Hello my loyal readers, I'm back with the last quick update chapter. This chapter will be a fairly long one, because this chapter will have Tatsumi and Bulat's fight against the Three Beasts. I'll say this right now, the fight will play out fairly similar to canon UNTIL Tatsumi gets Incursio. Once Tatsumi gets Incursio the fight will be different. Also since you all know what Tatsumi's Incursio armor, and its anime evolved form, looks like I'm not going to bother describing them too much. So you all have that to look forward to. With all of that, let's get to the fic.

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

"Demonic Voice"

Teigu

Disclaimer: I don't Akame ga Kill, or any of its characters.

(The Next Morning; Night Raid's Hidden Base)

"Oi, Tatsumi!" Lubbock called out, as he knocked on the door to Tatsumi's room. "It's almost ten o'clock, man! Get your lazy ass outta bed!" Receiving no reply, Lubbock knocked on the door once again with a little more force. "Did you forget I'm training you for a few hours!? Then we've gotta get back so you can train with Akame!" Still not hearing anything from Tatsumi, Lubbock let out an annoyed huff. "Fine! I'm coming in then! Don't start bitching when I tossed you out of bed!" Lubbock grabbed the doorknob, and roughly yanked Tatsumi's door open. But after taking a few steps into the room, Lubbock realized why Tatsumi hadn't answered him. Tatsumi's head was currently buried in between two pillows...the pillows being Leone's massive breasts. Lubbock stood frozen in place, gazing in stunned silence as Tatsumi did what he had dreamed of doing ever since he had met Leone. Hanging his head in defeat, anime tears began to pour from Lubbock's eyes "W-What...Why...Why is he so fucking lucky?!"e

"Lubbock..." An angry voice hissed, causing Lubbock's entire body to go rigid. Slowly raising his head, Lubbock yelped in fear when he saw that Leone had a single eye cracked open. Leone's gaze was filled with irritation and anger, letting Lubbock know that she wasn't happy about his sudden intrusion. "You will say nothing to the others about what you saw." Leone's voice was deadly serious and held no room for argument. "If I find out you told someone before Tatsumi and I are ready...I will literally stomp your balls into a bloody pulp. Do you understand?" Lubbock rapidly nodded his head, as he tried to stop himself from shaking. "Good. Now would you keep it down? I'll wake Tatsumi up in a few minutes, I want to cuddle with him a little longer."

"A-Alright..." Lubbock stuttered out, as he turned around to leave the room. "I'll w-wait for him at the training field." As Lubbock exited the room, Leone hugged Tatsumi closer to her body. Lubbock released a heavy sigh, closing the door behind him. The green-haired man clutched a hand over his racing heart. "I thought I was going to die right there...And Leone definitely meant what she said...I have to keep my big mouth shut."

"What's up with you Lubbock? It's looks like you just met the grim reaper, or something." The sudden voice caused Lubbock to nearly jump out of his skin. He looked up to see Mine staring at him. Mine had her hands on her hips, and was quirking a pink eyebrow. "And why are standing outside Tatsumi's room?"

"I-It's nothing!" Lubbock replied, frantically waving his arms. "I just came to tell Tatsumi to wake up because we have some training to do, but he wouldn't answer me!"

"Oh...then I'll wake him up for you." Mine said, as she reached for the doorknob.

"NO!" Lubbock exclaimed, completely blocking the door. "He did eventually wake up, and said he'd met me at the training grounds! So there's absolutely no reason for you to go in there!"

"You're acting really weird Lubbock." Mine said in a suspicious tone, as she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. "You're not trying to hide something from me, are you?"

"N-NO! Of course not!" Lubbock shouted immediately, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "Why would I hide something from you Mine!?"

"Hmmm..." Mine hummed, as she analyzed Lubbock and tried determine if he was lying or not. "He's definitely nervous right now...Rubbing the back of his head...Not looking me in the eyes...Tapping his foot...Yeah, he's definitely hiding something...but what? Did he walk in on Tatsumi doing something weird? Oh my God! D-Did Lubbock catch Tatsumi touching himself!?" Mine's entire face burned bright red, as she imagined Tatsumi pleasuring himself...to images of herself of course.

"O-Oi Mine..." Lubbock said, noticing that Mine's face was turning redder by the second. "You okay? Because you're looking really red. Are you feeling alright?"

"Huh..." Mine muttered, as she realized she had been caught daydreaming. "N-No! I'm fine! Shut up!" With an annoyed huff, Mine stormed off down the hallway. "Lubbock was definitely hiding something, and I will find out what!"

"What the hell was that all about?" Lubbock said, watching Mine slam the door behind her as she entered her room. "Well whatever, that was really fucking close..." Lubbock released a heavy sigh, and began to walk towards the training grounds. As Lubbock walked through the halls, he glanced out a window and saw Akame attacking a group of practice dummies. "Something doesn't add up...I thought Akame and Tatsumi were getting really close. I mean they've been practically inseparable for the past few days...so why was he with Leone? I thought for sure he'd hook up with Akame..." A perverted grin suddenly spread across Lubbock's face, and he began to rub his hands together. "I have a feeling that something very sexy is going on between those three. Hmm, I'll definitely get to bottom of this."

(Ten Minutes Later; Night Raid's Training Grounds)

"You took your sweet time, lover boy!" Lubbock called out when he spotted Tatsumi walk onto the training grounds.

"Oi, don't call me that when the others are around!" Tatsumi hissed, a light blush dusting across his cheeks. "I thought Leone warned you about telling the others?"

"Yeah she did, but she never said I couldn't tease you." Lubbock replied with wide smirk. "So..." The green-haired boy nudged Tatsumi with his elbow. "How was Leone, man? Was she an animal in the sheets? How were her tits? Come on man, I need some details!"

"*Sigh* There's no way I'm telling you anything." Tatsumi said, taking a step back. The young man crossed his arms over his chest. "Leone would never forgive me if I blabbed about our love life, especially to you."

"Love life, eh?" Lubbock muttered, as he rubbed his chin. "So you do really love Leone, this wasn't just a one time thing?"

"Of course!" Tatsumi replied, taking offense to what Lubbock had said. "I'd never sleep with Leone and then just abandon her. I care for her too much. I love her."

"Good...that's what I wanted hear." Lubbock said, as a small smile spread across his face. "Because if you were actually planning on abandoning Leone..." Lubbock flexed his index finger, and Tatsumi was suddenly wrapped in Crawstail's wires. The incredibly strong wires were slightly digging into Tatsumi. "I would have had to kill you..." Tatsumi grunted in pain when he was released from the wires. The young assassin quickly stood up and glared at Lubbock. "Lesson one Tatsumi: You must find a way to lure your enemies into your traps. Now look down."

"What are you..." Tatsumi said, glancing down at his feet. The young man's eyes widened when he saw that he was currently standing on top of one of Lubbock's wires. "When did I-" Then realization suddenly struck Tatsumi. "When you nudged me...you knew I'd step back on to your wire?"

"Yep!" Lubbock replied with a cocky grin. "Deception is an assassin's most important tool, especially when it comes to setting traps. If you can deceive your enemies, they'll easily fall into any traps you set."

"Looks like I have a lot to learn then." Tatsumi said, as he rolled his shoulders. "Well teach as much as you can, before I have to go train with Akame."

"Alright, let's get to work." Lubbock said, gesturing to a table that was set up behind them. "I have a bunch of different traps set up over here."

Over the next two hours, Lubbock taught Tatsumi as much as he could about trap setting. He showed Tatsumi how to creatively hide traps and their trip wires and triggers, dig a pit fall trap and add spikes if he wanted to injure or kill his target, create homemade traps and explosives, defuse and disarm traps, and predict enemy movements so you know where to set up your traps.

"Basically, everything is up to your imagination." Lubbock finished his lecture, as he began to put his equipment away. "Your traps can be as simple or complex as you want, it depends on what you have available and how much time you have."

"Damn, some of these things are pretty intricate." Tatsumi said, examining a dummy mine Lubbock had used to demonstrate the proper defusal method. "There's so many little parts."

"Like I said, a trap can be as simple or intricate as you want." Lubbock said, as he finished packing away his supplies. "So..." Lubbock glanced over his shoulder at Tatsumi. "You and Leone, huh?"

"Ugh, you're still on this?" Tatsumi complained, handing the dummy mine back to Lubbock. "Yes, we're together. What's the big deal?"

"It's not a big deal..." Lubbock said, as he put the dummy mine into his pack. "I just thought you and Akame were getting pretty close...always thought you two would end up together." Lubbock's comment had the desired, Tatsumi immidiately froze in his tracks. The green-haired man smirked as he watched Tatsumi's shoulders tense, and a cold sweat break out on his brow. "Gotcha!"

"Well...you see...Akame and I are..." Tatsumi began to sputter, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to think of an excuse.

"Yes..." Lubbock hummed, as he took a step closer to Tatsumi. "You and Akame are what?"

"*Sigh* Look..." Tatsumi said, glancing around the training grounds to make sure no one was there. Not seeing anyone, Tatsumi suddenly grabbed Lubbock by his jacket and pulled him closer. When Tatsumi next spoke his tone was serious, which showed that he wasn't playing around. "You don't breath about this anyone...you already know about Leone and me, so I might as well tell you this so won't snoop around."

"Holy shit, he's a scary as Leone!" Lubbock thought, as he flinched because of Tatsumi's intense gaze.

"I'm in love with both Akame and Leone." Tatsumi explained, causing Lubbock to quirk an eyebrow in confusion. "And...I'm currently dating both of them." As soon as these words left Tatsumi's mouth, Lubbock's eyes shot open. "Akame was the one to suggest it."

"W-What are you talking about?" Lubbock asked, as he felt a wave of jealousy wash over him. "Are you seriously telling me that you're dating two incredibly hot chicks?"

"Pretty much." Tatsumi replied, causing Lubbock to deadpan. "I love both of them, and I want them to be happy. If they're okay with sharing me I don't have a problem with it."

"Are you kidding me!?" Lubbock exclaimed, as he fell to his knees; tears falling from his eyes. "Why!? Why is always you!? How come your so lucky?!"

"Okay..." Tatsumi said, slowly back away from Lubbock, who had now curled into the fetal position. "I'm gonna go start my training with Akame now...so I'll catch you later Lubbock." Tatsumi sweatdropped as he watched Lubbock slowly rock back and forth, muttering the word 'why' over and over again. "Damn, he really needs to get a girlfriend."

(30 Minutes Later; Night Raid's Alternate Training Grounds)

"RAAAAGH!" Tatsumi roared, as he charged towards Akame. Both assassins clashed their practice swords, and began to push the other back. At first it seemed like Akame had the advantage, but her eyes widened when Tatsumi suddenly began to overpower her. With one last strong push, Tatsumi sent Akame skidding backwards. Tatsumi didn't give Akame time to recover, as he rushed in to finish her off. But Akame wouldn't be defeated so easily. The red-eyed assassin dug her feet into the ground to stop herself, and raced towards Tatsumi. Once again Akame and Tatsumi crossed swords and battled for dominance. However, this time Akame was prepared for Tatsumi's new strength. The battle was at a stalemate for a few moments, but Akame came out ahead when she kicked out one of Tatsumi's legs. The young assassin grunted as he fell down to one knee. When he looked up, Akame's sword was in his face.

"Impressive...very impressive." Akame said with a small smile on her face. "You almost had me there."

"Again..." Tatsumi breathed out, standing up on weary legs. The young assassin was panting heavily and looked on the verge of collapse. "One more time, Akame!"

"Tatsumi, you should really take a break." Akame said, as she lowered her weapon. The red-eyed assassin was worried her lover might actually faint, because he was pushing himself so hard. "I don't want you passing out from sheer exhaustion."

"I can't rest now." Tatsumi said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Don't worry about me Akame, I'm fine. I promised you, right? That you'd never have to mourn me? For me to keep that promise and to brighten our future, I need to become stronger. So please, come at me as if this were a real fight." Tatsumi readied his practice sword and sprinted towards Akame. "Here I come!" However, Tatsumi had to duck underneath a punch that came out of nowhere. He looked up to see Bulat grinning at him. "What the hell, Bro?"

"Nice reflexes Tatsumi." Bulat compliment, as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You said you wanted this to be like a real fight, so I thought I'd throw in obstacles to make sure you were paying attention to your surroundings. It's good to see that you were paying attention, because an enemy can come from anywhere at anytime." Bulat quirked an eyebrow as he watched Tatsumi dust himself off. "You're way more into this than usual...what's up?"

"Nothing really..." Tatsumi replied, stopping briefly to catch his breath. "I just want get stronger as fast as possible..." Tatsumi turned to smile at Akame. "I did promise Akame that I'd survive not matter what, and that we'd welcome in the new empire together. And I intend to keep that promise."

"Tatsumi..." Akame thought, as her heart began to beat faster. The red-eyed assassin clutched a hand over her heart, a slight blush marking her cheeks. "I love you so much."

"Now that is manly!" Bulat exclaimed, slapping Tatsumi on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward. "You're really growing up, Tatsumi!" Bulat whipper Tatsumi around so that he could look him in the eyes. "If you want to become stronger than team up with me!" Bulat smiled brightly and gestured to himself with his thumb. "I'll train you the right way!"

"Bro..." Tatsumi breathed out, as he felt inspired by Bulat's words. The young assassin turned to Akame, wordlessly asking for her permission to go.

"*Sigh* Go on..." Akame said, a small smile spreading across her face. "I'm pretty beat anyways, so you can take over Bulat."

"Alright! Our first lesson starts right now!" Bulat yelled, as he grabbed a spear. "Now follow me, Tatsumi!"

"I'm right behind you, Bro!" Tatsumi cheered, chasing after Bulat.

"Good luck, my love..." Akame whispered, as she watched Tatsumi and Bulat run off to prepare for their training.

(4 Hours Later; Mountains North of Night Raid's Hidden Base)

"Holy crap..." Tatsumi breathed out, scanning over the vast mountain range that lied before him. "I've never been this far from base before...man it's getting really foggy too."

"This area is a fake mountain." Bulat explained, as he glanced back at Tatsumi; who was lagging slightly behind. "It's one of the most dangerous areas in the capital region, and it's crawling with danger beasts."

"You don't say..." Tatsumi muttered, feeling a chill run down his spin. Following his instincts, Tatsumi immediately dove to the side. A moment later a massive tree branch swung where he had just been standing. Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw a swarm of treelike danger beasts marching towards him and Bulat. Quickly unholstering his pistol, Tatsumi shot the danger beast in its large red eye. The monster howled in pain, before it stumbled of the narrow pathway they were on, crashing and tumbling down the mountain to its death. "Shit! There's a lot of these things!"

"Once again, you're instincts and reflexes are truly improving, Tatsumi." Bulat compliment, as he readied his spear. "These are tree beasts, and they usually attack in packs like this. Don't let your guard down or they'll eat you, got it?" Bulat grinned as he stabbed clean through a tree beast. "This mountain is crawling with danger beasts that specialize in mimicry. You'll develop your eye for battle even further here."

"Fuck...there's a lot more than we thought." Tatsumi said, noticing dozens of other danger beasts entering fray. Some were shaped like rocks, while others looked like various plant life Tatsumi took aim and took out several more danger beasts with his pistol. Loading a fresh magazine in his weapon, Tatsumi turned to face Bulat. "We better get to work before their numbers get out of hand."

"Agreed, their numbers are starting to worry me as well." Bulat said, as he killed two danger beasts with a single thrust of his spear. "Let's share any edible meat we collect with the nearby village. This hunt will help them out a lot, so do your best!"

"That's my, Bro!" Tatsumi cheered, dual wielding his sword with his pistol. "Let's kick some danger beast ass!"

(Same Time; Outskirts of the Capital Region)

"Tch, this village state is deplorable as well." Former Minister Chouri said, as he stared out the window of his carriage at miserable state of the village around them. "And the empire claims to be on the people's side, ha what a farce."

"It's because you care for these people so much, father..." Supia said with a bright smile. "That you'd even consider returning to this den of snakes. I think it's very honorable of you."

"I should have never let Honest convince me to retire." Chouri said, as he released a heavy sigh. "This nation is now falling apart around us. It's gotten so bad that I now have to go to the capital and give Honest a piece of my mind."

"And I shall protect you father!" Supia cheered, tightening her grip on her lance.

"You've grown into such a fin young woman." Chouri said, as he smiled at his daughter. "Alas, your only fault is that you're far too daring for any man to want as a wife."

"S-Shut up!" Supia exclaimed, slapping her father on the arm. "That has absolutely nothing to do with this!"

"Heh, sorry." Chouri said, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"*Sigh* It's al-" Supia stopped when she noticed three figures on the road ahead of them. "What the hell?"

"Are they more bandits!?" Chouri exclaimed, glaring at the three men in front of their carriage. "There's only so much social disorder I can handle!"

"I'll get rid of them like before!" Supia yelled, as she hopped out of the carriage, lance at the ready. Chouri's bodyguards rallied around Supia, as she advanced towards the three imposing men. "Alright everyone! Stay sharp!"

"Daidara." The tall man with a mustache said.

"I got it." Daidara, who was a man as large as Bulat, said as he reached for the double-bladed axe on his back. "Teigu, double-bladed broad ax, Belvark."

"Here we come!" Supia roared, as her and the bodyguards charged forward. But in one massive swipe, Daidara had bisected all of Chouri's guards and had severely injured Supia. The young girl grunted in pain as she clutched the deep laceration on her stomach. Supia collapsed to her knees, blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth. "How...How is he so strong...if only...I could use my lance."

"Oh my...well done young lady." The youngest looking man said, crouching in front of Supia. "I'm impressed you didn't actually die from one of Daidara's attacks..." A sadistic smile spread across the boy's face, as he slowly pulled a knife out of his jacket. "But...if you'd known what was coming next...you might have figured it was better to simply die."

"Y-You bastards..." Supia muttered, as she coughed up a mouthful of blood. "I have to try something!" Trying one last ditch effort, Supia reached into her pocket and pulled out a small dagger. But she was very weak from her injury, so her surprise attack was slow and not very powerful. The boy grinned wickedly as he grabbed Supia's wrist, to stop her attack. In one motion, the boy broke Supia's wrist. "AHHHH!"

"My, my, looks like you still have some fight in you." The boy said, kicking Supia so that she'd fall onto her back. With an evil look, the boy slowly pressed his foot into Supia's wound. The girl screamed in pain, as blood gushed from the cut. "I was going to give you a drug to help dull the pain while I did this...but since you tried to get one last attack in on me, I think I'll skip numbing the pain and get right to work." Supia could only scream in horror as the boy leaned closer, his knife inches away from her face.

"Y-You!" Chouri exclaimed, as he cowered away from the man standing before him. "You're all officers from the empire!"

"That's right, sir." The man said, bowing slightly. "I've long admired your honorable political strategies."

"Then..." Chouri yelled, as he gestured to the carnage around him. "Why would you attack me and my men!?"

"Our master's orders..." The man said, a blade extending from his sleeve. With one slash, the man decapitated Chouri. "Are absolute...no exceptions."

"Man! I took down fifteen of them!" Daidara laughed, as he holstered Belvark onto his back. "Awesome! All this experience is gonna make me stronger!"

"Hush up, and start scattering the flyers!" The mustached man said, grabbing a stack of flyers with Night Raid's insignia on them. "Daidara, help me now!"

"The Minister sure has a tiring way of doing things." Daidara said, as he lazily threw the flyers. "He should just redirect the blame for the deaths like he always does."

"That tactic won't work on civil servants protected by the great General Budo's army." The mustached man said, placing several flyer on top of the bodies scattered around.

"Oh! I get it now!" Daidara exclaimed with a large grin. "It's finally our turn to step into the spotlight!"

"I already explained that several times before." The mustached man said, as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Hey! Hey! Liver! Daidara! Look! Look!" The boy cheered, running up to both men. "Ta-da!" The boy held suddenly held up the severed face of Supia, blood still dripping off it. "I'm adding another one to my collection!"

"God, your hobbies are still as sick as ever, Nyau." Daidara said, as he looked away in disgust.

"I hope you killed that poor girl." Liver said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hahaha! She died of shock while I was still cutting it off!" Nyau said, as he carefully put the face into his jacket.

"Good, there's no loose ends then." Liver said, turning to face his partners. "Let's head back. I'll cook for us in celebration of a job well done."

"N-No thank you...I'm fine." Nyau muttered, as a chill ran down his spine.

"Your cooking is deadly as a teigu!" Daidara yelled, remembering the revolting taste of Liver's cooking. "Your food is so bad even Master Esdeath passed out for a few moments last time!"

"You don't have to worry this time." Liver said, as he began to walk back towards their base. "I gave it a subtle tang by adding the saliva of an evil bird."

"Ah! What the fuck!? Don't go putting shit like that in!" Daidara screamed, imagining the horrible meal that Liver was going to make.

(The Next Night; Night Raid's Hidden Base)

"Good, you're all here." Najenda said, as she took her usual seat in Night Raid's meeting room. "I have some bad news for your all, so brace yourselves." Najenda leaned forward and raised one finger. "The first, we've lost contact with our regional team."

"Regional team?" Sayo repeated with a confused look on her face.

"The empire is quite vast." Akame explained, crossing her arms underneath her chest. "We focus our efforts on the capital, but there's other assassin teams that work throughout the region."

"We're investigating it now, but it's most likely that they were all wiped out." Najenda said, a solemn look on everyone's face. "Prepare yourselves for that possibility."

"We should definitely bolster our bases defenses." Lubbock suggested, earning a quick nod from Najenda. "Okay, I'll expand the are of my threads." Lubbock then turned to grin at Tatsumi. "You can help me too, put those skills I taught you to use."

"Alright, we can start after the meeting is over." Tatsumi said, as he put his hands in his pockets. "I've been itching to make some traps of my own."

"Now that our enhanced defenses are settled, let's continue with our previous discussion." Najenda said, her eyes hardening. "Esdeath has finished squashing the resistance in the North...and has returned to the capital."

"Esdeath..." Tatsumi thought, as he rubbed his chin. "Why does that name sound so familiar...as if I've met her before. Could she be connected to my future somehow? I didn't see or hear anything about her in any of my visions...Well whoever she is, she works for the capital so that makes her my enemy."

"That was much quicker than we anticipated." Akame said, releasing a light sigh. "That woman sure is troublesome."

"Yeah, she's always been a thorn in our side." Lubbock said, as he scratched the side of his head in irritation. "Every move we make she somehow hinders us."

"Fortunately it seems like most of Esdeath's men have stayed up North to keep order." Najenda said, resting her head on her fist.

"Then she won't be making her move to crush the rebel army any time soon." Bulat said, as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I have no clue what she's planning next, but I have a bad feeling that we're somehow involved." Najenda said, taking out a cigarette and placing it in her mouth. "Right now she's spends her days and nights in the torture chambers instructing the guards on her methods." Pulling out her lighter, Najenda turned to Leone. "You have a special job, Leone. Go to the capital and find out what Esdeath is planning."

"I got it!" Leone cheered, as she pumped her fist in the air. "I've always been curious as to what kind of person she is."

"She's an extremely dangerous enemy, who's guilty of mass murder on an epic scale." Najenda warned, slightly biting into the end of her cigarette. "So, please be careful."

"I got it, I got it." Najenda said, as she shook her head. "Heh heh, then that means...she's someone I can take out if the I have the chance. The despicable, sadistic general they call the 'empire's strongest.' She's just as worthy of death as the Minister!" Leone was shaken from her thoughts when she felt a sudden tug on her arm. She looked down to see Tatsumi staring at her, worry in his eyes.

"The boss is right, Leone..." Tatsumi whispered, his grip on the blonde's arm tightening slightly. "I have a bad feeling about this Esdeath woman...so please be careful. If sense any danger don't hesitate to retreat. I don't know what Akame and I would do if we lost you before we could even give our relationship a chance."

"How can I say no to that face?" Leone said, as she held Tatsumi close. "Don't worry Tatsumi, I'll be cautious and I will fall back if I sense anything wrong. I won't be dying any time soon, so you don't have anything to fear."

"Thank you, Leone." Tatsumi said, smiling up at his blonde lover.

"The final thing is..." Najenda said, as she raised a third finger. "There have been a string of murders targeting civil servants in the capital. So far, four civil servants have been killed...along with over sixty of their guards and family members." Najenda reached into her shirt and pulled out a piece of paper with Night Raid's insignia on it. "The main problem is these fliers with 'Night Raid' written on them have been scattered around the crime scenes."

"They're so obviously imposters, it's quite laughable really." Bulat said, crossing his arms over his chest. "They must be trying to pin the murders on us."

"But people aren't stupid enough to fall for this, are they?" Sayo asked, as she glanced at the paper in Najenda's hand. "I mean this totally isn't our style, taking credit for our work like that."

"It was like that at first." Najenda said, releasing a heavy sigh. "But now more and more people are starting to believe the rumors. With each incident the strongest guards were all killed. The latest victim, former minister Chouri, lost almost thirty of his most powerful guards...and his daughter, who was trained at the Temple of the Imperial Fist. People believe that we're the only ones who could possibly do this much damage and get away with it."

"So our opponents equal us in strength." Akame mused, as she rubbed her chin. "That must mean they posses teigus." Akame hung her head as she lost herself in thought. "Such powerful enemies...could it possibly be my sister Kurome?" As if on cue, Akame felt a strong hand squeeze her shoulder. She looked up to see Tatsumi smiling at her. Tatsumi's warm smile caused a wave of comfort and reassurance to wash over Akame.

"All of these victims were innocent men and women who simply didn't like the way the minister was running the empire. Which made them all people the minister would despise." Najenda explained, lighting her cigarette and taking a long drag. "Which means the minister had them killed...and is blaming us for it."

"They're trying to lure us in to a fight...not a bad strategy." Bulat said, as he nodded his head.

"None of the victims had any affiliation with the rebel army. They were all simply concerned for their country." Najenda said, tightly balling her fists. "All of them were the sort of civil servants we'd need in our new nation. We can afford to lose anymore people like them. I think we need to find these imposters and grind them into dust! Let me hear your thoughts!"

"I...I don't know anything about politics but..." Tatsumi said, as he clenched his fist; a look of fiery determination in his eyes. "Just the fact that they're abusing Night Raid's name for their dirty work...and disrespecting Sheele...it pisses me off!"

"Bingo!" Bulat cheered with a toothy grin. "You said it, Tatsumi!" Following Tatsumi and Bulat's exclamations, the rest of Night Raid joined together in a cheer.

"Good, then everything is in order!" Najenda said, standing up from her seat. "We'll show these bastards what happens when you use an assassin's name without permission...and disgrace our fallen comrades!" Slinging on her jacket, Najenda turned to face her assassins. "There are five civil servants who are likely the next targets. But of those five, based on who is leaving the palace, we've managed to narrow it down to two choices. Team One will be Akame, Lubbock, and Sayo."

"You think I'm ready boss?" Sayo asked sheepishly, as she nervously rubbed her arm.

"Yes, you're ready..." Najenda said, smiling softly at Sayo. "Plus, you'll have Akame and Lubbock with you...so there's no need to worry."

"Yes boss!" Sayo exclaimed, as she saluted to Najenda.

"Alright, then Team Two will be Bulat and Tatsumi. Both teams will guard their respective target." Najenda said, taking one last puff of her cigarette before stomping it out.

"Where's our civil servant located?" Tatsumi asked, as he quirked an eyebrow.

"A giant luxury passenger ship docked at the Grand Canal. The Dragon Ship."

(The Next Day; Grand Canal)

"Damn, that is one huge fucking ship." Tatsumi muttered, walking up the gangway towards the towering ship. None of the other passengers and guests could see it, but Bulat was actually walking in front of Tatsumi; the large man was invisible thanks to Incursio. Tatsumi groaned in annoyance as he adjusted his tie. Because Tatsumi was going undercover, he had to blend in with the partygoers that were attending the Dragon Ship's launch ceremony. Finally making his way onto the deck, Tatsumi immidiately began to blend in with the large crowd. Carefully making his way through the crowd, Tatsumi stopped when he saw a table full of drinks and food. "I am kinda nervous right now, so I guess one drink couldn't hurt. Damn Leone, making me like this stuff." Grabbing a glass, Tatsumi savored the burn as he downed his drink. Once Tatsumi realized that the drink was far less potent than what Leone had given him, he grabbed a second glass and began to mingle amongst the crowd. As Tatsumi observed the elegantly dressed partygoers one person stuck out to him, but Tatsumi only managed to get a quick glimpse of the person. From what Tatsumi saw the person appeared to be a younger boy, but what struck Tatsumi as odd was that the boy had a small devil's tail and horn, and was clutching a box close to his chest. "Hmm, that kid was kinda suspicious. He's someone to look out for." Releasing a light sigh, Tatsumi took a sip of his drink. "Man this is actually a pretty ritzy party." Tatsumi jumped slightly when he felt a hand suddenly pat his back, but when he turned around no one was there.

"You're posing as the son of a wealthy landowner, so don't act so impressed by the capital's wealth." Bulat said quietly, still invisible with Incursio's help. "You have to act the part so you won't stick out."

"Yeah, you're right Bro." Tatsumi muttered, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Just remember what Mine taught me. I have to blend in and not draw unwanted attention to myself."

By now the party was starting to make its way inside the ship. Tatsumi lingered behind to give the capital once last look before the boat departed on its maiden journey. Glancing down, Tatsumi spotted a large crowd had gathered around the docks to watch the ship as it set sail. Sighing, Tatsumi turned around and leaned against the ship's railing.

"We're assuming that the Night Raid imposters might attack here...but this place is seriously packed." Tatsumi said, glancing at the last of the guests that were pilling into ship's insides. "Plus the old man we're supposed to be protecting is surrounded by a small army of guards." Checking around to make sure no one was looking, Tatsumi reached back and pulled out the pistol he had concealed in between his pants and shirt. Instead of his normal pistol, Tatsumi had opted to take a larger caliber revolver on this particular mission. Tatsumi had only fired the gun a handful of times, but he knew it packed a mean punch. The weapon's only downsides were its six round ammo capacity and its high recoil. But with his practice, Tatsumi wasn't worried about the revolver's recoil anymore. Flicking open the chamber, Tatsumi made sure the weapon was fully loaded. "I have to be careful with my shots, because I only have six. It's a shame I couldn't conceal any extra ammo, I'll just have to make these six shots count." Seeing that the revolver was loaded and ready, Tatsumi closed the chamber with a flick of his wrist. Tatsumi gave the chamber a quick spin, before he tucked the revolver back into his waistband. "I doubt those imposters could get to the old man here, I think we may have missed our mark on this one." Before Tatsumi could say anymore, he quickly ducked underneath a sudden punch. He looked up to see that Bulat had partially uncloaked himself.

"Looks like your reflexes and awareness are getting even better." Bulat complimented, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But don't let your guard down by making assumptions."

"I know, I know..." Tatsumi said, placing his hands in his pockets. "I'm just saying we may have been wrong on this one, but I wasn't planning on letting my guard down at all."

"That's good to hear, but remember that I was able to sneak on the ship because of Incursio. So there's no knowing what tricks the enemy could have in store." Bulat said, as he patted Tatsumi on the shoulder.

"I got it..." Tatsumi said, his mind going back to the suspicious boy he had seen earlier. "Maybe I should try to find that kid." Deciding to investigate later, Tatsumi looked up at Bulat. "That armor of yours is pretty amazing. It helped you get on the ship and has so many other amazing abilities."

"Yep!" Bulat cheered, as he slapped a hand to his chest. "Incursio allowed me to fight and survive on the frontlines against the tribes in the South. Incursio is like my very own partner. But...despite all my effort, I wasn't able to save General Liver. The general refused to send bribes to the minister and was taken prisoner. He planned to go to the capital and plead his innocence, but the men held a grudge against me and the general, so they framed us both as criminals. I did something truly cowardly back then...I ran off with my teigu before they could arrest me."

"That's messed up..." Tatsumi muttered, tightly clenching his fists.

"Whoops." Bulat said, as portions of his armor began to fully reappear. "My invisibility is reaching its end, so I'll have to take Incursio off for a little while."

"People know your face, right?" Tatsumi asked, pushing off the ships railing. Looking back, Tatsumi noticed that the ship had departed from the docks and was now gently cruising down the canal. "You can leave the top deck to me."

"Alright..." Bulat said, as he began to walk into the ship. "I'll check the lower levels."

"Well I better get to-" Tatsumi was cut off when the sound of a flute began to fill the air. "Why the hell am I hearing a flute?"

(Same Time; Capital's Main Street)

General Esdeath casually strolled through the capital's streets, with seemingly no guards present. Leone crouched on a nearby rooftop and observed Esdeath. Her brow furrowed as she watched the general wave and smile at the people that she passed. Every person Esdeath passed payed respectful greetings and bowed to her. Leone had only heard terrible things about this woman, but from what she was seeing Esdeath actually...seemed like a nice person? But, of course it could all be a front to hide her evil and sadistic side. Leone's ears perked up when she heard Esdeath's voice.

"There's no need to bow to me. I'm simply introducing myself to the people." Esdeath said, smiling at the owner of a small sweets shop. "I'll be in charge of the capital's security from now on."

"Yes! That is most reassuring, General Esdeath!" The shop owner exclaimed, as he thrust a small handful of gold coins towards Esdeath. "H-Here's s-something to s-show-" The man was cut off when Esdeath took two of the coins and shoved them into his eyes. The shop owner screamed in pain, and collapsed to his knees.

"I don't need your petty bribes." Esdeath said calmly, a sadistic smile on her face. "Try something like this again and I'll hurt you."

"It hurts so much already." The shop owner wheezed, as he slowly stood back onto his feet.

"Bring me your specialty." Esdeath ordered, taking a seat outside the sweets shop. "Your store is quite famous, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am! I'll be right back!" The man yelled, as he rushed into his shop to prepare Esdeath's order.

"Esdeath is all by herself outside of the capital, and she's completely unguarded...this would be the perfect time to attack her." Leone thought, just as an intense chill ran down her spine. The busty blonde suddenly felt sick to her stomach. "Normally I'd sneak up and go in for the kill...but since I'm in beast form I can really tell...that witch is obviously trying to lure me into a trap! I can definitely smell it on her...an overwhelming thirst for blood!" Just then the shop owner returned and offered Esdeath and ice cream cone. Leone clenched her teeth and dug her claws into the rooftop. "I was an idiot to think...I'd have a chance to take her down!" Just then Leone remembered the words Tatsumi had said to her the other day. "I hate to do this...but it's for Tatsumi and Akame's sake...I have to retreat for now!" Shooting Esdeath one last glare, Leone bolted upright and sprinted in the opposite direction.

"Mmmm, that strange vice is gone." Esdeath muttered, as she took a lick of her ice cream cone. "It's truly a shame she didn't take the bait. I really wanted to try out some new torture techniques." A twisted smile suddenly spread across Esdeath's face. "But I have a feeling that things are going to get interesting very soon." Licking her ice cream again, Esdeath released a content sigh. "This stuff is pretty good...when their mission is through...I'll treat my Three Beasts to some as well."

(Back on the Dragon Ship; Guest Cabins)

"Your tone is soothing as ever." Liver complimented, sitting across from Nyau. "It really does suit this ship."

"Scream, a flute teigu that can manipulate the emotions of those who hear it." Nyau thought with a mischievous smirk. "It's usually used on the battlefield to boost a soldier's morale...but there are far more emotions that I can manipulate."

"Hmm, it looks like the ship has departed from the city and is out of sight now." Liver said, as he gazed out a nearby window. "You really timed this perfectly."

"I've been playing for quite a while, so everyone should be knocked out for some time." Nyau said, setting his flute down next to him.

"Don't let your guard down, because there may be some country folk on this ship that can't appreciate your flute's quality." Liver warned, as he rested his head on his hand.

"Don't worry, I won't." Nyau said, as he grabbed his flute once again. "Actually, I'll play a little more just to be safe."

(Same Time; Top Deck)

"What the hell is going on?" Tatsumi muttered, propping himself up with the ship's railing. The young assassin gazed around and saw several other passengers had passed out around him. Tatsumi grit his teeth as he struggled to keep himself from collapsing. "Damn, I don't even have the strength to call for, Bro. It has to be that damn flute that's playing, it's a teigu for sure. I can still hear that damn thing even if I cover my ears!"

"Ah shit!" A loud voice exclaimed from behind Tatsumi. Spinning around, Tatsumi saw a large man walking towards him. "I'm sick of hiding like a rat...OH! There's still a little shit who's holding out. The hypnosis will make you forget who I leave alive."

"So..." Tatsumi breathed out, as he tightly balled his fists. "You're apart of those fucking Night Raid imposters."

"Oh ho! So you're the real deal!" The large man cheered in an excited tone. Bending down towards a collapsed guard, the man tossed Tatsumi his sword. "Take this."

"What are you doing?" Tatsumi asked, catching the sword.

"I...wish to gain experience through fighting..." The large man said, as a wicked grin spread across his face. "Because I, Daidara, wish to become the strongest. So Night Raid..." Daidara reached onto his back and pulled out his double-bladed axe. "Come at me with all you've got. You won't have to worry about hitting any innocents, so there's no need to hold back."

"I see..." Tatsumi said, slowly unsheathing the sword. As Tatsumi unsheathed the blade, he also reached for his revolver as well. "Then I'll give you some great experience..." Tatsumi suddenly shot forward, dual-wielding the revolver and sword. "When I bury you!"

"That's the stuff!" Daidara yelled, as he readied his axe. "That's the fighting spirit I'm looking for! You're definitely worth killing!" Daidara reared back and prepared to attack Tatsumi with an powerful overhead slash. But Tatsumi raised his revolver and fired before he could attack. Daidara lowered his axe, and to Tatsumi's amazement, deflected the shot. "Oh ho! Your reflexes haven't been slowed much because of the music. I like that!" Daidara grinned maniacally as he pulled his axe apart into two separate blade. "How about you try this on for size!" Tatsumi's eyes shot open when Daidara threw the axes towards him.

"Fuck me!" Tatsumi shouted, ducking underneath the whirling blades. However, Tatsumi was shocked when the axes began to boomerang back towards him. "Shit!" Jumping backwards, Tatsumi barely managed to dodge the spinning blades; one of them caught his shirt and cut a large hole in it. As Tatsumi continued to dodge the flying blades, he recalled what he had read about Belvark in the book about teigus "This thing is going to keep coming after me until it kills me or he stops it! I have to do something quick!" Tatsumi sidestepped the axe once again, just an idea came to him. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Tatsumi pulled out several small spherical objects. "Alright Lubbock, time to put your training to use!"

Daidara quirked an eyebrow as he watched Tatsumi begin run circles around him, all the while still dodging the flying axes. However, what Daidara didn't notice was that Tatsumi was carefully dropping the small spherical objects as he ran around him. Tatsumi was also carefully observing the axes flight patterns, and taking note of how long it too them to turn around and correct their course. Once Tatsumi had all his devices in place and had a decent grasp of the axes flying capabilities, he sprung his plan into action.

"I guess you're leaving me no choice!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as he began to run towards Daidara; the axes flying after him. "I'll direct these fucking things straight at you! You've dug your own grave!"

"He fell right into my trap." Daidara thought with an evil smirk. "It was fun kid, but it's time to end this little game."

Nearby Bulat was about to jump in and stop Tatsumi from falling into Daidara's trap. But Bulat and Daidara were both surprised when they saw Tatsumi stop much farther away then they had expected. Suddenly ducking, the axe blades flew over Tatsumi's head and headed straight towards Daidara. The large man expected his blades to immidiately correct themselves and fly back towards Tatsumi, but his eyes widened when the axes hadn't changed course.

"Shit! He must have figured out how long it takes for Belvark to fix it's flight path!" Daidara thought, grabbing the blades mid-flight. "I must say you're pretty smart to figure out how long it takes Belvark to changes directions. But it doesn't matter..." Daidara smirked as he watched Tatsumi pant from exhaustion. "All that running and dodging must have worn you out. So it will be easy to kill you now."

"Figuring out your teigu's flight patterns wasn't the only thing I was doing." Tatsumi revealed, as he reached into his pocket. Daidara quirked an eyebrow when he saw Tatsumi pull out a small device with a red button on it. "All that running in circles and dodging I was doing...it was all to distract you while I planted some explosives." Daidara's eyes shot open as he now noticed almost a dozen small spherical objects scattered around him; all of them blinking red. "Those are homemade bombs curtesy of my friend Lubbock, who showed me how to make them. I'm glad I brought a few with me." Tatsumi smirked as he put his thumb on the detonator. "It's time to bury you." Tatsumi pressed the detonator and a large explosion engulfed Daidara. The shockwave from the blast rocked the entire deck and knocked Tatsumi onto his ass. When the smoke and debris cleared all that remained of Daidara was a hole in the deck and several blood splatters. If the initial explosion hadn't killed him, then the shrapnel, intense flames, and fall to the deck below definitely had. Sighing heavily, Tatsumi collapsed onto the deck. "God damn, I'm fucking exhausted." Looking over at where Daidara had been, Tatsumi was surprised to see Belvark lying on the ground. "Wow, that's one tough teigu. Looks like we'll have to take that back to base with us."

"Oh, I don't think you'll leaving this ship alive." Tatsumi shot upright when a new voice spoke up. He quickly spotted a tall silver-haired man and the suspicious boy he had seen earlier standing in front of him. "I must say I'm quite impressed that you managed to kill Daidara, but now we must avenge our fallen comrade."

"So there was more of you." Tatsumi said, glaring at the other Night Raid imposters, especially the younger boy. "I knew you were shady the second I saw you."

"Whoa! I love the face you're making!" The boy cheered, as he pulled out a dagger. "I think I'll add it to my collection!"

"We have to time to dawdle Nyau. We'll kill him quickly, so we can get to our target." The silver-haired man chastised, a blade extending from his sleeve.

"You're no fun Liver!" Nyau pouted, as he puffed out his cheeks. "Fine, we'll kill this nuisance and finish our target. But you owe me!"

"It's no good, I'm too tired." Tatsumi thought, watching the two men stalk towards him. "I can't even muster the strength to raise my revolver."

"I'll take it from here Tatsumi!" Bulat yelled, as he jumped into the fray; already having Incursio equipped. Both Liver and Nyau were caught off guard by Bulat's sudden arrival. Taking advantage of the confusion, Bulat attacked both men simultaneously. With two powerful punches Bulat sent Nyau flying across the deck into a stack of crates and Liver into a wall. "You did well back there Tatsumi, I'm glad to see that you're okay."

"He drove both of them back in a second." Tatsumi thought, staring at Bulat in awe. "I still have so much to learn from, Bro." A grin spread across Tatsumi's as he slowly got back onto his feet. "I knew you were strong, but seriously you're incredible!"

"You got that right!" Bulat exclaimed in a cheerful tone. "My nickname during my army days was 'One-Hundered-Killer Bulat,' did you know?"

"If you want to be more accurate..." Both Tatsumi and Bulat turned around to see that Liver as back onto his feet. "You kill 128. You were busy taking on specialized spies back then. That teigu...and that incredible strength...it has to be Bulat!"

"So it's you general Liver?" Bulat asked, as he turned to face his former commander.

"I'm no longer a general." Liver said, clutching the cross around his neck. "Ever since master Esdeath saved me...I've been her loyal servant."

"*Sigh* If you were on our side..." Bulat said, as his spear, Neuntote, appeared in his hand. "I would take you out for drinks to celebrate. But...if you've come here as my enemy...then my only option is to kill you! I will carry out my mission!"

"Heh, that's my line." Liver said, pulling of his white gloves; revealing a dragon shaped ring with a blue gem in the center. "I will also complete my assignment...using this teigu given to me by master Esdeath." Liver raised his arm and water exploded out of several barrels around him.

"I remember reading about that teigu..." Tatsumi thought, as he watched Liver freely control the water. "Black Marine a ring teigu. It was created from the organs that water-based danger beasts use to manipulate water. Apparently its user can control any water they've touched once."

"It's quite fortunate that I'm fighting you here." Liver said, laughing the pillars of water at Bulat. However, Bulat easily sliced through the water with his spear.

"So you use water." Bulat said in an amused tone. "That's fitting for someone who works under a ice-wielder."

"I'm utterly powerless without water..." Liver said, as his eyes darkened slightly. "Master Esdeath can create ice out of absolutely nothing...No one is equal to her! She is awe inspiring!" Clenching his fists tightly, Liver sent another barrage of water at Bulat. "Water Barrage!"

"How daring!" Bulat exclaimed, spinning his spear like a propeller to deflect the water.

"Damn that hurt..." Nyau thought, as he crawled out of the crates that had fallen on top of him. Wincing in pain, Nyau stood back onto his feet. "Man, that guy is almost as strong as Master Esdeath. But on this massive canal, Liver can definitely beat him..." Nyau reached down and grabbed his flute, raising it to his lips. "And I'll give him some support."

"Hold it right there you bastard!" Tatsumi roared, sprinting towards Nyau. Raising his revolver, Tatsumi aimed for Nyau's head. But when Tatsumi fired, Nyau dodged the shot; the bullet hitting one of the small devil horns on his head. Not relenting, Tatsumi rushed Nyau with his sword. "I won't let you interfere with their fight!"

"You..." Nyau said, as he casually blocked one of Tatsumi's attacks with his flute. "Are getting in my way...and it's starting to irritate me." Nyau suddenly gasped in pain when Tatsumi sent him flying with a strong kick to the stomach.

"Good, I'm not groggy anymore!" Tatsumi thought, feeling that his reflexes were now back to normal. "I can go all out now!" Tatsumi dug his feet into the deck and shot towards Nyau. Flute and sword once again clashed together in a barrage of exchanged blows. Tatsumi immidiately noticed that Nyau was frequently trying to get behind him and attack him from behind. But Tatsumi used the skills he had learned from training with Akame to keep one step ahead of Nyau.

"Shit! He's fast!" Both Tatsumi and Nyau thought, as they raced around each other and exchanged attacks.

"You're pretty fast..." Tatsumi said, wiping sweat from his brow. A smirk spread across Tatsumi's face as he remembered all the speed training he had done with Akame. "But Akame is so much faster!"

"Ha! Don't compare me to you assassin scum!" Nyau exclaimed, as he took a swing at Tatsumi with his flute. Easily reading the incoming attack, Tatsumi quickly backflipped out of the way. "Ugh! This guy is a pain in the ass! If that previous attack didn't on him then this guy..."

"He's moving so fast, even with all of his injuries. So I won't be able to track him with my revolver..." Tatsumi thought, briefly stopping to catch his breath. "The three beasts are putting Ogre to shame right now..." Both Tatsumi and Nyau stopped fighting when they heard a loud commotion next to them. Both their eyes shot open when they spotted Liver standing atop a massive snake made of water. "What the fuck!?"

"HAHA! There's plenty of water here, so there's no way Liver is going to lose!" Nyau gloated, as he glared at Tatsumi.

"No way! Bro is going to win this for sure!" Tatsumi exclaimed, raising his revolver and firing. But like before, Nyau easily dodged the shot. "Shit, I only have three shots left. I really have to make them count now."

"I'll crush with sheer water pressure, Bulat!" Liver roared, as the giant water snake flew towards Bulat. "Serpent of the Abyss!"

"Too easy!" Bulat shouted, slashing through the water serpent with his spear.

"I knew you'd cut through instead of dodging..." Liver said, as he leaped into the air. "But, being on the deck is one thing...but when you're in the sky there's no dodging this one!" Several of pillars of water erupted up from the side of the ship and headed towards Bulat. Because of where the water was coming from, Bulat was forced to jump into the air to dodge. "Murky Lance!" The streams of water immediately followed after Bulat and sharpened into spears. Bulat grunted in pain when the water slammed into his chest.

"A little water..." Bulat said through grit teeth. "Is not enough to douse the flames of my passions!"

"We've fought in countless battles, and I know your strength better than anyone." Liver said, as he landed back onto the ship's deck. "That's why..." The sapphire on Liver's teigu began to glow brightly. "I'm going to show you my greatest and strongest attack!" Several dragon-like water serpents surrounded Liver before they raced towards Bulat. "Water Dragon's Divine Conquest!" Bulat was hit by the attack, and in the rush of water it appeared that he had been swept away. Dropping his guard slightly, Liver let out a shaky breath. "Did I get him?"

"You'' find there will never be a time..." Liver eyes shot open as he looked up to see Bulat falling towards him; his spear at the ready. "You can ask something like that!"

"He made it out alive!?" Liver exclaimed, as he took a fearful step back. However, Bulat had to stop his attack because he noticed that Nyau about to attack him. Bulat was about to attack Nyau, but someone else beat him to it.

"I said stay out of their fight!" Tatsumi roared, slamming Nyau with his elbow. Nyau grunted as he was sent skidding backwards by Tatsumi's attack. "I'm your opponent you bastard!" Tatsumi was panting heavily; blood and sweat covering his body.

"Heh, I just needed to take away his opportunity to kill Liver." Nyau mocked, as he spit some blood from his mouth.

"Sorry, Bro..." Tatsumi said, hanging his head in shame. "I couldn't stop him from interfering."

"Don't worry about it." Bulat said with a smile, Incursio disappearing off his body. The large man was covered in injuries and was soaking wet. "You did an amazing job surviving without a teigu of your own."

"Big Bro..." Tatsumi thought, as he eyes widened. "He's really hurt underneath all that armor."

"Hmm, it seems Incursio lifts after a certain amount of damage is sustained..." Liver commented with a smirk on his face. "Victory is within sight."

"Don't play me for a fool, Liver." Bulat said, placing his hands on his hips. "There's blood coming from your ear." Liver's eyes widened when he felt a trickle of blood streaming down his face. "Unleashing all those powerful attacks has done a number on your body. You're in no condition to be using a teigu."

"You got me..." Liver said with a light chuckle. "I was hoping to have an advantage in our negotiations...so let me just ask you one thing...Bulat...do you want to join Master Esdeath's forces."

"No thanks..." Bulat replied without a moments hesitation. "I can see why after all you've been through...your current position would seem appealing...But..." Bulat reached into his pocket and pulled out a small combing. With quick and practiced ease, Bulat combed his hair back into his usual heart-shaped pompadour. "I intend to serve the people...Esdeath's army works for the minister...I would hate to work for such a disgusting man..."

"Tch, an ally to the people. That's something an assassin shouldn't say." Liver said, as he glared at Bulat.

"That's why I said it modestly." Bulat said with a small smirk.

"I've got to get ready for my secret attack..." Nyau thought, reaching for his flute. "Then we can win!"

"Bro..." Tatsumi breathed out with a smile on his face. "There's no way we can lose with you on our side!"

(Same Time; With Lubbock, Akame, and Sayo)

"So they've got plenty of rice reserves..." Sayo said, looking at the small village ahead through a pair of binoculars. "That's the Good Sense party for you. Always doing charity work. They even helped our village out a few times."

"That should definitely give the citizens a moral boost." Akame said, as she leaned against the tree they were hiding in. "But I'm getting kinda hungry looking at it." Akame's eyes lit up when Lubbock handed her a candy bar.

"Here eat-" Lubbock was cut off when Akame lunged forward and sank her teeth into the candy. "...this."

"You feel anything on your lines?" Sayo asked, lowering her binoculars so that she could check her arrow count. Because of what happened on her last mission, Sayo made sure to bring double the amount of arrows to ensure she wouldn't run out.

"Nothing so far..." Lubbock said, as he gazed down at the wires wrapped around his fingers. "Looks like we came to the wrong place."

"We can't let our guard down." Sayo said, looking through her binoculars again.

"Yeah, I know..." Lubbock said, as he sat down next to Sayo. "We'll protect these guys no matter what."

"Tatsumi...Bulat...if the enemy finds you...please..." Akame thought, staring up at the sky overhead. "Please...come back alive!"

(Back with Bulat and Tatsumi)

"Since neither of us can use teigus...we'll have to settle this with swords." Bulat said, as he locked eyes with Liver. The large man's eyes widened when Liver suddenly injected a needle into his arm.

"Hope you don't mind if I dope up a little." Liver said, feeling the drug course through his veins. Immediately Liver could feel strength and energy flowing through his body. "After all I'm fighting you."

"I have a bad feeling about this!" Tatsumi thought, as kept an eye on Nyau and the fight between Liver and Bulat.

"I was prepared to take on a formidable enemy." Bulat said, pressing a small button on his normal armor. With a loud hissing sound, the back of Bulat's armor opened and a sword appeared from it. Tatsumi's eyes widened when he spotted the red gem with a black cross on the sword's hilt.

"That sword...it looks so familiar...as if I've held it in my hands before..." Tatsumi thought, as he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"Let's do this!" Bulat roared, as he he charged towards Liver. Both men clashed swords and began to unleash a flurry of attacks. However, despite the boost from the drug, Liver began to be pushed back by Bulat's quick and powerful strikes. Eventually Bulat managed to catch Liver off guard, and hit him with a slash across the stomach. Liver's eyes widened as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. But, Liver's shock was soon replaced by a wicked grin.

"Secret Technique..." Tatsumi's eyes shot open as he watched the blood around Liver rise up into the air. "Blades of Blood!" The blood in the air began to shoot towards Bulat like speeding bullets.

"Fuck! I knew he was hiding something!" Bulat thought, raising his sword. In an amazing display of precision and speed, Bulat managed to deflect most of the blood projectiles. But Bulat was not a superhuman, so a few blood blades slipp passed him and hit him in the arms and chest. With a grunt, Bulat collapsed to his knees; his sword holding him upright.

"Are you okay, Bro!?" Tatsum yelled, as he ran up to Bulat.

"It's not fatal." Bulat said, turning to smile at Tatsumi. "So don't worry."

"That attack took the rest of my strength." Liver said, as he collapsed to the ground. "I'm not surprised you managed to hold out against my strongest."

"When I saw the spray of blood...I remembered that it was also a liquid." Bulat said, just as Tatsumi helped him stand up.

"I wasn't much help during this fight, but...we're both going home after fighting such power enemies." Tatsumi thought with a smile, as he support Bulat on his back. "Thank goodness."

"The reason why I'm apart of Master Esdeath's army..." Liver explained, gazing up at the sky overhead. The former general remember how Esdeath had came to him in his cell, and had offered him a chance at redemption. "It was just...I worshiped her...that's all!" Gripping the cross around his neck, Liver sat upright and pointed at Bulat. "So..." Tatsumi didn't like the deranged smile on Liver's face. "By the sheer will of one who serves Master Esdeath...I'm dying without taking your life first!" Tatsumi gasped when Bulat suddenly vomited blood.

"Big Bro!?" Tatsumi exclaimed, his voice full of worry.

"That injection earlier..." Liver said with a smirk on his face. "It wasn't some random drug. It was actually a deadly poison I pumped directly into my blood...and through it into yours! You have no tolerance built up, so you'll die in no time!" Giving one last laugh, Liver collapsed once again. "Now...I can rest in peace..."

"Heh, that's just like my former superior..." Bulat said, as he coughed up another mouthful of blood. "Looks like it's a draw."

"We have to help you fast!" Tatsumi exclaimed, beginning to make his way towards the edge of the ship.

"T-Tastumi..." Bulat said weakly, as he pointed ahead. "Your fight's not finished y-yet..."

"Huh?" It was then that Tatsumi noticed the sound of music filling the air. He looked up to see Nyau advancing towards them; already playing his flute.

"Secret Technique: Demon Summon." Nyau muttered, as his body began to morph and change. Eventually, Nyau transformed into a man as big and strong looking as Bulat. "For master Esdeath...I'll carry out my mission no matter what!"

"Not good!" Tatsumi thought, gently lowering Bulat onto the deck and unsheathing his sword. "I could barely keep up with him before. What am I going to do now!?"

"Tatsumi..." Bulat's voice caused Tatsumi to turn around. The young assassin's eyes widened when he saw that Bulat was holding out his sword. "I'm trusting you with this."

"That's..." Tatsumi breathed out in shock.

"It's Incursio's key." Bulat said, as he smiled at Tatsumi. "The armor will protect whoever holds it."

"Haha! That's impossible! Completely impossible!" Nyau laughed, a victorious smile on his face. "Incursio's so taxing that if some country bumpkin puts it on it'll kill them. Don't you know? Forget it. You'll die before the battle even starts.

"I've had enough of your shit." Tatsumi said, as he tightly balled his fists in anger. "I've been training my ass off to become stronger, so I can change my dark future! So your stupid mind games won't work on me!" Tatsumi turned to Bulat with a determined fire burning in his eyes. "Bro...I'll do it. I know I'm compatible with Incursio."

"That's the fiery spirit I love to see!" Bulat cheered, handing Incursio to Tatsumi. "You can do it! Now go Tatsumi!"

"If I don't rise up to Bro's expectations..." Tatsumi thought, as he took hold of Incursio. Immediately Tatsumi noticed that the blade felt familiar in his hands; he could feel the power coursing through his body. "I'm not a man who can brighten his future!"

"Really?" Nyau asked, releasing a heavy sigh and shaking his head. "You're actually gonna do it?" An evil smirk suddenly spread across Nyau's face. "In that case...I'll get in one last hit before you die!"

"Yell it out Tatsumi! With all of your burning spirit!" Bulat exclaimed, just as Tatsumi was bathed in blinding red light.

"INCURSIOOOOOOOOOO!" The entire ship shook as a massive copy of Bulat's armor appeared behind Tatsumi.

"It's good to feel your burning passion and righteous heart once again my partner." A familiar voice spoke within Tatsumi's mind.

"You're..." Tatsumi thought, immediately recognizing the voice from his visions.

"There is no time to explain, everything will be revealed in due time. For now you must defeat your opponent!"

"The armor..." Bulat thought, watching as Incursio's living elements begin to form around Tatsumi. "It's changing shape so it's easier for Tatsumi to move!"

"What is that armor!?" Nyau exclaimed, as he shielded his eyes from the blinding light. "It can't be...the elements are still alive."

"Incursio was formed from a dragon-type danger beast called a tyrant, who possess vitality that is out of this world." Bulat thought, watching Tatsumi's transformation in awe. "The dragon is constantly on the move, hunting it's prey; and it's frequently evolving and adapting to live in any environment. Even after it was killed and made into a teigu...the muscles of the dragon still live one...and continue to evolve to defeats its enemies. Tatsumi...your feelings are causing Incursio to evolve!"

"Partner! I'm going to give you temporary power boost! Just do as I say! Your abilities and experience will return to you in due time!"

"What are you talking-"

"Just listen to me!"

"Alright, I'll trust you..." Tatsumi thought, feeling a strange and familiar connectionto the teigu.

Bulat's eyes widened when suddenly the new armor Tatsumi was wearing began to evolve again, this timing bathing the deck in a bright golden light. "It's evolving again!? How is that possible!?" When the light died down, Tatsumi was wearing shining golden armor with large dragon like wings sprouting from its back. "It's unbelievable..."

"This is..." Tatsumi thought, as he gazed down at the armor he was wearing. It was the exact same armor he was wearing from his vision.

"This is only temporary, partner. The armor will return to normal shortly, so you have to defeat your enemy quickly. Remember, do as I say. First calm yourself."

"Alight..." Tatsumi thought, calming his racing mind. "Army of Esdeath, you used Night Raid's name to cover up your heinous murders...prepare to pay the price!"

"Tch, your cocky all of a sudden." Nyau said, as he glared at Tatsumi.

"This armor...is familiar to me...it's giving me incredible strength..." Tatsumi said, clenching his fist before he pointed at Nyau. "You...will die by my hands!"

"Just you try it!" Nyau roared, as he charged towards Tatsumi.

"Partner, focus your mind and imagine your body disappearing into thin air." Tatsumi did as he was told and he immediately a strange sensation fill his body.

"Where the hell did he go?!" Nyau yelled, as Tatsumi disappeared right before his eyes.

"He can already turn invisible?!" Bulat thought, his body filling with pride. "It took me months before I could do that...Tatsumi...you're already so strong..."

"Now focus all of your strength on your right hand." Doing as he was told, Tatsumi's eyes widened when a large red spear appeared in his hands. "Now use Neuntote to finish off your enemy!"

"This!" Tatsumi roared, as he circled around Nyau. "Is for my Bro!" With a powerful thrust, Tasumi stabbed the spear through Nyau's chest. Esdeath's subordinate coughed up a large amount of blood, as Tatsumi's spear ran him through. With a strong kick, Tatsumi pushed Nyau off his spear.

"Ha...ha...wow..."Bulat muttered weakly, as he watched the armor fade off Tatsumi's body. "He can already turn invisible and summon Neuntote...if you're this strong already...you'll surpass me one day for sure..." Bulat gave one last smile, before he collapsed onto the deck. The large assassin's vision began to fade, as he slowly closed his eyes. "Keep pushing beyond that, and brighten your future. I'll be watching over you, Tatsumi."

"This is the end of the line for you." Tatsumi said, pulling out his revolver and aiming at Nyau. The boy had reverted back to his original form, and was profusely bleeding on the ground; sputtering and coughing up blood repeatedly. "I won't miss this time." Pulling back the revolver's hammer, Tatsumi fired. The gunshot echoed throughout the deck, as the bullet tore through Nyau's skull, killing him instantly. Tatsumi then immediately turned around and ran to Bulat's side, but it was too late. Bulat was obviously dead, at least he died with a smile on his face. "Big Bro..." Rain poured down as Tatsumi collapsed onto his knees next to Bulat. "Because of your I won...because of you training and believing in me I was able to pull through...I'm sorry...for doing things that made you want to hit me...I'll keep getting stronger for sure...and I'll figure out the secrets of Incursio..." Suddenly, Tatsumi began to shake violently as tears poured from his eyes. "So...so please...let me cry this one time...please Big Bro..." Tatsumi let out a scream of anguish as he cried onto Bulat's chest. Next to Tatsumi laid Incursio's key, the red gem glowing faintly.

"Don't worry partner, I'll make sure this is the last comrade you have to bury."

(Same Time; Village of Tensui)

A young dark-haired girl hummed a happy tune, as she casually cleaned her sword. The sight wouldn't normally seem too strange, but the girl was currently sitting atop a large pile of bloodied corpses; all of which she had killed herself.

"Kurome! Pass down that corpse already!" A capital soldier yelled to the girl.

"Hmm, okay. I'm done with her anyways." Kurome said, gently kicking the corpse of the large pile. Releasing a light sigh, Kurome pulled out a small sack full of candies.

"Kurome! You've been called to the capital!" An officer said, which caused Kurome to quirk an eyebrow.

"Just me?" Kurome asked, taking a bite out of one of her candies.

"Yeah...something about being chosen as of the six people..."

"The capital huh..." Kurome mused, dusting off her skirt. "Hmm, I might see big sister Akame there..."

And done! This chapter took way longer than I intended to finish. But I've been slammed with school and work lately, especially since my manager at work is having surgery so they bumped up my hours. So it's been revealed that Incursio was the one to show Tatsumi the visions of his future. More details about this will given next chapter. Also, Tatsumi evolved anime armor will only be for temporary power boosts like Incursio said. All other times, Tatsumi will have his normal armor, until her receives his evolved manga armor. So what did you guys think?! Let me know! Remember to follow/favorite, PLEASE REVIEW I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK, and PM me any ideas you have for any of my stories. This will be the last quick update chapter, so you'll have to wait a little bit for the next chapter. So until next time, I'm outta here!