Sup' you beautiful people! Hope you've had a fantastic day! I am so sorry for the late update! How have you guys been doing?! I've got a great treat for you! Also, here's a change of the usual way I title these chapters!

Also, a big shoutout to a very old time reviewer that goes by the name CyberActors15. I'm glad to see you're back to reading my fanfictions again. Thanks for your criticism. I'll try to improve this as I go on.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE SHOWS I'M WRITING FANFICTIONS ON!

Now on to the chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 32: Onboard the Rysuusen

Tatsumi sat on the floor in awe of his comrade in Night Raid. Though he was still a newbie in the infamous group of assassins, the teen had seen more than his fair share of power display. But still, the thing he had had witnessed had left him in a feeling of awe.

Bulat was too cool. Following his introduction with Daidara, the other "pets" of Esdeath, Liver and Nyau, had come after Bulat from all sides. Tatsumi had been so certain his friend was done for, but he was wrong. Bulat had singlehandedly sent the Three Beast Warriors back, including cutting Daidara in a perfect half. Now it was just the other two left and they were on momentarily unresponsive.

Thus, from a pause, Tatsumi smirked a bit. Bulat's back was facing the teenage boy, so he couldn't see it. But he had a feeling on what Tatsumi felt when he spoke.

"I knew you were strong, but…I didn't know you were this amazing, bro!"

"Right?" Bulat said with a boastful tone. He turned back to Tatsumi fully. "My nickname back when I was in the army was '100 man slayer Bulat'"

"But strictly speaking…" said another voice. Bulat knew its familiarity, as well as where it was coming from. Liver, a man Bulat knew certainly, was back on his feet and heading towards him. "…you had actually killed 128 people." He added. "At the time, you were doing very well against the special forces."

Bulat said nothing back. The tension in the air was causally rising as each bold step was made by Liver. The older man himself had a glaring look on his face as he finally figured out who was within the armor.

"That Teigu you wear…so it is you, Bulat!"

"General Liver." Bulat said, almost casually. If this incident had happened unexpectedly, he would've been surprised. But due to Ben's information, he had known about the man the moment he had fought him and the others back.

"You don't sound surprised. I guess you did attack me knowing well of who I am." Liver replied calmly. "For your information, I am no longer a general. After Esdeath-sama saved me, I became her servant."

Tatsumi scowled a bit. 'So this really is him…He fits Ben's description well.'

For a moment after, silence took over. Both men who once stood with one another were now standing in an atmosphere that could get deadly. The only difference, however, was the fact that Bulat was disappointed to see the truth about his old superior. His armor hid that one fact, though.

In the end, there wasn't much Bulat could do except be prepared for the fighting coming. He spun his huge double-bladed spear in his hand.

"If you were my ally, we could have a drink to celebrate this reunion." He said and then stopped his spear. From there, he got into a stance with both hands on the weapon determinedly. "But for appearing as an enemy, the mission must come first!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Liver replied, pushing his hand forward. "I absolutely must complete my mission, and I will, using this Teigu I received from my master."

And so the battle between former allies began.

Aria had slipped away while she could and removed the DNAlien mask. On whether Bulat and Tatsumi stood a chance against the Three Beast Warriors was unknown to her. She knew she would be useless with her weapon, thus she headed to the cargo hold.

However, the run there wasn't so smooth. Everywhere Aria went was covered with bodies of unconscious people. They weren't dead, fortunately, but time was ticking for her as she ran to her destination.

"So this is your work, Nyau." Aria said, muttering to herself. "To think this gift of yours would be used this way…I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. But…" Her eyes became determined. "I won't run, not now. I'll save you…just as HE saved me."

Her mind flashed back to when Ben saved her from Tatsumi. Though she was still evil at the time, she did feel some gratefulness for his action. Then her mind flashbacked to the moment in the woods Ben had beaten most of Night Raid all on his own. Again, she wasn't in the best of mental state when she had tried to kill Akame. But now, remembering all this, she realized what she had to do and moved on.

But even then she wasn't at a good start. For one, after she got to where the cargoes are in the ship, she didn't know where her weapon was. And with the piles of woodened boxes and other visible objects staking the area, Aria wasn't certain.

"Damn it, Ben! Where did you keep it?!" Aria yelled to herself. She ran through the area looking for her weapon. "I know you don't want me to be in the fight, but I won't let you stop me now! I'll find that thing and...and I'll save Nyau!"

Flashback to four years ago, the Goodricke Mansion still stood firm. The backyard, a garden, was currently conducting a party with rich aristocrats present and mingling with one another. This especially went for their kids, who would imitate their parents in hopes of getting higher in society than them one day.

However, there was something off. A young Aria knew this as she wondered the forest in search of what she could only describe as a flute being played. To her it sounded beautiful and flawless as its player played every musical note in perfect harmony.

So even if it meant separating herself from her family, she followed this music until she stumbled upon the person playing. It was a young boy around her age, dressed in a fancy blue coat, white shirt and blue pants. He seated at a tree, pleasuring playing with a silver flute while his back was lying on the tree. He didn't seem to notice Aria until she stepped to his view, causing him to shriek.

Aria didn't seem bothered by his reaction. She stood with a sly smile as she watched the boy fall on his back.

"So you're the one playing that music. To be honest with you, I find it much delightful then music in the party." She said.

"Uh...th-thank you." The boy said shakily.

Aria's approach changed, From her position, she could see how timid the small boy was and, in a way, felt sorry for him. That is why she then reached her hand out to him.

"My apologies, I didn't realize that I caught you off guard." She said. "My name is Aria Goodricke. What is your name? By your attire, I can tell you're also part of noble blood."

"Uh…yes." The boy nodded. He hesitantly took Aria's hand and allowed her to help him back on his feet. Then he did a short bow at her. "I-I am Nyau Mosvelt. I-It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise." Aria pleasantly said.

From there, the young Nyau was taken aback. Aria clasped her hands on his right hand and brought her face close to his own. It happened so fast, and the boy fidgeted in response. But again, Aria didn't mind her attitude.

"Can you play it again…for me?" She asked.

"What?"

"The flute…Can you play it for me?! It was so beautiful to listen to!"

Nyau paused and glanced at his hand which held the flute. "I-I don't know. I'm not…good with being around people, that is why I was here by myself. I know I'm pathetic for a noble."

"You're right, you are pathetic." Aria said. Her response dejected the young Nyau, but she continued. "But you're honesty is spot on."

Nyau looked to her, confused. Aria's attitude had shifted slightly, but not enough to raise any alarms. She even brought her hand and his own hand to be between their faces as she smiled widely.

"Come with me and I'll be your big sister! You may be pathetic, but you're pretty cute!"

"Cu-Cute?"

"Yup." Aria said and licked her lips. "Besides, I can make you the proper noble deserving of the empire and…a future wife like myself."

"Eh…?" Nyau was taken aback. He blushed madly as his eyes widened at what he heard.

The moment then escalated when Aria moved in and kissed him on the lips. Nyau was too surprised that he shrieked and fell on his butt again. This time Aria giggled and began walking away.

"Well?" The girl stopped and turned her head to him. "Come on, we have much to do together, right?"

Nyau paused, but then nodded hastily. As much as he would admit things were going too fast, there was something about Aria that memorized him. Hence, the young boy stopped and dusted his trousers, before running off to Aria's side.

Two months passed, and with it their relationship grew. Nyau was seated on a long couch, playing for a certain blonde girl while she was lying there with her head on his laps. Nyau tried so hard not to be distracted by the cute face staring at him. This wasn't the first time Aria was doing this to him, and he doubt it would be the last. But he played anyway until his music came to an end before he hesitantly looked down to Aria's face.

"Well…what do you think?" He asked.

"I think…" Aria said, getting back on her seat. "I think it's perfect. You're truly one of a kind, Nyau."

"Th-Thank you, Aria-san." Nyau said.

"Enough with the honorifics. Just call me Aria since we're friends."

"Fr-Friends?!"

"Yes, friends." Aria said. Then a teasing smile formed on her face and she scouted closer to him. "Unless…you want to be more than that, future husband."

Nyau blushed madly and looked away. This was always a thing Aria would do to him. It made him confused and at the same time wanting as well. However, the mood changed when a knock was heard and made the two kids to turn to who it was.

Nyau was slightly taken aback. The person standing there was a ten year old boy with brown hair dressed in poorly made clothes. Nyau was about to question about him, when suddenly Aria turned to him with a sweet smile.

"Ah, what are you doing here, John-san? I thought the maids were meant to take you to your room. I'm kind of busy here." She said.

"Yes…Sorry about that."

Aria giggled. "No, it's fine. Mistakes happens, am I right? Please go down the hall, I think there should be someone who can help you. I'll meet up with you at dinner. I hope you don't mind."

"Right!" The boy nodded. "Thank you, Aria-san!"

"You're welcome!"

The boy then closed the door. Unknown to him, however, Aria's sweet face instantly changed into one of pure disgust. Nyau was surprised about it, but didn't get the chance to talk about it. This was because the girl got down from the couch in obvious anger as she headed to the window.

"Damn that useless piece of cattle meat! What the hell was he doing?! I'm going to make sure I beat him good tonight!"

"Aria?"

The blonde girl came to a stop. In her anger, she had forgotten Nyau was around and listening. But she didn't panic at all. In fact, she instantly became composed as she turned back at him.

"Nyau, do you remember what you told me once, that you wanted to be the perfect nobleman?" She asked.

"Yes." Nyau said. He was uncertain of what was going on.

"Then it's best you know this." Aria replied, turning to him fully. "As nobles, we stand in a class far better than the peasants of this world. You can even say that we're the true humans blessed by god to prosper. In other words, anything lower than us is just fodder, an animal, insect or just about any lower creature you can think of."

"I…don't understand."

"Then I will show you…tonight." Aria said. She then got close to Nyau and grabbed his hand softly. Then, with saddened eyes, she added. "Just…promise me you won't tell anyone. I want to help you…I want to help us. Do you understand, Nyau? Some people refuse to understand how the world truly works, but I know I can trust you."

"Uh…sure. I-I trust you too, Aria." Nyau said and smiled.

"Thank you." Aria smiled back at him.

Nyau couldn't get over what he had seen. Ever since he allowed Aria to show him what she mentioned, he hadn't left his room after returning home. His room was almost dark, as the only ray of light was through the small spaces of his closed curtains. But none of it mattered. Nyau felt too disgusted to be bothered.

He supposed it was for the best. He just wanted to be alone by himself. However, he suddenly heard footsteps passing his bed. The next thing he knew, someone opened the curtains, thus flooding the room with light again.

His room was big, as expected of a noble. However, it wasn't the size that got the young boy's attention when he removed his blanket. No, it was the fact that Aria stood by the now opened curtains with her back at him.

"That's better, right? Light, it's something we higher beings are blessed with." Aria said pleasantly.

"Why…?" Nyau asked. His face was frozen to fear as he stared at the girl. "Why did you come here…? I...I told you I won't tell anyone. I swear."

"Swear? I guess you really did that." Aria said and then turned to him. "But that isn't why I'm here. I'm just…really concerned about you."

"Concerned?"

"Yes."

Aria walked over to him. Though the distance between them wasn't much, Nyau felt like time was slowing down with each step she took. It then felt like it resumed back to normal when she sat at the edge of his bed and faced him.

"You poor thing. I should've been gentle with you." Aria said with a sympathetic voice. "I just…I thought you would understand…to make you a better noble. I'm so sorry."

There was then a pause. Nyau didn't know what to say. He was looking at Aria, but he could tell how sympathetic she was towards him. Still, he said nothing and so Aria let out a sigh and got down from the bed.

"If you want, you can forget what happened…including me. I'm sorry for bothering you. Goodbye." She said.

With that, their friendship came to an end – at least that's how it was supposed to be. Aria was just about to reach her hand to the doorknob when she heard Nyau call out to her.

"Aria!" He shouted.

The young girl smirked mischievously. Nyau had fallen into her trap, but it was too soon to say for certain. Still, she remained where she was and listened to what the boy had to say.

"I…I'm sorry." Nyau said with sadness. Then his voice became depressing as he looked down at his covered knees. "It's just that…I never thought we could do something like that and it would be considered okay. My parents have always been busy so I never knew anything outside the education I received from tutors. That is why…"

Aria remained unmoved. Meanwhile, Nyau tightened his hand on the bed and paused to resolve himself. Then with a loud voice, he faced Aria.

"Teach me how to be a noble! I want to learn everything from you, Aria-san!"

Her grin increased. Sometime had passed, but she finally had him where she wanted him. Thus, when she turned back at him, her grin was already a tearful smile as she wiped her cheek.

"I'll do my best, Nyau-chan."

Back in the present, Nyau sneezed as he sat up from the stack of crates on the deck. Bulat's kick had unexpectedly hurt, but he was fine still. As such, he was awake to see the battle between Bulat and Liver.

'What was with that sneeze? I don't feel cold.' He thought with a physical wince. 'Anyway, that guy's strength puts him about at Esdeath-sama's level, but…' He picked up his Teigu, a flute, and got ready to play it. '…Liver can beat him fighting in this canal, especially if I play a song!'

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

Nyau was then surprised. Tatsumi came down on him with his sword. However, the other boy was able to react as he swiftly got back on his feet and used the attack to defend against the other teen's sword. His reflex was amazing, but Tatsumi wasn't impressed.

"You don't think I would just let you start playing again, did you?!" Tatsumi said with a smirk.

"This guy…" Nyau sent his own toothy smirk. "Such a nuisance."

Both fighters separated from one another, and away from the crates.

'This guy is fast, but I can beat him!' Tatsumi thought solemnly.

Nyau came at him with a swing of his flute. Tatsumi blocked it with his sword, before then sending a kick at the other teen's stomach. Nyau let out a grunt, but landed on his feet as it skidded back. He then came to a stop on his arms and feet like a predator.

With the way things were, Nyau was becoming serious. This was obvious when he then ran straight for Tatsumi, swinging his flute at him from the front. Of course, Tatsumi was able to block and deflect them as they came, but Nyau wasn't done yet.

With his speed increasing, the blonde teen jumped over Tatsumi when he was his swung. The young assassin was surprised by the attack, but was too late to react. This was because Nyau, while upside down, kicked Tatsumi's back and sent him flying.

'Shit! This guy…he picked up his speed!' Tatsumi thought. He was quick to land on his feet and turn to charge at his opponent. "But…"

And then came multiple clashes. Tatsumi and Nyau couldn't hit the other person due to their weapons. They were both becoming fast, as their determination to strike the other grew stronger.

"...Akame is much faster than this!" Tatsumi cried out.

"Ha! Don't compare me to some assassin!" Nyau stated furiously.

Both eventually broke off, with Tatsumi doing a couple of backflips to give him some distance. He was growing tired due to the prolonging of the battle. Thus, he panted, with Nyau doing the same until he (Tatsumi) stood straight with a serious look.

"You're right! I should compare you to Aria since I'll cut you both down!"

"What?! Aria?!"

Tatsumi took the chance to charge. Nyau was taken aback by the mention of his old friend, which made the opportunity open. However, in the moment he closed the gap between them, Nyau snapped out of his trance and moved his head aside. Tatsumi had tried to kill him with a piercing sword attack, but he failed. Hence, Nyau kicked him right at the stomach with so much force the teen crashed onto the crates at the side.

Tatsumi winced, but decided to get up. One slight delay may lead to his death by Nyau. However, the blond teen didn't attack him. Instead he just stood still with a small snarl on his face.

"Nice trick you did. By mentioning her so suddenly, I was focused on how you knew her that you almost got me." He said solemnly. "But now that I think about it, I have a feeling I know how. That look in your eyes, that shitty move, and the way you said her name."

Tatsumi snarled in response. Though Nyau hadn't come to a conclusion, Tatsumi didn't like where things were doing. However, it mattered nothing to Nyau as he then smirked and pointed at Tatsumi.

"Ha! She took someone who you cared about, didn't she?!"

"You leave Sayo out of this!"

"Sayo?!" Nyau questioned with a puzzled look. Then a grin came and he laughed. "Idiot! She must've been so gullible to fall into Aria's trap! Aria did have an 'extra treatment' for girls, especially if they had something that she didn't!"

"You bastard!"

Emotions built up, and soon it led to Tatsumi charging at Nyau. He was so into his mood that it was a perfect chance for Nyau. By that, the teen simply dodged Tatsumi's sword swing before then sending a jab of his knee up at the teen's stomach. Then, as Tatsumi became stiff, the blond teen raised his flute and used the side to hit him right at the back of his head.

Tatsumi fell to the ground with a yelp. His body hurt from the attacks, but he'll live. Nyau thought otherwise though. He placed his leg on the teen's head and looked down on his with a teasing smirk.

"Now where was I?" Nyau mischievously said. Tatsumi in response growled at him as he could only look at him. "Aria always got her 'cattle' no matter what. It's just the way she is. She's a chief manipulator, which…is the only thing I admire about her. But I'm getting sidetracked, don't you think?"

Tatsumi let out a furious cry and pushed his head up. Nyau responded by doing a backflip as Tatsumi got back on his feet. From there, he continued.

"Right to the point, I see! Fine, then I'll just do that. No person from the country, young or old has ever survived a visit to Goodricke family's 'special place'! But here you are, without a friend from there. You gave off your origin too soon when you mentioned her. In short, I know for a fact that she killed your friend and would've done the same thing to you. Then Night Raid picked up your sorry ass and brought you to your home! So pathetic!"

Tatsumi gritted his teeth in response. It was one thing to insult him, and another to insult his friend. He could've even charged at Nyau again to shut him up. But his experience from before had thought him well, and so he stood his ground.

"You're right…in some ways. If I had come a day before, I don't think I would be here. But…" Tatsumi paused and got into a sword-fighting stance. His face was now serious. "…I can't change what happened. That is why, I will keep fighting to stop you! I can't change the past or get to Aria yet! But…since she cares so much about you, I'll take you down so she can feel what I felt!"

"Care so much about me?" Nyau asked with a confused look. "What are you -?"

Both teenage boys were stopped. The reason was because of a loud whooshing sound that had got their attention. Thus, when they turned to the fight between Liver and Bulat, they were astonished at the sight.

Liver was standing on the head of a serpent made of water. Right before him, from below, Bulat stood.

"Would you look at that?!" Nyau said with a smirk. "As long as there's plenty of water, there's no way Liver can lose!"

"Heh!" Tatsumi said and smirked. "It's pretty obvious to see that bro would win!"

Both boys clashed again. This time they tried to outmatch the other through strength as their weapon was used to try and push the other.

"You're a damn pest, you know that!" Nyau shouted.

"I can say the same about you!" Tatsumi shot back.

Back at the fight, Liver sent his water-based snake at Bulat.

"You'll be crushed by the pressure of this water! Snake of the Abyss!"

Bulat reacted quickly. With a single jump, he used his spear to cut right through the snake while letting out a battle cry. He finally made to Liver, who was above him, as he began to draw close.

"I figured you would launce yourself headlong at snake." Liver calmly said. "Since if it hit the ship, the number of snakes would skyrocket!"

Then he raised his middle finger, activating yet another skill.

"However, now that you aren't on deck anymore, you can't move! You won't be able to dodge this while in the air!"

Suddenly, huge spears made of water shot up from around the ship. Their single target was Bulat, who could do nothing as he was surrounded by them.

"EVIL DRAGON SPEAR!"

Bulat was hit severely even as he used his arms to shield his chest. If it weren't for his armor, he would've been dead already - but it didn't mean his armor was invincible. Since the pressure of water was great, he cracked the faceplate of his helmet as he was shot higher in the air.

"Just being subjected to a little water won't be enough to extinguish my passion!" Bulat stated strongly.

"Yes." Liver said, landing on the ground. "That isn't enough to defeat you…"

Bulat was then speechless at what he saw. More water rose from the canal, with them being in the form of giant heads of a dragon. Since Bulat was still in the air, he was again surrounded by them as gravity made his descent to the ship.

"…but I already knew that." Liver added. A small smile formed on his face. "We've tread countless battlefields together. Your strength, your valor, I know them better than anyone."

Then he (Liver) raised his finger and pulled his hand, accessing his Teigu's power.

"And it's for this reason that I will let you feast on my greatest ability!"

With that, he shot his hand forward, directing his water-based dragon heads at Bulat's direction.

"JUDGEMENT OF THE HEAVENLY WATER DRAGON!"

Bulat had no chance against them. Their mouths open as they drew close to him. Thus, with a loud cry of pain, Bulat was hit with overwhelming water pressure until his presence in the air disappeared. The water then dispersed, leaving Liver mildly wondering.

"Is he dead?" He questioned.

Suddenly, a loud familiar voice was heard.

"IT ISN'T THE TIME TO BE SPROUTING OUT THOSE WORDS!"

Liver was shocked and quickly looked up. Bulat was coming down on his in a nosedive and his weapon's tip leading the way. He was so close.

"YOU GENERALLY SAT THEM WHEN YOU'VE DEFEATED YOUR ENEMY!" Bulat cried out furiously.

"So you want to drag this out to the end?" Liver questioned.

By this point the man had no chance to escape. Bulat was close, with each second used efficiently by the assassin. However, the assassin suddenly noticed someone coming at him. He had to react quickly if he was to survive.

Fortunately, someone had his back. Nyau had taken to the chance to stop Bulat, when suddenly he was halted by a black whip around his waist. So, before he knew it, he was pulled back from the scene and hitting his butt.

Aria had come just in time. With her whip and a weird technologically advanced eyepiece device on her right eye, she looked to Bulat quickly.

"Now's your chance! Do it!" She shouted.

Aria was right about the moment. With the small distance between Liver and Bulat, he did have the chance. And adding to the fact that Nyau was stopped at the moment, it gave Bulat the perfect chance to eliminate Liver, even as the elderly man then jumped back to evade the cruel fate. But it was too late. With a slash of his spear, Liver was sent flying to the ground as a large gash was now across his chest.

Bulat landed on the ground soon after before his armor vanished into mist. Now he stood with visible physical injuries on his body as his ruffled hair blew accordingly with the wind.

Tatsumi was baffled, but also in some pain. His battle with Nyau hadn't gone so well as he had hoped. Nyau was stronger than him, which was why the teen was able to try and stop Bulat's earlier assualt. Hence, Tatsumi could be see lying on the ground with some injuries on his body as he stared at Bulat with pained regret.

"Dammit…" He cursed angrily. "I'm sorry, bro, I...couldn't keep him away…long enough."

"Don't worry about it, Tatsumi." Bulat said coolly and with a smile. "You still being alive after fighting without a Teigu is proof enough that you've done well"

"Bro!" Tatsumi could only say. He was worried for his comrade, and for a good reason. Bulat was standing firm, but his body had taken some beating despite having worn Incursio.

"Your armor…" Liver suddenly said, but weakly. Bulat, Tatsumi, Aria and Nyau turned over to the wounded man, with the teens' then shocked at what happened next.

Liver rose back to his feet, though he stumbled a few times. The bloody gash on his chest was still there, and clearly covered his clothes in blood. It was still a shock that he could still stand. But Bulat knew better, as he stared as his bloody former mentor as he then spoke.

"You're able to stand even with that much blood loss." He said solemnly. "If it weren't for your small friend intervening at that small moment, I would've gotten you good. I didn't think you would go down that easy."

"'That easy'?" Tatsumi repeated with mild surprise.

Liver cracked a small smile in response. "Huh, but in the end…I won't be able to stand. I wish I could say the same for you. Even inside the armor, you were that injured. It seems…your Teigu released due to all the damage you sustained. If we're to compare our physical state, this is…over for me."

'Liver!' Nyau thought in alarm.

From his position, the odds seemed against them. With Liver badly wounded, it won't be long before the man himself is killed. Thus, Nyau clutched to his Teigu and snarled as he looked back at Aria who didn't seem to notice.

'It's her fault! If it weren't for her, I would've saved Liver in time!' He thought. Then a crooked smirk formed on his face. 'But it doesn't matter now. Their main force is down for the count too. I just need to prepare to use my Trump Card and…this whole thing will be in my victory alone.'

Back to Bulat and Liver, the two dignified men of valor stood quietly for a moment. Their presence was the only noticeable thing in the environment as everything and everyone else besides the open wind were seemingly nothing.

"Bulat…" Liver called solemnly. "Though I am not in the best condition, I have an offer for you. Would you think about joining Esdeath-sama? If it's you, I know…you can do better than I was and rise to the rank of second-in-command."

Bulat smiled genuinely. "I have no interest in the empire once again."

Liver paused and coughed out blood. His time was ticking, but he still planned to use it to the best he could.

"Not the empire…" He said, reaching his open hand at Bulat. "Think of it as joining Esdeath-sama as I did when she saved me. Doing as you please, being feared by others."

His tone then changed to a serious snarl of anger and hatred. At the same time, he reached out into his coat and held on to something as he continued.

"Yes, even those dirty bureaucrats always spreading their filthy politics, consumed by their own power…! Take my place, Bulat! Esdeath-sama will surely make your crimes disappear as she did with her new follower!"

"I refuse." Bulat stated calmly. He pulled out a comb from his cloth and combed it through his black her. Throughout the moment, he remained unchangeable. "If I had any thought of accepting your offer, it was shot down the moment you mentioned that girl. The new follower you mentioned is Sunny, right? I can't accept to work in the same environment as her. She isn't human...she's a monster of a whole different level."

Liver was silent, but his glare was now offensively at Bulat.

"Besides…" The assassin continued. "Killing politicians may be comfortable for you to do but I've always been an ally of the people, right?"

He stopped and finished his combing. Bulat successfully styled his hair back to the way it previously was, and with that his cool smile was again at Liver.

"Esdeath's army supports the Prime Minister and that is something that I want nothing to do with."

"'Ally of the people' I never thought I would hear an assassin say such thing." Liver said. "I did always tell you to be a little humble."

Another moment of silence took over. Bulat held no regret about his refusal. His stature and his stance on the offer made him look like an inspirational hero before Aria and Tatsumi. So even though he was injured, Tatsumi got back on his feet with an impressed smile on his face.

"Bro…" He muttered.

Liver breathed out and finally revealed the thing in his hand. It was an injection, which he planned to use it. Thus, with a stab of it into his wrist, the man let out a loud groan before tossing the object aside and pulling out his weapon, a sword.

"Forgive me for doping, but you are my opponent, after all." Liver said.

Tatsumi was alarmed. "B-Bro! This guy seems kind of dangerous! Be careful!" He shouted.

"I'm more than prepared to face this formidable opponent!" Bulat responded with confidence. He then pressed a Japanese Kenji on his shoulder-plate, which caused the back plate of his armor to open.

'However, something doesn't add up…' Bulat added in his mind. Steam came out of his back armor before a sword attached to a chain came out and he grabbed it. 'Right now he's seriously injured and yet he wants to fight with a sword? I have my suspicion, but…what he plans to do in actuality is THAT thing he did to Ben.'

Bulat was ready to fight. He held his sword apart, but ready to duel with his former master Then, with a loud voice, he shouted. "Let's go!"

Both men immediately charged at each other before clashing their swords. Even though Liver was wounded, the man was able to hold his own against Bulat's speed for a while. But then the battle changed to Bulat's favor as the man slashed his sword across Liver's chest, making an X mark with the other gash.

Liver cried out in pain as he was sent back. Being slashed once was bad, but this second one would send him to his grave soon enough. But the man had one last trick up his sleeve, and he used it. He crossed his arms forward and manipulated his released blood to attack Bulat.

"Secret Skill! Blades of Blood!" He shouted.

'There it is! The Trump Card he used to surprise Ben and kill the former Prime Minister!'

Bulat was fully ready for this attack. His sword was still in his hand as the blades of blood came for him. So rather than feel taken aback, the assassin used his sword to deflect every single attack that came at him. They were much, but not something he couldn't take on with time. So by the time he was done, the blood attacks were over. Not a single one had made contact with him.

'Bro!" Tatsumi shouted.

"Bulat!" Aria shouted as well.

Both teenagers were concerned for the older man in their group, but it was Tatsumi who went to aid Bulat. Fortunately, the man didn't have a single scratch on him as he smirked a bit at the approaching teen.

"I'm fine, Tatsumi!" Bulat said assuredly. "He used his own lifeblood to attack. His determination is amazing. I would've been struck a few times if I hadn't expected him to pull it off as a last resort. Ben mentioned blood manipulation a while ago, so I figured he would try it again, the moment I saw his blood splash."

'Amazing.' Aria thought with awe. 'His speed…his strength…and the ability to think so fast can't be ignored. Even while injured did all that while staying his ground. Ben really is helping us, even if he isn't here.'

"Bulat…" Liver called out. He was weak and dying, as he lay on the ground and his blood spilled all over the floor, creating a pool. "There is…one more thing I want to tell you…the reason I decided to join her army."

Following that, the dying man began to tell his story. He explained what happened to him when he was imprisoned and how Esdeath had come to save him, giving him a second chance in life.

"…In that moment, I adored her…it was only for that reason…" Liver's intention was then revealed with a wide grin on his face. Though he couldn't sit up anymore, he pointed above Bulat and said. "Therefore, as one who exists solely to serve Esdeath-sama, I will be giving her your life!"

Bulat's eyes widened in shock before he then looked up with that expression. Liver's intention became clear in the form of raining blades of blood. Bulat and Tatsumi were below it, meaning if none of them moved out of the way they would be killed.

"Tatsumi, move!" Bulat shouted and shoved the teen out of the way.

"BRO! NO!"

Tatsumi hit the ground before witnessing a horrifying scene. Bulat was rained down by the blades of blood, even as he kept his arms above his head as protection. They sunk into his skin as each shot felt like they were actual blades. Nothing could stop them, nor did Bulat's scream end until the shower came to an end.

It was then in that moment that Bulat could no longer stand. His body was badly injured and in a worse condition than before. As a result, he fell to his arms and knees, attracting Tatsumi to run to his aid.

"BRO!" Tatsumi cried out in horror.

"Bulat!" Aria shouted.

Nyau smirked; now was the time to get out. He removed the whip around his body and quickly got back to his feet. Then, before Aria knew it, he pulled on the whip and caused her to come to his direction alone, before kicking her right at the chest. The kick was strong enough to send her flying to the deck's railing, but he wasn't done with her yet.

Meanwhile, there was the horrible scene with Bulat. Tatsumi was able to help Bulat back to his feet by placing the muscular man's shoulder over him. Sadly, that didn't ease the moment, as Bulat suddenly vomited blood

"Bro!" Tatsumi shouted in shock.

"That springe…" Bulat said, his tone weakening. He looked to his dying former mentor. "It wasn't just a strengthening serum, was it? There was also a deadly poison mixed in…! You…knew I would be able to defend myself against your attacks, so you directed some of the deflected blood to the air and let gravity take care of the rest."

"That is correct…" Liver admitted and chuckled weakly. "I…I was not aware that the Tennyson boy was on your side, but…then again I was fighting you. There is no antidote. The poison…is already flowing through your body…There is no escape."

With that said, Liver reached his utmost limit. His body systems finally failed before he slowly closed his eyes with a few final words.

"I'll be…going on ahead…"

And with that, the man died.

"As expected of my former boss, I guess it's a tie then, huh…!" Bulat said with a weak smile. He almost regretted that, as the poison caused him to vomit blood again.

Tatsumi was quickly alarmed as he looked at his comrade.

"We need to get you some medical attention!" He stated.

Just then, the both of them heard Aria screaming. It had come to them suddenly, before they turned to the direction of where the girl was. Aria was being forced over the railing, with just her lower body remaining. Nyau was the cause of it, as he had bruised the blonde girl while clutching her neck as he prepared to push her away.

"Nyau…don't…please…" Aria begged with tears in her eyes. "I'm here to help you."

"Hmph! Screw your 'help', Aria!" Nyau stated with a small grin. "All those years you treated me like some dog! I didn't know it then until my parents were suddenly assassinated by some of the Prime Minister's goons! To be honest, I don't care about their life now, but I do care about how I'll end your pitiful life! Do you remember what you told me back then, Aria?! The day I lost everything?! I do, for every word. 'Get out of my sight, you filthy dog' is what you said! Now look how much the tables have turned!"

Aria couldn't say much, as the grip on her neck just worsened. Nyau was ruthless despite his size, and it was clear he was going to kill Aria. The blonde needed help, so she looked over to Tatsumi and Bulat, as the two of them were facing them. This caused Nyau to look back and toss Aria's body to the ground hard as a result.

"I almost forgot about you two!" He said in annoyance. Then a smirk formed on his face as he brought his flute to his lips. "With Liver having dealt the final blow on you, I can take care of the rest. For Esdeath-sama I must carry out my duty to exterminate you two."

His pupils then flashed pink. It happened so sudden, and was something that caught both Bulat and Tatsumi's attention. But if that wasn't enough, the blonde teen began to radiate a pink aura all over his body as he began to play his flute.

'Secret Skill: Call of the fierce god!' Nyau called out.

The teen's body then began to increase in size and change. At first, his transformation was only into a muscular adult version of himself. But then suddenly his skin color changed into dark blue as his body grew actual devilish horns, a tail and ears. The transformation was then complete when his clothes into black pants, a purple long-sleeve shirt and a reddish long cape.

Tatsumi, Bulat and Aria were shocked simultaneously.

"No way!" Aria shouted.

"How did he do that?!" Tatsumi questioned to no one.

Bulat gritted his teeth and clicked it with his tongue. Something was very off about Nyau, and he didn't like it. It was a good thing then that he pinpointed what it was when he realized Nyau's pink pupils.

"Those pink eyes, there's only one person I've seen have that." Bulat said, analyzing the situation. "Ben Tennyson's cousin, Sunny, must be behind the sudden transformation."

Tatsumi almost gasped at the revelation. Nyau didn't seem unfazed by it though, as he inspected his new body.

"I guess this explains the kiss she gave me. That girl…just what can she do, I wonder. But then again with this new body, I can feel so much unimaginable power flowing right through me. It's…beyond anything I could even imagine."

Nyau then grinned with malicious intent. With this new power, he could do what he wanted with ease. Bulat and Tatsumi were the only ones to stand in his way. But soon they won't matter. With the new power he had gained, the grown teenager took one step forward and caused a small but powerful shockwave through the ship.

Tatsumi, Bulat and Aria screamed and tried to stay still. Nyau's new found powers were beyond the capabilities of any human in their world. So as much as they tried, they all fell to the ground and Nyau laughed openly.

Tatsumi had a look of terror on his face as he stared at the grown teen.

'With just his foot he caused a shockwave?! Can we even beat this guy?!'

Tatsumi's mind then had flashes of the night he first encountered Sunny. He could remember very well on how the girl was able to easily deal with him and Akame, and even their reinforcements (Leone and Bulat). Her power back then was beyond any power level he had witnessed; if it hadn't been then they wouldn't have made it back alive.

"I guess we have no choice then." Tatsumi said to himself. Then he looked over to Aria with urgency. "Aria, call Ben now! We need his help!"

"R-Right!" Aria replied and quickly pulled out the Plumber Communicator.

Just then, the girl was sent away by a powerful breeze. She let out a scream when it happened, before being flung into the water below and silent. Nyau reached back his fist and grinned as he looked at it.

"Just with a punch, I swept that runt with the wind." Then he turned to Bulat and Tatsumi. "Such a shame, really. With this new body, I can already picture the many paybacks I could give her. You two are now the only ones left and there's no one coming to save you both."

Tatsumi was now stricken in fear. He didn't care about Aria, but he knew without her Ben won't know about their predicament. However, he was still able to gather some form of courage and stand on his feet with his sword, even as Bulat now lay on the floor.

'This is very bad…I was beaten back earlier!' Tatsumi thought. 'But now, how can I do anything against him now?! I'm just some feet away and already I feel sick from the power oozing from him! I…I can't beat him alone! Just like that time with Sunny, I…I can't do it without Ben!'

Nyau was amused. 'He's trying to act tough, but I can see right through his shaky eyes. He's scared shitless, but let's have some fun with him first.'

With that said, the demonic Nyau stretched his hand out and released a powerful dark aura. No one was left exempted, not even the unconscious guests on the floor or those at other parts of the ship. Even the sun was blocked out from view as Nyau's power expanded and seemingly consumed everything in its darkness. But if that wasn't enough, Bulat was suddenly swept away from Tatsumi, much to the teen's horror, and swallowed by the darkness.

"Bro! Bro! Where are you?!" Tatsumi shouted out. He was losing his courage fast, as fear began to take a hold of him.

Nyau's voice was then heard laughing in the dark environment. He was very amused by Tatsumi's fear as he could see the boy looking around himself for him. However, he didn't do anything but watched as Tatsumi just kept looking for him.

"I-I know you're there! Come out and face me!" He shouted.

"Fine, you asked for it! HAHAHA!"

Nyau suddenly came out of the darkness in front of Tatsumi, and with his hand out. His face, approach and closeness was enough to scare Tatsumi, but none of it seemed to matter anymore. Tatsumi was frozen in fear that he couldn't move a muscle. So the only thing he could do was fidget his body and close his eyes, expecting the worse.

The next time Tatsumi was able to open his eyes, he noticed something very different about his surroundings. For one, he was no longer on the Rysuusen or any place with water. In fact, the more he looked around with confused utter, the longer he began to realize a few things about his surroundings.

He was definitely not in his own world. The buildings were big and looked like they could reach to the sky while the street underneath his feet seemed to paved to be from the Capital. Then there were the strange four-wheel vehicles that were parked at the sides of the road, the pedestrian walkways and more as they continued to look around.

'Odd...This place looks like civilization and yet...there aren't any people.' He thought.

Just then, his body felt something strange. He couldn't describe it, as it was kind of a tingling feeling and yet not at the same time. Tatsumi didn't want to trust it, but he did when he realized it was coming from a specific direction. Thus, he went with the feeling and walked with the quiet streets until he came to what seemed to be a park.

"Looks like a part. Just why did I feel like I should come here?" He wondered.

"Hey, over here!" shouted a female voice.

Tatsumi recognized that voice; it sounded like Mine. But it was impossible, considering where he was. Mine was back in Night Raid's hideout, healing from her battle with Seryu and her Teigu. So then, why is it that when he turned to the direction of the voice, he saw from the distance of Mine, holding two matching ice creams in her hand.

"Mine?" Tatsumi muttered and then shook his head. "No, it's not Mine. But...this feeling that drew me here, I can feel it."

With that, his decision was made. Nothing made sense to him, but he had a feeling it begin to once he met with the Mine lookalike. So he went to the person and stood before her.

"Here." She said. "You must be feeling it after that long fight."

"Uh...yeah." Tatsumi said took the ice cream and then looked at the Mine lookalike with a confused look. "You're not Mine, are you? Just...who are you?"

The girl smiled. "It's been a while, Tatsumi. I thought this form would ease you a bit since I kind of scared you and your friends the last time."

"Last time?" Tatsumi questioned, confused.

The girl hummed playfully and then stood up. Then she stared at Tatsumi sweetly and said.

"I am Verdona, the grandmother of Ben and Sunny. Welcome to my pocket dimension of Ben's hometown, Bellwood."

SURPRISE! You guys must have thought this would've led to the same showdown between Tatsumi and Nyau like in the manga! Wrong! I have better plans than that, and it will involve Verdona.

So about Verdona, she previously appeared in chapter 17, after Ben and Sunny fought. I never thought about bringing her back, but then I got new ideas and decided she should return again. The next chapter will contain her reason for suddenly showing up and speaking with Tatsumi. Will Ben be in the next chapter? I won't say. You're just going to have to wait and read the next chapter.

On another note, the relation between Aria and Nyau are from me. The show/manga never stated that the two knew each other.

So this is where I'm going to stop for now. If you enjoyed this chapter then please review about it, and if you haven't favorite or followed this fanfiction, then please do so.

Until the next chapter, have a lovely day/night!