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the story format otherwise

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Rending Ruins

Chapter I

||Memoir, the Cruel Mistress||

Murasame.

A cursed blade that could kill with just a single nick. A tiny cut would spread a deathly curse through the victim's body, progressing towards the heart and stopping it within seconds.

It was the sole reason why she had to wear gloves when she had to wield it, which translated to pretty much whenever she had to do a contract, or when she had to clean the blade from its recent victim.

She saw the reflection of her red eyes as she pushed the wiping cloth from the base to the tip of her katana. She liked keeping her sword well-polished. The curse had ensured the blade would never chip or rust, but there were only a few things in the world that she could flaunt about freely and without shame. Keeping her equipment in mint-condition was one of those small pride.

"Yooo! Akame-chin~ we got a new one."

It was fortunate that Akame wasn't one easy to startle. Otherwise, she would be dead a plenty of times since her colleague never seemed to realize unopened doors could be knocked first, instead of barging in like the buffoon she was.

Exhaling a sigh, Akame trained her eye at her much upbeat companion. Unlike her, who preferred to wear mostly black to help blend in the cover of the darkness, Leone preferred to bare her midriff and expose her inner thighs. Granted, she wore black tube top and black shorts – that really looked like an underwear, but Akame had given up on insisting that.

She could have at least dyed her stark blonde hair black though. That way people would believe them easier if she said they were sisters.

"When can you learn to knock, Leone? I've even put up a sign."

"Ehh… really? I didn't read." Leone shrugged. "Well who cares anyway- look. We just got a job, and this one looks like he's one tough cookie." She then whipped out an envelope from her back, holding its white appearance and small photo on her other hand. "This got in to our address somehow… no sender but… hey, there's some check and it has a lot of zeros there."

The fact that it had no address should arise some questions, but Akame had received dozens of those letters without name, only targets. Frankly, that was all that mattered.

She then took a sniff at said check – a habit Akame would always be confused about its origins. "Yep. Smelled like money. Tons of dough. And it's just the down payment. Seems like they just want this guy gone that badly if you ask me…" Leone scrutinized the square photograph that wasn't bigger than her palm for a moment. "…Shame. He's pretty cute."

They had killed enough of 'pretty cute' people for Akame to not worry about Leone falling for their target's charm.

Leone shifted the picture, looking at its white back. "It's got an address too. Oh! He lives at some cabin in the mountains...Northern Japan. Tsk, that's a day trip." She'd rather have a closer job, but since the pay quadrupled her normal ones, she couldn't grumble much. "But a hermit eh? You'd never guess. He looks pretty young."

Good. Seclusion meant she didn't need to be concerned about onlookers. Akame calmly sheathed her sword and started to gear up, grabbing her combat boots and looking for her black trench coat.

"Are there any other details about him?"

"Hmm… other than he's Hyoudou Issei, not much. He's got a good body; I tell you that much." Leered Leone. "Killing him would be a waste… but eh well. Money's money."

"Hyoudou Issei…" Akame repeated, as if to get a taste. That name didn't ring any bell, fortunately enough. Akame rarely forget names, whether or not it belonged to the dead or the still living.

"Leaving now? Alright!" Leone smacked a fist with her palm, no doubt eager from the amount of riches waiting for her. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner I get to waste all my share!"

Break

Both assassins had long since dropped the worry of killing an innocent. Firstly, an innocent rarely had a bounty with multiple zeros. Secondly, ignorance is bliss. The less they knew about the person's virtues and good deeds they had done, the better. In an occupation like theirs, hesitance could kill.

Which was why they both had forsaken that quality; being hesitant. Quick and precise, that was their proverb. A plain hitman job shouldn't take more than ten minutes after they had found their target, it was only a matter of patience.

They spotted him a bit further than his rumored location, at a frozen lake some miles away. He seemed to be resting under the shade of a tree, next to what appeared to be a grave.

Leone bounced on the balls of her feet, her now longer hair bouncing along, raring to have a go. But this wasn't her turn. Her turn was when Plan A failed; if Akame either missed her opportunity or being stealthy would take too much time. In that case, Plan B. Go loud.

But that rarely occurred. One nick was all she needed. There was no natural cover between the trees they were hiding and the tree shielding him from the falling snow. She had to make a sprint to get to him fast, or let Leone throw her to not make any avoidable noise from scrunching the snow underneath her boots.

As Akame readied her blade, he appeared next to her, already twisting his body mid-air.

"GH-?!" A fierce kick struck her stomach, and the bark of the tree momentarily stopped her from flying – until the tree itself broke. Winds buzzed her hearing as Akame flew and crashed, tumbling across the thin sheet of snow. Blood spewed out her mouth.

"Well you're not so boring as I thought aren't ya?!" Leone gladly chipped in from her spot that was next to Akame until she was blown away. Strengthened by her beastly power, a single blow of her now clawed fists could punch through a body like paper, not to mention the speed alone was like a bullet.

Shock momentarily coursed through her thoughts as she thought wrong. Not only he dodged it almost without effort, he drove a fist up her jaw that would have shattered her skull if not for Lionelle's heightened resilience. She was sent airborne still, but flipped back down a distance away from him, now fully aware of what he was.

Whatever it was, he wasn't anyone ordinary.

"I think you should consider not screaming next time. Isn't that the whole point of being stealthy?"

Great. He was sassy too. Her personal favorite for a punching bag. Reigniting her fighting spirit, Leone grinned gladly as she took the offensive.

Her first punch gave birth to two and three more, aimed at his face with full intent to knock him out cold with just one. All of which he dodged with some twists and turns and a slightly annoyed look, not once moving from his spot as if to belittle her fighting skills.

Even as Leone struck him squarely in his chest, he didn't move an inch. Let alone wincing.

With a confused look, Leone retracted her pawed hand that was akin to a lion, staring at their furred appearance as if there was something wrong with them. "The hell's going on?"

"I really don't have time for this. Sorry." Her target spoke, and Leone only managed to get a glimpse of his brown eyes before a purple visor replaced it, covering his head and body in a full-fledged crimson armor, complete with protruding scales and a helmet that resembled the skull of a dragon.

When he disappeared from sight, Leone could only mutter to herself. "You've gotta be shitting me."

A gauntleted fist crashed to her face, sending her clean through several trees as she felt them crashing against her back. Before the fifth one, she managed to regain her composure and spun in the air, catching the fifth tree and used it to propel her back to the crimson armor.

She flung to the air like an arrow, but the man took a step to his left just as her fists about to hit his helmeted face, and brought up an uppercut that bashed her stomach, sending her upwards, leaving a spatter of blood and spit.

"Tch." Spinning in the air as the world turned upside down, Leone somersaulted herself backwards and landed on her feet. The snow under her crumpled, and some had red specks after she spat out a glob of blood.

She eyed him as the man stood in a lax stance, obviously not perceiving her as a threat. She spared a glance past him, and saw Akame had barely gotten up. She was still sitting down, clutching at the torn part of her black shirt as she struggled to breathe. Ugly red and blue bruises marred her fair stomach. The swordswoman didn't have the build to last long against someone who could break down her spine in just a single punch. She was more of a glass cannon.

But Leone did.

Hungry for revenge, she cracked her jaw as she loosened her arms, stretching them right after. "Don't get too confident now. That was just me warming up."

She expected another sarcastic reply, but the armor made little reaction, aside from tapping his foot.

"Tch… bastard. Taking me lightly huh?" No one underestimate her and lived. Armored or not. Bright yellow aura emanated from her body as her long wavy blonde hair seemingly flared like flames.

In truth, Issei had never underestimated anyone. He let them think that he was taking light on them, but he never did. He treated all fights like his last, even to fights that had an obvious outcome such as this one. Mostly, his opponents would get pissed, mad, and let loose on him to show their worth, which sometimes did increase their power, but sometimes also made them fight driven by emotions.

Unlike the roaring blonde brawler, Issei kept his emotions in check. There was no sorrow. There was no room for hesitancy. No room for mercy. Mercy was reserved until the fight was over. Only focus and flaring resolve to annihilate resistance.

Leone rushed at him and let loose of a hail of pinpoint punches. Jaw, solar plexus, and the center of his chest. Issei blocked all of them and remained defensive, letting her maraud him with various jabs, hooks and crosses, several kicks to the side of his leg and his body. He let her have her fun as he narrowed down her fighting style.

A kickboxer mixed with karate, but mostly a kickboxer. Right-handed and right-legged, since she had her right leg in front of her all the time.

She was quite fast too, moving like a yellow flash as she roundhouse-kicked him, connecting the bridge of her foot to the side of his helmet. And resilient, not to mention. Ordinary people would have cracked the bones of their hand and legs after hitting him in his full Juggernaut Drive armor. Minus the 'wings', at the moment.

She was well-trained that she could take on a high-class Devil with significant ease in close combat. Not a cheap assassin by any means, which meant whoever hired her, had the wealth to hire her.

As she continued to land blows on him, likely to mistaking it as her winning the fight, Issei wondered when was the last time he ever used his normal scale mail. Several years ago, probably. He wasn't an expert in remembering things that happened when several years had passed.

He realized he had lost his focus. A year of apparent retirement must had made him rusty.

Paying attention to the ongoing flurry of blows he was receiving, Issei watched the brawler tire herself out. He didn't feel any of her attacks. A mild shaking was the most 'pain' he felt since his armor drained all the damage.

As she jumped to the air, intending to bring her knee to his face, he finally made a move. A palm blocked her knee while his other fist collided against her jaw, sending her flying and spiraling in the air. He blitzed her before she recovered, and copied her move. Twisting his body, Issei delivered a brutal roundhouse kick that sent her across the trees.

Ten trees in total had been destroyed since the beginning of the fight. He made a mental note to replant them properly later on.

The snow grazed her face and body as Leone used her claw to grip the soil, stopping her flight. Conveniently, she was next to her companion.

"Are you okay?"

"…Yeah. Sorta." Though still clutching her stomach, Akame finally recuperated from her injury. She might be more brittle than her, but Akame wasn't exactly that weak either that she couldn't handle a punch. She just couldn't handle a punch from a fucking Emperor Dragon wielder.

She had only noticed he wasn't a human when he started donning that armor. She thought it was only a replica. She thought wrong, obviously.

That was a dangerous punch indeed. She still felt a little bit dizzy from that despite her strength. "This isn't looking good. He's beating me up good. Lionelle can't take much more of this. Time to bail."

But Issei didn't let them have any rest or any time to exchange more pleasantries or come up with a better plan than just sneaking up to him. To the untrained eyes unfamiliar to the supernatural prowess, they couldn't see him. But for Akame and Leone's trained eyes, they could only see a crimson blur turning into a crimson armor in front of them.

Akame raised her sword to cast a simple guard, but was hit at her back instead that sent her rolling across another sheet of snow. Leone had more of a reaction time as she met him in his path, no longer smiling as she caught his hands, gripping them tight. It caused him to stop his advance abruptly.

"Hehe, caught you."

But the armor tilted his head, and bashed her head with it. The blow drove her to her knees and scraped her forehead, but as he was still holding her hands, she now hung in an awkward position until a knee gutted her. It gutted her, hard. A mixture of blood and spit punched through her mouth as Leone coughed, dropping to her knees once he let go of her.

The armor clanged as Akame struck his back repeatedly to no avail, no matter how hard she swung her cursed blade, no matter how desperate she was to help her beaten friend, she couldn't break through his armor. She couldn't find his weak spots – normally at the connection between the helmet and the neck, the armpits, the elbow, the back of the thighs, the back of the knees, but Murasame couldn't pierce it. The curse couldn't work if her sword didn't make contact with his skin, and that armor had rendered her main strength useless.

Then the crimson scales on his back burst out, sending sharp crimson scales at her. Backing away, Akame swiftly parried all that she could see, but some had nicked her sides and cut her trench coat as well as her arm.

Fear and hopeless terror started to seep in once she saw the suit of armor picking up her compatriot who was still unsteady from his previous assault, and Akame shouted Leone's name as he leapt up, high up in sky, and slammed down the blonde brawler headfirst into the frozen lake, creating a loud crack and a massive splash as the two plunged into the freezing water.

Through bleary vision, Leone saw a hint of red floating with the water as she felt a sharp pain on top of her head. The next second, she was struggling for air as he landed another blow on her stomach, causing the air in her lungs to shoot through her mouth, turning into bubbles as the surface seemed to go further and further from her reach.

He was drowning her.

Panicking, Leone clawed at the single arm that was keeping her down, trying to unbind his grip. The bastard had his grip loose that she could feel herself suffocating from the lack of air, not due to being choked. She glared at him, at whatever face he was making underneath that damned helmet.

"LEOONEEE!"

She couldn't hear her clearly underwater, but she thought Akame was shouting for her. Sure enough, the black-clad assassin dipped into the water herself, Muramasa in hand as she thrust downward.

Issei only felt a 'thunk' at the top of his helmet.

{It seems even assassins can have bonds.}

'Strangely enough.'

One thing was for certain; he couldn't question either of them if they drown themselves trying to be each other's hero.

With one hand gripping the brawler around her neck, and the other gripping the swordswomen's blade, Issei activated his jets. Bubbles rose as intense heat instantly boiled the water underneath his boots, and Issei brought the two assassins back to land. He threw them to the snow that would soften their fall, but by no means he would forgive them just yet.

Leone took a loud gasp of air as she held her throat, coughing water and blood as the same red liquid oozed down from her head and forehead. But she healed and recovered quickly. She was using the last available reserve of her animalistic power, but she would need them if she wanted to get them both out of this mess.

{That one doesn't look as brittle. How she's still on her feet is impressive.}

'I noticed.' Issei watched her stand yet again, whereas her other compatriot had to use her sword as a support to help her stand.

{I felt something like a lion from her. She's no ordinary beastkin since she has spouted all that blood earlier and can still fight. Something in her allows her to recover quickly. Ye think she's got the Nemean Lion?}

'Don't ask me, I'm no Azazel.' Issei's reply was dismissive.

He could always ask questions later since they shot first. Issei didn't pride himself much in the art of 'interrogation', or as he liked to say 'getting what he wanted through display or example of violence', but Issei wasn't half bad at it. In fact, being Sirzechs' Enforcer pretty much gave him all the experience needed to be deemed an Expert Interrogator.

He knew where to start, at least.

The blonde brawler didn't hesitate to rush at him, using the last bit of her beastly power. He appreciated that since he didn't have to a time-wasting chase scene with her. She was far slower and he caught her by her throat this time, and as she struggled, he slammed both their head, rendering her half-unconscious in his grip as he walked to a nearby giant rock. He felt bad hearing the desperate cry of the black-haired assassin as she kept on slashing his back to no effect, but it wasn't his fault she couldn't pierce a Dragon's armor.

"A..kame… run…!" Drenched in freezing water, the brawler managed between her choking sounds. She screamed as Issei slammed her back against the rock, creating a small crack that spread like a spiderweb. As some blood spurt against his green visor, he noticed her animal-like ears were starting to fade, as were the yellow-furred claws on her hands.

"Talk." He demanded.

"Make… me." Leone brought her leg to clash against his side; a meek display of struggle.

At that point, the sword wielder had thrown away her sword, lodging it somewhere at the snow.

"Stop it! Stop! Stop it please!"

'Don't I feel like the bad guy.' But an example needed to be set. And though he had set a massive one, Issei felt like relieving some of his stress. Casting a coil-like magic, he wrapped the brawler's wrists together as she was held against the rock.

For a moment, he allowed all his feelings to resettle inside him. Then he unloaded his grief, all his lament, his anger, all his frustrations, all his regrets, into one brutal blow right to the brawler's gut. The rock that was twice his size shattered from the shockwave that went through her body, and Leone puked an unhealthy amount of blood, some splattering on his crimson armor, as her blonde hair somehow shortened to her shoulders, and fell limply to the snow.

Though she fainted, Issei was surprised that she didn't die.

"LEONE!"

The black-haired assassin rushed to her friend, ignoring the amor as she clutched her head in her arms. She wasn't unharmed, and her dignity as an assassin had been trashed and torn, but she fared better compared to Leone.

"She's not dead. Well, not yet." Issei said, still on his suit of armor. It was quite cold and his armor was quite warm. "You both will if you don't start telling me everything you think I want to know."

Her crimson eyes avoided him completely. Issei had successfully killed her will to fight. "I… I don't know… We received an envelope yesterday without a named sender..."

"Yesterday? When? Where were you?"

"Kuoh. We got it around midnight."

Kuoh… What an unfunny coincidence.

No time for memories yet.

"South... Midnight…" Issei determined that was several hours of travel – minutes if he could just fly there. His wife was killed before midnight. And if the sender was related to his wife's murder, that meant they had planned to use the assassins. "…An unnamed sender… huh."

But why would they bother sending the assassins against him if they knew who he was? Two assassins couldn't take down a Dragon.

This smelled like a red herring. A false lead for him to track, to divert his attention using his desperation for any kinds of lead to cast him astray the right one. The sender could be unrelated to his wife's murder for all he knew.

Too little information to start deducing. He was not one renowned for his detective acumen anyway, but he was not one to jump into conclusions either. Issei learned from his mistakes.

"It has your picture in it and your address… we've burnt it down. We don't keep any proof." She was biting back her fear and tears. Admirable. She probably didn't want to be seen anymore weaker than he had showed her.

"That so…" A crimson glow flashed as Issei returned to his normal winter attire. Brown suede jacket, tusk-white pants, a scarf, and a beanie covering his brown hair that needed some trims. They were touching his shoulders now.

Now that he didn't have to worry about any resistance, Issei studied the two -admittedly failed- assassins. They both knew their trades. The black-haired one looked younger than him, but she knew how to handle a sword. The blonde seemed around his age and definitely knew how to shatter someone's bones. And a beastkin as well, just like that bratty Phenex's two slaves/servants/fuckbuddies. They didn't look foreign either, and he felt that somewhere in the back of his memories, he had heard of these two during his days slaving for Sirzechs.

Black and yellow… Right. That group of two hitmen. Hitwomen. The high-classed devils often hired them when they needed a discreet approach in eliminating some 'threats' from smaller Houses. Nobody batted an eye since devils were so blinded by hierarchy and stature.

Some individual devils were worthy of praises, but overall? It was one garbage society, filled with chauvinistic nobles who couldn't accept the fact that their race was dying, and their whole idea of 'Purity in Leadership' was a sad distant dream. He wouldn't be surprised if some devilish pricks wanted to try and rid the reincarnated devils from their darling Underworld.

{Yer going off a tangent there, partner. I understand your reasoning, but what are you going to do? Kill them?}

'Depends.'

Closing her white eyes and wiping the blood off her jaw, Akame cradled her friend's beaten body. She cringed at the sight of the glaring red mark on her stomach. If that was her, that single punch would have cleaved her clean through.

"How… how did you know?"

"I knew you're here since you found my burnt house." Issei replied, keeping his tone and expression flat. A Dragon's sense of smell shouldn't be disregarded. "I won't kill you since you were just doing your job." He said, surprising the black-haired assassin. "I will, however, if you refuse my offer."

Akame gulped down her pride and saliva. "…What is it do you want from us? Sekiryuutei?"

Issei raised an eyebrow. "You're aware of what they call me?"

"I'm aware… only now. …Rumors said that you died." Akame said carefully, wary of whatever might come next. "I never saw your face in person... if I had, then I-"

"Wouldn't bother trying? I know. That's why you're still alive." Issei completed, and Akame nodded silently. "But rumors… Facts can be misleading whereas rumors, true or false, are often revealing. Or completely misleading since people believe in them if no one ever bothered to set it straight. So tell me. What other rumors have you heard of me. How exactly did I die?"

Finding a little bit of courage inspired from his rather friendly tone, Akame lifted her eyes to see him. He was taller than the average Japanese person. His built seemed average, but who could tell that those clothes had hidden a body that had been went through hell and back for years. After all, no mere trained body could have defeated a Lucifer.

"…That you died when you fought Rizevim Livan Lucifer."

Issei nodded. Good. Precisely as he wanted people to believe. The precise lie he wanted Sirzechs and some others to spread about him. Unfortunately, those lies didn't keep him off from that life he wanted to abandon. Unfortunately, those lies weren't enough to keep his wife safe.

Darkness clouded his heart, and Issei quickly moved on. "Right… so. About my proposition before we get sidetracked… I have an offer. You two becoming my spies, and find whoever the hell hired you, or, I can kill you right here, right now, and spare you the trouble."

Akame hesitated. Was she really weighing death and a life of servitude?

If so, Issei gave a little push to his desired answer. "Of course, if you agree, you'll get paid. I'll even look after your friend, free of charge. I won't treat you harshly or be rude, I just want to hire you. But swear to me that you'll find whoever sent you. Swear to me that you and your friend will obey whatever I say. Don't worry though, I won't make you do what I won't do myself."

There weren't many things he'd refuse. He had done many bad things, but she didn't need to know that. Besides, she was an assassin herself. How could a Satan's Enforcer have more humanity than an assassin?

"Remember," Issei continued, "whatever how much they were paying you; I'll beat it. But you don't look like someone who would dedicate her life for money, do you. Your friend, on the other hand, probably would."

He was spot on in that. Akame didn't even need to say a word since he figured it out from her half-lidded eyes and deadpanned reaction.

"I'll ask again, this time's the last time. Be my eyes, or die. What's your call, assassin?"

"We'll be your eyes." Akame answered with confidence. A fearless look in her crimson eyes had returned at last. "I swear it."

"You call that a swear? You can do better than that. Add your name and mine."

"Wh… what's your name?"

"Issei. Hyoudou Issei."

Nodding, Akame knelt down and restarted her oath. "I, Akame, swear with my life that I will abide anything Hyoudou Issei wished of me in exchange for redemption for an attempt at his life."

Issei allowed a smile on his lips. "Much better. Then allow me." He opened his gloved hand, showing his empty palm as small black vortex whirred on top of it, spinning and compressing itself into a small black pill, not much bigger than a fingernail. "This'll let me know of your locations, and only me. Side effects may vary, but nothing harmful I assure you. Think of this as a formality to seal our pact."

As she took the small tablet, He watched as she swallowed it. It was more than a tracker, in fact, it was more alike to the crimson, crystal-made, eight pawn chess pieces that Sirzechs used to turn him into a devil. Ajuka's research had allowed him to combine the Agreas crystal to make the Evil Pieces and his Dragonic essence, resulting in a potent and convenient item to turn whoever he wanted to his servants.

The Dragon's servants.

Ajuka aptly -or rather, uninspiringly- named his invention as Dragon's Oath, since whoever consumed it will be bound to the Dragon's will until the Dragon had enough. Which meant, it could last forever if Issei wanted to.

Issei just didn't bother on using the name. It was essentially his version of Evil Pieces anyway, only less devilish and more dragonic.

Initially, he wanted to use them as he grew his harem. That idea was well abandoned when he found love instead. But now, he could use some help in finding whoever was responsible in taking his life. Two expert assassins that could and have snuck in the devil's highly guarded castles or mansions, without ever once being caught, would most certainly be a valuable asset.

More so as he planned to bless them with his power. Besides, he could put aside his sorrow while he watched them grow. He'd take anything to battle that fucking depressing feeling, that numbing emptiness in his heart, that undying rage wanting to just explode in his body.

One had to wonder, what could the Dragon's Assassins do?

"…Wh-what should I call you by…?" Akame muttered. She was starting to shiver under the cold air, and the fact that the water drenching her clothes were starting to freeze as well really didn't help her struggle against the cold bites.

Issei plainly took off his brown suede jacket and draped it on her shoulders. He was fine with just his red shirt. A Dragon had never been winter's bitch. The assassin gratefully accepted his help, muttering a silent thank you. But instead of wearing it, she took off his jacket and draped it on Leone's body.

That made him twirl his scarf and lent it to her.

"…Thank you." Akame muttered as she gingerly wrapped the cloth around her neck, relieved by the warmth.

"Welcome." Issei replied simply.

{She's not a bad girl.}

'Just bad occupation.' Issei surmised.

{Bah. Yours is likely worse.}

'That's subjective.'

Cutting the inner chatter with Ddraig, he gave his answer. "Just Ise would be fine in private. Hyoudou or Issei or Ise. Use honorifics if you want, I don't really care, honestly. I'll let you think of whatever you want to call me with whenever you're unsure we're alone."

"Master… Would that be alright?"

That single word sent him to the past. Five years ago, he would go crazy if a girl this cute called him 'master'. It would be nice to go back to those years so he could just be happy about it, instead of feeling conflicted.

"Sure." He said. "You're Akame, and she's Leone, right? No family names?" Akame nodded. Not one of many words seemed like. Quiet, straight, and professional when she didn't have to fear her friend's death. Very assassin-like, only with more honor.

…Why did he have to go back to this entire thing again? Sooner or later, those magical idiots would notice his apparent revival. He'd get dragged in new and old troubles. He'd have to face idiots who think they could stop him, or use him to their advantage.

But to hell with all of that. Heaven or Hell, Realm of the Dead, Olympus, Grigori, Qlippoth's Remnants, whatever they came from, it wouldn't matter. Even if he had to beat down every single deities to get the truth, he'd do it.

All for her.

Without realizing, Issei had let his sight wandered over the distant grave under the untouched oak tree. He had made sure the fight would never reach there, not even leaving a tiny scratch on either grave or tree. He succeeded in doing so. At least he didn't fail her in that.

Akame followed his gaze, and it wasn't hard to decipher the eyes of someone hurting. She had often seen those kinds of eyes, the sorrowful, distant look. Though normally she saw them from her victims, not from her employer.

She took note of the silver necklace worn over his red shirt, taking special note at the single golden ring that seemed the same with the one adorning his left ring finger, the one that he had subconsciously touched since he had been staring at the grave.

It wasn't hard to connect the pieces. Terrifying as his power was, it was rather overwhelming to realize how human he looked despite his identity as a Dragon.

Whoever lied beneath that grave must had been someone special to him. How does someone conquer a dragon's heart? Akame wondered, though she probably wouldn't get an immediate answer. The dead couldn't tell tales, but the living could tell the tales of the dead.

Only, she doubted he would share his story.

As she studied him, watching his hazel brown eyes and the slight frown curving his lips, a single realization then echoed in her mind like an idle thought.

'Even Dragons mourn.'

To be continued

Issei's still a bit sappy, ye. Obviously. A day hasn't passed yo

I just can't help it. I had to. Surely there's the assassin dudes that the major factions hired if they want to keep their hands of the dirt. Besides, despite the giant cast, no one really fitted in the stealthy side. Maybe Dulio but he's Michael's Ace. Can't just steal him and make him Issei's bitch

Is it me, or everyone in DxD just have this super showy power that super showy power isn't really cool anymore

That said, I don't really want to bring an entire cast of every single action anime known in the universe. That's just tiring. DxD already has an insane amount of cast I still want to use anyway. It's just that no one fits the 'sneaky assassin' bill

I mean come on. Irina? Don't joke around. Xenovia? Srsly. Freed? Lmao. I was going to use Isabela from Riser's peerage instead of Leone, but she's too 'meh' imo

Although, let me know if you have someone from other show that you think can fit in the DxD world. And be logical, alright. Don't just suggest someone because you want them. I handpicked both Akame and Leone since they fit in almost seamlessly. Cool swords and cool transformation aren't strangers in the DxD world and won't change much.

I can't use someone from say, a Persona games, because that'll distort the DxD laws too much for me to bother

Remember, favorite and follow this story if you want to see more. And feckin review ye feckers