Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter for this story! I'm glad to see all of you seemed to enjoy the last chapter and the fight against Seryu! This chapter will pick up where the last one left off and will continue Night Raid's battle against the Jaegers in their attempts to take down Bolic! Just as a reminder, this will be my last update for now, after this chapter I'll update my Spider-man story, then my update cycle starts over again. So again, please just be patient and new chapters will be out eventually! Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!

P.S. I'll be skipping over Najenda's flashback with Esdeath, showing how she was injured. I don't think there are any meaningful ways I can change the flashback, and it would just be a simple retread, so I'll just brush over it and not go in-depth.

P.P.S. To those of you wondering where Chelsea is, go back and reread chapter 26. It's clearly stated in that chapter that since Chelsea has practically no combat skills, Najenda decided to take her off Night Raid's current mission and give her a background role because they were likely going to encounter heavy fighting. That means Chelsea currently isn't near Kyoroku and is helping the revolutionary army in other ways. Which means she won't really show back up until the mission in Kyoroku is over.

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Teigu

"Incursio"

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

(Three Weeks Later: Night Raid's Hideout Within Kyoroku)

"Huah...man, I'm hungry..." Akame yawned, stretching as she sat up in her bed, staring out at the sun shining outside the window. Suppressing another yawn, Akame smiled softly when she looked to her left and saw Mine and Sayo still sleeping soundly. Mine hadn't sustained many injuries during her battle against Seryu, so she had quickly recovered and looked quite well. Sayo, on the other hand, didn't fare as well. After pushing Mine away from Seryu's exploding drill, Sayo's back took the brunt of the explosion, being filled with shrapnel and covered in various burns. Sayo's entire torso was now covered in bandages, hiding most of the damage she had received. Despite Sayo's prolific protests, Najenda had ordered her to sit the remainder of the mission out, unless she made a full recovery. Sayo had continued arguing with Najenda until she had found out one of the larger pieces of shrapnel had missed her spine by only a half an inch. If the shrapnel had hit Sayo's spine, she would have been paralyzed from the neck down. This new information had instantly sobered Sayo up, realizing how close she was to being permanently crippled and ending her career as an assassin. She decided it was best to follow Najenda's orders and rest until she fully recovered from her injuries. Akame silently thanked any god she could think of for bringing Mine and Sayo back alive, as she silently slid out of her bed. The red-eyed assassin chuckled lightly when she saw smiles on Mine and Sayo's faces. "Good, looks like they're both having nice dreams."

After quietly getting dressed and exiting the bedroom, Akame made her way downstairs. Usually being the first one up, Akame was quite surprised to see that several of her teammates were already awake. Tatsumi was sitting on the couch, with all his weapons and cleaning supplies spread out on the table in front of him. While in the middle of polishing Incursio's blade, Tatsumi spotted Akame staring at him. Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi smiled brightly at Akame, before returning to maintaining his equipment. With a hot blush spreading across her face, Akame walked down the rest of the stairs and made her way over to Tatsumi. Reaching the back of the couch, Akame leaned forward and gently kissed Tatsumi on the cheek. Tatsumi looked momentarily surprised before he smiled at Akame and gave a brief kiss on the lips. Breaking their liplock, Akame heard soft snoring beneath her. Looking down, Akame saw that Leone was asleep on the couch, her head resting on Tatsumi's lap. The busty blonde-haired assassin had spent most of the previous day digging a tunnel with Susanoo, so it made sense that she was exhausted. Brushing some hair out of Leone's sleeping face, Akame made her way towards the kitchen. Along the way, Akame walked passed Lubbock and Najenda, the green-haired assassin fiddling with some surveillance equipment that needed to be set up. While the boss was silently smoking a cigarette and pouring over some intel reports she had received, her brows seemingly furrowed in frustration. When Akame entered the kitchen, she saw that Susanoo was already busy cooking up a storm. Knowing that Tatsumi would be going out on patrol later that day, Akame decided to throw on an apron and help Susanoo prepare some boxed lunches, it also wouldn't hurt if she sampled the meals a bit.

"These past two months...haven't been so bad..." Akame thought as she tied her long black hair into a ponytail. "We've had a few scattered fights, but overall things have been rather peaceful..." Grabbing a knife, Akame began to rapidly chop some vegetables. "I hope we win this damn war soon so that peaceful days like this can happen every day."

(Two Hours Later: Outside Night Raid's Hideout)

"Well, I guess we're off..." Tatsumi said with a grin, resting Incursio's blade on his shoulder. "We should be back later tonight."

"Be sure to steer clear of the cathedral." Susanoo said as he crossed his arms underneath his chest. "Security there has been extremely high ever since Mine and Sayo's run-in with Seryu. We've dealt the Jaegers some hefty blows so they're out for blood, we need to be extra careful."

"Yeah, yeah, we got it..." Lubbock groaned, releasing a heavy sigh as he shoved his hands into his pockets and turned his head away from Susanoo. "There's no point even going near there when we don't have a plan."

"I also packed you two some lunch." Susanoo added as he handed Tatsumi the neatly wrapped boxes.

"Oh man! Thanks so much, Susanoo!" Tatsumi exclaimed with a bright smile, grabbing the boxed lunches and putting them in his pack. "I really love your cooking!"

"Akame helped as well..." Susanoo said as he shot the red-eyed assassin a disapproving sideways glance, causing her to blush and fidget in embarrassment. "But she also ate almost half of it."

"I'm so sorry Tatsumi..." Akame said sincerely, bowing her head in apology. "I only meant to have a taste, but...you know how tasty Susanoo's cooking is...I just couldn't resist..."

"It's fine Akame." Tatsumi said with a chuckle as he patted the red-eyed assassin on the head. "I know big your appetite is." When Akame raised her head back up, Tatsumi decided to tease her a bit. "I'm actually happy you even saved me half, when I saw you eyeing the food earlier I was kinda expecting to get nothing." Akame's already flushed face turned near neon red and she quickly punched Tatsumi in the arm. Tatsumi burst out laughing, which only embarrassed Akame even further, causing her to bury her face into his chest to hide how bright her face was. Figuring it was time to stop, Tatsumi wrapped his arms around Akame and pulled her into a tight hug. "No need to be embarrassed Akame, I was only messing with you. But really, thanks for the lunches, I know you and Susanoo worked hard on them."

"Oh Tatsumi, you're leaving already?" Mine asked, poking her head out of the doorway. "I thought you were heading out later today?"

"I was, but Lubbock insisted on leaving early." Tatsumi replied as he gestured towards the green-haired assassin. "I don't really mind though."

"Well I want to finish as early as possible..." Lubbock said, rubbing the back of his head. "We need to set up some surveillance equipment, do some spying, and possibly take out some enemies. Until they're done digging that tunnel, it's the least we can do."

"Alright, step aside Lubbo I'm taking over for you..." Mine said as she walked over and waved the green-haired assassin away. "I'll go with Tatsumi."

"Huh...what...ah whatever..." Lubbock grumbled, knowing it wasn't a good idea to argue with Mine, especially when she had her mind set on something. "Go with Tatsumi, I could care less."

"Please, don't push yourself, Mine." Akame said as stepped away from Tatsumi and gave the pink-haired sniper a concerned look. "I know it's been a month, and you've mostly recovered, but you still used up a lot of your mental energy in your last fight. Just...take it easy...try to avoid fighting if you can."

"It's fine Akame, I've put all my focus on recovering, so there's no problem..." Mine said with a grin, before hugging Tatsumi's arm and shooting Lubbock a teasing glance. "Besides, we can't really rely on Lubbock. Swapping me in will make a much more reliable recon team."

"Oi! For your information, I defeated TWO of the Rakshasas!" Lubbock exclaimed as he pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, yeah great for you..." Mine said, pushing Lubbock back towards their hideout. "Now get out of here."

"Geez okay..." Lubbock said with a sigh as he walked back into the building. "No need to be so pushy, I know you just want to spend some alone time with Tatsumi."

"Shut your trap Lubbo!" Mine exclaimed, glaring at the green-haired assassin before she grabbed Tatsumi's arm and began to drag him down the street. "Come on Tatsumi! We're going to gather intel!"

"R-Right!" Tatsumi said as he allowed Mine to pull him along. Turning back around, Tatsumi smiled and waved to Akame. "See you later, Akame! Make sure Leone doesn't sleep in all day and check in on Sayo for me!"

"Sure thing!" Akame called out, waving back at her lover. "Stay safe you two!"

(Ten Minutes Later: Back Within Night Raid's Hideout)

"That bastard Tatsumi..." Lubbock growled as he ground his teeth in frustration. The green-haired assassin had slipped off his coat and shirt and was sitting patiently as Susanoo changed his dirty bandages. "He's constantly surrounded by beautiful women...how the hell does he manage to woo them all!? What does he have that I don't damn it!? RAGH! It's so damn frustrating! I mean Mine literally pushed me aside so that she could spend time with him!"

"It was probably a good idea you didn't go today..." Susanoo said, tightly wrapping a set of bandages around Lubbock's arm, causing him to hiss in pain. "Your wounds still haven't healed entirely. They could have easily re-opened or slowed you down on the mission."

"Jeez, that chick's attacks were way too scary..." Lubbock muttered as he stared at the bandages around his torso. "I never imagined my injuries would last this long."

"You should be grateful that they weren't life-threatening..." Susanoo mused, rummaging around through his medical kit. "You and Sayo both had rather close brushes with death."

"Still..." Lubbock muttered before he let out a frustrated yell, roughly pulling on his hair. "I can't stand that it's a dude tending to my wounds! Why couldn't it be Najenda, damn it!? I can practically hear her sweet voice now, 'you silly man, you shouldn't push yourself so far...' while she bandages me with tears in her eyes!"

"I don't think you'd die, even if you were fatally wounded..." Susanoo joked with a smile, seeing how energetic Lubbock was despite his injuries. "Besides, it seems like you have an important reason to make it back after each mission."

"I guess you're right..." Lubbock muttered as he lowered his head, his cheeks suddenly burning a light shade of pink. "By the way Su-san...um...how do you feel about Najenda?"

"She's my master and I respect her greatly." Susanoo replied without missing a beat as he wrapped a new set of bandages around Lubbock's torso.

"That's it?! For real!?" Lubbock asked in a skeptical tone as he quirked an eyebrow.

"For real..." Susanoo repeated finishing the last of Lubbock's bandages. "I mean...I have no interest in women after all..."

"HUH?!" Lubbock exclaimed in a seemingly offended tone as he hopped out of his seat. "What the hell are you saying?!"

"I am a teigu..." Susanoo explained, before standing up and putting away the medical kit. "I don't have the capacity to love or experience lust of any kind."

"Oh...that's what you meant!" Lubbock said as he breathed a sigh of relief. "T-Thank god...I thought you were coming on to me for a second there!" Chuckling lightly, Lubbock slipped his jacket back on. "It's weird though...why would they give you a heart but not the ability to love? Do you think maybe it's just because you haven't found a person you love yet?" Susanoo's eyes widened slightly when he heard this. With a toothy grin, Lubbock gave Susanoo a thumbs up. "Don't worry, Tatsumi and I will find a nice girl for you, Su-san!"

"I see..." Susanoo muttered with a small smile, staring down at the floor. "That's a very interesting thing to hear."

"Oi, Lubbock!" Sayo yelled as she slowly made her way down the stairs, moving at a leisurely pace to not agitate her wounds. "Would you fucking keep it down! I'm trying to get some god damn sleep!"

"Oh god, she's finally up...she's been such a bitch ever since she got injured..." Lubbock muttered underneath his breath, instantly regretting the decision when he felt a pair of eyes glaring a hole through his head. Chuckling nervously, Lubbock smiled brightly at Sayo. "G-Good morning Sayo, I hope you slept well!"

"Don't think I didn't hear you, Lubbock..." Sayo growled which sent a chill down the green-haired assassin's spine. "I don't care if I'm still injured, I hear you say something like that again and I will kick your ass!"

"Come on Sayo, calm down." Akame said in a soothing tone, wrapping around Sayo's shoulders and gently leading her towards the kitchen. "You need to be careful or else you might end up hurting yourself. Now relax and take a seat, I'll make you some breakfast."

"That actually sounds really good, I'm starving..." Sayo said with a soft grunt as she slid into a seat at the dining table. However, her head quickly whipped around and she shot Lubbock another glare. "I meant what I said Lubbock, I hear that shit from you again and I'm whooping your ass."

"Y-Yes ma'am..." Lubbock said in a defeated tone, plopping down onto the couch next to Leone.

"Heh heh, looks like you're Sayo's bitch now..." Leone said with a teasing smirk as she cracked one eye open, nudging Lubbock with her foot.

"Can you blame me? I've seen that girl fight and I don't want to be on the receiving end of her attacks..." Lubbock said, before feeling a shudder run down his spine, placing a hand over his crotch. "And that metallic leg of her's...I never...ever...want to be kicked by that fucking thing. I think my boys would fucking explode if she ever got a good shot in."

"Ha ha!" Leone laughed boisterously as she sat up and playfully slapped Lubbock's shoulder. "Then you better watch your mouth, at least until Sayo makes a recovery."

"Lubbock does have a point, Sayo..." Akame said, rapidly chopping up an onion before dropping the diced pieces in a frying pan. "You have been quite irritable ever since you were told to take it easy and not participate in this mission. You've even blown up on Tatsumi a few times, and I've never seen you two fight before."

"I know Akame...I know I've been a real bitch lately and I hate feeling this way too..." Sayo said as she released a heavy sigh, resting her head on the dining table. "It's just...so damn frustrating! Every day I just sit around here all damn day, while you all have important jobs to do...it just a makes me feel...so useless..."

"I understand how you feel Sayo, but you were seriously injured in that fight against Seryu." Akame said in a sympathetic tone, cracking a few eggs and rapidly whisking them. Once they were thoroughly scrambled, Akame dumped them in the frying pan with the onions, throwing in a handful of shredded cheese as well. "If you're not careful, you could make your healing injuries even worse...you could possibly even permanently cripple yourself."

"I remember the doctor's report, Akame..." Sayo said as she began to smell the eggs the red-eyed assassin was cooking, her mouth starting to water. "I just get so damn worried, I have all this time to think while I'm stuck here...and my mind starts to wander...wander to bad things...like if you're all safe out there...if anything bad happened to any of you...or what might have happened if Tatsumi hadn't saved me." Akame's shoulders stiffened slightly when she heard this, knowing that it was a rather touchy subject for Sayo. "You know I still get flashes every now and then...sometimes I can still see my bloodied, lifeless body hanging in that shed...and it scares me to death."

"Look Sayo, you just something to keep your mind occupied." Akame said, setting down a plate of scrambled eggs and a bowl of assorted fruits in front of Sayo. "I'll talk with the boss later and see if we can find you a non-combat role to do while you recover. I'm sure they could use some extra hands down at the revolutionary army's local headquarters. Plus, your face still isn't known around town, so you can still walk around freely. They'll be able to find you something to do."

"Thanks Akame, you're right...I just need something to do or else I'll go stir crazy..." Sayo said with a small smile as she took a bite of her eggs, almost moaning because of how delicious they tasted. "I just hope I recover soon, I want to get back out there again and help you guys."

(With Tatsumi and Mine: Outskirts of Kyoroku)

"Damn, Akame and Susanoo made a really great lunch." Tatsumi said, before taking a bite of his fried chicken. Extending the bento, Tatsumi allowed Mine to take some as well. Tatsumi chuckled lightly as he gazed at the crumbling ruins around him. "Man, we really trashed this place, didn't we?"

"Don't blame me." Mine said as she casually popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. "Blame that bitch Seryu for blowing every damn thing up with her weapons."

"I guess you're right..." Tatsumi said with a shrug, setting down the bento and ruffling through his pack. A few moments later, Tatsumi pulled out a folded piece of paper and began read through it.

"Another letter from Esdeath?" Mine asked as she perked up slightly. Seeing Tatsumi nod his head, Mine walked over and sat down next to him. "Can I read it?" Tatsumi glanced at the pink-haired sniper for a moment, before handing her the letter. Taking the sheet of paper, Mine quickly scanned through it. Her cheeks flushed slightly when she read some of the more graphic parts. However, Mine was quite surprised when she reached the bottom of the letter. "No fucking way, this can't be Esdeath. 'I long to see you again and wish to be in your loving embrace once again. You stir such strong feelings from within me and I treasure every second we spend together. I count the days until your return home'...what the hell...who knew Esdeath could be so sappy?"

"I don't think Esdeath wrote that part." Tatsumi said with a smile, taking the letter back and slipping it back into his pack. "I'm pretty sure she's been having Bols help her write these. Esdeath really tries hard, but expressing her feelings just doesn't come naturally for her yet."

"Oho, looks like we meet again..." A familiar voice said from behind both assassins. Heads whipping around, Tatsumi and Mine were surprised to see the Way of Peace's head priest smiling brightly at them. "Ah, but it appears your third friend isn't here this time. What a shame, she was such an interesting girl."

"Our friend Sayo was in an accident and was hurt." Tatsumi explained, causing a frown to spread across the head priest's face. "She's back at home resting."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry then, I hope that she makes a full and swift recovery." The head priest said in a sympathetic tone as he bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry to interrupt the romantic picnic you two were having. But I can't ignore what appears to be fate. Could I trouble both of you for a moment of your time?" Seeing Tatsumi and Mine nod their heads, the head priest smiled and took a seat across from them. "You two must be travelers."

"The Way of Peace..." Tatsumi said, clasping his hands in his lap. "It's scale and reach seriously surprised us...you're the founder right?"

"Yes, that's right." The head priest replied with a bright smile. "Ever since I was a mere child, I've had the strange ability to heal people's wounds and have prophetic dreams. As the years went by and I healed more and more people...and continued prophesying...more and more people came to worship me as a miracle worker. The Way of Peace was built by their hands and through their hard work...and is the way it is today because of them."

"So..." Tatsumi started, leaning forward and shooting the head priest a sideways glance. "About the people who work with you...have you ever sense anything from them with your powers? Something like...darkness?"

"You idiot!" Mine hissed as she slapped Tatsumi on the shoulder. "That's prying way too much! You're being rude!"

"HA HA HA..." The head priest chuckled, staring up at the cloudless sky overhead. "You both seem nice...and I feel like you're looking out for me...but everyone has some darkness in them. Of course, I've sensed deep-rooted darkness in several of my leading members. But to run such a large religious organization like this one, you need to make some tough decisions. It was limited and frustrating when it was just me, I could only save those right in front of me. It's those in the leadership positions who have made the religion the grand organization it has become...and I've decided to trust them."

"This complicates things..." Mine thought, gazing down at her lap. "If we kill Bolic and fill the leadership with revolution sympathizers...it would definitely spark an uprising, especially now that we know how this priest thinks. But he's so naive and goodnatured. It's just a matter of time before Bolic takes him out and turns him into a real holy ghost. We have to hurry and take Bolic out. This priest may be too trusting, but he truly is a kind-hearted person and only wants to help people."

"By the way..." The head priest said which pulled Mine from her thoughts. "I see that the red string that binds you two is even stronger than it was before. I'm extremely happy to see that." Both Tatsumi and Mine flushed slightly when they heard this, discreetly reaching out and holding hands. "Please treasure all the time you spend together, with each other or with anyone else you hold close. May God bless you in every possible way."

(That Night: Back at Night Raid's Hideout)

"So that's what happened..." Najenda muttered, before taking a long drag of her cigarette. "He really is a good priest."

"He really is..." Tatsumi said as he stared down at the table he was sitting at. Najenda and Tatsumi were currently sitting alone in the dining room, with everyone else out on assignments or resting. "I know that we'll be taking advantage of him too, but...I'd prefer it if we didn't kill him, if possible."

"Don't be so hasty..." Najenda said, releasing a light sigh and putting out her cigarette. "If we're not careful we'll run into the Jaegers and their new leader, Commander-in-Chief Budo. He's not as strong as Esdeath, but he's still extremely powerful and we don't have the forces to take him on yet. We can only be thankful that Esdeath is on our side now. The manpower we'd need to defeat her would be staggering. With her as a trump card, that seriously swings the odds in our favor."

"If you had to say, how many men would it take to defeat Esdeath?" Tatsumi asked as he leaned forward in her seat. "Having seen how powerful she is first hand, I have a pretty good guess, but I still want to hear what the boss has to say."

"At least 50,000 of our best soldiers..." Najenda replied without missing a beat, causing Tatsumi's eyes to widen in surprise. Tatsumi was expecting a ridiculous number, but nothing that crazy. "On top of that, we'd need at least 10 teigu users, including Akame." Najenda locked eyes with Tatsumi and extended out her mechanical arm. "She's the one who did this to my body. I know all too clearly the difference in our abilities and how truly strong she is. I mean ever since Esdeath joined our side, we've slowly been patching things up between us...but I believe without a doubt that she didn't finish me off because she wanted to enjoy another fight with me in the future. But that's in the past now, I survived and am here today. In the end, I'll have to overcome this trauma and work with Esdeath to crush the empire that she used to protect."

"That's the boss I know..." Tatsumi thought as a smile spread across his face. "She's always cool...and is much stronger than she seems."

"Boss..." Leone said as she walked into the room, with Susanoo following right behind her. "We've finally broken through, we can now launch our invasion at any time."

"Alright..." Najenda said with a grunt, slowly standing out of her seat, a hard look in her eyes. "Before we can focus our attention on attacking the empire more directly, we need to assassinate Bolic! We will succeed and complete this objective!"

(Five Days Later: Within Kyoroku's Cathedral)

"Heh, I can sense your immense disdain Budo..." Bolic said with a smirk, moving one of his shogi pieces. Studying the board for a few moments, Run soon moved one of his pieces. "But rest assured, you'll only need to be my bodyguards for two more weeks."

"Don't patronize me Bolic..." Budo said with a throaty growl before he quirked an eyebrow. "What the hell do you mean only two more weeks?" After several seconds of receiving no response, Budo racked his brain in search of what Bolic could have meant. "Ah, that's right...it'll be the religion's founding day in two weeks, right? There's supposed to be a huge festival, the whole town will be involved."

"Yes, the groundwork has all been set." Bolic said, scanning over the shogi board for nearly a minute before moving one of his pieces. "I'm going have the head priest killed...and turn him into a truly holy ghost." Budo's shoulders stiffened slightly at this confession, surprised at how nonchalant Bolic was being. He felt a wave of disgust wash over him when he saw a sadistic smile spread across Bolic's face. His twisted smirk widening, Bolic slammed down one last shogi piece. "And then in front of all the believers gathered there...I'm going to declare myself the new head priest."

"You've beaten me..." Run said with a light sigh as he slightly bowed his head.

"HAHAHA!" Bolic laughed boisterously, slapping both hands onto his knees. "You've got natural talent, you just lack some experience. Play some more and I'm sure you'll be a pro in no time!"

"Well if that's all we must really be going..." Budo said as he stood up and motioned for Run to follow him. "I'll meet with you later Bolic and we'll discuss possible security plans." Seeing Bolic nod his head in understanding, Budo swiftly exited the room with Run right on his heels. Budo waited until they were back out in the cathedral's courtyard before speaking again. "God, that bastard really pisses me off...but we just need to bide our time and keep letting the tension build. Let him get drunk and go wild, anticipating how good the changing of leadership will be." While mid-stride, Budo turned around and gave Run a thumbs up. "Also, nice job keeping that prick entertained with that shogi match. He's right, you are actually really good, I could tell you were letting him win."

"No problem at all..." Run said with a chuckle, not surprised with Budo's open disdain of Bolic's behavior. "I'm happy to do it any time."

"Well hopefully, you won't have to do it anymore." Budo said, his eyes hardening slightly. "Night Raid must realize that they're running out of time. They'll be coming here soon, probably sooner than we expect. We'll have to tighten up our security in anticipation."

(Several Hours Later: Night Raid's Hideout)

"Today I'll have to be more serious than I have ever been before..." Susanoo said before he tightened the apron around his waist and walked into the dining room, carrying several large trays full of food. "I hope you're all prepared!" With swift and extremely precise movements, Susanoo rapidly set trays of food down in front of each Night Raid member. "For Najenda, I have salt-flavored ramen with firm noodles. I'm completely confident in how I've seasoned the chicken and the amount of salt I've added! For a Mine towering strawberry Parfait. And there's even a special flavor inside as well!" Mine's face flushed slightly when Susanoo leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "That special flavor should remind you of the special time you spent with Tatsumi and Sayo a few weeks ago." Moving passed Mine, Susanoo stopped behind Lubbock. "For Lubbock, I have created a fresh bokkai shrimp creation. For Leone I have oden and expensive local sake served at a chilled temperature." Leone let out a loud cheer as Susanno walked passed her. "For the bottomless pit that is Akame's stomach I have prepared a large assortment of various meats, stewed in my special sauce." The red-eyed assassin seemed to completely ignore the jab at her eating habits, simply staring at the massive pile of meat with a watering mouth. "Since both Tatsumi and Sayo said they'd be fine with anything, I made him a Susanoo special lunch set!"

"This is clearly a kid's lunch..." Tatsumi said in a deadpanned tone, gazing at the sectioned tray of food in front of him, the childish appearance was even topped off with a small Night Raid flag stuck in his food. Everyone else at the table tried and failed, to hide their snickers. Releasing a heavy sigh, Tatsumi decided to simply allow everyone to enjoy teasing him, some levity was greatly needed for what was about to transpire the following night. "Thanks Susanoo...it looks great..."

"And lastly For Sayo, I have a juicy steak cooked exactly to her liking, with a side of seasoned mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables, topped off with chocolate pudding for dessert." Susanoo said as he set the final tray of food down in front of a stunned Sayo.

"H-How did you know?" Sayo asked, staring at the perfectly cooked meal in awe. "This is my favorite meal...with everything exactly how I like it...you even got the dessert right."

"I had a little help from Tatsumi." Susanoo said with a smile as he patted Sayo on the shoulder. "He told me this was a special meal your father would make you after a long hunting trip, and the pudding was something you'd both share after dinner. I know you must be missing everyone back in your home village, so I figured this would help remind you of home, even if only a little bit."

"T-Thank you Susanno...it's perfect..." Sayo said, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she inhaled the delicious aroma, imagining being back home and sitting across the table from her father, both of them smiling and laughing as they swapped stories. "And thank you too Tatsumi...I didn't think you'd remember something like this."

"Well you've been kinda down the past few weeks, so I just wanted to cheer you up a bit." Tatsumi said with a smile as he gently squeezed Sayo's shoulder. "I know that you're upset about not being able to participate in this mission, but I'm glad that you're taking it easy. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt again, especially since Mine or I might not be there to back you up next time."

"Don't worry Tatsumi, I know that I need to take things slow right now..." Sayo said, placing a hand on top of Tatsumi's, giving a reassuring squeeze. "I'll pick things back up once this mission is over." Chuckling lightly, Sayo flashed Tatsumi a teasing smirk. "Besides, I need to live forever so that I can keep an eye on you and make sure you stay in line."

"Alright, everyone..." Najenda said as she tapped a fork against her glass several times. "Susanoo has made all of our favorite meals. So tonight let's all eat our fill, be in good spirits, and..." Najenda stopped mid-sentence when she saw that everyone was already digging in, a small smile spreading across her face. "I outta reprimand you all for ignoring your commander...but I'm glad to see that you're all enjoying yourselves."

"Mmmm, this is so sweet...it's truly delicious..." Mine gushed, eating another spoonful of her parfait. She instantly recognized the special flavor that Susanoo had mentioned. It was the same flavor of ice cream she had shared with Tatsumi while traveling through the city with Sayo. "Come on Tatsumi, try some."

"Alright..." Tatsumi said as he leaned forward and ate some of the parfait directly off Mine's spoon, causing her face to tinge a slight shade of pink. But before Tatsumi could comment on the parfait's taste, he felt an arm wrap around his neck and his head was pressed against something extremely soft.

"Oi Tatsumi..." Leone said in a seductive tone, further squashing his head against her massive breasts. "My cup is all empty. You remember what you're supposed to do, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it..." Tatsumi said with a light chuckle as he grabbed the chilled bottle of sake and refilled Leone's cup. Once Leone's cup was topped off, Tatsumi filled his own cup up with sake. "Might as well pour me some too."

"Ah, that's my boy!" Leone cheered playfully patting Tatsumi on the head, before downing her fresh cup of sake in a single gulp. Letting out a content sigh, Leone slammed her empty glass back down onto the table. "I taught you well, Tatsumi!"

"I might not be a seasoned drinker like you Leone, but I can hold my own now..." Tatsumi said as he took a swig out of his own cup, actually enjoying the slight burning sensation. Putting his glass back down, Tatsumi turned his attention back towards Mine. "Oh, and the parfait was really delicious Mine, you made a great choice."

"Hmph, you're damn right I did..." Mine said, turning her head away from Tatsumi to hide the satisfied smile on her face.

"Your cooking was out of this world again, Su-san!" Akame exclaimed in a cheery tone as she set down her almost spotless plate. "I haven't eaten that well in a long time!"

"Yeah, I don't think we could survive without you anymore, Susanoo." Tatsumi joked, before setting down his fork and finishing the last of his sake. "I know my meal wasn't exactly what I was expecting...but it was great nonetheless."

"I'm very happy to hear you all say that." Susanoo said with a small smile as he bowed slightly. "It was my pleasure to serve you all tonight."

"Alright everyone, it's time we got serious..." Najenda said, pulling out a map and placing it on the table, as Susanoo cleared the finished plates and served everyone a cup of tea. "The tunnel ends just before the cathedral. It's finally time for us to carry out or mission and eliminate Bolic."

"We won't be taking him out in his mansion?" Tatsumi asked as he quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "Wouldn't that be easier?"

"Normally you'd be correct, but we've received word that Bolic's house has been fitted with numerous traps over the past few months." Najenda replied, crossing her arms underneath her chest. "So I've decided that assaulting the cathedral is the better option." Leaning forward, Najenda pointed towards several different spots on the map. "However, intel says that the cathedral has plenty of covered to hide in. It's the perfect place to hide ourselves in. According to our spies on the inside, our target holds a night-long prayer in the cathedral once a month, it will take place again the day after tomorrow. That means it will be the time that we strike."

"I bet that bastard is just holding those prayer sessions to make himself look good." Lubbock scoffed as he leaned back in his chair. "He's just doing it to flirt with the girls, don't you think?"

"But boss..." Mine said, clasping her hands on top of the dining table. "Don't you think it's likely they're expecting an attack from underground? I mean General Budo is still a distinguished commander in the empire. He probably took all possibilities into consideration."

"Of course I considered that..." Najenda said as she lit another cigarette and took a quick puff. "That's why we're going to split into two separate teams. One team will cause a diversion from below ground. They'll invade and stir up a big commotion to keep the enemy distracted. The distraction team will consist of Susanoo, Leone, Tatsumi, and I."

"Heh, our team was put together based on our defensive and regenerative abilities." Leone said with a smirk, placing a hand on top of her bicep. "We can take hits, but also dish them out too."

"The Jaegers will most likely move to intercept us, but do not engage them." Najenda added in a serious tone before she took another drag of her cigarette. "We'll give them a good chase and focus on staying alive. After we make contact, the remaining members will use an Air Manta to strike the cathedral from above. Take full advantage of the chaos and take Bolic down! Akame. Mine. Lubbock. I'm counting on you three!"

"Got it, boss." Mine said in a confident tone, standing up out of her seat, appearing to be fired up. "Bolic is our only target."

"Yes, you all need to stay focused..." Najenda said as she focused on the map and intel spread out before her. "If we don't take out our target, we'll be forced to battle Budo and any other forces present and we'll miss our opportunity to kill Bolic."

"Don't worry boss..." Akame said, slamming her hand onto the dining table. "Bolic will be buried."

"Good, very good...I like the enthusiasm..." Najenda said with a smile as leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well you're all dismissed, I say you all rest and unwind. I need you all in top form for this operation." All of Night Raid's members nodded and stood up from their seats, but stopped when Najenda spoke up once more. "Actually Sayo, hold up for one moment." Sayo froze in place, fearing what Najenda might say. A small smile spread across Najenda's face when she saw the rest of Night Raid's members sharing in Sayo's worry. "Calm down, it's nothing bad." Collectively everyone breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to make their way out of the room, wanting to give Najenda and Sayo some privacy. On the way passed, Tatsumi flashed Sayo a smile and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Releasing a light sigh, Sayo walked over and took a seat next to Najenda. "I'm sure you're wondering why I told you to stay back."

"Yeah, I was kinda worried for a second that you had more bad news for me..." Sayo said with a light chuckle before she became serious once again. "But I can only assume it has something to do with my injuries."

"Your assumptions would be correct..." Najenda said with a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest. "Now I don't want you to get all worked up, but I just received a message from your doctor. He finished going over your latest examination results and has concluded that you are ready to resume combat operations." Najenda saw Sayo's eyes light up instantly, but decided to shut her down before she could get too worked up. "I know this exciting news for you Sayo, but I'm not putting you back on this mission just yet." Najenda spoke up once again when she saw that Sayo was about to argue with her. "I may not be putting you back on this mission just yet, but I am putting you on standby. If things start to go wrong on the mission I want you to join in the assault and help us."

"Okay, I understand boss..." Sayo said as she released a light sigh and stood up from her seat, flashing Najenda a brief smile. "I'm glad that I might still be able to help take Bolic down with the rest of you."

(Two Hours Later: Night Raid's Bath)

"Ahhh, I'm glad our base has a great bath like this..." Najenda said with a content sigh, sinking into the hot and relaxing bath water, a towel covering her missing arm. "All my worries are just melting away."

"It's perfect for resting our bodies in preparation for our battle." Mine said as she ran a hand over her slick skin.

"There's nothing better than drinking while in the bath..." Leone said with a toothy grin, before taking a long swig of sake. Setting the bottle back down, Leone could feel a set of eyes leering at her, more specifically her bountiful breasts. Leone couldn't help but chuckle when she saw Mine practically glaring at her tits in jealousy. Deciding to tease the pink-haired sniper, Leone puffed out her chest a bit, making massive breasts even more pronounced. Mine's eyes widened for a brief moment before she huffed and turned head away. "She makes it too easy sometimes."

"Where's Akame and Sayo?" Najenda asked as she stretched out in the large bath. "I thought they'd join us?"

"They're both doing some last minute training..." Leone replied, taking another sip of her drink. "You know how Akame is and Sayo wanted to sharpen her skills since she hasn't been out in the field in a while."

"Can't say I'm surprised..." Najenda said as she glanced between Mine and Leone. "So you two...how are things going with Tatsumi?"

"Wh-Wh-What are you saying!?" Mine exclaimed, bolting upright out of the bath water. "There's no way I could discuss that! It's way too embarrassing!" Growling frustration, Mine got out of the bath and threw the room's door open. "I'm done in here! Both of you are pissing me off!"

"So boss..." Leone said with a devious smirk after Mine had left the bath. "You still want the dirty details?"

(Five Minutes Later)

"You two look whipped." Tatsumi said, watching Akame and Sayo walk back into the hideout, both of them covered in sweat and dirt. "Seems like you both trained pretty hard."

"Yeah, we did..." Akame said with a small smile as she helped Sayo walk into the living room.

"God I feel so damn rusty." Sayo groaned, brushing some loose hair out of her eyes. "Every part of my body aches."

"Hey Akame, I didn't know you made these..." Tatsumi said as he gestured towards a replica ship that was sitting on the table in front of him. "This is great by the way."

"Thanks, my friend taught me how to make those. I always make them in my room, that's probably why you haven't seen me making them before." Akame replied, leading Sayo towards where the bath was.

"It would be awesome to travel on a ship like this." Tatsumi said with a smile as he gazed at the small ship. "I want to know what lies beyond the empire."

"That sounds lovely..." Akame said, pausing outside the door to the bathroom. "Once there's peace in this country we should all go on a trip together."

"I'd like that too." Sayo added as she turned to look back at Tatsumi. "I need to stick with you guys to make sure you don't get into any trouble."

"Damn, those two really got on my nerves..." Mine said, walking out of the bathroom, drying her hair as well. She stopped when she saw Akame and Sayo standing in front of her. "Oh, hey you two. The boss and Leone are still in there, but the bath is available."

"Sounds great." Akame said as she helped Sayo walk into the bathroom. "Come on Sayo, I'll help you wash your back."

"Come on Tatsumi..." Mine said, grabbing ahold of Tatsumi's sleeve and pulling him out of the room. "You're gonna help me do my hair."

"Sure, sure..." Tatsumi said with a chuckle as he let Mine lead him out of the room, knowing it was best not to argue with her.

"Let go of me Su-san!" Lubbock hissed through Susanoo's hand, as the biological teigu held him in place. "I can't stand that lovey-dovey vibe between Mine and Tatsumi, I'm so jealous! And the boss and Leone are both naked in the bath right now, I must peek! I can't let an opportunity like this pass!"

"Looks like everyone was able to relax..." Susanoo thought with a smile, watching Mine pull Tatsumi upstairs towards her room. "These are the perfect pre-mission conditions. All that's left is to give it our all!"

(Two Nights Later, One AM: Just Outside Kyoroku Cathedral)

"Piece of cake..." Tatsumi thought as he used Incursio's invisibility to take out three guards patrolling the cathedral grounds. Once the guards were taken out, Tatsumi walked back over to the hole in the ground he had emerged from and helped Leone, Najenda, and Susanoo out of it. "

"Everyone ready?" Najenda asked, adjusting her mechanical arm. "Because things are about to get dangerous really fast."

"Oh, I'm more than ready!" Leone exclaimed with a massive grin as she punched her fist into her palm. A moment later, Leone's body was bathed in brilliant golden flames. Once the flames died down, Leone had transformed into her Lionel form. "Now, let's smash some shit!"

And done! Figured that was a good stopping point because things were about to pop off and I didn't want to start that just yet. The next chapter will pick up where this one left off and will finally have Night Raid attacking Bolic. However, the next chapter won't be out for a little, because I'm working on my Spider-man fic next, then I'm starting my update cycle over again. But please just be patient and the chapters will be out eventually. Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), check out my profile and other fics if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you might have for any of my fics. So until next time, I'm outta here!