Hello everyone ^^
Welcome each and every one of you to my story and thanks for taking the time to read my first fanfic!
Just a bit of a heads up, this story will feature a original storyline and therefore many things will be different from the original anime/manga. This may include events, places and even character relationships.
Also just wanted to point out that this fanfic will feature Akame and Tatsumi as a romantic pairing.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy !
Disclaimer: I do not own Akame Ga Kiru.
Chapter 1: Beginning life in Another World
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The sound that signaled the end of classes was like music to Tatsumi's ears. For the first time since the lesson had began, everyone was finally on the same page as they packed their bags in unison, each as eager as the next to leave this hel...classroom.
Of course there were those that actually had a respectable reason for the rush such as attending their after school club activities or perhaps to rush off for their part-time jobs. Tatsumi was neither...unless you counted the going home club as one. If there was one however, the brunette was fairly sure he would be in the running for the club president seeing as he was almost always the first to leave.
Today felt no different as Tatsumi sprinted past the school gates like a Olympic world medalist, being leaps and bounds ahead of the person in second place. The fact that he had little to no friends also helped as he didn't need to go through the usual pleasantries of saying "Goodbye, see you tomorrow" to anyone along the way.
So how exactly did someone as antisocial as himself spend his time off?
To put it simply, Tatsumi was a gamer...and a hardcore one at that which was precisely why the young man ran with such purposeful steps to what was essentially his second home.
The convenience store!
Not only did that fantastic haven offer nutritious meals that a terrible cook like himself could never hope to replicate, but it also sold cash cards which could be converted to online currency for a game that basically dominated Tatsumi's life for the past year.
Revolution of the Danger Beasts
That was the name of a game that released in May last year. As the title implies, the entire premise of the online MMORPG basically revolved around a world where numerous species of monsters (AKA Danger beasts), with powers that clearly exceeded those of the ordinary citizen, started coming into existence following a strange eclipse. With humanity pushed to the brink, Heroes (AKA real life players) were supposed to appear hence setting the backstory for the start of the game. Initially, Tatsumi had been just as skeptical as the next about a game that sounded ridiculously cliche. Fortunately, Tatsumi had given the game a shot against his better judgement at the time despite it's hefty price, and boy was he glad he did.
Despite the game's rocky entrance into the industry as well as lackluster advertisement, it's player base skyrocketed since it's release once the general gaming public were exposed to it. One could tell that the development team was nothing short of fantastic, as the game constantly received new content and updates. It's main story line was still going strong and the diversity in what the players could do was almost endless. The spectrum of skills also seemed endless as evident with the lack of comprehensive guides available on the internet as people had yet to discover enough.
The world building was of course nothing short of superb as well. Even Tatsumi who had been around since it's beta stages had yet to fully explore the many different areas available to the player base due to it's constant expansion.
There was simply an endless supply of things one could do in variety to the point where players in different professions almost felt like they were playing different games.
For example, Tatsumi's character is an extremely skilled cyromancer who was well versed in both ice magic and the one handed sword style. Yet despite having vast experience in those two classes, his knowledge and skill in another trade such as...weapon and armor crafting was below that of the average blacksmith. Heck forget blacksmithing, his knowledge was terrible even when it came to any other forms of magic such as pyrokinesis. So if one wanted to truly master every aspect of the game...well it was nearly impossible but it was precisely because of this that made the game so intriguing. Everyone was unique and there was always something new to do.
"I wonder if anyone else can use Ice magic." The young man muttered to himself as he turned made a left turn on the street, a familiar sign that read "convenience store" was already gradually coming into view.
He didn't mean to brag but thanks to his hard work and dedication, he was currently the only one in the game who could use ice magic, something that was awarded to him by the developers for being the first to reach the highest level of water magic currently available. In fact, Tatsumi was amongst the highest ranking of players in the game, with his exploits reaching even the ears of recently joined players. Somehow, he even earned himself a title "The Ice Prince". Such was the benefits of being awarded a secret/unique class.
Still, with the way that the game has been thriving, Tatsumi was almost certain that the developers would release a level cap increase in the upcoming patch.
If he intended to stay on top, he would need to work hard on top of getting every advantage available to him. In order to do that, he was going to need some more online currency!
"Welcome! Oh? If it isn't Tatsumi again?"
"Hey Yuuto? Hows business today?" Being a frequent customer, Tatsumi was on fairly friendly terms with the store manager especially since he also played the same game.
"Not the busiest day, but a decent amount of sales. You also here for the usual?"
"Yup, a man's got to eat after all!" Strolling down the aisle, Tatsumi grabbed various snacks, bento boxes and drinks with practiced movements, making sure he had enough to last the next few days. Finally, he grabbed a hefty stack of gaming cash cards before unloading all the goods onto the counter for purchase.
"Hmmm? You're purchasing more cards than usual today huh?" Yuuto inquired more out of curiosity than surprise, knowing full well that he was talking to a big spender. "Is there any particular reason?"
"Yup, they released a new Gacha today filled with some pretty good gear and items!"
"But...isn't this a little bit excessive just for one gacha? We are talking thirty thousand yen here."
"Tskk Tsk, Yuuto, don't you know that this gacha has some unique items in it? That means, once someone gets it, no one else will be able to!"
Tatsumi dug his smartphone out before swiftly navigating through the menus. You see, Revolution of the Danger Beasts released a mobile app a little over a week ago. Although one couldn't play the MMORPG on it the same way you could on a computer, it was still a handy tool for viewing patch notes and chatting with fellow players via messenger. Furthermore, players could also conduct simple exploration missions using their characters through the app, allowing for experience gain even whilst away from the computer.
Most importantly though...
"You can roll gachas anytime you want through the app! You even get one free spin everyday! And..." With excitement that he could barely contain openly reflecting in his sparkling emerald eyes, Tatsumi rambled on and on to the only other occupant within the shop. Yuuto had long since finished scanning his products and was currently in the process of waiting for payment but ultimately knew there was no stopping his monologue once it started.
"And that's why you should get the app downloaded too!"
"Hahah alright alright, I'll get it down tonight but let us not forget that you need to pay."
"Oops, sorry about that!" Tatsumi gave an awkward laugh before handing over a considerable wad of bank notes. "You don't mind if I scratch these cards before going right?"
"Not at all, although you could give me some rare items as thanks for letting you use my table and chair all the time."
"Hahah, you wish Yuuto."
Night had fallen by the time Tatsumi had converted all his cash codes into usable funds on his online account as indicated by the hefty sum of "Jewels" (name of the virtual currency in game) on the top right of his mobile screen.
"With this amount, I can buy at least 3 stacks of the latest gacha. There's no way I'm not getting one of those rare items!" Tatsumi was feeling as giddy as a kid in a candy store, barely managing to prevent himself from standing up and fist bumping the air.
Despite being a veteran, the young man was still just as eager to open gacha as he was when he first started. It was just so exhilarating to see what type of unknown items he could draw from luck alone...either that or he was just an addicted gambler.
"Alrighty, I'm heading back for today Yuuto. Take care!"
After giving his watch a quick glance, Tatsumi bid his friend farewell before beginning his trek home. He did want to spend at least a few hours in game before heading to bed for the night so it was best to get back to his humble abroad as soon as possible especially with the way his stomach was grumbling.
Outside, Tatsumi was greeted by a wave of refreshing yet bone chilling air that sent a few shivers down his spine causing the young man to hug his school blazer closer as he quickened his pace.
Taking the appropriate turns at each intersection, it wasn't long before he arrived at his apartment door. Thanks to his near numb fingers from the cold, Tatsumi had a rather difficult time fumbling with the keys. Which was exactly why he wasted no time turning on the heater once he finally made it inside his two room apartment.
"First thing is first, let's get the food microwaved."
While he was waiting for the food to warm up, Tatsumi finished the rest of his routine by unloading his bag and coat in their usual places at the front door. After taking a quick hot shower, he passed by the kitchen and made his way to the living room sofa with a bento box and warm beverage in hand.
"This is what I've been looking forward to all day!"
Whilst stuffing his face full of food, the brunette multi-tasked by opening his newly acquired gacha boxes via the phone app. To be completely honest, gacha was fairly expensive considering it had nothing more than virtual value in game. After all, it did cost 1000 yen for a single roll and 10000 yen for 11 rolls which meant that even with everything he spent this afternoon. It still only equated to 33 rolls all up.
Furthermore, the chances of getting something from the highest rarity bracket was only about 0.5%. Items of this caliber (SSS-tier) were often unique items that could only be obtained once by the first player who draws it.
"Good, it doesn't seem like anyone has gotten a single one yet."
The game's official website always kept live tracking of the statistics from the latest gacha for the unique items, which allowed players to know if there was still any chance of getting them.
Of course, items below SSS were still good, for instance tier SS often contained extremely strong and useful outfits, gear and magic items that could either be used to extreme effect in their respective professions or be sold on the market to other people for a substantial amount of gold.
Additionally, around 20% of the goods dropped were only obtainable through gacha or special events in game. So it definitely had its merits despite costing an arm and a leg and was probably the main reason why most couldn't escape this gambling addiction.
"Come on lady luck, help me out!"
With that said, Tatsumi began opening the gachas one by one.
You have obtained HP potion!
"..."
You have obtained Gear enhancement stone!
"..."
You have obtained cosmetic chat bubble type A!
"..."
You have obtained clothing Dye!
"Err..."
Although initially going into this with high hopes, Tatsumi was now gradually getting more and more disheartened with the contents of each box revealing items from the lowest tier. In fact these were all items that he could get relatively easily in game at a pretty small cost.
Unfortunately the trend didn't stop as he opened a majority of the rest, each yielding something equally as disappointing as the last.
Eventually only 5 more boxes remained.
"Hmmm, looks like I'll have to pay Yuuto another visit tomorrow after school." Heaving a small sigh, Tatsumi glanced at his mobile screen sadly before giving himself a light slap on the cheek. "No! It's not over until all of them are opened!"
Now adorning a look of pure determination, Tatsumi gave his smartphone a strong tap on the virtual button.
Are you sure you would like to open the remaining boxes all at once? Yes/No (5 boxes remaining)
"Why not? What's the worst that could happen?"
Beep!
His wristwatch struck midnight right as he clicked yes before a blinding white light enveloped the room.
00:00
Blinking a few times to adjust his vision, Tatsumi gradually lowered his arms after releasing that the bright light had faded. Naturally he had expected to find himself nestled comfortably in his sofa like he was just a few seconds ago. Instead, he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
Judging by the intricate designs that filled his vision like a painting and fancy chandelier lights that Tatsumi had never seen before, he was definitely not in his home. In fact, he couldn't think of a single place of the top of his head that matched such a design. The young man would have continued to survey his surroundings had he not heard a purposeful cough coming from not so far away.
"I'm sorry about the rather uncomfortable condition we have placed you in. I personally would have preferred to provide a comfortable armchair for each of you to sit in but alas, our control of summoning magic is rather poor so please accept my deepest apologies."
Tatsumi groaned as he picked himself off the floor, stretching his muscles in the process out of habit. His mind however was focused on something else since he did manage to catch a few words that bothered him to no end.
'Summoning magic? Don't tell me!' His thoughts had merely arrived at a guess, but it did little to quell his anxiety. The sudden revelation jolted his mind wide awake, and it was then that he released that there were two unfamiliar individuals next to him.
"On behalf of everyone in the Empire, I would like to express my warmest welcome to each one of you. I am Emporer Makoto but there is no need for pleasantries."
There sitting on a throne atop a number of stairs was a young boy with green shoulder length hair. Although young in appearance, his green eyes radiated a certain powerful aura unlike any his age. Moreover his attire that consisted of a purple outfit with white boots and a mantle complete with a large headdress of matching colors further emphasized the fact that he was of no ordinary status.
Regardless of the fancy setup however, Tatsumi still had trouble believing that someone who looked considerably younger than himself sat at the top of society. If his idea of emperor, which stemmed from extremely reliable sources such as anime and manga, was anything like what it was here, then it was safe to assume this country ran on a monarchy system meaning the ruler had absolute power. For someone whose word is law, it was critical to be extremely knowledgeable of the country's state of affairs in order to create a peaceful environment for it's citizens.
Taxation, nobles, royal factions...these were just a few potential problems that Tatsumi could think of at the top of his head. Of course, he was kind of pulling these theories from his backside considering his oh-so-respectable day time job as a college student.
Tatsumi could only hope that the kid knew what he was doing or...he might have just somehow ended up in the middle of a huge mess.
"I am sure the three of you are just as confused as each other so please allow me to explain the current situation. I do not wish to waste everyone's time by explaining in a roundabout fashion, so I will strive to be as blunt and concise as possible." The emperor began before giving each of the trio a steady gaze before moving onto the next, as though silently asking each of them to prepare what was to come. "The three of you have been summoned to our world as heroes in order to save our nation."
'Just as I had thought.' Narrowing his eyes, Tatsumi internally let out a gasp in favor of maintaining his outer facade. 'This isn't my world, but how exactly did I get summoned and why me out of all people? I mean I'm not the slowest runner in class, but still miles away from the first almost literally. Besides, are there more of these so called summoned heroes because 3 sounds a little conservative to be left up the task of saving the nation.'
Ultimately Tatsumi decided it would be best to ponder these thoughts at a later time, releasing it would be wiser and more efficient to listen to the emperor's explanation instead.
According to the young ruler, danger beasts are a species of creatures that are superior to your average citizen in terms of combat prowess but until now, these danger beasts have been weak enough for almost every adventurer/warrior to take down even with minimal training. Thus it was never an issue especially with the vast number of soldiers at the Empire's disposal despite their coexistence with humans spanning back to several centuries ago. However, as of late, the birth of far more powerful variants have begun with reports supposedly stating that dimensional portals have started appearing all over the world, serving as spawning points for said creatures to begin their rampage.
Already several towns have been destroyed around the area and the public safety of roads have slowly been on the decline causing the safe zones to be pushed closer and closer to the capital.
Deaths of adventurers and merchants have now gradually become a daily occurrence and such news have slowly seeped its poison into the hearts of those in the same trade. With the rapid decline of adventures and traveling merchants, the cost of goods and security have also gone up as many are unwilling to leave the haven that the city walls offered. Needless to say, this meant that the number of those that slept on the streets without a copper to their name also skyrocketed.
All in all, the conflict with these danger beasts have taken the form of a war of attrition, slowly depriving the empire of hope. With their backs gradually being pushed into what many considered a losing battle, the human race had no choice but to turn to otherworldly beings for aid, aka Heroes.
"I know that this is a very selfish request of mine, but I humbly ask your assistance in helping the Empire in it's fight against the danger beasts." The emperor's voice cracked in sadness as he lowered his head towards the heroes, a gesture that caused a slight uproar amongst the throne room. Naturally, it wasn't an everyday occurrence for the king to beg from someone so the shock from his loyal subjects came with no surprise. Yet Tatsumi found it slightly heartwarming that a leader with such authority was willing to throw away his pride for the lives of his citizens. "Please, I do not wish to see such suffering befall on my people. I do not wish to hear the name of another adventurer being buried. I do not wish to issue yet another letter to the home of another soldier informing them of the bad news."
But before Tatsumi could answer, another had beaten him to it, raising their voice without the slightest hint of restraint.
"I was slightly annoyed to find myself whisked to another world at first, but I totally understand your side of the story. If we really are these heroes that you speak of, then I'm more than happy to go and kick some monster butt. So don't sweat it kid!"
Once again the throne wall went into a slight uproar with the person in question having no idea why.
"Errr why is everyone being so agitated all of a sudden." A fairly muscular young man with blue hair adorning a simple attire that consisted of a grey jeans, dark blue boots and a white shirt complete with a blue leather jacket on top questioned with a almost comedic look.
"Are you being serious?" Tatsumi wasn't sure if he was trying to be funny or if he really was as stupid as he looks.
"Yes..." The strangers blue eyes widened as though shocked that he had somehow missed the point.
"You do know that is the emperor right?"
"And?"
"You called him a kid."
"Ohh..."
"Yes ohhh indeed." Tatsumi facepalmed, clearly baffled at the amount of spoon feeding he had to do for someone who looked about the same age. No offense, but if one of the three heroes had this kind of intelligence level, it might be time to throw in the towel and go home.
Instead of reacting like everyone else in the room however, the young emperor instead let out a burst of genuine laughter, obviously finding the situation very amusing.
"There really is something about people from another world, I like your attitude!" He continued as he slapped his hand against his thigh in joy. "Please, it would please me greatly if I could learn your names."
Tatsumi gave his fellow 'buddies' a glance and decided to go first seeing as the blue-haired boy still seemed caught in his confusion and the other seemed hellbent on remaining silent with his dont-talk-to-me-aura.
"Well your royal highness, I guess I shall kick things off if you don't mind." Tatsumi continued upon seeing the Emperor's friendly nod of approval. "My name is Tatsumi. I'm currently 18 years old and a full time college student."
Stepping back to allow for the next introduction, Tatsumi watched as the blue-haired boy took his place in front.
"Alrighty next is my turn your roy...errrr..." He began before giving Tatsumi a backwards glance.
'Are you kidding me with this guy?'
"royal highness."
"Yes your err... royal highness...My name is Wave and I'm 19. Back at home they used to call me a legendary fisherman! I should tell you about the time when..."
"Dude, I think we are supposed to give a short introduction and not present our life story." Tatsumi said as he pulled him back in line, giving off a rather audible sigh as he did.
"But I was just getting to the good part!"
"You can tell it to us later alright?"
"Yooooshaaaaa" Wave yelled with enthusiasm, feeling ecstatic that he would get to tell his heroic tale later.
"Well then, it's your turn friend." Tatsumi urged the final member, who had yet to utter a single word, to take their turn.
"Hehhh, I'm Syura." With that, the tall tanned man returned to his original position with a rather dangerous looking smirk.
"I-I-I see." The emperor coughed to regain his composure after seeing the rather weird last individual. "Then allow me to say this once again. Tatsumi, Wave and Syura, I extend my warmest welcome to you all for accepting my invitation, if you all don't mind I would like to present you each with a badge and an official title for the occasion."
With a click of his finger, three of his royal servants walked forward with a beautiful glass case that held a gleaming golden badge. A white and red shield was engraved on the middle on the otherwise golden badge with a red dragon encircling the design finished with what looked to be a platinum edge all around.
"This is the empire's insignia and a symbol of the highest honorary title that I as the Emperor can grant anyone." The green-haired ruler explained as he descended the red carpet steps towards them. "I hereby bestow upon the three of you the title of "Legendary Hero", guards will be informed of your status and will heed to your commands as long as it is within reason. I plan to formally announce your arrival in a few days once you have settled into the environment so that the public have the opportunity to praise your efforts. And lastly..."
"Oi! You wanted us to help the empire with your little problem right?" With his sudden outburst, all eyes with the room now focused their attention on Syura.
"That would be my wish yes." Although surprised, the emperor remained calm and answered truthfully.
"Surely you don't expect me to do this for free right?"
"That is correct. Once this ceremony is complete, the Prime Minister and I will guide you to the treasury where we will discuss your rewards in private."
"Very well and you better not be thinking of giving me some useless trash." Syura finished with an almost threatening tone before a smug grin replaced his evil features.
"We shall do our best to provide you with rewards that suit your desires."
With that said, the rest of the ceremony passed by with the emperor formally announcing their titles and personally attaching the badges to their attire.
To be honest, Tatsumi found the whole 'knighting-like' service immensely cool. For someone who never won any form of awards before in school or life in general, it wasn't hard to figure out why he was enjoying this occasion even if it all didn't feel real yet. Just the simple notion of being appreciated was enough to make him happy, as though he was doing something worthwhile.
True to his word, the emperor immediately guided the trio towards the treasury to discuss their rewards with Prime Minister in tow right after the procedure.
Tatsumi didn't like judging someone based on their appearance alone but there was something about Honest (the Prime Minister) that really irked him. Perhaps it was the sinister toothy grin that the round middle aged man with gray hair wore, or the off putting way he played with his long white beard. He just seemed to evoke a nasty aura especially with the way his yellow eyes fixed on someone, as though he was constantly plotting something. While Honest certainly dressed the part of someone in high end society, Tatsumi simply couldn't shake the feeling that the older man had failed to live up to his name far too many times to count.
The brunette could only hope that his paranoia was simply on overdrive and that Emperor had a good eye for company.
After many turns in the castle, which Tatsumi personally thought should be called a maze, the group of 5 finally arrived at a set of giant double doors. It was however, a little odd to see there being just two guards in front of a treasury especially since one would think that the nation's rarest valuables and riches would be stored here.
"These doors will only react to the magic signatures of myself, the prime minister and a select few high ranking officials charged specifically with it's maintenance and upkeep. Anyone else would never make a dent on them as they are crafted in a unique fashion." The Emperor said loud enough for the entire group to hear as though having read their confusion before placing his hands on said surface.
A large magic circle appeared in a flash before the large double doors slowly opened to reveal a long corridor beyond.
"Come, let us make haste." The young ruler beckoned, guiding the group onward.
The same security procedure repeated itself several times before they eventually came upon very large circular room that spiraled up towards the ceiling with what seemed to be an endless amount of floors. It reminded Tatsumi of one of those fancy household libraries in movies, except this one was much grander in comparison and was cylindrical in shape. Besides the first floor which appeared to be filled with mountains and mountains of gold and various types of gems. The floors beyond seemed to house different artifacts entirely, such as armor, weapons and other items with natures that alluded Tatsumi's knowledge. All of which were placed neatly on display in glass cabinets.
All in all, it looked like an extremely expensive museum with the furnishings alone probably costing a sum that someone like Tatsumi couldn't even fathom.
"Prime Minister Honest is the overseer of the Empire's treasury so I will allow him to explain in further detail." Nodding to his right hand man, Makoto gestured for the older man to take over as he was less informed in this particular area himself.
"Thank you your highness." Honest bowed his head ever so slightly before turning to face the trio, his lips parting to reveal a rather disturbing smile. "It is a pleasure to be able to acquaint myself with heroes such as yourself, so I will strive to do my best in order to satisfy your wishes in terms of rewards, wh..."
"Hooohh really now?" Syura replied almost mockingly, as though testing the Prime Minister for he too shared the same distrust that Tatsumi had for the person in question.
"But of course Syura-sama. You are an esteemed guest and it is an honor to have you here, therefore It would please me greatly if you enjoyed your stay."
"So what exactly does the empire have to offer then?"
"Allow me to explain." Honest replied without a moment's hesitation, his eyes narrowing on the one who had so rudely interrupted him moments ago.
Even though Tatsumi was not driven by greed like Syura, who seemed to be solely focused on monetary gain, the brunette still paid close attention to the Prime Minister's explanation nonetheless. The reason was simple of course. If he was to survive in a world where danger beasts thrived, it should go without saying that he should be as well prepared as he possibly could, which mean't that he likely needed to arm himself with at least decent equipment and maybe even some useful items.
He already knew that magic existed in this world considering the emperor's little security show back there, so there were definitely points of overlap between here and the MMORPG that Tatsumi played. Still there was no telling how much resemblance the two shared so it was detrimental for him to pick up as much information from those who had the knowledge aka the Prime Minister.
Besides, he couldn't overlook his basic needs to eat and sleep; both of which would eventually extrapolate to expenses. To put it bluntly, Tatsumi was going to need some funds, something he hoped to obtain shortly if anything.
"This treasury contains as you may have already noticed a vast amount of gold, but it doesn't stop at just that." Directing a finger towards the upper levels, Honest proceeded with his monologue once he was certain he had everyone's attention. "It also holds a multitude of rare items and equipment that one would not be able to find anywhere else with effects that surpass anything on the market. Whether it be weapons, armor, magical accessories and so on, we have an abundance of choices here to aid you on your journey to success."
"So we can just take whatever we want?" Wave chimed in although with evident confusion. "I'm not the brightest of individuals but if we took everything, wouldn't the Empire have nothing left?"
"Sadly we cannot allow you to do such a thing which is why we do have certain restrictions in place. Firstly with the equipment and accessories, we can only allow you to take as much as you can use all at once. For example, we cannot allow you to take two sets of armors at once for yourself or take 2 necklaces and 11 rings etc. It goes without saying that the reason we enforce this is so that you don't all clear out the vault as noted earlier." Honest said with a rather fake laugh while gesturing at Wave to signify the answer to his earlier question.
"Secondly, in terms of money, you will each be entitled to a weekly allowance of 700 gold which should be more than adequate for your expenditure at this particular point. You simply need to present yourself to a guard and they will direct you to the treasury."
"Thirdly, we are currently in the process of assembling team members for you each to lead separately and they should all be ready by tomorrow morning. Naturally, if you and your party perform well, we will increase the benefits you receive such as allowing you to take more equipment for your team as well as increasing your weekly funds."
"Finally, I will present you all with an additional badge from myself that signifies that you have my approval as the Prime Minister. You will need to present this badge in order to receive the benefits related to the treasury which includes the weekly funds, so I trust that you will keep the badge safe. Moreover, guards will know to look the other way if something does happen in public if you know what I mean."
Tatsumi and wave threw each other a questioning glance whilst Syura gave the Prime Minister a sadistic smile in return.
"I like the way you think Old man." Syura began but still adorned an expression of mild dissatisfaction. "All of this is sick and all, but it doesn't cover what you said earlier about giving us what we want."
"That we did, but I'm afraid I will have to confirm once again with the Emperor as he is the one with the final say on the matter." Turning around to face the young ruler, Honest paused for a second as thought choosing his next words carefully. "Ohhh your royal highness, these adventurers have come far and wide in order to aid our country. Would you be so kind as to grant each of them a wish?"
"Very well, it does seem like a reasonable request for these brave individuals. Then go on and state your request." Emperor Makoto said before giving Syura a nod.
"Oh my my how very generous of you, since I'm sure you won't go back on your word..." The white haired man began before revealing an extremely cruel and ruthless smile that sent shivers down Tatsumi's spine. "I would like for you arrange a group of women to keep me company as my...personal servants if you will. Please also choose the most beautiful that the empire has to offer."
"A group of women?" Makoto responded with a questioning glance, obviously too young to catch onto meaning of said request.
"That is correct, I would like the Emperor to organize a group of attractive women that will obey my every command as soon as possible."
"Ohhh, you mean like maids?" The young ruler replied almost innocently.
"Not quite but something like that, perhaps your highness can task the Prime Minister with fulfilling this small request of mine?" Syura licked his lips as he imagined the paradise that awaited for him.
"Good suggestion, I'm afraid I'm not too knowledgeable on the subject but I shall entrust the details to Honest."
"Thank you very much."
Tatsumi almost couldn't stop himself from glaring at Syura and the Prime Minister, for the glances he saw the two exchange were already more than enough evidence to suggest that the pair were up to no good. Plus with the way that Syura phrased his...desire for women, it was honestly extremely disgusting and the brunette could only hope that he was wrong about the man.
"Alrighty, then let us move onto Wave. What sort of wish do you want granted?" The Emperor said this time directing his gaze to the blue haired young man.
"Errrrrr..." Baffled at the sudden question, Wave wracked his brain as hard as he could for something worthwhile. In the end, he gave up and decided to go with the first thing that came to mind. "I wish to receive a set of the best fishing gear known to mankind!"
'What a stupid waste of a wish!' Tatsumi struggled to control the strong urge to facepalm.
"Very well, I shall order the finest craftsmen in the trade to procure a fishing set of unrivaled quality." Even Makoto looked surprised at the ridiculously simple request, but replied with equal enthusiasm before finally settling his eyes on the final of the trio. "And last but not certainly not least, what wish do you have in mind Tatsumi?"
"Well...I would like err..." Yikes, now it was his turn to stutter after being placed in the spotlight. Obviously he wasn't dumb enough to state something underwhelming like Wave's one and Syura's example wasn't exactly inspirational either. He could go for the classic joke and wish for a million wishes but he highly doubted that the Emperor would find that funny. Perhaps he could ask for even more money or even a castle? Yet that too seemed underwhelming especially when Tatsumi was never one to be really materialistic. The fact that he knew close to nothing about this world also added to his internal conflict as he had no idea what was considered good and what was not.
It was no use, he would have to pull his trump card for this situation which was of course...
"Your highness, may I please get some more time to think about it?" Tatsumi muttered with a sigh.
"Of course, but do tell me as soon as possible so we may have time to prepare whatever it is you want."
"Thank you."
He was going to have to think fast because it would suck if this offer gets retracted down the line due to him taking too long.
"Well with that out of the way, could you care to proceed Honest?"
"Of course your highness." Once again, the Prime Minister signaled for everyone's undivided attention as he didn't want to have to explain more than once.
According to Honest, the various levels of the Treasury were sorted not according to types to item/equipment but by the time that each were gathered excluding the first floor which again only held gold. For example, the second floor contains items that were created, collected or used by the first emperor during his reign while the third contained goods from the second emperor's reign and so on so forth. As a result, one could see the difference in terms of contributions by the various rulers with the first had a particularly abundant amount over the rest.
Thankfully, upon each glass cabinet was an inscription that not only detailed the name of the encased item but also it's abilities.
After a short example tour, the Prime Minister left the trio to their own devices as they began their trek upwards from floor to floor.
Tatsumi had to admit there were some pretty interesting items amongst the heap.
Bottomless water pouch - contains an infinite supply of water
Bottomless sack of sugar - contains an infinite supply of sugar
"Neat, but then why are there some that seem so dumb."
Bracelet of laughter - Causes the wearer to laugh nonstop
Amplified whoopee cushion - Creates a fart sound loud enough for the whole street to hear when sat upon
"Are these some kind of torture device or something?" Tatsumi grinned obviously amused at the idea of pranking someone with it. But as hilarious as that would be, these would ultimately be useless in actual combat unless if he could ask danger beasts to stand still so he could put it on or if they could die of embarrassment.
It was amazing how fast time flew by as the brunette continued to make his way around the circular floor, surprised at how long it took him to just inspect half of the items. Tatsumi did make a quick mental note of several pieces of equipment that he deemed useful but opted to finish checking out the rest before putting his foot down.
After all, he could always come across something better.
'The Prime Minister and the Emperor must be bored to death down there waiting for us.' Tatsumi thought before glancing around on the handrail of the stairs that lead both up and down, trying to spot the pair in question. Contrary to his expectations however, Makoto himself seemed rather engrossed in his own little inspection on the second floor, his eyes gleaming in a fashion that suggested that perhaps he hadn't spent that much time in the treasury prior to this event.
Strangely enough though, Tatsumi found the Prime Minister standing like a statue with his back against the wall in the same position since he had first left them. Every so often, Honest glanced over his shoulder with a glare before coughing rather loudly in response.
'Strange...there isn't anything but a wall behind him.' He furrowed his brow in thought at his target's rather peculiar behavior. 'Maybe I'm just overthinking things.'
And so another 30 minutes passed as Tatsumi resumed his search albeit with much less satisfaction for his mind was still pondering what he had seen earlier. Heaving a sigh at his unproductive progress, the brunette decided to answer his growing curiosity by once again leaning ever so slightly on the handrails and glancing at the location of interest.
Surely enough, the Prime Minister had yet to move an inch from his post, even taking out a handkerchief to wipe away several large beads of sweat that had formed no doubt from standing too much.
It was almost as if...
'...he is guarding something...'
Tatsumi knew that there were some things in this world better left in the dark. Like they say Ignorance is bliss right?
'But this isn't my world now is it?'
He didn't know what exactly it was...perhaps it was nothing more than just a gut feeling but something in the back of his mind was telling him to go and check it out. And every time he turned around as though to ignore the warning, Tatsumi felt a wave of guilt and anguish washing over him with enough force to almost knock him out.
'What was going on?'
It almost felt as though this was a major turning point in his life and that he would regret it with every fiber of his being if he didn't investigate.
'Sold as a slave to the empire and used as nothing more than a tool for killing.'
A thought loud enough for Tatsumi to mistake for a voice echoed through his head, urging him forward as his feet slowly carried him towards the Prime Minister.
'Now locked inside a room of complete darkness with nothing to see and nothing to hear.'
"Ahhh Tatsumi-sama, have you managed to find the items you want?" The Prime Minister flashed his signature revolting smile at the brunette whilst wiping away a fresh wave of sweat.
'Isolated from the world and living a life void of happiness.'
"Move." Tatsumi commanded the older man simply after ditching all form of pleasantries.
'Never once has anyone treated her like a human being, never once has she known the joy of freedom, never once has she made a decision for herself.'
"But..." Honest began but was quickly shoved aside rather roughly.
'Don't let the one who will become the most important person to you slip away.'
Tatsumi could hear commotion no doubt due to the disturbance he was currently causing but he didn't care. He could only feel a great deal of pain that did not belong to him coming from behind this wall. With renewed vigor, Tatsumi placed his palm calmly on the wall and began evoking magic. Somehow in this moment, he knew how to command his own powers as though it was second nature to him.
He could feel a cold yet pleasant feeling passing through his veins before gathering at his outstretched palm, giving him a sense of rapidly building power. It took but a couple of seconds for the process to complete.
"Hahhhh!" Tatsumi yelled before releasing the said energy causing the wall in front to crumble and disappear into a million specks of beautiful ice particles.
Despite the dark interior, his vision was not hindered in the slightest as he surveyed the small space through the wall. If he had to describe the place as simply as possible, it resembled a cross between a torture chamber and a prison cell. The amount of chains and bindings that littered the place was unreal and there were various tools that were used for goodness knows what reason lying unused on a table nearby. There were also dried specks of blood scattered all over the floor with an extremely unsanitary smell floating in the air that almost caused Tatsumi to gag. A bowl of what Tatsumi assumed was food lay in a corner of the cell, but even then he couldn't even begin to guess what was in it. Heck, that didn't even look like something you could ever feed to your worst enemy regardless of what they did to you.
It was absolutely foul in here.
But what really caught his attention was a figure that lay slumped against the wall in a forced sitting position. The individual's hands were chained tightly against the wall on either side and their facial features were hidden by an extremely long fringe. Their hair was for the most part overgrown from lack of care and whilst her skin still thankfully retained a healthy-ish pale color, Tatsumi was still extremely worried for the mysterious person in question. It was clear as day that they were treated extremely poorly much like the voice in his head had told him. But even without the tip, one could easily deduce from the sight alone. Even her clothing could be described as nothing more than tattered rags.
"And what in the world is this Honest?!" Tatsumi gritted his teeth in anger turning to face the Prime Minister with his fists clenched.
By now, wave, Makoto and Syura had all arrived at the scene. Wave and Makoto gasped in horror and immediately clasped their hands over their mouths as though resisting the urge to puke right then and there. Syura on the other hand remained completely unfazed. In fact he glanced around with an expression of mild awe as though intrigued by the entire setup.
'Should have known that those two were two of the same kind of trash.' Tatsumi clicked his tongue rather loudly out of frustration but proceeded nonetheless.
"I don't want to repeat myself Honest, what the hell is this?"
"I-I-I swear I had absolutely no idea about any of this!"
At this point, Tatsumi was more willing to believe that a pig could fly than any words that came out of that filthy man's mouth. Instead of wasting time questioning him, the brunette instead went closer to inspect the captive individual instead. Without wasting a second, Tatsumi grabbed the chain cuffs and broke them with nothing but raw strength, surprising even himself.
Lifting the girl up in his arms, he immediately noticed a metal-like collar coiled tightly around her neck in a constricting fashion.
"Your highness, do you know what this is?" Tatsumi was originally intent on taking it off by force like he had with the metallic cuffs but he could sense a sinister aura leaking from the choker like object. Plus, he could make out a symbol akin to the Empire's insignia on it's surface.
"That...don't tell me she is...the prototype for the Teigu infusion series?!" With a handkerchief acting as a makeshift mask, the Emperor made his way towards Tatsumi in order to get a better view. But his eyes went as wide as saucers upon recognizing the familiar choker, especially since he was the one who had ordered for it's destruction.
"Teigu infusion series?" Tatsumi didn't like the sound of that one bit because it sounded distantly like something you would hear from a crazy scientist.
"We...before setting our sights on summoning the three of you, we were initially attempting to...artificially produce individuals who could rival the heroes in terms of power by forcibly imbuing them with unique relics. In doing so, we hoped to create at least a small squadron of super humans who could help eradicate the danger beasts. Therefore after several months of planning, we finally launched the project titled Teigu Infusion Series Alpha."
"And since you mentioned prototype, then..." Tatsumi was barely able to control his anger at the monstrosity he was currently hearing. Swallowing it as much as he could, the brunette instead focused on the girl in his arms with a look of sincere sympathy.
"Yes, she was handpicked to be the first human test subject for the project due to her innate power of recovery. But in order to ensure the Empire's safety in case anything went wrong, we had a special choker crafted from a combination of the rarest minerals on earth which together formed something akin to a limiter that would seal the subject's magic in case she went berserk. In the end, the project succeeded...at least at first."
"What do you mean?"
"Like I mentioned earlier, our initial plans were to create a squad of elite super humans that were capable of wiping out the danger beasts. After the initial success displayed by the first subject, we grew hopeful at the thought that perhaps we could realize our dream, therefore we used all of the remaining rare materials to craft 6 more of the limiters. However it wasn't until we began the second round of tests did the negative symptoms start to surface from her." Makoto whispered softy whilst giving the girl in Tatsumi's arm a sad look.
"And what did these negative symptoms include?"
"A rapid deterioration in health followed by the gradual loss of the 5 senses before finally arriving at a semi-vegetation state."
"You knew all of this and you still kept her confined in such conditions?!" For the first time since their meeting, Tatsumi lost his temper and lashed out viciously at the young ruler. He didn't care if he was the emperor because right now he felt like he was talking to a child who lacked all forms of common sense.
"I swear I was not aware of her situation." Makoto answered back calmly with his eyes openly reflected his honesty on the matter. "As soon as news of her declining health came to my attention, I immediately placed a top priority order for her to be sent to one of the best hospitals in town with a team of my most esteemed doctors to oversee her."
"Then how did this happen?!" His burning emerald eyes flickered between the Emperor and the Prime Minister, enraged that neither one of them could provide him with a solid answer despite their status. "Honest, don't make me force an answer out of you."
"Honest is not the one to blame," Makoto quickly hurried in between the two, hoping to quell the misunderstanding, "The Prime Minister was just as adamant about helping her as I was."
"Helping? Oh, how about you try not doing random experiments on innocent individuals? Hows that for an idea?" But only silence returned to the boy, which only served to further fuel his internal fire. "You know what?! Forget it. Just get rid of this damn collar right now."
"I'm sorry but that is simply not possible."
"And why in the blazes is that?"
"Unfortunately, once an individual has been marked by a slave crest or choker, there is no way to reverse it." A look of guilt spread across the young ruler's face but he decided to press on. "Sadly, once a person becomes a slave, there is no going back and forcibly removing the collar will only result in the subject's death."
"Slave? She is a slave?"
"She was sold to the empire from her village as a slave and therefore we..." Honest answered but was immediately cut off by Tatsumi who had enough of his nonsense.
"Why in the world would there be no way to remove the slave crest? Or is it different for slaves of the Emperor?"
"Slaves in general all go through the same process when they are sold/purchased by a buyer, in that they must first be branded at the slave trader with a binding magic before being allowed in public. In doing so, we ensure that the slaves will heed the owner's every command. But..."
"Just lovely! So now I know that I freaking represent a country that not only approves of slavery but also conducts experiments on people in hopes of saving their own backside."
"Tatsumi..." Wave wanted to say something to console the boy but honestly he was just as conflicted.
"Oh your highness, I beg your pardon but it appears as though I might need to retire for the night as I'm feeling rather tired." Tatsumi exclaimed in an extremely monotone voice as he began to head for the entrance with the girl still in his arms. "But before I leave, I suppose you still owe me a wish don't you?"
"W-W-Well yes, have you decided?"
"I have indeed. From now on, I wish for this girl to belong to me and me only." Casting a indifferent glance at the young ruler, Tatsumi continued in a demanding voice. "So in case you two nutcases are too dumb to figure that out, it means she is no longer a slave to the empire. Instead, starting from this moment onwards, she is mine and mine alone. If my wish clear and understood?"
"But she possesses the unique..." Honest began to protest but was ultimately cut off Makoto who gave Tatsumi a firm nod in return.
"Very well, I accept your wish effective immediately and will give you a formal statement to back it up tomorrow when you meet your team..."
"Let me make this clear right now," Tatsumi paused to make sure that everyone present was listening, "I will help you eradicate dangers beasts but I have absolutely no intention of receiving anything from you guys. In fact, I would like to keep our interactions to a bare minimum other than when you need to give me an assignment or to pass on general news. This means, I do not want anything from your treasury nor do I need any teammates from you. Once you have the formal statement ready tomorrow, use your Emperor powers to find out which inn I'm staying in and be sure to include any information you have in regards to my partner as well. I would like to know everything about her."
"Please at least take a bit of money for food and lodging fees." The Emperor called after him as he slowly headed for the exit but was instead hit by a strong gust of icy cold wind in return.
"If you want to get in with a woman, why didn't you just wish for a beautiful one from the Emperor rather than that piece of slave trash." Syura smirked while pointing at the girl, expressing his obvious disgust whilst taunting the brunette.
'Tchhhh'
Tatsumi was just about to respond when he heard a small weak voice calling out softly, and was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that the owner belonged to the girl in his arms.
"Hi I'm Tatsumi, your new partner from now on. May I have your name?"
His voice was gentle and calm in direct contrast to how it was just seconds ago.
"A-A-Ak...Aka..."
Tatsumi tried not to let a frown surface but he was worried sick about the girl. The emperor certainly was not joking when he said that the girl's health was deteriorating. Even talking seemed to be worth a mission and a half for her as she coughed and spluttered whilst Tatsumi did his best to ease her by rubbing her back. Once her condition stabilized, she once again attempted to answer him despite Tatsumi's protest.
"A-A-A...Ak-k-k-a."
"Aka?"
"m-m-m-e-e."
"Akame?" Tatsumi repeated and the girl gave a very weak nod in response.
"T-T-T-Tat-su-m-m-i...sa-m-a."
Realising that Akame was calling for him, the brunette leaned his ear in closer.
"Yo-o-ur...or-r..de-ers?"
"My orders?"
Again she nodded weakly and Tatsumi could feel his eyes welling up with tears. Even in her current state, the first thing she thought of was following his orders. There was no other conclusion besides the most obvious one.
She was simply conditioned to do so.
If Akame didn't have a mission, they would keep her locked up in that room. Which means that the only times when she was allowed out of the room was for no other reason than to follow orders.
The empire had trained her, a slave, to think about nothing other than to follow orders...brainwashing and manipulating her to become a tool rather than a sentient human being. With her bangs slightly parted, Tatsumi could see her beautiful yet hollow red eyes and he couldn't help but wonder when the last time Akame had felt genuine joy.
But that was all going to change now, he was going to protect her and work hard to bring a smile to her lovely face.
Their journey as partners had only just begun and Akame was all he wanted and needed.
"Rest Akame, I'll be by your side."
Author's notes: And there we have it! The end of Chapter 1!
What do you guys think of it?
Once again, thanks for taking the time to read my first chapter so...
Actually...you know what? I don't want to go yet!
In order to celebrate the occasion of my first fanfic, I shall include a preview of chapter 2!
Enjoy !
Chapter 2 Sneakpeek
Gentle morning rays of sunlight seeped slowly through the gaps of a nearby window, slowly basking the room with it's natural warmth causing an individual to stir in response as they turned over in their bed.
"Mhmmmm..." A soft groan left her lips as she slowly rose upright, stretching her arms as she did so. She brushed aside the overgrown fringe to reveal a pair of beautiful red eyes that winced having yet to adjust to the bright interior.
However once the last fragrance of drowsiness left her mind, the individual in question immediately realized something was off.
'Where am I?'
Nothing seemed even remotely familiar even as she carefully scanned every inch of the room.
But the questions didn't stop there, instead a multitude of them flooded through her confused mind all at once. After all, something even more fundamental struck out to her.
'How come I can see? Why do I feel no pain? Why am I on a bed?'
Until yesterday, her body had been on it's last legs and she had come to terms that her death was drawing near. Her sight had long since left her with her sense of taste and smell following soon after. In fact, she shouldn't even be able to control her body anymore due to the deterioration caused by the curse.
And yet here she was, experiencing something that she thought she would never have the chance to feel again.
She felt alive.
But why was this? Was this perhaps a dream?
Dangling her legs ever so slightly off the bed, the young woman tapped the floor with her toe as though testing to see if her legs were capable of supporting her weight. After a few attempts, the black haired beauty gracefully made her way towards the window, pushing aside the curtains to reveal the scenery below.
To anyone else, it was just an ordinary scene with people going about their busy lifes as they strolled past left and right. To the girl in question though, it was like a scene from a picture book, something she could only imagine from within her usual dark confines.
'Where am I?'
But the sound of a door creaking open from behind interrupted her train of thoughts, causing the black haired beauty to spin around to face the intruder.
There standing by the doorway was a brown haired man whom she estimated to be around her own age, gawking at her as though he was seeing the most amazing thing in his life.
"Akame...you're awake."
She gasped in response.
"I can't believe it worked...I can't believe it actually worked." The brunette's voice was laced in happiness and relief accompanied by tears that dripped from his emerald eyes. "I hope you are doing okay."
She knew this voice...a voice that had reached out to her right before she accepted death's embrace...the same voice that had dragged her back, enveloping her in a ray of warmth which allowed her to rest peacefully for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
Akame was momentarily startled when she felt something wet rolling down her face paired with a pleasant feeling that began erupting from her chest like a wildfire right as a pair of arms pulled her forwards into a tight embrace.
She didn't even notice that the edges of her lips had curved upward into a gentle smile.
"I am doing very well, thank you Tatsumi-sama."
A/N - Thanks again for reading until the end !
Feel free to leave behind a review as I would really like to hear what your thoughts !
Anyways, hope to see you all in the next chapter and until then, take care ^^