Author's Notes: Overall, I was quite confronted by the anime ending of Akame ga Kill. Though it was action-packed and intense, some of the character deaths felt rather tragic and uncalled-for, especially towards the end when Leone and Tatsumi died. This dissatisfaction is what spurred me to write a fanfiction that will alter their tragedies.

What if Akame had a chance to change the ending of the anime? This question became the beginning of this story which provoked many ideas to form in my head. Although the author had clearly stated that there isn't a Teigu to revive characters, he never mentioned anything about time travelling.

Anyway, this is my first Akame ga Kill story and I do intend to keep the canon characters in character. I will try to make sure that they don't act OCC but please tell me if they do.

In addition, please bear with me if I make any mistakes or errors, especially in terms of the language (spelling, grammar, etc.)

All characters from Akame ga Kill that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Takahiro. I do not own anything in regards to their creation; I have Takahiro to thank for that. Nevertheless, the story plot and the OCs that do appear are of my ownership.

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Chapter 1—Kill the Time Traveler

"The encounter which was too late,

the separation which was too early,

I don't want them to become anyone's fault.

If I have just one wish,

please, let me return to that time."

-Escape (FripSide)

"Night Raid. The end of the Imperial Era, they were known as a criminal organization that caused an uproar in the Capital. However, no trace of them remains in the new kingdom's historical records. Where there is light, there is darkness. Where there is darkness, there is evil. To protect those who are unarmed and punish the evildoers that heaven cannot judge in the shadows. We are all assassins!"

Aimless… Alone… Assassin… Survivor… Wanderer…

The repetitive dried-up landscape of the barren wasteland spread for miles, for as far as one could see until it seemed to magically merge with the orange horizon of the sunset. The disappearing sun shone little light on a lonely traveler whose face was concealed behind her hooded cloak. The swathe swirled with the wind that constantly kicked up sand and dust which blurred the trekker's vision.

Her aimless strides were heavy and lagging as her backpack weighed her down tremendously. Shifting the weight of her load hoisted on her left shoulder, the traveler used the back of her gloved hand to wipe the beads of sweat off her mud-covered face, exposing the red gauntlet strapped onto her right arm in the process.

Her destination was of no importance as she continued down her endless path. Still, exhaustion compelled her to locate a shelter before dusk. Pausing momentarily, she scanned the monotonous grounds and was rewarded upon noticing a cave in close proximity to the east. Comprehending her body's need to rest, she made her way towards the cavern.

'This will do for tonight.'

Although fatigued, her intuition remained sharp and alert as she cautiously advanced towards the opening. She knew that the possibility of a Danger Beast hibernating in the shelter was high. Right arm stretching slowly towards her left side, she gradually unsheathed her faithful katana. Her weapon poised and readied, she took time assessing the inside of the cavern. Only when she was certain that it was indeed unoccupied did she place away her blade.

'It's safe.'

Breathing out to release all the built-up tension, she dropped her load unceremoniously and slumped against the rocky walls of her newly acquired shelter. The cave's unique formation of rocks offered protection against pending sandstorms.

Now safe from the warring weather and bandits, the traveler removed her hood and allowed her knee-length tresses of obsidian hair to descend behind her. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she crouched down beside her backpack, staring at the zipped up bag with a stern facade.

'Should I? There isn't much left…' She hesitated, but her thirst forcefully removed any lingering doubts. Painstakingly, she reached forward for the zip and opened it, revealing the contents inside. Apart from a water canteen and a wooden totem with ox-like horns, the space inside the backpack was mostly occupied by numerous artifacts that resembled a great variety of weapons.

These weapons, Teigu—also known as Imperial Arms—were mysterious and extremely destructive relics that were forged by qualified blacksmiths from all over the country thousands of years ago. These top-classed weapon forgers were summoned under the orders of the First Emperor, who had founded the Empire. Frightened by the notion that the Empire would eventually fall, the First Emperor commanded the creation of 48 weapons crafted with the use of magic, rare metals, and the remains of ultra-classed Danger Beasts. Known to possess the strength of a thousand men, these Teigu were unfortunately scattered across the continent after a great civil war.

Under normal circumstances, it was unusual for one person to possess more than one Teigu, for they required immense mental concentration to operate. Nevertheless, the traveler had no desire of utilizing any of them. She was merely collecting them after retrieving them from defeated bandits and mercenary gangs during their ambush.

Besides, these relics meant little to the traveler at the current moment. Her parched throat was desperate for refreshment. Ignoring all the Teigu in her bag, she instead grabbed the canteen and guzzled the leftover water. She heaved a soundless sigh as the liquid rejuvenated some of her strength.

Thump!

She was compelled to halt her swallowing as the gnawing soreness that consistently nagged her morphed into an acute pain. Body trembling from the unexpected agony, she unintentionally dropped the container. The water sprayed all around the dry ground, soaking her black boots in a matter of seconds. Resisting the urge to cry out, she bit her lip as she transiently looked at the katana that leaned vertically against the wall.

The weapon had a red hilt that matched the hue of its owner's eyes. Its sides were inscribed with black markings, identical to the ones that materialized on its wielder's body after she had purposely cut herself with its steel. Since that day, its infamous poison was permanently infused into her bloodstream, branding her as its vessel. This was its trump card, and it was so powerful that it gave her the strength to defeat Esdeath, a formidable foe known to be the Empire's strongest. While the curse of this particular Teigu enhanced her fighting abilities that were now unsurpassed by any human, it wasn't without an aftermath. She was now obliged to bear the negative sentiments of all those that had perished under her sword. She would have to ceaselessly live with the pain of this curse until her immune system and sanity could no longer oppose to its incurable poison.

This was the power of the Ichizan Hissatsu: Murasame.

For several minutes, her entire being convulsed in pure suffering as she kneed down and hugged herself, her fingernails digging into her shoulders as a means of distracting herself. Sweat trailed down her face and her inhalation was ragged with spasms. Eventually, the pain faded away and she was given the chance to catch her breath.

She retained her standing position after nearly stumbling twice. Her right hand moved towards her neck as she tenderly traced the red tattoo-like markings engraved onto her skin. These irregular brandings were the lingering effect of the curse and the source of all preceding pain. Despite her strong fortitude, the continuous torment of these scars was incommodious. With each new day she found them to be more unbearable than the last. She would find herself in indescribable pain that would suddenly vanish, only to return more forcefully than before. The last time it occurred, she was skirmishing with three Danger Beasts and came extremely close to losing. Perhaps, she mused, these pains were a form of retribution.

'It is possible.'

"Hey, aren't you assuming too much? What retribution? It is just a load of nonsense. If there truly is retribution then I wouldn't be trapped like this and all the evildoers in the world would've been punished."

A disembodied voice that was modulated and silvery resonated, startling her. Eyes darting left and right, she was bewildered to realize that there was no one around. Was she hallucinating because she longed for some form of company?

"No, not there, here! Underneath you! Can you see a strange gem?"

The sound proved her notion inaccurate as it once again spoke. Partly skeptical of this unknown voice, she casted her gaze onto the ground and without delay, noticed a lustrous cerulean-colored jewel half-buried under the dry grounds. Out of curiosity, she bent down and unearthed the object until she had the pearl-sized gem within her cupped palms.

'This thing is talking to me…'

"Good, now I want you to smash it into pieces."

Body liked that hypnotized, she obeyed. Her arms suspended above her head, she threw the gem onto the floor. It shattered into pieces the instant it came into contact with the soil, illuminating the entire cave in a dazzling glow of azure.

Blinded by the radiance, she shielded her vision with her arm. As the glow died down, she couldn't mask her surprise. The smashed pieces were no longer present. Instead, a man stood in their place with a smug grin on his youthful features.

He was a lean pale-skinned figure with blonde hair and emerald eyes. Donned in a white jacket with a yellow collar that was moderately unsoiled compared to her dark sleeveless mini dress and red tie, he emitted the feelings of nativity and friendliness. White shorts that stopped at his knees were paired with the attire and his feet were protected by brown rawhide boots, though the low soles of his footwear offered little height extension. Despite obviously being a bit older than she was, he was relatively short compared to other males his age.

"Phew! Thanks for saving me. The name is Yukio. It is my pleasure to meet you." The young man's lopsided grin enlarged as he introduced himself. "May I have your name… and also your gender as well?"

"… Akame… female," she replied in a deadpanned tone. The abrupt turn of events was too much for her exhausted mind to handle and she found herself staring motionlessly at the man. Even whilst he had identified himself with a brief introduction, his sudden manifestation was still a mystery. In addition, what was the purpose of asking for her gender? Couldn't he tell from her appearance alone?

Apparently, Yukio was not negligent in terms of Akame's hoarding contemplations. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his unruly hair as he prepared himself with the details. "Sorry there, kind of got carried away. You see, I was sealed inside this Teigu, the Captive Seal: Shīru, for quite a while until you've destroyed it. I'm extremely grateful for that."

"I see…" Akame gave him a brisk nod of understanding as she sank down onto the ground. Sensing no apparent threat from the man in front of her, she finally succumbed to her weariness as her legs were unable to support her seemingly fragile form.

Yukio followed her lead as he too allocated himself a comfortable sitting position next to the girl. Regardless of his carefree attitude, he was not oblivious to his savior's malicious intent that surrounded her, almost like second skin. Only someone who experienced countless of killing would have such fear-evoking aura. However, since she held no desire of shedding his blood, he thought that he would hang around her for now, at least until he had somehow repay her. After all, he was not one to allow a debt go unpaid.

"Hey Akame, you look a little pale. Are you alright?" Since being silent didn't go with his cheerful personality, he took the initiative in inquiring after a brief moment of solitude.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired… and hungry." As if on cue, Akame's stomach rumbled in protest. In her time wandering in this wasteland, she couldn't gather enough to satisfy her endless appetite that craved for food every opportunity. She couldn't even remember the last time when her diet didn't consist of wild mushrooms and plants. The imagery of meat and its aroma nearly had her drooling.

Yukio couldn't hold back his chuckle upon the emergence of the sound. Hands pushing against the ground, he stood up steadily, seizing this first chance to return his gratitude. In one sweep he took in the cave, seeking for a weapon that would assist him with hunting. His gaze landed on the katana beside Akame. He stretched his hand forward to grab it.

Although conceivably worn out, Akame was still quick to react. Faster than a heartbeat, she had seized her weapon and held it in a defensive position. Her crimson orbs seared into him, presenting hostility. "What are you doing?"

"Huh, nothing. Seeing how you are hungry and everything, I just want to go out and hunt something for you. Did I do—" His sentence was left hanging in midair as recognition drew in. The red scabbard struck a chord in his memories and he was hit with a sense of déjà vu. "Ichizan Hissatsu: Murasame… you are wielding a Teigu!"

Misguided by his enthralled tone, Akame's assassin instincts detonated as she promptly stood up. Her thumb pushed Murasame's cross-guard outwards and brought a fraction of the steel to light. All she needed was one suspicious movement—just one—and she would not hesitant to slay him.

Yukio's hands immediately shot in the air, palms opened and raised in a surrendering gesture. Uneasiness settled like crashing waves as Akame glared daggers at him.

"N-no, I'm just saying that I-I'm familiar with your weapon. I too am a-a Teigu user," he could only stutter under the duress. It had crossed his mind more than once that a single mistake could be the end of him. Although this girl had broke his seal, it didn't escape him that she could also effortlessly kill him, even without the notorious One Cut Killer.

Since the girl made no move to attack or lower her katana, he decided to provide evidence to his claims. His right hand made its way to his shorts at a snail's pace. He kept his movements above suspicion as he fixed his emerald-colored eyes on her emotionless façade. His fingers delved into his pocket before encountering the hard surface of his wanted item. Fighting the need to swallow nervously, he grabbed the Teigu and made its existence known to Akame.

Interest piqued by the strange relic, Akame finally eased herself out of her fighting stance as she inspected the object in Yukio's grasp. It consisted of an axle connected to two disks with a lengthy piece of string looped around the hinge. Inwardly amused by the design of this particular Imperial Arms, she tilted her head sideways. Wasn't this just a simple yo-yo that could be purchased as a child's toy?

As though reading her mind, Yukio demonstrated its use. With one end of the string tied around his middle finger, he flung the so-called toy downwards. In a straight arc, the Teigu descended until it reached the limitation of its path. In one swift motion, Yukio yanked the string upwards and the yo-yo retreated back into his hand.

"It's a toy," said Akame blankly after witnessing the performance. The display did nothing prove the item's distinctiveness; if anything, it only confirmed its worth as a plaything.

Yukio's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly as the girl voiced her thought without any reservation. Aware of the fact that his earlier actions had misled her, he settled on giving a thorough explanation by disclosing his Teigu's secrets. "It is not a toy. This is the Scale Tipper: Baransu! As its name suggests, it's supposed to provide balance," he declared, holding up the said Teigu at eye-level.

Question marks literally appeared around Akame as she continued to study the Teigu. In spite of his high regards for the relic, she couldn't deduce its importance. Unlike her Murasame, it didn't appear lethal to kill anyone.

"What does it do?" Her monotonous tone didn't betray her inward inquisitiveness.

"Well, actually…" Yukio's overconfidence concluded with that question. Shamefacedly, he grinned as his cheeks were tinted with a reddish hue. "Well, the truth is… I'm not too sure myself. The effect of this Teigu depends on the enemy. I can't control what it really does since not all of my foes have the same type of balance. Therefore, I usually activate it on myself. It basically gives me the balance of speed on top of other things. Since I'm usually slow to act, it can accelerate my movements and intellect in restricted time."

"…"

Akame stood with a blank countenance, seemingly at a loss of what to say.

Discouraged by her lack of reaction, Yukio was overcome with the need to impress her. His principle couldn't allow himself to be ignored and he was desperate to get some sort of expressive reply from her. "But still, don't underestimate Baransu. Its trump card is Taimugyaku and it can send people back into time to restore some balance to an otherwise chaotic world."

'I can go back in time?' That certainly caught Akame's attention. Her pair of rubies widened at the notion of altering the fate of her many friends. Notwithstanding the Revolutionary Army's victory over the Empire nearly a year ago, a part of her still felt dissatisfied. Inestimable body counts had contributed as sacrifices to the success, and amongst the accumulated corpses were her comrades from Night Raid. One by one, the members of Night Raid: Sheele, Bulat, Chelsea, Lubbock, Susanoo, Mine, Leone and even Tatsumi, had fallen in battle from their endeavors to recreate the country. Their hard work was undeniably fruitful and resulted in a promising future for the people. Alas, none of them could witness the modifications to the world they strived to create. Promises and hearts were shattered along the way and she and Najenda became the only members of Night Raid left to speculate this evolutional process.

Above and beyond, this development of the Empire was painstakingly slow and she couldn't overlook the chances of another potential uprising in the near future. The Empire had lost its stability and it would take more than a few soldiers to establish a balance between the wealthy and poor. Even Wave and Run openly confessed that it would take more than decades to eradicate inequality. This was the other reason why Akame was resolved to live. Apart from bearing eyewitness to the changes of the Capital, she was here to help defend the weak. Nonetheless, that was simply her wishful thinking. Already weakened by the poison, she knew that her existence could end at any moment.

Initially, with both her and Najenda's ailing conditions, it was to be expected that Night Raid's stories would fade away upon their deaths since none would be left to tell the tales. However, now that a new opportunity was aroused, she couldn't help but pin her hope on this slim leeway.

'I can save them!'

The dead could never be resurrected; it was impossible even with the power of the Teigu. Even Kurome's Imperial Arms, March of the Dead: Yatsufusa, was incapable of truly bringing back the deceased. All the same though, with her current knowledge of the future, Akame could actually try to modify the past. Perhaps then they wouldn't have to die. Maybe, just maybe, she could prevail against fate and save her comrades as well as her sister. Indisputably, the risks were great but she was willing to try. This time, she silently vowed, she would save them from their destined tragedies.

Fortitude strengthen by the thought, she took a deep breath for composure before requesting, "Yukio, can you send me back in time, back to the first day of 1024 in the Imperial Calendar?"

"Huh?" Caught off guard by the abrupt question and the sheer look of determination on her face, Yukio could only blink. Reassembling his thoughts, he eventually recovered from his surprise. "Wait, what? Why would you want to go back in time? It isn't just any tour! I don't even know if it would work. I've never tried it before, since with my current capacity I can only do it once. If you do go, there is no telling what will happen. You might never be able to return!"

"That doesn't matter. I simply want—no I must—go back, even if it means that I can never return." With unpredicted fragility in her voice, Akame leaned in and grabbed onto his sleeves in an unspoken plead. In her entire life, never once had she behaved in such way, almost beseechingly. However, for the sake of her comrades in Night Raid, she was primed to discard all of her pride and even her life if necessary.

Yukio took a moment to look at the girl whose visage was obscured from his line of sight at this angle. Her extreme desperation comprehended, he decided to wager it, if only just to calm the girl clutching onto him. Apparently, his Teigu's ability to control time was invaluable to her and somehow became her source of hope. He might not know what was troubling her, but it certainly didn't take a genius to realize that she had the intention of amending the past.

'Man, this is just like me to be in the wrong place at the wrong time… But this is the perfect chance to repay my debt. Besides, I can probably use this to my advantage… that is if it does work.' With that thought, he tenderly placed his palms on her shoulders, productively attracting her attention as she gazed at him expectantly.

Yukio gave her a smile that held the reassurance equivalent to that of an ocean's depth. "Let's do this Akame!"

This was met with an eager nod as Akame somewhat hastily separated herself from him. Without delay, she made herself full of activity by gathering her equipment.

'I gotta be careful. I can't let myself to be distracted. There is no telling what the consequences may be once I activate my trump card.' Yukio's mannerism never betrayed his inner uncertainties as he played with his Teigu. Baransu soared on and off the string whilst he waited patiently for Akame who soon approached him with her katana in one hand and her backpack dragging on the floor. After having fleetingly observed her luggage whilst she was packing, he now knew that there were a dozen or so Teigu inside the bag. Secretly, he was impressed by the varieties of her collection. However…

"Do we really need those?" he inquired, pointing an index finger at the bag. The idea of transporting not only two people but also a heavy pack increased his concerns. There was no telling if those Teigu would affect Baransu's trump card. 'Please just ditch that bag… come on!' Fingers crossed behind his back, he prayed for the best.

As one would expect, miracles seldom happen. Akame merely responded with a brisk nod. "They might be useful. I do not know what enemy we might face."

Face-palming a mental image of himself, Yukio soundlessly cursed. It seemed that Akame was dead set on taking these relics with them. 'Man, I swear she's against me! Come on, I don't even think I can do this. Maybe I should call it quits…' His musing halted as the said girl extended her free hand towards him. He heaved a sigh and reluctantly grabbed the appendage. 'But what kind of man am I if I let a girl down?'

Throwing caution to the wind, he thrust Baransu into the air. "Alright then, Akame… do two things for me. First, think of something significant related to the era that you want to go back to. And second, whatever you do, don't let go of anything, especially not me!"

Her tightening squeeze on his hand was encouraging enough. Summoning all of his concentration, he activated Baransu's trump card. A bolt of light instantly shot out from the Teigu and slammed into the duo. Their hair and garments levitated by the force, both of them shut their eyes as their bodies shimmered in a pure white light.

"Taimugyaku!" With a cry that echoed into the depths of the cave, violet sparks of electricity crackled in the air, creating a strong friction in the area around them. The luminosity intensified with each second, until all that remained after its pinnacle was an empty cavern...

Their disappearance established the dawn of a new beginning as the supposedly inflexible wheel of fate began its rotation differently than its last. This was the beginning of a new era, where the destinies of every Teigu users entwine to forge a chaotic, albeit promising future…

"Just as humans eventually rot away, countries collapse, as well. Even the Imperial Capital, which has prospected for a thousand year is now a living hell of corruption. Evil spirits take human form and run amok, claiming everything as their own. Those evil which heaven cannot judge… they will be dealt with in the darkness. By us… the assassins."

Author's Notes: So this concludes chapter 1. Due to my tight schedule with work as well as another fanfiction to write, it may take a while before I can update. However, I do plan to continue this as soon as I am available. Hence please bear with me.

Reviews will be greatly appreciated as they will strive to motivate me.

Next time: Kill the Reunion—Leone and Bulat make their appearance as the time travelers return to the past.