I got caught up in something irl which made me unable to go online for some days. Thereby why the deadline wasn't updated. I will keep setting up release dates for the next chapter here and update them as they change.

Edit(13/12): Tomorrow! SOON! SORRY!

Courting chaos.

Tatsumi was doing push-ups when his unexpected visitor came.

He was a little but unsure as to why he still spent so much time keeping his abilities in a good condition. He didn't really believe that he would ever be able to escape from his imprisonment. He didn't know what use he had of his physical abilities anymore. Without the power of Incursio, his abilities would never be anything more than a small amusement to Esdese. And she was the only one who was allowed to enter his cell. The attendants that gave him his regular meals, while Esdese was busy, all did this through the bars. Only Esdese had the keys to his cell and to Incursio's shackles.

But he still continued to train himself. Partly because there wasn't much else to do in his cell except train and read books. But also because it was his only way to fight the feeling of hopelessness that now was a part of his everyday life. When he trained he felt like he was at least doing something. That he was preparing. So if that unlikely day ever came when he would be given an opportunity, he would be as capable as he could be.

Not that he really believed that he would get such a chance. So he was quite suprised by his visitor's arrival.

He was not facing the door when it opened on the other side of the bars. He was facing the other way as he trained. At first he just ignored it. Assuming that it was on of the attendants that had come for some insignificant task.

But he quickly noted that these steps were different. They were lighter and smaller. Yet they had purpose and a certain confidence which the steps of the attendants lacked. And he was certain that it wasn't Esdese.

He turned his head around over his shoulder and then immediately stopped himself in the middle of a push-up.

In through the middle of the door, walked a small and frail little boy. Maybe ten years old at most. He was wearing the clothes of a military attendant. A more relaxed uniform. He had a large beret over his head that almost went down to his eyes. Concealing a little bit of his eyebrows. Yet some of his grey hair was till visible here and there. Sticking out from under the beret. The boy's hair had the exact same color as his eyes.

It had been some months since Tatsumi last saw him but he recognized the boy.

It was Jack. The little kid that Makeias had asked him to hide near the imperial court the night before the battle of Garu.

Tatsumi immediately got up. He walked towards the bars. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a hushed voice. He had been certain that the boy had been taken down to the torture chambers along with anyone else from his communication network. He was sure that if they followed their leads they would have found the boy. How had he avoided them when eveyone else got caught?

Tatsumi walked up to the bars. "Get out of here!" he whispered aggressively. "No one but the attendants and Esdese herself are allowed in here."

The boy just looked at him. His expression empty. He didn't move at all.

"Leave!" Tatsumi urged on. "She will tear you to pieces if she finds you in here."

Still the boy didn't move, he just stood there. After a little while, he reached inside of one of his pockets and brought forth a key.

Tatsumi almost felt his heart stop. He knew that key. It was one of two that he stared at everytime Esdese visited. They were the only copies that existed. And Esdese never let anyone else near them.

"Impossible." Tatsumi said silently. His jaw open. "You can't have that. Only Esdese knows where she keeps that."

The boy was holding the key to the main shackle that Incursio was locked up with. The teigu sealed to the pedestal with black chains. Way more durable than normal steel chains. He looked at Tatsumi for some moments. His expression not changing. Then he turned around and started to walk towards the teigu. Tatsumi's eyes following. Finally putting things together.

"You have come to steal it, haven't you?" he asked a little bit louder. Following the boy on his side of the bars. "Is that why you were placed in the capital to begin with? In order to steal teigus for the pillager?"

The little boy remained silent as he walked up to the podium and unlocked the giant shackle that held all the chains together. With a loud clattering, all the chains fell down to the sides of the podium. Incursio remaining on top of it. Finally free from its confinment.

Tatsumi looked on as the little boy took down the sword from it's resting place. There were so many things about this that he didn't understand. How had the little boy gotten access to this part of the palace? How had he known where to find Incursio? And how had he gotten the key from Esdese?

"This might be it for me." he said. More to himself than to Jack. He looked down at his hand. The black mark still visible on the palm of it. If Incursio wasn't near him then Morbus might very well come back to life inside of him. Which would mean his end. Tatsumi closed his hand. "But that might be for the better."

Before he had time to look up from his fist, a single object moved into his view. Obstructing the view of his hand with it's handle.

He slowly looked up. Jack had walked up to the bars. He was reaching in through them with an arm. The arm holding Incursio. It's handle pointed at Tatsumi.

Tatsumi stared at the boy in disbelief. He could almost not believe what was happening. Yet the grey eyes of the child on the other side remained empty as Tatsumi slowly reached up and grabbed the handle of his teigu. Jack let go of it when Tatsumi held it.

"The pillager wonders, Tatsumi, are you still unbroken?"

Kurome watched as Makeias and his followers walked into the big room on the opposite side of where her group was standing. Walking into the hall at a leisurely pace. All heads in the group moving around as they walked into the big hall. Taking in as much information as they could about it.

The room they were standing in was very large and dark. Dimly lit by a couple of torches hanging from the walls. The walls and roof was mostly made of mud and stone. Not really built around or decorated in any way. Giving the room the feel of a cave or a mine. The room had several exits. About ten of them. All lacking doors and doorframes. The exits out of the room looking more tunnels. In the middle of the room stood a long table with two chairs placed on opposite sides. Just like the last meeting. Akame was standing behind one of them.

They were in the basement of what seemed to be an old and abandoned fortress to Kurome. At least from what she had seen when they arrived. She knew that this was the place where night raid had decided to hold the meeting. Since Makeias had gotten to chose the timeframe.

They had been there for quite a long while now. Makeias and his retinue had been delayed with almost two hours. Arriving to the meeting long after night raid. Kurome herself wasn't sure as to why they had been so late.

It was easy for Kurome to tell that the group around her were fairly nervous. And the long wait hadn't eased their tension.

Akame was standing in front of the group. Just behind the chair that was intended for her. She was the only one in their group that seemed completely calm. Kurome herself was positioned to the far right of the group behind Akame. Isamu standing just a meter on her side. Keeping an eye on her. The well-built and blond man had been staying relatively close to her during the entire journey to the meeting place. Always watching her.

On the other side of their group stood the leader of the path of peace. Wearing his usual long robes, staff and huge animal skull on his head. Surrounded by his underlings.

Kurome looked at the group that was approaching them.

Makeias was walking in the front of them. Parts of his ruined cloak being dragged on the ground and his two spears strapped across each other on his back. A big smile on his pale face. Beside him walked Liza, the blonde little girl that acted as his bodyguard. Dressed in rags, with a big military helmet over her head. To the left of her, the tall Tom-Tom walked. Leaning on his staff with the big grey owl on his shoulder. Some steps behind him walked Kai. The main administrator of Makeias' forces. The young man wearing a red full plate armour and a long black cloak. An oversized sword strapped over his back.

But Kurome was focused on the other side of the group. On the other side of the group walked Leone. Surrounded by Makeias' tall and slender guardians. All armed with long and thin swords. But the blonde haired woman still held her head high and acted unpertubed. But Kurome's gaze immediately wandered to the person walking slightly behind her.

Wave was wearing the long black coat that he had been given by Esdese. When she made him into her admiral. He still wore it with pride, just as he was still proud to have been her subordinate. He had his teigu strapped across his back and a piece of cloth wrapped around his head. Covering up one of his eyes.

He had been loking around the room as soon as they had entered it. And now his eyes finally landed on Kurome. Meeting her gaze. His face shone up at the sight of her. A huge grin spreading out across his face.

Kurome couldn't help but feel a pang of something warm and tickling in her stomach at the sight of his cool yet dorky smile. She immediately forced those feelings down into herself though. This was not the time to relax. She was well aware that they were standing on the knife's edge right now.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" Makeias greeted loudly. Lifting his arms up slightly. "I hope you have been doing well since our last meeting."

"Greetings Makeias." Akame answered unsmiling. Her face devoid of emotions. "We have been waiting for you."

"Aahh my apologies for that. We ran into some small problems on our way here." Makeias said in an apologetic tone.

Akame noted how Leone's eyes moved to Makeias and then to her. Her gaze questioning. Akame understoood that if Makeias group had met with problems, Leone had not noticed it. "We have been here for almost two hours."

"Ok, some rather big problems." Makeias admitted. "But we are here now."

Akame was silent for some moments but then nodded. She sat down in her chair and Makeias did the same on his side. "So, what is your answer, Makeias?" Akame said and put her hands together in front of her face. Cutting straight to the chase.

Makeias bent a little bit forward as well. Putting an arm on the table. "I have talked at length with my advisors and administrators. We have been trying to find a way in which we could meet your demands and still maintain our chances at succeding with our goals."

"And?" Akame pressed calmly.

Makeias looked her straight in the eyes. "You will have to change the terms. As it stands right now, we cannot meet them."

The entire room tensed up a bit at those words.

"We will not compromise the main points, Makeias." Akame said. Sounding determined but not aggressive. "You must stop pillaging and raiding the people."

"We have been through this already. I will not be able to maintain my army without this.. foraging. The idea of having the people support my forces willingly is a sweet thought but it will not work out in reality. We are not the revolutionary army."

"So you are unwilling to let go off your power in return for the well-being of the people then?" Akame asked. Not lightening the tension in the room.

Makeias was quiet for a little while before he spoke. "I have made promises to my warriors and soldiers. I have made promises to my friends and comrades. I have made promises to those that have fallen to my ambition. I can't back down from that now."

Akame looked at him for some time. "You certainly are not the revolutionary army. We are sworn to stop the oppression of the people. And while you might have betrayed the empire, you still practice the same cruelty."

Makeias smile was almost apologetic. "A young man in the capital once told me that a tiger doesn't change his stripes. But I don't really believe that to be true." he said and rose from his chair. "Akame of night raid, will you not change your demands regarding this? If we unite, the empire will fall."

The room was absolutely silent. Everyone at edge. Akame looked up at Makeias. "What is the purpose of overthrowing a monstrous rule if it will only be replaced by more tyranny?"

"Please reconsider." Makeias tried. His smile staying.

"Never." Akame's voice was calm but there was a hard determination in her eyes that Makeias had seen before. He knew that she would never bend to his rhetorics and manipulation. If she had made her decisioin then he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it.

Makeias nodded. His grin finally disappearing. "A damn pity. We could have destroyed the rule of Esdese and the prime minister." he started to turn around. "Then we are finished here."

"Not quite."

Everyone held their breath as Makeias slowly turned his head around to Akame. He already had a guess of what she was going to say. Akame slowly rose up from her seat. Eyes closed. She took a deep breath.

"I wasn't joking around when I said that we are serious about stopping the oppression of the people. I have tried to make you stop through diplomatic means. But now that it failed, I will have to resort to other ways." she opened her eyes. "If you will not stop, then we will stop you." Akame proclaimed loudly. Putting her hand on the hilt of her teigu.

Makeias eyes looked at her sheated sword and then slowly moved up to her eyes. "Now which one of us is it that is creating violence?" he said and smiled again.

"You are a known deciever and traitor. I can not trust your word. And since you have refused an alliance with us, I will have to stop you forcefully." Akame said.

The entire room was looking at the two at the table. All absolutely still. Everyone sensing what was coming.

Akame slowly drew her sword. "If you lay down your arms and submit to captivity then you will all be spared." She pointed Muramase at Makeias over the table. The point of her sword half a meter away from Makeias' face. "But if you will not, then I will kill you, Makeias the pillager."

Silence ruled the moment. Makeias looking at Akame as he slowly turned back towards her. Still smiling faintly. "Pity."

The room interrupted into chaos in less than a second.

As soon as he had said that, Akame started to move forward but Makeias was ready. He immediately kicked the table between them. Sending it flying up towards her. Forcing Akame to slow down her acceleration as she cut it in half with a single swing. As she did, Makeias moved backwards.

Behind the both of them, fighting immediately ensued, as both Leone and Kurome leapt into action on their respective sides.

Kurome didn't hesitate for a second. She needed to get over to the group where she belonged on the other side. But to do that, she first needed to get rid of the one who was watching her. She spinned around and drew her sword as she did. Swinging with her teigu against Isamu as she turned around.

The young man was quick and managed to just barely avoid the swing that was meant to cut his stomach open by jumping backwards. Kurome immediately pressed on. She knew that the boy had the Black Marlin teigu. She would not give him a chance to use it. As he backed off, she jumped up and kneed him in the stomach. Since her sword was still returning from her initial swing.

The kick hit the boy right in the midsection. Causing him to lose all breath. He was very proficient in the use of his teigu but Kurome was faster than him. Not giving him a chance to activate it properly. He realized that it had been a mistake to stay so close to her. As he bent over from the kick, Kurome brought her sword up and shoved it through his neck.

She immediately knew that she had missed both his throat and his spine but she reasoned that it didn't matter. She drew her sword out of him and as he collapsed, she turned around and started to move towards the other side.

She only managed to run a couple of steps, though, before she immediately had to duck down to avoid the attack coming at her from behind. Only managing to detect it in the nick of time.

She split her legs and moved down. The coiling water projectiles flying past her head with just a few centimeters.

She shot a glance over her shoulder at Isamu. The young man was in a fighting stance. Ready to launch another attack. Water flowing up from bottles in his belt. Hovering around him in the air. He held a hand over his throat and Kurome realized she had made a mistake. She hadn't even considered that he might be able to use Black Marlin to control his own blood. She realized that she should have finished him off properly, instead of relying upon blood loss to do the job for her.

She turned around halfways but was still moving away from him. Preparing to avoid his incoming attack as she got ready to activate Yatsufusa.

Beside them, the group they were a part of was in movement. The administrative representatives and the leaders of the Path of Peace had immediately started retreating. Running towards the exit behind them. Everyone that was not a capable warrior escaping as fast as they could.

A very similar situation unfolded in the other group at the same time. Those that were not warriors started to run. But those fleeing from that group were much fewer. A large part of Makeias' administrative section were fighters as well. Even if they were not on par with what they were facing.

As Kurome had started to attack Isamu, Leone had started to move towards that group. To aid her allies. But as soon as she started to move towards them, Wave put himself in the way. A hand on the hilt of his teigu, strapped across is back.

"I do not wish to-" was the only thing he managed to say before Leone's fist hit his face. Activating Lionelle as she threw the punch.

But Wave already had a hand on his teigu and when her fist connected, he wore the armor of Grande Chariot. Leone could feel how her knuckes ripped and started to bleed from the impact but the punch was still strong. Aided by the power of Lionelle. Sending Wave flying backwards. He landed on his back but the force kept him moving. He involuntarily rolled around and landed on his feet. Five meters in front of Leone.

"I told you that I would beat the shit out of you if you turned against me." Leone called out. Her smile challenging. Wave took a fighting stance. As he did he cast a glance over his shoulder. The problem was that if he was going to put himself in front of Leone then he would put his back against the other group. But that didn't seem to be a problem for the moment. Those on the opposite side of where the table had been, were busy fighting Kurome.

He gave her a quick glance and then returned his focus to Leone. He knew that this was an opponent he couldn't win against if he didn't give it his all. A few of Makeias' personal guards had drawn their long and thin swords and were trying to encircle her. But there were only a handful of them. Most were rushing to help their leaders.

Just fifteen meters away from Wave, Akame moved past the midpoint between the groups. Pursuing Makeias as he was moving backwards. As she passed the chair that he had been sitting in she hit it with the side of her sword. Sending it flying towards her retreating opponent. It was easy for her to tell that Makeias would try to use his superior range to keep her away from him.

Both of them knew that this scenario favoured Akame. Only four seconds had passed since the fighting began and they were very close to each other. No one had time to activate some greater power or call upon any sort of attack the required time. It was a battle of simple close combat proficiency. And they both knew that Akame was the quicker one of two of them. That superior speed would usually not amount to much against an opponent with such ridiculous endurance and resilience as Makeias. But Murasame changed that. And they both knew it.

Akame accelerated behind the chair as it flew towards him. She needed to get past his spears. Then this fight would be over.

Makeias was forced to swat the chair to the side with one of his two spears. One of his arms occupied with that swing. As he did, Akame moved past it. His other long arm made a huge swing at her from the other side with it's spear. But they were close to each other and Makeias didn't have time to focus any strength into his blow.

Akame blocked it with her sword and kept moving forward. Her sword pressed against his spear as she ran in between his long arms. Murasame moving across the length of Makeias spear.

Makeias immediately realized that the he would not be able to bring his other spear around in time to block or swat her away. His long weapons were too unwieldy in this type of scenario. So when Akame moved closer he let go off the spear that Murasame was holding off. His hand quickly moving down and grabbing the wrist that had the main grip on her teigu.

Akame had not been prepared for this. She hadn't been focused on his hand as she moved past it. Only his weapon. So when he grabbed her, her movements were janked back a bit by his hold. Her approach somewhat halted. Yet her eyes remained on him.

She could tell the he was planning something. His head was moving upwards a little bit. He was probably going to shoot something at her. Probably from his mouth or eyes. But she wouldn't give him that opportunity.

She knew that she didn't have time to start pulling at his grip. She didnt know his stength but she knew that she didn't have time to start tugging to get free. She reached behind her with her free hand and grabbed the long knife that she kept on her lower back. She immediately stabbed it right through the arm that was holding her. Since she couldn't reach his body.

The sharp knife went right through Makeias' arm. Just above the wrist. But his grip didn't let up. To her suprise. She was sure that she had hit a spot that should have destroyed his control over his hand. But he didn't let go.

Akame didn't have time to act suprised. His counterattack was coming. Whatever it was. And she had a feeling that she couldn't allow it.

She threw herself up lengthwise against him. His arm was way to long for her to be able to reach her with her free hand but if she threw her body up in the air lengthwise, then her feet could reach him.

She kicked him three times as her body moved up into the air. The first kick hit his groin. The second his chest. And then lastly, both her feet hit his throat in unison.

The attack was strong enought to make Makeias lose his balance. He let go off her arm as he flew some meters backwards. Landing on his back as Akame landed on her side. The spear Makeias had dropped hitting the ground just before her. The whole exchange had lasted for two seconds.

Makeias started to get up but Akame was faster. She leapt on her feet and launched herself towards the pillager as he was starting to stand up. But she didn't get too far before Kai stepped in front of her. The young man's armor clinking with his fast movements. His giant sword drawn in front of him.

"No, you fool!" Makeias shouted behind him as Kai attacked Akame.

Akame could tell that the young man in front of her was a soldier. His stance and fighting techniques screamed of military training. The man was well-trained. Probably weighing twice at much as her. And Akame only needed a glance at his eyes to see that this man had survived some horrible experiences. By his first swing, she already had more respect for him than she had for the pillager.

She finished it with three swings.

Kai was quick and strong. But he was way too rigid in his fighting style. A result of his formal training. He immediately went to strategies and swings that were standard for swordsmen. Not yet on a level where he could freely improvise his fighting style. And Akame had fought hundreds of soldiers. She recognized his moves before he had even completed them. By the third attack, she threw in a curveball. Changing the direction of her swing in the last moment. Her change of direction robbing her swing of all it's strength. But that was all that was needed.

Kai had no training in how to deflect such an attack. Since it normally wasn't necessary. Since such a weak attack couldn't cause any serious damage. So he didn't managed to avoid it as Akame's blade lightly, almost gently, graced the top of the knuckles on one of the hands that was holding his sword. Murasame just barely cutting through his skin. Drawing blood but not giving him pain. But it was enough.

"KAI!" Makeias screamed as the younger man's body became limp. Noticing what had happened before Kai had even started to fall over. And as he was starting to fall over, Akame bolted past him. Heading for Makeias. Her fight with Kai over so fast that Makeias hadn't even risen fully yet.

But before she could get to him, a new figure obstructed her path. The man almost twice as tall as her. Even with how bent forward he always was.

Tom-Tom had stepped in to stop her.

Akame didn't hesitate for a moment. Immediately attacking the slim giant. But this time, the fight didn't resolve itself that quickly.

By the ninth swing, Akame had to back off for a second to gather herself.

The man in front of her had responded to her attacks with precision. Blocking her sword with his staff. The owl on his shoulder immediately flying away as they began their fight. Akame had quickly realized that this was not going to go down in the same way as her fight with Makeias' other subordinate.

This old man in front of her was the fastest fighter Akame had ever fought. Quicker than Makeias, faster than Esdese and by far more agile than herself. He did not have much strength to his swings and moves but when it came to pure instinctual sensitivity and reaction speed, he was beyond them all.

Luckily for Akame, she quickly noted that he was not a very experienced fighter. He was the opposite of Kai. It was clear to her that the old man had never had any proper training in how to fight. He simply relied on his speed and instincts. But he was calm. Even now. And that made it hard for Akame to get through him. She herself was also mainly trained for speed. The power of her teigu made it the best fighting method. To go for speed in order to get some small attack to hit. Relying on Murasame to do the rest.

But against this specific opponent it didn't help her. For while she could feel that she had slightly more strength to her attacks than him, he was quicker than her by far. Rendering her fighting style ineffective.

Due to the chaos that had erupted all around them, Akame almost failed to detect it when the suprise attack from the side descended.

In the last moment, she disengaged from her close combat with Tom-Tom and jumped backwards. Just a heartbeat before Liza smashed down where she had been standing. A vicious downwards kick directed at where Akame had been. The kick destroying the ground. And as Akame landed two meters away, Liza pursued. Throwing the big metal helmet she had worn on her head at her as she got close.

Akame deflected the big headgear with a swing of her sword but then Liza caught it on the rebound. Using it to block Akame's sword as she got close.

Akame was suprised by the combat proficiency the small child showed her. She was strong, quick and fierce in her fighting. Yet she had a certain instinct when it came to her reactions. She didn't have any armor or weapon, so she used her big metal helmet to block and deflect the swings of Muramase. Holding it in one of her hands as she tried to get any of her kicks and hits to connect. But that did also limit her movements since it seemed like she knew what a single cut from her opponent would mean.

But soon enough, Akame managed to outmaneuver her. Exposing an opening on the smaller girl's left side. But as she was about to finish the fight with a swift blow, Tom-Tom's staff moved in and parried the attack. The old man joining the fight again on the little girl's side as they pressed the attack together.

Akame held her own against the two of them but they were a good match. Tom-Tom acting as defense with his superior reaction time and Liza pushing the attack with her fierce strength. Akame had a hard time getting through them.

So after a short exchange, she backed off slightly. She had to use some tricks to bring these enemies down. But before she could decide on what to do, Makeias had gotten up, picked up on of his spears and started to run away to the side. Heading towards one of the tunnels leading out of the room.

Akame launched herself after him. Moving sideways away from Tom-Tom and Liza. She knew that the two of them would probably just follow her on their side and continue to obstruct her path but she had to try and outrun them. She couldn't let the pillager get away.

To her suprise, they didn't follow her. She could feel how they remained in place as she speeded after Makeias. To her relief. She doubled her efforts as she pursued after the pillager as he ran into one of the tunnels that led out of the room. Leaving the fighting behind him.

She cast a quick glance over her shoulder as she left the room herself.

She didn't like the thought of leaving her subordinates there to fight alone. But she trusted them. They had planned for this. Their reinforcements would be here any second now. And if she was lucky, Kurome would keep her offer in mind. Hopefully giving it to Wave soon enough. Either way, she couldn't stop. She had to bring down Makeias.

She had to stop him. For all the people that he pillaged and killed. For her two apprentices that he had killed.

For Najenda.

Akame accelerated as she went into the tunnel. Chasing after Makeias.

"The prime minister is currently sitting in a meeting, eight floors above us. He has two teigu users guarding the meeting but not many regular guards." Jack said in his empty voice as Tatsumi put on some gloves. Getting ready to leave his cell. Incursio lying on the table in it.

"And Esdese?" Tatsumi asked as he fixed the last buckles on his gloves.

"The great general is not in the palace at the moment. She is down in the city. Making a suprise inspection of the captain of the city guards."

"How do you know all this?" Tatsumi wondered as he walked over to the table where Incursio was.

Jack ignored his question. "I would guess that you have an hour or two before she returns here."

"An hour or two to do what, exactly?" Tatsumi said and looked at the pale little kid. "What is it that you expect me to do?"

Jack returned his gaze with empty eyes. "I don't know." he stated plainly.

"Then why did you just tell me all this?" Tatsumi said with a grim look.

"Because I was instructed to do that."

Tatsumi looked at the small child for some moments. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on. Makeias had given the boy these instructions because he wanted Tatsumi to cause as much damage as possible for him. The question was how Makeias had found out about his current situation. How had Makeias learned where Esdese kept the keys to his cell and Incursio? Or rather, how had Jack learned about it?

"How did you get Esdese's key?" Tatsumi asked as he reached the table.

"This is not her key. It is a replica. She carries the keys with her wherever she goes. She only let's them go when she showers or bathes. So I had to take it away, replicate it and then return it before she noticed it. If I stole it she would have changed all the locks immediately."

Tatsumi looked at the child again. "I am a highly trained assassin with a teigu that gives me invisibility. And even I find it hard to sneak up on her. How the hell did you manage to not only steal it, but then return it without her noticing it?"

"She did notice that the keys had someone else's smell on them. But she dismissed it since she felt confident that no one else had touched them." Jack explained.

Tatsumi just stared at the boy. "How the hell do you know that?"

Jack met his gaze for some moments but then turned around. "You are losing time, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi looked at him for some seconds but then turned towards the table again. He grabbed the pencil that was lying on it and turned one of the papers on it around on it's back. Putting the pencil down towards it. He hesitated for some moments. Then he quickly wrote out his small message.

After that he grabbed Incursio and walked over to the bars. He took a deep breath and looked down at the sword in his hand.

This will probably be the last time, he thought to himself. So give me all the power you have.

He wasn't sure what he was feeling at the moment. He felt a lot of desperation. Yet he was happy. He had almost given up hope. Not thinking that he would ever get a chance like this. Now he might actually manage to make a diffrence after all. And still, he felt pain. Pain of what he was probably going to leave behind forever now.

He looked over at the note that he had left on the table. He hoped that she would see it someday.

He turned his gaze forward again and summoned the power of Incursio into him. Activating it's power.

With two single cuts, the bars were destroyed. Sent flying by the still flowing force of his transformation. The force of it making Jack fall over. Due to his weak physique.

Tatsumi quickly moved through the room. He only stopped momentarily at the door. Turning his head to Jack. "You okay?"

No one could see it because of the helmet but Tatsumi's eyebrows rose up in suprise at the sight of the little boy.

He was on his way back up. Quickly adjusting his big beret to conceal his head. Hiding what was attached to it. But Tatsumi had already seen it. He immediately recognized it. It had been many years since he last saw it but he still recognized it immediately.

The boy had the teigu known as Spectator attached to his head.

Tatsumi didn't manage to see properly but it looked like it was somehow nailed to his skull. Suddenly Tatsumi understood a lot of things. Yet it still raised a lot of questions. Tha teigu had been in the hands of the revolutionary army the last time he had heard anything about it. How had Makeias gotten his hands on it?

"How did..." he began but the little boy interrupted him.

"GO!" he exclaimed loudly. "You are wasting the small chance you have, Tatsumi!"

Tatsumi hesitated for a moment. Looking at the boy. Then he turned around and ran out of the room.

He knew that Jack was right. He had so many question he wanted to ask but he didn't have much time. And the answers he would get wouldn't matter in the end. Since he didn't think that he would survive this. Yet he had to do it. He had to focus all of himself into this.

Every sacrifice that had been made might be given a purpose if he could just succeed with this.

All his friends. All his comrades. All those that he had loved. All those that were gone now.

He would make their deaths matter, he swore to himself once again as he accelerated out of Esdese's chambers. Activating his invisibility as he did. He would give their struggles and suffering meaning. He would get it all to make sense. All the fighting and all the trials.

He would give his friends justice along with the rest of the empire. He would give himself vengance. He would dedicate every single part of his existence to this last mission.

And he would kill the prime minister.

A slightly longer author's note:

With this, the final part of this arc can begin. The coming chapters will be quite intense. Kinda like the "between" chapters that described the battle at Garu. And just in the same way, these coming chapters will all be describing a single passage of time and will thus be a bit more interweaved than the chapters usually are.

I always found it a bit funny how the teigu Spectator was completely overlooked in the manga. Imo it is easily the most powerful teigu of them all. Or at least up there with the best of them. I mean, it's combat proficiency isn't all that great but why would you ever have to fight anyone with a tool like that. Being able to read the mind of those in you vicinity? That is a way more powerful tool than any combat based teigus. In the case of this story, Makeias is using it to completely outmanouver the imperial military. Making the empire's armies useless against him. And his spy will know everything the leaders think but will stll be untraceable to any of the information.

One more thing, if you have a question for me, please don't ask the question anonymously. It makes it impossible for me to reply directly to you. There are about a thousand people that read these new chapters and I don't want to occupy their time with the question of one person. I will happily answer any question that you have but I won't answer anonymous questions in author's notes unless a lot of people asks them. And even if I read every word in it, I am reluctant to personally engage in this story's comment section.

One last thing that I will shortly adress since it now has been asked several times by at least three diffrent people.

No, Esdese is not barren in Bent but not Broken. She is fully capable of bearing children.

Do you really want to know what kind of contraceptive method she uses? There are ways, believe me. Some of the oldest contraceptive medicines dates to hundreds of years BC. And they have already invented firearms in the AGK universe. I haven't described exactly how Esdese does it. Just as I haven't described Tatsumi's bathroom visits or Akame's menstrual cycles. You don't write about these things if they don't serve a point in the story. If there will come a time when one of them does, then I will write about it. It's all for the purpose of the story.

It has already been stated in earlier chapters that Esdese has little interest in things that would distract her from doing the things she loves to do. Since that is how I percieve her in the manga. I find that to be enough of an explanation as to why she doesn't have any children yet. Though things might of course change. Esdese changed in regards to Tatsumi over the course of the manga and she has changed during the course of Bent but not Broken. Things might change. Might.

Anyway, thank you all for reading. And thanks for all the encouragement in the form of messages, comments and reviews. It is what keeps things going.

Until next time, take care of each other.