"It's really that serious? Commander Blayn is going to be punished by the Empire because of us?!"
"This... this has to be a joke, right?..."
"Commander, please explain to them. There might still be a chance, right?"
Upon learning that Commander Blayn and Commander Seryu were facing punishment, everyone in the Assassination Unit panicked.
They had already lost so many comrades, and now even their two most trusted commanders were about to be taken from them...
Kurome's expression darkened with sadness, but if this was the Empire's decree, there was nothing she could do.
If she had ever thought of changing this fate, she and Akame wouldn't have parted ways, and their former comrades wouldn't have been "disposed of" one after another.
"Chance? Keep dreaming! Even if you beg for mercy now, it's too late!"
The staff laughed arrogantly.
Watching Blayn and Seryu grovel would be amusing, but seeing them tortured was far more satisfying.
"Master, can I kill them?"
Seryu sneered as she turned to Blayn.
The staff's laughter came to an abrupt halt.
The arrogance they had just displayed vanished, replaced by sheer terror as they stared at Seryu.
"W-What do you think you're doing?!"
"Do I even need to say it? Naturally, I'm here to pass judgment on you 'evildoers.'"
A grin spread across Seryu's face—not one of arrogance, but a twisted, terrifying smile.
"Y-You dare?! What you're doing is a grave crime! A capital offense!"
Some of the staff shouted, desperately trying to invoke the rules of the Empire's Assassination Unit to intimidate Blayn and Seryu.
Others had already decided to flee, turning swiftly to make their escape.
"Leave no one alive."
Blayn spoke calmly.
With their master's approval, Seryu and Koro sprang into action.
Most of the staff were ordinary people with little combat ability, but they had their own means of survival.
Each had concealed a special drug within their molars—far more potent than the ones used by Assassination Unit members. While the effects were stronger, the side effects were also severe.
Their bodies swelled rapidly, muscles expanding until their clothes ripped apart, transforming them into monstrous figures.
"Kill... kill you..."
Bulging veins covered their faces, their speech slurred and their minds clouded.
But in the end, ordinary people were still ordinary people. No matter how much the drug enhanced their abilities, it could never bridge the overwhelming gap in strength.
At this point, there was no room for mercy.
If Blayn left them alive, his superiors would surely come after him and Seryu.
Eliminating them now would at least buy some time.
He didn't even need to use the Dōjutsu of "Double Kamui." The base abilities of his Mangekyō Sharingan and the black-and-white dual swords of his Shingu were more than enough to crush these fools.
…
Just moments later...
With the last staff member's head severed by Seryu without a trace of emotion, every person present had been wiped out by Blayn and Seryu.
Seryu then ordered Koro to devour the bodies, leaving behind only bloodstains and the remnants of battle.
Watching the slaughter unfold before their eyes, Kurome, Kelly, and the others stood in stunned silence.
"C-Commander… doesn't this make your situation even more dangerous?"
Kelly was the first to speak, his voice trembling slightly.
"That's true, but so what?"
Blayn remained calm. "You all need to think this through. Everything I did was for your sake. Do you really believe 'brainwashing' hasn't affected you at all?"
"After being brainwashed, none of you are the same as before. Doesn't that scare you?"
"Whether your unwavering loyalty to the Empire is a result of brainwashing or not, you won't believe me if I say it now. But given time, you'll come to realize the truth."
Blayn had a theory—there had to be a reason why the Assassination Unit members were subjected to regular brainwashing.
If the brainwashing were permanent, there would be no need to repeat the process so many times.
Which meant its effects were temporary.
If Kurome and the others were no longer subjected to it, the brainwashing's hold on them would gradually fade.
"Commander, you suddenly tell us all this… but we don't know what to do..."
"Yeah… we can't resist them like you did."
"And even if we did, we'd just be executed. We're supposed to obey the Empire without question."
"..."
The Assassination Unit members were overwhelmed, their thoughts in turmoil.
"Do you really think those people represented the Empire? That just because they ordered you to do something, you had to obey?"
Blayn spoke bluntly. "Right now, I'm the one in charge of the Imperial Assassination Unit. I'll be the one to change the system. You don't have to worry—I'll take responsibility for everything."
"And Koro and I will help you return to the path of justice."
Seryu picked up Koro and smiled at them.
Her bright, cheerful expression was a stark contrast to the bloodthirsty look she had worn during the fight.
Koro, having already digested the bodies, had returned to his usual form.
"If you don't want to lose any more comrades, then trust us. I might not represent the Empire, but at least I'm better than those guys. And besides—I'm your leader."
Blayn smiled.
His words struck a chord.
Not only did he avoid directly challenging the brainwashing they had undergone, but his argument was undeniably persuasive.
At no point did he ask them to betray the Empire.
"I don't want to lose any more comrades… and I don't want to lose you either, Commander. I trust you."
Kurome was the first to speak.
The others nodded in agreement.
Blayn wasn't trying to rebel against the Assassination Unit—he wanted to change it from within. That was something they could accept.
The staff killed today were only a fraction of the total; the rest had no idea what had transpired here. The base would continue functioning as usual.
Meanwhile, the researchers responsible for the brainwashing were puzzled by the Unit's failure to report to the underground chamber on schedule.
As for the dead staff members, it was as if they had vanished without a trace. No one knew what had happened to them—except Blayn, Seryu, and Kurome.
Koro had even consumed their bones, and it would be easy to clean up the remaining blood and battle scars.
Blayn simply informed the researchers that an internal incident had occurred, leading to the mysterious disappearance of several staff members. As a result, this round of brainwashing was temporarily canceled.
...
Meanwhile, as chaos brewed within the Imperial Assassination Unit, a spy from the Revolutionary Army had infiltrated the capital. Lurking near the Unit's base, they waited for the perfect moment to strike, utilizing the transformation ability of the Teigu "Gaea Foundation"...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake