A/N: Chapter 25 of One final breath. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own. Akame ga Kill belongs to the rightful owner.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, Ｉreally appreciate it.
Chapter 25: Kill the Evil
Outside the cathedral (1 am)...
It was the quiet before the storm as we proceeded to execute our plan to assassinate Borick. The first step started off with the diversion team heading out through the underground tunnel. Using Incursio's invisibility to their advantage, Tatsumi easily knocked out the guard patrols stationed around the building.
Coast is clear. He gave the other three a thumbs up as they climbed out of the tunnel hole. Together they headed for the courtyard without any problems and started to climb the walls. Once they were over they jumped down right into a mass of guards and followers alike. Both groups were surprised to see the intruders, unsure as to how to handle the situation. Wasting no time at all, the Night Raid diversion team set to work, causing a huge commotion to drag the Ice General out of hiding.
"It...It's an emergency!" One of the guards wailed as he rushed inside while the others faught the intruders. "Bandits have appeared in the courtyard out of nowhere...!"
"I knew you'd choose tonight, Night Raid." Esdese said with a nod of the head, clearly glad that her haunch was correct. "Just as planned."
"Co-Courtyard!?" Borick gasped, holding one of his concubines close to him. "They're right outside!"
"Kurome, don't leave Borick's side." Esdese ordered calmly.
"Roger!" The younger girl responded, giving her Captain a salute.
"Ge...General!" Borick mercifully fell to his knees, grabbing Esdese's leg to prevent her from leaving. "Please protect me yourself!"
"Hold your head up, and act high and mighty like you always do!" She snapped at him, looking unamused at how cowardly he was being. "How pathetic. I won't leave the cathedral no matter how much you worry." She swiftly kicked him in the face, making him loosen his grip so that she could prepare to greet her guests. No matter how much commotion you cause, it's your loss if you can't assassinate Borick. Now...come!
"Alright! We'll charge right in through the roof of the cathedral!" Rabac stated loudly as we flew through the air on the air manta liked we plan. "Mein, once we're almost there, use Pumpkin to blast a good-sized hole!"
"I know!" The gunner said. "I'm ready to go!"
"But Pumpkin sure is a tough Teigu. It was fine even after going through an explosion." Rabac praised it.
"That's true, but that was nothing compared to what it went through while Boss was using it." Mein replied.
Oh! That's something I didn't know…My ears perked up at the sound of that. Boss was the previous owner of Pumpkin, I wonder if she mentioned it in her story the other day.
"It won't recoil or anything, right?" Rabac asked even though he had a grin on his face.
"No way." said Mein. "So leave it to me, you wimp. Besides," She smiled when she remembered what Tatsumi once said to her. "I'm a genius sniper." Suddenly there was a flash of light coming directly from behind and it looked like it was coming straight towards us.
"What!?" Akame exclaimed when it got closure and we could see that it was the enemy as he hovered near us. He was none other than Ran.
"As expected, a second team from the skies." He said, eyeing us with a glare. "Looks like we had the better strategy this time."
"Better strategy my ass!" I stood up abruptly, careful to keep my balance so that I wouldn't fall off before glaring at him． "Now that you've shown yourself stay right there so I can burn you to the ground."
"That won't be necessary." He replied calmly. "However, knowing that I was here, and still attacking from the sky, my territory, was..." Flying a little ahead, he turned and sent an attack to the danger beast's underside. "'Poor strategy.' This is a textbook example."
"Wa…Waaaah!" We all screamed as the manta lost control, spiraling towards the ground with smoke coming off of its body.
"This isn't good!" Rabac yelled as the winds whistled sharply past our ears. "That attack killed the air manta! We're gonna crash!"
"I won't let this chance slip by." Ran said as he flew after us and proceeded to attack us with his feathers.
"And I," Mein growled as she pointed Pumpkin in his direction as he flew in close. "won't let this danger slip by!" She pulled the trigger.
"Ugh!" Ran yelped as the beam grazed his side, ripping a hole in his uniform and scorched his skin. That Teigu...is far more dangerous than I imagined… He slowly fell out of the air since he sustained an injury.
…It just scraped him. Mein frowned as she lowered her Teigu. Too bad I can't use the cut-down shot all the time. Turning to the side she noticed some feathers heading straight for her but Akame jumped into action, using Murasame to cut them all down effortlessly.
"That was an impressive shot, Mein." The black haired assassin said, giving her a smile. "You drove him away."
"Humph. Your follow up was nice, too!" Mein replied.
"Save the chitchat for later!" Rabac yelped. "We'll all die from the crash if we don't do something!" Making quick hand movements he bundled the entire manta into a giant bag made entirely of Cross Tail's threads. "This should work as an impromtu cushion!" We crashed against the ground, kicking up dust and smoke.
"Impressive..." I said as Rabac recalled his threads once the smoke cleared. "The air manta's body absorbed all the force of the impact."
"Thanks for everything." Akame said, looking at the beast with sad eyes.
"You saved us in the end." Mein added as she lightly stroked its smooth skin, knowing that it sacrificed itself to help us reach our destination.
"We fell before we reached our target." Akame said as we said farewell to the beast. "Let's hurry to the cathedral."
"I won't let you." A voice spoke, causing Akame to freeze. We slowly turned around to see the visitor approach us. "Your opponent is me."
"A Jaeger!?" Rabac exclaimed as Akame got into position.
"Wave..." I said softly, stepping up front so that he could see me clearly. Oh that's right, he doesn't know who I am...he will only recognize me if I was Shion.
"...how do you know my name..." He glared at me. "An enemy like you, knowing my name before I know your own…who are you?"
"It doesn't matter..." Mein cut in calmly, holding Pumpking tightly in hand. "Are you sure about taking us on? Even if you're not our target, the four of us will show you no mercy!"
"Come assassins..." He drew his blade after a minute of silence. "You even injured Ran…I'm not going to lose any more comrades..!" He glared at us with a lot of hatred. "I won't let you hurt anyone else...!" He slammed the blade into the ground. "GRAND CHARIOOT!"
Grand Chariot…I thought as Wave doned on the familiar black armor. The same one when Tatsumi and I first met him after that tournament. The others might not be too familiar about his fighting style...this could get rough.
"Take this!" Mein pointed her Teigu at him and fired. He evaded the bullets with ease, targeting her first since she initiated the battle. However Akame leaped in, slashing at him with Murasame. The two of them went head to head, neither one seemed to be giving the other an opening.
This armor… Akame thought as she tried to land an attack on him only for him to block the strike with his black wing-shaped cape. It won't let the blade penetrate to the skin…the armor doesn't have...any openings!
"It doesn't matter how many of you there are!" Wave roared as he finally got throuhgh Akame's defense, slamming his fist into her stomach in a devestating punch and the force sent her flying through a couple of trees.
"Gah!" She cried, blood flying out of her mouth as her back connected to a tree with a thicker trunk. Slowly she fell to the ground with a thud.
"Onee-san!" I yelled in concern when she didn't move. Wave slowly prowled towards me but stopped when he realized that he was tied up by some string.
"Alright! Got hi…" Rabac looked in horror as Wave easily snapped his threads. Turning around, the armored enemy rushed at him instead. Come on! Get caught by my trap threads! Rabac egged him on, waiting for his chance to attack. However Wave already predicted it and avoided the trap all together.
"I'll destroy every single one of you!" He roared as he flew at Rabac. Quickly the green-haired man created a giant web made out of thread in hopes to block his enemy. "Grand Fall!" One kick destroyed the net and sent Rabac flying back.
What the hell? Mein growled as she attacked and he avoided the bullets once more by jumping nimbly into the air. Was he always this strong?!
He's like a force of nature...Akame frowned as she got to her feet, an arm wrapped around her stomach. If we don't do something fast, the distraction team will be annihilated...
"Stay back." They stopped to look at me curiously. "Allow me to take a crack at him."
"Sonya…wha-?!" Mein started to say but stopped when my dog tag started to shine brightly underneath my jacket.
"You three go to the cathedral." I spoke in monotone, watching as Rabac lumbered over rubbing his face with a whimper. "I'll buy you some time."
"No one is going anywhere!" Wave remarked, running towards us and aimed a fist at my face. However...
"How naive." I smashed my fist against his cheek before his fist could even connect with me, my eyes ablazed with something akin to anger. "I will not...let you hurt my friends anymore."
This pressure…! Akame looked in surprise as Wave skidded back with a grunt. It's exactly like when I first faught against her back when she and Tatsumi were protecting that princess. It's been awhile...
"W-What are you?!" Wave spat out blood, holding his cheek. "How dare you…"
"I hope you're ready." I told him sternly, my eyes staring at his and held him in place. "For what I have in plan for you."
"Sonya..." I turned to see Akame standing next to me. "You don't have to handle him on your own, we're staying here with you."
"But if we don't hurry…" I stopped when she just smiled.
"It'll be okay. We'll defeat him..together."
Inside the cathedral...
"Long time no see, Najenda." Esdese said calmly as she looked at her old friend. The distraction team decided to infiltrate the building when Akame's team didn't show up in time, therefore Najenda had to change the plans a bit.
"Esdese." was the stoic reply, the voice betrayed nothing and stayed monotoned.
So that's Night Raid...Borick thought as he looked at the group before his eyes slowly drifted to Leone. Oho. How seductive...He chuckled like a perverted old man when he saw how large her brests were.
"You went through all the trouble of coming here, so I'll treat you with my Teigu!" Esdese informed the group as she drew her sword. "And let's catch up afterwards, in the torture chamber."
"I'll pass." Najenda spoke in response. "I don't really wanna talk to you."
"You're so cold." Esdese feigned a little hurt in her voice before pointing her sword in their direction. "I even prepared a Trump Card for you."
"...? I thought that your Teigu, Demon Extract, had no such thing as a Trump Card." Najenda said, looking a bit confused.
"That's right. That's why I invented it on my own." Esdese smirked. "Isn't it amazing?"
"Did she just want to brag?" Susanoo asked.
"A Trump Card isn't something you invent on your own, is it?" Leone looked equally confused.
"That's just like Esdese," Najenda shook her head with a smirk. "breaking limits."
"But then again, it's a technique that uses a significant amount of energy. I won't use it unless I have to." The Ice General said calmly. I look forward to the fight that forces me to use it.
Akame's group still isn't here…Najenda thought with concern. Then we'll go on offensive, and divert Esdese's attention.
"Kurome. Focus on guarding him." Esdese commanded without looking behind her. "We never know where their other members will strike from."
"Roger." Kurome said as she and Natala stood in front of Borick. If it's my sister…she'll definitely do something. She frowned, keeping her eyes peeled for Akame.
I have to be patient. Tatsumi thought as he hid behind a pillar, already in his invisible state. My role is to strike down Borick in the midst of the commotion. Ｉhave to focus on that!
"Let's go," Esdese raised her arm and snapped her fingers loudly, creating a giant chunk of ice floating above her head. "Night Raid!"
"Get behind me!" Susanoo said and took the initiative, striking the ice block with strong blows with his weapon.
"Then how about this?" Esdese grinned as she fired icicles at her opponent. The hidden blades within the Teigu's weapon popped out and he deflected most of it until two went through his defenses, stabbing his side.
"Oh!" Borick exclaimed, leaning forward in his throne. "Well done!" However his voice died in his throat when Susanoo looked bored, his wounds healing on their own thanks to his regenerative power. "What!?"
"Are you...the bionic Teigu I've read from the reports?" Esdese asked before grinning. "This is getting more interesting by the second! Bring it!" Taking the bait, the three of them rushed at Esdese together with Susanoo in the lead.
What reaction speed! Leone gasped as Esdese dodged her kick and stabbed her with her sword. She's even faster than a beast…!
"Oho." Esdese mused as she stepped back, avoiding Najenda's mechanical fist. "The woman is a human, yet she has such a high recovery rate." The wound she dealt Leone was indeed recovering at an astounding rate. "Must be the Teigu's ability."
I was able to move this much closer during that exchange. Tatsumi said as he saw his target in sight. After one or two more like that, I'll…strike him down!
Where's Akame and her group!? Najenda growled. Are they being held up by the Jaegers that aren't here?
"I've found some interesting specimen." Esdese chuckled. "I'll capture you all." Slamming her hand on the ground, she caused a torrent of ice to appear, seperating the group. Using her speed, she caught up with Najenda in the blink of an eye. "There's so many things I want to ask you." She grinned, aiming a direct attack to the back of the neck, causing the leader of Night Raid to cry out.
"Boss!" Leone yelled, bouncing off the wall as Najenda fell to the ground unconcious, her fist pulled back ready to attack. However Esdese was ready for her, giving her a solid axe kick to the spine. "Gwah!" She yelped, crashing to the ground.
"Freeze..." Esdese whispered as she laid a hand on Susanoo's face as the Teigu rushed to attack. "Capture complete." She smirked as she encased the Teigu in a block of ice.
"Uh…Ugh…" Leone groaned, coming to her senses after hitting the floor. Suddenly pain shot up her right hand and Esdese flipped her over, tearing a wound in her hand with her sword.
"Your recovery powers..." The woman spoke calmly as she looked down on her prey. "...are very interesting. Does the recovering rate differ depending on the part of the body? Let's test it out."
What is she preparing to do? Leone gazed up in fear as her opponetn tightened her grip on the sword. Shit!
"Gouge out one eye. Open a hole in the cheek. Rip the nails off of the hand." Esdese mercilessly spoke as she proceeded to torture Leone. "Slice the right breast off. Cut off an arm. Stab the tail as well. Cut off the foot. Chop off the toes."
"GAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Leone screamed, her blood pooling around her as she lay defenseless. "A..aa…a…" Soon her voice gave out as she finished screaming, her mind going into shock.
"Oho, still alive, huh?..." Esdese smirked, her prey trembling at her feet before passing out from the intense pain. "Impressive vitality. Then I'll…keep giving you what should be fatal wounds. Just how long will you live...?" She raised her sword above her head ready to start hacking again. A murderous aura! She suddenly leaned back as Tatsumi flew right past her.
Fuck! She dodged my kick! He growled, skidding to a halt.
"As I thought, there was another assassin." Esdese smirked. "How naive, getting baited by something like this."
How can I stay quiet…Tatsumi growled as he got rid of the invisibility and took an attack stance. ..when Sis is getting mangled by you…!?
"Incursio…!" Esdese spoke. "I've always wanted to try fighting you!"
So this is…the overwhelming pressure of the strongest human being in the Empire…Tatsumi thought as he watched the dangerous aura surround Esdese. She doesn't have the slightest opening…where do I even begin attacking!?
Strange...Esdese wondered as she looked at Incursio. It's difficult for me to attack...no...that's not it. A part of me doesn't want to attack...? There are plenty of openings, though. She felt at conflict with herself. This is a first...just who is thaht inside the armor?
"...Urg...Ugh..." Najenda groaned as she finally came to her senses, sitting up and shook her head to get the stars out of her eyes. How pathetic. Even though it was just for a moment, I allowed myself to be knocked out. Just now, even if I could mentally process what was happening, my body couldn't keep up. She looked around, at Susanoo still trapped in ice to Leone's unconcious form. It's possible that I've become weaker, but Esdese has definitely grown stronger. She's even more powerful than she was when I was with the Empire...! Getting up on shaky legs, she glared at her foe. I'm in no place to keep saving this. I have to use it. "Magatama Manifestation!" She roared, a yellow aura surrounded her body before flowing towards Susanoo's core.
"Najenda?" Esdese said, feeling the change in the atmosphere. "What are you doing?"
"We're all alive and...tenacious." She replied. "You shouldn't relax just because you've frozen one of us." Immediately the ice prison shattered and Susanoo surfaced after changing into his Trump Card state. "Go Susanoo. Bring down Borick!"
Outside…
Wave and I flew at each other, trading blows with our bare hands at speeds that couldn't possibly be followed by naked eyes. Rabac and Akame watched and waited for a chance to jump in and support me. Mein hid within the trees with Pumpkin ready to fire at a moment's notice.
"So light…" I commented as I caught him off guard with a punch, breaking us apart.
D-Damn. How did she...Wave skidded back before leaping at me again, his fists pulled back. "I don't know what happened but I won't..." He looked as though he was going to attack from the right so Ｉquickly raised my arms to blocked, my eyes following him. Suddenly he disappeared underneath my guard, lashing out with a strong upper cut to my jaw. "…lose to you!"
What the－? I thought, my head thrown back from the strength of his punch, blood splurted out from my busted lip. He got through my guard?
"I'm not done yet!" He slammed his fists repeatedly into my unguarded stomach, finally finishing with a strong kick.
"Sonya!" Akame yelled as I was thrown back before leaping toward Wave, Murasame in hand. Rabac also joined in to back her up but the two of them were thrown off.
"What's wrong?" Wave taunted underneath his mask as I set Akame down when she was knocked back, her uniform was ripped a little in the front and I could see a massive bruise forming on her stomach from where he punched her. "Don't tell me that's all you've got? Are you planning on running away from my attacks!?"
"Stupid." I replied.
"What was that?!" He growled. "Very well, I'll come to you and show you no mercy! What the-!? Again?" He noticed he was bounded by the threads.
"Objective completed." Rabac grinned from where he was sitting. "I've bound your body with my threads and tied you to this tree."
"Then I'll just break the thread like I did just like last time..." It's not breaking. Wave frowned as he tried to snap them. What is this thread…? Its strength is on a completely different level.
"Realm severer thread. It's my best thread." Rabac told him. "Go on ahead, Akame!" He shouted, nodding his head to his comrade. Nodding back, she grabbed my arm and pulled me after her with Mein on our heels.
"Stop!" Wave yelled but the thread wouldn't budge an inch as he struggled to get free.
"Heh….Heh heh…" Rabac laughed. "I…was…finally able to do something usefull.."
"Tch." Wave huffed as he watched the green-haired assassin fall to the ground unconcious.
Near the cathedral…
"There's a lot of noise coming from the cathedral."
"Will Lord Borick be alright? Shouldn't we go back?" A group of soldiers spoke amongst one another in slight worry.
"It'll be fine if we just leave it to General Esdese." One of the soldiers said, having full faith in his general.
"We just have to stand guard here and not let anymore enemies through." A man with shaggy hair, dark sunglasses and a cigarette in his mouth stated nonchalantly. "I can finally use my Teigu for the first time in a while."
A/N: Here's a refresher on Sonya's Teigu incase you had forgotten.
Actual name: Triumph
In the shape of a dog tag most people overlook the full extent of its power. As one of the forty-eight items known as 'Imperial Arms', it was said to have disappeared along with half of the items through history. Not much is known about it, even the record books have little to no information.
Ability: Order
This ability allows the user to take complete control over the other Teigu users; does not have any effect on non-Teigu users.
Trump card: Resurrection
This trump card is quite a weird one and can ONLY be used ONCE. The user will slowly lose his or her memory the longer the battle draws out; memories about the past, important events and even friends. In return, the user will be able to use any Teigu he or she wishes and have full access to their abilities.
Attacks:
Judgment Cannon- Fires a beam of energy from the user's right hand; has a 2% dodge rate. After firing, it needs to recharge and recover making the user a vulnerable target.
Heavenly Flash- Harbors the energy within a fist and with one punch, demolishes the target; 0% dodge rate. Could be used after firing a cannon however the user will knocked out for 4 days as a side-effect.
Teleport- Allows the user to pop up in places he or she desires, can also be used for a swift getaway.
Holy Flame – A flame, pure white in color, that cannot be taken out by just water. It can melt ｎｏｒｍａｌ ice and steel. When it makes contact with anything it will explode. It can also be thrown by hand like a grenade. It can be released in the form of a ball whenever the user says 'Bang' or 'Fire'.