Chapter 12 - The Heliyx Revolution

Heliyx. The 7th largest city in the Empire, located at the south-western border of the empire. In terms of location, it's the most isolated of the top cities due to the vast area of valleys and mountains southwest of the Capital, separating Heliyx a difficult area to reach. In terms of value, there was no natural resource deposited near the city, nor were there any valuable mines and such. The only reason for its size was because of the rich surrounding land and its location on the border of two countries makes it a center of trade.

At the edge of this city, right by the border of the Empire, was a large estate. The paint was new and glistening in the afternoon sun. The roof was a light blue, resembling the morning sky. The lawn of the estate was huge, covering enough space to hold at least 100 guests with room to spare. A beautiful garden with dozens of different flowers, plants and hundreds of colors decorated the back of the mansion. The house itself had an intricate design, with large white pillars supporting a high roof right outside the large double entrance door. With three floors plus a basement, a library, an underground training room, an attic, and more than 8 bedrooms, the house was beyond luxurious.

This also happened to be Tatsumi's home.

Or more precisely, the house that belonged to his family.

Tatsumi's family was rich. Very rich. Selling the estate alone was more than enough to support Tatsumi for life even if he chose not to work. And this was not the only estate Tatsumi owned. During the first month after the death of his parents, Arthur took Tatsumi and Yoshiro back to Heliyx to claim his inheritance. It was what was rightfully his, there was no reason not to do so. But to be perfectly honest, compared to his inheritance, Yoshiro's face when he saw Tatsumi's house was way more valuable.

Tatsumi made sure to visit his home every once in a while. Be it once every two weeks when he was in the area, or once every six months when he wasn't. It was his home filled with memories, and he fully intended to make sure it was safe. Today was no different.

Tatsumi spent months searching the Capital of the empire for his friends, Sayo and Ieyasu, but couldn't find a single trace of them. He had no doubts that they had made it safely to the Capital. Ieyasu's skills in combat have reached the same level as 13-year-old Tatsumi, which was more than enough to take care of simple bandits especially with the support of Sayo. That trust led Tatsumi to the worst conclusion.

They had joined the army.

Tatsumi didn't know where the new recruits training program was held, but with the help of Yoshiro, he could find out. But even if he did, what would he do? Sneak into the barracks and tell them to leave? Would they even listen? He desperately wanted to save his friends from a danger they didn't know existed, but he couldn't.

In his distress, Tatsumi left the Capital and headed towards Heliyx, towards his home. After a slow-paced journey over the course of nearly a month, he stepped into the premises of his home for the first time in half a year. There, he found comfort and ease, as if back in the embrace of his father. He stayed for nearly half a year, much, much longer than usual, before setting off once again on his journey around the country.

By the time he returned, nearly a year has passed.

As he walked down the stone paved path that led to his front door, he was greeted by multiple men and women. The women were dressed in a black and white dress that covered every part of their body save the face, with a black and white frilled headband peeking out from their hair. The men were dressed in suits even though they were doing yard work, having the look and feel of nobles.

These were the maids and butlers that worked at his home. He had no trouble paying them, in fact, he didn't think he was paying them enough. Their current paycheck was more than enough to healthily sustain their families, but Tatsumi felt like he owed them more. In his absence, they took care of his home, and so he held eternal gratitude for them.

He bowed and thanked them for their hard work as he passed by, causing a slight commotion amongst the servants. To them, Tatsumi and his parents were the perfect employers. Most of the men and women serving their house were desperate for money, suffering from unemployment when they were saved by Tatsumi's parents. Without taking advantage of their desperation, they paid them generously for their work. The news of their death was a huge emotional burden for every single one of the servants. They not only feared for their future, but they also mourned the death of their masters. So when Tatsumi returned half a month after they received news, the servants were happy beyond belief.

All their gratitude were directed to their young master who treated them the same as his parents had.

Tatsumi stepped up to a large double door entrance and they opened. On the other side, an elderly butler bowed deeply and welcomed him back. Sebastian, the head butler had been Tatsumi's father's servant ever since he was a teenager. Unlike all the other maids and butlers who were employees with gratitude, Sebastian was a servant with loyalty.

"Welcome back young master." The elderly butler welcomed. Tatsumi smiled and nodded.

"Sebastian, good afternoon." Sebastian bowed once again before leading Tatsumi to the living room. Minutes later, Tatsumi was comfortably sipping some apple juice while basking in the warm sunlight. Usually, it would be tea, but Tatsumi thought tea was a little too sophisticated for someone like him. He wasn't a noble nor wished to live like one. This weather is perfect for training. He thought to himself, lightly tapping the sword that was leaning against the arm of the soft sofa he was sitting on. Deciding to get some training done, he was ready to go outside when Sebastian stopped him.

"Young master, I have some news you might be interested in." Tatsumi raised an eyebrow and sank back into his seat. Sebastian has an incredible reputation in the city as a kind, elderly man. And so, everyone is more than glad to share information with him. You can even say that as long as something unusual happens in the city, Sebastian will know about it.

"What is it?" Tatsumi inquired. Sebastian wouldn't bother him with insignificant rumors and useless information. The fact that he bothered to inform him of what's going on means it's significant and confirmed.

"An insurgency group is planning a rebellion in the city." Tatsumi's eyes narrowed. It wasn't unexpected to be perfectly honest. Heliyx is the perfect city to build up a rebel army. The rich land can provide sustenance and the city has more than enough monetary resources. Combined with the fact that it's isolated and large imperial armies would have a hard time marching through valleys and mountains, this was to be expected.

"What's their name? Have they stated their purpose? Does the government know?" Tatsumi's only concern is whether the citizens of the city will be affected. If they were at risk, Tatsumi would have to 'persuade' the rebels to leave.

"They call themselves the 'Imperial Liberation Army', but the government has labeled them the 'Rebel Army'. They claim that their purpose is to free the people of the Empire from oppression and injustice of corruption. The Heliyx city government know about the rumors but have yet to take concrete action." Tatsumi nodded. The Heliyx city government probably aren't taking the rebels seriously. The rebel armies name isn't foreign to Tatsumi, being the most promising of the many rebel groups. Of course, that doesn't mean this was the actual rebel army. Bandits using the names of rebel groups to trick civilians into giving them food and money is not an uncommon scam.

"Hmm… I guess I'll pay them a visit." Tatsumi said before standing up. Sebastian bowed before asking Tatsumi a question.

"Young master, may I ask what your plan is?" Tatsumi smiled and shrugged.

"If they are bandits using the rebel army's name, I'll stop them. If they are actually the rebels, I will ascertain their intentions. If they have good intentions, I'll help them. If they don't… well, we'll see."

The Imperial Liberation Army, dubbed 'the rebel army' was an insurgency group that was much larger than what most people think. Their troops currently number in the thousands with many ex-generals and trained veterans that have defected from the Empire. The reason why the Empire and most of the populace still think they are a weak power is that most of their activities are being hidden under small-scale rebellions in a specific region. Most of their forces were separated and spread throughout the country, gathering supporters and forces from everywhere around the country while the Empire's attention is focused on the small area where they are drawing attention.

The biggest thing that separates this group from any other insurgency group is that they are patient. Consisting of ex-generals who have seen the evil of the empire, they, who know the enormous superpower that is the empire, know that they wouldn't be able to do anything without gathering a sizable force in order to oppose the Imperial Army. So with patience, they slowly build up their forces. But even still, they are missing a large peice of the puzzle.

A base. Somewhere they could station their troops. A place they can sustain their troops. A starting place for the greatest revolution in the history of the world.

After searching the entire country for a perfect place. Finally, Najenda found one. The city of Heliyx met all their needs. Remote, rich in food and water, center of trade, it was a haven for dissenters.

She stationed her troops, 500 men strong, 5 miles north of the city by a flowing river. She, along with a dozen men, entered the city and began spreading the word of their purpose and their goal. Just as she had hoped, hundreds of people voiced their support of their cause, and as the rumors spread, that number only continued to increase. If all goes well, she'll be able to silently overthrow the current Heliyx government without the empire knowing. Then, the revolution can begin.

Of course, she didn't expect things to go perfectly according to her plans. She was experienced, but not all knowing. She expected things to go wrong. She expected resistance and possibly failure.

But what she didn't expect was a certain teenager showing up at the gates of her camp and destroying her troops.

And thanks to that boy, the puzzle pieces perfectly fell into place.

Tatsumi silently observed the rebel army's camp and nodded. They're the real deal. The order in the camp resembled that of an army unit and not of a nest of barbarians. They were quiet, alert and disciplined, unlike the rowdy and arrogant bunch that people call bandits.

With Sebastian's information, Tatsumi easily found his target's campsite. It took a little longer to arrive than expected, with the sun at the edge for the horizon, but he still arrived early. Initially, he planned on using Sebastian to establish a meeting with the leader of the rebels and speak to them there, but he threw that idea out of the window when another idea popped up.

Long story short, he was bored. Tatsumi wasn't a battle maniac, but he still sought a challenge. Difficult battles stimulate growth, and that growth is what Tatsumi needed. So when inadvertently he thought why don't I test their defences for them? That's what he ended up deciding to do.

Just before the darkness of night settled into the area, Tatsumi took action. He hopped down the tree he sat in and casually walked up to the camp. His goal was to test the army and himself, so there was no reason to hide or sneak. This was a frontal assault.

"Stop! Who's there?!" The pair of soldiers that stood guard at the entrance points their spears at Tatsumi who walked up normally.

"I would like to speak with your commander, how about you guys go get her real quick?" Tatsumi said without a hint of nervousness. The pair of guards glanced at each other and back at the haughty teenager. He was probably some spoiled noble who thought he could do anything. The guards lowered their spears and glared at the boy.

"State your purpose or leave." One said with a hint of annoyance. Neither wanted to deal with a spoiled teenager.

"Alright then. I would like to speak to your commander about what she wants to do with this city." One of the guards scoffed.

"Who are you to control us? Our commander is busy, now leave!" Tatsumi shook his head.

"You misunderstood me. That wasn't a choice." He replied. His hand slowly reached up and drew his sword, pointing at the guards. The guards saw this gesture and instantly returned to their battle stance. "You either get the commander to speak to me, or I will go speak to her." The guards gritted their teeth.

"Don't get cocky you brat!" One of them shouted. The usual protocol was to ring a bell that would notify the camp of an intruder, but what could a random teenager do by himself?

Underestimating him was the first mistake they made.

But even though they weren't taking Tatsumi seriously, they stood on the defensive. If the boy was just trying to provoke them into a fight, that's fine. Their job was to guard the gate, not get rid of angry children. Tatsumi nodded at their behavior. Professional. He silently complimented them. But he wasn't about to back out after putting on such a confident air.

In a mild pace, Tatsumi rushed at the two gate guards and swung his sword in an upward diagonal angle. The gate guard on the left pushed his spear forward and blocked the swing. His partner followed up by spinning his spear around and plunging it towards Tatsumi, aiming to hurt him a little. They were still treating him like an angry child and not a warrior. Now that's a bit of an issue. Even if they weren't taking him seriously, they were definitely not treating him laxly. But still, to judge an opponent based on age and appearance is a large flaw.

Tatsumi took advantage of their assumptions and punished them hard for it. Putting a bit more strength into his arm, he flicked the spear that was locking his sword away and spun to dodge the incoming jab. His form glided along the shaft of the spear and his elbow met the guard's neck. The unsuspecting guard felt a jerk in his neck and his consciousness faded into darkness.

The other guard took a moment to realize what happened and grit his teeth. He jumped back, leaving his partners body to lay on the floor, and ran towards the bell that would notify the entire camp of an attack. Tatsumi made a thinking noise. The guard realized his priorities laid in notifying the camp and stopped underestimating Tatsumi as a threat, which was excellent. But to turn his back on an opponent was a huge mistake These soldiers are most definitely disciplined, but not very flexible. He evaluated.

Pushing a bit more power into his legs, he quickly appeared next to the running soldier who was reaching for the bell and kneed him in the gut. Spit flew out of his mouth and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

From the short exchange, Tatsumi began evaluating the rebel army. The soldiers are well trained. Their techniques are nothing special, but they are solid on the basics. They have good teamwork and cooperation, if the guards are any indication. They know the protocol, but aren't flexible and are a bit too late in identifying threats. Overall, not bad. Not bad at all. A pair of them will definitely cause some difficulties if I tried fighting them before I obtained Shinatsuhiko. The guards were relatively young, in their mid-twenties. But being placed as guards means they are more reliable and probably stronger than most others in the camp. So Tatsumi made the assumption that they were strong but lacked experience, a good representation of the entire army.

While analyzed the rebels, his hand reached towards the bell and began rapidly clanging on it. An obnoxious noise spread throughout the camp and the sound of rushed footsteps and alarmed yells filled the area.

Let's see how correct I was.

Although Tatsumi was acting overly confident, he wasn't underestimating his opponents either. He didn't know how strong the commander was, nor if there were any Teigu users in the camp. On the off chance a strong opponent shows up, he would most definitely turn tail and run. If he couldn't run, then surrender. He wasn't an enemy of the rebels, just someone who's testing their forces for them.

Of course, without their consent. They don't seem too happy about that part. If the hundreds of soldiers surrounding him with spears and swords and other pointy objects pointed at him were any indication for their dissatisfaction.

"Who are you?!" A commanding officer questioned. The warning bell was signaled only when an assault was made on the camp, but it didn't seem like there were anyone else besides this teenager. But if that's the case, then this boy was a threat. With that in mind, everyone on the rebels side was fully ready to attack the young assailant. At his question, Tatsumi tapped his chin.

"I guess you can call me a representative of the civilians of the city of Heliyx. But I'm not part of the governing body nor the armed forces… I guess that makes me a vigilante? In any case, my identity isn't what matters. Who's the commander? We've got stuff to talk about." The commanding officer who asked the question was feeling a migraine forming in his head.

"You-" He was about to say something, but whatever he had ready in his mind would never be known to the world when the voice of a woman interrupted him.

"I'm the commander." A woman who looked like she was in her early thirties pushed her way through the crowd. Her hair was light silver, a difficult color to differentiate from grey. Her left eye was covered by an eyepatch and her right arm was a green prosthetic. Her appearance was definitely intimidating and she had a calm and authoritative air around her. "I believe it's common courtesy to introduce yourself before demanding a meeting." Tatsumi nodded.

"Of course. My name is Tatsumi, no position nor title. I am here on behalf of the civilians of the city of Heliyx to ascertain the rebel army's agenda for the city." Tatsumi said after sheathing his blade. Even though Tatsumi had lowered his weapon, the soldiers of the rebel army still had their spears pointed at him.

"I see. Stand down." Her order was directed to her troops, who followed her command immediately and lowered their spears. "I am Najenda, general of the rebel army and commander of the 1st battalion. If you are here to talk, then let's talk inside." Tatsumi raised an eyebrow but nodded. Najenda turned around and walked into a tent, more than a dozen soldiers following her in. Tatsumi walked in right after and stood near the entrance. The tent was large and empty, an empty path was open between Tatsumi and Najenda. But to both sides were armed soldiers, ready to react if Tatsumi ever makes a threatening gesture.

She lured me into a smaller room in case I became a threat. Tatsumi thought, looking at the room.

"You made a bold move for someone who says they came in peace, attacking my camp like that. You say you aren't here on behalf of the government nor armed forces of Heliyx, so then what authority do you have to negotiate?" Najenda asked with a hint of suspicious. So she noticed… Tatsumi stated that he was here on behalf of the civilians, but no one who represents the civilians isn't part of the government. Naturally, Tatsumi wasn't requested by anyone to come, but came on his own volition. Tatsumi shrugged.

"Your guards tried to turn me away so I just ruffed them up a bit. As for authority…" Tatsumi tapped his own chest. "...my own is more than enough." Najenda narrowed her eyes.

This boy defeated the camp guards without a single scratch, despite being nearly a decade younger. Even though he's standing in a potentially hostile camp, with a dozen men in the room and even more outside, he's relaxed without a hint of nervousness. Courage not born out of pride, but out of strength. That's the conclusion Najenda came to. She smiled slightly.

"Alright then, let's hear what you have to say." Tatsumi nodded in thanks and his eyes turned serious.

"What does the rebel army want with the city of Heliyx?"

"The city meets all our requirements of a headquarters where we can initiate our war against the Empire." Najenda answered without hesitation. There's no real reason to hide that. The goal of the rebel army has been more than clearly expressed to the citizens of Heliyx. Tatsumi nodded at her answers, just as he had expected.

"When do you plan on taking over the city?"

"As soon as we are ready." This time, the answer was more cryptic. It's important intel, one that could be used against them. Najenda was no fool, there was no guarantee Tatsumi was who he says he is, there was no way she was telling him the details. Tatsumi nodded again, he didn't expect much of answer. Both questions were small tests for Najenda to see how honest she was with her answers.

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes and a dangerous gaze pierced Najenda. The soldiers around them noticed this change and tensed.

"What will happen to the civilians?" This was his goal. The answer will decide what actions Tatsumi will take from here on. Will he become a valuable ally? Or will he become their worst nightmare? Najenda closed her eyes. She could tell Tatsumi was serious. He was dangerous.

"For weeks, we've been surveying the city. As for as we can tell, the large majority of civilians are on our side. Those who support us will be protected, those who oppose us will be detained. But we will not take a single innocent life. That, I guarantee." Najenda replied without a hint of deception. Tatsumi's judging gaze remained on her for moments before he closed them and nodded.

"In that case, I believe I can be of some help." Tatsumi replied. Najenda released a small sigh she didn't know she was holding and raised an eyebrow.

"Help? How?" Tatsumi smirked.

"In terms of connections, I have a few. Give me a week and the city will be ready for your take over." He never went into any details, but Najenda felt that she could trust him.

"Why would you help us?"

"The Empire is my enemy. The Empire is your enemy. As long as you don't mistreat innocents, your takeover matches my interests." Tatsumi turned around and opened the entrance of the tent. Right before he stepped out, he turned his head and glared at Najenda. A wave of killing intent washed over the entire tent. The soldiers began trembling under the pressure and Najenda felt cold sweat rolling down her neck.

"But hear me well. If you betray your claim and I find out that you are taking advantage of the civilians, I will come after you. I'll return in a week to inform you of my progress. Until then."

And he was gone. Leaving the same way he came, abrupt and dangerous. All the soldiers in the tent visibly relaxed and Najenda let out a tired sigh. It's been a while since she last experienced killing intent as potent as what the boy, Tatsumi, just released. She walked out of the tent and took in the cool and refreshing evening air. Her second in command walk up to her and saluted.

"Ma'am! The guards were only knocked unconscious with no permanent damage. One of them woke up and described their fight. It seems that the boy had knocked them out each with only one strike." That news would've been surprising if she hadn't experienced his killing intent.

"I see. Make sure they are up and ready tomorrow morning." Her second in command saluted before changing to a more casual tone.

"But who was that kid?" Najenda shook her head.

"That doesn't matter right now. Send word to all troops. Our takeover will be delayed. The new date will be decided a week from now. Until then, make sure every single one of my soldiers knows that they are not to take a single civilian life. Whoever disobeys will be personally acquainted with the knuckles of my prosthetic arm. Got it?"

"Yes Ma'am!" Her second in command saluted and immediately left to carry out her orders. After he left, Najenda pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her coat and lit one using a lighter she carried around at all time. Taking a large breath, she felt her body relax and her tension fall. A small smile appeared on her lips and she headed back inside, silently wondering what news their new "ally" will bring.

Tatsumi was welcomed home by Sebastian, who had a bath ready for him. Tatsumi gratefully accepted the offer and relaxed his body. That was fun! Standing alone in an enemy base made him feel strong and proud. There wasn't a risk of death this time around so he didn't feel much tension and just enjoyed the moment. Why wasn't there a risk? At first glance, he already knew it wasn't a bandit camp so naturally, they were telling the truth. And so, the rebel army would have no reason to kill him as long as he didn't overdo it and kill one of the guards. At worst, he would've faced off against a Teigu user and surrender, later released as long as they determined he wasn't an enemy.

His train of thought led to the commander, Najenda. Her response to his questions was truthful, especially her answer to his last question. If she can guarantee the safety of the civilians, then Tatsumi had no reason to oppose her. The rebel army is the most promising of the numerous insurgence groups, so if handing over the city to her would help start a revolution, Tatsumi was more than willing to comply.

This doesn't mean Tatsumi planned on joining the army. The probability that the Empire will react to the rebel army as a threat is definitely high. Until it seems like the rebel army has a shot at overthrowing the empire, Tatsumi will be watching by the wayside. Of course, he may lend a hand here and there, but his presence must not be known.

If this revolution was a battle between the people and the government, then Tatsumi, Hayami, and Yoshiro were the people's hidden trump cards. Trump cards that the people didn't know they had. But when the time comes when these trump cards are revealed. The end of the empire will be near.

Having decided on a course of action, a Tatsumi climbed out of the bathtub and dried himself off. He returned to the living room where a cool, refreshing glass of apple juice awaited him.

"Sebastian, what do you think of the Empire?" Tatsumi asked after he chugged down the glass of liquid. It was a perfect blend of sour and sweet. The apples came from the apple tree in Tatsumi's garden, cultivated and juiced by Sebastian himself. Sebastian took the glass from Tatsumi and answered.

"I hold the same opinion as your late father. The Empire is corrupt and contact with the Capital should be kept to a minimum." Tatsumi couldn't help but smile.

"I see… just as I suspected, father never brought me to the Capital for that reason…" The smile on his face originated from the relief that his parents knew of the empires corruption and refused abide by its evils. "Sebastian, which government official is most likely to support a revolt against the empire?"

"From my knowledge, Governor Shidou is the most expressive of his hate towards corruption. Though after the incident where he was nearly killed by a hired mercenary, his complaints have died down. But privately, his sentiment is just as strong." Tatsumi's eyes widened and he gave Sebastian a shocked look.

"Uncle Shidou is still in office?" Governor Shidou was a good friend of Tatsumi's father. He often gave young Tatsumi lessons on politics. He's been working in the Heliyx government for over 30 years now. "Isn't he like almost 65 years old now? Why hasn't he retired?" Tatsumi asked.

"Governor Shidou is too passionate about his job to retire." Tatsumi sighed.

"Well, can you arrange a meeting with uncle Shidou for me?" Tatsumi asked. Sebastian bowed in consent and Tatsumi smiled. "Thank you."

Three days later, Tatsumi found himself waiting patiently in the private office of governor Shidou inside the Heliyx city hall. With passive assistance from Sebastian, the support for the rebel army has skyrocketed. Sebastian's influence is much more impressive than I expected. Tatsumi thought with a small sweatdrop. Sebastian didn't do anything special. All he did was say something along the lines of "the rebel army isn't evil' while out shopping and that was enough to convince hundreds of people to trust the rebel army advocates that Najenda sent into the city to raise support.

Snapping Tatsumi out of his train of thought was the sound of the door opening. In walked a man that perfectly fit the image of an elderly gentleman. His white hair was combed back. His skin, which one would expect to be wrinkling and sagging, was forcefully pulled smooth n an attempt to improve public image. But the stress in his eyes was clear and he gave off the image of a tired old man hoping for retirement.

But some of that stress disappeared when their eyes met. A small smile appeared on Shidou's face as he walked up quickly and pulled Tatsumi into a hug. Tatsumi returned he hug and smiled at his old teacher.

"Tatsumi! You've grown so big!" Shidou said with a happy smile. It had been over 10 years since they last saw each other. After learning of the deaths of Tatsumi's parents, Shidou buried himself in his work and fell into a depressing trance. The attempt on his life, which was most likely due to his anti-empire sentiment, did no help with his stress and he was really at the end of his ropes. Tatsumi returned the warm smile.

"Yeah… It's been over 10 years, uncle Shidou." Tatsumi replied.

"Sit down, we've got a lot to talk about." They began catching up on what had happened. Tatsumi sharing a general idea of what he's been doing since the death of his parents. Shidou felt incredibly conflicted about Tatsumi becoming a trained warrior and killer, but he understood that Tatsumi did what he had to. At the end of his story, Shidou sat back into his chair with a tired sigh.

"I see… a lot has happened." Shidou summed up. Tatsumi nodded. Shidou made eye contact and brought up the question that was left to the wayside. "So what's your business with me today?" The air around Shidou changed from a kind uncle to that of a politician.

"Have you heard the rumors about the rebel's army in the city?" Tatsumi asked bluntly. Shidou sighed.

"Yes, yes I have. Most of the government officials, if not all of them, have heard the rumors, but we have yet to reach a conclusion for a response." Shidou revealed.

"How many people in the government do you think secretly supports the rebels?" Tatsumi asked without reservation. Shidou's eyes widened and he looked around the room. He stood up and walked towards the door, peeking out to check if there is anyone in the hallways. He returned after confirming there was no one in the premises and spoke in a low voice.

"Recently, a representative of the empire has arrived in our city. He serves as the Empire's eyes and ears in this isolated place and has more power than any other official. He's been abusing his power in secret and yet no one can do anything against him. Other than him and two other high ranking officials who have been protecting him, everyone else would either support the rebels or take a neutral stance." Tatsumi smiled at his explanation. As expected of Shidou, he knew exactly what Tatsumi wanted to hear. Shidou saw his smile and frowned. "Tatsumi, what are you planning?"

"Just thinking of giving the rebel army a hand in their takeover. Give me the name, appearance and some information on the representative and his partners. I will take care of them by the end of the week." Shidou's eyes widened to epic proportions.

"What?! Are you-" Shidou started to question what Tatsumi's sanity but he stopped himself.

Tatsumi was a warrior now. In order to oppose the Empire, he is willing to bloody his hands. He was doing something that neither Shidou nor Tatsumi father dared to do. Oppose the empire. They, who were the adults, submitted to the Empire. They fought indirectly or avoided the Empire's influence, but neither stood up the millennial superpower. But Tatsumi was different.

Swallowing nervously, Shidou nodded.

"A-alright. I will give you the names and portraits of the three. I'll gather some information on their movements too. Tatsumi. This is all I can do, I'll leave the rest to you." Tatsumi nodded with a smile.

"Yeah. Leave it to me."

Najenda scanned over her nervous troops. Numbering at 500 men, this was the assault force that would overthrow the government of the city of Heliyx today. The city was less than half a mile away, and soon, their presence would be detected by the city guards. This wasn't her troops' first battle, but it was their first significant and critical mission, so no one could really blame them for being tense.

Najenda herself didn't feel anything sort of nervousness, but she did hold no small amount of curiosity. Yesterday, Tatsumi abruptly showed up in her camp again and suggested that they begin their rebellion the next day. When Najenda asked for details, Tatsumi only responded with:

"Everything is ready, all you have to do is walk in."

Normally, Najenda would've most definitely ignored him. But she was planning on rebelling within the next week anyways and her troops were ready, so she decided to see what Tatsumi had ready for them. Of course, she wasn't so naive as to blindly trust their eccentric 'ally', so she brought the majority of her troops while leaving behind a small message force that would deliver news of her defeat to the rest of the rebel army should she not return within a day.

Even if she falls into a trap and dies, the rebel army will live on. With that as assurance, she brought her troops to the gates of Heliyx. The city guards assembled the moment they came into view. Hundreds of bows and arrows were pointed towards them. Najenda narrowed her eyes. Did that boy trick me?

Her silent question was answered almost immediately by a loud. commanding voice.

"Stand down! Lower your weapons!" The voice bellowed. Reacting to the very familiar voice, the city guards all lowered their weapons. A figure walked out of the city and up to Najenda who was perched on a horse. Nothing about the man's appearance stood out. His buzz cut hair was black but the skin of his scalp made it look dark grey instead. His body shape was bulky, but not extremely buff. His height was average but he wore a uniform that represented his high ranking.

"Apologies for my tardiness. I am captain Gerald of the Heliyx city police force. Our city welcomes your presence, Commander Najenda." Najenda's eyes widened slightly.

"You know my name?" She asked. The man nodded with a small smile.

"Of course, we need to know who's in charge from today on after all. Nearly the entire city knows that the rebel army is coming and we welcome you with open arms." The man replied. Najenda was confused, extremely confused.

Last time she checked, the city wasn't that welcoming. It's true that there were a lot of supporters for their cause, but for the police force to support them too was extremely odd. After all, no matter how you spin it, rebels are opponents to public order and therefore enemies of the police.

In any case, her surprise comes after the rebellion. As long as they can successfully occupy the city, she can sleep easy.

"I see. In that case, please lead us to the city hall. I would be grateful if you could explain the situation too." The captain saluted and nodded.

"Of course. Follow me."

As they walked, Captain Gerald summarized the situation in the city.

The city of Heliyx was isolated geographically from the rest of the empire and therefore very difficult to manage from the capital. But it was a trade center and extremely wealthy, which means that Empire couldn't just ignore its presence like a smaller city. The greedy higher ups in the Empire's national government, in order to take gain whatever wealth they could get from the city, placed heavy taxes on the citizens and appointed a representative to oversee the situation in the city.

Due to the high taxes and corrupt representative, the citizens of the city suffered. Over 50% struggled to get by day to day, while those who were more wealthy clicked their tongues at the Empire who was clearly trying to siphon their hard earned money.

As time went on, the sentiment of the city became more and more anti-empire. They were basically a country by themselves beforehand, operating independently from the Empire, having little to no contact, and so the thought of succession became more and more attractive for the people of Heliyx.

Of course, they didn't dare to act on that because of the presence of the Empire's representative. The appointed official, Governor Bohr, was tasked of sending a status report once every month to the Empire. If he stops, that means something has happened to him. If it is discovered that the city has rebelled, the Empire would crush them in an instant.

The vast majority of the city knew this risk and therefore stayed quiet. The vocal minority was taken care of by Governor Bohr behind the scenes.

But recently, a ray of hope lit up the city. The presence of the rebel army was something that the citizens have prayed for years. Their presence was incredibly welcome, but people were still unable to shake their fear of being silenced should they speak up. This fear prevented them from voicing their support, while those who had more courage openly.

The event that changed everything was the mysterious death of Governor Bohr. His body, along with the bodies of his two cohorts. Was found in a carriage in the middle of a random street. The carriage driver didn't notice their deaths until they arrived at their destination, a pub in the middle of town. When his passengers didn't respond to his announcement of arrival, the carriage driver went into the carriage and found the bodies of the three slumped in their seats, a thin line of blood rolling down a slit in their throats.

The carriage driver was beyond shocked since he didn't hear a single thing despite being barely 2 meters from the passengers, separated by a thin curtain.

But once the initial shock past, a sense of relief and release filled his body and he began cheering. His cheers attracted the attention of passersby and soon, the happy news of Bohr's death spread throughout the city.

Unnoticed by everyone, a pair of piercing green eyes watched the situation from high above. Confirming the situation was progressing as he wanted, the shadow of the figure disappeared from the sky.

With the death of Bohr and the citizens of Heliyx began openly showing their support of the rebels, which is the situation that Najenda now found herself in. Riding down the streets on her horse, thousands of people were lined up on the sides of the roads, cheering for her on her way to the city hall.

And with this, the Heliyx Revolution, which would be marked down in history as the beginning of the greatest revolution in the history of the world, came to a relatively uneventful end.

At least, on the surface.

A month passed and the scheduled letter from Governor Bohr did not arrive at the Capital of the Empire. Noticing the oddity, the higher-ups of the empire conducted an investigation and found out about the rebel takeover in the city of Heliyx. This revelation pushed the higher-ups to take action immediately.

But with large portions of their troops allocated to fight in the conquest of Archana and the suppressing of the rebellion of the northern tribe, they were hesitant to send troops to the southwestern edge of the country.

And so, they decided to send in a single individual to deal with the resistance leaders before retaking the city with brute force.

An assassin raised to be a killing machine, one of the Empire's most dangerous trump cards. A young girl in her late teens. Night black hair, blood red eyes. Her role in the aftermath of the Heliyx Revolution would go completely unnoticed by the public and by history.

It was dawn, a month and a half after Najenda and her troops were warmly welcomed into Heliyx. Even though the sky was still rather dark, the streets were already busy with people walking around, grabbing breakfast or heading to work. The city was relaxed and still kinda sleepy, with nothing to fear and nothing to hide.

Which is why a hooded figure stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the streets. Akame frowned at the raised eyebrows she was receiving. Should I take the cloak off? It's supposed to make me blend in, but it's having the opposite effect. The chances that her appearance will be recognized inside a distant city like Heliyx is little to none, but there is still a risk. After debating her options, she made her decision and took off her hood. Her night-black hair glistened under the morning sun and she shook her head, feeling rather refreshed. She didn't dare take off her cloak entirely, since that would reveal the peculiar katana strapped to her waist.

First things first, identify my targets. My orders were to 'deal with the rebel leaders' and I got no information, so this might take a while. She thought to herself as she walked around, looking for a suitable inn. Her orders didn't contain a time limit, so she naturally assumed she had some time to research before doing anything, which all meant she'll be staying in the city for a while.

She wandered around the city, but couldn't find a suitable place to live. She wanted a place where her humble appearance wouldn't stand out, so high-class inns were out, which consequently wiped out 80% of the inns in this trade center of a city. She also wanted a place where people are relaxed and knowledgeable of the internal affairs, which went on to wipe out another 19% of her options. But for the sake of her mission, she kept on looking.

She searched the city for hours. It wasn't until late afternoon that she finally gave up and decided to just stay in a random inn for the time being. It was at this time that a voice called out to her.

"Hey, the black haired lady over there, you with the cloak." Akame immediately knew the voice was directed at her and she narrowed her eyes, her mind on full alert. She turned to look at the person who called out to her and evaluated him.

It was a teenager around her age. Brown hair, green eyes. He wore nice clothes, but not gaudy enough to make him look like a noble. He was taller than Akame by half ahead, his build was hidden under his clothes so Akame couldn't immediately evaluate his combat prowess.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Akame asked with a small frown. There was a minimal chance that this man was an enemy, but as an assassin, she must always be on guard. The man smiled and walked up to her.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Tatsumi. I've never seen you around here before, if you need help finding a place to stay, I can help." Akame's eyes widened slightly before narrowing.

"How do you know I'm looking for a place to stay?" Her hand slowly reached behind her, poised to draw her katana without looking too conspicuous. Tatsumi shrugged.

"I've been out here for some time now and you've passed by this area no less than three times already. That combined with your traveler's attire, I assumed you were looking for a palace to stay." Akame looked into his eyes for deception and saw none, so she relaxed and her hand fell by her side.

"I'm sorry, often times there are people who try to take advantage of my situation so please excuse my caution. My name is Akame and yes, I am having some trouble finding a place to stay." Tatsumi nodded with a small smile.

"There no need to apologize, nice to meet you Akame-san. I know my way around here pretty well, if there's some specific inn or environment you want, I'll try my best to get you there." Tatsumi offered with a smile. Akame returned the smile and nodded.

"If possible, I'd like somewhere then affordable and not too formal. If the people there are friendly, that'd be great too. Also, if possible, I'd like to find somewhere I can obtain information. I want to be updated on what's going on around the area." Akame took Tatsumi offer without reservation. Of course, she carefully worded her requirements so that none of them raised suspicion. Tatsumi nodded with a thoughtful face.

"Hmmm… if that's all, then Tazuna's tavern seems like the place. The rooms aren't luxurious, but it's clean and cheap. The owners are incredibly friendly and all rumors will pass through that place one way or another. The only downside is it's a bit rowdy and fights sometimes break out." Tatsumi recommended after some thought. Akame nodded, that sounded a lot better than the inns she's checked.

"It sounds perfect, where is it?" Tatsumi nodded and turned around.

"Follow me!" Tatsumi guided Akame to Tazuna's tavern, where Akame decided to settle down. She thanked him and he waved off her offer for repayment, opting for a small meal together. It was evening when they finally separated and Akame went back to her room. The bed was stiff and the blankets were thin, but Akame was perfectly fine with that. Her mind wandered to the young man that really helped her out and smiled.

She was unusually lucky today.

Tatsumi was unusually lucky today. While helping Sebastian with his shopping, he spotted a peculiar figure. It was a beautiful girl with night black hair and beautiful red eyes. Those eyes, Tatsumi will never forget those eyes. Immediately, Tatsumi raised his guard and narrowed his eyes at the girl.

She's from a few years back, part of the elite seven…. Akame was it? I expected the Empire to respond sometime soon, but instead of bringing in troops, they sent in an assassin instead? To Tatsumi, this was a hundred times more dangerous than if they just sent in a few hundred soldiers, simply because the skill difference was between the elite seven and common soldiers is like the sky and the earth. To deal with imperial troops, Tatsumi just had to take care of the commander and the rebel army will take care of the rest. But in this case, Najenda's protection fell on him.

In order to ensure the rebel's kept their promise of protecting the citizens, Tatsumi decided to stay in the city. After a month, Tatsumi confirmed that they were, in fact, doing as they promised and thought about leaving to return to his journey, but then Sebastian pointed out a small fact.

The empire wouldn't allow a major city like Heliyx to fall and stay under the control of rebels. They are bound to respond. And so, Tatsumi decided to stay a bit longer until all the rebel army troops all gather at the city.

And just as he feared, the Empire responded and in the worst way possible. What should I do? Lure her out of her city and fight her? Wait for her to take action against the rebel leaders and respond? Tatsumi had no doubts that Akame was after the rebel leaders. That's what assassins do.

Wait a minute. The empire shouldn't have any sort of information on Najenda, all the sources of information they had in this city was eliminated by me that night. In that case, Akame will definitely have to conduct her own investigation… A plan formulated inside of Tatsumi's mind. Half a battle is the preparation and Tatsumi had a significant advantage in that department. With a small smile, he sent Sebastian to continue shopping and went after the black haired girl.

After observing her for a few minutes, he realized her intentions. She went into an inn, and after a minute, came back out. A small frown marred her face and she headed off down the street. Tatsumi peeked into the inn and saw that it was a high-class hotel that is for wealthy merchants and traveling nobles.

He looked at Akame's figure disappearing into another hotel down the street and felt a hint of pity for the poor girl. She's going to be out here for a while. There are less than 5 low-class inns in the entirety of this city. "Ah." An idea hit him and he unintentionally let out a sound. This could be a good chance to keep an eye on the girl.

He rushed back to the shopping district where he found Sebastian picking out some meat from a friendly butcher. Sebastian noticed Tatsumi was back and respectfully asked for the reason.

"Sebastian, where's a decent, low-class inn where you can gather information?" Without asking why, Sebastian replied with the name, location, and services of Tazuna's tavern. Tatsumi nodded and thanked him before rushing off to the district where a Tazuna's tavern was. He sat at a nearby cafe, waiting for Akame. As he expected, she wandered by, but he didn't call out to her. As the day went on, Akame passed through the area again and again, finally, with the sun at the edge of the horizon, thinking it was about time, Tatsumi stepped up to Akame.

He treated this as their first meeting, which is technically true since the last time, Akame didn't know who Tatsumi was. He spun his words so that they hid his intentions without lying. Someone of Akame's caliber should easily be able to discern insincerity, so Tatsumi decided the best way to trick himself into an honest mindset is to treat Akame like a client. Having dealt with hundreds of requests from villagers and travelers, it was a simple task,

And it worked, Akame lowered her guard and asked him for help. Her request was like Tatsumi predicted. Just as I planned. Tatsumi thought with a smirk after separating from Akame at Tazuna's tavern.

Why would Tatsumi help Akame like that? There were quite a few reasons. First, he can now safely keep track of the information Akame receives, maybe even manipulate that information. He also knows where she resides, so he has an obvious information advantage. Finally, by establishing a friendly connection, he might be able to dig out some information from her.

I should go warn Najenda. With that thought in mind, he headed towards the city hall.

Akame strolled through the city with a small frown on her face. A week has passed and she wasn't making much progress. All she managed to find out was that the Empire's representative died the night before the rebel's marched into the city and that the takeover afterward was entirely without resistance.

She also managed to find out the name the rebel's commander - Najenda. But that was it. How did Governor Bohr die? Rumors were that he and two other men died soundlessly in a carriage. If that was true, then that means the rebels have a trained assassin in their forces. This makes Akame's job more difficult.

She released a small sigh, there were many things to worry about, but right now, she had to focus on her ongoing task.

Getting food.

The empire took care of her food and shelter, as well as her clothing and weapons as long as she performed her jobs properly. She honestly had no need for money. In the past, missions that required her to stay in one place for a long time always took place in a small to medium sized village. In that case, she traded in her abilities for food, like hunting for the village. But in a big city, that wasn't an option.

Akame inserted her hand into her pocket and poked around aimlessly, finding nothing but spare change. She pulled out everything and looked at her palm with blank eyes. There was just enough to buy a small loaf of stale bread. On queue, her stomach growled and she slumped over, a small rain cloud appearing over her head as she sulked.

"Akame-san? What's with the depressed look? Did something happen?" She looked up and met face to face with the young man that helped her find her inn a few days ago. His right eyebrow was raised with a questioning look on his face.

"Tatsumi-san, good evening. It's nothing, I'm just… in a bit of a pinch." Akame greeted politely. Tatsumi tilted his head until his eyes fell on the pitiful sight in her palms. An 'ah, I see…' look appeared on his face as he connected the dots.

"... If you're having trouble finding a job, I can help. But…" He looked up at the orange sky patched with black shadows. It was late into the afternoon, in a few hours, most shops would be closing and people would be on their way back home. A small growl resonated in the air and a Tatsumi smile a bit. "...how about we get you some food first?" There was a small pause.

"...Thanks."

Dinner was an interesting experience for Tatsumi. Akame's appetite defied all known laws of the universe and the amount of food she managed to consume completely blew away common sense. The empire must have a separate food budget for her alone. Tatsumi always wondered where all the tax money the Empire collected went to, he could kinda guess now.

Akame felt that it was too shameful to just leech off of Tatsumi's kindness, so naturally, she asked if there was anything she could do to repay her. Tatsumi responded with a shrug and replied, "Don't worry too much about it." To Tatsumi, the amount he spent was not even at the level of pocket change. But Akame insisted so he tapped his chin. "Just do me a favor later. I don't know what I'll have you do, but don't worry, it won't be anything morally wrong or dangerous." He said nonchalantly. Akame was a bit hesitant of agreeing to something as ambiguous as a favor, but nodded once he promised not to take advantage of the favor to do anything suspicious.

And so, after dinner, they wandered around the streets talking. They talked about their past, or in both cases, falsified pasts. Akame's story was that she came from a low-income family living in the capital, where she joined a merchants guild and became an apprentice. She was sent to Heliyx in order to search for business partners. Tatsumi told his story as the son of a wealthy family, spending his entire life in Heliyx.

Both stories were prepared beforehand in case anyone asks.

"Tatsumi-san, do you have any siblings?" Akame asked out of curiosity. Tatsumi shook his head.

"No, I am the only child… but I have two close friends who are like siblings to me." Tatsumi said fondly. Akame smiled at the look on Tatsumi's face. "What about you? Akame-san." Akame stopped walking all of a sudden. Tatsumi noticed and turned to look at her.

A pained expression was present on Akame's face. Tatsumi raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" He asked. Akame looked away, up into the sky that was rapidly approaching a state of darkness.

"...I have a little sister. She's… having some health problems and I'm really worried." She whispered only loud enough for Tatsumi to hear. … That little girl I saved a while back huh? He remembered the girl who had called Akame 'onee-chan'. That day in the tomb, after saving her and her friends from the gravekeepers, he followed them and kept an eye on them.

After reaching a safe spot, Akame's sister and her group had consumed small pills. That was either medication… or a drug. Tatsumi's eyes narrowed angrily at the thought, but quickly wiped his expression.

"Is there no cure?" Tatsumi inquired with concern. Akame closed her eyes and slowly shook her head.

"The more we try to fix it… the worst it gets." At this point, Tatsumi was sure of it. Withdrawal symptoms. Drugs huh?

Akame was telling him too much. She knew this. But she couldn't help it. The frustration and anxiety that's been building up ever since she learned of Kurome's physical dependence on doping pills finally had a chance to be released. But along with her worry, just a hint of anger also escaped.

"Even now, my sister is suffering, and yet I was sent to this faraway city… to make matters worse, my trusted friends whom I could entrust her safety to have been sent to war in a faraway land. They are all at risk, but I can't do anything… this powerlessness, I hate it." She ranted bitterly. Without even thinking about it, her anger towards the empire had slipped out. Even though she herself was not aware of what she was implying, Tatsumi caught on. His eyes widened and he stopped walking.

Akame who didn't notice until a few steps later turned around confused. She saw the look of shock on Tatsumi face and an apologized. "Sorry, I bet you didn't want to hear me complain." Tatsumi shook his head once he snapped out of his trance.

"No, no, I was just… saddened by your situation. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't be afraid to ask." Tatsumi covered up quickly. Akame nodded with a thankful smile and they continued walking.

"Tatsumi-san, can I ask you something?" Akame suddenly asked. Tatsumi nodded. "Recently, I heard that an insurgency occurred in this city. What happened?" Tatsumi smiled slightly.

"An insurgency group by the name of the rebel army has taken over the city government. But don't worry, if anything, that's a good thing." Tatsumi replied. Akame tilted her head.

"A good thing? Why?" Tatsumi pointed at a nearby stall.

"Before the insurgency, a representative from the capital frequently abused his powers to impose heavy taxes on the people. Despite the obvious corruption, no one dared to speak up against him. That is, until he was found dead in a carriage. The day after, the rebel army marched into the city and was welcomed with open arms. Ever since, business has thrived, poverty decreased, and the ever-present unease has disappeared." Tatsumi said happily. Akame narrowed her eyes at one piece of information Tatsumi had leaked.

"Found dead in a carriage? What happened to him?" A small smile appeared on Tatsumi's lips, one that went unnoticed. He tapped his chin and made a face as if thinking.

"From what I've heard, his body was found dead in the back of a carriage along with two other corrupt officials. All three have died mysteriously without signs of being attacked. The driver of the carriage also said that he didn't hear anything on the trip. I'm not sure what could've killed them. Divine intervention maybe?" Tatsumi joked. Akame frowned. Without visible wounds? That would mean there is a high chance he was poisoned… If what Tatsumi said was true, then it's more likely that the deed was done by a government official who secretly supported the rebels. She decided to leave the deducing for later and turned to Tatsumi with a small smile.

"If Tatsumi-san is saying it's a good thing, then I guess I was worried for nothing. Out of curiosity, who's the leader of the rebels? I would love to meet her once." She asked naturally. Tatsumi nodded.

"The commander of the rebel army is commander Najenda. As for her appearance… ah right, the day after tomorrow, she'll be performing a public speech in the park at the center of the city." Tatsumi informed with a smile. "If you're interested… you should come." He said. Akame nodded happily at the chance.

Blinded by the new information, the dangerous glint in Tatsumi's eyes and edge in his voice went unnoticed.

On the day of Najenda's speech, hundreds of people gathered at the city park located at the center of the city. The park was a work of art. Brick paved paths went around the roughly 2 square mile area. A large lake covered a large area of the western side and a fountain could be found at the center of the park. The park was decorated with plants, flowers, trees and was a paradise in a busy city like Heliyx. Najenda's speech took place in a large opening near the eastern edge of the park where a small hill overlooked a large grassy area.

Her speech mainly covered her agenda for the city and the goal of the rebel army. Her natural charisma, combined with her passion and noble goal of fighting against corruption enamored the audience. Her voice wasn't loud, yet it reached the ears of everybody who gathered there as clear as the morning air.

Among the audience stood a young pair. Tatsumi had brought Akame to listen to Najenda's speech as per her request and they both attentively listened to the speech. A small smile appeared on Tatsumi's face at the end for two reasons. First, he was glad that his home was in good hands. He didn't sense alternative motives behind Najenda's words, nor did they seem false. She was willing to give her life for the cause, and a woman whom Tatsumi could trust. The other reason was the girl beside him.

He flashed back to the conversation he had with Najenda a few days ago.

"An assassin sent by the empire? Are you certain?" Najenda asked with a frown. Tatsumi nodded.

"Without a doubt." He replied with certainty. Najenda narrowed her eyes.

"And how can you be so sure?" Tatsumi closed his eyes.

"I have my ways. Instead of interrogating me, how should we deal with her?" Tatsumi asked while forcefully diverting the conversation away from him. Najenda sighed at Tatsumi's evasiveness but nodded.

"How strong is she?" Najenda inquired.

"Probably my level." Tatsumi said. Through Yoshiro's updates, Tatsumi was certain that the members of the elite seven could go toe to toe with him in upfront combat. Akame especially. Najenda frowned at his statement.

"In that case, there's no one in our forces right now that could match her. It will take at least another month for the main forces of our army to gather here. Do you think she'll make a move before then?" Tatsumi shook his head.

"It's hard to say. Most likely, she received orders to take down the leaders of the rebels, but no information on who the leaders were. Even if that's the case, unless you cease interactions with the public, she'll found out who you are within weeks. From there, it's a simple matter to take your life." Najenda crossed her arms and the tapping of a finger against metal resounded in the room. There was no way she could cease interactions with the public. She had the duty of informing the citizens of her plans and there's a high chance of distrust and suspicion arising if she stops. There's also no way she could bring an army with her everywhere, and from what she's seen, ten guards was not nearly enough to stop someone of Tatsumi's caliber.

"This is troubling…" Najenda whispered. She looked up at Tatsumi and saw a glint in his eyes. She raised an eyebrow. "So? What do you propose? You have a plan don't you?"

"I'm the only one who can protect you from her. So all we have to do is bait a confrontation between you and her. I'll purposely give her information on you and once she ascertains your appearance and identity, we'll lead her out of the city and confront her there. Even if we can't kill her, we can drive her off. By the time she reports back to the empire and a larger force is sent, the main forces of the rebels would already be here." Najenda sent him a baffled look.

"You're either very brave or very stupid, proposing to use me as bait in front of me." Najenda said without anger, just pure surprise. Tatsumi smiled.

"And that's why she'll never expect it either."

In the end, Najenda agreed without an alternative option. Everything since has gone more or less according to plan, except for one small detail.

Akame herself.

While listening to Najenda's speech, a conflicted look appeared on her face. For the first time in a year, she began consciously questioning the empire. Najenda's passionate speech, the cheers of support from the people. They brought flashbacks to the experiences she had when she was captured by the Oarburgh clan. Her suffering sister, the anti-empire sentiment of the public, the empire's power abuse, all of these were revealed to her back then. Yet she turned a blind eye, after all, these were all shown to her by her 'enemy'.

But this time… those same truths were shown to her by a 'friend'. Tatsumi who helped her assimilate into the city without knowing her hidden motives held that same sentiment.

Because of that, she, for the first time, began consciously doubting the empire.

Tatsumi noticed that look and clenched his fists. The idle question that popped into his head the other day received a definitive answer. This girl can be saved.

Akame was an assassin of the empire. Her objective is to kill Najenda. Therefore, she was Tatsumi's enemy.

But at the same time, she was a victim of the empire. Raised as a weapon for the empire, she was bound by the Empire's teachings. But now, there was a chance to free her.

If she was willing to open her eyes to the truth, then Tatsumi will help her. If she looks away and ignores the conflict in her heart, then Tatsumi will be the one to end her life.

Conflict and resolve. The two people who held those polar opposite sentiments clashed under the cloak of darkness a day later.

Akame hopped swiftly and silently from roof to roof under the dim moonlight. Her shadow was a blur and her presence was suppressed to a minimum. Her eyes were fixed on the carriage that was moving swiftly through the empty streets of Heliyx. Her red eyes narrowed and her form disappeared once again.

Najenda's eyes casually looked towards the spot where Akame last stood. Her focus dropped from the rooftops to the nearby alley where a figure stood with his back against the wall. Tatsumi tilted his head upward and smiled when he spotted a blur.

Slowly, the carriage carrying Najenda crossed the city towards the hills southeast. The destination was a small rebel army camp… or at least that's what it looks like. It was an empty camp set up in order to sell the story that 'Najenda is checking on her troops that have been positioned southeast of the city'. This story was full of holes if one looked closely, yet Akame fell for it brilliantly. Partially because it's barely 24 hours since she first discovered her target, and suddenly a perfect assassination opportunity appeared, she didn't have nearly enough time to investigate the situation. The other part was her inner turmoil. She kept a calm appearance, yet a storm of confusion was raging inside her heart. She doubted the empire. She questioned her doubt. She desperately wanted to clear up her head and her mission was in the way. This subconscious sentiment drove her right into the trap hastily set out before her.

But years of devilish training and dozens of mission have hammered professionalism into her. Despite making the mistake of choosing to attack the target hastily, the attack itself was carried out with deadly perfection. She stealthily followed the carriage out of the city. If Najenda wasn't aware of her presence and consciously searched for her, there was no way Akame would've been detected. Akame waited, like a panther poised to attack her prey, she looked for an opening. Soon, the carriage passed through a small piece of forestry right outside of the camp.

The dim moonlight disappeared under the cover of black clouds and the world was engulfed with darkness for an instant.

In that instant. Akame slit the throat of her target.

In the pitch black carriage, Akame's katana released an ominous aura, one that radiated death. One-cut Killer - Murasame pulsed as if angered by the fact that it was unable to taste the blood of its target.

Najenda lowered the metal prosthetic arm that she used to block Akame's attack and landed a kick on Akame's abdomen. Both of them flew out of the carriage and landed on opposite sides of the road. With the sound of carriage walls shattering, the carriage driver quickly urged the horse on and swiftly left the scene, leaving both women in the forest with scraps of shattered wood between them.

"Who are you!?" Najenda roared. Without responding, Akame lifted her sword to her face and pointed it straight at her target. Her eyes narrowed and a wave of killing intent washed over Najenda.

"Eliminate." Akame declared coldly before lowering her center of gravity ready to dash. Suddenly, her senses began blaring in warning and she rolled forward. A blade passed over her head, shaving off strands of hair. She rolled onto her feet and turned around to face the assailant when she felt a force strike the back of her head.

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened, releasing a silent scream. Her vision blurred but her years of training allowed her to barely retain consciousness. Her muddled mind barely registered the signs of movement and she lifted her katana to block the death that rapidly approached her. The impact sent her sliding back several meters, but the attacker was not so kind as to give her time to recover, instantly appearing next to her and a flurry of strikes rained down on the disoriented Akame.

Each strike had enough strength to send tremors through Akame's body. In the first place, Akame's build wasn't fit for blocking, which is why she honed her parrying skills to the peak, yet in her current state, she was completely unable to bring out her technique. Her mind was wavering on the border of consciousness and she struggled to regain equal ground.

A strong force struck her blade and her arms flew up, exposing her flank. She felt a force approaching her exposed stomach and she reacted. The quiet sound of flesh ripping was completely covered by the impact that was blocked by Akame's knee. Murasame glinted under a ray of moonlight and attacked the assailant who hopped back and stopped their onslaught.

Akame took a deep breath to slow her breathing and licked the open wound at the corner of her mouth, the taste of fresh blood and iron filling her mouth. The sharp pain from biting her lip open was enough to clear her head. With her mind now in perfect order, she glared at the attacker only for her mind to cloud once again with shock.

His brown hair swaying in the wind, his light green eyes looked at Akame impassively. With a beautiful steel sword hanging from his right hand, Tatsumi stood in a relaxed stance in front of Akame.

"T-Tatsumi?!" Akame involuntarily exclaimed in surprise. It never crossed her mind that Tatsumi would become her opponent, after all, it was him who provided her with most of her information. Unless… he did it on purpose to bait me?! How did he know I was an assassin?! Akame glared at her benefactor and dropped into a stance.

Tatsumi silently evaluated Akame, more specifically, her sword. That sword is dangerous… He could tell that much just from the ominous aura it was expelling.

"Tatsumi, be careful. That katana is special. One-cut Killer - Murasame. Living up to its title, a single cut means instant death." Najenda informed. Being a former general of the empire, she instantly recognized the infamous one-cut killer. Akame had bolted towards Najenda the moment she realized Najenda was about to give away information on her weapon, but Tatsumi had intercepted her beautifully.

Their blades clashed, each strike deflected or parried at nauseating speeds. Their blades flowed from one moment to another, not stopping nor locking for even an instant. Occasionally, a punch or kick would shoot out towards an opening, only to be blocked by an elbow or a knee. They appeared to be equal, but Akame knew the truth.

Tatsumi bent back and watched as the cursed blade cruise by. His blade drew an arc towards Akame's side, too fast for her to fully dodge, leaving a small cut on the side of her waist as she hopped back. Looking at the two sides, Akame was seemingly in tatters, with various cuts around her body while Tatsumi was without a single wound, yet to the two of them, the eventual outcome was obvious.

I'm getting closer. Akame thought to herself as she ignored the minor wounds and dropped back into her stance. Tatsumi's attacks were unable to leave any lasting effects while a single cut from Akame would be the end of him. Not to mention Akames uncanny ability to adapt to her opponent's style. The longer they fought, the more dangerous it becomes for Tatsumi. Eventually, they will reach a point where one misstep from Tatsumi will result in his death.

Yet the man himself didn't show any hints of fear or anxiety. There was no need.

The battle will end before they reach that point.

"Akame. Am I your enemy?" It wasn't a claim of friendship, it was a question. Akame narrowed her eyes.

"If you aren't an enemy, then why did you attack me?" She retorted. Tatsumi, without pause, answered.

"To defend Najenda." Akame frowned and her glare sharpened.

"Then that makes you my enemy." And then she lunged forward. Tatsumi fell onto the defensive and began deflected each and every strike with even greater proficiency than before. Even while facing the threat of instant death, he spoke with an eerie calmness.

"Why are we fighting?" He asked. Because you are defending my target. Akame didn't voice her response to his question and continued her assault. Her slashes became more fierce, her attacks more precise, aiming at each and every opening she saw, yet without fail, Tatsumi deflected them all.

"Why did you attack Najenda?" Because those were my orders. As her assault continued, Akame became faster, more erratic, her sword shot towards the cracks in Tatsumi's style. All her past opponents lost for this reason. She saw through them.

Yet she couldn't kill Tatsumi simply because he was faster.

"Who are you fighting for?" The Em...pire? Akames movements froze for a moment and Tatsumi hopped back a few steps. She noticed her blunder and engaged, but her momentum was completely gone.

"Why are you fighting for the Empire? For the corrupt higher-ups who oppress the commoners? For the cruel system that separated you and your sister and forced her into the drug dependent state she is in now? For the evil that throws your friends onto the battlefield and pits you against your guilty conscience?" Her eyes widened and she gripped her katana with trembling arms.

"H-how do you know what happened to my sister?" Akame only ever told him that she had a sister and her sister had health issues, how did Tatsumi know that they were separated forcefully by the empire and she's heavily dependent on booster drugs? Tatsumi frowned.

"You became an adult the moment you took your first life. Isn't it about time you looked at the world with your own eyes and made your own decisions? Akame, open your eyes, the Empire is not what you think it is." He said. She froze.

She heard those words year ago, in depths of the tomb of the first emperor, surrounded by death and combat, covered in wounds. A mysterious figure, the one that saved Guy and precious sister, spoke those words to her. Words that planted a seed of doubt within her heart, one that grew, one that would sprout on this day.

"Y-you're that…" She felt a force strike the back of her head and her knees buckled. The fatigue from the long battle and mental stress that has piled up dragged her into the embrace of darkness. Through her blurry vision, she saw Tatsumi's lips move.

'Rest.'

Akame woke up in a daze. Her head pounded and her neck ached, but she managed to force her attention to her surroundings. The roof she woke up to was unfamiliar and the bed was uncomfortably nice. The room was large and spacious, with high-class decorations and sorted neatly. The first thing she did was grasp for her weapon that she kept at her bedside at all times, but as expected, it wasn't there.

Her eyes narrowed and she scanned her memories. The last thing she remembered was the fight against Tatsumi and getting knocked out like a light. She's been disarmed so without a doubt she's been captured.

"But what type of captive can sleep in such a nice bed?" She mumbled to herself. There were so many contradictions in Tatsumi's actions that the more she tried to decipher his motives, the more confused she got. I'll think about it after I get out of here. She scanned the room for traps, but saw none. Her eyes settled on the glass windows just to her left.

I have been captured right? She couldn't but think that with a small sweatdrop. While she was debating on whether she should just break the glass and hop out the window, the door opened.

"Good morning." She snapped her head to the familiar voice and met eye to eye with Tatsumi. He held a tray in his hands with two small teacups. Nonchalantly, without fear nor worry, he carried the tray to her bedside, pulled up a chair, and sat down. "Help yourself." He offered while picking up a teacup and began sipping at its contents.

"... What is going on?" Akame mumbled with confusion. Tatsumi smiled and shrugged.

"After I knocked you out last night, I carried you to my home. Of course, your teigu is in my possession and escaping from me without a weapon wouldn't be easy, s don't try it. For now, have some tea. I can guarantee its taste." He offered while pushing the other cup towards Akame. She picked up the cup and looked at it suspiciously. Tatsumi shook his head.

"I didn't poison it or anything, it's not like any type of poison I could get my hands on would have any on you." Akame's eyes widened. He knew about their poison resistance too? She looked at Tatsumi with wonder.

"Who are you?" She asked. Tatsumi raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Tatsumi?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously, slightly ticked off by his stupid answer.

"Why did you help us all those years back if you are working for the rebels? How do you know so much about us? About me? Why would you-" She feverishly shot out a barrage of questions and Tatsumi cut her off with a hand raise.

"I am not your enemy, nor am I the enemy of the Elite Seven." Tatsumi stated. "I have only one enemy. The Empire." Akame clenched her fists and glared at Tatsumi.

"Then you are an en-"

"Wake up already!" Tatsumi shouted. Akame instinctively jerked back at the sudden voice. Her voice lost under the pressure Tatsumi exerted.

"Why? Why is the enemy of the empire your enemy? Why would you willingly represent the Empire after everything they've done to you?! To your friends and family?! To the people of this country and those of other countries?!" Tatsumi shouted at her. Her mouth opened and she responded weakly.

"B-because those were my or-" Tatsumi threw his teacup onto the ground, the sharp sound the delicate ceramic cup shattering on the ground echoed through the room. He tightly grasped onto Akame's shoulders and looked her dead in the eye.

"Do you not have a will of your own?" His voice was a low whisper, yet to Akame's ears, it was even louder than the cup shattering. "The orders you received from the empire that forced suffering upon your sister, the orders that drenched your hands with the blood of the innocent, why do you still listen to those orders?" Akames shaky right hand caught her trembling left arm. His words were like blades that forced their way into her brain, cutting at her conscience, her logic, her emotions.

"I-I-I." She stuttered while looking into Tatsumi's eyes. Tatsumi's grip tightened to the point they started causing pain, yet she wasn't able to will herself to break free from his grasp, nor his gaze.

"I… I don't know…" Her whisper was a cry for help, a desperate plea for an answer. Tatsumi's grip loosened and he backed off. Akame looked up at him with confusion.

"If you don't know, then I'll teach you. Akame, it's time you broke free from the chains the Empire had placed on you. If you wish for it, I will show you a new way. A new path you could walk. I'll give you time to sort out your thoughts. " Tatsumi said before ending with a small smile and stood up. He opened the door to the hallway and turned his head back with a small smile. "Lunch is in an hour."

The the door closed behind Tatsumi and Akame was left alone in the room.

"... I was completely caught up in his pace…" She mumbled as she wiped her eyes free of some moisture. She suspected Tatsumi had placed her under some sort of mental manipulation, but for some reason, she didn't believe that. The look in Tatsumi's eyes held a hint of desperation, the same look as someone who was watching a stranger drown in the ocean.

She couldn't find faults in his arguments, if anything, she found numerous holes in her own. The empire that separated her precious sister from her. The look of agony on Kurome's face as she underwent withdrawal. Year by year, Akame watched as the drug slowly drained the life out of Kurome's eyes. The energy and brightness in Kurome's eyes that Akame had vowed to protect, they were slowly being consumed.

It was all because of the empire.

Without her knowing, her nails had dug into her palm, drawing a small bit of blood. The jolt of pain broke Akame out of her thoughts and she stared at her bleeding hand.

How much blood was on her hands? How many lives had she taken? How many of those lives were innocent, victims of injustice?

I will show you a new way. A new path you could follow. She smudged the blood that was on her hands and closed her eyes. When they opened, a new light resided in them.

The light of resolve.

Hello everybody, BzS here.

Hope you all enjoyed today's chapter. I thought it would be interesting to have Tatsumi play a larger role in setting things up and so the idea for this chapter came to mind.

Thank you all for your continued support!