Hey guys, I'm finally back with another chapter for this story! I apologize for the long wait for this chapter, but things have been kinda hectic for me these past few months. But I recently updated my Batman story, so now I can focus on this one. As usual, I'll post two chapters in a row for this story before I start working on my next one. This chapter will pick up where the previous chapter left off and will have Night Raid's battle to free Tatsumi. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that.

**P.S. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ!** I was laid off from my job back in January, while I'm not broke or anything, a source of income would be nice. So, I've considered starting a Pa tre on page. I've posted a poll on my profile page and I would greatly appreciate it if you all could vote in it. If I do decide to create a Pa tre on, the tiers wouldn't be expensive, with the priciest one being only $6. If only one-tenth of the people who follow this story supported my Pa tre on, it'd be such a massive help. I haven't fully figured out the incentives for each tier yet, but I do have some in place that I think work pretty well. And I want you all to know that I will NEVER hold stories hostage until I make a certain amount of money, and I will NEVER lock exclusive stories/content behind my Pa tre on, it just wouldn't feel right to me. Every chapter and story I create will be posted to this site for everyone to read for free. The Pa tre on would just be there to help support me and my writing. So, I ask you all to please go to my profile and vote in the poll! Also, feel free to give me your feedback! I'm open to any ideas, especially regarding higher tiers and incentives. I'll keep the poll open for a while to give as many of you as possible a chance to vote.

Well, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

"Incursio"

Teigu

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

(Several Hours After Lubbock's Escape: Imperial Palace Dungeon)

"Here, eat this." Budo said in a gruff and frustrated tone, setting a bowl full of soup down in front of Tatsumi. The young assassin eyed the food suspiciously, before grabbing the bowl and taking a few careful sniffs. "Don't worry, it's not poisoned. I wouldn't rob the minister of his public execution."

"I know." Tatsumi said as he picked up a spoon and ate a mouthful of soup. His eyes widened slightly, he was surprised at how good it actually was. "I was taught how to detect poisons in foods and drinks. The smell is usually a dead giveaway, but there are other factors as well...besides, as you said, they want my death to be a show." Holding the bowl with both hands, Tatsumi brought it to his mouth and took several large gulps of the soup. Tatsumi let out a satisfied exhale as he wiped his mouth and set the bowl down. "This is actually really good, my compliments to the chef."

"Thank you, I made that myself." Budo said, before grabbing Tatsumi's bowl and setting it off to the side. When Budo turned back around, he saw the young assassin giving him a skeptical look. "Don't give me that look, I do have interests outside of being a soldier. I enjoy dabbling in cooking from time to time."

"Sorry, you just don't look like the type who'd be into cooking." Tatsumi said as he crossed his arms, sitting down and leaning against the wall in his cell. A strained silence fell over the both of them as Budo and Tatsumi locked eyes. "So...I have to ask...what was all that commotion a few hours ago? I heard lots of shouting and guards were running up and down the halls."

"Ah, that...a prisoner escaped..." Budo replied, clenching his fists and releasing a heavy sigh. "Your little green-haired friend managed to escape...he also killed minister Honest's son."

"Lubbock escaped!?" Tatsumi exclaimed as he bolted onto his feet, his eyes full of hopeful excitement. "Are you serious?!"

"Don't get your hopes up, kid." Budo growled, fiercely glaring at the young assassin. Tatsumi flinched slightly when he saw the fury burning in Budo's eyes. "My men will scour every fucking inch of this city and they will find your little Night Raid friends..." Slowly walking over, Budo towered over Tatsumi menacingly, looking down at him as if he were a bug. "And. They. Will. Die."

"We'll see about that." Tatsumi said with a defiant smirk as he looked past Budo, watching as light from the rising sun streamed through the window of his cell. "Us Night Raid assassins are always prepared to die...but you'll also find out that we're stubborn as hell and don't die easily."

"You've got a fire in you kid and it burns brighter than any other I've ever seen." Budo said, turning his back to Tatsumi and making his way out of the cell. However, he paused in the doorway and looked back at the young assassin. "But later today...that fire will be extinguished."

"In any other circumstance, what you said might be true, Budo...but I trust my friends!" Tatsumi thought as he watched Budo exit the cell, slamming the door closed behind him. As a ray of sunshine hit Tatsumi's face, his smirk widened. "They will rescue me!"

(Later That Morning: Palace Dining Hall)

"The rebel army has been advancing through a worrying amount of our land." The emperor muttered, staring down at his plate and poking at his food. "If they get past the stronghold at Shisuikan, those revolutionaries will be at the capital's doorstep." Releasing a soft sigh, the young emperor took a small bite of his food. "General Budo has been awfully busy lately. He's managing what's left of the Jaegers and commanding the troops at Shisuikan."

"Yes, he does have a lot on his plate. But he needs to prevent those rebel dogs from waltzing straight into the capital." Honest said before he stabbed his fork into a large cut of meat and bit off a large chunk. Not bothering to swallow, Honest spoke up once again. "Try not to worry yourself too much."

"Prevent?" The emperor parroted, quirking an eyebrow and setting down his fork. "Can we simply not reinforce our soldiers and crush the rebels?"

"Unfortunately not. Our enemy has the momentum at the moment and we've lost many valuable soldiers recently. Fighting them head-on right now would be a massive mistake." Honest replied as he grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth, clasping his hands on top of the table. "Additionally, if we send reinforcements to Shisuikan, we'll be leaving the palace's security dangerously thin."

"I see..." The emperor said in a dejected tone as he continued to poke at his food once again. "I suppose that makes sense."

"HAHA! Please, don't fret, your Majesty." Honest said with a smile, leaning forward and resting his head on his fist. "The great General Budo has immensely influenced the capital's people. The revolutionary army hoped to stir the people up into another insurrection with their rapid invasion pace. But everything isn't going exactly as they had planned." Honest's statement caused the young emperor to perk back up a bit. "And with our little display later today, we'll further diminish the revolution's morale."

"That is great to hear!" The emperor said as he clapped his hands together, a small smile spreading across his face. "I'm quite relieved now!"

"A little lie can't hurt...there's no need to worry the little brat." Honest thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he exhaled through his nose. "With General Esdeath, most of the Jaegers and Wild Hunt, dead...our military's strength has weakened considerably...I don't know how much longer we'll be able to fight off the revolutionary army, even with General Budo still in play." Honest frowned as he stared at the young emperor. "I should probably start thinking of ways to escape this country...if this situation doesn't improve soon."

(Same Time: Capital's Outskirts)

"Wait for us Tatsumi!" Akame thought as she sprinted through the forest just outside the capital, her hand resting on top of Murasame's hilt. The red-eyed assassin was flanked by Leone and Mine, all three girls racing to save their lover. Her eyes narrowing in determination, Akame vaulted over a fallen tree. "We'll save you, whatever it takes! Even if we have to fight through the entire empire to get you back!"

"Hold up!" Leone suddenly exclaimed, causing all three girls to come to a skidding stop. The busty blonde assassin smirked when she saw that Sayo, Najenda, and Cosmina were currently blocking their path. "Damn, I didn't think you guys would actually catch up with us."

"Trust me, it wasn't easy." Sayo said with a scowl as she rested her hands on her hips. "What the hell were you guys thinking!?"

"To think you three would leave a note and charge into the capital by yourselves..." Najenda said, taking a quick drag of her cigarette as she held up a crumpled piece of paper. "How very heroic...and stupid of you."

"So...so what!?" Mine exclaimed as she stomped her foot, tightly gripping Pumpkin's strap. "Don't even try to stop us! We're going no matter what! We're going to save Tatsumi! And if Lubbock is there, we'll rescue him too!"

"Mine, Akame, Leone...you're all idiots..." Sayo said, walking toward the three girls, her eyes filled with anger. "How could you three not include me!? Tatsumi is my best friend! I want to save him as much as you guys! So, how could you just leave me behind like that!?"

"Me too!" Cosmina added with a smirk as she skipped over next to Sayo, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward. "I may not be a part of this little harem of Tatsumi's...yet...and I haven't known him as long as you all have...but he saved my life and I've taken a real interest in him." Cocking her head slightly, Cosmina locked eyes with Akame. "So, don't even think about leaving me out of this."

"Boss..." Akame said, looking at their silver-haired leader. "We're going to rescue Tatsumi...no matter what your orders are."

"Heh, you three really have fallen for him. Young love like that, it's truly amazing. Tatsumi is lucky to have you all at his side." Najenda said with a small smile as she dropped her cigarette and stomped it out. "A precious talent and teigu...we can't let things like that just slip through our hands." Akame's eyes widened slightly when she heard this. "That's why we're going with you all."

"Are you sure about this, Boss?" Leone asked, quirking an eyebrow and rubbing the back of her neck. "This mission is going to be really dangerous...and a lot will be on the line."

"We can't afford to lose both Tatsumi and Lubbock." Sayo said as she adjusted the strap of her quiver. "This is a personal and tactical decision."

"Also, if we can stop this execution, we can further damage the morale of the empire as well." Najenda said, crossing her arms underneath her chest. "We'll give this rescue operation a shot." Pausing for a moment, Najenda lit up another cigarette and took a long drag. "However, if we're to succeed with this rescue mission, it'll require greater resolve than anything you've had before." Raising her mechanical arm, Najenda pointed at Mine, causing the pink-haired sniper's eyes to widen slightly. "Mine, you and Pumpkin will be the key to our victory."

"Heh, of course Pumpkin's previous user would say that." Mine said with a smirk as she unslung her teigu, resting it against her hip. "It's easier for me to understand your thought process." Glancing at all her teammates, Mine felt immense confidence well within her. "That's right! This isn't some suicide mission! This is a rescue mission! And I know just the plan for it!"

"Well said." Najenda said, exhaling a large puff of smoke and watching as the rest of her team gathered around Mine. "Girls...your resolve...is unbreakable. This rescue mission will definitely be a success."

(Several Hours Later: Capital's Colleseum)

"Man, they really went all out for this one..." Tatsumi thought as he stared at the massive crowd of people gathered in the stands of the stadium, all of them scowling and sneering at him. With a grunt, Tatsumi tried in vain to free his arms from the restraints keeping him pinned to the crucifix he was on. After a few moments, the young assassin gave up and released a heavy sigh. Glancing down to his side, Tatsumi felt a pang of anger when he saw that Incursio was strapped to a stake next to him. "Hey Incursio, can you hear me? How are you doing?"

"I am fine parter, but I am more concerned for your well-being. We've found ourselves in a very precarious situation, with little hope for rescue."

"Don't worry, partner." Tatsumi thought with a smirk, staring up at the clear sky overhead. "Night Raid is coming to rescue us...we'll be fine." Despite Tatsumi's confidence in his lovers and teammates, he still had some doubts tugging at the back of his mind. "They'll come...I'm sure they will."

"Tch, we even used his teigu as bait, will Night Raid really show up? I can't imagine they'd risk exposing themselves just to save one man." Budo muttered underneath his breath as he tightly balled his fists. Gazing at the packed stands and heckling crowds, Budo released a heavy sigh. "That idiot Honest, this entire spectacle is utterly ridiculous. Night Raid could easily be using this whole execution event as a distraction to infiltrate the palace. I guess Wave and Kurome are still there, along with Shizuka and Dorothea."

"Hey...I gotta ask you something." Tatsumi spoke up, getting Budo's attention and locking eyes with the imposing imperial general. "You have to know about all the atrocities the minister has committed. Are you really okay with taking orders from him?"

"Heh, of course I'm not okay with taking orders from that vile bastard." Budo replied with a soft chuckle before his eye hardened as he glared at Tatsumi. "But my family has served to protect the empire for generations. It is my duty to protect his majesty and the empire." Stepping closer, Budo lowered his and spoke in a menacing tone. "My current priority is to eradicate this revolution that threatens the empire. Once this little rebellion is squashed, the minister who brought about this situation in the first place will be dealt with accordingly, by me personally."

"So you do have morals..." Tatsumi said, releasing a light sigh as he shook his head in disappointment. "If only you had joined the revolutionary army. You could have saved the empire and protected it from all the evil men who are leading this country to ruin."

"You have your way of doing things and I have my own." Budo said as he stepped away from Tatsumi and crossed his arms over his chest. Reaching down, Budo grabbed a large executioner's ax. "We've delayed this long enough...it's time to begin. I will be the one to kill you, so I'll try to make it as quick as possible...it's what a warrior like you deserves." Raising the ax over his head, Budo aimed it directly at Tatsumi's neck. "I hope you know this isn't personal."

"I understand..." Tatsumi said, gazing out at the packed stands, filled with people who were now laughing and cheering for his death. "What has happened to the people of this city? Is my death truly entertainment to them?" Despite facing what seemed to be imminent death, a defiant grin spread across Tatsumi's face. "Torture me all you want, do whatever you want to me, but I'll never beg for mercy! I face death almost every day and I no longer fear it, in fact, I laugh in its face!" Tatsumi's grin widened as he watched Budo swing his ax, time seeming to slow as the blade approached his neck. "I will show all you bastards my pride as a Night Raid assassin!"

"Grinning until the very end, I like that!" A familiar voice called out, just as one of the stadium's walls exploded open. Budo stopped mid-swing, mere inches away from Tatsumi's neck, as the field filled with dust and falling debris. "You've come such a long way, Tatsumi!"

"So, they actually showed up." Budo said as he dropped his ax, the gauntlets on his arms crackling with electricity. "You must be really special for them to risk coming here to save you."

"So the boss sent you to lead the charge." Tatsumi said, watching as a lone figure approached through the billowing smoke. Spotting a familiar teigu and long, flowing pink hair, a smile graced Tatsumi's face. "It's good to see you, Mine."

"Of course they'd send a genius sniper like me." Mine said with a smirk as flipped one of her long ponytails over her shoulder, resting Pumpkin against her hip. "I'll properly scold you for getting caught when we get back to base."

"I recognize you from the wanted posters." Budo said, reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a handful of papers. Sifting through the posters, Budo stopped when he found Mine's, quickly reading through her information. "So you're Mine...you've got a long list of crimes against the empire. Did you really come here alone?"

"You're damn right I did!" Mine exclaimed as she rested Pumpkin on her shoulder and clasped a hand over heart. "I heard my boyfriend was captured and I came to rescue him! So, let's get this over with and head back home!" Glancing around the stadium, Mine quirked an eyebrow when she saw that someone appeared to be missing. "Where's Lubbock?"

"I don't know all the details, but apparently he escaped." Tatsumi said, causing the pink-haired sniper to breathe a sigh of relief. "We can search for him after we get out of here."

"I know you didn't come alone...Akame and the others will arrive at any moment." Budo said as he cracked his knuckles, causing small bursts of electricity around his hands. "All you insurrectionists...will be executed." Budo held both his arms out, a large ball of pulsating, black energy forming in-between his hands. "Solid Shooter!"

"Bring it on, you huge bitch!" Mine growled, readying Pumpkin as an aura of spiritual energy gathered radiated off her body. A split second later, Budo unleashed his attack, the ball of sparking electricity flying toward Mine at an incredible speed. Exhaling a calming breath, Mine's eyes narrowed in concentration as she gathered all of her spiritual energy. "Let's do this, Pumpkin!"

The end of Pumpkin's barrel began to glow as it accumulated all of Mine's spiritual energy. Then, in a brilliant flash of light, Mine pulled the trigger and fired Pumpkin. The onlookers in the crowd watched in awe as a massive beam of swirling spiritual energy rocketed toward Budo's attack. Both teigu's attacks collided in the center of the field, causing an almost deafening thunderclap as they seemed to be stopped in a deadlock. However, Budo's eyes widened in shock when he saw his Solid Shooter soon be overpowered, the beam of energy catching up to him in the blink of an eye.

"It can't be!" Budo thought as he grit his teeth in frustration, Mine's attack less than a foot away. "What is this pow-" Budo didn't even get to finish his thought as he was hit by the devastating beam of spiritual energy, sending him crashing through one of the stadium's walls.

"Heh, no wonder the boss sent you in first..." Tatsumi thought with a smirk, watching as Mine exhaled a shaky breath, wisps of smoke billowing off the end of Pumpkin's barrel. "Entering this execution ground by yourself and fighting against the strongest man in the empire's army. Provoking Budo to attack and angering him with insults...Pumpkin's firepower increased to unheard-of levels that had never been seen before." Tatsumi felt his heart pounding as he stared at the pink-haired sniper, his chest swelling with love and pride, feeling lucky that such an incredible woman loved him. "Mine...you truly are amazing. I don't deserve you or any of the other girls."

"Good...Pumpkin hasn't overheated..." Mine muttered as she fiddled with a few knobs on the teigu's side, making sure that it was still good to continue fighting. "I'm glad I spent all that time maintaining Pumpkin after that last battle with Seryu." Spinning around, Mine faced Tatsumi and aimed his restraints. "Now, let's get you off that damn thing." Firing three rapid shots, Mine cleanly cut through each of Tatsumi's bindings. With a grunt, Tatsumi landed onto the field, stretching his aching muscles. "Now grab Incursio and let's finish this fight."

"Damn, you still aim too close for comfort. But thanks, Mine..." Tatsumi said, glancing down at his singed sleeve before walking over to the stake Incursio was strapped to. With a relieved smile, Tatsumi grabbed ahold of his teigu, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him. "It's good to have you back, Incursio."

"It's good to be back in your hands once again, partner."

However, Tatsumi's reunion was cut short when an ear-splitting thunderclap rang out. Whipping back around, both Tatsumi and Mine's eyes widened in surprise when they saw a gigantic beam of black electricity rocketing toward them. Neither assassin had time to dodge the attack. However, seconds before the beam of electricity hit, Tatsumi and Mine felt something whisk them off their feet and move them out of the attack's path. As soon as the dust settled, Tatsumi looked up and was surprised to see that it was Leone who had saved him, his head squashed against one of her huge breasts. Glancing to the side, Tatsumi saw that it was Akame who had rescued Mine, with Sayo standing next to the red-eyes assassin. But what surprised Tatsumi the most was when he spotted Cosmina grinning at him.

"I was wondering when you guys would show up." Tatsumi said with a smile as Leone set him back down onto his feet. "I knew you guys would come for me, I never doubted for a second."

"Of course we came for you." Leone said, reaching down and ruffling Tatsumi's hair. "We all love you Tatsumi and you're an important part of our team."

"We would have been here sooner, but we had to move through the capital very carefully." Akame said as she set Mine down and rested her hand on top of Murasame's hilt. "Our wanted posters are everywhere and guards constantly patrolling the streets. There were a couple of close calls, but we finally managed to catch up with Mine and help rescue you."

"Yeah, these girls are head over heels for you. There's no way they'd let the empire take you away from them." Cosmina said with a chuckle, approaching Tatsumi with considerable sway in her hips, her teigu clasped behind her back. "And I think I'm in the same boat." Reaching forward, Cosmina caressed Tatsumi's chest, staring up at him with half-lidded eyes. "Maybe we can have some alone time when we get back to base."

"Oh, for the love of god, this is not the time or place." Sayo groaned with a faint blush as she pushed Cosmina away from Tatsumi, which caused the lavender-haired girl to pout in disappointment. Releasing a light sigh, Sayo pinched the bridge of her nose. "Now Tatsumi, I'm so glad you're okay, but where's Lubbock? We came here to rescue him too."

"I think he escaped...at least that's what Budo told me earlier." Tatsumi replied, turning to face the large hole in the stadium's wall where Budo had been blasted through by Pumpkin. The young assassin could see looks of relief on all of his teammates' faces, but Tatsumi didn't share their sentiments. Seeing a shadowy figure emerge from the hole, Tatsumi knew their fight wasn't over yet. "We can talk about this later...we've still got a big problem to deal with."

"Unforgivable..." Budo snarled as he emerged from the same hole he had smashed through, appearing to not have a single injury on his body. A menacing aura of electricity radiated off Budo as he stalked toward the Night Raid assassins. "How dare you pathetic vermin create this much chaos within the capital!"

"H-How..." Mine breathed out, feeling a chill run down her spine when she saw the unbridled rage in Budo's eyes. "He took that shot from Pumpkin...and he doesn't even have a fucking scratch on him."

"Even if the palace does have a defensive barrier teigu..." Budo said as he pointed at Mine, more specifically her teigu, with electricity crackling off his arms. "The firepower that teigu possesses is far too dangerous." Budo's eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at the group of assassins standing before him. "Akame...and the rest of Night Raid...none of you will leave this stadium alive! No matter the cost, I'll execute you all here!"

"Never again..." Tatsumi thought, his grip on Incursio's blade tightening as he took a deep breath. The young assassin could feel his heart pounding in his chest as rage welled up within him. With Budo barreling closer, Tatsumi remembered back to their previous fight with the fearsome general. His blood boiled when he pictured Leone's bloodied and mangled body, her screams still fresh in his memory. "I'll never let this son of bitch hurt my loved ones again." Tatsumi knew that he wasn't strong enough to defeat Budo despite his training and improvements as an assassin. "Incursio...I have a question to ask you."

"Ask me anything, partner...but I think I already know what you're going say."

"I know we've done temporary evolutions before...but I need something permanent...I don't care how much it'll hurt or how much it'll cost me..." Tatsumi thought as he raised Incursio's blade, staring into the red gemstone that laid above the hilt. "Give me all of your strength! Give me the power to destroy this empire and all the injustice within it!"

"There it is! That passionate fire roaring within you! I love it! That's why I chose you to be my partner!" Tatsumi could swear he heard the evolving danger beast chuckle in excitement. "We've spent enough time together...and our bond has deepened enough...I think we're ready for an evolution! But be warned partner, this evolution will come with a cost! Power like this won't come cheap!"

"I said that I don't care what the cost is...please Incursio, just do it..." Tatsumi thought, moments before feeling a pulse of power come from deep within his body. The rest of Night Raid, and Budo, watched in stunned silence as a massive manifestation of Incursio emerged from the ground behind Tatsumi. Powerful gusts of wind swirled around Tatsumi and the earth underneath him cracked and quaked. Letting out a ferocious roar, a shockwave exploded of Tatsumi as he felt raw power coursing through his veins. "This power...it's incredible! It's completely different from the forced evolutions!"

"A natural evolution is far more powerful than anything you've experienced before. It'll also be far more stable, which means it won't be near as taxing on your body. Use this new power wisely partner and protect those you hold dear."

"That's the whole reason I'm fighting...to protect my loved ones." Tatsumi thought as he felt Incursio's armor materialize across his body, slinking across his skin piece-by-piece. The once bulky set of armor morphed and shifted as it evolved, becoming more streamlined and draconic. Scale-like armor covered Tatsumi's chest and arms, with clawed gauntlets and greaves. Tatsumi's helmet was radically different, now sporting a darkened visor, with fangs along the top and bottom, and two, large backward-facing horns. The most striking change though was Tatsumi's eyes, which shined vibrant red behind the visor, his irises now cross-shaped. Releasing a long exhale, Tatsumi stared down at his hands, noticing a new and improved Neuntote in his grasp. "This...this is incredible. I feel like I could take on the entire empire by myself right now."

"Tatsumi..." Akame breathed out, staring at her lover in shock as she clutched a hand over her racing heart. "I can feel the power radiating off him from here."

"Oh my..." Cosmina thought as she bit her bottom lip, fidgeting a bit and rubbing her thighs together. "You just became much, MUCH more interesting...color me impressed, Tatsumi."

"Is that really, Tatsumi?" Sayo thought, tightening her grip on her bow. "He's grown so much in such a short amount of time. Ieyasu and the entire village would be proud."

"Now, what do we have here?" Budo asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It looks like you've become an even more fearsome-"

Budo was cut off mid-sentence when Tatsumi suddenly rocketed forward, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Barely able to react in time, Budo only managed to raise his arms and block a devastating roundhouse kick. Budo's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and pain as Tatsumi's kick sent shockwave's throughout his entire body. Gritting his teeth, Budo was sent skidding back almost two dozen feet. A grown rumbled in Budo's throat as electricity coursed off his arms. Tatsumi gave Budo almost no time to recover as he shot toward him once again. Budo quickly fired off a close-range Solid Shooter, but Tatsumi sliced clean through the ball of electricity with Neuntote. The general's eyes widened in shock and leaped backward, wanting to put some distance between him and Tatsumi. But the young assassin had different plans, racing after Budo without any hesitation.

But this time, Tatsumi was not alone in his attack, the rest of Night Raid backing him up. Deflecting a jab from Neuntote with his left hand, Budo didn't have a second to breathe as he used his right gauntlet to block a slash from Murasame. Budo whipped around and caught Leone's leg mid-leaping kick, using her momentum to hurl her across the field. Raising his arm, Budo effortlessly caught an arrow that was aimed for his head, snapping it in his bone-breaking grip. Cocking his arm back, Budo then slammed his fist into the ground, raising a large slab of earth. A split second later, the wall of dirt and rock shielded Budo from a shot fired by Mine and a sonic shockwave from Cosmina's teigu. The Night Raid assassins quickly recovered and tried to attack in unison once again, but they were all repelled once again, bolts of lighting surrounding Budo and blocking their path.

"Woah...what's going on with the sky!?" Cosmina exclaimed, frantically pointing toward the sky overhead, now filled with dark swirling clouds. "Those clouds are seriously creepy!"

"You little shits! Don't fuck with me!" Budo snarled as an aura of electricity radiated off his entire body. "Who the fuck do you think I am!?" Budo let out a ferocious roar and slammed the pistons within his gauntlets together, causing an ear-popping thunderclap. Moments later, dozens of thunderbolts rained down from the clouds overhead and hit all of the Night Raid assassins. Each member of Night Raid, minus Tatsumi, howled in pain as debilitating electricity coursed through their bodies. Seeing the partially paralyzed assassins spread out before him, a growl escaped Budo's throat. "At first, I planned to lure you fools out and capture you alive...but you all have given me no choice. You must be executed!"

"Screw that!" Tatsumi roared, lunging forward at an incredible speed and slashing at Budo with Neuntote. Expecting Tatsumi to be unable to move, Budo was slow to block his attack, which allowed Neuntote to strike a glancing blow and slash the general's arm. Budo hissed in pain as blood gushed from the lengthy cut along his arm, his eyes wide in surprise. "If you want to hurt any of my teammates, you'll have to go through me!"

"How can he still move?!" Budo thought as he deflected another fierce attack from Tatsumi, being forced to start back peddling. After side-stepping an overhead ax kick, Budo tried to hit Tatsumi with an electrified punch, but the young assassin easily dodged it. "Damn it...how could I forget about Incursio?! That damn armor likely has resistance to electrical attacks!" Seeing Tatsumi charge in once again, Budo grit his teeth in exertion as he used his gauntlets to blocks a barrage of jabs and slashes from Neuntote. "This kid...I knew he was a fierce warrior...but this leap in power is ridiculous!"

Moving his head to the side, Budo narrowly avoided a thrust from Neuntote, watching as the spear's tip missed his face by only a few inches. When Budo whipped back around to counter-attack, he gasped when he saw Tatsumi's eyes through his helmet's visor. Tatsumi's emerald green eyes were usually full of compassion and determination. But the piercing red eyes Budo was staring into were the complete opposite, filled with rage and aggression. They were not the eyes of a man, to Budo it was as if he was staring at a demon.

"Wait...could he have fused with Incursio!? It can't be...that should be impossible, right?!" Budo thought, ducking underneath another violent thrust from Neuntote, feeling the spear slice through some of his hair. "It doesn't matter, I'll end this fight right now!" Raising both his arms, Budo slammed his palms onto the ground, causing three bolts of lighting to crash into the ground. "Lightning Crash!"

"You've already used that move before! I won't be hit by it again!" Budo's breath hitched when he heard Tatsumi's voice suddenly coming from behind him. Before the general could even react, he was screaming in pain as he was slashed in the back. The deep cut sent blood gushing from the wound, splattering all across the ground. Falling onto one knee, Budo coughed up a mouthful of blood. "My Big Bro always taught me to watch my surroundings and keep an eye on my opponent's moves!"

"Woah! Now that was impressive!" Tatsumi perked up a bit when heard Leone's energetic voice. Turning around, Tatsumi saw that his busty blonde lover was back on her feet and slowly clapping. "Go, Tatsumi!"

"Leone..." Tatsumi said as he breathed a sigh of relief, the blonde's previous injuries she had received from Budo still heavily weighing on him. "Can you move okay?"

"Of course!" Leone replied with a grin, gripping her shoulder and rolling her arm. The busty blonde's body actually ached quite badly, but she could tell that Tatsumi was worried about her, so she played up how well she was feeling. "I'm totally fine!" However, Leone and the rest of Night Raid were forced to move when lightning began to rain down on the field again. "What the fuck?! Not this shit again!"

"You little shits!" Budo thought as he slowly got back onto his feet, wiping some blood from his mouth. The electrified aura surrounding Budo intensified as he glared daggers at Tatsumi. "Now you've really pissed me off!"

"We have to stop this bastard!" Tatsumi exclaimed, leading another charge toward Budo, with Akame and Leone following right behind him. "Let's attack him together!"

"Like I'd let you!" Budo roared as he fired off another Solid Shooter, forcing the Night Raid assassins to break apart and avoid his attack. Tatsumi and Leone were forced to momentarily back off as a barrage of lightning strikes blocked their path to Budo. Akame on the other hand circled Budo and attempted to strike him from behind. When Akame tried to slash Budo with Murasame, her blade was deflected by his gauntlet. "I can't let my guard down for a split second around you all, Night Raid!"

"Budo!" Akame yelled, leaping backward to avoid the imperial general lashing out at her with his electrified fist. "You will be cut to pieces!"

"You bastards..." Budo growled as lightning crashed all around him, keeping the Night Raid assassins away temporarily. "With this much spirit and those kinds of guts...it's a damn shame you all sided with the rebels."

"What the..." Mine breathed out, looking into the sky and watching as the dark clouds overhead began to swirl ominously. Knowing that Budo was likely planning to unleash a large attack. Mine aimed with Pumpkin and fired a large shot. "Whatever you're trying to do, I won't allow it!" But the pink-haired sniper grit her teeth in frustration when she saw Budo shielding himself from her attack. "Damn it! This guy is freaking tank!"

"Let me help you out a bit!" Cosmina cheered as she skipped over to Mine's side, winking at the pink-haired sniper. Inhaling deeply, Cosmina screamed into her teigu, unleashing a barrage of deadly soundwaves. The blasts of sound hit Budo and sent him skidding backward, but he was still standing. "Wow, he really is a tank."

"This guy is ridiculous as Esdeath!" Sayo said in utter shock, watching from the edge of the stands as Budo blocked another one of her arrows without even looking. "Gah! How is prick not dead yet!?"

"You're all like flies! Relentlessly annoying!" Budo roared as he slammed his hands into the ground and ripping out two large chunks of earth. Letting out a ferocious yell, Budo hurled the balls of rock at Mine and Cosmina, forcing them to dive to the side to avoid the attack. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Budo punched his fists together, electricity exploding off his entire body. "Both my teigu and I are nothing like we were before! Because we are both now enraged by the disgrace you've shown the empire!" The pistons within Budo's gauntlets slammed together, causing a deafening thunderclap to reverberate throughout the stadium. A split second later, dozens of large beams of concentrated electricity rained down all over the field. "Advent of Thunder Emperor!"

The Night Raid assassins instantly sprang into action to avoid the bombardment of electrical attacks. Leone grabbed Mine and Cosmina, while Tatsumi picked up Akame and Sayo, both assassins darting toward opposite ends of the field. Tatsumi and Leone both bobbed and weaved through the beams, barely managing to dodge the sheer amount of them. Despite managing to avoid any direct hits, all of the Night Raid assassins were hit and grazed by flying debris, leaving them covered in minor injuries. Tatsumi and Leone spent several minutes running around and dodging beams of electricity before they eventually began to taper off.

"So, you barely managed to dodge them all..." Budo scoffed, glaring at the panting and exhausted assassins, Leone and Tatsumi appearing to be almost out of breath. "Your agility and dexterity is truly top tier, even among the members of Night Raid." Black electricity coursed around Budo's gauntlets as he prepared to slam them together again. "But how long can you keep this up?"

"Is everyone alright!?" Budo stopped when he heard someone yell out from the air behind him. Whipping around, Budo's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Najenda descending toward them on a massive armored danger beast. "If you have Tatsumi, we should get out of here!"

"Boss stay away!" Akame exclaimed, wriggling free of Tatsumi's grasp and waving their leader's approach off. "Budo is still here! It's too dangerous!"

"Najenda! So, you've finally shown yourself! Now I'm really seething!" Budo snarled as he tightly balled his fists, bands of black electricity flowing off his gauntlets. Cocking his arm back, a ball of swirling black electricity began to gather in front of Budo's fist. "Solid Shoo-"

"As if I'd ever let you lay a finger on the boss!" Tatsumi roared, leaping in front of Budo and using Neuntote to block his attack. "Lubbock would kill me if she ever got hurt!" Slashing at Budo several times, Tatsumi forced the general to back away. When Tatsumi landed back next to Akame, he released a shaky breath. "The boss is right, we need to escape while we can. But we need to do something about Budo or else we're not getting out of here alive!"

"You won't be going anywhere!" Budo growled in a menacing tone as he slid into a fighting stance. "None of you are leaving the capital alive!"

"You all get on the danger beast!" Tatsumi ordered, rolling his shoulder as he stalked toward Budo, Neuntote firmly in his grasp. "I'll hold Budo off while you guys escape."

"You'll hold me off!? Don't make me laugh!" Budo yelled as he unleashed a blast of lighting at Tatsumi, which the young assassin absorbed head-on with his armor. Tatsumi pushed through the electricity and tried to hit Budo with a right hook. Raising his gauntlet, Budo grunted as he was sent skidding back by Tatsumi's attack. "The attacks I've taken today...I only have myself to blame for spending too much time away from the battlefield. I've become too carefree these past few months." Suddenly dashing forward, Budo hit Tatsuki in the head with a powerful punch, sending the young assassins tumbling backward. "But now, I refused to be pushed around by a bunch of kids!"

"You can't hold all of us off forever! We'll overwhelm you with numbers!" Mine exclaimed, firing another shot with Pumpkin which managed to hit Budo in the shoulder. The pink-haired sniper hissed in pain as he teigu began to smoke, cracks forming all across its frame. "Damn it! I've really pushed Pumpkin to the brink!"

Mine's shot caused Budo to stumble back a few steps, gripping his singed armor. Akame took advantage of Budo's momentary distraction and charged in, slashing at him with her blade. However, Budo was quick to recover and lashed out at Akame with his gauntlet. The red-eyed assassin's attack was deflected and she was sent flying back. At the same moment, Leone sprang up behind Budo and tried to hit him with a devastating punch. But her eyes widened in shock when Budo suddenly spun around and her fist mid-swing. With black electricity flowing off his fist, Budo punched Leone in the gut, causing her to cough a mouthful of blood. Letting a mighty roar, Budo unleashed another barrage of lightning strikes, cutting off the assassin's route to the danger beast Najenda was on.

"You may have weakened me a bit...but now I've cut off your only means of escape." Budo said with a smirk as he whipped away the blood that was pouring from the corners of his mouth and running down his chin. "It doesn't matter how many internal injuries I receive...I will stop Night Raid here!"

"Pffft, don't give me that bullshit..." Tatsumi growled, standing back up on shaky legs as an ominous red aura radiated off his body. "We are all getting out of here alive! All of us!"

"I admire the fire that burns within you brat..." Budo compliment as he tightly balled his fists, electricity sparking off his hands. "The mettle and resolve you've shown in the face of advisory is truly remarkable. But in the end, it will all amount to nothing." Crouching down slightly, Budo suddenly launched himself toward Tatsumi at an incredible speed. "The only thing waiting for you assassins is a bloody execution!"

"I can't falter here, I need to create an opening for us to escape!" Tatsumi thought, gritting his teeth as his heart began to thunder in his chest. The stress of using Incursio's new armor was finally starting to take its toll, and Tatsumi didn't know how much longer he could keep fighting. "Here is the best of mettle and resolve! Prepare yourself, Budo!" Tatsumi cocked his fist back and made it seem like he was going to punch the imperial general. However, when Budo readied to dodge Tatsumi's attack, his eyes widened in shock when he saw something materialize in Tatsumi's other hand. Summoning Incuriso's demonic shotgun, Tatsumi shoved the weapon into Budo's chest. "Doragon no Kokyū!"

A horrific bang echoed throughout the stadium as Tatsumi fired his weapon directly into Budo's chest. The imperial general roared in pain as his torso was riddled by scorching flechette rounds, tearing through his flesh and armor. The force from the point-blank shot sent Budo flying backward, crashing into the stadium's wall. Releasing a shaky breath, Tatsumi caught himself before he collapsed, his racing heartbeat ringing in his ears.

"Alright, let's get out of here! Now!" Najenda ordered, motioning for her subordinates to climb onto her danger beast. "Everybody on! Let's go!"

"Are you alright, Akame?" Tatsumi asked in a concerned tone as he jogged up to his red-eyed lover, picking her up bridal style. "You took some nasty hits in that fight."

"Yes, I'm alright..." Akame replied with a smile, letting out an exhausted sigh as Tatsumi began to carry her toward their danger beast. "You were amazing, Tatsumi. Not only did you manage to hold off Budo, but you also landed a solid hit on him."

"Nah, I still have a long way to go." Tatsumi said with a chuckle as a faint blush spread across his cheeks. As they neared the danger beast, Tatsumi saw that everyone else appeared to already be on board. "Luckily, I'll all of you by my side to help me along the way."

"Oh, man! I missed out on being carried!" Cosmina said in a disappointed tone, surprising Tatsumi as she suddenly appeared beside him, her cheeks puffed out in a pout. However, a large smile soon spread across her face. "But Akame is right, you were totally awesome, Tatsumi!"

"Thanks, Cosmina..." Tatsumi said as he helped Akame climb aboard the danger beast, before turning to face the lavender-haired woman. "And I don't mean your compliment...thanks for coming to help today. You just joined Night Raid recently, you didn't have to tag along. I really appreciate you helping everyone out."

"Oh...it was nothing really..." Cosmina said in a slightly surprised tone, her cheeks flushing red as she began to fidget slightly. Tatsumi's sincere thanks had caught her off guard and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Listen Tatsumi-" However, before Cosmina could say any more, she was stopped when Tatsumi suddenly collapsed onto the ground, his armor disappearing from his body. "TATSUMI!?"

(Five Minutes Later: Skies Over the Capital)

Despite everyone's initial panic, everyone in Night Raid was relieved when they discovered that Tatsumi had simply passed out from extreme exhaustion. After loading Tatsumi onto the danger beast, Najenda lifted off and immediately started flying out of the capital. They were currently away from the stadium but were still within the capital's walls. All the girls gathered around Tatsumi, gazing down at his unconscious form, Incursio's blade still clutched in his hand. From her position at the front of the danger beast, Najenda looked back at her assassins and smiled.

"Don't worry, we've already got doctors and a teigu expert from the revolutionary army ready and waiting. They'll be able to care of Tatsumi...and hopefully Lubbock...as soon as we get back to base." Najenda said as she walked over, placing a hand on Akame and Mine's shoulders. "He's most likely worn out from the sudden evolution. I'm sure he'll be fine after he's been tended to." Before Najenda could comfort her subordinates any further, a thunderclap suddenly rang out overhead, moments before their danger beast was hit by a bolt of lighting. Instantly they began to lose altitude, plummeting toward the ground below. "What the hell was that!?"

"Look above us! Thunder clouds!" Akame exclaimed, pointing toward the dark sky overhead, the clouds swirling ominously. Spotting a lone figure floating in the air, Akame felt her heart drop. "No, it can't be!"

"DO. NOT. MAKE. ME. REPEAT. MYSELF!" Budo roared in a furious tone as electricity crackled in the air all around him. The fearsome general looked like a bloodied mess, his chest armor completely blown apart and the flesh all across his torso burned and shredded to ribbons. Crimson red blood dripped from Budo's wounds, cascading down his stomach. Despite his horrendous wounds, Budo looked like he was still raring to fight, his eyes full of blind rage. "ESCAPE IS NOT AN OPTION FOR YOU VERMIN!"

"Everyone, hold on!" Najenda screamed moments before their danger beast crashed into the ground. With a violent thud, the large bird-like danger beast slammed into one of the capital's streets, skidding past buildings and street stalls. Amid a cloud of dust and debris, the Night Raid assassins got off the gravely injured danger beast. Looking up into the sky, Najenda's one guy widened in shock when she saw Budo glaring down at them. "He's floating...is that one of his teigu's abilities?"

"God! Will this fucking bastard just piss off already!?" Leone snarled in a frustrated tone before she gently sent down Tatsumi's unconscious form. "Is this guy fucking superhuman or something!?"

"O, Aldramelech..." Budo chanted, wind swirling around him and lighting crackling in the air almost constantly. "Summon forth your almighty thunder!"

"This can't be happening...we were so close..." Mine thought as she tightly gripped Pumpkin, tears falling from her eyes. Glancing down, Mine felt her heart clench when she spotted Tatsumi, the man she loved more than anything else in the world in horrific danger. The pink-haired sniper grit her teeth, the thought of her lover and all her friends dying sending her into an intense rage. "NO! FUCK THAT! NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES, WE'RE ALL FUCKING GOING HOME TOGETHER!" Readying her teigu, Mine's pink eyes burned with fiery determination as she fearlessly approached Budo. "Hang in there Tatsumi...this is where I show you all what I'm truly made of!"

"This is your judgment, Night Raid!" Budo roared, bracing one of his arms and aiming it at the group of assassins. A small sighting aperture popped out of Budo's gauntlet, allowing him to take precise aim. An enormous amount of electrical energy gathered around Budo's gauntlet. But instead of a condensed ball, this time Budo fired a massive beam of terrifying black electricity. "SOLID SHOOTER!"

"Go, Pumpkin!" Mine exclaimed as she poured all of her spiritual energy into her shot. Seeing new cracks form in Pumpkin's frame, Mine prayed her teigu would hold out just a bit longer. "Please, you can do this Pumpkin!"

"Pathetic!" Budo yelled, watching as Mine's shot collided with his Solid Shooter, both beams of energy caught in a brief stalemate. "All of you shall fall before this almighty lightning strike!"

"Oh my, then it looks like I'm in one serious pinch." Mine said with a smirk which caused Budo's eyes to widen in shock, knowing her had fallen right into the pink-haired sniper's trap. "This will be my final attack! Every last bit of my soul, my spirit, and my energy...I will pour it into this!" Feeling an intense draining sensation, Mine knew that her teigu was siphoning all of her spiritual energy. "Do it, Pumpkin! Force it back at him!"

"It's useless!" Budo grunted, feeling his Solid Shooter slowly being pushed back. Despite the initial pushback, Budo was still confident that he could overpower Mine's attack. "I'll just throw it right back at you with even more lightning!" However, Budo's confidence was dashed when he noticed the energy levels on his gauntlet were rapidly approaching empty. "My remaining electrical charge! I must have used up too much power fighting those rats!"

A moment later, Budo's remaining electrical charge completely ran out, allowing Pumpkin's shot to completely overpower Solid Shooter. Budo could nothing else but watch as the massive beam of spiritual energy barreled toward him. It's often said that a person's life will flash before their eyes when they're near death. But as Budo watched his impending death draw closer, the last things he thought of were Wave and Kurome, the men he would be leaving behind. Even though they hadn't known each other for very long, he had grown quite attached to his subordinates.

"Wave...Kurome..." Budo thought as he felt Pumpkin's shot tearing him apart, gritting his teeth through the indescribable pain. "It was an honor to be your leader...I hope you both survive this war and find peace."

"Haaaaaaah..." Mine breathed out, Pumpkin crumbling to pieces in her hands, a gentle breeze scattering its pieces across the street. "It...it's finally...over...I did it Tatsumi...we won."

With that final thought, Mine's entire world went black as she collapsed onto the ground.

(One Week Later: Night Raid's Hidden Base)

The news of Budo's death and Night Raid's assault on the capital spread like a wildfire. The entire empire was shaken to its very core, unable to believe that something like this had happened within the capital's walls. With Budo, and supposedly Esdeath, dead the imperial army's morale was completely shattered. Shisuikan was secured by the revolutionary army with ease. The rich and influential, who were watching events unfold on the outside, now sided with the rebel army and revolted one after another. Severa; huge armies now began rapidly closing in on the weakened and exposed capital.

"At last, the revolution's victory is nearly at hand..." Tatsumi said with a small smile as a gentle breeze blew in through a nearby window. The young assassin was covered in numerous bandages and gauze but appeared to be largely unhurt. Lying on a bed in front of Tatsumi was Mine, the pink-haired sniper was completely motionless and her eyes were entirely vacant. Reaching down, Tatsumi gently gripped Mine's hand, a single tear falling down his cheek. "And it's all thanks...to you defeating Budo for us...Mine." Pausing for a moment, Tatsumi quickly wiped his eyes. "He was on a completely different level...outclassing us in nearly every way. So, you had to use all your spiritual energy to take him out...I know that."

"Tatsumi..." Hearing a soft voice speak up from behind him, Tatsumi turned around to see Akame standing in the doorway. "You really should get some rest...you haven't left Mine's side for almost four days. You're injured too and need to recover."

"How's Lubbock?" Tatsumi asked, ignoring what Akame had said as he squeezed Mine's hand. "I heard they found Chelsea and him yesterday."

"He'll...recover...but I don't think he'll be able to fight any longer." Akame replied as she walked over and sat down in the seat next to Tatsumi. "He's at a revolutionary army hospital being treated...Chelsea should be back at base tomorrow." Reaching over, Akame slowly and lovingly rubbed Tatsumi's back. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you...and I know Mine and her didn't get along all the time...but this...this will devastate her."

"Thanks for worrying about me, Akame...I'll get some rest soon." Tatsumi said, releasing a light sigh and giving Akame's arm a light squeeze. "But I want to stay...just a bit longer."

"Okay..." Akame said with a small smile as she leaned over and kissed Tatsumi on the cheek. Getting up from her chair, Akame made her way out of the room. "I'll come to check on you again in a bit."

"Alright..." Tatsumi said, waving to his red-eyed lover as she disappeared into the hallway. Once Akame was gone, Tatsumi leaned forward and released a shaky breath, tears threatening to fall from his eyes again. Spotting Incursio's blade out of the corner of his eye, Tatsumi reached over and grabbed it. Holding the blade up, Tatsumi stared at his reflection, fixated on his right eye, which was still crimson red with a cross-shaped iris. "I guess this is the price I have to pay for more power."

"Partner, I hate to see you in such pain."

"Incursio, I haven't heard from you the past few days." Tatsumi said as he stared into the glowing red gem above the blade's hilt. "Where have you been?"

"I had to take time to recover after your evolution, sort of like hibernation. Your battle against Budo was truly remarkable, but when I come back, instead of rejoicing, all I see is sadness. What happened, partner?"

"It's Mine..." Tatsumi replied, sniffling a few times as he set Incursio's blade down onto the bed next to the pink-haired sniper. "She had to use all her spiritual energy to defeat Budo...but after the fight she became catatonic...it's like she stuck in between life and death." Gripping Mine's hand once again, Tatsumi gave it a soft kiss. "I'd do anything to help Mine...anything. I just want her back."

"I may be able to help, partner." Tatsumi instantly perked up when he heard this. "But there will be some-"

"I don't care!" Tatsumi exclaimed as he bolted out of his seat, grabbing Incursio's blade off the bed. "As long as it doesn't hurt Mine, I don't care what I have to do!"

"Alright, partner, if you insist. Just do exactly as I say. It's a fairly easy process. First, bite down into Mine's neck."

"Bite..." Tatsumi was going to question further, but then he looked down at Mine, her lifeless eyes breaking his heart. Instantly making up his mind, Tatsumi leaned over Mine and bit down into the crook of her neck. "Now what?"

"I'll pump some of my power into her body. It will quickly adapt to her body and can possibly snap her out of whatever state she's in."

Tatsumi felt something well up in the pit of his stomach before traveling up his body. A moment later, he could feel some of Incursio's energy flowing into Mine's body. After a few moments of this, Tatsumi pulled back and was amazed by what he saw. All the veins along Mine's body were faintly glowing red as Incursio's energy coursed through her. Soon, the glow faded, but nothing seemed to be happening. However, out of nowhere, Mine gasped for air and bolted upright. The pink-haired sniper was panting heavily as she clutched her chest.

"W-What the hell happened..." Mine said as she stared down at her trembling hands. "The last thing I remember...is defeating Budo..." It was then that Mine noticed someone else was in the room with her. Turning her head, she was surprised to see Tatsumi standing next to her, tears flowing from his eyes. "Tatsumi...what's wrong?"

"Mine!" Tatsumi exclaimed, before lunging forward and capturing the pink-haired sniper's lips in a passionate kiss. Powering all his love into the liplock, Tatsumi pulled Mine closer. When Tatsumi finally broke their kiss, Mine was somewhat dazed and still slightly confused. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Tatsumi embraced Mine tightly, almost afraid to let her go. "Thank god you're okay."

"Tatsumi..." Mine spoke up after a few minutes, locking eyes with her lover. "What the hell happened?"

"I..." Tatsumi stopped immediately when he looked into Mine's eyes, it was almost as if he were looking at his other half. Much like what had happened to him, Mine's left was now crimson red, with a cross-shaped iris. A small smile spread across Tatsumi's face as he hugged Mine once again. "Nothing. Everything is going to be alright."

And done! Wow, this was such a fun chapter to write! Well, Budo is dead, Tatsumi has been rescued, and Mine isn't in a coma! There are officially 21 chapters of the manga left, so this story is going to start gearing for the end soon! That's still a lot of material to cover, but I'd say there are maybe 10 or fewer chapters left for this story. Well, as usual, I will update this story one more time before I start working on my Spider-Man story. So, I hope you're all looking forward to that! Remember to follow/favorite, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), PLEASE VOTE IN THE POLL ON MY PROFILE, check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you have for my stories. So, until next time, I'm outta here!