Chapter 3

I'm back! Welcome everybody to chapter 3 of 'The Thin Line'. In this one, we are going to the main plot. Or at least the one that I have all planned out. As you can see, this update came sooner. Also, I am going to keep the pairing like it is. And that's all I have to say so let's go to the story!

Legend:

"Talking."

'Thinking...'

Chapter 3: Royal Blood

Tatsumi yawned as he walked across the halls of the base in middle of the night. He had some problems sleeping tonight so he decided to have a midnight snack to see if that could help him.

He was arriving to the kitchen and heard some noises. He instinctive got on his guards but then relaxed, remembering that here he was safe. He chuckled assuming that it was Akame raiding the fridge again.

"I don't like this boss." He heard Leone said as was close to the main room. He peeked across a wall, and saw that all members of Night Raid where there. Clearly in secret.

"This is the only option I see Leone. I already asked him to hand me the ring multiple times across this month and he refused." Najenda said and Tatsumi narrowed his eyes.

Lately, Najenda had been really interesting about the ring. She asked questions like from where did he get it, does it mean something special, etc.

He lied in most if not all the questions.

After that, she asked if she could have a quick look at the ring. Tatsumi, declined the best way he could, saying it was important to him.

'What exactly is going on here?'

"Ehm, Boss? And why is this ring so important all of the sudden?" Lubbock asked and Najenda sighed.

"I received a request of retrieving some relic, a ring to be precise. That ring being the one that Tatsumi has. It is clearly something important for his negative attitude to give it to us."

"And what do you suggest boss?" Akame asked and closed her eyes.

"If he keeps refusing, we might have to take more drastic measures."

Leone blinked "You don't mean to kill him, right?"

"Only if it is needed." Najenda said and Bulat heard enough.

"Are you listening to yourself!? You are saying that you would kill a member of Night Raid just because he doesn't want to give you something that might be important to him!?" He demanded and Najenda looked at him blankly.

"Why don't we ask him one last time. After all, he was hearing us all along. Weren't you, Tatsumi?" She asked and all the attention turned to the hall, where Tatsumi walked into their sights.

"I mean, I heard parts and parts of it, but don't mind me. I am just going for a night stroll." He said and turned around ready to walk away from this mess.

"That's fine, but I am afraid you are going to have to leave the ring in here." He stopped in his tracks and turned his head towards Najenda, noticing that the members of Night Raid were getting ready.

'This doesn't look good at all...'

Tatsumi pulled the string of the ring that hanged from his neck and pointed to the Teigu. "You mean this? Nah. Don't really feel like it."

Najenda let out a disappointed sigh. "Suit yourself. Bulat. Leone." At that, the after mentioned, jumped in front of Tatsumi, Leone in her beast mode and Bulat in his armor.

"Sorry Tatsumi. This could had been different." Leone apologized as Bulat said nothing. He already has a good idea of how each one of them fight, and he is pretty confident that he would die if he fights them.

Lighting formed on his right hand as he was ready to escape. But the unexpected happened.

Bulat rushed to him and Tatsumi was ready to counter but was surprised when Bulat raised him in bridal way and run away.

"Catch them!" Najenda ordered as she came out of her shock. The members of Night Raid went after them and Najenda cursed under her breath.

Bulat betrayed them.

*Hours Later*

"I think here is good." Bulat said stepping inside a cave, with Tatsumi still in his arms.

"Cool. Now... do you mind putting me down?" He asked and Bulat complied. He took off his armor and gave Tatsumi a stern look.

"You have a lot to explain."

Tatsumi rubbed the back of his head "Yeah... but, I would like to know why you helped me. We only know each other for a month or so."

Bulat closed his eyes "When I joined Night Raid, I knew I would do bad things for a greater good. But when they asked me to kill you... it was just like back in the army. It didn't matter who it was, but once his usefulness run out, it was needed to get rid of him."

"Bro..." Tatsumi said and Bulat smiled at him and gave and a thumb up.

"Besides; I can't just throw you under the bus after the trust you gave me! Can't I now, right?!"

Tatsumi smiled back at him "You are so cool bro."

Bulat chuckled "Well, now that is done, do you mind explaining about the ring?"

Tatsumi nodded losing his smile. He pulled the string that held the ring "It is a Teigu of sorts. But it is also a key."

"A key?"

Tatsumi nodded "For the Teigu Forge."

Bulat widened his eyes "The Teigu Forge? You mean the place were all Teigus were made?"

"That one."

Bulat passed a hand across his face. "So what now? We are both wanted by the empire and now Night Raid. Please tell me you have a plan at least."

Tatsumi looked at the ring while holding the string. He tried to read what it had in scripted.

"Ga...do...Gado. It says 'For Gado'." Tatsumi said and Bulat nodded.

"Gado... where had I heard that name before?" he snapped his fingers as he remembered "Budo Gado! The leader of the Imperial Guard!"

Tatsumi kept reading but that was all that it has. he touched the ring and had another vision.

'To use the forge... royal blood must be in use...'

'Once the empire is about to fall... The Forge will emerge to help...'

He blinked as Bulat gave him a worried look "You okay Tatsumi? You kind of blanked for a second."

Tatsumi nodded "I got it. I have a plan that you might like."

Bulat raised an eyebrow "Really? What is it about?"

Tatsumi smirked "We are going to the Teigu Forge to see what all this is about."

*Next Day, Outside the Castle*

"I can't believe you actually convinced me of this." Bulat whispered as he was invisible and standing next to Tatsumi.

"Shh. They will hear you." Tatsumi shushed him and Bulat rolled his eyes. This will not work at all.

They walked to the guards and Tatsumi waved at them "Yo! I need to see the emperor. Like now."

The guards looked at each other before one scoffed "As if. Get lost kid."

Tatsumi sighed "Welp, in that case..." Bulat became visible again and punched the guards across the door.

"I always wanted to do that." Bulat said and Tatsumi smirked.

"Good to hear. Because there is a lot left to do." He said as both rushed into the castle.

*Throne Room*

"Hmm? What's that sound?" The young emperor asked as Budo and Esdeath turned their heads to the sound.

"Intruders maybe?" Esdeath suggested and Budo narrowed his eyes.

"If that's the case, I will personally take care of them." He declared and Prime Minister Honest nodded with a grin as he ate a piece of meat.

"Those are great news! With Budo taking care of them, there is no need to worry!"

Budo ignored the praise and went to do his duty. Whoever that dared to invade the castle to harm the emperor, would suffer his rage.

*With Tatsumi and Bulat*

Tatsumi killed another guard as they rushed to the throne room. A little bit of blood escaped from his nose and he wiped it off. "We better find the emperor fast. I don't know how long I can last."

Bulat nodded "Yeah. The last thing we need is you passed out on the floor." Tatsumi smirked at his comment before a deep voice spoke.

"So, you came for the emperor after all." They turned to see Budo in all his might glaring down at them. "If that's the case, I'll make sure to punish you accordingly!" He exclaimed as electricity started to come out of his gauntlets.

Bulat readied himself and Tatsumi quickly took out the ring "Wait! Wait! Hear us out! We need your help!"

Budo narrowed his eyes "Are you implying for me to betray the empire!? How dare you, you rebel scum!?"

Tatsumi waved his arms "No! No! No! Look; Take the ring and you will see." He extended his arm with the ring hanging from the string. Budo eyed it warily before touching it. Once he did, his eyes glazed.

"I hope that this works." Bulat commented and Tatsumi nodded.

"Yeah. Otherwise we are good as death."

Budo blinked for a little and handed the ring back to Tatsumi. "Follow me." He ordered and they walked towards the throne room.

"Sooooo, you are going to help or what?" Tatsumi asked.

"I saw it." Budo said "I saw how my ancestors helped the formers emperors to keep this empire in grace. While I failed that task, I will make sure to guide the emperor in the right path from now on."

"To do that we need to get rid of-" Bulat started but Budo finished the sentence.

"Honest. I know. He is a disease in this great empire. And today, we are getting rid of him."

They walked as all the guards and soldiers stared at them, wondering what is going on in Budo's mind. Finally, they arrived to the throne room, where Budo opened the door to see the other three people in there.

Honest grinned at the man "Oh, Great General Budo! I assume you took care of the problem, right?"

"I am about too." Budo said as he launched a ball of lighting to Honest. Honest froze in terror but was saved by a wall made out of ice that intercepted the attack.

Esdeath smirked "So you joined with the rebels, you old geezer."

Budo glared at the woman "I am just doing what is better for this empire." He turned to the emperor "Your majesty! You need to come with us! Now!"

"W-What is the meaning of this, Great General?" The emperor asked and Budo walked to him as Bulat and Tatsumi tried to retrain Esdeath.

"We need to get to the Teigu Forge. It is to save this empire." Budo said and the emperor eyes widen.

"The Teigu Forge? I remember father talked to me about it once."

Budo nodded "And where is it?"

"In the lowest level of the castle. Ehm, General; who are those two?" The emperor asked pointing to Bulat and Tatsumi that were barely keeping up with Esdeath.

"Allies. Now let's go!" He screamed to them and Tatsumi smirked.

"Finally! She is really mad about something I don't know about!"

Esdeath growled at him and kicked him to crash against the throne. Luckily, Budo already took the emperor out of harm way.

Budo turned to Tatsumi that was rising "Do you mind distracting her?"

Tatsumi shrugged "Sure. Just don't leave me alone to much time."

"You can't be serious! Tatsumi, you'll die!" Bulat exclaimed as he blocked Esdeath again.

Tatsumi closed his eyes "Maybe. But it will for a good cause at least." He opened and turned to Bulat "Trust me Bro. I'll be fine."

"You hear him spearman! Let's go!" Budo ordered as he carried the small emperor on his shoulders. Bulat gave Tatsumi one last look before following Budo.

Esdeath smirked "You are pretty confident. I like it. It will be fun to break your spirit."

Tatsumi got ready as lighting started to form in his hand. He rushed to her and tried to stab heer with the lighting and Esdeath grabbed his wrist and threw him away. Tatsumi twisted his body in the air to land on his two feet, still with the lighting raging on his hand.

"Lighting Sharp Spear!" Tatsumi said as he extended his arm, and from the lighting in his hand, a blue blade formed of lighting went towards Esdeath at high speeds. Esdeath side-stepped and run to Tatsumi to punch him in the face sending him to a wall.

Esdeath let out a disappointed sigh "I honestly thought you were better. After all, you killed one of my beasts."

Tatsumi stood up as some blood came out of his nose "Don't worry. I am just getting started." He wiped the blood from his nose and rushed to his opponent with the lighting in his hand.

He tried to stab or cut Esdeath but she dodged all his attempts. She had a smile on her face that annoyed Tatsumi. He jumped back to re-think his strategy.

"Don't tell me that was all your offense." Esdeath mocked and Tatsumi made his mind to use his strongest attack yet.

He created another ball of lighting in his hand and with his free one, he grabbed it and split it in two. Esdeath raised a brow, curious on what was he doing but then she had her answer as Tatsumi rushed to her in greater speed than before and threw her to the air before she could react.

"Twin Lighting Shiver!" Tatsumi exclaimed as he jumped on the walls leaving a path of lighting behind him until he was on top of Esdeath, and with his right hand, he pushed her down with the lighting on her stomach. On her way down, Tatsumi jumped to the ground and waited for her to fall down. Before she fell, Tatsumi raised his other hand with the ball still on it, and felt how Esdeath back collided with his hand.

Tatsumi threw the body to his side and walked to Honest that was shaking. But two steps and he felt something warm coming out of his mouth. He covered his mouth as he puked blood. He fell to his knees and kept coughing the red substance.

'It is getting worse...'

"I have to say that I am impressed." He froze as he heard Esdeath voice and turned his head to see her stand. He saw that were he hit the ball of lighting, there was a cape of ice protecting it. He widened his eyes as Esdeath chuckled "It hurt. But nothing to worry about." she turned to Tatsumi and smirked "You have so great promise, that I can't wait to mold you." And after saying that, a good kick to the head knock him out.

*Dungeons*

Tatsumi opened his eyes with a great pain in his body in general. He looked around and noticed a couple of things.

1) He was shirtless.

2) He was hanging from some chains that were connected to his arms.

3)He was in a cell.

4) The ring was missing.

"Oh. You already woke up." Esdeath said from outside the cell and Tatsumi glared at her.

"The hell you want." Tatsumi said and Esdeath entered the cell with a calm smile.

"Just wanting to check on my new soldier." Tatsumi scoffed at that.

"Me? Your new soldier? Sorry lady. But I think I would rather die than become one of your dogs."

Esdeath kept smiling but it turned crueler. "That's a shame. Guess that your village will have to pay for that now."

Tatsumi widened his eyes "W-What!? How you know about that!?"

Esdeath smirked "You talk in your sleep. About an 'Old Man Ken', 'Ieyasu' and a 'Sayo'. Also, you talked about snow. So, my search was really shortened by those standards. So, what you say now?" She asked already knowing the answer by Tatsumi hate filled glare.

"Fine. But I want my ring back."

Esdeath nodded as she took from her breast pocket the ring still with the string around it. She put it on Tatsumi's face and caressed his face. "Welcome Tatsumi. I hope that you make a good impression on me."

And done! That was chapter 3, hope that you enjoyed. Okay, some things before I leave:

Tatsumi's attacks are based on Naruto characters attack. Principally Kakashi and Sasuke with a little modification.

Esdeath beating Tatsumi like that. Tatsumi is strong. But Esdeath is way, way, waaaaaaaay stronger. There will be a point that Tatsumi can beat her but there is still a long way there.

And that's all! Any other questions leave them on the Reviews or PM me. Follow and Favorite me and the story.

Till Next Time.

Roy D. Harper.

Next Chapter: Jaegers

A/N: Finally a long chapter