Hello everybody and welcome to another chapter.
This is just a quick heads up, the following chapter and future portions of the story will include characters and qualities from Akame ga Kill - Zero. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend doing so. Otherwise, this chapter and future chapters will spoil some things from the manga.
Once again, thank you all for your patience and continued support.
Please enjoy!
Chapter 5 - The Assassins Trial
The sun was wavering as the unbearable heat distorted the air above the dusty ground. A gust of wind blew across the forest and kicked up dust clouds, slowly choking the air with foreign particles. The landscape of the area was incredibly odd. The forest consisted of hundred-foot-tall trees with dark, lush green foliage and uneven, rigid trunks. However, the forest floor was nearly devoid of life, dusty and barren like a dessert.
In this oddly contradicting environment, two young girls were desperately running. The older girl, around the age of ten or so, was pulling the younger girl along as they ran.
"O-onee-chan… I can't... I can't run anymore." The little girl gasped. Her breathing was ragged, just like her clothes - a ripped white cape over black tank tops that didn't cover the stomach and tight black shorts. Her older sister, who wore the same uniform, lightly squeezed her sister's wrist.
"We're almost there. You can do it Kurome!" Her sister, encouraged, though she herself had a grimace, unable to believe her own words. She had no idea how much farther they must go to reach safety nor what dangers lie ahead in the barren canyon.
They've been at it for nearly an entire day now. Dropped in a forest filled with danger-beasts and wild animals, with nothing but a pair of tights, a short tank top, a cape and a single knife. They were pointed in a direction and left there to fend for themselves. Even after an entire day, they still haven't seen a glimpse of hope.
They were exhausted, hungry and scared. But they had to push on. They will survive. Together.
Kurome looked up and gasped. Several huge plant-like danger beasts were devouring people before their very eyes. Half a dozen kids wearing the same clothes as the sisters hung lifelessly from the venus flytrap-like mouths of the monsters. Their fresh blood rolled down the plants and dripped onto the dusty floor. As if noticing their presence, the plants turned in the direction of the sisters. Akame froze, her heartbeat skyrocketed and her mind was completely muddled with fear.
"T-they… they're being eaten..." Kurome whimpered. Small tear droplets began forming at the side of her eyes as she stared in horror at the brutal scene of carnage. But it was thanks to her weakness that Akame managed to regain her strength.
"Kurome! We can't go this way! We have to go around!" Akame yelled after snapping out of her fear. She quickly pulled Kurome wrist away from the scene, turning Kurome to face her. Akame looked into her sister's eyes with resolve.
"It's alright, your onee-chan is here with you." She said in an urgent, but comforting tone. Kurome quickly wiped a tear aside and nodded.
"Uhn." Akame quickly forced a smile and immediately began running in the opposite direction away from danger, dragging Kurome with her. They swerved around trees while keeping track of their direction, aiming to loop around the man-eating plants. But sadly, the forest was not that forgiving. A few minutes later, they were intercepted by a pack of wolf-like danger beasts that ran out from behind the trees.
"O-onee-chan." Kurome whispered fearfully. Before Akame could speak a word, the wolves attacked, pouncing on them. Akame clenched her teeth and dashed forward, meeting one of the beasts with her knife in hand. She gave a small scream as she stabbed the throat of the beast. Her shaking hand caused her knife to miss, only sliding across the wolves shoulder. Its body pushed her down to the ground.
"Onee-chan!" Kurome quickly rushed up and pushed the beast off her sister. She desperately stabbed the wolf in random spots on its body, not noticing a second beast had closed in on her from behind. The beast knocked Kurome onto her back, her knife slipping out of her hand and sliding across the dusty floor, out of reach. The beast opened its jaws, showing off its razor-sharp canines.
"Kurome!" Akame screamed in alarm, pushing herself up to save her sister when another beast intercepted her. Anxiety and fear struck her like a bolt of lightning. She can't lose Kurome. She can't lose her only reason for living. She can't lose her precious little sister.
"KUROME!" She screamed. The beast's jaw closed in on Kurome's neck…
…and it flew off her body, landing a dozen feet away. A knife quickly followed its body, piercing its neck and the beast slumped onto the ground. Akame watched in shock and a wave of relief swept across her heart before a voice snapped at her.
"Focus!" Her eyes refocused on the beast before her, its head turned away, looking towards the new threat. She quickly rushed towards it, stabbing her knife into its exposed neck. Blood spurt out of the open wound, dyeing her hands and knife red. She breathed erratically as the feeling of fear finally overtook her. She shakily walked over to Kurome and slumped onto the ground beside her, pulling her sister into a hug.
"Kurome…" She whispered quietly. Kurome trembled in her arms, a few tears leaking down her cheeks.
"Onee-chan…"
"Whew, that was a close one." At the sound of his voice, they turned their eyes to their savior. Their savior was a boy around the age of Akame. He had spiky, dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He wore the same clothes as them, torn and bloodstained.
He slowly limped towards his knife before picking it up. He spun the knife in his hand and sheathed it in its holder that was strapped behind his waist. He then turned his attention to the sisters. Under his gaze, Akame instinctively hugged Kurome, unsure of the boy's motive. He chuckled and put his hands up, showing he meant no harm.
"It's okay, I'm not going to harm you guys. My name is Yoshiro, mind if I ask yours?" He reassured with a small and amiable smile.
"I'm Akame, this is my little sister, Kurome." The older sister introduced hesitantly. Kurome peaked at Yoshiro in Akame's arms, before shrinking back. Yoshiro smiled at the cute gesture before taking on a serious attitude.
"We should get out of here, it's not safe here." Yoshiro suggested gravely. The sister, one again, hesitated. But after a few moments of contemplation, she nodded. If this boy wanted to harm them, he wouldn't have saved him. But if he shows any malicious signs, she was taking Kurome and running. Akame stood up and pulled Kurome to her feet. Following after Yoshiro, they quickly hurried through the forest. After about five minutes of running, Yoshiro signaled for them to stop.
"What?" Akame asked. Her hand was on her knife handle and she was ready for the boy to turn on them. But Yoshiro had no intentions of attacking them.
"Sit down, take a rest, and calm your nerves." Yoshiro repeated. Akame frowned and began to protest. They didn't have the luxury to rest. They could be attacked by danger beasts at any moment.
"We ca-" Yoshiro held up his hand, knowing what Akame was going to say.
"The both of you are exhausted and scared. We are far ahead most of the other kids and the goal shouldn't be far from here. If you are afraid of beasts, I will take care of them. So take this opportunity to calm down. We'll move in fifteen minutes." Yoshiro left no room for argument and slid down the trunk of a tree. Akame and Kurome looked at each other before following his example, collapsing at the base of a tree. It took a few minutes before their bodies began to relax, and with that, so did their mental fortitude.
"Onee-chan, I was so scared." Kurome whispered with teary eyes. Akame hugged her tightly, trying to comfort Kurome with her warmth. She came close to losing her precious little sister. At that thought, Akame realized she hadn't thanked their savior yet.
"U-um, Yoshiro… right? Thank you for saving us." Akame thanked nervously. Yoshiro gave them a small, tired smile, before shaking his head.
"It's okay, you girls are strong. Even without me, you two would have survived for sure." He said before closing his eyes, aiming to get a small amount of rest. Akame nodded and hugged her sister, her trembling slowly stopped and they relished the comfort and warmth they provided for each other. After fifteen or so minutes, Yoshiro broke the silence.
"We should get moving. The goal should be close." Yoshiro pushed himself up. Akame stood up, doing her best to ignore her lingering exhaustion. Kurome, however, couldn't seem to move her body. Akame bent down and turned her back to Kurome. Kurome hesitantly climbed onto her back.
"I'm so sorry… onee-chan." Akame shook her head.
"I'll do anything to protect you, Kurome." Kurome smiled weakly and snuggled into Akame's small back.
"Me too, Onee-chan." Yoshiro smiled at the warm scene of sisterly love. Even during this horrific trial that completely disregarded lives of children, in the face of hardship and despair, their bonds stayed stronger than ever.
He can only hope those bonds would be able to pull them through this trial.
"I'll scout ahead and deal with any enemies. You guys move at your own pace. I'll see you at the end." He said. He turned around with a regretful look. He couldn't protect the sisters to the end. This trial is to isolate potential assassins. If Yoshiro protects them to the end, they would be thrown into a hell they aren't ready for.
If that's the case, it would be better for them to die in this forest.
"Wait! How can we ever repay you?" Akame asked quickly. Yoshiro tapped his chin before smiling.
"Do me a favor and don't tell anyone I saved you guys okay?" Akame tilted her head.
"Why?"
"This test is probably to pick out the strongest of all the kids. So if you tell anyone, you guys win be in danger." Yoshiro reasoned. As long as that risk existed, Yoshiro knew, Akame would not tell a single soul about what had happened today. Living up to his expectations, Akame nodded in consent. Yoshiro smiled before waving goodbye and then disappeared into the forest.
Akame slowly took a step, then another. With her beloved little sister on her back, she slowly walked towards the end of the trial.
Slowly walking towards hope.
Yoshiro let out a sigh as spied on the goal. Tents were set up on the dusty hill and two men were overlooking the forest. An old, bald, deceptive looking old man and a man around the age of Arthur. The old man had a monocle over his left eye and wore a fancy looking coat. The younger man wore proper-looking clothes with a scarf around his neck and a sword hanged by his side.
Yoshiro looked back into the forest. This trial was simple, to be honest. With a bit of training, passing this trial was nothing more than a warm-up. But dumping innocent children in this forest with nothing but a knife was cruel beyond words.
He clenched his fists and banished any thoughts from his mind.
He checked his body once more. He had purposely allowed some wolves to attack him so that the rips, scratches and blood stains on his body were real. He had reached the goal hours ago, but ran laps around the forest non-stop so that he was physically exhausted.
Now to put the finishing touch.
He hopped off the tree with no plan to stop himself. As he landed, a loud pop and pain shot up his leg. He gritted his teeth and forced a smile. He then sat down and twisted his foot back into its regular position, holding in a pained scream. Sweat dripped down his forehead and he chuckled lightly.
This is where my mission truly begins.
He leaned against the tree and stumbled out of the forest, limping towards the hill.
"The best way to trick your enemies into thinking you're not acting - is by not acting." Incredibly stupid, but wise words. Yoshiro knew that he wasn't a good actor, therefore he would use pain to compensate.
"Well done, you've passed the examination. Go receive treatment for your injuries." The old man said as Yoshiro approached him. Yoshiro looked up at the old man, before smiling in relief.
He slowly limped towards the medical tent, passing by the younger man. The man looked down at Yoshiro with a small smile. Yoshiro smiled as well.
For completely different reasons.
Yoshiro leaned back on his bed. A soldier had just finished treating his injuries. On the way here, Yoshiro had seen three others inside a different tent, two boys and a girl. He wasn't surprised, he had seen them on his laps around the forest.
The tent flaps opened and the younger man from before stepped in.
"Congratulations on passing the trial. Boy, what's your name?" He asked with a cool smirk.
"Y-Yoshiro." Yoshiro said hesitantly. He may not be an actor, but this much is no problem.
"I'm Gozuki, and your kill rank is #4. From now on, I'm your father, and there will be six others who will become your new brothers and sisters." He explained. Yoshiro nearly raised an eyebrow. What an odd system. Maybe they are trying to develop us as a family as some sort of artificial attachment? I'll think later, first things first, I have to react. Yoshiro thought quickly.
"Y-yes, father!" Yoshiro forced those words out of his mouth. Gozuki nodded before turning around and walking away. Yoshiro slumped back into his bed. He's finally taken his first step. From here on, every action will be a risk and every day will be a trial. Just thinking about it made him tired and nervous, so he decided to think about something else.
If those girls survived, so they should be here soon. He thought to himself. Everyone here will go through harsh training and be turned into assassins. They will likely avoid straight up brain-washing, instead, raising them throughout the years into loyal killers for the Empire. If those sisters have each other, they might be able to resist the power of suggestion. But if their bonds weren't strong enough to carry them through the trial, then they would be better off that way.
About fifteen minutes later, the sibling pair stumbled into the tent. Akame and Kurome glanced towards Yoshiro before turning their attention to each other, insisting the other's wounds be treated first. Yoshiro felt conflicted. It was a happy occasion, as they survived the trial, yet those girls didn't know that their lives just changed for the worse.
As soon as their wounds were wrapped up, Gozuki returned.
"Here are the results of the examination. Akame's kill-rank is #7, Kurome's kill-rank is #8. You two will be trained separately. Akame, come with me. Kurome, you will be sent to the Empire." Akame immediately glared at Gozuki and hugged Kurome protectively.
"No! I'm staying with Kurome!" Akame yelled. Yet her defiance was in vain. With a snap of the finger, soldiers came into the tent and forcefully separated the two, who had desperately clung to each other.
"It's alright, it's only temporary. If you both behave, you'll see each other again one day." Gozuki said with a sadistic grin, speaking over the desperate cries of the sisters as Kurome was dragged out of the tent.
"You don't have to be so sad Akame, I'm your family now." Tears welled up in Akame's eyes as she glared at Gozuki. Having done what needed to be done, Gozuki turned around and walked out. The soldiers restrained Akame until she slumped in exhaustion. Yoshiro clenched his fists, forcing his expression into that of pity. The kill-number is clearly assigned based on completion order. Kurome and Akame who came in after him should rightfully have the number of 5 and 6. But they were assigned 7 and 8 instead, that could only mean one thing.
These bastards deliberately separated them!
The soldiers finally left, a few tears leaked out of Akame's eyes and she clenched the bedsheet in her hands. Her dirty, but still shining black hair overshadowed her eyes, but a few glistening teardrops peeked out from underneath.
"You'll definitely see her again, just stay strong." Yoshiro whispered quietly enough for only her to hear.
"…" She stayed silent, without responding to his comfort.
He closed his eyes, allowing his exhaustion to take him into a deep sleep.
The worst has yet to come.
The first hurdle came sooner than Yoshiro expected.
The assassination trial had begun in the evening before sunset. It was late in the afternoon on the next day when Yoshiro reached the end. A few hours later, with the sky dyed blood-red and the sun at the edge of the horizon, he found himself standing at the top of a hill with his six new 'siblings'.
Kill-rank #1, Najasho. He was a child around the age of twelve with messy light blonde hair and golden pupils. His eyes were naturally sharp, giving him an intimidating air and the frown that was ever-present on his face didn't help with his image.
Kill-rank #2, Guy. He was the oldest out of the seven, around the age of fourteen, though the x-shaped scar on his left cheek and his muscular body made him look even older. His hair was brown and short and his eyes were a similar color.
Kill-rank #3, Cornelia. She was the second oldest, at the age of thirteen, and one of the three girls in the group. She had long, blonde hair and sky blue eyes but what made her stand out from the others was her physique which was rather well-developed for her age.
Kill-rank #4, Yoshiro. With his normal brown hair and brown eyes, as well as slightly above average body build, made him the least noticeable member of the group which served his purpose well. Through Arthur's connections, Yoshiro was sold to the Empire and thrown into the trial as he had planned.
Kill-rank #5, Poney. She was a girl around the age of ten, similar to Yoshiro and Akame. Her hair was golden-brown and tied in a short ponytail and her eyes were golden-green. She was full of energy despite the danger-filled day-long trial through the forest, which either made her incredibly brave or incredibly dense.
Kill-rank #6, Green. He was a boy slightly older than Yoshiro with black hair and green eyes. He was slimly built and wore a pair of glasses, giving him an intellectual look, but the fact that he made it through the forest faster than the others testified for his physical abilities.
Kill-rank #7, Akame. A girl with silky, long black hair that reached her shoulder blades and deep red eyes. After being separated from her younger sister Kurome, she had been silent. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were filled with sadness and worry.
Lastly, the leader of the group and their new 'father', Gozuki. He was the man who announced each of their ranks and separated Akame and Kurome. He wore a dress shirt with the top buttons undone and a long scarf around his neck. What caught Yoshiro's attention was the sword strapped to his side. It gave Yoshiro the chills, giving off an ominous aura.
This group, consisting of seven children and their 'father', was the newly formed assassination squad of the Empire - The Elite Seven. These seven children were the first seven to pass the trial, or that's what they were told. Each child had a kill-rank that was assigned based on the order they completed the trial in.
But just because they passed the first test doesn't mean they passed the exam. As soon as all seven kids had recovered enough energy to move, they were gathered at the top of a grassy hill half a mile away from the forest. At the top of the hill, they were met by a row of seven female prisoners. Each woman had her hands tied behind a large wooden pole that prevented them from escaping. Their ankles were tied together by steel chains, which was attached to heavy steel balls.
Gozuki stopped in front of the seven prisoners and turned the children.
"Kill them."
The kids all froze in shock, unable to digest what they had just heard. Doesn't killing someone hurt them a lot? Why did they have to kill them?
"B-but father-" Cornelia said hesitantly. Gozuki responded by punching her right across the face. The pretty blonde haired girl fell back on her butt and covered her cheek, tears threatening to spill. She looked up at Gozuki with fear filled eyes.
"You dare question your father?!" Gozuki yelled. The kids all shook in fear under his terrifying gaze. He looked each and every one of them in the eyes before speaking.
"These women are rebels, impure in both the body and the mind. They wish misfortune upon innocent civilians. They use their bodies to destroy the lives of others and laugh as they suffer. They deserve no less than death." He said firmly. No one dared speak up in protest.
"… Then what should we do?" Najasho asked after a short pause, his voice filled with dread. Gozuki threw a bag onto the ground. Najasho hesitantly opened the bag. His eyes widened at the seven blades that clattered around in the blade-proof bag.
"Use those knives and end their life." He commanded. The seven children stared at the bag, and one by one, they picked up a knife. Gozuki's gaze felt like a praying tiger, ready to rip them to pieces should they show any signs of resistance.
Najasho clenched his knife tightly, before slowly approaching one of the women. He stared at the lifeless form of the prisoner, before placing his knife to the woman's throat. He closed his eyes, and in one swift motion, slit the prisoner's throat.
Blood spewed out of the wound, dyeing his hand, knife, and clothes red. He quickly turned away and threw his knife onto the ground. The other kids trembled at the scene, but one by one, with tears in their eyes and tremors wracking their bodies, they executed the prisoners one by one.
A drop of sweat rolled down Yoshiro's forehead as a terrifying thought entered his mind. He peaked at Gozuki who was observing the slaughter.
He suspects there's a spy? No… he suspects there is a possibility. Yoshiro thought as he watched the other kids end their targets' lives one by one. The boys panted as they tried to hold in their panic and disgust while the girls attempted but failed to hold back their tears of regret.
Yoshiro tightly clenched his knife in his hand and walked up to a prisoner. She was looking down, her bangs hiding the tear streaks trailing down her face. Yoshiro could only imagine what could've gone through before this, none of which were joyful.
Death might be a relief for her… Yoshiro thought sadly, before inwardly shaking his head. That thought is nothing but an attempt to escape responsibility. He is about to kill a human being without knowing what she has done. To him, that's no different from taking an innocent life.
The guilt of taking an innocent life. I will accept that guilt and… I will live with it. Looking down at the woman, Yoshiro couldn't stop his hands from trembling.
May you be happy on the other side.
He let out a short and regretful cry and plunged his dagger into her chest. At the same time, Yoshiro felt a stabbing pain in his heart. A single tear flowed down his cheek.
The innocent blood that dyed his hands was the first of many to come.
Behind his back, Gozuki smiled.
"Good job. I'm proud to call you kids my children."
Yoshiro collapsed onto his bed and released a large sigh.
"Agreed." He slowly turned his head to the side and looked at the person on the bed next to his.
"… Green, right?" The black-haired boy slowly nodded as he set his pillow upright against the headboard. He sat down, leaned against the pillow and let out a huge sigh.
"Tired?" Yoshiro asked. Green let out another sigh and nodded.
"Still haven't recovered from the trial in the forest and now I have to live with the fact that I killed someone." Green said, looking at his own hands which he had furiously washed over and over. Yoshiro nodded. He was pretty stressed and tired too. Who knows what will happen in the future? If the Empire finds out that he's a spy, he'd be dead instantly. Even if he survives long enough to earn the Empire's trust, he'll still be forced to kill innocent people.
The two boys released a sigh in unison. They looked each other in the eye before letting out a small chuckle.
"I'm Yoshiro, we'll be seeing each other often from here on out so I hope we get along."
"Same here."
The room they were in was nothing special. It was a large room with four identical beds placed evenly throughout the room. Beside each bed, there was a nightstand with a lamp on top and a small closet that was embedded into the wall. Between each setup was enough space to prevent the room from feeling clustered. The walls were a light tan and there was a single light-source dangling from the roof at the center of the roof. To the side, there were two large windows with two curtains they could manipulate. On the opposite side, a small corridor that led to the entrance of the room.
The door opened and in walked the two other boys in their assassins group.
"C'mon, you have to admit, the girls here are cute." Guy said as he walked in, speaking to the stoic young man beside him. Najasho responded in an annoyed tone.
"Hmph, I don't know, nor do I care. Go bother someone else." Yoshiro pushed himself off the bed and looked at Guy with a raised eyebrow. Although he was several years older than the rest of them, he had the same expression as the rest when they were forced to kill a few hours ago. That meant he had never killed before, so how did he recover so quickly?
Guy noticed Yoshiro's gaze and turned to him. They had a quick staring contest before Guy broke the silence.
"Why are you giving me that look? Don't you think the girls are cute?" Yoshiro shrugged. With everything that's going on, he couldn't care less what his new sisters looked like. None of them could beat Hayami's beauty anyways. Yoshiro blushed at the end. I can't believe I just thought that… I must be really, really tired tonight. He thought before responding to Guy.
"I mean, you're not wrong, but I've got better things to worry about." Guy shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh.
"What do we have to worry about? We get to live in a big house, we get to eat great food, we get to live with cute girls, and we get to train to grow strong." Yoshiro frowned. This dude's attitude was starting to tick him off. Was this just a method of coping or is he actually over the fact that they just killed someone.
"Correct me if I am wrong, but you seemed pretty bothered after you killed that woman." He retorted. Guy stopped, his expression dropping. He rubbed the back of his head and sat down on one of the other beds.
"What use is there to dwell on the past? We received a future in exchange for taking the future of others." Guy said while looking up at the blank ceiling. Yoshiro blinked and did a double take. The two other boys shared his surprised look, their opinions of the Guy had changed completely.
"You're pretty wise." Green pointed out. Guy laughed sheepishly before an awkward silence filled the room.
"… So about the girls." Guy began. Green sighed and Yoshiro laughed, even Najasho smirked. Yoshiro tapped his chin, now thinking about the girls. The boys all lived in one room, so he could assume the girls were doing the same. Once the kids begin settling into this segregated environment, joining the group back together would be much more difficult.
"Let's see… It's not a bad idea to go talk to them." Yoshiro said after finishing his internal analysis. Green raised an eyebrow.
"Shouldn't we wait at least until tomorrow?" He asked. Yoshiro shook his head. One night is all it takes to get comfortable with each other.
"By then there would be a barrier between girls and boys, I'd rather avoid that, considering we'll be spending time together for the foreseeable future." Green nodded in agreement, but sent a look toward Yoshiro as if asking 'What's the plan?'. Yoshiro grinned before pointing at the door.
"Meet me down in the living room."
Yoshiro walked out to the corridor and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. They were given a tour of the house when they first arrived, but the scale was on a different level from everything Yoshiro's experienced so far. To put things simply, it was huge and all-encompassing.
The house had a simple, symmetrical design. The front entrance was a large double door that led to an entrance hall. To the right was the kitchen and dining hall, to the left was a huge living room and lounge.
Directly in front of the door was a grand staircase that split to the left and right after one flight of stairs. The right staircase led to a large corridor where the boys lived, with bedrooms and bathrooms. The left side contained the same, but for the girls.
There were doors on the side of the staircase that led to the basement. In the basement, there were training equipment, a storage area, a library and several other rooms that encompassed everything from entertainment to education.
Yoshiro walked down to the grand staircase, marveling at the huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. How the hell did they even get that thing up there with all the glass intact? Yoshiro shook the curiosity out of his mind and took a step towards the girls' quarters when a voice stopped him.
"Where are you going?" Yoshiro turned to look at Gozuki who leaned against the wall. He was distracted by the chandelier and hadn't noticed his new 'father'.
"Father. I was heading to find the girls." Gozuki narrowed his eyes.
"Why?" Yoshiro felt his heart rate increasing a few beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck. But despite his nerves, he retained his calm demeanor and shrugged.
"The other boys and I are exhausted, but can't seem to settle down after… everything that's happened today. So I suggested we play some games to relax and we were wondering if the girls wanted to join us." Yoshiro explained with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Gozuki closed his eyes and nodded. He pushed off the wall and walked down the grand staircase towards the front door.
"As long as you kids don't slack off or disobey me, I won't restrict what you kids can do. Just make sure to sleep or else you'll collapse during training." Yoshiro was both surprised and confused by Gozuki's words. Did Gozuki actually care about them or does he just care about their training?
Yoshiro nodded and bowed to Gozuki who walked out the front door, before stepping into the girls' territory. He assumed the structure of the left side mirrored the right and knocked on the door of the room he assumed the girls were resting in. After a few moments, the doors slowly opened to reveal a beautiful blonde girl.
"How can we help you?" Cornelia asked cautiously. Yoshiro smiled brightly.
"Want to play some games?"
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The clock struck nine and the lounge has descended into chaos. Poney was hunched over on the floor, her hand pounding the small tea-table. Cornelia was wrestling Guy who definitely had an ulterior motive. Green had collapsed on the floor, his lips swelling red. A bag of hot peppers in his left hand hinted at what had happened. Akame was poking at his fainted body with a stick she found somewhere, in her hands she a single card. Najasho and Yoshiro similarly have cards in their hands.
"This went to another level faster than I expected." Yoshiro admitted with a sweat-drop. He brought his hand up, holding out two cards. Najasho drew a card from Yoshiro's hands and frowned. Najasho shuffled his hand of three cards and held it out to Akame before biting into a stick of Pocky.
Akame stared hungrily at the stick of Pocky, not drawing a card. Najasho raised an eyebrow and handed her a stick. She thanked him and happily devoured the poor Pocky stick before drawing a card from Najasho's hand. Najasho's frown deepened as Akame placed her last pair down.
"Najasho, you despite your poker face, you aren't very good at this." Yoshiro commented with a smile. His smile widened when he noticed the slight twitching in Najasho's eyebrows.
"You are cheeky for a small fry." Najasho responded with a hint of irritation. Yoshiro chuckled. Glad to see he's opening up, even if it's just a little. Yoshiro thought happily.
"Remember, the loser has to receive a punishment. Let's see… How about this? If you lose, we'll have a vote on a nickname for you." Everyone stopped what they were doing. Cornelia pulled Guy off the ground and sat down beside us, staring at the game. Green woke up from his state of unconsciousness and Poney somehow settled down from her laughing fit.
Najasho frowned and look intensely at Yoshiro's hand. Yoshiro pushed one card higher up than the other and narrowed his eyes at the blonde-haired boy.
"Now… come at me." Yoshiro provoked in a voice deeper than usual. Najasho's eye shifted from the top card to the bottom, then back up. His concentration levels shot up to that of a sniper aiming at a fly from a thousand meters away with a toy rifle and only one bullet.
His hand shot out with speed on par with lightning, preventing Yoshiro from swapping his cards around. Yoshiro's eyes widened in panic and despair. Seeing his reaction, Najasho smiled confidently as he turned the card around.
Yoshiro smirked. Najasho's eyes widened in shock.
It was the old maid.
Poney burst out laughing, but Cornelia quickly covered her mouth.
"It's not over yet." Akame whispered gravely. A bead of sweat rolled down Najasho's forehead as he shuffled the cards behind his back. Yoshiro shook his head with a smirk as Najasho shakily held out his cards, keeping both at an even height knowing that Yoshiro was a step ahead in terms of mind games.
"It's no use, Najasho, no matter what you do, you are powerless before the might of my slightly above average luck." Yoshiro said in a haughty tone before moving his hand slowly towards the card on the left. Najasho was staring intently at the approaching hand, as if willing it to a specific direction.
Yoshiro slowly changed the course of his hand to the right. For an instant, Najasho's mask fell and a smile emerged on his face. Yoshiro smiled evilly.
"Mission accomplished." In more ways than one.
Yoshiro snatched the card on the left and placed down his final pair. Najasho stared blankly at his card. The old maid stared back at him with a smile, as if mocking him. Taking the opportunity before he could recover from the shock and escape, Yoshiro jumped up onto the couch.
"Alright guys, let's start the first ever 'Najasho – Nickname contest'. The goal is to create a fitting nickname and bestow it to our good friend Najasho." Najasho stood up but was quickly brought down by Guy and Cornelia.
A face-splitting grin appeared on his face as Yoshiro watched the struggling Najasho.
"Let's get the real party started."
"Go ahead, pick any weapon you like." Gozuki said.
With the permission of their father, the seven children began exploring the weapons shed. They call it a shed, but it's more like an armory. Every conceivable weapon existed in the large room, from swords and spears to scythes and whips. The weapons were sorted out neatly into rows and every one was on display as you walked down the alleys.
Yoshiro, of course, already had a preferred weapon. He wandered up and down the alleys, checking out the weapons on the left and right, slowly making his way towards his destination. After a few minutes, he finally reached the section of the shed where his favorite weapons laid waiting. Short swords, throwing knives, daggers, tanto's, hunting knives laid everywhere he looked. He picked up a dagger while trying to seem curious.
Yoshiro grabbed two daggers, held one in reverse grip, and did a few 'cool' poses. He heard giggling from behind and slowly put the daggers back, feeling slightly embarrassed. He turned around to glare at Cornelia who responded by faking innocence. Out of nowhere, Gozuki approached Yoshiro.
"Daggers huh? Interesting choice." Gozuki asked with a hint of suspicion. Yoshiro rubbed the back of his neck while looking down at the ground and recited the excuse he had ready.
"Maybe it's because of my par… the people who raised me forced me to hunt… I think I feel the most comfortable with a pair of knives." He said in his best sad tone. After a few seconds, Gozuki patted him on the head and nodded.
"There are many ways to use knives. They are not bad weapons, especially for assassins." He said in approval before walking away. Yoshiro let out a small and silent sigh before he began equipping himself.
He strapped a dagger holder around his waist and positioned them to be around the back. He then sheathed a pair of knives so they were behind his back, the handles sticking out slightly from the side. He hopped up and down, testing the weight before he grabbed a holster and stuck a stash of throwing knives into them, tying the holster so that is hung to the side of his hip.
Yoshiro nodded to himself, satisfied with the familiar setup, before he began looking for the others.
He found Akame and Najasho in the long swords section. Najasho picked up a long sword and swung it a few times, before sheathing it and strapping it to his back. Simple and straightforward, not surprising at all. Yoshiro thought. It seems the others were thinking the same because Poney spoke up immediately.
"That is so fitting! Matches your image perfect, chief." Najasho frowned and glared at Poney, who laughed at his discomfort. Yoshiro patted him on the shoulder.
"C'mon now Najasho, it's better than sunshine or Sho-chan, right?" He said in a teasing tone. Najasho huffed and walked away. Yoshiro chuckled and his eyes drifted to Akame. Akame looked slightly conflicted as she held a long sword.
"This is heavy." She said with a frown. Yoshiro tapped his chin before an idea popped up.
"Akame, why don't you try the same type of sword as father? It looks lighter and a lot cooler too!" He suggested. Akame nodded in acknowledgment before picking up a katana. She drew the blade and after a few swings, nodded happily and sheathed the blade.
"This is perfect. Thank you, Yoshiro." Yoshiro waved his hand with a sheepish look.
"I'm sure father will be happy too." He replied.
After half an hour, they met up at the entrance to the weapons shed. Yoshiro looked around. He had picked daggers. Akame had a katana while Najasho held onto a longsword. Cornelia went in a different direction and picked up a pair of gauntlets. Guy, Poney, and Green didn't have anything on them. Gozuki looked at them questioningly. They fidgeted nervously under his gaze and Green was the first one to answer the silent question.
"Um… father, I couldn't find anything that I think would fit me. I'm not physically powerful and I prefer to use my head." Green said with a hint of fear. Following his example, the other two replied in turn.
"Weapons are heavy!" Poney complained with a pout.
"I don't want weapons." Guy said, punching his fists together. Gozuki looked at each of them analytically.
"Green, I will focus your training on stealth, strategy and mental warfare. Poney, if your arms are weak, use your legs." He said. Green nodded while pushing up his glasses and Poney looked at her legs with clear question marks over her head.
"I will start your training tomorrow. You are dismissed for today, prepare yourselves mentally for tomorrow and try out your weapons." Gozuki said before walking away. A weird silence reigned over the kids until a loud grumble broke it.
"I'm hungry." Akame stated bluntly. Yoshiro laughed. They had breakfast little under an hour ago.
"Akame, at this rate you'll starve us all." Akame blushed and looked away, mumbling under her breath. On the other side, Poney was still staring at her legs.
"What did he mean by use my legs?" Poney asked.
"Kick people." Najasho said with a deadpan. Poney's eyes widened as if she reached enlightenment.
"I see! Thanks, chief!" Najasho sighed and walked to the training ground.
"Wait up chief, I want to come too!" Cornelia yelled as she chased after him. The rest of the kids looked at each other before running after them.
Thus, the Empire's elite assassins training program began.
Time Skip – 6 Years Later
Akame slowly opened her eyes and stretched, laid back and enjoyed the feel of wind against her cheeks. The light and relaxing sound of flowing water coming from the nearby stream, combined with the warm sunlight above her and the coolness of the rock below her made her spot ideal for afternoon naps.
"What great weather." She mumbled to herself. Her eyes were beginning to close again when her instincts kicked in. She opened both her eyes and sat up, turning her head to look at the incoming threat. Less than ten meters away, a huge bladed tiger prowled towards her. The moment they made eye contact, the monster roared and pounced, easily covering the ten-meter gap in a single second. But the teenage girl didn't panic, in fact, she didn't seem to see the monster as a threat at all.
"Oh! A land tiger." She picked up her sword, Shingu: Kiriichimonji, and pushed herself off the rock, rolling to the side. The land tiger landed on spot she slept on moments ago and turned its head towards Akame, only to realize she had disappeared. Moments later, it let out its final roar of pain, the cursed katana sheathed in its heart. Akame pulled her katana out of the monsters back before observing her prey.
"Hmm… Its fur can be sold for money and its meat tastes great. How's this? Chief, Yoshiro." She said happily towards the figures sitting on the cliff above her.
Two teenagers were present on top of the cliff, one sitting on a large rock while the other stood beside him, leaning on a nearby tree. The young man sitting on the rock with a book open in his hands was the one who responded.
"How's what? It baffles me that a living creature would just let you kill it like that." The young man said coldly. His light blonde hair swayed in the wind. The brown-haired boy standing beside him chuckled.
"You have to admit, her luck is incredible. It makes me feel stupid for actually chasing this stupid bird for an hour." Yoshiro commented while pointing at his prey, a huge, eagle-like danger beast with spiked teeth hidden inside its beak. Its carcass was laying on the other side of the tree he was leaning on.
"Silence, I'm trying to read." Najasho commanded. Yoshiro sighed. Even after six years, Najasho's attitude never changed. At this point, Yoshiro has just accepted it as part of his character.
"Save that 'till we get home, father will be angry if we don't get back by dinner time."
At that comment, Najasho shifted his eyesight from his book to the other girl sitting in the lake below. Poney was floating in the water with her face towards the sky, staring blankly at the floating clouds, bored out of her mind.
"Small fry, act more deliciously as bait." Najasho said as he looked down on the girl. Poney pouted and began waving her arms, splashing about in the water.
"What do you mean act more deliciously?! Are you even sure there is fish in this river?!" As if responding to her words, a huge reptile-like danger beast burst out from the water and opened its jaws to swallow the girl.
"Hmm... not what I was expecting, but hey…" She activated her Shingu: Yocto-bottoms. Her ankle braces and the edge of her trousers began to vibrate and she performed a backflip, kicking the danger beast in the jaw, sending its thousand-pound body flying out of the water and onto the shore nearby.
"…what do I know about fisheology?" She finished as she swam to shore. She carefully observed the large creature she had killed in a single kick, using all her brain power to analyze its anatomy before forming the data into words.
"It's big! Father will praise me for sure!" She said excitedly. In response, Najasho snapped his book shut and began walking away.
"Not bad, with this you've fulfilled both our quotas. Carry it back Poney." She was about to nod before she stopped. Her eyes turned to him with a questioning gaze.
"Wait, have you even done anything?" Poney asked. Yoshiro and Akame, who had already dragged her prey up the cliff, shared a look with each other and laughed.
"Maybe you should've thought of that first." Najasho said, a small smirk flashed onto his face before disappearing just as quickly. Dragging their prey behind, Yoshiro and Akame chased after Najasho, leaving a wet and confused Poney behind.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Poney yelled from behind. Yoshiro quickly caught up and walked beside Najasho.
"Najasho, you shouldn't bully her so much." Najasho shrugged.
"So you say." Akame had stopped to wait for poor Poney, leaving the two boys to walk on their own. Silence reigned between them as they walked towards their home.
"… You're the only one who doesn't call me chief, despite being the reason I even got that name." Yoshiro paused for a moment. Where did this come from? He thought.
"The others called you chief in the beginning because that was your new 'nickname'. But as time went on, that name came to represent your responsibilities as #1 and our leader, hasn't it?" Najasho kept walking on in silence, which more than confirms Yoshiro's statements.
"That's why I refuse to call you chief." Najasho looked at him with a questioning look. They reached a cliff and looked down, their mansion-like house at the bottom of the ridge.
"My responsibilities… I refuse to let anyone but myself to shoulder them."
Those who die by his hand. That responsibility is his and his alone.
After all, he promised.