"Kill The Ice Queen Part 2!"
There was a huge pause after the blast until Ieyasu emerged from the smoke of the alleyway
he was carrying an injured lioness in his arms she was unconscious and badly burned.
Ieyasu stepped into the now terrifying streets of the capital he saw mothers holding their sons dead in their arms he saw people getting trampled he saw imperial soldiers on their way to the arena. Then Ieyasu turned his attention to The Arena.
A huge ice spike penetrated followed by another explosion
these two just don't know how to hold back, do they?
And as Ieyasu took in the feeling he wondered... if this was a hell he helped build.
"Captain Ieyasu!"
He looked at the foot solider that had stopped to notice Ieyasu
It was a recruit that much was clear he was new at this job Ieyasu had forgotten his name that much he knew
"whose orders are you under?"
"Sergeant Jessie!"
I outrank that guy by a damn mile looks like the imperial police haven't got an actual counter to the situation yet.
"I have new orders for you private," he said in a gruff voice.
Ieyasu handed the body of Leone to the Private he took her
"Take this girl to the following address"
he said as he started writing down on a piece of paper that he had And handed it to him as well
the boy read it and stood up straight
"yes sir!"
"oh and one more thing please give this note to the person staying there as well," he said
"Sir!" he said in an understanding voice
"dismissed," he said before the recruit took the piece of scrap paper and ran off with Leone
Ieyasu looked back at the arena in the distance… he had to try and stop this.
The Arena
Tatsumi and Esdeath were relentless against each other each one of their hits felt more devastating than the last each summon of ice that would go into the crowds of people still unfortunate enough to be in the area, Each dagger shot out fast enough to explode these things each and every one of them made this duel made it all the more devastating.
But inside it was obvious
Tatsumi was losing that much was very plain to the green-eyed warrior. Tatsumi was surprised he was even alive up to this point but he had one more ace up his sleeve… but then again… so did Esdeath
Tatsumi's sword attacked Esdeath's Ice sword she blocked flawlessly but then again Tatsumi wasn't letting up. Esdeath broke free from Tatsumi's attack but before she could counter Tatsumi used his Imperial arms to push Esdeath back.
Esdeath slid across the sand ground almost losing her balance entirely. She looked back at Tatsumi who was moving his hands in a way that seemed extremely odd to Esdeath only too late did she realize he was summoning an attack
"Kill her," Tatsumi said pointing at Esdeath
almost immediately after he said that She realized there were around eight clones of Tatsumi charging her from his direction
her eyes narrowed as she focused on the coming challenged
She blocked one only to land a hit on another and then freeze one after that all while flawlessly dodging each of their attacks not a single one of their blades piercing her skin. In between fighting them she looked over and saw Tatsumi… the real one slowly approaching her with his sword in hand
Esdeath saw this and realized that this was all a ploy to distract her so that the real one could get the killing blow. She responded with more and more ice turning the clones to mist. And Tatsumi responded to that with more clones.
Eventually, they started to overwhelm her when they all moved so fast it became a little much as they all gathered around her. But before any of them could get a hit off Ice exploded from Esdeaths body as she outburst turning all the clones to mist and shaking the real Tatsumi.
"That's enough!" she said as all of the clones dispersed to nothing.
She looked at Tatsumi before immediately charging him as fast as she could.
She got up to Tatsumi's face before he could kill her or even move for much she did the fasted attack she could.
"Now Freeze!" she yelled she pushed her hand forward and summoned ice encasing the boy.
Tatsumi's eye's widened but it was too late before he was encased in ice in an instant
Esdeath was behind the frozen structure she looked behind her ready to stab into it but the boy was already gone.
Her eyes narrowed this little bastard had a never-ending arsenal of tricks to pull which made this somewhat annoying.
Tatsumi went in above Esdeath not making a sound as he went for her head.
She hardly noticed in time before dodging the attack above and countering with a kick causing her to build distance with the warrior
Tatsumi fell back he was getting Frustrated this battle had devolved to close call after close call with Esdeath continuing to seem more and more unkillable. But even he can't deny how much fun he was still having with Esdeath.
The warrior looked over to the ice queen herself and she looked back as they enjoyed their moment of silence even if it was only for a bit. Esdeath made sure to take note of how good Tatsumi looked with just a bit of blood running down his face and posh, serious green eyes as a fire burned in the background of the stadium.
"I'm impressed Najenda must have a lot of confidence to send an assassin after me but I admit with your skills I'm not surprised. "
Tatsumi glared back at her.
"Najenda would never send me so I came myself."
"I like you," Esdeath said back simply and plainly as plain as that statement was it was true, and what Tatsumi said she could relate to.
"you really should Thank me Tatsumi, look how strong you've become because of me."
"strong!? I'll show you true strength Esdeath!" Tatsumi said in sudden defiance before he raised his arms
Esdeath got ready she could have interrupted whatever the hell he was planning but she didn't out of curiosity
But almost immediately that curiosity was satisfied as the ground below her started to rumble and shake. Rocks and sand lifted up and then bigger things like the body of Kali the butcher. Soon the whole ground started to come apart as the floor below Esdeath started to lift.
"HAAAAAAAAA" Tatsumi screamed as the entire foundation of the arena came apart Green static energy was buzzing over his body with his attack
Esdeath lost her footing and fell not even able to keep her ground from the earthquake-like attack
Tatsumi kept screaming as more and more of the ground completely became undone and lifted as the man had lifted so much of the ground completely.
More and more and more of the earth came undone by his hand as he screamed more and more while doing his attack the arena was completely undone. This was a power few could ever hope to wield.
The Shaking was unbearable and even some of the stands in the Arena were falling apart and cracks were forming in all of the stones all around the Arena.
Esdeath dropped and almost fell into the split earth below she managed to grab onto the ledge of the rock which saved her life
Esdeath regained her lost ground but not before almost falling into the catacomb below the arena.
Tatsumi's screams echoed across the arena as more and more of it crumbled to Dust
When she pulled herself up the dust from the earthquake was terrible she could barely make out a bright Greenlight in the Distance.
"I have to stop this.." She summoned ice and shot it at the green light.
Tatsumi opened his eyes from his blind attack only to see a wave of ice coming in his direction
you have to be shitting me!
Tatsumi didn't have time to move out of the way but since the attack was blind since she could only see a single light in the dust. only a bit of the ice was hitting but the ones that did were by far the most brutal of Esdeath's Ice attacks that have been hit so far.
The ice cut deep and true into the skin around his leg and even more into his torso
Before Esdeath could fire another round more of the rock she was on started to fall apart and fly into the air.
The ice queen started to fall before summoning ice around the rock to keep it in place but it wouldn't hold for much longer.. but this gave her an idea
The boy spit up blood from his mouth the ice stuck in him cut so deep and hurt so bad it made him boil in complete anger. Tatsumi still didn't drop the well of gravity he had in his hands he was waiting for the perfect moment. He looked for a sign it seemed she stopped her Ice attack Tatsumi couldn't tell why,, she should have continued but she must have a different plan.
"Just… A little bit More…" Tatsumi said through pained screams he looked at the dust where he knew Esdeath was just beyond the dust. He used his foresight something that was causing a lot of strain on him mixed with this attack to look into the fog.
And what he had seen shook him he saw Esdeath making her way towards him one step at a time filling in the taken ground with ice to make it to him. She was making a B Line for him but Tatsumi had time to think of what to do.
"Just a bit...more…" His eyes carefully followed Esdeath as the ground beneath her crumbled away and flew into the air.
"And NOW!" he said before he dropped his arms and collapsed on one knee in a weak position
Esdeath realized every rock around her as little as some of them were… started to fall again.
She looked up at the sky only to see nothing the dust-covered everything.. but she knew what was coming in less than a second she immediately encased herself in ice not knowing what else to do in this situation or if it would even work for that matter.
She braced but nothing could brace her for chunks of ground to fall and hit the earth from where they once belonged.
Noise...noise ..noise..noise That's all Esdeath heard was the noise the sound of rumbling and rocks infested her ears and it made her like being around rocks that never stop crumbling
She looked up from what she could in the safety of her ice only to see a huge chunk of the earth come crashing down right on top of her.
Tatsumi looked up at the entire side of the Arena he destroyed. The part that was lifted and dropped was the other half where Esdeath was standing yet Tatsumi's side lay completely undamaged.
"THAT…. That's true power.." Tatsumi said through pants… He was proud of himself his Imperial Arms was a strenuous one yet here he still stood not knocked out. He grinned thinking of all the power he possessed even if he hated his Imperial Arms there was no doubt he loved it all the same.
But as Tatsumi looked upon the Trench in the Arena he had made with so much Dust over it she frowned.
"get up Esdeath," he said at nothing
"I'm not having a rock steal my honor."
Still, nothing but silence, not a word was spoken. He couldn't believe he was worried she was dead this was
Never the plan wasn't it? Not exactly how Tatsumi envisioned it, No this would not do. This would not do at all
"no..no...no..no this wasn't the plan….Hey Esdeath… I SAID...GET UP!"
again… nothing
"fine… I guess I'll just end this here and now" He said as he pulled out a knife and held it above him by the tip of his finger.
Before he could finish a pillar of ice shot onto the air.
He looked up after Esdeath was launched out of the abyss in spectacular style. Her classic ice sword in her hand the entire time
She immediately Dashed for the green-eyed killer himself her sword in hand and not bothering to say another word. Her face was blank and without emotion or any depth.
Tatsumi smiled before jumping straight into the air dodging Esdeath's slash that turned into a slam shattering the ground beneath them.
The boy Landed across from Esdeath. And looked up at her she was smiling as if she was proud of the boy to do an attack with that amount of scale
"Why do you look so proud?" Tatsumi asked well maybe not asked is the right word more like demanded
Esdeath smiled back
"Because. Isn't it obvious? You are a result of my actions. everything that happened in your life started with me and because of me you've become the perfect weapon and with your newfound strength you've come to thank the person who gave it to you."
"I never asked for this Esdeath."
"Neither did I. Looking into those Eyes of yours tell me you don't care whether you asked for it or not your just glad you have it. And that's what I love about this you and I are fighting and that's all thanks to you for making this happen. You wanted this to be about you and me and so you have made it such."
Tatsumi said nothing back he just gave her an understanding look at her words.
Esdeath glanced at the pillar behind her she smiled a little to herself as she got an idea
"But I think we should wrap this up… what do you think?"
Tatsumi didn't even have time to react to the statement she made before more Ice was fired at him he dodged although it was FAR less graceful this time around thanks to his wounds and his lack of using Foresight, he spun and flipped to avoid all the ice flying his way.
Have to keep she's just too relentless said to himself as he moved his whole body as one
Just have to make it to her and maybe just maybe I could finish this madness once and for all.
Tatsumi made his way Toward Esdeath as she kept up her relentless attacks
The Ice queen stopped her attacks as the boy started to charge. This wasn't working Esdeath concluded she looked up at the pillar of ice she had made to escape underneath the arena and then looked into the sky as she decided to go on that plan.
Esdeath smiled to herself before looking back at Tatsumi as he charged her with killing intent. Tatsumi stopped once he saw the ice form around her
"We are done here.. boy," she said
Suddenly she was propelled into the air as an ice pillar was thrown into the sky sending her up there with it. Tatsumi's eyes widened as he saw her fly up into the air.
well, at least she throws quite the spectacle…
Esdeath looked down at the arena below
"Amazing.." Esdeath said as she looked at the way he split the Arena in half by lifting the ground.
"completely even.." she admired
"Well, let's see if you can survive this next attack." She said before jumping high into the sky off of the pillar of ice.
Tatsumi was still watching with wide eyes of surprise and fear.. not anticipation he felt that no more.
She snapped her fingers and a massive infusion of Ice formed in front of her. Tatsumi's eyes widened somehow even further as he realized she was making a giant ball of ice to crush him.
A voice was nagging in Tatsumi's head to use his Trump card but he quickly Silenced it.
He looked at the impending doom coming for him the length of this thing was everything in the Arena nowhere for him to go. And his Clone teleportation could only go so far.
"Not like this.." he said as he looked as it came closer and closer to him
Esdeath Narrowed her eyes and gathered a smile as it appeared she had won. But that smile quickly faded.
Tatsumi reached out and felt the object with his mind before grabbing it to slow its descent from the sky he tried, pulled, and pushed, and to the boy's credit if he was less injured or had not used his energy the attack before he might have been able to push it back but all he could do was slow the things down.
He looked up at Esdeath and he swore he could see her face through the ice she looked almost sorry for the boy.
The gusts of wind that happened between the force of the two were legendary and it could only be described as a hurricane as both of the warriors focused.
Tatsumi was going to lose there was no doubt in his mind he was almost accepting before he realized what his end goal was.
He thought of something.. something almost brilliant.
He did the math in his head to conclude his reasoning.
I used four in the fight so far. All defensively used. well, that leaves me with two left... Perfect.
He looked down at the ground. As he held up the sky in pain.
You have one shot.
Tatsumi in an instant let go of the ice ball above him as it came crashing down mere moments away from killing him. and as fast as he possibly could he reached behind him and pulled out a simple throwing the strength and power of his imperial arms he shot the knife straight at his target with the speed of something nothing else can generate.
A shot was heard.
Esdeath looked in shock as her ball of Ice and destruction appeared to have the simplest of cracks in it in front of her.
before a flash of light broke free from the ice. And the beam of light hit the general from her left side.
Time seemed to stop for the blue-haired general.
Everything seemed still. The ball of ice cracked into pieces. Little shards of ice around her. hair well above her head from the speeding winds. And blood splattering around her.. her blood.. her own blood.
Tatsumi looked up this was not the end of his problems as shards and shards of ice fell from the sky the boy dived and dodged as well as he could.
Esdeath was falling.. she was falling
The boy didn't even realize he had hit the General and for one he was too busy himself to look.
Esdeath recovered her awareness and went to cover her landing by making an ice slide to slow her fall she landed still hard with a thud sill on her feet.
Tatsumi got up from the ground of which he had dived and was left unscathed.
Breathing heavily he looked up only to be in shock once again.
I… actually….hit her?
He scanned the general as she looked up at him with aggression in her eyes and breathing heavily.
She was holding her left arm which had blood pouring out from all sides his eyes crept up her arm up to her shoulder.. and that's where he hit her. She had blood on her face from the hit there was an exit wound from the back to Tatsumi could tell that much.
Her shoulder had a huge tear in it and it looked like quite the alarming wound suddenly Tatsumi's previous wounds didn't seem so bad. But the green-eyed killer questioned if she could even use the arm attached to the shoulder blade anymore.
"We. are. done.. when I fucking say we are done," he said looking her dead in the eyes. His blood-soaked face and head made his green eyes all the more terrifying.
She didn't bother to respond she looked down at the ground and gritted her teeth.. she was angry at herself for having such a moment of weakness.
The wound she bared could easily send a normal person into shock with the size of it it would most likely be fatal… but not for her.
She held her hand out as ice formed around it. Tatsumi was easily able to tell it was the classic ice sword she loved using so much.
She breathed in and then out. Getting her breath in control and then looked back at Tatsumi.
Esdeath said no words.. and neither did Tatsumi as both of them got ready for the falling action of their duel.
They both charged at each other with full force. screaming with anger they knew this would end soon.
Their blades Locked and they looked into the eyes of each other.. this was a completely different moment than when they first locked swords. Esdeath Eyed Tatsumi's green orbs while Tatsumi stared back into her blue irises but the moment was completely different than last time for one they were fighting in a combination of ice and rubble. And that they were completely war-torn and tired yet aggressive and tireless all at the same time.
Their duel ended with either party winning they pushed and pushed until Tatsumi let out a huge force of air with his imperial arms separating both of them.
Tatsumi slid on the destroyed ground and regained his footing. There was something wrong … his weapon felt… off he looked at it and as he looked at what was wrong.
In the exact center of the blade, there was Ice embedded in the blade the ice was creeping more and more on the blade until suddenly.
Chink
The blade snapped in two as the other half of his sword fell to the ground. Now it was just a useless piece of metal.
He looked over at Esdeath who had already started charging him with her blade
he got ready to defend against any attacks as his hands both glowed green and he tossed the handle of his now broken sword.
Esdeath went for a swing at his right and he quickly raised his him to block the sword from hitting his throat.
She was in shock as his arm which had a Neon green outline to it actually managed to not only block the strike but also completely break through her sword.
Tatsumi immediately went on the offensive and tried to land a hit and he almost did but Esdeath was just a little bit faster in dodging backward.
He went to grab her and throw her with Telekinesis which he managed to do but when he tried to throw her it wasn't nearly as powerful as the first time he did it mainly because the way to beat the move is to have the mindset to take it if you can do that… it won't hit you nearly as hard.
Tatsumi ground his teeth as it seemed she had figured that out. He would have to catch her at a better time if he were to use that. Esdeath had already broken free from it.
The green-eyed killer went in for a punch which she dodged into a kick which he as well dodged. Tatsumi recoiled before it could hit.
He reached into the air and got two well-round pieces of the arena he picked them up with both his mind and Imperial arms and threw them both at Esdeath as hard as he possibly could.
She dodged one and ducked under the other one. Tatsumi Summoned the energy to launch a huge force blast completely eviscerating the ground and coming right for Esdeath. She jumped far into the airway over the blast
She summoned a spear made of ice and she launched it at Tatsumi. He dodged but as soon as the spear hit the ground and impaled itself into the sand it completely blew up into shards of wind and ice. Tatsumi dodged but took a cut to his leg.
He looked up as Esdeath came crashing down with an Ice axe in her one good hand ready to slice his head off.
Use Screams power! The voice in his head nagged at him
And he.. well.. just Screamed with his voice.
At First, Esdeath was confused about what he was doing but then the ground started to shake and the ruble in the ground fell apart too and then the terrible and unbearable noise hit her.
It made her drop her guard as she fell just a bit to the ground she covered her ears to block the sound out the way he was using sound to distract and disorient her it almost reminded her of...
She didn't get to finish her thought as the screaming very suddenly stopped she looked up only for yet another rock was thrown at her she dodged it again this was starting to get very hard on Esdeath.
She dodged into a kick that sprouted a huge wall of ice spikes that came crashing into Tatsumi's Direction.
She immediately ran in with the spikes coming. Making it a double attack.
Tatsumi Tried to dodge but as soon as he began to move he felt a huge pain in his chest. He coughed up blood and didn't even realize that his wounds and his Imperial arms use were catching up to him.
As Esdeath drew near he made a simple yet thundering shock wave that destroyed ice and held the ice queen back if only but for a moment.
He regained his pained breath he was starting to realize… despite her wounds Esdeath was attacking more fiercely than ever and wasn't stopping while Tatsumi was faltering greatly.
He started to pant, downright Hyperventilating with both fear and exhaustion… he was doing so good.. why did she have to be so dam impossibly strong...
Esdeath immediately darted near him again armed with nothing but the ice he knew she would summon immediately
As he saw this his eyes felt fear. But that fear melted into anger
"Get Away from me!" he yelled before holding out his hand and his mind and Imperial arms focused
he looked in surprise to see her entire body was frozen in mid-air he had actually managed to catch her again with his telekinesis he only had about half a second before he slammed her into the ground and then lifted her up and then down again.
"Die!"
She hit the ground again. She almost had enough time to so break free that time.. she simply needed to focus her mind.
"Die!." This time she was thrown to the side of a piece of rubble just big enough to be mistaken for a rock regardless it hurt like a bitch.
"Die… Die… DIE!" He said as she fell, again and again, he was being ruthless with the speed there was no way any human could survive this much trauma to the body.
But Esdeath was different…. So much different...as soon as he went to violently throw her down again she broke free her hand touched the ground softly... And Tatsumi already knew what was coming.
a single spike of ice came from the ground and launched itself directly at Tatsumi… but he wasn't dodging this one.. or summoning a clone there was nothing he could do in time.
The ice cut deep and true right into his shoulder blade which spewed out blood.
The ice broke instantly on impact which Tatsumi noticed but he saw why as he looked right into Esdeath's face she was right in front of him with her ice sword in hand.
It didn't matter what ability Tatsumi had any more he simply wasn't fast enough for the next attack as he attempted to jump back this was the best move to keep his life however it wasn't perfect all as Esdeath's blade completely slashed through his arm cutting it off instantly and his jump back turned into a fall.
He looked into Esdeath's cold and uncaring Eyes it reminded him so much of Akame...
This moment could be saved like a painting… everything was perfect… Esdeath only milliseconds after the cut, her face still the same unmoving face she had before it.
and Tatsumi fell back but his look of shock turned into a grim one as his eyes narrowed… it was time he used his ace up his sleeve.
Suddenly Tatsumi pushed forward with renewed strength. Esdeath was not expecting this but she was ready to strike him down.
"Blood Blade!" his voice barely escaped past his lips as he fought with all his might to give her this one last move….
Esdeath's eye's widened as she realized the words he sputtered
his own blood as a weapon…
She was too close… this was it, she was going to die...
his blood that spewed everywhere formed into spiky masses and shot themselves at the Ice queen.
She was less than half a second away from death when she barely got her words in on time
"Mahapdama!" She yelled out as everything turned blue and time froze around her...
her eyes were wide as she stared at the sky she looked down and saw it… Blood spikes all in front of her if she didn't say those words… it would have been it…
"This move...its Livers.." She said as she stepped out of the way of the blood… she knew how this Trump card worked once the blood had a target it's almost impossible to miss… unless you can stop time...
She had never heard of an Imperial Arms that could mimic Trump cards… it should be impossible.
"Liver was that really you?" she asked the blood as if it would have any type of response.
She looked at the boy's frozen in-place body.
Arm still in the air his face pale and white yet him roaring and pushing forward.
She got her blade ready and was almost ready to pierce before she realized something…
"A true warrior should see his death coming.." she said to him knowing full well he couldn't hear it.
She realized that once the blood was going in a direction there was really no stopping it so her moving out of the way was the simplest solution.
She looked at the boy who was a bloody mess but she wasn't looking too good either.
She waited for her Trump card to end she knew it wouldn't matter, this fight was over.
And when it did end the world went from a blue haze to its normal color.
And the blood went straight into the depressingly empty crowds
I missed!?
A slash ran across Tatsumi's face that cut it open starting from his left eye and tearing through his nose to his chin. He immediately screamed out in pain before falling down.
His arm hit the sand and he fell with it. Tatsumi fell to the ground on both knees heaving and then immediately coughing up blood
he looked at the ground as he dripped so much blood to the point where it was just red sand.
He was done. There was not a doubt in his mind this was it for his life and the fight.
He was still coughing the blood he still had. his one hand he had left gripped into a fist in frustration.
He would have said something...anything at all really but he couldn't find the strength for words. It was impossible to carry on anymore.
Esdeath stepped right in front of him and simply waited as he writhed in agony.
"you look a lot like her now," she said, it was pretty obvious the comparison she had drawn him to.
her words didn't even process in his head as to what she said. He was just in too much pain to understand or compose himself.
Heaving in and out he was drenched in sweat and his arm was leaking too much blood. His face was pouring out blood he lost his left eye he had lost his arm.. and now he was going to lose his life.
She held her Ice sword firmly and looked down at him. It was then he looked right back at her as their gazes met and a Green eye of hatred looked into Blue eyes of calm.
Tatsumi couldn't believe it… truly nothing has changed he's just as pathetic as he was all those years ago and both Esdeath and him knew it.
"Why are you hesitating.." Tatsumi asked as he realized as she hadn't killed him yet
Esdeath's eyes narrowed… It was such a waste this was her fault she should have come back all those years ago and saved him by bringing him back to the empire… he would have been such a good loyal dog.
She knew that no matter whether she struck or not he was dead no question he was just too wounded to even be helped.
"Esdeath… This is what happens to the weak… this is what I deserve… you taught me that remember?"
Again she said nothing as she looked down at him.
"And now I find myself too weak to even stand… All my life all I've ever wanted to do was meet you again.. and I did just that." Tears fell from his eye as he spoke.
"seeing you again I was reminded the hard way of what it means to be strong and what it means to be a Warrior…" his voice was extremely weak it was quite obvious his time was limited he was in too much pain.
"make the killing blow on my chest and leave my head alone…" Esdeath thought this was a weird request but was going to allow it.
"I only have one question… Esdeath… was I worthy of your time?
She spoke after a delay that felt like an eternity "you were a challenge probably one of the best I will ever fight and you won't die as some assassin that failed.. but a true warrior till the very end with his pride still attached. So...yes you were worthy you at least have that….You are free now Tatsumi."
More tears left him as she spoke… was this what he was waiting to hear the whole time?
Suddenly his life flashed… was this really it?
"This wasn't too big of a surprise Tatsumi you should count yourself lucky you got as far as you did." he imagined what Bulat would say to him.
"Night raid. You were always home to me.. Akame, Sheele, Leone, Lubbock, Boss, and yes even you Mine" He imagined every one of them. But smiling a bit at remembering the times he had.
to the time he spent training with Bulat.
or the time he out cooked Akame
Or his flirts with Mine or all of the women for that matter
Or his brief intimate time with Leone.
And the serious talks with either Akame or Najenda he was going to miss those two the most.
God… He actually was going to miss them, wasn't he?
And for the first actual time, Tatsumi felt regret about all of this.
He wanted to go back and make more memories he wanted to stop all of this but that regret faded quickly has he realized the decision was already done
I gave it everything I had for you. I didn't kill her but.. I gave us a fighting chance…. I showed them she can bleed. I didn't die for nothing… did I?
He realized he might have
ah well regardless thank you guys for everything…
Kurome Please.. stay alive.
The ice blade lunched into his chest he felt the ice sting cold of the blade as it went directly through him. His eyes widened with the impact. It was... surprisingly painless.
As life left his eyes so did his Imperial Arms as its glow faded
his mind quickly lost consciousness everything faded away for him through his eyes.
Esdeath let go of the blade and let it rest in his chest gushing out more blood she got up and looked upon the corpse …. The corpse of someone that despite her short time with him… she was proud of. She left the blade in his chest.
His clothes and jacket were completely torn up he had wounds all over his body the final resting position was on his knees with his body hunched over and the ice blade in his chest pierced just above his imperial arms.
Blood was steadily leaking out of his mouth his finger was still twitching but it was nothing more than a muscle movement.. he had no heartbeat…. The green-eyed killer was dead.
Esdeath looked back at the destroyed landscape around her she was…. Impressed with her adversary, to say the least
She let out a sigh and looked at the source of the light that glowed from his chest during the battle there was a hole in his armor for it. She sensed the Aura of a hungry Imperial arm looking at it there was blood staining the pretty gold on it but it was still an Imperial arm no matter how much war it sees it's still just as good as a weapon.
She would have to send someone for it when soldiers would sweep in and take the body.
She turned to leave…. It's been… quite the day...
The road 6km outside the capital
Najenda was walking through the dirt path in the forest. The path to the Revolution base was a hard and tedious path but it was a necessary annoyance if it was an easy path to the base that would mean it would be easy to find so to speak.
She carried a bag of goods and plans for the Revolution as she walked she was happy to report that the Three Demons were taken out.
She let out an exhausted sigh from the journey and stress it's been a hard couple of months her team just lost a member and well there were other problems, to say the least.
She walked forward as she saw the lights of the lively camp insight she smiled as she realized she was going to catch a break.
The revolution was having some hard times but it seemed this would be a nice break for her.
It was then she felt it. Something different. She quickly set her bag down and looked through it until she found what she was looking for. She didn't know what was off but something definitely was.
When she pulled out what she was looking for it looked the same nothing off the gleam of the sword was awe-inspiring
Incursio.
What an amazing Imperial arm that belonged to an amazing warrior it looked normal but something was off about it she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But if she were to say it seemed like it was….like it was….
"you...Didn't," she said in disbelief
The tip of the sword started to disappear into dust that floated into the sky.
Her eye went wide as she watched in shock
"You lying son of a…"
The blade fully turned to dust the last thing to go was the hilt in her metallic hand as it turned to nothing but dust.
"Commander Najenda! We have an urgent report from the capital from a carrier that demands your presence at the meeting with the others! They're awaiting your arrival" she heard a voice of a young boy dressed in a revolution uniform yell as he ran towards her from the camp
She looked back into the sky as the dust floated away
"Tatsumi…. What have you done."
The remnants of the Imperial Arena
as Esdeath walked towards the exit the sky seemed to turn red… her eyes went wide as she detected a new presence one far more...evil.
"no… that's impossible.."
she looked behind her only to see the body of the boy levitate and rise the light in his Imperial Arms glowed red as lifeless as the body looked she knew better. suddenly a huge burst of air went blasted in all directions creating a sound that could around the body and blew Esdeath away a bit as she covered the sand from hitting her face
giant sparks of green static energy could be seen on the ground making for quite the spectacle when seen. Small rocks were also levitated because of the power in the arena.
The ground rumbled and the sky darkened in a blood-red even further, power rumbled through the ground Esdeath could feel it and anyone there could feel it…
and threw the dust she saw something she wasn't ready for.
Tatsumi's head poked out first his eyes combined red and green to make a yellow and sinister color but his skin looked scale-like almost like a dam Dragon his eyes had murder in them and that's all she needed to know.
He rose from the ashes of sand and debris with both his arms.
And both of his eyes.
His armor and previous clothing were gone in replacement of steel-like skin that served as armor and protection he had claw-like fingers
The moment he emerged from the clouds it all was blown away with a huge burst of power,
The beast let out a laugh as it was finally freed from its cage
That laugh that escaped through his throat went through bellowed through the whole Arena and Esdeath wasn't scared to admit it did terrify her.
He laughed and laughed more as he pulled the ice blade out of his chest she managed to look as the wound slowly patched itself back up.
"oh, Esdeath you didn't think that was it did you!? As I said we're not done until I say we're done," he said with a deep and almost demonic type voice that sounded way less than human.
Immediate Ice in his direction was her response it hit him but it shattered like glass. But the few that his him cut a deep red that splashed but...he didn't seem fazed.
"this power this wonderful wonderful power! I love it so much! Shame it's all going to go away soon."
He looked back at Esdeath
"No! What are you!?" she asked
"oh, Esdeath you seem so worried about what I am you don't even notice you are about to die. Or you do and just want to know as a last wish. Well, I'll grant it."
"you see I absorbed something known as Incursio a simple Imperial Arms really but it had so much more in it I didn't see it until I held it in my hands but when I understood its power I knew it had to be mine."
"absorb Imperial arms…" it all made sense to her now about his abilities...but that would mean… he killed her three demons...
"so by encompassing Tyrant into my human form and combining it with my Imperial arms I have achieved something that could only be described as a god."
"you think too highly of yourself," Esdeath said as she made an ice spear and threw it as hard as she could at him
he swiped it away as it exploded into ice shards. She launched more and more ice in his direction she wasn't letting up she got closer to him whilst throwing ice.
"you might have grown stronger but I refuse to let you win!" she said as she went for a devastating kick to the side of his head
He was surprised with her renewed vigor he was certain she would be too injured to fight
he was annoyed at this and immediately countered with something that shook the whole arena.
He let out a huge blast of energy at it that resembled a blast he would use on his normal Imperial Arms only this one was far more massive, faster, and way more devastating Esdeath hardly dodged over it.
It exploded the entire side of the arena or what was left of it all started to fall apart.
"Just die already!" she said as she sent massive Ice spikes at Tatsumi that exploded on impact.
"Still alive!" he said in joy as he flew up into the air then immediately slammed himself down right next to Esdeath's position blowing up a huge sand cloud and wrecking more of the ground
She was blown through the air from that attack this wasn't good.. she was running out of ground. The Arena space was almost completely gone.
Tatsumi seemed to notice this as well. As he pulled himself from the crater that he created.
He looked up to see Esdeath already on top of him attempting again to kill him. This time an ice sword in both of her hands even the one she couldn't use as well.
She swung hard into his neck and the other landed on his body.
He growled as he immediately swiped her away.
Esdeath slid to the ground and ran into a counter on Tatsumi who was shooting more blasts of energy and causing more destruction. She turned around quickly only to dodge the next attack that was seconds away from hitting her.
She dodged into some rubble as she took a moment to catch her breath.
"oh esdeaaaath where are you?!" Tatsumi said in a sinister voice he looked around for her
She looked around at the destruction around her and she saw something that shocked her
It was her sword. Gleaming in the light it was planted in the sand. How it even managed to stay in the arena or not get destroyed by everything that happened was beyond her.
In an instant, she pulled out the rapier from the ground. Tatsumi was right across the corner she wasn't sure if this would hurt him but it was worth a shot.
Tatsumi turned the corner only to immediately be met with a slash of steel to the throat. Which he can't say he expected even though he really should have.
It broke on contact on his skin but it did draw blood. Which is a start to something.
Esdeath narrowed her eyes in frustration as the steal of her once amazing sword broke into tiny tiny pieces before being grabbed by the monster in front of her
"I have you now Esdeath," he said as he tightened the grip on her throat she lifted her in the air as she gasped for air
she looked down into his face of chaos this nightmare was never-ending but she was running out of options.
She put her hand on his face and started transmuting ice freezing him solid.
She was let go as this happened as she had the airway restored. It seemed like…..he was just toying with her.
The only thing that was free of the ice block was his metallic and claw-like arm the same arm she had cut off just minutes prior it looked almost like... that arm was more armored than the other one. but the ice immediately cracked and he broke free.
He looked up at her she was panting clearly tired from the fight it was drawn out for far too long even Tatsumi knew well he guessed this was the part where he goes out with a bang.
He pulled from his skin a singular knife one that he kept with him through the entire fight the one he had saved.
He smiled viciously his sharp teeth looked like one of a predator.
"Well .. your insolence just cost you this district!. I'll blow it all to pieces! and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
And with that Tatsumi Shot into the air like a rocket. Esdeath look in shock at the Yellow-eyed killer as he flew up into the sky above her
"he's going to what!?"
He suddenly stopped when he reached a high altitude and stared down at her.
"how about a science lesson Esdeath?"
She said nothing but looked into his Yellow eyes.
"anything moving fast enough can create enough energy to explode on impact if you recall the knives I shot out at you before."
she did remember that and she already had an idea of what he was going to do.
"so with this power, if I shot these small things just a little bit faster I could create devastating amounts of damage… sure it's just a theory but I'm quite confident I am right."
She looked with worry up at him.
"an object with that much motion and power tends to get a bit..destructive."
She narrowed her eyes and locked eyes with him.
"to put it plainly ME, YOU, AND ANYONE WITHIN 2 MILES WILL BE REDUCED TO NOTHING!"
"why take yourself with me!?" she yelled up to him
"I could care less about living in this world Esdeath after everything I've been through you really think I care anymore? This is what I wanted from the beginning. This. is going out with a bang Esdeath.
He raised his hand to the sky and held up his finger and balancing above that finger with a red outline around it was a throwing knife it started to spin and rapidly generated large amounts of wind and heat as he was charging it up.
he's got me what can I even do? Mahapdama is gone and even if I had it what good would it even do? I can try to hit his Imperial arms no... I won't make it in time! Dammit, this really is it.
"guess you can call my life the consequences of your actions everything I've done in my life is the result of what you did!" he said in a mocking voice quoting what she said earlier. he was taunting her and he had every right to he had gotten the upper hand despite his best efforts to the contrary.
She could encase herself in ice but she would doubt that would matter.. she felt a feeling she hadn't felt in years..it was hopelessness. Was this it? was she overthrown on the food chain? She looked up to the boy and realized this must have been what he saw when he looked up at her when she threw him in that hole all those years ago.
"here it comes Esdeath! A little going-away present! From me to you!" he raised his arm higher in the air with the knife above him
The wind blew her hair back like crazy everything from debris to ruble was flying from the amount of energy Tatsumi was producing.
He got ready this was the end of all things sweet death come yet again for him.
She had given up hope at this point there wasn't much she could do but she was still going to try something… only there wasn't much she could do.
"STOP IT TATSUMI!" a voice cried out from the arena
Tatsumi's eyes shifted just an inch to spot Ieyasu. He had climbed over ruble to even access the only standing way out of the arena his eyes narrowed and straightened as he looked at his friend.
Esdeath looked over to him as well it seemed she was right about a hunch.
The knife started to spin way less. As the wind calmed down.
"This isn't right! Do you want revenge on Esdeath? Well so do I!, I will never forgive her for Sayo! but look around you!"
He looked even for just a second at all the destruction this caused
"you've killed… so many people here today! How are you any different than what she did to our village?!"
There were no visible bodies but it was clear people who didn't get out were killed. That was simply the price that must be paid to fight Esdeath.
"this next move you're going to do is going to hurt even more people! But I know you! The Tatsumi I know would never ever do something so horrible!"
"I told you to run away Ieyasu…" he said with a deep and dark yet sad voice
"I know! But I can't just sit and watch while you get yourself and many others killed! That's not me it never will be! Please put your weapon down and fly away!"
Esdeath looked at Ieyasu then back at Tatsumi. They knew each other it was so obvious why Ieyasu had a hatred for her now. She looked at Tatsumi who was facing the ground he had a visible strain on his face
Ieyasu is a friend I cant use this power, It will kill him... I need to leave. he concluded
No! you need to finish what you started Ieyasu or not I'm not letting this be for nothing kill them Tatsumi!
No, I can't do this
Have you forgotten why your doing this? Your friend left behind in the assassination squad? Or the one left behind in Night Raid? You don't want them to see you again right? That would just breathe more pain.
No stop get out of my head! I'm in control here not you! Stop!
From the outside it looked like Tatsumi was having trouble making up his mind leaving a moment of silence in the arena Esdeath wouldn't attack him in fear of him using the move but it allowed her to formulate her aim in case the ticking time bomb decided to do what it had set out to do.
But then Tatsumi went still as he looked at the ground it looked as if shadows covered his eyes.
"Ieyasu," he said looking up at his friend
"your my friend you always will be.. all this chaos… it must be put to rest.. you are right about that…"
"Tatsumi…" Ieyasu said
"truly you are my last good one and only friend for you to try and save me. And for that I thank you."
Ieyasu had a worried look on his face.
"Tatsumi?"
The knife began to spin again this time even faster the before.
"but as long as I and Esdeath are still breathing this would have been for nothing… SO I'M SORRY BUT WERE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO DIE TOGETHE-" He was immediately shot with ice right to the Imperial arms.
He immediately recoiled as his power began to fade he realized that she had blocked his connection to the center of his imperial arms.
His yellow eyes went wide with shock He began to fall just a bit from the sky as he went to throw the knife down
The knife still shot from the sky directly at the ground s not nearly as powerful as Tatsumi wanted but it still would do undeniable damage.
As soon as this happened time seemed to slow
Esdeath Saw this she looked towards Ieyasu and sprinted towards him as ice formed as her hand
Ieyasu froze looking at his friend that would be his murderer
The last thing he noticed was a certain blue glow appearing to his left towards Esdeath.
The beam of energy that used to be known as the knife hit the sand as soon as that happened. it all came apart
The beam of energy hit the ground causing a Massive, massive explosion Tatsumi was engulfed in flame. And Ieyasu and Esdeath were also engulfed in ash and flame.
From the outside a few miles away the rest of Night raid minus Leone that had left the arena saw it. A massive explosion. They saw from outside the capital. They looked at it with shocked faces.
The explosion made from it managed to stay within the confines of the Arena but it made for quite the spectacle for anyone watching.
As Tatsumi was engulfed in flame he wondered if this would finally be the end of this horrible nightmare….