Chapter IV
Why hello everyone! I am back with a new chapter to something that, I do not think anyone would have predicted. Which is kind of the point. An Assassin's Second Chance! I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, at least a couple people did at least. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as well, do be sure to leave a review letting me know if you did. That said, I would like to thank Bakuto Masaki for his assistance with this and all my other stories. As well as my attention flitting around like a drunkard in a mirror factory. No, that analogy was not supposed to make sense. Sadly, I must report that I have returned to my day job, so updates on stories will start coming in much slower. Anyway, there are not many, but there are some reviews, so I will address them here! That is how that works, you know.
Guest: That she did.
Travis Moon: Be my guest, I enjoy detailed reviews. Yeah, Najenda isn't exactly the best at leading a guerrilla task force of assassins. Don't worry, Leone will get a few knocks here and there. Or, I guess, do worry, Leone will get a few knocks. Whichever. Well, here's another chapter for you to review, and I appreciate your compliments.
hornofdesolation: It's someone from an existing series, but I won't say who since it would be spoilers.
Not much to bounce off of, unlike Leone, but a little bit to answer to. Well, with that out of the way, on with the show!
Inside of a massively expansive hall, a young boy in lavish clothing sat on a throne, wielding a scepter in his grasp. In front of him, a plain man with short black hair was held, pinned to the ground by several men in full armor.
The boy motioned to the restrained man. "Domestic Affairs Official Shoi, for speaking out against my policies and delaying government affairs, you are sentenced to death by being drawn and quartered by bulls."
The man, Shoi, stared at the boy in desperation. "But your Majesty!
He was swiftly silenced by the guards.
The boy looked to his side as he spoke. "This is what needs to be done, right, Minister Onest?"
A tall, rotund, elderly man with long, bright grey hair and an elaborate crown atop his head matched to equally lavish clothing and coat, stepped out gleefully chewing on a piece of meat. "Well done, Lord Makoto. You're such a wise ruler. Oh so very wise."
Shoi clenched his fists as he was pinned. "My lord! You're being tricked by the Minister! Please, listen to your people! If you don't, there may be a civil war!"
The boy, Makoto, looked up at Onest in thought. "Hey, Minister, did you hear what he just said about you?"
Onest just smiled and waved a hand. "Obvious lies milord. I'm sure he's merely gone mad."
Makoto nodded enthusiastically and looked back to Shoi. "Right! After all, you've never been wrong."
Onest smiled as Shoi was kicked by the soldiers for shouting as he did. "Oh, and Mr. Shoi, this is our sad farewell," he stated as he pretended to sob, putting his hands over his eyes.
The man desperately tried to speak to the boy through his beatings. "My lord! At this rate, the Empire's glorious thousand-year history will be –!" he begged, only to receive a kick to the stomach that buckled him over.
Onest approached the downed man, his hands still over his eyes. "Shoi… don't worry about that beautiful wife you're leaving behind. I'll take good care of her." Moving his hands aside, he shot the man a violently sadistic grin. "To the fullest extent."
"Don't you dare touch her you swine!" he shouted as the guards began to drag him away, only for terror and realization to set in. 'Is… is this really allowed to happen…? This… The Empire is doomed…'
Mein sat, reading a book about cats as Leone laid passed out on the sofa, Sheele sitting behind Mein, brushing her hair. "What's that for?"
"Finding ways to humiliate Leone," Mein retorted plainly as she read.
Sheele pouted slightly. "That's quite mean."
"Payback's a bitch, Sheele. And I'm due to dish some out."
Sheele leaned over and looked the petite girl in the face. "Well don't be too mean to her or I'll punish you," she warned before lightly flicking her on the nose.
Mein blushed and turned away from her. "Yeah, yeah…"
Sergio groaned as he made his way around the city. "Geez… It reeks. Really want to nuke it…"
"Coco!"
He was brought out of his loathing when he heard someone calling a name in worry. Looking down, he then saw a strange animal shaped like a potato with a black nose and ears sniffing his foot. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the creature. "Hm… so this particular one is still active?" Hearing the call again, he looked up and saw the source. A rather petite girl with light brown hair tied in a ponytail, matching chestnut eyes, and an overall slim build wearing hefty armor and black cloth underneath. "Cute…"
The girl then noticed Sergio and walked up to him with a smile. "Hello mister, what are you doing?"
He just shrugged. "Just taking a walk. Your outfit, are you in the city security?"
She responded with a salute, "Lieutenant Seryu Ubiquitous with the military police."
Sergio narrowed his eyes in response. "That name…" He remembered something Akame had told him once.
Akame proceeded to explain. "An Imperial soldier named Seryu Ubiquitous utilized her Imperial Arm, a large, shape-shifting dog, and had it devour her."
Sergio's memory caused no small amount of anger to fill his mind.
The girl merely tilted her head in curiosity at him, the same smile plastered on her face. "Hm?"
Sighing, Sergio shook his head. "No… it's nothing."
"Ah." She then looked down and saw the oddly shaped creature at Sergio's feet and picked it up. "There you are Coro!"
'That's what she calls Hekatonkheires?'
Smiling before walking away, she turned back to Sergio one more time before leaving. "Make sure you obey the laws!"
Sergio watched her leave as a mixture of thoughts filled his mind. "… How the hell…? Wish Akame had mentioned that." Sighing, he decided dwelling on it further would only bring him a headache. "Oh well."
Akame noticed Sergio sigh in frustration as he entered the base. "Is something wrong?"
He folded his arms in thought. "I… met someone interesting today on my walk."
"Oh?"
"Seryu."
Akame's eyes narrowed angrily. "Oh. Did you kill her?"
He shook his head in denial. "There were too many people. Plus I was kind of… surprised."
She just tilted her head in confusion. "By what?"
"She… acted very cute. It… took me completely by surprise, actually."
Akame nodded in understanding. "I see. In that case, I will deal with her myself if you can't."
Sergio waved her concerns away with a hand. "No, I will. She won't kill Sheele. I'll be sure of it."
"Good."
Sometime later, Najenda laid out a pile of documents on the meeting table. "Here are the targets as of late. A drug smuggler who uses something he imported from the east and another noble who kidnaps homeless women. I'll leave the rest to your imagination."
Sergio sighed in annoyance. "Great. More scum in my city. There seems to be an inexhaustible supply."
Crossing her arms, she turned to Sergio. "So? How do you want to handle this?"
Akame shook her head subtly.
"Same as always. I'll handle it," he explained.
Najenda scowled in frustration. "What's the point of the rest of us being here if you're going to do everything?"
Sergio scratched his head in thought. "Hmm… keep me from doing something stupid?"
Mein dryly rebuked, "No one can do that."
"… Right… No one can…"
Sighing, Najenda continued the discussion. "Moving on, what should we do while you're out killing them?"
Sergio just shrugged. "Train. Get stronger. Bound with your weapons. Neuter Lubbock. Or just relax and enjoy life."
Lubbock stood up and growled, "Seriously! What'd I do to you, jackass!"
"Peeked on women."
"What red-blooded man wouldn't!?" He argued. Though the expressions from the girl made it evident he was not helping his case.
"Peek on your own women, not mine," he chided once more before leaving the area, Lubbock just staring at him angrily as he left.
As he made his way to the Capitol, Akame walked beside him. "Hm… how should I do this? Probably should sneak in."
It was then she interjected, "There's some more information you should know."
"Such as?"
"Several of the women inside that forced brothel are people Leone grew up with. And tonight, this night, is the night Sheele died in battle with Seryu."
Sergio frowned as he narrowed his eyes in thought. "I see… anything else?"
"Don't die," she asked plainly.
He just chuckled with a shrug. "Anything that isn't impossible for me to do? Also, do you think Naj is going to go behind my back and send anyone out?"
She put a hand on her chin in consideration before nodding. "It's possible. She doesn't like the idea of sitting idle."
He just sighed heavily. "Fucking great. Well get back to base and make sure none of them leave."
She nodded and vanished almost in an instant.
"What…?" Sheele asked, staring in disbelief.
"You heard me," Najenda retorted coldly. "We can't trust him to keep going like this. If it keeps up like this the Empire will start to think that Night Raid is gone."
Mein stood up and objected. "B – But, hang on! You agreed to –!"
Najenda interrupted her, "I only agreed because I'm neither physically nor mentally powerful enough to oppose him. I know what he can do, and I know that to go against him directly would be suicide. But if it's already done, he can't stop it. So I want you two to get going."
"What?" Sheele repeated, not entirely certain what she wanted.
"You and Mein. I want you to handle the secondary target while Sergio deals with the drug smuggler."
"I can't allow that," Akame warned as she walked into the meeting hall.
Najenda clicked her tongue in aggravation as Akame approached the group. "What?"
"I won't allow anyone to leave the base. Not until Sergio returns."
"And why is that Akame?" Najenda challenged, facing the girl.
Akame merely retorted calmly, "You know, Boss. As does Mein. Until he returns, none of you are leaving."
Najenda narrowed her eye to the girl angrily. "Even with your immortality you can't take all of us."
Akame winced at her saying that so bluntly, Lubbock looking at the woman in confusion. "Immortality? What are you babbling about, Boss?"
"So, Akame? What'll it be?"
The black-haired girl answered by pulling her blade from its sash, the sheath still firmly affixed to it. "If you hate me, so be it. I'm not letting any of you die again. Even if I must fight you to keep you from going to your death."
Leone looked around in a mix of bewilderment and worry. "H – Hey! What the hell's going on!?"
"Akame…" Mein muttered quietly, noticing the girl's slightly trembling grip.
Eventually, Sheele made her way over to one of the tables in the main hall.
"Huh?" Najenda mumbled in confusion.
Soon Mein sat down next to her.
"What are you doing?"
"Waiting for Sergio to return, and not making Akame sad."
Najenda hissed at the girl, only for Bulat to interject before things got worse. "So, how about dinner?"
"I'll get started on it," Mein declared before heading the kitchen.
Najenda watched in disbelief as the others merely went back to what they were doing before.
Akame sighed heavily, looking at her hand trembling where she stood. "That… was too close…" She stiffened in surprise as Sheele embraced her in a hug.
"We won't leave, okay?"
Akame relaxed slightly and nodded. "… Okay. Thank you…"
"Hm… that was easy…" Sergio, in his Death disguise, muttered to himself as he stood over the body of a rotund man in the middle of a large room filled with purple mist.
Looking around, he saw numerous girls, their minds seemingly gone as they blubbered and laughed incoherently from the effects of the drugged mist.
"… First let's get rid of this mist." Waving a hand, a burst of wind shot into the room and dissipated the cloud of drugs. He then saw a large golden lantern in the center of the room from which the mist originated. A shadow emerged from his feet, the end forming a large ball that slammed down on the lantern and smashed it to pieces, most of the drug inside shattering and being blown away.
He then turned his attention to the women around him, their minds and bodies still under the effects of the toxin. "Now… to deal with them." He put a hand over one of them before sparks of red energy began shooting out. Moments later a small purple bubble of liquid formed in his hand which was promptly sucked into his vortex. "This could take a while."
After cleansing the women in the brothel, he dipped his hand in the blood of the man at the center and painted a message on the wall, warning of his future actions.
With that done, he made his way towards the next target when he took note of someone in the nearby tree line keeping pace with him quietly. He just sighed in annoyance. 'Does she really think she's hidden?' "You coming out or not?"
Seconds later, Seryu emerged from the small forest with Hekatonkheires next to her, a scowl on her face. "How'd you sense me? I didn't know the evil were that smart."
Sergio, his disguise still in place, huffed in derision. 'She certainly has a high opinion of herself, doesn't she?' "Evil is a term that everyone has an opinion on what it is. The ones I've been eliminating are that, to me."
"Don't screw with me!" she shouted back violently. "You're nothing but evil! And I'm the justice that'll destroy you!"
He decided to taunt her further, hoping his indifference would drive her away. "Evil pretending to be justice? How amusingly deluded."
It did not.
"Tch, Coro! Go!" she ordered, Hekatonkheires' body becoming enveloped in smoke, the small creature now turned into a massive, hugely muscular, humanoid beast with an almost comical canine head atop its body.
Sergio merely stared the creature down disinterestedly. "… Is that it? This is your defense? A Golem? Pathetic, but fitting of a murderous beast like yourself. A mad dog needing to be put down."
"Coro, it's dinner time!"
At her command, the massive creature charged at the masked man, only for him to appear on the other side of it in a moment, his sword partially drawn. As he sheathed it, the hulking creature split in half down the middle.
Almost on cue, the monster's halves rejoined, the injury vanishing completely.
"You're going to need to do more than that to beat Coro!" Seryu declared confidently.
Sergio just hissed in her direction before looking at Hekatonkheires. It charged him once more, only for him to draw his blade and rush at blinding speed, taking off one of its legs and knocking it off balance. However, the leg almost immediately regrew as though nothing happened.
He twitched an eyebrow under his mask. '… I really need to learn not to make these things so strong.' His attention was taken away slightly when several bullets shot through his sword arm. Looking down at the injuries that vanished momentarily in sparks of red energy, he looked back at Seryu, holding a small machine gun. "You need something?" he asked with as bored of a tone as he could muster.
She hissed and fired another volley of shots at him as Hekatonkheires charged at him, only for him to catch the bullets right out of the air and hurl them at the malformed beast, shredding its head like a balloon.
As before, its head bubbled and regenerated, charging once more.
Sergio growled in mild frustration. 'Looks like playing it safe won't help me get to this thing's Core.' Under his mask, his eyes momentarily turned a deep purple, before a wave of energy surged forth, ripping Hekatonkheires' body into thousands of pieces, leaving behind a large, dark green orb, its core.
Before its body could reform around the Core, he shot out a bolt of lightning that hit the Core and shattered it into dust.
"Coro!" Seryu cried out before running over to what was left of its head.
Sergio let out an annoyed breath. "Damn that thing's a pain. Now, your turn."
"C – Coro…" she wept as she held what was left of Hekatonkheires' head, the pieces of its body evaporating around her.
'Bit of a waste,' he thought to himself before thrusting his hand through the girl's back and out through her chest. Waiting for her gasping to stop, he confirmed she had expired and tossed her corpse aside. 'Sheele's death, averted.' With a flick he shook off her blood from his hand and made his way to the next and final target of the night.
Akame sat silently in the main hall when she heard someone approaching and prepared to fight, only to see Sergio walk in, causing her to sigh in relief.
"It's done, and one Imperial Arm destroyed."
She blinked curiously as he approached.
He leaned close and whispered, "Seryu Ubiquitous is dead."
She nodded in understanding and let out a heavy sigh.
Standing straight, he saw Najenda approach him, visibly irritated. "Well?"
"The targets are dead. As well as an Imperial Arms wielder that tried to ambush me."
"Oh?" she asked, worried and intrigued.
"It's destroyed and she's dead, so it's not a problem. She was cute though, but sadly a psychopath."
Mein sighed heavily before shrugging. "We seem to run into that a lot."
"I guess," he retorted simply before something seemed to click in his head. "Oh that reminds me. I need to let that Jashinist out"
"Who?"
"The one Lubbock's tried to have his way with."
"No I didn't!" the green-haired teen argued.
Najenda nodded in understanding. "Oh, right. Her."
"Don't just take his side like that, Boss!"
The dark-skinned girl sat silently in the prison cell she was being kept in when Sergio approached and kicked the door open. "Sorry it took so long for me to check up on you."
Navera shook her head in response. "The pink one has been bringing me food and water each day."
That got his attention. "Short with pigtails?"
"Yes, my Lord," she answered with a nod.
"I'll thank Mein for that later, then."
"Her name is… Mein?" she questioned, curious.
"Indeed. Why?"
"She's… cute."
Sergio just stared incredulously at her.
"What?" she asked, completely oblivious to his concerns.
"Nothing," he answered, shaking his head. 'That girl…' "Anyway it's time to let you out."
Navera tilted her head in thought. "Really? What for, my lord?"
Twitching an eyebrow, Sergio pointed at her. "Okay, first, don't call me that. It's annoying."
"I – I'm sorry…" she apologized guiltily.
"It's fine," he responded, waving a hand dismissively.
She looked up at him in concern. "Then… what should I call you?"
"Sergio. That's my name after all."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "I – I can't call you by your real name!"
He tilted his head in confusion. "Why not?"
"Part of the tribe's teachings are that Lord Jashin's real name is only to be used by his lovers."
Blinking, he eventually understood what she meant. "Ah. They meant my true name."
That answer took Navera by surprise slightly. "So… it's not Sergio?"
He shook his head in denial. "No, and I won't make you defy your beliefs by saying what it is."
"Okay…" she answered, almost sounding disappointed.
Navera stood nervously next to Sergio, looking around at Najenda and the others.
Lubbock waved weakly at her, only for the girl to duck behind Sergio fearfully.
"Another girl that doesn't like you," Leone taunted.
Sighing in defeat, Lubbock responded, "Well at least I can't really blame this one…"
"Yep."
"Are you sure she can be trusted?" Najenda questioned, suspicious of the girl.
"Completely," the brown-haired man answered.
Smiling, Sheele nodded firmly. "Then I'll trust her."
Mein just shrugged. "Guess I will too."
Sergio, however, interjected, "Seems you already did."
Mein looked at him, completely perplexed, then noticed Navera blushing. "What?"
He put a hand on his chin in thought. "How did that damn cat say it…?"
"Say what?" Leone asked, thinking he meant her.
After a moment, it came to him. "Ah, I remember." Turning to Mein with a mischievous grin, he cooed, "She liiikes you!"
Mein's eyebrow began twitching violently as she held Pumpkin. "I'm going to shoot you."
His conniving smirk still in place, he teased, "Because you don't want to make a harem?"
Her twitch got worse as her face reddened.
"So you to want to then? Well Nav here would make a great addition. Then your next conquest will probably be Leone or Akame."
Akame just nodded, not fully understanding the conversation.
Mein, shocked, demanded, "Don't encourage him, you pervert!"
Akame just tilted her head in naïve confusion.
Sergio found the gesture rather cute, as did Mein. He then turned his sights back to the pink-haired tinder box. "So, what's next? An all-girl orgy?"
Mein responded by shooting him in the chest.
Onest stood in the throne room with Makoto as a tall, beautiful woman with long, knee-length, light blue hair, her fringe hanging down, curling around her dark blue eyes, wearing a short, tight, white, hip-length dress that tightly hugged her figure, showing a small amount of her sizable cleavage, a complex mark just above her breasts on her collarbone, with black sleeves, a pleated skirt, two long, dark blue tufts of fur hanging off her shoulders, and thigh-high, high-heeled boots with black cuffs entered through the large doors.
Onest smiled broadly as the woman approached and kneeled in front of the boy next to him. "Ahh… my, I – I mean, the Empire's greatest general, Esdeath, you have returned."
The woman, Esdeath, nodded before standing looking to the two. "Yes, that mission was far too easy."
Smiling, Onest then turned his attention, slightly, to Makoto. "My Lord, Night Raid has become quite the thorn in our sides, don't you agree?"
The boy just nodded slowly. "Yes it has. But what can we do about it?"
"Why not send Esdeath to deal with them? She can also deal with that lone assassin who has been causing so much trouble as well."
The boy put a hand on his chin as he hummed in thought, before nodding with a smile. "Yes, you're right. Esdeath, I have a new mission for you."
"Yes, your majesty?" she returned, though having overheard the two's conversation, roughly knew what it would be.
"I want you to wipe out Night Raid."
Esdeath bowed deeply in response. "It shall be done."
Before she could leave, however, Onest spoke up once more. "If I may be so bold, your majesty, I have a perfect idea on how to thoroughly wipe them out." 'And get rid of some annoying pests at the same time.'
"What is it?" the young emperor asked naively.
"There are some political factions whom strongly oppose your rule and see you as unfit. What if Night Raid were to, coincidentally, go after them in their noble-killing rampage?"
The boy tilted his head in thought at the notion. "Hm… would they really do that?"
Onest laughed weakly in mild annoyance. "Th – That's not… I mean, we would be the ones to take them out, but we could make the populace believe it's Night Raid. And with their self-righteous beliefs, they're certain to come out of the woodwork to try and clear their name."
"I see…" the boy muttered, still not fully grasping the situation.
Esdeath decided to smooth the situation over. "I understand your implications, Prime Minister. Shall I carry out this order, Milord?"
Makoto just looked at her mildly confused before nodding. "Yes."
"As you command," she answered with a bow before turning on her heels, a wide, malicious grin forming on her lips.
Later in the day, Sergio looked out over the edge of the cliff Night Raid's base was situated in when he felt a tug on his coat. Turning around, he saw Akame standing behind him. "Hmm? Something wrong?"
"Today is the day Esdeath returned to the Capitol."
Sergio put a hand on his chin as he thought over his options. "Hmm… I see. I think for now I'll bide my time. After all, at times it pays to be patient."
"I see," she answered, not entirely convinced.
"It does."
With the conversation effectively over, she made her way back into the base.
"Bored…" Sergio droned as he laid on a sofa in the base, only for Leone to barge into the room.
"Hey! We've got a big problem!"
He sat up sharply. "We ran out of Moonlight?"
She stopped and thought for a moment. "… Not that bad."
"Then it's not a big problem," he argued, lying back down.
"It is," she shot back before slamming a newspaper on the table. "Somebody's trying to frame Night Raid."
Sitting up and taking notice now, he looked over the report. "Ah. Interesting tactic."
The others began entering the room due to the noise.
Leone explained, "Someone's been going around killing politicians and leaving emblems of Night Raid in the area."
He just shrugged. "I don't see the issue."
Leone showed one photo of one scene, where a woman's face had been carved off, and a man nearby ripped to pieces. "The politicians being killed are moderates who oppose the Prime Minister's policies."
That got his attention. "Now I see the problem. A very interesting and useful tactic indeed. Any idea who it is?"
Najenda looked at some of the images in consideration. "Looking at that wreckage it's probably the Three Beasts."
Sergio stretched his neck to loosen it up. "Great. More mad dogs to put down."
"They're not like the rest," Najenda argued harshly.
"How so?"
"They work directly for Esdeath, their enforcers of her orders, in a way. Even if they didn't have their Imperial Arms, they'd be able to defeat entire armies."
The man just shrugged dismissively. "I've destroyed entire countries before, and one planet. So I doubt these three pose much of a danger to me. Besides, human armies are full of cannon fodder types that are basically chaff that the strong easily reap."
"I see…" Najenda mumbled, wanting to doubt his claims but not being able to.
"Yep. Now let's see about possible targets."
Najenda then showed him two photos, one of an older man with grey hair, and a young woman with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, clad in warm weather clothing with fur lining, accented in various shades of red. "Spya and her father, Minister Chouri. They should be on a return trip from a diplomatic meeting outside the Capitol."
He looked over their information and then nodded. "I'll be going now, then."
"Right…" she answered uncertainly as he vanished into a vortex.
Sergio sat high in a tree along a main road, looking over the area from the canopy, clad in his Death disguise. He then noticed the same carriage pictured with Chouri and Spya from before and nodded to himself. "Time to get to work and wait for the three stooges. Should appear soon…" Mere moments later he saw three people dressed all in black come from the sides of the road and block the path. "Time to begin."
The one at the center of the group, a tall, elderly man with grey hair tied back, raised a hand, a ring on his finger flashing before a geyser shot up from the ground and obliterated the horses pulling the carriage.
"Interesting." Looking from his perch, Sergio saw their weapons. A large, unwieldy ax, a long, silver flute, and an intricate ring with a gem in the center. "… Well this will be easy."
Spya then jumped out of the carriage, holding a long lance in her grasp as she ran in front of it and looked at the three men. "This is the carriage of Minister Chouri! Do you have any idea what you're doing!?"
"We know exactly what we're doing little girl," a tall, overly muscular man with wild, dirty blonde hair and blank eyes, rebuked with a malicious grin.
Sergio then appeared atop the carriage in a swirl of light. "I highly doubt that, Beasts."
The burly man looked at Sergio in annoyance. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
"It matters not, Daidara," the elderly man remarked. "Kill them all."
"You got it, Liver," the muscular man retorted before raising his ax.
Sergio merely laughed dismissively. "Who says you'll be able to do that now?"
Liver raised his hand and fired several shots of high pressure water from the air around him towards Sergio, only for them to impact a seemingly invisible barrier and evaporate into steam. He then turned his attention to the last member of the team, a short, effeminate boy with bright blonde hair and small black horns on top of his head. "Nyau, prepare Scream."
The boy nodded and backed away from the two.
"Dull," Sergio grumbled. "My turn." He rushed from atop the carriage at such speed the front wheels lifted off the ground slightly.
Daidara charged at Sergio and swung his ax, only for the masked man to effortlessly catch it with one hand. "H – Huh?!"
Sergio yanked the weapon from the man's grasp and then kicked him in the abdomen, sending him hurtling back along the ground.
Nyau responded by beginning to play a tune with his flute.
The masked man responded by throwing dirt in the air around his own head that began vibrating at a high frequency.
The small boy looked at Sergio in annoyed confusion. "Huh…?"
"Can't listen to your music if I have louder sounds around my ears."
"Pain in the ass," the petite warrior cursed before Liver shot several spears of ice at Sergio, who snapped his fingers, sending out a blast of fire that evaporated the ice.
His body sparked red as dark, blue-black armor encased his scan, the tips of his fingers form immensely sharp points that extended out like spears toward Nyau and Liver.
The two barely dodged the attack, with Daidara, who had finally gotten to his feet, jumping in the air to avoid the strike as well. Landing back down, he scowled furiously at their opponent. "Who is this bastard!?"
Sergio stretched his arms out opulently. "I am Death, and I am here to purge this city of the rot in it."
Liver huffed in derision. "I'm afraid you'll find insurmountable resistance."
Sergio, or rather, Death, grinned under his mask. "Oh? I've had none killing quite a lot of scum here. And not once detected. In and out. Simple and easy, and not one of your men caught sight of me even after the kill."
Liver narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Is that so…?"
"Indeed. Death is an unavoidable force after all, and it has come to deal with you false assassins."
Liver stared silently at the masked man for several seconds. "And you intend to purge the filth of this city?"
"I do," he answered simply.
Liver responded by wordlessly taking the ring from his finger and tucking it into his pocket. "Then I won't disgrace you by fighting with cheap tricks."
Daidara growled at the man in disdain. "What are you doing you old fool!?"
"Be quiet, Daidara," he demanded before turning his attention back to Death. "We're all dead men walking as it is."
The masked murderer threw his head back in a boisterous laugh at the man's proclamation. "Very well then. A battle of honor. Where one's own strength determines victory or death. I will oblige, old man. I'll keep my abilities away. Well, for you at least."
Two humanoid shadows emerged from the ground and charged at Daidara and Nyau.
"Those two not so much."
"I expected as much," Liver responded, drawing his sword and readying himself.
Sergio drew a sword from under his coat, a rather plain, long blade, and rushed at Liver with the weapon.
Liver ducked to the side, avoiding the strike, and swept his sword across Sergio's back, however, the man flipped his blade into a reverse grip and swung it up behind him, knocking Liver's weapon off course.
"Well you are skilled. Comes with age I suppose."
"I suppose it's because I've cheated death once before," he retorted, thrusting his blade.
"Oh?" Sergio rebuffed, intrigued, smacking Liver's sword aside.
Putting some distance between himself and Death before rushing at him again, Liver kept up their conversation. "Years ago, Onest offered me a bribe in return for sabotaging a battle with our enemies."
"Sounds typical of such scum." Sergio pulled two long daggers from his coat and throwing them at his assailant, Liver knocking them both aside.
"I stoutly refused and was sentenced to life in prison on false charges." Liver closed the distance and swept at Sergio's legs, the masked man leaping into the air and jumping back.
"I'm impressed."
"I was expecting to rot within its walls, when Lady Esdeath found me and took me under her command." Without wasting a movement, Liver used the momentum from his missed swing to rush at Sergio. "I hold no loyalty to this rotting Empire, only to Lady Esdeath."
Sergio narrowed his eyes in thought under his mask as he weaved through Liver's barrage of strikes. "… So I see. A Messenger of the Death God Jashin helped you live. Interesting."
Liver lunged back, extending his arm back, before thrusting it forward like a slingshot, Sergio narrowly managing to knock the blade aside, though still receiving a decent wound to his abdomen. "I suppose you could say that."
"You're quite the interesting human," Sergio answered, preventing his injury from healing for the moment. "You remind me quite a bit of one I met long ago."
Liver raised an eyebrow as he readied himself for another series of strikes. "Is that so? Then perhaps once this duel ends, I will meet that person."
Sergio gave an amused chuckle to the man. "You seem rather accepting of your defeat." 'He's certainly good at gauging his target's abilities.'
"I am not haughty enough to think I can cheat death a second time."
"I suppose so."
However, before the two could resume their clash, a massive wall of ice suddenly erupted from the ground, forcing them both to dig their heels in and come to a stop.
Sergio raised an eyebrow as he looked at the frozen wall. 'This is…'
"I think that's enough of this foolishness," a new voice remarked in irritation.
Turning his attention to the voice, he saw Esdeath nearby. "And you are?"
The woman brandished a sword at her waist and answered, "Esdeath, general of the Empire."
Sergio merely looked her up and down silently. "I see. Nice body."
She just raised an eyebrow at his statement. "Oh?"
"Yes. Shame you're disrespecting your religion."
Esdeath narrowed her eyes as she gripped her sword tighter.
"Now then…" he started, healing his wound from Liver and encasing himself in his Armor once more.
"So, you are the one who has put a thorn in the Emperor's side."
Sergio just huffed dismissively. "Please. I'm killing those that are filth. Filth that benefit under greater filth."
"You disrupt the balance of power," she argued.
"Disrupt? I'm correcting it. Culling those that should not be in power. Parasites that feed off making others suffer. That kill those that do no wrong while letting those that deserve death walk free."
"I suppose you've never heard of peace at any price."
He hissed in disgust. "Peace at the price of slaver and rapist rule is a peace that needs to be destroyed. A thing you as a Jashinist should be doing."
Esdeath huffed in derision as she drew her blade. "My goal is power, and if it means a few sacrifices, so be it. The strong will survive and the weak will die."
"Pathetic," he growled.
Esdeath swung her sword, sending a barrage of ice spikes at Sergio, the attacks all harmlessly phasing through his body. Realizing her attack was pointless, she instead charged to attack him directly, Sergio blocking her swing with his armor-encased arm, using his free arm to nail her in the abdomen with a punch that buckled her over his arm.
However, she managed to use the momentum to swing her sword arm up and attempt to strike his head. Sergio responded by slamming his fist against the side of her upper arm. "One arm down."
Esdeath winced in pain as her arm became limp and lifeless, grabbing her sword with her left hand instead.
"So you still wish to fight?"
"Always," she retorted with a bloodthirsty grin.
"Then I'll have to break you."
Her grin only increased further.
Sergio frowned in disappointment. 'It's fully taken her over it seems.' "You're weak."
She rushed at him with a series of swings, Sergio deflecting each one with his claws. "If that's the case, I'll die."
That response only elicited a sigh from him. "… You truly are a disappointment to your god aren't you?"
"Silence!" she shot back, firing more shards of ice that passed straight through him.
"Why should I? You are disrespecting him after all. Serving that which you were sworn to kill."
She hissed and sent a wave of energy that froze the ground it passed over, Sergio leaping over it unharmed.
"I think that's enough play time," he declared before rushing at her in an instant.
"What…?" she gasped before he stabbed one of his finger spears shallowly into the mark on her chest.
"Now to pull out the puppet master."
Her eyes widened as she put together what was going on.
Pulling with force, a massive glowing blob of golden energy began emerging from the mark on her body, Esdeath shouting in pain from the process.
"Hm…" he hummed, focusing on the process, before watching as part of the blob of energy swiped at his body, a small portion of his own power going with it. "Shit…"
In an instant, the glob of energy seemingly exploded in a flash of light, sending Liver flying, Esdeath and Sergio getting knocked away forcefully.
Sergio lowered his hand from his eyes as the light faded, and groaned as he saw before him a massive, white and blue dragon eyes as black as night.
The dragon reared up on its hind legs and spoke in an inhuman language. "Zu'u lost daal!"
"As if anyone cares, Sahloknir," Sergio rebuffed.
The dragon turned its gaze to him with rage. "Zu'u fent ni kos nahlot!"
Several large shadows formed from Sergio's feet and formed giant fists that swung at the dragon who swiftly leapt into the air.
"Nil Thu'um lost kos nahlot fah vod! Ahrk nii fent kos stin!"
"Yeah right. I won't let you go on another rampage!" 'Dammit, I can't go all-out on this asshole with those people here.'
"Rokl fent ni gron zu'u naan vod, joor!" it shouted before taking a deep breath. "Fokrahdiin!" it bellowed before sending a blast of pure frozen energy at Sergio.
Narrowing his eyes, Sergio's eyes turned red before a large vortex began to emit from his eye that expanded outward, ensnaring the beast.
"De! Zu fen ni kos joucot uwuad!"
The dragon was pulled and warped into the vortex, vanishing into its center, Sergio's own body being sucked into it moments later.
Sahloknir howled as he appeared from the vortex and slammed onto a hard, stonelike surface that extended infinitely in all directions, an endless black void above his head. He turned as Sergio appeared as well. "Kolos lost hi kubod zu, joor!?"
"Somewhere we won't be interrupted," he replied coldly before dropping his Death disguise.
Sahloknir's eyes shot wide before he unleashed a massive howl of rage. "Hiii!" He shot numerous blasts of ice at Sergio.
He waved a hand, causing a huge pulse of energy to fly out. "Almighty Push," he remarked calmly as his eyes turned a deep purple, the energy pulse knocking Sahloknir into the air.
The dragon spread his wings to steady himself, only to see several long tendrils of shadow racing towards him, the ends splitting open into gaping mouths filled with teeth.
"Iizslennus!" he spat a wave of cold that froze the shadows solid, giving him time to fly away from them.
Sergio's arms split open, numerous metal panels appearing that opened and launched a barrage of missiles.
Taking in a deep breath, Sahloknir fired a wave of cold that impacted the projectiles and caused them to drop to the ground, only to find a massive shadowy fist slamming into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. "Hi lost oleclot shokad."
"In more ways than you can imagine."
Sahloknir's eyes locked behind Sergio as a massive, humanoid entity made of pure shadow emerged from behind the man, four spindly arms tipped with sharp claws emerging from its shoulders, and a tall, helmet-like head with many long slits that glowed with white energy like eyes. "Hi mindol hi sud pruzaan zu voth grahmindol?"
"I assure you, this is no illusion."
Sahloknir lunged at him, only for the shadowy monstrosity to swipe with one of its arms, slamming into his midsection and sending him hurtling. He beat his wings and charged at the creature, despite being outsized by it. He clamped down on one of its arms and dragged it to the ground, slamming his clawed forelimb on its head.
The ground around him warped with sparks of red energy, forming into massive stone fists that grabbed him by the tail and threw him, one section of the ground rising up, causing him to slam into it, the shadow monster's left arm extending into a powerful punch that slammed directly into the dragon's abdomen, crashing him straight through the pillar and tumbling in the dust.
Sergio calmly walked towards the dragon, the shadow monster following behind him.
Sahloknir, his luminescent red blood seeping from his body, shot numerous large spikes of ice at Sergio, who fired more missiles that intercepted the attacks, exploding midair. The dragon took to the air and took a deep breath before firing a beam of energy that froze everything it touched.
Sergio leapt into the air and outstretched his hand, which spun and shifted impossibly, forming a large, round cylinder with one end glowing vibrantly with energy that then shot out like a cannon.
Sahloknir flapped his wings to dodge several of the shots, shooting his freezing beam at Sergio.
The shadows extended from the monster's body and formed a dome in front of him that took the blast before shattering.
"I grow annoyed with this," Sergio growled as his eyes became slitted, his sclera turning black before his body was encased in vibrantly glowing purple energy.
Sahloknir landed and watched as the energy around Sergio expanded further and further, taking shape. "… Ful daar los xen ni oblaan."
Daidara groaned as he stood up, disoriented, and looked around to see Death was gone, Esdeath was unconscious, and Liver was nowhere to be seen. "Tch, stupid old fool." Seeing his ax, he grabbed it and hoisted it up. He heard a strange sound behind him and watched as Death appeared behind him from a vortex. "So you're still here, eh?" Daidara swung his ax with immense force, sending a shock wave out that rushed at the masked man, who raised a hand to stop the impending blast, and then saw Nyau readying his weapon.
"I don't have time to mess with you again," he growled, picking up a glob of mud and throwing it, causing it to slam straight into Nyau's flute and clog it.
"Wh – What the hell have you done to Scream!?" the horned boy growled as he attempted to shake the mud out of his weapon. Growling, he then noticed Spya nearby, seemingly transfixed by what she was seeing and grinned darkly.
Sergio repeatedly used his finger spears to block and deflect Daidara's attacks.
"Stand still dammit!"
"You're terrible at using the Grand Cleaver," Sergio chided before allowing one swing to get by him and grabbed its handle before kicking Daidara away again.
"Give that back!" Daidara demanded.
"You think I'm just going t –"
"Stop!" Spya shrieked as Nyau pinned her to the ground with his dagger raised.
Sergio proceeded to remove part of the ax's blade and hurled it, causing it to spin like a disc through the air.
Nyau had just enough time to see it coming before it decapitated him.
"Fucker shouldn't have done that."
Sergio made his way over to the girl and picked up the detached blade, kicking the twisted boy's corpse off of her. "You injured, girl?"
"I – I'm fine…" she stammered, trembling from the situation before her eyes widened. "Behind you!"
"Dont worry. He's already dead. He just doesn't know yet."
"I said give it ba –!" Daidara howled again, only for Sergio to take the ax and swing it down atop the middle of his head several times, splitting and crushing his skull before the man collapsed to the ground in a bloody heap.
Spya looked up at the masked man, trembling in terrified disbelief. "Wh – Who… are you…?"
"Me?" he asked, turning to her. "Death."
"Spya!" Chouri exclaimed as he got out of his carriage and ran up to her. "Are you alright, dear!?"
"She is unharmed," Sergio answered as he picked up the flute and ring from the ground. He then made his way over to Daidara's corpse and coated his hand in the man's blood.
"Wait," she demanded, standing up as he began writing on Daidara's coat.
"What?"
"Why? Why do you go around killing people?"
"I don't consider them people. They are filth that are clogging and strangling this world and its people. Death is the greatest cleanse for disease, and that is what I bring."
Chouri frowned slightly as he watched man before approaching him. "I thank you for your help, though it displeases me that we needed it. I wish there were a way to end this without all this senseless killing."
"The time for that option has long since passed. Onest and those like him have made certain the only way to bring freedom is to bathe it in blood. If you wish to blame anyone for the death, blame them."
"I do. All of the death and suffering up until now rests squarely on their shoulders. But the best solution is still to reform the system from within, not to destroy it completely."
Sergio just sighed heavily. "That is no longer possible. This system, this tree, has rotted from the core. The only way to save the lives around it is to tear it out from the roots and plant a new one. If you intend to stand in my way," he paused as he extended his claws, "I will add you to the body count."
Spya stood in front of her father firmly.
Chouri sighed in frustration. "Killing is for the savage. The greatest victory is one attained by words, not with war."
"Even when those words have no effect? Onest is the root cause of all this. And the only way for words to work is to kill him, for he filters what the Emperor hears."
"I served under Emperor Makoto's father, he would not want to see his empire torn apart by needless warfare and bloodshed."
"The empire you hold so dear will become nothing but ashes if you do not deal with the source of its rot."
Chouri narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "And what of Onest? Will you simply kill him and not make him answer for his crimes?"
Sergio gave a flashy bow with his arm to one side. "I assure you, he will receive punishment. He will experience an agonizing death composed of the pain of all he has hurt. His mind will die long before his body. He will watch as the intricate web of lies he has established crumbles around him, pulling tighter around him like a noose, until he begs for death, but I will not be there to save him."
Chouri stared Sergio in the face silently for several long moments, unable to see his face behind the mask he wore, his glowing red eyes the only source of facial features. Eventually he relented with a heavy breath. "I don't agree with your methods, but I suppose someone who opposes Onest can't be truly evil."
"Evil is subjective. I don't care whether you consider my actions to be such or not."
"Let me ask you one more question."
"Do as you please."
"What is more important to you? The safety and happiness of the people of the Empire, or merely deposing Onest?"
"Neither."
"Excuse me?"
"My goal is to give the people freedom. And that path is paved in the bodies of tyrants. Their happiness will follow in sequence with freedom."
Chouri looked at Sergio as the man turned to leave before smiling slightly. "Someone with such a focus cannot be truly evil, so I will keep an eye on your exploits. Death. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have somewhere to be." Looking at his carriage, he sighed. "And I am not sure how we will get there." Turning back, he saw that the man had vanished.
Spya stared off silently in thought before feeling her father's hand on her shoulder.
"Shall we?"
She nodded with a smile.
"Well?" Najenda asked as Sergio entered the base.
"It's done," he explained, placing the three Imperial Arms on a table.
"So, will you destroy them?"
"Of course not. I'm keeping them around."
Najenda frowned in response. "I see… for yourself?"
He shrugged as he looked them over. "Maybe. Maybe give Sheele one."
"She already has two, that makes the team incredibly unbalanced," she argued.
Sergio looked over the flute and shook most of the dirt out of it. "I'm more worried about everyone doing what they're worth rather than keeping parity. Besides, I don't think Leone and Mein want to get shocked again."
"I see…" she answered, unconvinced.
Looking at her, he offered, "… Want to try one?"
"I'll attempt it, I suppose."
He stepped back and motioned to the three. "Have at it."
She grabbed for the ring and slipped it on her hand, only for it to give her a powerful electric shock. "… Ow."
"You've certainly got a high pain threshold."
Putting it down, she just shrugged. "It's something that was required in my previous line of work."
"As Esdeath's lover?"
"Hand me the next one," she urged coldly.
He picked up the ax and handed it to her, which she grabbed with her mechanical arm.
She blinked curiously as she held it, receiving no shocks or ill effects of any kind. "… I see. It's fine."
"That's good."
"It's rather heavy," she commented, lifting it in thought.
"And?"
"I'm just thinking aloud," she remarked, swinging it a few times in practice. "It's rather nice."
"Of course. It also never misses it's target."
"I see. Intriguing." She looked over the blade and discovered its blade being able to split apart.
"Doesn't necessarily mean it'll cut through it, of course."
"Obviously."
"If you don't mind, I'm going to head for bed. I used quite a bit of energy and for once, I'm tired."
And there you have it! The fourth chapter of An Assassin's Second Chance! Hopefully you all enjoyed it, do be sure to leave a review letting me know if you did. If you were unsure, confused, or just have questions on anything, leave a review with your concerns and I will do what I can to address them in the next reviewer response. Whether that will be within the next presidential cycle or not is anyone's guess. If you did not enjoy the chapter, review if you must, though more than just bashing would be appreciated. Oh, and a moderate grasp of the English language, it's the only one I fully understand. Anyway, with that, I have nothing more to say, so until next time, bye-bye!