After hearing the group's descriptions, Najenda had a general idea of the situation.
Still, she wanted to confirm something. "So, was he hostile toward you at all?"
"No, not at all," Akame replied. "Though, when I said I was going to kill Kurome, he did direct a brief killing intent at me."
As Night Raid's ace assassin, Akame was highly attuned to detecting hostility and bloodlust from others.
It was a skill she had honed back in the Empire's Assassination Unit. Her former commander, Gozuki, had also possessed the ability to sense the world of killing intent.
This skill had proven invaluable when dealing with spies.
"That just proves he's not actually hostile toward us, doesn't it?" Najenda said. "In that case, I'd say he's someone worth recruiting."
She continued, "Tonight's events could be considered either bad luck or good luck. But at the very least, this direct encounter saved us the trouble of having to observe him from afar."
"So, Boss, you're planning to invite him to join Night Raid?" Leone asked.
"Yes. We'll see if an opportunity presents itself. I want to speak with him in person," Najenda nodded.
Just as she had done when recruiting Akame—deliberately revealing her location so the Empire's Assassination Unit would send Akame to assassinate her—she planned to create an opportunity for a direct conversation.
"We're getting another new comrade!" Sheele said excitedly.
Sheele had long, flowing purple hair, matching purple eyes, and a deep fondness for the color—her entire outfit, including her cheongsam-style dress, was purple.
Among Night Raid, she was the only one who wore glasses, giving her a quiet and elegant appearance. Though pretty, she was known for being clumsy and a bit of an airhead.
Her Teigu, Cutter of Creation: Extase, was a massive scissor-shaped weapon capable of cutting through anything. It was also highly durable and could be used for defense.
Mine, however, crossed her arms. "Don't get too excited just yet. That guy might not even accept the offer. He could be just as stubborn as General Budo."
The twin-tailed girl with pink hair, Mine, was the current wielder of the gun-type Teigu Roman Artillery: Pumpkin.
Petite and cute, she wore a light pink dress that matched her hair and eyes. Though her features were adorable, her personality had a sharp edge, carrying a touch of arrogance.
Najenda had originally been the owner of Pumpkin, but after losing her right eye and right arm during her defection—thanks to Esdeath—she was no longer fit to use a gun-type Teigu. Seeing that Mine was a natural sharpshooter, she had entrusted the weapon to her.
"That being said," Najenda continued, "Blayn holds a commander-level position in the Empire's Assassination Unit, right? Did you pick up on anything after interacting with him?"
Akame shook her head slightly.
Given how young Blayn looked—around the same age as Kurome—it was hard for her to believe that he held a high-ranking position.
"I see. Then let's have the Revolutionary Army send someone to investigate," Najenda decided.
"The Empire's Assassination Unit base is heavily guarded. Is it really safe to send someone in?" Akame asked, slightly concerned.
"Don't worry. We have a Teigu user who specializes in this kind of work," Najenda said confidently.
...
The Empire's Assassination Unit, Base Headquarters.
Vacation time had come to an end, and it was time for the members of the Assassination Unit to set aside their leisure.
Having undergone strict and relentless training, they were disciplined enough to control themselves.
What followed was their scheduled drug enhancement.
At regular intervals, the base conducted these so-called enhancements on all members of the Assassination Unit.
But in truth, drug enhancement was nothing more than a cover.
What the researchers were really doing was brainwashing.
Ever since Blayn had shown Kurome and the others the classified documents, they had learned the truth behind the enhancements.
Yet, despite knowing, they still had no desire to resist. They willingly submitted themselves to brainwashing once more.
The entire process was simple—members of the Assassination Unit would be taken to a designated underground chamber, where they would be seated in chairs, their hands cuffed. A sedative would then be injected to put them to sleep.
Once unconscious, the conditioning would begin—hypnosis and psychological reinforcement, all centered around a single core command:
"Never betray the Empire."
...
However, today's brainwashing session was interrupted.
"Blayn, are you trying to obstruct our work?"
"Drug enhancement is a strict order from the higher-ups. You have no right to interfere."
"If the superiors find out what you're doing, you should understand the consequences."
...
As the staff prepared to escort the Assassination Unit members for their scheduled session, they were stopped by Blayn.
"Drug enhancement? Wouldn't brainwashing be a more accurate term?"
Blayn's expression darkened slightly as he spoke in an indifferent tone.
Hearing this, the researchers paled in shock.
"You! You're saying that in front of them?!"
Kurome, Kelly, and the rest of the Assassination Unit were standing nearby. The higher-ups had strictly forbidden them from ever learning the truth behind these enhancements.
Anyone who leaked this secret would be executed.
Even the researchers themselves could face punishment if the truth got out.
Yet, in reality, Kurome and the others had already known about the brainwashing for a while.
They simply didn't care.
Right now, their expressions were filled with concern—not over the brainwashing itself, but over the potential consequences of a direct confrontation between Blayn and the researchers.
None of them had fully realized just how severe Blayn's actions were.
"That's right," Blayn said, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. "Not only did I say it in front of them—I also showed them the documents. So, what do you plan to do?"
The researchers were stunned.
"Are you insane?! Do you have any idea what this means?!"
"You must have a death wish! Why waste your time on those tools?"
One of the staff sneered. "What do we plan to do? Obviously, we'll report you to the higher-ups. You'll be dealt with soon enough."
Their resentment toward Blayn had already been simmering since the last Danger Beast materials incident.
They had been forced to let that matter go, but they had never forgotten it.
Now, Blayn had handed them the perfect excuse for retaliation.
It was only at this moment that Kurome and the others realized how serious the situation was.
"What do you mean? Commander Blayn is going to be punished?"
Kurome's expression tensed, her voice sharp with urgency.
"Of course. He's committed a major taboo—he will be executed. Though, I doubt it'll be quick."
A staff member smirked coldly. "Before that, he'll go through some extensive interrogation."
"Not only him—Seryu will also be treated as an accomplice."
Yet, despite these threats, Blayn and Seryu showed no trace of fear.
They remained calm, indifferent.
In fact, Seryu's expression slowly twisted into something... deranged.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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