Disclaimer: All characters from Akame ga Kill that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Takahiro. I do not own anything; I have Takahiro to thank for that.

Please bear with me if I make any mistakes or errors, especially in terms of the language (spelling, grammar, etc.).

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Chapter 16— Kill the Imposters

"Polluting even this chosen fate with the blood of judgment…

With this swing, hoping to right everything by my own hand,

My life force cried out-

enough to reduce me to ashes."

- ISOtone (Chaos Dragon Sekiryuu Senyaku OP)

Location: On the Main Street of the Capital. Time: Noon. Year: 1024 (Day 91).

'Sweets Amaenbou. This is what she has on mind?' Tatsumi glanced at the black and bold imprint on the signboard hanging from the front of the store. Esdeath was a few steps away, close to the store's entrance. While Tatsumi was not a fastidious eater, he couldn't help but question the general's choice. Sweets were the only things on sale and they weren't that appropriate for lunch. 'Well, guess I shouldn't be picky when she's offering to pay.'

"General Esdeath."

Curious, Tatsumi looked over and noticed a stout man wearing a simple jacket and matching pants. From his position, the sergeant could just distinctively see the logo sewed on the clothes. Sweets Amaenbou. The name of the shop on the logo told Tatsumi that the man was either the owner or one of the staffs.

"Relax. I have no business with you. I'm off duty right now, on a date," said Esdeath, shrugging off the man's apparent anxiety with a wave of her hand.

'…Huh? Wait a sec! What did she just say? D-date!' Since Esdeath was being so casual, it took a few minutes for Tatsumi to register her meaning. Dumbfounded, his jaw dropped as he gawked at the general.

The more logical part of Tatsumi was barely able to keep functioning as one question flooded his mind: Just what part of him attracted the Ice Queen's attention? While he wanted to believe that he had enough charisma, he knew that he didn't make much of a first impression for the general. More importantly, he heard that Esdeath was very meticulous when it came to romance, having a list of criteria for any man seeking her hand. There was no way someone like him could be the one she wanted… right? He inwardly scowled at the absurdity of that possibility, though the attempted denial did nothing to stop the blush that was creeping up his cheeks.

"Now, bring me your best sweets." Unaware of the turmoil inside Tatsumi's mind, Esdeath ordered the man as she took a spot on the nearest bench. The man immediately scurried inside and the general was left with Tatsumi alone. She looked at the boy, and raised an elegant eyebrow at his sudden edginess. A tiny smile then quirked at the corner of her lips upon realization. 'He is quite endearing, if I must say so myself.'

Since Tatsumi was in a stupor, Esdeath took the initiative and gestured him to take a seat beside her. "Come over here, Tatsumi. I won't bite."

"…Er, E-Esdeath-san, you… you actually m-mean it? Uh, um… this being a da-date, I mean." Finding himself barely coherent, Tatsumi gingerly sat next to Esdeath and voiced out the question that howled inside his head. He swallowed nervously when Esdeath didn't supply an immediate answer, but instead inched closer towards him. Their legs touched, and his heart raced. It was as if her body heat was being transferred to him even through the fabric of his pants. He couldn't help but notice how lithe and soft her legs looked, which completely contradicted what her nickname implied. Currently, there was nothing about the renowned Ice Queen that gave Tatsumi the impression of the terrifying general who was inarguably the Empire's strongest.

"Am I different from what you expect?" Esdeath commented with a smile still plastered on her face, as if having read Tatsumi's mind. "To be honest, this is my first time experiencing this strange feeling. This attraction whenever I'm with you, Tatsumi. It doesn't feel bad… but I will need some more time to determine whether or not this sensation is what one would call love."

"Esdeath-san, I…" Tatsumi found his gaze linger on the striking general whose blue hair flattered about in the breeze. To his surprise, an undefinable feeling surged through him. Esdeath, who was a born warrior capable of bringing thousands of men to their grave, was completely perplexed regarding her own feelings. She couldn't even identify her own feelings towards him. Not that Tatsumi had much experience when it came to romance, but even he knew how he felt about the general. Fascinated, memorized, and interested were a few adjectives to describe his opinion of her.

"Tatsumi, Tatsumi."

Esdeath's voice pulled him back into reality. Tatsumi blinked twice, then his eyes traveled to the thing that the general was pointing at. Lost in his reflection, he failed to notice that a plate of dango was placed beside him some time ago.

"Tatsumi, try some." Esdeath seemed somewhat enthused as she gestured towards the food. "I've heard that the confections they sell here are exceptionally appetizing. I've never tried one myself before though."

"Hmm, so you want me to test it first. For poison?" Tatsumi joked, shifting his body as he eased himself into a more comfortable sitting position.

"Exactly." Much to his surprise, Esdeath played along with a knowing smile.

"Alright then!" With a galvanized thump of his hand to the chest, Tatsumi returned a grin of his own before fixing his attention on the plate. Unfamiliar with all the different favors presented to him in various colors, he took the closest one and motioned Esdeath to do the same. In a slow deliberate movement, he took a bite and rolled the dumpling in his mouth, savoring the taste. "…No problem. It's good. How's yours, Esdeath-san?"

"It's delectable," Esdeath admitted, fixing her eyes on the sergeant. Her eyebrows narrowed. "Tatsumi…"

"Yes, Esdeath-san?" Tatsumi took another dango from the plate.

"Tatsumi, I'm calling you Tatsumi," the general paused and ignored the puzzled expression on Tatsumi's face. She placed a hand on her chest, fleetingly touching her red tattoo. "I expect the same from you, Tatsumi. Just Esdeath is fine, understand?"

Tatsumi nodded and silently tested the name with his tongue. It didn't feel appropriate to address the general without any honorific, but he decided to oblige. "Okay… Esdeath then."

"Good." The Ice Queen nodded in approval before leaning closer towards the boy. "Now that's out of the way, tell me; how has your day been thus far?"

The intimacy between them made Tatsumi feel hot under the collar. He nodded stiffly, keeping his eyes on her face to control his gaze from wandering. Apart from Sayo, he had never been this close to a woman around his age before. Not to mention that the person before him was so outwardly attractive. Startled by his own thoughts, Tatsumi pulled himself back into reality and took a glance at the broadsword strapped onto his back.

"I had a blast! Thanks for getting me to the blacksmith... and also for introducing this place to me. I really do appreciate—" Tatsumi's voice suddenly lost its jollity and his sentence was left unconcluded. Although Esdeath was only an inch away from him, he closed in until he was nearly touching her ear with the bottom of his lip. "…Esdeath, I sense a murderous intent on the rooftop. I'm going to give chase. It could be Night—"

"That won't be necessary, Tatsumi. Just stay here. With me," Esdeath whispered back, her moderate breaths came out as light caresses that tingled Tatsumi's neck. Without warning, she released some of her own aura into the air, careful not to startle Tatsumi as she directed a provocative but spiteful intent towards her prey. Almost instantly, she felt the presence withdraw before disappearing from her sensory range, an act that resembled a dog fleeing with its tail between its legs.

"E-Esdeath…?" Tatsumi stuttered, a chill running down his spine at the great magnitude of killing intent that was next to him.

"Pity," Esdeath clicked her tongue. "So they didn't take my bait. And here I thought they would be a perfect candidate to test out some new torture techniques."

'She's dangerous.' The one thought that filtered through Tatsumi's mind was transitory as he realized how close he was to Esdeath. He pulled his face back, averting the general's gaze as he quickly stuffed the remaining dango into his mouth. His eyes searched the rooftop, giving an impression that he was attempting to locate a potential enemy. However, that was the furthest away from the truth. In reality, he was trying to escape the awkwardness.

"Tatsumi, you have sharp intuition." As if to relieve him of tension, Esdeath praised the new sergeant with a pleasant smile.

Her voice was silvery and pleasing to his ears and Tatsumi couldn't help but feel proud. The most powerful general just gave him a genuine compliment; it would be a lie to say that he wasn't flattered.

"Th-thanks…" Delighted, he whirled his head towards her and offered her an ebullient smile. His heart swelled with pride and he wanted to show appreciation at her approval.

'It would be nice if he has a pure, innocent smile… I've found him.' No one save for Esdeath could have truly comprehended the impact of Tatsumi's smile. In that instance, the woman who was renowned for being a bloodthirsty sadist was left awestruck, possibly even dumbfounded. Her stomach swirled and caused an outlandish commotion, almost like butterflies had gotten into her body. Uncontainable heat rushed to her face and for the first time in her life, Esdeath felt her heart skip a beat.

Location: The Great Canal (On Ryuusen). Time: Noon. Year: 1024 (Day 91).

The Ryuusen, built by over one million people, was finally completed after seven long years. In order to celebrate its completion which would prove to be very beneficial for commerce, the Ryuusen's Completion Ceremony was held on the massive luxury liner, near the Capital's outskirt, with many aristocrats in attendance.

Holding a wine glass half-filled with expensive red drink, Yukio surveyed the crowd with a bored look. The young man was donned in a western tuxedo with a tailcoat resembling a swallow's tail. All around him, noblemen and noblewomen in elaborate clothing roamed the upper deck, participating in gossips and political talks that the young man reviled. He could easily pick up the conversation and understood their topics, many of which revolted around their own interest and profit. To avoid suspicion, he had to actively take on his undercover role, a young master from a wealthy family, and shared his perspective on the affairs of state. In a way, it was good to know that his social skills were still easily assessable after centuries.

He ambled towards the side and leaned on the rails, lazily scouting for the official who he was meant to guard. It had been difficult to locate him amongst the crowd when viewing from the center of the mass, but now that he was away from people, he could perceive the bald slouching old man who stood not far from him.

'It's assured that the Night Raid Imposters will attack here but… the old man I'm supposed to protect is surrounded by people. He's basically got a meat shield around him.' His gaze travelled from the official to the surrounding men in black, all armed with weapons and looking attentive. The security was so tight that Yukio doubted that even a cockroach could slip pass undetected.

His musing was cut off when he felt a tap. Feeling an armored hand patting him on his head, he shuffled a step to the side and turned to his left. He saw nobody, but he kept his eyes on a particular spot, as though he could really see his invisible companion. Unwilling to make himself look creepy by talking to air, he lowered his voice. "Aniki, I'm actually not that much younger than you. You don't need to pat my head like I'm a kid."

"Haha, just my way of conveying affection between men. It's my love. Love. Love." Bulat's strangely husky voice came from the very same spot that Yukio was staring at.

'What's with the emphasis?!' Even though he was invisible, Yukio could have sworn Bulat had blushed beneath his armor. The young man cringed, suddenly feeling a shiver down his spine. Did random flowers just bloom in the backdrop or was it his imagination? For the sake of his sanity, he begged that it was the latter.

Still not fully convinced about what was going on inside Bulat's head, Yukio smiled awkwardly and changed the topic. "Er… anyways Aniki. It's great that you're so compatible with Incursio. Its trump card really helped us with getting onto this ship."

"Yeah!" The sound of steel colliding followed, which Yukio presumed was Bulat patting himself on the chest. "I fought with this very armor against the southern tribes. I like to think of it as my partner… But in the end, I'm still no match against The Four, who soon took command and dominated the battlefield. Because those four took most of the credit, my superior and I got nothing but a mouthful of scorn from Honest. That scum cared nothing about our past merits and demanded that we pay him cash or drop out of the ranks. My superior, General Liver… he couldn't stand the thought of bribing the Minister so he outright protested."

"…What happened to him?" asked Yukio despite getting a bad feeling.

"He filed a protest to the court. But at the court-martial… they didn't listen to him. They set things up so that we looked like the criminal. There was no way we could've defended ourselves from their accusations. We ended up in a cell with a death sentence. But before they could do anything to me, I escaped using Incursio and joined the rebellion. My only regret is that I couldn't save General Liver."

"This isn't right…" Yukio muttered darkly, "To think that the Imperial court could become this corrupted. They don't even use the Deliverer of Sins: Hanketsu for the trials anymore? I guess I should have known."

"Huh? W—" Bulat was interrupted by a transient blue light that circuited through his armor. Yukio obviously could see it as well, for he fixed his eyes in senior's direction with a knowing look.

"Is the invisibility at its limit?" the young man asked.

"Yeah, I'll have to take off the armor for a while."

"I see. But we can't let anyone see you, given the wanted posters. Looks like I'll be keeping a lookout here."

"Good thinking. And I'll investigate the inside of the ship in the meantime."

In response, Yukio gave Bulat his trademark grin before shoving something in the ex-soldier's direction. "Oh, and this. Aniki, can you take care of my mask for a while? My pockets aren't big enough and it's really uncomfortable having it tucked inside this suit. I probably won't need it here anyways."

"No problem. You can leave it with me," Bulat nodded and took the item from Yukio discreetly. He waved an arm, which was becoming translucent, and walked towards the door that led to the interior of the ship.

Yukio waited until he was convinced that his senior was out of earshot. With an anxious exhalation, he ran his fingers through his windswept hair and cast his sight to the waters, becoming aware that the sea vessel had passed the urban areas and was no longer visible from shore. If The Three Beasts were indeed lurking in wait, then now would probably be the perfect time to attack, where the passengers aboard were isolated from any outside assistance.

'If I assume that my interference with this timeline didn't affect The Three Beasts, then Akame's info should be completely accurate. One of them should have the Military Music Dream: Scream, a nasty support-type Teigu that can freely manipulate the emotions of any who hears its spiritual tune. I'll have to be super alert and prepare...'

Yukio plucked a set of ear plugs into his ears. Ordinary sound preventions would be of little use against Scream but what the blond had were specially designed for the occasion. Made with a layer of Danger Beast skin wrapped around a regular set of ear plugs, it was made to block out the distinctive frequency of sound waves from Scream. After searching for the correct materials with Akame for days, Yukio finally devised a countermeasure against the Teigu that manipulated sound.

And yet, that was only the beginning.

Location: Capital Outskirts. Time: Noon. Year: 1024 (Day 91).

The carriage, pulled by a Danger Beast with the features of an ordinary boar, passed through the corner and into a small village. The gravel road was cleared of snow and the carriage moved freely on it, without any external issues. Although understandably, outside trouble seldom occurred when a squadron of elite guards were marching behind the carriage in a file.

"This village is pretty bad as well. A nation is supposed to be made of its people." From inside the stagecoach, the former Prime Minister, Chouri, commented as he brushed the curtain open with the back of his hand. His dark colored eyes took in the poor villagers huddled together next to a fireplace in the middle of the snow. Unlike him, the people were dressed in shabby clothing that did nothing to keep out the cold winds.

"The fact that you feel for these people is why you're returning to that snake's nest of a Capital." Beside him, a young fruity voice spoke. "I comment you, father."

"I can't stay in retirement while people suffer like this. I intent to fight that Minister to the very end." To emphasize his point, Chouri turned to his daughter and thumped his staff onto the floor. While he desired a peaceful life following his retirement, he couldn't turn a blind eye when the country was deteriorating because of Honest. He had enough supporters to assist him in taking back the Empire. "Frankly, I would like to settle things without any violence. But in the worst scenario, we may have to fight back."

"Fear not, father. I'll protect you!" his daughter exclaimed, jabbing a thumb at a huge weapon resting on the edge of the carriage for emphasis.

'How fitting,' Chouri mused as he studied his daughter, Spear, up and down. As a father, it had been very interesting to watch his little girl grow into the lovely woman before him. Spear resembled her mother a lot, not only in terms of her fiercely loyal personality, but also in appearance. Comparable with her maternal parent, Spear had sapphire eyes that reminded Chouri of a calm cool lake. Her long blonde hair was knee-length and was partially covered by a military side cap. At present, she was donned in a grey woolen jacket and a long winter coat, red skirt with matching stockings, and a pair of snow boots.

Chouri chuckled softly. "You've grown into a fine woman. Perhaps you've grown too valiant to find a suitor."

"Th-that has nothing to do with anything!" exclaimed Spear, her face redder than a tomato. To prevent the loss of her dignity, she swiveled her head away from her father but then noticed something from the edge of the curtain. The carriage had stopped in the middle of the road. Swishing the flap away from the window, the young woman peered out and instantly found the reason for delay. She couldn't see clearly because of the misty glass, but she was certain that there was a lone figure approaching their way unreservedly.

Her brows furrowing, she grabbed her weapon and warned her father. "Please wait here, father. Looks like there's someone obstructing the road. I'll go check it out."

She pushed the door open and her vision was entertained with layers of white. Nearly stumbling from the slippery ground, she managed to steady herself with the butt of her spear. Her personal guards flanked her sides, forming a defensive line in front of the carriage.

"Identify yourself! What do you want?" Spear demanded, her spear readied. The person obstructing the path was a barrel-chested man with plaited blue hair that traced a straight arc down his back. Despite wearing nothing on his upper torso, he was unfazed by the cold. He didn't shiver once and his skin was untouched by frostbites. It was those tiny details that made Spear wary.

"Chouri is inside, right? Little girl, tell him that I, General Hidou of The Four, want to see him." The man gave a mocking bow, an obvious gesture that ridiculed Spear.

"My father has no intention of seeing the Minster's dog. Go home before things get ugly," retorted Spear boldly, her tone aggressive. Based on his position as a general, Spear knew that the man was no pushover. He must be so confident with his own ability that being outnumbered didn't faze him at all. If possible, Spear wanted to avoid fighting the man. "I'm giving you five seconds to turn around and go back. I don't want to fight a senseless battle."

"Audacious," scoffed Hidou as he continued towards the carriage, unperturbed by the numerous weapons pointed at his direction. He flexed his fingers and a sizzling vapor appeared from his hand. "Move aside before I give you something to be scared about. I will have Chouri dead regardless of your meddling."

"Get ready!" Her warning fell on deaf ears so Spear ordered her own men and careered forward. Being the fastest in her group, she lunged with a feint that would quickly rework itself into an underbelly cut when the general dodge. Much to her bewilderment, Hidou didn't budge from his spot.

Both his feet were planted on the ground.

The spear sank into his abdomen.

Spear's eyes widened and disbelief held her still. But just as quickly, her surprise morphed into terror when she noticed that no crimson was dying the snow red. A bubbling sensation of overwhelming fear accumulated inside her as Hidou snickered and ran a finger down her spear's handle. Barely was she given any time to process the situation before the general looped an arm around her waist, pulling her tightly into his muscular frame. She gasped, then squirmed. Her arms twisted in uncomfortable directions, frantically trying to get a firmer grip on her spear to thrust the steel in deeper. But against Hidou's robust strength, Spear was powerless and her efforts gave no desirable effect.

"Ugh! Let me go! H-how are you even standing?!" Spear grunted, struggling to free herself.

"It's pointless to attack me with armaments. Thanks to my Teigu, I've this invisible flame-like coat on my entire body. A pathetically weak attack like yours can never scratch me." His explanation delivered a wave of ecstasy and the Wildfire burst out laughing. A malicious grin crept on his face as he regarded the guards around him, all tensed. "Hehe. You can try me. That is, if you're willing to put your mistress in harm's way."

Nobody moved; it was a standoff. And all the while, Hidou continued to laugh like a maniac.

Spear was the first one to decipher the hidden meaning behind the general's behavior. She relentlessly hammered Hidou's chest with her fists, all the while shouting, "No, get away from him! He's going to—"

"Moeruseika, scatter them into ashes!" Hidou shouted, "Jigoku no Hi!"

Spear's warning came out too late as the tattoo on Hidou's right arm erupted with blinding red. The expulsed energy was discharged, untamed and fierce as it swept across the area around him.

Horrified, Spear screamed as everything in her vision was engulfed by a vicious swirl of flames. Her body trembled, sweat trailing down the side of her cheek before vaporizing. Everything was vividly red, hell-like. She could hear the shrill cries of her guards as tendrils of fire latched onto their body, reducing them into piles of ashes.

"N-NO! S-STOP!" A heartbreaking cry left the back of her throat, raw and hoarse. She could do nothing. Her eyes narrowed into slits. The people around her crashed onto their knees, their skin blistered and scorched. The frenzied screams vibrated inside her eardrums and she could only answer them with a panicked scream of her own.

"Hidou! Let go of my daughter!" There was a familiar roar amongst the hysterical cries.

Amidst the chaos, Spear noticed her father leaving the burning carriage and braving the flames that engraved countless terrible marks all over him. Spear stretched her hand out desperately, just as Chouri was swallowed up. Her voice broke and she whimpered, unable to holler even as her father was being killed right before her eyes.

"Hahahaha!" Hidou's sinister laughter sank in, a cruel contradiction to the catastrophe left behind as the blaze diminished at his command.

Spear was thrown unceremoniously onto the charred ground, though the pain on her rear felt insignificant compared to the mental suffering she went through. Her emotions flooded and she was reeling with anguish. Searing hatred. She felt nothing but brimming animosity towards the general towering before her, his large shadow obscuring any feeble sunlight that slipped past the cloud. Her blood boiled. She threw herself at him, snarling and knuckles cracking.

Hidou snorted in derision and caught both her fists. He flicked out a foot, tripping her over and flipping her onto her back. Her pained hiss was music to his ears and the smell of burnt flesh was too stimulating to ignore. He inhaled deeply, then grabbed Spear by the wrists, locking them in place above her head.

"You fiend! How dare you?!" Spear hissed, her words dripping with venom as she glared daggers at her father's killer. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you even if it's the last thing I do!"

"Tsk. You're a pain in the ass. I guess I'll just have to teach you your place." Annoyed, Hidou kept Spear pinned underneath him as he yanked out the spear lodged into his body. He twirled the stainless weapon in between his fingers, feeling its weight. With a cruel smirk, he drove a knee into her midsection, earning him a pained yelp. He tapped the side of her tearing face with the blunt side of the spear before motioning towards a body that was as black as charcoal. "Tell me something, little girl. Was that suicidal old man Chouri? His age fits and his face does strike a chord in my memories. But I would hate to be wrong, if you know what I mean."

"You… you murdered him without any confirmation?" Spear was bewildered, her voice cracked and she stared at him with enough odium to fill an ocean.

"Do I need one?" Hidou shrugged, "It's just one more fried corpse."

"Y-you! You foul beast! Have you got no heart?! He was my father! He was going to end Honest's reign of terror!"

"So Chouri confirmed then." With a satisfied nod, Hidou extracted the answer he wanted from Spear. He was nearly done with his work; all that was left to do was to scatter the flyers that were tucked in his belt. Nonetheless, the mere thought of hurling leaflets around sounded so tedious that he decided to procrastinate.

The Wildfire's lips curled into a pitiless smile as he rammed the spear into the earth. He moved his hand towards Spear's face, stopping his middle and index fingers directly in line with the woman's sapphire orbs. "I see no reason for me to leave you intact now that you've fulfilled your role. I'll start here. Just beg when it gets too much, okay?"

Spear stared aghast as Hidou's intention became noticeably clear. She squeezed her eyes shut on relax but instinctively opened them she felt her captor's hand wander down, halting near her collar bone. She grounded her teeth in frustration when she felt his disgusting touch.

"Bastard!" Spear snarled, teeth gritting together.

"Tsk. You're so stupid. You're making this boring fast. Anyone with a shred of intelligence should know that obeying and doing things that please the captor are the smartest m—" Hidou's next word was left hanging as he swiveled his head around on impulse. He was caught off guard as a razor sharp blade ran through his backside, and only managed to escape from death because of his Inferno Layer.

…

Akame didn't hesitant to swing Murasame when she caught a glimpse of what was taking place. Much to her disbelief, she didn't get the anticipated result as she executed a downward slice from the air in a swift and practiced motion. Her Teigu should've finished him off, yet it did not. There was something strange. It felt different. There was no contact with armor nor was there splitting skin.

Confused, she looked up and immediately raised Murasame to block a coming kick. The force was reduced, yet the foot twisted and managed to land on her torso. Her eyes widened when her diaphragm collapsed from the impact that was equivalent to being stampeded by horses. She crumpled to the ground on one knee, wheezing for oxygen.

"Ooh! If it isn't Akame of the Demon Blade Murasame. Looks like I hit jackpot." Hidou sounded enthralled, having lost interest in his previous prey in favor of the more threatening newcomer. He looked haughtily at the raven-haired girl, studying the dirt that caked her clothes. "So you escaped my widespread attack by burrowing underground like a mole. Can't say I'm that impressed, since one measly kick made you succumb to your knees."

Akame didn't reply as she regained her footing. She felt lightheaded and her abdomen begged for treatment. Painkillers, if she had any, would've been useful. 'Argh! He hits harder than Esdeath. Is it because of his Teigu or…'

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Hidou teased.

Akame gave no response. Hidou was obviously trying to probe for more information through taunts. The more hotheaded members like Ieyasu and Leone may have been provoked, but Akame was a veteran in this field. It was impossible for her to fall victim to a simple insult. The Wildfire would've to do a lot better to get a reaction out of her.

"I know your buddies are around. Why don't you call them out? Or are you really that stupid to think that you stand a chance by yourself?"

While Hidou continued his monologues, Akame took time assessing the general. 'This man… he is another anomaly like the Silencer. I've never heard of him before coming to this timeline. Supposedly, he has the greatest physical strength out of the four generals. And worse, I can't seem to cut him down. Whatever his power is… it allows him to come out unscathed. But was it a direct hit? I didn't feel flesh. All I felt was… heat?'

"You're not much of a big talker. I see… you're the type that analyses everything first. Heh, you really do remind me a lot of a stupid colleague of mine. It's daunting. You two have the same cold, calculating look. But unlike him, I can see the burning hope that flares within your beautiful red eyes. You haven't given up on this ruined world yet. Good. Very good!" Hidou adapted into a fighting stance and beckoned the assassin. "Alright, enough rambling. Let me test your resolve. Come at me, Akame of Night Raid!"

"Eliminate!"

Akame needed no invitation.

In mere seconds she reduced the distance and settled into the rhythm of swordplay. She brandished her blade in a lethal dance. Her sword's skill, honed by years of training, was meant to kill. It existed only to take lives away. Each strike was deadly and accurate. Therefore, it came as a surprise that none of her attacks were having the supposed effect. Hidou was stabbed in the throat, cut in the leg at least twice, and pierced through the heart once. Any human would be long dead, regardless of Murasame's poison. He shouldn't be standing, let alone be responding to her strikes with his bare hands. It was surreal, but Akame had little time to fathom the reason. She had to keep him occupied, until Lubbock was finished with his preparations.

Whilst Akame and Hidou exchanged blows, Ieyasu tiptoed towards Spear. The boy's clothing were dirtied and coated with mud, but that was the last of his concerns. He wasn't out on a date so it was meaningless to stress about his tagged garments, especially since the woman on the ground was in a more execrable state. Disinclined to attract Hidou's attention, he soundlessly bent down and helped the woman into a sitting position.

"Hey lady, wake up." Ieyasu shook Spear's shoulders gently. "Can you tell me where Chouri is?"

Spear opened her eyes wearily and grunted when she heard her father's name. What did her father do to deserve so much unwarranted attention from people? He was sought after by an Imperial general and Night Raid assassins in just one day. Although she didn't recognize Ieyasu from any wanted posters, the fact that he appeared alongside Akame told her enough.

"If you've come to kill him, then you're wasting your time. He's dead," Spear muttered spitefully.

"Shit! Not cool! We wasted too much time cracking open that earth barrier!" Ieyasu cursed and turned his head in his comrade's direction. "Akame, did you get that? Chouri is dead!"

"The mission is a failure then," Akame responded as she backed away from Hidou. The female assassin was spotted with a few injuries. Her once flawless skin was swelling and red, an indication of the bruises that were sure to form. Her black coat was singed and her face was smudged with cinders. Despite her unkemptness, her eyes reflected absolute determination as she kept her blade arranged horizontally. "Ieyasu, we're retreating."

"Right, but let's take this lady here with us. We can't just leave her behind." Ieyasu proceeded to loop an arm around Spear's back but flinched when the woman slapped his arm away.

"Get your filthy hand away from me," Spear hissed. Her heavy eyelids were opened and despite her debilitated condition, she gave Ieyasu a defiant and murderous stare. "Don't even try to touch me, you lowly assassin."

"You a—"His eyebrow twitching, Ieyasu forcefully swallowed down a rebuttal. Arguing with Spear would get him nowhere, and he needed to get going. Without warning, he resorted to the quickest method and delivered a fist to the woman's solar plexus, effectively knocking her out. It was by far one of the rudest approaches, but he didn't want to deal with the uncooperative woman.

"Hurry u—!" Akame couldn't finish as she was compelled to stop a punch with her blade. Her arm quavered from the impact as Hidou applied pressure. Had Murasame been a normal katana, Akame was convinced that the steel would've cracked under the stress. Hidou's strength was Herculean. The general had just met her Teigu in a frontal assault, and was pushing her back with little effort. 'He's strong… too strong. This can't be the strength of a human!'

"What's the matter, Akame? You look stumped." Hidou was enjoying his ascendency as he continued to jeer at Akame, who stubbornly held her ground despite her knees buckling from the pressure.

"Bulldozer!" Just when Akame felt herself give away, Ieyasu charged in, slamming Senpu into the ground. The teen's face broke into a grin when Akame tactfully pulled back, allowing all the flying projectiles to be aimed at Hidou.

At the earth-breaking impact of Ieyasu's attack, Hidou distanced himself to evade the splintered rocks soaring towards him. His arms crisscrossed to protect his face, but were too late to stop one stray piece from grazing his cheek. It drew a thin red line on his skin. He involuntarily hissed, unable to recall the last time he had felt pain.

Along with the stinging feeling on his face, anger bubbled up inside and Hidou snarled at Ieyasu. "Hell! Of all the freaking things on this dumb planet, why do you have a bloody elemental Teigu?!"

"Whoa! And I thought my language was foul. Talk about meeting my match today," Ieyasu commented as he pointed his axe derisively at the cursing general. He glanced towards Akame with a raised eyebrow. "This guy is such a sore loser, right Akame?"

"Perhaps," Akame acknowledged dismissively, all the while priming herself for another round. It was apparent that Hidou wasn't going to let them take flight. There was no means of escaping without at least incapacitating the enraged general, especially since Ieyasu was adamant in rescuing the unconscious Spear.

"I'm gonna give you two a taste of hell." Muttering under his breath, Hidou bit down on his thumb and deliberated the chances of defeating two Imperial Arms users. There was no doubt in his mind that someone would die here. The Teigu battle had started and his blood was boiling with the urge to kill. 'But just killing them wouldn't satisfy me. I'll butcher one and detain the other. That'll spice things up. Now, let's see…'

The general's eyes slid over towards Murasame before landing on Senpu. Moeruseika's powers meant that Murasame posed little to no threat to him. However, the same could not be said with Senpu. In fact, Ieyasu's Teigu was the worst possible matchup for him. 'My Inferno Layer can only stop physical attacks. That means the brat is my first priority. But I guess I can deal with him and subdue Akame at the same time. Yes, it'll all work out if I time everything correctly and stay collected.'

With a plan in mind, Hidou crouched down on all fours, savoring the feeling as adrenaline pumped through his body. He slowly flexed his abs and attained the stance of a hungry beast. His leg muscles bulged, propelling him forward at a ridiculous speed. His sudden movement must have startled Akame, for she failed to intercept him with a side cut. Murasame faintly scratched his side, but lacked the vigor to halt his advance. Against his urges, he wisely ignored the female assassin and pounced forward, towards the unconscious Spear.

"No, you don't!" Ieyasu reacted straight away, pivoting his feet and aiming two slashes with his axes. The teen threw everything into countering the general, oblivious that he was stepping into a trap. His opponent evaded both his blows with extraordinary relaxes. Ieyasu's eyes popped when Hidou suddenly changed his course. He left Spear untouched and instead pounced towards the surprised Night Raider.

"It's a trap, Ieyasu! Fall back!"

Akame's warning came too late. Before Ieyasu could react, Hidou had his palm closed around his face, effectively cutting off his supply of oxygen. In one aggressive motion, the general bashed the boy's head into the soil, ramming his skull against the frozen ground repetitively.

"AH!" A loud cry fled from Ieyasu's lips, synched with a stream of blood.

"Heh! I can smell it, the delicious scent of blood." Hidou's nostrils flared and he relished the trickling feeling of the red fluid on his fingers. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Akame darting towards him, mumbling her signature catchphrase. He snorted and ignored her momentarily, focusing on Ieyasu as he gripped the boy by the collar and hoisted him to eye-level.

"Kyoyutotsu!" A dim red light flickered on his fingers as his Teigu heeded his call. His blue orbs shimmered in delight when Ieyasu's bleeding forehead lit up. As though the blood had gained a will of its own, it danced across the teen's forehead, engraving an image of a chain bounded tightly around a wooden cross. The process took less than a few seconds, though Akame was now but an arm's length away. Straight away, Hidou responded by releasing Ieyasu's collar and welting him in the front.

"Gah!" Simultaneously, blood flowed from both Akame's and Ieyasu's mouths as their bodies registered the impact. Hidou gave them no time to recuperate before he crashed a knee into Ieyasu, sending the boy hurling in a crumpled heap.

"Ughh!" The teen wheezed and curled into a ball, his body writhing on the floor like a person having a seizure. At the same time, Akame's body felt his pain and trembled. The assassin's vision flashed violently red and she staggered for breath. Succumbing to her knees, she coughed uncontrollably, her entire being wreaked by spasms.

"Oh, that felt sooo refreshing!" The Wildfire cracked his knuckles and drew near the helpless Ieyasu. He slammed his foot straight into the boy's back, with enough impetus to break his ribs.

The attack drove both blood and air from the two Night Raiders in unison, instantly dotting crimson on the ground. Another hammer-like fist bore down on Ieyasu and Hidou couldn't stop himself from grinning as two cries resonated in the area, one apparently more restricted than the other.

"Let's see... I've probably broken at least two of your twelve costal cartilages and possibly one of the floating ribs!" A crazed look of a mad scientist replaced Hidou's usual condescending countenance. "Ooh! This is fun. Let us see how much you can endure."

Full of zeal, the general pummeled Ieyasu again and again, effectively preventing Akame from doing anything efficient as she experienced the same pain. The general's continuous assaults were relentless and vicious as he had the two assassins completely at his mercy. As engrossed as he was, he soon lost count of how many hits he delivered. In his excited state, he was ignorant of everything but the ascendency he had.

It was only the soft thud from behind that momentarily halted Hidou's action, his blood-soaked fist hovering in midair as he rotated his head to the left. A glimmer of surprise rushed into his eyes when he noticed the slumped figure of Akame, lying prone on the ground and motionless. Pulling his attention back to Ieyasu, he finally noticed that the boy had also passed out from the pain.

"Shit!" Hidou swore loudly, once again frustrated the he had gone overboard. He was so immersed with his fun that he had forgotten that he was supposed to capture and interrogate one of the assassins. With a sharp intake of breath, the general jabbed a foot at Ieyasu's temple and was relieved to hear a muted groan. 'Well, at least they are still alive. They're willfully stubborn alright, I'll give them that. Should've known that it was impossible for me to hold back. Got too hyped up. Maybe I should try half the usual dosage the next time…'

"Now, the only question left is which one I kill and which one I take back." Hidou made sure that his voice carried contempt as he made his intention known. He ran his tongue over his bloody fingers, relishing the metallic taste that overfilled his mouth. "My Teigu, Darkness Flare: Moeruseika, is a product from hell. It's the embodiment of pain. It protects me from pain but delivers it to my opponents in frenzy."

There was no reply.

"Now that you've seen a small extent of my powers, are you going to abandon your teammates and run, or are you going to stupidly challenge me?"

Only silence followed his inquiry.

Hidou's eyes roamed around the ruined village. The collapsed infrastructure offered little places to hide but the killing intent verified someone's presence. Despite everything, Hidou was inwardly impressed. The brutality he had showed should've been adequate to get anyone fleeing in terror. Whoever it was, they were able to control their rage and stay out of sight, assessing him with keen eyes. It was only their mild killing intent that gave them away, though Hidou couldn't pinpoint the exact position. 'Tsk, this rat is good. Rather than trying to mask their presence completely, they instead spread out their killing intent, making it difficult for me to locate the source. Tsk. I won't be able to find him, even if I search the burnt-down houses. I must lure him out into the open.'

"Kyoyutotsu, it literally translates to 'shared pain'. That's the name of the technique I used to take down your teammates. I anticipated Akame to be meddlesome. So when I dealt that first kick, I altered her pain perception and then linked it with the brat's body. Whatever pain he feels, she feels it too… but just on a smaller scale. Pretty convenient, isn't it?" The sarcasm was evident in the Wildfire's tone. He intended to get the assassin emotionally riled up. "As some would say, sharing is caring. What do you think?"

Hidou got a response this time, though not in the way he expected. Thin threads of wire wrapped themselves around his neck, cutting into him and coiled around him like a vicious serpent. The silver wires were like skeleton fingers, cold and dead. With an incensed roar, the general clawed the strings blindly but they were bonded to him too tightly for him to grasp. 'Damn this, it's cutting into my Inferno Layer!'

His mind spun faster than ever, and his eyes traced the wires to behold the culprit. Up there, directly above him, was a man in green. He had a serious look plastered on his features as he descended from the web-like platform he had created. The assassin landed behind him, and the strings choking him constricted as the green-haired man reeled in some of his threads.

"H-How? I should b-be about to break this," spluttered Hidou, desperate.

"I saw that even Murasame was useless against you, so I'm using my best thread here. The Realm-Cutting Thread; it's from the stronger parts of an ultra-class Danger Beast called Dragoon. You are strong, but even you won't be able to break it," Lubbock whispered coldly, flexing his fingers as he manipulated Cross Tail. "And I'll tell you what I think about all this. I think… it's about time I get you back, Night Raid Imposter!"

Mission: Team 1- Protect the Official on Ryuusen, Team 2- Protect Former Prime Minister Chouri

Participating Members: Team 1- Bulat and Yukio, Team 2- Akame, Ieyasu and Lubbock

Result: Team 1- Ongoing, Team 2- Failed

Rewards: Unknown

Author's Notes: Phew! This chapter took a lot of planning and editing to finish. Although it's not flawless, I'm pretty happy with the result and I hope that my readers are too. And as usual, my progress on my stories are frequently updated on my profile. Go check it out if you want to get info about the next update.

Also feel free to leave a review or PM me with any feedback, comments, questions or even criticisms you have about this story.

And of course, I would like to give a big thank you to all the kind reviewers who have left feedbacks. Your comments really help shape the story and serve as great motivation for me.

Drew Luczynski: Thanks for the review and indeed, staff did happen in this chapter. As for whether or not Bulat will survive his battle, that will be revealed in the next two chapters. But for now, I'll keep quiet to avoid spoilers.

SeihoTheNeko: I'm really pleased to hear that you enjoyed the last chapter. You mentioned that you have a feeling of how this chapter will go, so I wonder if I managed to throw in a bit of the unexpected.

MaiBilaro: Great to see you giving this story a try. And here's the update that you've waited eagerly for.

Shade169: Thank you for your continuous support and advice. I admit that the last chapter was slow in terms of pace, but I think it was necessary to develop the characters and to further advance the plot. I'm glad that you seem to understand that. I tend to have a few 'cool-down' chapters once in a while, especially if the action was heavy in past chapters.

Commonwealth1991: Seeing your continuous and unfailing support really does encourage me. Thank you. It's satisfying to know that I've kept Akame, Tatsumi and Esdeath in character. Haha, it is indeed fate that Tatsumi ends up getting Esdeath's attention again. However, as you noted, this does take place earlier than in the canon and is going to have an effect on the relationship in the long run. And the reason that Esdeath was originally fascinated by Tatsumi (well, prior to his innocent smile this chapter) was because of Mamoru. Initially, she is only intrigued because her stoic colleague has taken in an apprentice.

Preview: Chapter 17— Kill the Sacrifices

Two Teigu battles have taken place simultaneously on two very different 'terrains'. As Night Raid clashes with its Imposters, bodies are falling and sacrifices must be made to rebel against fate.