Chapter 2: Kill the Corruption
Key:
'Hello' = thought
Hi = emphasis
P.S. I don't own anything from Akame ga Kiru.
"So this is the Capital…" Tatsumi muttered to himself. The way to the Capital was pretty easy to find before Tatsumi left; Tyler gave him a map with a route to the Capital.
The trip was rather uneventful, except for when he killed an attacking Earth Dragon, but it didn't satisfy his boredom. Tatsumi glanced at the sheathed katana at his hip, like he said before it was truly a beauty, but when he killed the Earth Dragon with it… it seemed like the dragons life essence got sucked into it.
'Hopefully, there is some information about this sword while I'm here in the Capital' Tatsumi thought to himself. Tatsumi glanced back up towards the Capital the architecture was nice, along with the sun setting over the horizon gave it a very appealing look.
'But still… it might look nice, but in the inside it's probably filled with corruption and despair' Tatsumi thought while thinking back on his conversation with Tyler, just before he left for the Capital yesterday morning.
Flashback
"Hey, Tatsumi before you go… I have some stuff that might be useful for your journey to the Capital," Tyler said from his bedroom.
Tatsumi put down his backpack and walked to Tyler's door. Tatsumi went to Tyler's side, looking over his shoulder to see Tyler studying a… map?
"Um… what is it you wanted to give me before I head out?" Tatsumi asked with a confused voice.
A quiet "Aha" caught his attention back to the map to see Tyler drawing a line from the southern forests to the Capital. Tyler put down his quill and turned around to face Tatsumi.
"I wanted to give you this map telling you the route to get to the Capital because we both know that you would be lost for days without one." Tatsumi sweat dropped at that, but let him continue. "I'm also going to tell you that no matter how good the Capital looks or how great the people might seem… the Capital will always be corrupted unless you destroy the source. With the army stationed in the Capital walls and the abuse of power of said army, people will most likely not want to help you. I have worked for the Empire for the about twenty years and I've seen what despair and desperation do to people. So, what I'm trying to say is not to trust anybody unless they have done something to earn your trust. And remember: be careful out there." Tyler finished and Tatsumi nodded his head with determination.
"Don't worry, Tyler… I will always be on my guard." Tatsumi said as he went and picked up the map and looked down at it.
"Also, Tatsumi you should bring that mysterious katana. Maybe there will be information in the Capital that can tell you more about it." Tyler said as he followed Tatsumi to his bedroom.
"Sure thing," came Tatsumi's lazy reply. He picked up the katana as he examined it once more. Feeling a mysterious aura coming from the blade, he quickly sheathed it and attached it to his belt.
"Well, Tyler this is it. Thank you for training and watching over me all these years, and don't worry: I will kill the corruption that plagues the Empire!" Tatsumi promised as he waved goodbye to Tyler and walked out of the cabin.
Flashback End
'Yup, most likely will be.' Tatsumi thought as he headed toward the headed towards the gate entrance to the Capital. As he was nearing the entrance, he saw the merchant get mugged for his food supplies. "Should have known" Tatsumi said to himself.
He walked through the gate without any problems and was currently looking for a place to eat since he ran out of food that morning. 'Hm… this place seems good' Tatsumi thought as he gazed at the sign, it read "The Top Hat". Thinking this was a good enough place he went in and was bombarded with the smell of alcohol. He looked around the restaurant to see about 15 people; however the majority of them were at the bar, most likely drunk. He sat down at an empty table in the corner of the restaurant.
A male waiter came up to him and took his order which consisted of chicken, bread, potatoes, and coffee. While, Tatsumi waited for his order to come he looked around the restaurant noticing how simple it was. Other than about 10 tables, that could fit 4 people each; a bar with various types of alcohol, the restaurant only had a couple of paintings on the walls and a window that looks out into the streets.
After, about 15 minutes of waiting the waiter came back and brought him his meal, which he ate in silence, until he heard someone sit across from him. He looked up from his plate to see a blonde, big-chested woman who had a gigantic grin on her face. Looking into her eyes Tatsumi can easily tell that this woman is up to some sort of mischief, so he decides to teach her a lesson.
"Hey, there cutie… my name is Leone, but you can call Big Sis anything you want." The girl, who identified herself as Leone, said as she gave a cheeky wink towards him. Tatsumi not falling for the bait just replied with "Tatsumi" as he went back to eating. However, the brief silence was interrupted yet again, "So~ Tatsumi," she started as she put her hand over his, "I can tell that you're new around here. I can always show you around if you want..." she finished while smiling seductively at Tatsumi. Tatsumi sensing this could be his chance to swindle the swindler takes out a bag and dumped it on the table. Leone's eyes practically bulging out of her sockets.
"Actually, I came here to enroll into the army, but you see they didn't let me enroll due to a high number of participants already signing up." Tatsumi replied with an innocent tone in his voice. Leone leaped up from her seat "I have connections!" she yelled. "I could easily get you a spot with this amount of money you have," she finished quickly. Tatsumi mentally smirked to himself, knowing that he had already won. "Oh, you do?" Tatsumi said faking excitement. "Yes, I do! I will be right back!" Leone replied happily as she took the bag of "money" and ran to the exit. Tatsumi sat there smirking to himself 'The bag was filled with stones anyway…' Tatsumi thought to himself before putting on his emotionless mask again and finishing his meal. Tatsumi took out a couple of gold coins from his pocket and handed it to the waiter, then left the restaurant.
'Hmm what to do, what to do...' Tatsumi debated in his head about just what to do next. It was already night time so he could easily go look for corrupt bastards and kill them. Tatsumi stopped walking 'Hmm I might just do that. I wouldn't be surprised if some corrupt bastard does try to "take me in"' Tatsumi thought as he saw a carriage moving in his direction from down the road. Getting into position, Tatsumi propped himself against a wall with his head down and his arms wrapped around himself.
A couple minutes later he heard the carriage from earlier come to a stop directly in front of him. The door opened to reveal a short, blonde-haired girl in a dress. She walked toward Tatsumi while the guard operating the carriage asked "Again, Milady?" The girl looked back at the guard and replied, "Of course, I can't help it," with a shrug. The girl stopped a couple feet away from Tatsumi and said in sweet voice "Do you have anywhere to stay?" Tatsumi shook his head. "Would you mind staying at my house?" Tatsumi looked up and nodded his head. "That's great!" she exclaimed while jumping up and clasping her hands together. "By the way, my name is Aria. What's yours?" Tatsumi stood up slowly "My name is Tatsumi, thanks for letting me stay at your house." Tatsumi said while forcing a joyous smile onto his face. "Please to meet you, Tatsumi, and it is no trouble at all. Come on, let's go!" Aria replied happily and headed back to the carriage unknown to the devilish smirk forming on Tatsumi's face.
"AHHHHHHHH-"
The guard was quickly silenced as Tatsumi sliced his head clean off his soldiers. It was the middle of the night and Tatsumi was on a killing spree. Not only did they try to poison him, but they also were planning on torturing him. He heard it from Aria's mother as she was talking to her husband after dinner. Tatsumi immediately unsheathed his blade and barged through the door and before the parents knew what was happening they were dead in a pool of their own blood. After, that he went and killed every guard inside the house, searching for Aria. 'Sick, disgusting, bastards. Doing this to people who don't deserve it. I will enjoy killing your daughter, Aria' Tatsumi thought as he walked down the bloodstained hallway, filled with mutilated corpses of guards.
Tatsumi continued down the hall until he came to the back door leading to the backyard. Tatsumi opened the door and right in front of a big shack was two guards and Miss Aria herself. He walked towards calmly and one of the guards pointed their guns at him. "Stop, right there!" the soldier yelled. Tatsumi put his hands up in a mock surrender. Feigning innocence he said "I am not your enemy. My name is Tatsumi. I was in my quarters when I heard gunshots and loud thuds coming from outside my door. So I investigated and it lead me here."
Aria chose this moment to speak up "it's okay, guards. He's fine." Aria looked at Tatsumi "We were just about to hide out in this shack. You can come if you want; we believe this is the work of a rebel assassin group called Night Raid." Tatsumi nodded "That's fine, I don't mind going in the shack." The two guards looked apprehensively at each other before opening the doors to the shack to be met with hanging corpses that smelled like some of the bodies were rotting.
'Ok time to stop playing innocent, time to kill these fuckers' Tatsumi thought as he quickly unsheathed his sword and rapidly killed the two guards. Aria looked on in horror as the life essence of the soldiers got sucked into the sword. Her look of horror was replaced by a look of pain when Tatsumi outstretched his arm and wrapped it around Aria's neck. Lifting her off the ground, Tatsumi spoke in a cold voice "Who the fuck do you rotten assholes think you are! Go around picking up people off the streets and then poisoning them and then doing this!" Tatsumi said, pointing his sword at the mangled corpses for emphasis. "St…op…p…lea…se" Aria said in a breathless and ragged voiced.
Tatsumi's grip got tighter around her neck before he looked her dead in the eye. Blue eyes met fierce green eyes when he spoke "Did these people tell you to stop? I'm sure as hell they did, but you didn't listen did you? So, what right do you have to ask me to stop?" Tatsumi gave a dark chuckle before continuing "Well, Aria… I have one thing to say to you." Aria looked at Tatsumi "Wh…at?" she said weakly. Tatsumi smirked before yelling "Rot in Hell!" Tatsumi threw her on the ground before he horizontally slashed, decapitating her upper half from her lower half. Tatsumi watched as a pitch black stream came from Aria's body straight to his sword. "Tch, even your essence was rotten you bitch" Tatsumi muttered to himself before flicking the blood off his blade and sheathing it before running into the woods. However, he was oblivious to the five pairs of eyes watching him leave.
Leone and the rest of Night Raid arrive just in time to see a young boy kill their target, Aria, and watched in silent fascination as a pitch black stream came out of her body and into his sword. Their fascination was short lived when the mysterious boy turned on his heel and ran into the forest. Catching a glimpse of his face, Leone instantly recognized him as the boy she tried to swindle earlier this day. "What the hell was that black stream coming out of her body?!" Lubbock asked in awe. "I have no idea, but it seems like all the targets are eliminated. Mission Complete." Akame said in a monotone voice. "Yeah, you're right Akame. He killed all of the targets and all the guards all by himself. We better inform Boss about this see what she thinks. His name is Tatsumi, just so you know." Leone said as she started to headed back to the way they came.
"So… you're telling me that a boy named Tatsumi killed all the guards and the targets by himself?" Najenda or 'Boss' said as she sucked long breath of her cigar to calm her nerves. "Yes, we are. We checked inside the residence and found the guards bodies mutilated, the parents were decapitated and the daughter was sliced in half, right in front of our eyes" Leone said to Boss, putting emphasis on the last part.
"Also he had a sheathed black katana…" Akame trailed off.
"With green sakura leaves trailing down towards the handle…" Lubbock picks up.
"And there was also an engraving on the blade, but I couldn't see what was written." Leone said to Boss.
"And lastly when he killed the daughter, a stream of pitch black… I don't know what to call maybe her essence or something went into the sword" Bulat finished staring at Boss for a possible clue as to who he was.
Everybody in Night Raid watched Boss, who seemed to be deep in thought, until her one visible eye widened and she leaped up from her seat and ran out of the room. Everybody in Night Raid looked at each other a silent message being passed between them. 'This is big…' Everybody's train of thought was broken when 'Boss' ran back into the room with the teigu information guidebook in her hands. Boss motioned for the group to look at the book. They all huddled around the guidebook as Boss flipped to the very last page of the book. "After what you guys just told me about that katana… there is only one possible answer as to what it is exactly" Everybody perked up at that and let her continue. "What you described to me right now was the 'Lost blade: Soul Sucker'. This blade was used by a former general during the early developments of teigu's. The origin of this blade is still unknown, but what we do know is that this blade was arguably the most powerful teigu created. For every person or animal killed the sword sucks the soul out of the body and puts it into the sword. Now, why would it be arguably the most powerful? Because the more you kill with this blade, the powerful it gets." Everybody's eyes widened at hearing that.
"The reason why it's called the 'Lost Blade' is because the former general hid the blade somewhere before he was died of natural causes. You could say he took the location of the blade to his grave. Any other abilities for this sword are unknown." 'Boss' leaned back in her chair showing the book of description about the blade to the fellow Night Raiders. Everybody looked expectantly to the leader of Night Raid. "If this boy, Tatsumi found the blade; then that would mean the blade chose him to be the successor" Boss leaned forward. "We need this boy in the Revolutionary Army with him not only will it boost morale tremendously, but our goal of ridding corruption from the empire will be that much easier. If he goes to work for the Empire, you can kiss the Revolution goodbye."
"Is this boy really that important, Boss?" Mine said with her cocky attitude. "Yes, yes he is." 'Boss' replied calmly. "What would you have us do, Boss?" Sheele asked in a small voice. 'Boss' looked at everybody before leaning back in her chair again and taking another long drag of her cigar. Blowing it out she spoke "The next time you see him, do whatever you have to, to get him to join Night Raid. This is all for the meeting its almost dawn… let's all get some well needed rest." Boss said before standing up and walking back to her room. The fellow Night Raiders slowly got up and went back to their respected rooms all contemplating the same thing, 'how to get Tatsumi to join Night Raid?'
End of Chapter 2
Hello, apologies for the drought of chapter publishing… I've been busy beyond all belief these past few days/week. I will however be publishing majority of the story's chapters over the next few days. Understand that I may delay some because I am extremely busy with catching up in school. DemonFoxBK201 had been doing a wonderful job with editing so I can probably assure another chapter early tomorrow morning. Past that, I hope you guys will enjoy the new chapter that I plan on publishing Saturday!
