11
Kill the hardship
At the hot springs…
"Yes! Finally healed!" Mine shouted as she rose from the hot springs near the base, now that she finally could feel her once broken left arm fully recovered. She headed back to her room and rushed to dress herself quickly.
Until my wounds healed, I had to stay at the base and rest. Now I can get back into the fight! I have to work twice as hard to make up for the loss of Sheele and Bulat!
Mine rushed outside to the training grounds, while she dressed herself.
"Anybody here? I need somebody to train with!"
She walked in on Tatsumi and Lubbock drenched in sweat, doing push-ups while Akame sat on Tatsumi's back and Leone on Lubbock's. Especially the green-haired boy looked like he was one breath away from passing out.
"Hey, Mine!" Tatsumi said as he was on the way up.
"So you have recovered! That is good!" Akame pointed out.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Just helping these guys out with their training." Leone revealed with a grin as bright as the sun that was mercilessly shining down on the ground.
"In order for me to be able to use it as well as bro, I need to train my body even more, every day!"
Unlike Lubbock, he gritted his teeth and kept on doing push-ups.
"As it is now, I can barely use it's invisibility for a few seconds before it releases."
"It's unusual to see you getting sweaty, Lubbock."
"There are just the two of us guys in the group now. So, you know, I got to thinking maybe I should start taking things seriously."
"Yeah, that sounds cool and all, but you can barely do half as many push-ups as Tatsumi." Leone snickered, tapping his left shoulder with her fingers.
"Pfft."
"That is to be expected. Since there is a considerable difference between Leone's weight and mine." Akame stated devoid of any emotion, as cold as a stone with that blank, neutral stare that was plastered on her face in that moment. Lubbock's and Mine's jaw instantly dropped so hard to the ground that they almost busted holes into it.
Tatsumi's face was drained of all color and halted all movement, as if a glass just shattered on the floor into a million pieces and the sound was loudly echoing through the air as everyone stared at the mess that was left. Leone stepped off Lubbock and smashed her fist into Akame's head, making big, red, fat bump pop up on her skull.
"Oh. You're all here."
"Boss. What's with the getup?" Mine asked, seeing as Najenda was wearing a long coat over her suit alongside a huge backpack.
"I'm heading out to the revolutionary army HQ."
"Heading out to the revolutionary army HQ?" Tatsumi repeated with a questioning gaze.
"Yeah, I need to deliver the three imperial arms we confiscated from the three beasts."
"Boss, that axe is unbelievably heavy."
"Oh, I can handle this much. See? I wouldn't be able to use it as a weapon, but if it's just carrying, there's no problem."
"Was the boss always this badass?"
"Of course! She's a former General after all." Lubbock giggled with red cheeks.
"I'll leave this place in your hands, Akame. I want everyone to train hard."
Her eyes widened a bit and her mouth ever so slightly, as if she wanted to say something but didn't. Akame closed her eyes and made a small and polite bow to the boss.
"Understood."
Alright! With Akame in charge, there's nothing that could go wrong. I'll train with her the entire day and get stronger!
Had Tatsumi been the one in command, he would have jumped around for several minutes straight, thanked his boss a trillion times, rambling on and on about what an honor it is to be chosen for this.
"But the main reason I'm heading to HQ is to secure new members. I hope they can spare some talented people to replenish our strength. But I'm not holding my breath."
"I'm sorry…I was just too weak…"
"The ones you were fighting, the three beasts, had the strongest offensive capabilities in the entire empire. They were key figures in Esdeath's army. All three of them were eliminated and their imperial arms recovered. Esdeath's strength may have no equal, but her army certainly has been weakened as a whole.
This will do much to alleviate the concerns, when a revolution will take place. You not only saved the lives of the people on the ship, but also the lives of thousands of revolutionary soldiers. You're strong and you did well, Tatsumi." Najenda remarked, gazing at Tatsumi's damp and reddened eyes, his gritted teeth and balled fists, while she puffed out a cloud of smoke.
I don't care…bro…
"Boss…" He muttered as his head and shoulders were pulled down by gravity.
"I wasn't going to tell you since I didn't want to inflate your ego, but…Bulat said something to me a while ago." Leone said as she approached him from behind.
(Flashback begin)
"Tatsumi still may be green and wet behind his ears, but I know he'll become seriously strong in time. With strict training like now, he might just be able to leave me in the dust and go even further. I look forward to seeing it."
(Flasback end)
"Aniki…"
"Be proud of yourself and live on, Tatsumi. Show Bulat that you can be the kind of man he expected you to be." Najenda encouraged him with a small smile as she grabbed her back pack and headed to the other direction. His sobbing ceased and a black shadow of his brown locks covered his eyes.
There it was again. That feint, but clearly audible cracking sound of his right knuckles and the crunching of his teeth.
"Esdeath!" He quietly grunted like a volcano at the edge of spewing masses of lava.
Even so, we're still short-handed…and the report brought by Leone says that Esdeath is forming a special group of imperial arms users…Looks like things are getting more difficult…
In the capital…
General Esdeath was strolling down a mass cemetery with a bouquet in hand. The setting sun shone on the three graves she was about to visit.
"Liver, Nyau, Daidara. You guys lost…Which means you were just too weak."
Esdeath gently put her left hand on the side of Liver's cemetery stone. A cross, shaped much like the emblem of her army. Her eyelids sank slightly, as she gazed at the graves of her fallen subordinates.
"It's only natural for the weak to be extinguished…my weak subordinates…" She muttered and knelt down.
"You were so weak that I have to take revenge on your enemies in your stead."
Will my new teigu using subordinates be arriving today?
(flashback begin)
At the imperial palace…
"All six have gathered, but they all seem to be people of low status, even if they're capable. And they all appear to have certain personality quirks. Sorry about that." Honest informed her as he munched on a bar of bread.
(flashback end)
I don't know much about the people that have come. Maybe I should play around with them?
At Capital Main street…
Hi, my name is Wave. I've fought for the imperial Navy as a true man of the sea! As of today, I'm on my way to join a special police group being put together by the empire. It's kind of a promotion.
For my first time in the city, I wanted to make a flashy entrance. I even decided on these clothes, because they make me look so cool! Like a real man of the sea!
"Ugh, that stinks!" "What the hell is that smell?!" "Dude, this guy stinks!" "Why is he carrying this huge sack? It's smells awful!" Several citizens around Wave complained, shielding their noses or pulling up their clothes over their noses.
For some reason, I get the feeling that everyone is giving me weird stares…Maybe I'm doing something improper or something?
"A bumpkin…" "It's a country boy, right?" "Definitely!" The citizens he just passed mumbled behind him. Wave could just sigh.
I'm a man, who fought pirates and sea monsters! I can't let unimportant things like this bother me!
After his casual walk across the Main Street and many more weird stares he arrived at a huge, probably way too expensive glass door of an even bigger, more ornate building or whatever people call it when something looks way too huge.
I need to arrive at the meeting place smoothly. Because the people in there are gonna by my teammates from now on. The first impression is crucial. So in order not to be taken lightly, let's to do this!
"Good afternoon! I'm from the imperial Navy. I'm Wa…"
The first thing or rather person that crossed his eye sight was a tall, muscular guy wearing a gas mask, staring straight at him dead in the eyes.
"Pardon my intrusion!" Wave shouted, ran out of the room and smashed the door shut.
"Ummm…This room is the torture chamber then? I must have mixed up rooms…"
Wave glanced at the map that was attached to the invitation letter, which clearly depicted this room he just fled from was the designated room in which he was supposed to be in and wait.
"But, the meeting room place is supposed to be in the special police conference room. And…this is it."
Which means that's one of my new co-workers?! What kind of place is this?! Nowadays, pirates look more normal than the people here!
Wave's chin dropped to the floor and cold shivers slowly crept down his spine like a spider.
For the time being, I need to stay positive and conduct myself well…
"G-G-Good afternoon…" Wave stuttered, while he was almost rushing to the opposite, most far away seat at the table for six with his bag filled to the lid with smelling fish. Wave sat there with sweat slowly trickling down his forehead, all tensed up with his eyes having staring contest with the floor. Every second felt like three minutes or more. This couldn't get any weirder and just…awkward.
The guy has been staring at me the whole time! This sucks, mom. I already want to go home! This city is already making me crazy! This city is crazy!
A few minutes later, another person arrived in the so-called special police room. Wave's head instantly spun around to study the newcomer. Hopefully someone, who is not crazy. A girl. In her mid-teens probably. A katana on her right hip. Black school girl uniform. Nothing weird or extraordinary about her.
And so was her stare. It didn't give away any emotions, boredom at best, when he looked at her pale face for a brief moment, while she went to the table and sat down across from him. She placed a small cloth bag on the table and reached into it.
A normal girl!
Wave stood up and came over to her.
"Are you an imperial arms user that was summoned here as well? Nice to meet you, I'm Wave…"
As he was greeting her, she glanced over to him, while she munched on a thin chocolate stick with that same blank stare. She leaned over the table and shielded the bag with her body.
"You can't have any of my candy."
She's sort of crazy too!
Wave went back to his place and proceeded to stare back at the floor with the same unnecessarily tense posture.
"S-sorry to bother you."
Fuck…What's up with this situation. The one across from me is eating after candy. Youre gonna get diabetes, you know?! And the other one is just staring at me. What is this guy's problem?!
"Pardon me! I've been reassigned from the Capital defense forces. I am Seryu Ubitiquos! And this is Koro!"
Ohh…This one seems normal enough…or not…She's probably a weirdo too…
The girl, who had a bouquet of roses in her hands for some reason, laid out rose sheets throughout the whole room, especially in front of her in a straight line, much to everyone's bewilderment.
"Dr. Stylish! The stage is yours!"
"First impressions are important…and would of course be important to a stylish man like myself." The tall man said with his right hand on his cheek almost as if he was awfully in love with someone. Not just someone. Almost dreaming, envisioning greatness.
And this one is a crazy homo!
"Oh, dear. On first glance, you're clearly a country-boy, but you're actually kind of good-looking. I can make you look even better. Let's get along well, okay?"
And he seems…to have taken a liking to me!
Wave's jaw was again on the floor, eyes widened in shock and disbelief, utterly helpless, almost frozen in place, as the so-called Dr. Stylish's almost flirty gaze penetrated him through his glasses like a club.
The sixth one is probably gonna be a total freak…Oh lord…What am I going to do?
Wave literally gave up. He just put his arms on a table and buried his head inside them and waited for this freakshow to end.
"Good afternoon. Looks like I'm the last one to arrive." The sixth of the group greeted everyone. Wave, who had lost nearly all hope that anyone or anything normal, would cross his path raised his slightly to look at him
A fragile 'Hey…I'm Wave " left his lips, when the new addition was next to him. He appeared to be a scholar or something nerdy and intellectual, judging from the tunic he wore and the book in his hand.
And what is this one's quirk gonna be…
"I'm Ran. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Wave's eyes widened. No quirks, no antics, no extraordinary greetings. He shot up and held Ran's hands with a smile as bright as the sun.
This guy is not weird! He's normal! Finally someone normal has come!
"Uhm…Everyone…I've made tea." The masked guy, who was here since the very beginning, informed everyone, bringing along a plate of 6 cups.
"I must apologize…It's our first meeting and I haven't greeted you yet. I have a fear of strangers, you see…I-I was nervous. I'm probably the oldest one here and yet I act like that! Let's all get along well as fellow comrades! I'm Bols, from the incineration squad."
"Haha…" Wave giggled with a sweaty smile.
H-he has a fear of people with that appearance?!
"The incineration squad…A unit that will stylishly scorch anything, be it man or thing…I see, that's why you have that look." Dr. Stylish mumbled to himself with that same dreamy gaze as when he entered the room.
He's definitely not my type…
Suddenly a tall, masked woman, dressed like a dominatrix came walking through the door.
All six of them have arrived…
"Eh, who's that?" Wave asked
"I don't recognize any of you! What are you doing in this room?"
"Hey now. We were called here for a special as-"
The woman didn't hesitate to kick Wave unconscious.
"Your opponents will be assassins…Always be on your guard!"
She charged at Ran with a flurry of kicks. He managed to parry them all.
This guy is pretty good…
Seryu and Koro came jumping at Esdeath from behind. Her twisted visage already betrayed her killing intent. The intruder grabbed them both and hurled them over her hand, smashing them into the floor.
"When attacking from behind, you give off too much killing intent!"
The candy-munching girl unsheathed her katana, while she charged at their attacker from behind, slicing right through that mask, making it slowly fall apart, revealing the bright smirk underneath.
"Even when playing around, I shouldn't give this one an opening. So that's the imperial arm 'Yatsufusa', huh? It has a splendid cutting edge."
"Gen-General Esdeath!"
Damn, that hurt…E-even the boss is a crazy one?!
Later in the afternoon, outside of the imperial palace, the inner ring…
Esdeath and her squad were strolling down the marble path that would lead to the emperor's palace, all dressed in fine black and white suits.
"Were you surprised by my little game? Much better than the usual dull welcoming reception, wouldn't you agree?" Esdeath snickered, as she led her team on the way.
"I'm used to being treated rough." Wave sighed.
She calls it a game…The woman knocked me out for a few solid seconds!
"Thanks for the lesson, ma'am!" Seryu said with a smile across both her cheeks.
"Okay then! We'll have a party, after an audience with his majesty."
"Wha-Were suddenly going to meet the emperor?!" Wave yelled, nearly jumping out of his own skin, when his jaw dropped the floor again.
"What a fast paced schedule for the first day." Ran added.
"I like to get the tedious things out of the way first. You would rather handle your self-introductions next time, right?"
"Next time?" Wave asked as sweat already trickled down his face.
"Esdeath-sama, before that. Shouldn't we pick a stylish name for our group?"
A smirk spread across Esdeath's face.
"We are a unique group within the military. Organized and tasked to mercilessly hunt down and eliminate atrocious groups of enemies known as…"
"The Jaegers" Esdeath declared with that same smirk, that soft, yet also sadistic smirk.
At the Night Raid base…
Akame had taken a shower and now was ready to grab her daily midnight snack before she would go to bed.
"Hm, these noises. Someone outside?"
She made sure to check where the sound was coming from. Thanks to her sharpened senses through countless battles and even more hours of training, she had no problem tracking it down. The noises came from the training grounds.
"Tatsumi…you should go to bed."
"I can't. I need to get stronger."
"We have been sparring all day."
"It's not enough…I'm still…"
Akame hit him with a precise karate chop on his dome.
"Ouch!"
"Baka! Don't overdo it."
"I need to train for aniki and myself from now on. He would be rolling in grave, if I didn't take my training seriously."
The gentle chirping of crickets and the quiet rustling of the trees surrounding the base broke the silence that suddenly came between the two.
"Tatsumi…"
"Can we spar again? Just a bit?"
"No, you should rest."
"If you spar with me, I'll cook you a big midnight snack!"
Akame turned around and already salivated, while evilbird drum sticks lit up in her hungry, crimson-red eyes. She quickly grabbed a training sword and positioned herself within the span of not even a moment.
Under the light of the full, white moon, the two Night Raid assassins continued his training.
I will get stronger, bro…Just you wait!
Hello, dear reader(s)
This chapter was a short one for multiple reasons.
A) Chapter 15 in the manga solely introduces the Jaegers, literally nothing else happens. (A/N: Jaeger is related to the german word 'Jäger', which means Hunter)
B) I thought about putting the following 2 chapters together, but I decided not to, because they are too different in regard as to what happens in them. In the next chapter Esdeath will meet Tatsumi for the first time and some other stuff. (I know, ugh)
C) It would have blown up the chapter in quantity, which I didn't think was necessary.
D) Additionally, I want to focus on law school. I need to study for the exams in 2 months. (May god have mercy on my soul). So, if I don't publish anything the following weeks/months it will be for that very reason. The soonest I'll be able to write in case that does happen would be early spring or mid to late February. (I'm sorry in advance) Of course, I'll try to publish whenever I can for you.^^
2 quick announcements before I leave.
Nr.1: The re-writes for chapter 1-7 will happen sooner rather than later. Simply for the fact that, if the first chapter sucks, no one is going to stick around for the second, wouldn't you agree? So I might prioritize them over continuing the story. Sorry for that one too.
Nr.2: I'm writing another fanfic for honkai impact 3rd with my OC. So you know which new character they'll have in their game. (Just kidding^^. Seriously though, if Mihoyo considers it, it more than happy^^.) Anyway I will write a "Demo" chapter for them and hope for the best. I don't think I'll publish it right away for the reason that it would spoil major character development and plot points even for AGK and it would spoil the excitement for you. Otherwise I would gladly let you take a look.
But that would be my next project (Hi3 x Ashura) after AGK, which I intend to finish next summer (hopefully). Either, I'll publish it here on or on Archive of our own. I don't think too highly of wattpad, but I might publish it there too.
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the chapter and look forward for more. Leave reviews/constructive criticism as always if you like and don't forget to add me on Discord^^. Ashura#3359. Have a nice day/night/whatever.