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.

Author's Notes: With the completion of this chapter, I've closed the poll that has been up for a few months now. Thank you to everyone who spare some time and voted. The results are listed as below:

Pairing received 73% of the votes

Friends received 20% of the votes

Teammates received 6% of the votes

Mentor and apprentice received 0% of the votes

Hence, I will officially announce that YukioXAkame is going to occur in this story. However, I do plan on developing the chemistry in a realistic manner; it would be OOC if Akame suddenly falls head over heels for Yukio and vice visa. So don't expect the two to get into a romantic relationship with a speed that can equate with a rocket. Ultimately, their relationship status will impact on the ending of this story (who dies and who lives), since there will be things that Yukio/Akame may or may not do in certain scenarios.

And interestingly enough, I'm coming to terms that a lot of the people in this fandom are just like assassins. You come in and stealthily take a hit on the number of views then withdraw without leaving anything that could be traced back to you (*cough cough* reviews). So what I'm trying to get across is this: an extra big thank you to Mario, Ultimatrix bearer and Revan's Wraith for leaving some feedback.

Mario: Ohhh, you noticed that miniscule detail. That's very perceptive of you. For now, all I'll say is that the Tyrant did indeed use very interesting and distinct choices of vocabulary. Hmmm, 'twist of fate' indeed…

Ultimatrix bearer: That's a very good question. Although I did explain the changes relating to the Teigu rules back in chapter 10, some parts were left vague. So to answer your question, one of the rules of this timeframe is as followed. Once a Teigu is discarded for a set amount of time, it is left in a state where someone else with high compatibility can pick it up and claim it. Since Incursio accepted Tatsumi during the time it was parted with Bulat, Tatsumi has, in a sense, "usurped" Bulat's status as its wielder. The idea is something I took inspiration from the manga, where Lubbock was able to use the Shambhala despite being the wielder of Cross Tail. From that, this idea occurred to me. If a user could choose which Imperial Arms they wield (as they are not allow to use two), then why can't the weapons choose the person they find the most compatible with?

Revan's Wraith: Well, being kept in the dark means there'll also be suspense for you like all the other readers. For now, the only confirmed pairing is Yukio and Akame. Although that just means there is a lot of creativity to be slotted into place with the other pairings. Well, let us see where Tatsumi's journey will take him. After all, this is a tale about growth and loss for not only Yukio but Tatsumi as well.

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(Beta read by Revan's Wraith)

Chapter 23 —Kill the Leader

"In this world that seems so untrue,

We're not even given the time to get lost,

Amid the reality that is pushed upon us,"

- Belief (Taboo Tattoo OP)

Location: Night Raid's Capital Hideout (Book Night). Time: Morning. Year: 1024 (Day 105).

Book Night was once again packed as Ieyasu, clad in a uniform consisting of a white suit with a black apron as the top layer, greeted the customers while sorting out a pile of books beside him. He figured some assistance would replace his current grimace with a grin, though the optimistic thought was thrown out of the window when he remembered who he was partnered up with.

"Hey, you there!" a voice called out.

"Hang on just a sec. I'm coming!" Sliding down the stepladder as swiftly as his legs allowed him, Ieyasu felt inundated since books weren't the only things surrounding him. Another swarm of people had just entered the bookshop from the single door. Merely one glance and the teen was already certain that nothing good would happen next. The number of visitors should've brought joy, but coming into the store didn't equate to purchasing the goods, as Ieyasu learned the hard way.

'Not again!' The teen rolled his eyes and cursed the one responsible.

"Where's that bitch?" a gruff man demanded from the doorway and cracked his knuckles, seemingly only held back by the realization that his target was nowhere in sight. The smell of alcohol and bad breath mingled with the air as he spoke, and Ieyasu nearly scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"Hmph, it's only the kid today." There was a scoff coming from someone amongst the sea of people.

"Damn, she gave us the slip again!"

"Sly thing, that one."

"What a waste of my time."

"I'll get her! Damn those boobs still have my money!"

Murmurs and complaints sounded in the room, acting as sirens in Ieyasu's skull. The rookie assassin felt a vein pop in his head. Ever since Lubbock's death, he joined Leone in her frequent reconnaissance, all the while keeping the bookshop running. Not that he minded the new assignment, considering how this place was once Lubbock's. That being said though, the place was getting a lot busier... for the worst possible reason. There was shuffling of feet as men came in and out, demanding for the woman with an enormous rack.

'Darn it nee-san! Why do I've to be tangled up in this? Heaven must hate me.' Ieyasu heaved an irked sigh that was becoming more of a habit than anything else these days. Just where was Leone? The blonde assassin seemed to have a bad record for ditching him whenever he was in dire need of her help.

"Shut up and listen for a minute!" With his tolerance limits low, Ieyasu pulled all the attention towards him as he gave one strident shout that sliced through any other remarks. The teen pointed towards the doorway, almost wearily. "Look, if you aren't gonna get yourselves a book then get out. We aren't selling a service here. Go to the red-light district for that."

Expecting outraged snarls to erupt at any time, the teen made a point to reach for his Teigu located beside the counter. His thumb slid across the metal surface of his weapon as he added, "Scram now or you will regret it."

That said, he left no room for any argument as he began to brusquely usher the people out and more or less slam the door on their backs. Expecting the worst, he then pressed his spine against the door and felt at least half a dozen powerful thuds, noticeably from someone trying to kick the hinge off. There were a few curses and angry shouts before the crowd decided that he was not worth their time and scattered. With a relieved sigh, he slid down onto the floor and allowed the quiet to ease the screams from his ears. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would be thankful for the momentary tranquility.

"Not bad. That was pretty good. So tough and assassin-like, Ieyasu-kun. Even I got the vibes listening on the sideline. Hmm, good on you! You're getting the hang of things."

The comment was subsequently followed by a tap as Ieyasu looked towards the opened window. There, crouched on the window ledge was Leone, looking carefree and relaxed as usual. A faint streak of red colored the skin on her cheeks, leaving Ieyasu with the speculation that she had just returned from drinking. Not surprisingly, she had discarded her uniform for her customary garments before going out since Ieyasu could see an identical set of clothing to his spread out on the floor near the window.

"The only thing left hanging here is my patience. Darn it, nee-san. I ain't your personal slave," he snapped.

"Chill, Ieyasu-kun. I just went out for recon." Leone shrugged and approached the bookshelves closest to the counter, where an old cash register was placed on the wooden desk. Despite knowing that it was Lubbock's, she was tempted to open it and see how much was inside. She doubted there was much, though there should be enough for a few extra runs down to a tavern.

"Yeah, right," Ieyasu noted acerbically before getting back on his feet, simultaneously dusting the bottom of his pants. Leone was generally dependable in most situations, but it was clearly a different story when drinking was involved. After all, everything was pointing to the fact that Leone had ditched her reconnaissance for some refreshments. "You know, maybe you should wait until the booze wears off before you start saying things."

"Is it that obvious?" Leone pitched the bridge of her nose, a little peeved at her carelessness. She didn't think she drank that much, though she did have the tendency to guzzle more after a comrade's death for the next fortnight.

"Nee-san, how old do you think I am? Three?" Coming within reach of Leone and the bookshelves, Ieyasu pushed three books inwards, prompting the shelf adjacent to slid away. There was a creaking sound of gears turning before a hidden passage presented itself before the two Night Raiders. Apparently, this underground hideout was Lubbock's pride and joy, one that he bragged about to Ieyasu during the teen's first visit.

"Can you stop wooing men? It's an eyesore, especially when you drag me into your problems." Ieyasu blew a short puff of hot air and motioned Leone to enter first, indicating that their exchange should continue in private.

"Jeez. It's not like I'm doing this for fun, you know. Half of the people out there are probably from the slums. They're after me 'coz I owe them a debt of some sort," Leone said as she walked down the flight of stairs and into a small room. It used to be a basement but that was before Lubbock decided to decorate it. These days, the walls were adorned with the Night Raid's insignia and shelves with all kinds of assortments took their permanent space in the corners. In the middle of the room were a green couch and a table with leftovers littering on the wooden surface. Additionally, posters of possible targets dangled from the ceiling alongside the lanterns.

"What can I say? Interest builds up faster than I can count my income," she said offhandedly, shrugging her shoulders.

"You're still swimming in a pool of debts, aren't you?" Ieyasu asked, despite knowing fully too well that it was a rhetorical question. Prior to being assigned with Leone, Najenda had warned him of the blonde's idiosyncrasy, though he didn't think at that time that he would also be adversely affected. 'Look at things differently makes me want to pity nee-san, but she totally brought this upon herself. Besides, it's not like I can spare anything… I've got a village full of hungry people to feed.'

"No offense Ieyasu-kun, but you're so easy to read sometimes; your face is literally telling me that you want someone else to pair up with." If Leone was insulted, then she didn't show it as she grabbed the boy by the apron and rammed his head into her breasts. "Oh, am I really not good enough for you? But too bad because nee-san here is the only candidate."

"And why is that?" asked Ieyasu, his voice muffled.

"We're the only two who haven't made the frontlines of any newspapers or posters yet."

"What about Mine? The last I checked, she was out shopping." Ieyasu pulled himself free from Leone, only to find a piece of paper being held in front of his face. The answer to his inquiry was written clearly in large block letters: Wanted dead or alive, Night Raid's Mine. Just above the words was a discernible picture of the pink-haired girl. To make the matter worse, one quick scan of the descriptions gave away all of Mine's distinctive features: pink hair in loose twin-tails and petite frame. Ieyasu cringed and muttered, "This is not cool… So us two are the only ones in the clear?"

"It's like I said," said Leone, scratching the back of her head. "I snuck into the police department and got my paws on the latest addition. Mine's is the only new one out there. But something doesn't add up if you ask me and I don't like it one bit. You said so yourself… the last mission ended in disaster."

"Yeah, Akame got paranoid too. Said something about being extra careful on the streets. Just a few days ago, she even gave me a hooded coat..." said Ieyasu, recalling the event that had occurred not long after Akame woke up from her deep sleep. "But as you can see, nobody came to arrest me."

Leone chuckled humorlessly upon hearing that. "Well, that means they don't recognize you as part of Night Raid. I guess since Hidou is six feet under, he can't really give your info to the Empire."

"Oh, that reminds me." Ieyasu tapped a fist to his palm as the gossips that he had eavesdropped on people passing by were evoked. "Speaking of info, the Jaegers… they seem to be all anyone talks about these days."

"The Ice bitch is their leader, so no surprises there." Her close encounter with Esdeath gave Leone first-handed knowledge to testify the fear-provoking power of the ice general, who still managed to install fear into her. It was pathetic, but Leone was not one to overlook the insightfulness of her beast's instinct. "Jeez, she's dangerous alright! I'm glad I decided not to mess with her when I was alone. I wonder how many kills it took for her to gain that evil aura."

"Lubbo said pretty much the same thing," Ieyasu agreed as he made his way towards the center of the room. Feeling drained from just the mention of Esdeath, the teen collapsed onto the couch, lying on his back against the soft green material. "But for you to talk about it like that, nee-san… she must be a monster."

"No jokes there. Even after The Four disbanded, she still made a feared reputation." Strolling towards the table, Leone was more avid of the content inside the bottle on the plain surface than about sharing Esdeath's tales. She gave the bottom a peek and was disappointed to find it emptied, before moving on to the matters on hand. "Let's see… I think it was a few years back when there was a group of savage tribes in the southwest that rose up a rebellion against the Capital's tyrannical rule. The tribes had 10,000 soldiers and so the Empire immediately sent 120,000 to quell them. You would think that was plenty and that the results were obvious."

"You would think? Wait… so, the Imperial soldiers got their asses handed to them?" Intrigued by the talk of warfare, Ieyasu pushed himself on his elbows and sat up straighter. On the whole, numbers alone proved to be a critical element in ascertaining victory, though from what Leone was saying, something had gotten in the Empire's way.

"An understatement for sure. Places far off the outskirts of the Capital were hell for the Empire's soldiers, who had no experience with the terrain. Poisonous bogs and large rivers of mud impeded their advances. Swarms of poisonous insects and diseases had a devastating effect on troop morale. They were also being preyed on by wild animals and exotic monster species. The expeditionary force didn't stand a chance against nature. What's more, the tribes who knew the land well were also constantly conducting highly effective night raids on their forces. The Imperial army was too exhausted to even put up a fight. The Empire grew impatient—"

"—and regrouped The Four, right?" Ieyasu interrupted and supplied his own assumptions. Evidently, the Capital's forces somehow emerged victorious despite the odds stacking against them. Otherwise, Ieyasu himself wouldn't be here as a member of Night Raid striving for another uprising against the current Empire. Therefore, the likely presupposition was that The Four, whose strength was unparalleled, was dispatched to annihilate the enemy.

"Jeez, don't jump the gun and let me finish. Back then, The Four was still dysfunctional. So nope, those op generals ain't the ones who completely turned the tables around for the Empire," Leone notified, unintentionally constricting her hold on the empty bottle. A thin crack ran across the glass but was left disregarded as the woman continued, "The Empire sent our Boss, who was still a general at that time, and Esdeath to reinforce the army. In a nutshell, the Ice bitch froze the entire landscape and led the troops straight to the enemy's villages, pitilessly crushing the opposing forces. But that's not all… she ordered the soldiers to destroy everything to their hearts' content. The soldiers stole, torture, rape, and killed most of the tribal people. And during that time, Esdeath forced a few of the tribal soldiers she captured to watch as their homes were ravaged before letting them go."

"She freaking let those soldiers go? The chick is mad! Is she trying to get them to hate her and come back for revenge?" The story was quite unsettling and Ieyasu's mind was still trying to process everything. However, the one thing that stood out to him was Esdeath's motive. Why would the woman simply allow a few to live if she was supposed to make an example out of them? It didn't make much sense unless she was deliberately trying plant seeds of hatred into the enemy.

"Right," Leone nodded before joining Ieyasu on the couch. Gently shoving the teen to the side, she sat in a casual manner, with her elbows resting on the crest rail and her legs up on the table. The trash can was now directly across from her so she lobbed the empty bottle and watched with contentment plastered on her features as the glass container soared through the room and into the waste bucket. Just constant precision similar to that and she was certain that she would outdo Mine in sniping. "Esdeath wants more rebellions so that she can enjoy herself for as long as possible. That's why that crazy bitch is a war manic."

"She's a lunatic. I pity whoever catches her eyes," Ieyasu said abstractedly as he reached forward to grab Mine's wanted poster from the table. Scrunching it up into a ball, he then attempted to mimic Leone by catapulting the paper ball towards the trash can. Needless to say, he was rather discouraged when it came nowhere as close. The ball bounced harmlessly off the wall and landed on the ground.

"Well, I wouldn't call this a brilliant idea but you can always check her out yourself. Here, read this." Suppressing the urge to chuckle at Ieyasu's unsuccessful shot, Leone gave her best impersonation of Akame's poker face as she took out a rolled up piece of paper from her pocket. With a quick flick of the wrist, she unfurled it and its content became known to Ieyasu. "Esdeath is sponsoring a citywide martial arts tournament. There's a load of cash prepared for the winner. You can always take the sum and send it back to your hometown."

"Ooh, so cool!" Ieyasu gawked at the flyer, his thoughts already soaring with a mental reflection of him seizing the hoard of money. His eyes glistered and it took every ounce of self-control to not drool. For a few seconds, he unknowingly resembled Akame when looking at meat, though he was too enticed to withhold his self-image. So engrossed he was, it took a while for the deliberation to hit him, and he instantly narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "And nee-san has this because… no, don't tell me, you want the money too?"

Leone grinned and pointed to a spot at the bottom of the flyer, where several little pictures embellished the otherwise plain piece of paper. Directly beside the illustration of a treasure chest was a pair of scissors, an image that most people would have overlooked. "No silly, it's part of my recon mission."

Ieyasu stared at Leone, with a look that was anything but gullible.

"Okay, okay. You got me; I've my eyes on the cash too. I mean come on, why wouldn't I?" Scratching the back of her head with a sheepish laughter for getting busted, Leone tried to redeem herself and said, "But trust me when I say that something about this calls for an investigation."

"It's just a pair of scissors. What's so special about it? I'll understand if they have it upwards to resemble a victory sign… Or are they trying to be creative here by getting the competitors to counter with rock? If that's the case, then I've gotta hand it to them. They sure know how to complicate things by getting the competitors to figure out that they should all use their fists if they want to win," Ieyasu said, taking the flyer from Leone for a closer examination. He fisted his free hand and moved it back and forth, as if he was playing a game of rock-paper-scissors. Forthrightly, he felt that the treasure chest, the Partas Clan's symbol, or the Empire's insignia would be more significant, considering how they were so noticeable and pronounced on the flyer.

"Jeez! The one time you think is the one time that you overcomplicate everything." Leone made her exasperation public with a loud groan. She rubbed her temples with her fingers, unable to believe that the teen could be so dimwitted that he could forget a weapon previously owned by his comrade. "You see that panda in the middle? Doesn't that remind you of anything?"

"Um… pandas are endangered?"

"Oh! You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding, Ieyasu. I don't think I can make this any more obvious without having to spell it out for you!" Leone exclaimed and was overcome with the urge to groan again. She was beginning to believe that even Sheele had a better memory compared to Ieyasu. "Is your memory really worse than a goldfish's?"

"Hey, you do know that the three-second memory thing for goldfish is just a myth right?" Ieyasu pointed out, "Goldfish actually have a memory span of up to three months and can even tell the time."

"Ugh!" Leone growled and scratched the scalp of her head with her fingernails. "If you have the time to memorize all these random animal facts, then why can't you pay more attention to the weapon wield by your own teammate? That's Extase! Sheele's Teigu!"

"Don't look at me like that. It's Sayo's fault that my brain is cramped with all these facts. She loved the nature and… H-hang on, are you saying that this sorry excuse for a drawing is… actually Sheele's Extase!? Cool… no that's awesome! What are we waiting for? Let's enter this tournament, kick some butt, and get the prize!" Ieyasu would've immediately climbed on his feet, if not for Leone pulling him back by the straps on his apron.

"Hold on, this isn't just a game. Think about things this way, why would the enemy put a picture of Extase on a flyer?" Leone was tentative with announcing her opinion on the matter since it could endanger Ieyasu if she wasn't careful. "The chance of this being anything but a trap is so low that it's not even funny. My instincts are screaming at me. I don't want to play right into their hands, but this is also our best opportunity."

"Nee-san, stop worrying and just go already. You know you want to." Understanding that Leone was just playing caution and that she had every intention to probe into the issue, Ieyasu decided to do a little convincing so that they could save time. With Leone, it was apparent that she would rather take action than be contemplative. "You're right. For all we know, it could just be a trap for Night Raid. But nobody knows that we're part of Night Raid. So why can't we go?"

"You… have a good point." Leone blinked twice, unable to believe that the answer was so undemanding that she didn't even think about it. A mischievous smile then lit her face and she wrapped Ieyasu into a tight embrace. "That's it! Now all that's left is to get Akame to approve of our plan. But persuading her is sure hella lot easier than trying to convince the Boss."

"Guess we should be glad that the Boss has left Akame in charge then," Ieyasu added, his voice barely distinguishable since his face was buried. In any case, the timing couldn't have been more apposite. With the incident involving Bulat's encounter with the enemy, even Najenda decided to make a trip to the Revolutionary Army's base, leaving Akame the responsibility of taking command. By no means was the red-eyed assassin negligent in the protocol, though she did allow more freedom for the team, meaning that receiving her permission to participate in Esdeath's tournament was not impracticable.

"Alright then, so the first thing on our list is to hunt some Danger Beasts!" With that said, Leone quickly stripped Ieyasu of his uniform before dragging him out of the basement, where the two would then put their plan to 'persuade' Akame into action.

Location: Revolutionary Army's Main Camp. Time: Morning. Year: 1024 (Day 105).

Najenda stared at what lay before her, her functioning eye quivering in a mixture of surprise and atypical horror.

Instead of being greeted by the familiar sight of enormous large tents and friendly officers, the leader of Night Raid found herself looking at the charred grounds littered with barely recognizable corpses. Blood painted the soil and the remnants of embers spread outward to as far as she could see.

Everything in sight was red, portentous and hellish.

Apart from bodies, utensils and weapons were spilled everywhere. The tents, which were supposed to serve as the living space for many powerful warriors, were utterly demolished. Their tips were crushed and their support beams were skewing out from within the material.

Smoke from still burning fire drifted upward in tendrils, polluting the heavens. The skies were overcast with a darkish grey that reflected her mood.

The wind blew the metallic stench of blood towards her. It was the scent of death, so thick that most would be struck by the need to puke. A piece of tattered fabric from someone's clothing was caught by the invisible draft and came into her reach. It was as if nature intended to mock her by supplying more evidence regarding the casualties that the Revolutionary Army suffered. Catching the blackened cloth between her fingers, Najenda's hand then clenched into a tight fist.

The sound of footsteps alerted Najenda. Her gaze darted towards her left.

From the opposite direction to the rising sun were a dozen or so figures. Apart from one, the rest all wore the signature red headband that was embedded with the Revolutionary Army's insignia. The exception who led the group was a dazzling woman with porcelain skin and shimmering mahogany eyes. Her flowing tresses, as smooth as silk, framed the side of her face and fluttered down until they reached past her hips. In addition, she didn't wear the green combat gear her comrades donned with pride. Instead, her style of attire was so distinctive that Najenda recognized it immediately. Matching the grey-purple breastplate and armor that concealed her white long-sleeved shirt was a pair of long red pants secured by a white sash tied around the waist. As if prepared for war, she was not only spotted with shoulder-blade protections and a metal headpiece but also had a long sword strapped to her sash.

In her entire life, Najenda only knew one person who found a preference in such old fashion sense. It wasn't as though it looked bad—in fact, beauty was a word too dull to describe the woman—but it was so outlandish that the attire attracted immediate attention. It helped Najenda with identifying her.

"General Jiegeng," Najenda called out. Noticing that they were friends rather than foes, the ex-general approached them, though still ever vigilant. Anyone with less self-control would've frantically demanded an explanation. However, she knew how vital her composure was. It provided her with rationale, which was fundamental for information gathering.

"You may proceed." Gesturing towards the scorched grounds with a wave of her hand, Jiegeng watched as her subordinates head to work. Her legs guided her to Najenda and both women stopped when they were close enough for a conversation.

"I am no longer an Imperial general, Najenda. As you have done before me, I've renounced my position." A humorless smile graced Jiegeng's face as her mahogany orbs interpreted the unspoken questions from the silver-haired woman's collected expression. "Triviality aside, we were ambushed by Mamoru and his elite division two nights ago. We suffered casualties. Those who lingered as means of diversion were killed. While I cannot deduce the reason, they took no prisoners."

Although Najenda had mentally prepared herself, it was rather difficult to stay calm once the truth was delivered to her. Pulling her jaws tight together until her teeth cracked, she took a moment to digest the information given. Her brows puckered to highlight her dark mood as a recollection entered her head. She recalled their leader being ill during her last visit. "So I'm assuming that our main forces managed to escape unharmed… But who didn't make it? Did our Leader… Did he survive?"

In response, Jiegeng shook her head solemnly. The gesture conveyed better than words and Najenda's prosthetic arm rolled into a fist until it creaked with the immense pressure.

"Are you certain?" the Leader of Night Raid asked.

"Jiegeng-sama." As if on cue, a rebel drew near with news that eradiated any remnants of hope. He tapped his writing stick on the sheet of document secured onto a clipboard. "We've confirmed the identities the corpses. Amongst them… is o-our Leader… as well as the noblewoman we were told to find by the higher-ups."

"Noblewoman? What did she look like?" Despite her inquiry, there was a lurking suspicion that gripped Najenda.

"The corpse was badly burnt. But we managed to deduce that she's around early twenty and has blonde hair."

"Death via incineration. Hidou is the one responsible for her demise," Jiegeng noted, with a small frown marring her features.

"Hidou!?" At that, Najenda couldn't contain the disbelief that manifested in the form of a widened eye. Her body trembled in a mixture of astonishment and rage as she hissed, "How is that possible? I was informed that he was dead. My subordinates killed him!"

"Your words correspond with Bulat's." The other woman spoke softly, as if wary of provoking Najenda's suppressed emotions. She lifted a slender finger and gestured towards the charred grounds. "However, it seems you were all mistaken. What we see before us is the aftermath of Hidou and Mamoru's combined assault. The Wildfire is alive. That is indubitable."

'Spear... She was killed by the man who killed her father…' Najenda inwardly cursed at how misfortune taunted them. Although Spear was reluctant to cooperate with the rebel army, the silver-haired woman felt assured that she would eventually come to understand their conduct. Having the noblewoman as an ally would've improved the army's strength, considering that she was not only an experienced fighter but also a talented young leader.

And to think that Spear wasn't the only valuable asset the army lost. Each of the fallen warriors was also with praiseworthy qualities, for they all sacrificed themselves in order to provide their commanders a chance for survival.

'Hidou, Mamoru… In just one night, they managed to deal irrevocable damage to the Revolutionary Army's main camp. I can only imagine why they decided to retreat instead of pursuing.' It was apparent that the Empire had trampled over them once again, and the means they went about it was as repulsive as always. The reason for attacking the rebel's main camp, only to then withdraw instead of hunting down the survivors, must have been stemmed from caution. After all, the nearby forest that concealed the rebels was a territory unexplored by the Empire's men.

There was no doubt in her mind that Hidou could've easily burned the entire forest to the ground, though she suspected he was still recuperating from his near-death experience. From that viewpoint, Mamoru must've been the one to place priority of his men's safety over exterminating the rest of the rebels. Looking at the destroyed camp, it felt like the Silencer and the Wildfire were mocking them in their own way, just as how misfortune presented them with reality. 'To avoid a greater chance of being discovered, the Empire sent a small division to attack us instead of its main forces. But once a report gets filed in, I doubt that the Imperial soldiers will leave a single stone in this area unturned. This campsite is done for. We'll never be able to situate our forces around here ever again.'

Najenda sucked in air and her pained expression was mistaken for anxiety as Jiegeng gave a reassurance that she thought would appease the silver-haired woman's troubled heart. "Bulat is alive. He is with Masaru."

There wasn't a shred of doubt over the given fact, nor was Najenda surprised. Despite his injuries, the Man-Slayer was a man of his words. Just prior to his departure, he had told her that he would continue to struggle for life and she believed him unwaveringly. Moreover, she deduced with her logic that since Spear was an unexpected guest, Bulat was probably the only one who knew about her to have issued a search warrant; he wouldn't have been able to do that if he was dead.

"You know, Masaru-san will have much more responsibility to shoulder now that his father is dead. Given what we've discussed during the last meeting, he is to be appointed the next leader of the Revolutionary Army. The decision is cruel; he is only a young man. But we don't have many options left. We cannot let the army disband. That's over a decade of hard work and sacrifices we cannot afford to waste," said Najenda, pulling out a cigarette from her pocket and lighting it. Thin wisps of smoke appeared with her exhalation and she forced herself to recollect her equanimity.

"Masaru understands his responsibilities. You need not concern yourself with him." Even as she spoke, the mask of stoicism on the raven-haired woman was firmer than Najenda's composed façade, though there was a hint of sorrow that dwelled deep within her eyes. Yet, the leader of Night Raid wasn't so poor with her judgment to see that she wasn't wearing a look of defeat. Sheer resolve radiated through, highlighting the type of person Jiegeng was. "If necessary, I shall provide him assistance."

"I wish I share your optimism," Najenda inhaled shapely, then let exhaled as though heaving a soundless sigh.

"Not optimism. I'm assured, that is all." Brushing away a strand of stray hair that was being toyed by the light breeze, Jiegeng paused and then continued speaking in an impassive manner. "If we are to liken fate to a wheel, then it surely must be one that has eroded. However, that does not prevent people from trying to turn it. As a matter of fact, the wheel of fate has already been set off course."

Najenda blew out tendrils of clouds and stared at the other woman. Confusion flashed across her features momentarily before it was replaced with a small smirk. "Is this what your Teigu foresaw, just like my arrival?"

Jiegeng waved an arm in the air to disperse the smoke. Her other hand went to traced a cut that ran diagonally on her neck, which Najenda noticed was a fresh wound. "No, I did not envision your arrival. I am no longer an Imperial Arms user."

"They managed to steal your divination Teigu? You're fortunate to be alive," the leader of Night Raid pointed out, simply being honest rather than having the intent to be offensive.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." As one who operated with logic, Jiegeng naturally understood the implications. Rather than discussing whether her survival was due to luck's blessing or on fate's whim, she carried on with the more important matters. "The final prediction I received involves your subordinates. Evil descends upon the base. In three days time."

"Three days, huh? Can you be any more specific? What evil?" Najenda asked, keen to extract any bits of details she could. Already, she began to process what she received and her brain spun to construct possible countermeasures.

"I am not omnipotent. There are possibilities that are beyond my reach, just as I am unable to fathom how Mamoru came to be informed of this location."

"You don't suppose he caught wind of it." Although it sounded like a casual joke to relieve tension, there was no half-heartedness in Najenda's voice.

"It's certainly a possibility," said Jiegeng as she gave it some serious thought.

"Jiegeng-sama. Najenda-sama." Having gone back to his task after reporting the causalities, the man returned and pulled the two women away from their deliberations. Two heads turned concurrently towards him and he interpreted the signal as his permission to continue. "As requested, we've found the chest that contains Susanoo underneath the rubble."

The Speed of Lightning: Susanoo. Najenda heard rumors of the biological Teigu. Apparently, the human-shaped relic was stored within a chest after the last wielder perished. When considering Susanoo's size, it was not difficult to imagine why the Teigu was left behind when the Revolutionary Army evacuated in a hurry. It was just so a lucky coincident that none of Mamoru's men went to open the chest to confirm its content. Najenda supposed that there was a perk in designing the containment to resemble a coffin.

At the recollection of the biological Teigu, a peculiar sensation rushed through her body. It was as though her soul was trying to create a resonance with something else. Having experienced such phenomenon once before, she had a lurking idea of the source, which prompted her to issue a command to the man before her. "Take me to where Susanoo is. I have another means of transport other than carrying him."

The Leader of Night Raid allowed the first smile of the day to tug at the corner of her lips. Out of all the bad news she heard today, something good came out of the terrible series of events. It seemed that she had found the first candidate of her newest recruits.

Night Raid Members Remaining: ?

Mission: Win Esdeath's tournament

Participating Members: Ieyasu and Leone

Result: Ongoing

Rewards: none

The Four Present in the Capital: 4

The Jaegers Members Remaining: 7

Now, this section is dedicated to recapitulating the relevant plot events. Here are some things that can be reviewed over or considered for this chapter:

- From the snippets provided about Mamoru's powers and how he wounded Bulat, it is assumed that he used the 'wind's scent' to keep track of Bulat's movements and subsequently was able to locate the Revolutionary Army's main campsite.

- The main intention for the second half of this chapter is to expand on the Revolutionary Army. It was an integral part in the canon but wasn't elaborated on too much. Hence, I thought of delving deeper into the rebel's forces and how they regard the Empire and their own assassins.

- While the Revolutionary Army has numerous bases scattered throughout the borderline of the Capital, one of their best scouting position is in fact where the main camp once stood.

- Although it was a small-scaled defeat, the Revolutionary Army did suffer significant damage that will require effort and time to recuperate. In particular, their main forces are currently scattered.

- In chapter 7, Najenda did tell Akame and the others that the leader of the Revolutionary Army has fallen ill. Now that the leader is dead, his son Masaru is the next in line to take command.

- General Jiegeng is an OC that was first mentioned in chapter 9. If you're familiar with the shounen anime/manga Inuyasha, you may notice how she is made to resemble Kikyo. Even her clothing is a design from the 4th movie, Fire on the Mystic Island. (Well, what can I say? She's my all time fav so I couldn't resist adding her in when I needed an OC that can help represent the Revolutionary Army).

- The divination Teigu Najenda talked about in this chapter is actually canon material, mentioned only when Dr. Stylish launched a raid against Night Raid. Unfortunately, it seemed that Takahiro forgot about it completely since it was never brought up again. So I decided to give it a bigger role, which will come later on in the story.

- Small trivia: Akame has not made an appearance since chapter 19 despite being the heroine in this story. Altogether, this means that this is the 5th chapter where she has taken a spot off stage. (Poor Akame…) That being said, this is the 2nd chapter where our main hero of this story, Yukio, has not appeared. (lol, they're both taking a vacation… if only that was the case).

Preview- Kill Cognition: What would happen if one no longer possessed the ability to distinguish the truth from the lies? Fabricated tales weaved into reality, crisscrossing with one's cognition. Upon his incomprehensive stirring, where should he go?

Yukio: I feel that the safest thing to do is go back… but there's just this sense of uneasiness I can't shake off. A dream that felt too real and a feeling of being watched by something like Spectator...

Ieyasu: The prize money will be mine!

Tatsumi: Ieyasu, I've found you!