"Games purify our souls and leave room for our new development that challenges the mind. They are the products of humans' wisdom"
— Seto Kaiba, Yu-Gi-Oh!
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Just then, Ogre, the captain of the Imperial Police, emerged from the tavern Roy had just exited.
"Good evening, Captain!"
"Greetings, sir!"
"Captain Ogre!"
...
The Imperial Police greeted their captain.
"Carry on with your patrol," Ogre instructed.
"Yes, sir!"
After a brief exchange, the guards continued their patrol, while Ogre walked towards Roy.
Roy subtly adjusted his direction, walking towards Ogre as well.
In the bustling street, amidst the flow of people, they passed each other.
Roy, his back to Ogre, smirked and continued walking.
Among the patrolling guards, Seryu Ubiquitous, who was at the rear, saw a flash of light.
She instinctively turned her head and saw her mentor, Ogre, suddenly freeze.
Then, he collapsed to the ground, his head rolling off his shoulders.
"S-Sensei..." Seryu Ubiquitous trembled, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The other guards, alerted by her reaction, also witnessed the gruesome scene.
"Captain Ogre has been assassinated!"
"Seal off the area! Find the culprit!"
"Don't let the assassin escape!"
"I'll kill whoever murdered Sensei!"
...
Panic and chaos erupted in the entertainment district.
Roy, however, had already left the area and was walking through a quiet alley.
"Hey, Roy! Well done! Not only did you take out Ogre, but you even fooled the Imperial Police," Leone praised, appearing beside him with Akame.
"That was a clean strike," Akame added, offering a rare compliment.
Indeed, as Roy passed by Ogre, he had drawn and swung his sword in a swift, unseen motion.
The attack was so fast that no one noticed until Ogre collapsed a few steps later.
It was a perfect assassination. If Akame and Leone hadn't been observing closely, even they wouldn't have noticed.
"Haha, it was nothing," Roy said modestly.
He was being praised for eliminating a weakling!
Leone found his nonchalance a bit arrogant, but Roy was genuinely being humble.
...
Back at Night Raid headquarters, Najenda commended Roy's performance.
"Well done, Roy. It seems you're getting into the swing of things," she said. "Tomorrow, you'll be partnered with Mine."
"No problem," Roy agreed.
"Boss is really going out of her way to help Roy integrate into the team," Leone commented, her arms crossed. "But Mine isn't the easiest person to get along with."
Indeed, Mine's tsundere personality could be quite challenging.
However, once she acknowledged someone, she was incredibly loyal and supportive.
"Achoo!" Mine, currently on a mission, sneezed. She felt like someone was talking about her.
...
Early the next morning, Najenda gathered the Night Raid members.
"We have intruders near our base. According to Lubbock's barrier, there are eight of them," she announced.
"They managed to find this place? Impressive. They must be skilled assassins," Leone commented, though she didn't seem too concerned.
"Deploy! Eliminate all hostiles," Najenda ordered decisively.
"Yes!"
The Night Raid members set out to search for the intruders.
Roy and Mine were partnered, as per Najenda's instructions.
"Honestly, why do I have to be partnered with the newbie?" Mine grumbled as they searched the forest.
She usually worked with Sheele, who would protect her, allowing her to focus on sniping enemies from afar.
She wasn't happy about the sudden change in partners.
"Don't worry, Mine. I won't let you get hurt," Roy reassured her with a smile.
"What are you talking about, idiot?" Mine blushed at his words, which sounded almost like a confession.
Just then, a figure emerged from the trees, charging towards Mine.
"What?!"
The sudden attack was incredibly fast. Even Mine couldn't react in time.
Just as the attacker was about to strike, Roy stepped in front of her, shielding her.
"Look out!" Mine cried out.
"Don't worry, it's fine now," Roy said calmly, patting her head.
Mine blinked, then looked behind Roy.
Thwack!
The attacker's head rolled on the ground.
Mine felt a surge of gratitude and a sense of security.
However, her tsundere nature wouldn't allow her to express her feelings directly.
"Hmph, you barely passed," she huffed, swatting away Roy's hand.
Roy chuckled at her tsundere act.
They continued their search for the intruders.
...
On a mountaintop, Mine finally found her target.
"Hmph, after that close call, I can unleash even greater power. This distance is perfect for sniping," she declared, spotting an enemy through the scope of her Teigu, "Pumpkin."
She pulled the trigger.
A golden beam of energy shot out.
Boom!
The target was instantly vaporized.
Mine's Teigu, "Pumpkin," resembled a massive sniper rifle with incredible destructive power.
Its power increased in proportion to the danger she faced.
In the original story, Bud, the Grand General of the Empire, who was as strong as Esdeath, had been killed by Mine's "Pumpkin."
It was a terrifying weapon.
"Target eliminated!" Mine declared, satisfied.
Suddenly, another enemy emerged from a nearby tree, slashing at Roy.
This time, the target wasn't Mine.
Just as the enemy's blade was about to strike Roy, a gun appeared at its head.
"Sayonara."
Bang!
Roy twirled the Light Gun in his hand, blowing away the smoke from the barrel.
"Eh? Is your Teigu also a gun?" Mine asked, dumbfounded.
When the enemy had appeared, she had expected Roy to draw his sword.
But he had used a gun instead.
Judging by the energy bullet it fired, Mine assumed it was a Teigu.
"This? It's just a toy. If you like it, I'll give it to you," Roy offered casually.
"Eh? Really?" Mine couldn't believe he would give her such a valuable weapon so easily.
"Of course. Here." Roy handed her the Light Gun.
Mine accepted it without hesitation.
She examined the gun, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Her "Pumpkin" was powerful, but it was also cumbersome to use, especially in close combat.
This Light Gun would be perfect for close-quarters situations.
"Here, Mine, let me teach you how to use it," Roy offered, demonstrating the gun's functions.
Although Mine didn't have magic power, the Light Gun could also use ordinary bullets.
And it could also use mental energy as ammunition, which was how "Pumpkin" operated.
However, "Pumpkin" was troublesome to use. It was a modular weapon that required assembly, and she always had to carry a large case with her.
If ambushed, she wouldn't have time to assemble it.
The Light Gun was much more convenient. It was small, lightweight, and powerful.
After Roy taught her how to use it, Mine loved the Light Gun even more.
"Thank you! I might even agree to do something for you if it's not too outrageous," Mine said with a tsundere blush, accepting the gift.
"If you could call me by my name, I'd be very happy," Roy replied with a smile.
Mine had been calling him "newbie" and hadn't used his name yet, indicating she hadn't fully accepted him as a comrade.
"That's easy. Roy," Mine said without hesitation.
As she uttered his name, the atmosphere shifted subtly. Their eyes met.
Mine blushed, her cheeks burning.
"The mission is complete. Let's head back," she blurted out, unable to handle the sudden intimacy.
She slung "Pumpkin" over her shoulder and practically fled.
Roy chuckled, amused by her flustered reaction.
...
The next day, Roy continued his partnership with Mine.
Today's mission, assigned by Najenda, was to investigate the situation in the Imperial Capital.
Early in the morning, Roy knocked on Mine's door.
"Mine, are you awake? We have a mission to attend to."
"W-Wait a moment. I'll be right there," Mine's flustered voice came from inside the room.
After a while, she finally emerged.
She glared at Roy and let out a haughty "hmph."
She had been changing clothes when she heard Roy's voice, startling her and causing a moment of panic.
Roy shrugged, amused by her predictable reaction.
They headed to the dining room for breakfast.
Saeko and Akame were partnered today.
Saeko's cooking, as always, was impeccable, earning praise from everyone.
After breakfast, Roy and Mine set off for the Imperial Capital.
"Ah, I'm a bit full," Mine said, patting her stomach contentedly.
"Now, let's begin our investigation of the Capital!" she declared with enthusiasm.
Roy knew that her "investigation" mainly involved shopping.
But she wouldn't neglect her duty to observe the situation in the Capital.
"Hurry up and keep up!" Mine called out.
"Coming!" Roy chuckled, catching up to her.
They walked side by side, looking like a young couple.
Some of the comments from passersby made Mine blush.
They strolled through the streets like they were on a date, enjoying ice cream, shopping for clothes, and playing games.
Mine's smile didn't fade throughout the morning, while Roy became the designated bag carrier.
Fortunately, he had Storage Magic. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to carry everything.
Perhaps only during these moments could Mine, a killer who walked in darkness, truly be herself.
Roy felt a pang of sympathy for these girls.
"Gulp... Ah..." Mine took a large sip of iced juice, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips.
"We bought so many clothes today! As expected, pink is the best color for spring!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
"So, did you enjoy our date today?" Roy asked, also taking a sip of his juice.
"Of course I did," Mine replied without hesitation.
Then, as if realizing what she had just said, she blushed furiously.
"Idiot! What date?! We were investigating the Capital!" she shouted, jumping to her feet.
"Okay, okay, I know. It wasn't a date. It was an investigation," Roy soothed her, chuckling at her outburst.
Mine sat back down, took another sip of her juice, and fanned her face with her hand, trying to cool down her burning cheeks.
But the memories of the day with Roy wouldn't fade so easily.
They sat in silence for a while.
When they finished their drinks, Mine stood up. "Alright, mission accomplished! Let's head back."
"Okay," Roy agreed with a smile.
They returned to the Night Raid headquarters.
...
That evening, Najenda assigned a new mission.
"Our target this time is Iokal, a distant relative of Prime Minister Honest," she announced, her expression turning grim.
"He uses Prime Minister Honest's name to kidnap and torture women to death."
"The five Wild Hunt assassins guarding him are also guilty."
"This is an important mission. All members of Night Raid will participate."
"Yes!"
...
The mission wasn't particularly difficult. The Wild Hunt assassins were small fry.
But since the other Night Raid members had no other assignments, Najenda decided to have them all participate.
Soon, they were gathered outside Iokal's mansion.
Mine would be the first to strike, sniping Iokal from afar.
Once Iokal was eliminated, the Wild Hunt assassins would undoubtedly come after them.
The others would then intercept and eliminate the assassins. It was a simple plan.
...
Mine had found the perfect sniping position on a hill overlooking the mansion.
Roy stood beside her, acting as her bodyguard.
"Good luck, Mine!"
"Hmph! I'm a genius sniper."
"The moment he steps out of that mansion, he's dead."
Mine took a deep breath and raised her Teigu, "Pumpkin."
She peered through the scope, her focus unwavering.
Her concentration was absolute, as if nothing could distract her from her target.
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