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Chapter 6
Kill the War
PART I
"In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories."
-Law & Order SVU Intro
"In the fantastic phantasm fictional world of Akame ga Kill!, the characters are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The Empire which has caused untold grief and sorrow across its lands orchestrated by the Prime Minister Honest through the puppet child Emperor and the Revolutionary Army that seeks to right the injustices that have run rampant, bringing misery to all it has touched. These are their stories."
XxXxXxXxX
[SOUTH WALL]
Tatsumi looked at the South of the Capital, he wasn't expecting the Boss to separate the Night Raid, they could have tore through one side and easily invade through the breach. However Najenda and Lubbock's counter point was that Prime Minister Honest could have fled while they took one side leaving three avenues of escape for him to use, a full encirclement meant he wasn't going anywhere. If Honest got away, there was no telling what he could do in the future, his kin would most likely find it's way back into the reformed Empire, if they waited till all the Night Raid and Revolutionary Army members died, they could repeat the history where another Prime Minister Honest takes ahold of the Empire.
They had one good chance to kill the root of the problem once and for all.
The Tyrant demanded they just slingshot Tatsumi into the palace then level it.
The brat will call upon all his strength, then I will supplement mine with his and activate Magatama Manifestation and use a Tyrannical Terror Tremor and smash the place to pieces. Any and all escape routes will be destroyed and hiding rats inside the palace would either be crushed to death or starve trying to dig out of the mountain of destruction we would have caused.
You can just pick up Tatsumi's bones afterwards.
"While I can get behind something so quick and dirty, I want to avoid that dragon. We need to confirm the kill—demise of the Prime Minister, no one will be satisfied unless he is killed before our very eyes."
Who said anything about your or anyone's else satisfaction, Najenda. That fat ass needs to be killed, what does it matter how it is done?
"Fucking proof lizard!"
So what's more important: lynching Honest or crushing the Empire?
"It's the same in the end, Tyrant."
"I'm with the dragon here, you don't need an entire army to kill one fat ass, you're just stroking his ego, Najenda-senpai."
"SHUT UP, ESDEATH. WE ARE COMMITTING TO THIS PLAN AND THAT IS FINAL."
He tugged on the Incursio Key a little harder than he intended as his thoughts wandered back to the conversations before the march, he even split the armor again, leaving one for Leone, Mine and the doppelgänger that paraded as Najenda, going around the encirclement to boost morale and still nerves. Akame turned down the armor, stating her sword violently objected to the bond and the dragon was very much of the same opinion of the blade.
He looked at the ramparts and the forts between him and the ultimate goal: the palace. The sooner they breached the better they could end the war for good and spare many lives that could come from the conflict, he didn't like the news that a great deal of agents of the Revolutionary Army still remained behind the Empire's walls, but them behind enemy lines had a high risk high reward for them all. They could indadvertedly weaken the Empire but at the same time, they could lose their lives if any of their tactics failed, not to mention the lobbing of projectiles over the walls could incur friendly fire, something Najenda stated they could not avoid.
Storm the south gate right now so you can go to either one of your mates afterwards.
Thanks for the reminder dragon.
Tatsumi didn't want to voice it, but he was worried for all of the Night Raid crew, he could feel it in his bones something bad was going to happen during this war.
He glanced at the troops behind him, all of them grim and weapon laced over their bodice, he knew they were expecting the worse that the Empire would offer. Even with Incursio, he felt a twinge of distress over the obstacle before him, before he could be reckless and attack like a beast but now with so many lives on the battlefield he knew he would cause some sort of friendly fire with any his massive attacks amplified by the Tyrant.
It has begun, brat.
Tatsumi felt the clones' glee for violence, his blood pumped from the ethereal feedback, his perchance for battle hammered in his veins painfully. He mentally called out to his clones even if he could hear them roar through the battlefield, the soldiers behind him swarmed forward ready for battle, fireballs flying overhead.
He surveyed the rushing troops, looking at the West and East forces, they were closing in on the Imperial Capital rather quickly, it seemed no Imperial troops wanted to greet them unless they bloody themselves up the wall first.
TATSUMI!
The Night Raider saw an image sent to him mentally by Mine's suit, catapults had loaded a very cruel projectiles and sent them at the Army, she shot some down but he knew they were being used all around the perimeter of the walls. The crash of timber and the screams from those who were gored by the Rolling Teeth and whatnot.
Tatsumi, quit gawking and join in the bloodshed!
The Night Raider grimace at the scolding before he braced himself, feeling his muscles tensed before he leapt as hard as he could forward, bypassing the troops and even slicing apart a flaming slab flung at him at maximum altitude. The ramparts screamed at the sight of him and begun to load their catapults where he would land, he threw his cape to slow his fall with one hand and another to charge up Neuntote with crackling lightning.
Tatsumi felt a feral grin split his face as he cocked his arm at the frighten men, he's eyes widen when he saw Izou glowering at him, his silly twig in his mouth and sword on his hip. His blood burned and he chucked the cracking spear at the swordsman instead of the catapult that launched a hefty slab at him.
BRAT!
The Tyrant manifest from the cape and gave a massive Tyrant's Tenor, blasting apart the projectile but at the same time, rocketing the spear at hypersonic speeds at the ramparts making a 200 feet wide gap in the wall. Tatsumi stared at it for a moment before the Tyrant's maw manifested again and crunched down on a flung sword, he blinked and looked about, surprised anyone would be so foolish after the attack. Then he saw a bloody Izou on the bottom of the wall, he had picked up a fallen sword and threw it at him, Tatsumi squinted apparently he was cursing him and waving his katana at him.
"Holy shit…how did he get down there so fast?"
What does it matter? Crush the little insect, he's barely worth our time.
Tatsumi grunted and took his cape, allowing him to power dive at the lone swordsman, Izou snarled and chucked another sword at him before diving away as the landing caused a rumble in every direction.
"You fuckin' monster…can't fight an honest duel without that demon armor!? Fight me without your Imperial Arms! Sword and skill alone!" Izou roared, he spat the twig aside and faced the Night Raider. Tatsumi rolled his demand in his head for a moment before shedding out of Incursio, the Tyrant snarled at the action as it took the form of the Key.
"Fine, Izou, you'll have—!" Tatsumi hastily brought the sword up as Izou suddenly slammed into him, forcing him to skid on the debris, Izou's eyes bore into his hatefully, he roared as he used his entire body to edge Tatsumi down. Had Tatsumi been a moment late, he would have found Izou's katana buried into his midsection, his gut wrench with dread as he dueled the Wild Hunt swordmaster, fearsome as he is Izou was wounded, desperate and anger fueling his attacks.
Tatsumi brought the key to parry each strike, surprised that the man before him had the strength to rattle his arms and push him back, the Raider locked blades with him, holding him there,
"Kousetsu will have BLOOD!" he screamed at him, Tatsumi felt the pressure increase a thousand fold and he sidestep and pushed the enraged Wild Hunt away, but he wasn't foiled and launched himself at the Night Raider, eyes blistering with hatred and malice, the radiating blood lust caused both Tatsumi and Tyrant gag in disgust.
PUTRID FILTH!
"It's like maximum body odor!"
Izou fell upon him again, eyes like a demon, he roared bringing his sword down on Tatsumi who parried the blow and felt his shoulder dislocate from the strike. Staggering from the shock, Izou slammed the blunt side of the sword into Tatsumi's ribs before following up with a cut into his intestines in mid spin, the Night Raider felt his adrenaline burst into his system and brought the key down, forcing the blade into the earth. Tatsumi cross pupil eyes met Izou's own, the Wild Hunt's eyes were already unusual but upon the close proximity, there was something maddening about it.
Tatsumi pressed forward, forcing Izou to roar at him with obscene insults and even in a tongue that he didn't understand, as the march of the army began to edge closer to their position.
Boy…Tatsumi…you need to kill him. Now.
"I'm working on it!"
Tatsumi nearly bit his tongue off when he disengaged and rained overhead, underhand, over cut, side cuts, thrusts and overhand slashes, even as his shoulder burned in agony as he forced each swing despite his condition, but Izou was relentless in blocking, parrying and even brazenly countering the Raider. Hot blood dribbled into his garbs, he didn't have time to be aware where he was struck when Izou fell upon him again, frothing at the mouth as he tried to hamstring the Raider, Tatsumi roared and gave a splendid upward vertical slash, smashing Izou into the wall resulting in a crater, blood splattered and soaked into the cracks.
Tatsumi winced feeling his wrist broken and his middle, ring and pinky fingers pulled apart, he nearly dropped his sword when Izou gave him a hellish scream,
"BLOOD! FEED KOUSETSU YOUR BLOOD!"
Tatsumi glanced at the marching army, the ramparts had long since recovered and began to lob at the army and fire at them with anything they had on hand, even their boots filled with rocks. They were stalled but the hail of gunfire and return lobs of boulders flew overhead, Tatsumi pulled the sword up, even when his body refused to do so, Izou pushed himself off the wall and staggered at him, he was pale as a ghost but it just made him even more deranged look as he pointed his sword at him.
"KOUSETSU WILL NOT BE DENIED…BLOOD."
Izou swung his sword diagonally, horizontally and vertically. Tatsumi felt his eyes peel back unnaturally even the Tyrant roared in disbelief and warning.
DODGE TATSUMI! THAT'S—!
Tatsumi lifted his sword to parry what looked like ghostly images of Izou taking various stances before racing at him faster than he could react, the Raider was sure they were illusion so Izou could bisect him, but when blood gushed out of his legs, shoulder, arms and chest he knew he was dead wrong.
"FUCK!" Tatsumi screamed as Izou made more specters and fell at him again, the Raider rolled away, thankful that the apparitions only when in a straight line.
"Gah!?"
"We're under attack!"
"Where?!"
Tatsumi felt his blood freeze as Izou threw more specters, he saw that the ones he dodged had made a beeline for the army and slew scores of them until they vanished into the earth. Izou's deranged laughter grated on Tatsumi's ears, he ran his tongue across his sword, it was weeping fountains of blood,
"More blood…I must spill more…more…"
Tatsumi could see Izou growing paler by the second, blood loss would kill him…eventually. But even then, Izou could easily slay hundreds before he fell over dead…
Damnit, brat just don Incursio and rip him apart.
"No. I'll assassinate him like I am now."
What's this sentimental bullshit coming from? You're just gonna don Incursio afterwards to heal, what's the difference if you do it now or after?
Tatsumi ignored the jab and intercepted the specters again, slashing them and forcing them into the earth again. Izou snickered before pointing his sword at him, Tatsumi felt his blood boil and took his stance as well. He wanted to show it to Bulat after he trained with him for so long…but that never came.
"GIVE BLOOD TO—!" Izou sputtered at the end and his ghosts came again, Tatsumi glared hatefully at them and flung himself in a beeline for the mad swordsman, ignoring all the injuries previous.
The ghosts multiplied and raced at Tatsumi, all of them blood splattered and deranged in appearance. Without missing a step, Tatsumi slashed every single ghost, not letting one pass him. Spinning sword hand to hand, behind his back, in mid swings and thrust, the phantoms screamed in agony at each killing blow either by blade or body.
Two. A cut through the neck. A stab into the liver.
.
Twelve. Cut through the eyes. A fist crushing a windpipe.
.
Forty-One. A twist of the neck. A twist of a wrist into the kidneys.
.
Fifty-Nine. A backslash to the spinal cord. Beheading slice.
.
Seventy-Four. Smashing in a skull. Sliced in two.
.
Ninety. Flip kicking a head clean off. Thrust through the heart.
Tatsumi charged forward still, blood pounded through his ears, his fingers tighten over the sword it bled, Izou screamed at him, his voice shredded apart and it just sounded like wet sheets flapping in a tempest. Tatsumi could see the ghost seemingly emerge from him, as if pulling free from the sword, is that his Imperial Arms!?
The sword is merely the weapon the medium uses…it's an Imperial Arms that has no physical shape or form…it's simply abstract, manifesting in the forms of his disgusting eyes…Piteous Perception: Phantom Phage, a lonesome water leech. That Imperial Arms Danger Beast…was once viewed as a deity and those who worship it manifested the 'cursed eyes' which was the Danger Beast's own…the believers would become obsessed with something to the point of fanaticism…then the powers would manifest accordingly…after they slew majority of the other devout followers.
This…man's love for his sword and bloodbaths allows him to make these…living phantoms.
CUT HIM DOWN!
Tatsumi brought his sword in brutal succession, chopping the ghosts left and right, Izou took a step forward, face contorted in utter hatred and brought the sword to bear with his entire being, both arm sockets, elbows and wrists gave a disgusting wet snap. Tatsumi felt his tired muscles rippled and let his mind, body and will collapse into the Incursio Key as he tore it down at Kousetsu, the two roared at impact of the blade and blood splattered all over each other.
Blood.
Blood gushed out.
Tatsumi felt his entire body give and he fell to his knees, the soldiers on the ramparts edged closer hoping to see the fight and probably kill the Raider. That thought was quickly dissuaded when the incoming Army soldiers capped one and fell into the hard ground below.
"That…makes…129…Bulat would have been proud…" Tatsumi chuckled in delirium. The Tyrant was silent as it took it upon itself to clothe Tatsumi in armor, using it's massive vitality to heal his wounds,
TYRANNICAL TESTAMENT…
Tatsumi stood up, feeling his muscles stitch itself and bones grow and move back into place, "Izou…wasn't acting normal…he acted as if he was possessed."
Because the lump of meat was…
"Right before I slashed him…" Tatsumi glanced at the body, his eyes were completely open staring at the sky, his sword broken in two, shards of it slit into both of him, his top half crumpled against the wall and the lower resting at Tatsumi's feet. The Raider looked at the corpses face: he was smiling.
"I saw something re—I guess he wanted this…"
Eyes snapped open looking at the corpse before closing again, Tatsumi leapt atop the ramparts, frightening the soldiers who opened fired only to be punched, kicked or thrown of the wall and into the painful ground.
Blood wet the soil deeply.
Tatsumi summoned Neuntote, easily parrying attacks from the soldiers before delivering a counter slash, sending their arms, heads and torso flying into the stones and other frighten soldiers.
"FUCK THIS!"
"Retreat!"
"Fucking monster!"
Incursio scratched his chin before a maw opened on it's breastplate and a booming shockwave crushed or sent imperial troops flying off the wall and staining the ground.
…you worms don't know anything about a monster…
Tatsumi shook his head as the troops fled, he wanted to berate them for not standing their ground but after his display of power and ferocity, he let the retort die in his mouth. Glancing at the marching troops, they had recovered from the astral assault from Izou and moved forward steadily but cautiously, ever so often one of them yelled and an explosion followed, spikes would be tripped or suddenly a gout of fire would burn troops, Tatsumi readied to leap back to the troops before the dragon growled.
Leave the fodder. You have better things to do.
"What!?"
Incursio was rigidly faced to the catapults and other war machines and contraptions, your human toys will cause more problems than those on the field, eventually those troops will come back…
Tatsumi felt his anger at the dragon mount but he could see the sense in it, he turned his back to the troops and focused on the wall, he stowed Neuntote away before morphing himself some pistons and gathered his thoughts and concentration. Tatsumi raised both his arms and brought it down, fist first ready to split the wall in twain and wreck anything atop it, once it's breached the Army can take control of the situation, I'll be free to carry out Boss's order without worrying too much—!?
Tatsumi saw a shadow suddenly at his side.
And a well timed and powerful kick struck his arm.
Right into his other arm.
Tatsumi almost blacked out from the shock and pain as the pistons smashed into metal, flesh and bones, the Tyrant roared in confusion and blind anger before eyes snapped open and Suzuka smiled at her misdirection.
"No peeking!"
ARRRRRGH!
Suzuka shoved her pointed manicured index fingers right into the exposed eyes, delightfully twisting them before flipping away as the Tyrant' moved the cape, jaws and jagged teeth lined the fabric, snapping at her. The warrior monk gave a mock bow before taking a fighting stance, "That's for Dorothea—! Hey! Stop that!"
She dodged gunfire before she casually picked up a barrel and threw it at the running troops, it exploded on impact causing it to fling shards and sharpnel resulting in bodies hitting the ground and cries of injury. The monk shook her head before walking to Tatsumi, cradling his left arm, he was missing majority of his hand, he had compound fractures jutting out of his arm like a christmas tree, discolored skin and flesh and worst of all the armor ruptured around and inside of his arm, it was a miracle it wasn't blown clean off.
"I'm sure you're feeling hurt right now. I've settled things with Dorothea…now let's repay what you did to me." Suzuka grinned as she pried a stone brick from the wall and struck Incursio's helm, she snatched her hand away from the cape maw, she laughed and smashed the brick into the teeth leaving bleeding stumps. She struck three more times before the cape shot at her and she gracefully dodged the attacks, the shrine maiden chuckled before glancing at the stampeding troops, the thought of being at the mercy of so many vengeful and angry soldiers made her wet, but no doubt she would die. Sheer numbers tend to top sheer strength of one lowly Suzuka.
She ducked as an enraged Incursio swung at her with Neuntote and rolled as the cape came scraping next, hoping to crush her with its many jaws. Suzuka smirked as the injured arm was neatly wrapped in some of the cape, "How's your arm?"
She dodged the spear, the cape that came high and low and even a kick at her midsection, had Incursio been unharmed she would have been thrown into the Revolutionary Army or sent crashing into some unfortunate building inside the Capital Interior. Suzuka grinned savagely as she used her unnatural flexibility to maneuver around the injured Night Raider and aimed another kick at the wrapped arm, feeling a satisfying crack at contact and Tatsumi screaming within the helm.
She screamed too when the cape suddenly jutted out footlong teeth, claws and talons, piercing her leg and struggled to pull herself free, her eyes widen seeing they were all serrated, two eyes snapped open and glared at her, both still red and bleeding but a look of savage smugness in it. Suzuka gasped as Tatsumi realized she was caught and pulled her, Neuntote gleamed angrily at her and she desperately tore her leg free giving a shrill scream before hopping over the wall.
Incursio cursed and tuck the spear away for the pistons instead as Suzuka had somersault in midair and timed a wall kick, sending her flying a distance away. The Tyrant's eyes fixated on the fleeing shrine warrior, the familiar scent of fear and desperation tickled it's taste buds, the armor began to drool.
REND HER TO PIECES, BARE YOUR FANGS, INCURSIO!
With a mighty yell, Incursio flexed his body like a bow before slamming his uninjured arm into the wall causing it to explode, a powerful shockwave thundered down it's width, bricks shook and jutted out or exploded from sheer power.
TYRANNICAL TREMOR!
Suzuka rolled on the pavement before she humbled away but the homing shockwave caught up to her like a rabid dog, snarling and spitting bricks, slabs and dirt; she screamed and braced herself as the attack sent her flying into a house, toppling it on itself.
Tatsumi saw the explosion and let out a satisfying roar of triumph, his prey hurled by his wrath and fury incarnate. He felt his arm slowly fix itself and regrow, the dragon pulling the armor shards out, spurts of blood jet out of his wounds along with the hiss of pain to accompany it, his body ached all over so suddenly, he knelt feeling ready to collapse.
Grit your fangs, brat. You're lethargic because I'm pooling vitality from the both of us.
"I thought you have an over abundance."
The dragon merely grunted within the helm as the cape picked up the Night Raider.
That doesn't mean invincibility, Tatsumi.
The two tiredly took stock of the situation, he had taken away the major resistance, it was just a matter of time before the rebels could tear into the place and wreak havoc upon the unfortunate pathetic Imperial soldiers, tearing them from
Tatsumi shook his head, surprised he was so blooded, fuck I better calm down I might just lash out and kill someone I was intending.
He glanced down at the wall, it took a couple beatings but it stood up to a lot of abuse, he looked at the gate figuring it would be a better alternative to smashing the wall down. Tatsumi grunted as he pushed himself up and began to walk towards the arch of the gate, turning catapults and war machines inner rather than outer so when the troops did arrive they could begin lobbing the leftover ordinances back to the Empire. Whatever Tatsumi couldn't salvage, their hastily built construct breaking apart when he changed their position, he kicked down the wall and the broken pieces littering the ground below.
He looked at the gate, it was an impressive marvel of timber and metal, it was easily 1/3 the width of the wall even as he summoned Neuntote and charged it with crackling lightning, the Night Raider doubted if it would be enough. He took aim and threw the blistering missile streaking for the center of gate and he received a deafening boom; timber, metal, dust and smoke pluming back to him and into the air.
Tatsumi saw the gate with a massive hole but it wasn't enough to topple the heavy gate down, "Gotta hand it to the Empire, they know how to built shit."
That's fine, I know how to break their shit.
Tatsumi felt jaws manifest on his chest and he grunted as it snapped open and a terrible Tyrannical Tenor shockwave rattled the wall, he could feel himself pushing back and the cape and his claw foot slammed into the wall, the dragon didn't let up and continued the devastating shockwave.
The gate bulged out, the timber shrieked and the metal groaned, Tatsumi saw the hinges bend and bend until it snapped. He yelled as a piece of metal shot at him, the cape snatching it in the air as the massive gate swung outwards and smashed into the outer walls, cracking it before it promptly fell over sending yet another dust cloud. The Night Raider heard the distant cheers from the troops.
"Alright, that's done, the South Gate will be easier to infiltrate for the Revolutionary Army, let's go hunting."
Tatsumi couldn't contain a feral grin as he turned and faced the Empire, the red tint made it all the more fitting when he
...!
"What the...?"
Tatsumi felt sick, he grabbed his head as the tint darken, a deeper and deeper red.
"Tyrant...what's going on...?"
Tatsumi nearly barfed inside of the helm, he received a mental image of Leone, she was frozen stiff before her face turned into pure terror as he fell upon her, "TYRANT WHAT IS GOING ON!?"
Tatsumi looked at the Northern part of the Empire where the red tint was at it's darkest, the vivid contrast of colors, just looking at it made him feel nauseous.
URGH...BRAT...DON'T...GET OUT...OF THE SUIT...
Tatsumi felt the suit uncomfortably tight all of a sudden, manifestations of jaws and eyes began to appear all over Incursio, something is interfering with...something is trying to control...
"What do I do?"
Incursio suddenly went rigid. Tatsumi waited, he tried to move his fingers and toes and even that was ironclad before it shook itself as if cold, the armor went back to normal, something is trying to bleed into the armor, what ever is happening in the Northern Gate...it's not good, you have to go there. NOW.
Tatsumi could hear the urgency of the dragon and he quickly leapt off the wall, landing on a nearby roof before he ran towards the North Gate, "I saw Leone...what happened? What's going on?"
Your mate? She's not there anymore.
"What? How can she not? I just saw her!"
Tatsumi leapt from one rooftop to the next, only to slam into the ground, he pushed himself up unsure what in the world just happened, his face caked with mud.
"What? What the fuck just happened?!" he pulled the clumps out of his visor.
Tatsumi looked up and he saw Incursio staring down on him, face smeared with blood, BRAT!
Incursio lunged at him, helm wide open lined with teeth and talons pulling him.
.
Leone grunted as she smashed head first into a bookshelf, she leapt to her feet, she looked around confused with her fists up, looking for her Incursio gone rogue. When she saw nothing, her mind reeled back to what brought her here,
"What the fuck...LUBBOCK WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
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Alright, another update done, whew I'm on a mean time crunch, trying to complete these fanfics of mine before I do another repeat of going on hiatus for who-knows-how-long again.
If the ending was confusing, don't let bother you much, the following update will explain it all. I hope.
But at least we know what happened to Leone and Lubbock right?
Welp it's a new year and hopefully a new me, here's to another year of updates and I'm really feeling I'll complete this fanfic this year. Fingers crossed.
Ciao,
I AM NRG
END OF TRANSMISSION