitting uneasily, Sayo and Ieyasu awkwardly introduced themselves, stuttering through their explanation.
"I see, you were tricked by those monsters... Anyway, Sayo, Ieyasu, welcome to Night Raid."
"I'll have our informants keep an eye out for your missing companion..." Najenda reassured the two newly inducted members of Night Raid.
"Now, back to the main issue. What exactly did you encounter? Why was the damage so severe? Lubbock, you explain."
Lubbock raised his head and began, "It was pretty much the same as usual. The noble guards and the guest warriors from the Imperial Fist Temple were no match for us... but then, we encountered the Imperial Assassination Squad—the surviving elite members from the group we wiped out two years ago in the southern provinces."
"The Imperial Assassination Squad... so it was those two who escaped... but they shouldn't have been strong enough to kill Tennyson and the others," Najenda frowned in confusion.
"We ran into Selene's forces," Lubbock said in a low voice.
"What?!" Najenda immediately stood up, staring at Lubbock in shock. "Are you sure they were Selene's forces?"
"I'm certain. Those iron giants shouted, 'For Selene!' There's no way I could've misheard that. And their chest plates bore the golden double-headed eagle—Selene's insignia!" Lubbock held his head in his hands, his certainty clear.
"General Selene..." For the first time, Najenda showed an uncharacteristically heavy expression in front of her subordinates when hearing that name.
"..."
The atmosphere suddenly became very tense. Sitting to the side, Ieyasu felt out of place, unsure of what to say or do.
"Uh... excuse me, who is this Selene person?" Despite not understanding the gravity of the situation, Ieyasu could sense that everyone was taking this seriously, so he scratched his head and asked curiously.
"Idiot! The boss is thinking, and you just blurt something out?!" Sayo tugged on Ieyasu's ear and whispered angrily.
Cough, cough Leone couldn't help but cough. This guy really is from a rural village, huh?
Ieyasu's innocent question broke the tense mood, and the atmosphere in the room lightened considerably.
"No, it's fine. This isn't the decaying Empire; we're the Revolutionary Army. Everyone is free to speak. There's no need to call me 'commander' either... I'm just surprised someone in the Empire doesn't know General Selene's name." With a faint smile, Najenda's earlier heavy expression softened.
"Ieyasu, you dummy! That's the Grand General of the Empire, the Supreme Commander of the military!" Sayo grew frustrated at the amused glances around the room.
"Oh... so that's who she is..." Ieyasu muttered.
Najenda patiently explained, "General Selene, full name Selene von Habsburg, is the governor of the Northern Territory and Duke of Habsburg. She's one of the three most powerful figures in the Empire."
"She was my former superior... and possibly the Revolutionary Army's greatest foe," Najenda added.
"Superior? BOSS, you were part of the Imperial military?" Sayo asked in surprise.
"That's right. I, Lubbock, and the late Tennyson and Bulat were once Imperial soldiers... but due to the Empire's corruption, we defected," Najenda said, glancing at Sayo and Ieyasu. "You've seen it firsthand yourselves."
"Yeah..." Sayo and Ieyasu nodded, recalling the horrifying scene at the warehouse in the woods. They shivered at the thought that they had nearly ended up there as well.
"Is Selene really that powerful? I mean, is she truly as strong as the rumors say?" Suddenly, Mine, who had remained silent and withdrawn the entire time, spoke up.
"BOSS, do you think... I have a chance?"
"...."
Najenda knew all too well about Mine's tragic past and the deep hatred she harbored. Two of her adoptive fathers had been killed by Selene, and the last person who was about to adopt her, a high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Army, was annihilated along with their headquarters in one of Selene's assaults.
This blood feud had given Mine a lifelong goal: to kill Selene and avenge her family.
But to be honest, Najenda didn't think Mine stood a chance. Selene's strength was on a completely different level from theirs.
Looking into Mine's eyes, Najenda replied gravely, "Mine, I don't want you to throw your life away. Even though Selene hasn't personally fought in recent years, you have to understand that the number of lives she's taken is greater than the entire Imperial army's total strength!"
"But, if she hasn't fought for so long, doesn't that mean she's gotten weaker?" Mine asked, clinging to a glimmer of hope.
"Enough, Mine. Don't fall into that trap. It will get you killed..." Leone interrupted. "Do you know how the Imperial South Lake was formed? Selene created it with one strike!"
"'Heavenly Wrath'—every Imperial citizen knows that story."
"You're kidding, right?!" Mine muttered in disbelief. "The South Lake... that massive area..."
"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes. It happened many years ago, but I'll never forget the sight of that purple-red sky..." Leone said solemnly.
"If Selene is that powerful... how can the Revolutionary Army succeed without defeating her..." Before Mine could finish her sentence, the door to the meeting room suddenly swung open with a squeak.
A Revolutionary Army informant hurried in, holding a sealed envelope. "BOSS, a message from Headquarters."
At this hour, an order must mean something important...
Snap.
Najenda quickly opened the envelope, scanning its contents. Her previously furrowed brows relaxed as she said, "Headquarters has sent reinforcements, and they've reached an agreement with a high-ranking Imperial official. For now, we'll set Selene aside..."
"The next target is the Imperial Palace—Minister Honest's chambers!"
...
What Night Raid didn't know was that, within Leone's gradually healing abdominal wound, a tiny milky-white crystal was faintly glowing with a weak purple-red light.
...
"Report: Based on the latest intercepted communication, we've confirmed that the leader of Night Raid is the Imperial traitor, Najenda. The coordinates have been determined. Captain Alex, should we proceed?"
"No, delay action for now. It seems the General has some plan in motion. We don't want to ruin it by acting rashly. Report this to the General and let her decide."
"Yes, sir!"