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: Hmm, there are over a hundred views for the last chapter and only 1 person reviewed. Such phenomenon makes it challenging for me to know whether or not there's entertainment value in my story. What are the improvements I could be making? What are the things that the readers enjoyed? These questions constantly nag me – and it's probably true for most writers on this site as well– when it comes to getting the story onto paper. Therefore, please feel free to provide me with your opinions. All reviews, criticisms, questions, and thoughts are very much welcomed.

With that said, thank you to Ultimatrix bearer for sparing some time and leaving a review. It is definitely very much appreciated as it offered me the motivation to keep on writing.

Ultimatrix bearer: Yep, the battle is going to play out differently without Tatsumi here. And I hope that you'll enjoy reading it. :D

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(Beta read by Revan's Stories)

Chapter 29— Kill the Madness

"You reveal the real You

This wish lying in wait.

Was merely a beast.

Hiding its fangs.

Ahh, this world…

Ahh, it's so greedy."

-Keshin no Kemono (Juuni Taisen ED)

Location: Southwest of Night Raid's Hideout (In the Forest). Time: Morning (Past Midnight). Year: 1024 (Day 108).

Akame's soundless steps came as rapidly as her internal thoughts as she continued to make her way towards the cliff side, where she recalled being Dr. Stylish's hidden location in the previous timeline.

'How could I have allowed it to slip my mind?'

The female assassin, whose black clothing merged with darkened forest, inwardly scowled at her negligence. While her disorientated memories could be used as an excuse, such careless blunder was by no means acceptable. She should've been prepared. Yet, she allowed herself to indulge in the moment of blissful ignorance because Yukio had returned to Night Raid.

Would she have remembered if she hadn't been distracted by the homecoming party? Probably. Although that hardly mattered now. There was nothing to change the fact that the base was under attack.

Hence, only one thing was left to do.

She would eliminate her targets.

With an objective lodged in her mind, there was no stopping the red-eyed assassin from annihilating the modified soldiers that tried to obstruct her. The number of each wave decreased as she drew closer to Dr. Stylish. In retrospect, she had expected little to no bodyguards protecting the doctor. As a conceited individualist, Dr. Stylish had no qualms about sending almost all of his soldiers into the front, being confident that his hiding place would remain undiscovered.

She had to acknowledge that the mad scientist was indeed cunning, pulling the strings from a safe distance. Had it not been for Najenda scouting from the sky the last time, then he might've been able to at least escape undetected. Choosing an open area by the cliff as an observational point was unconventional but undeniably sly. Most would overlook it as a potential hiding spot. Moreover, it was an ideal position for him to use his poison on the people below.

'That's precisely why I must eliminate him before he has a chance to use the poison.' Such was the reason why she had left her comrades to fend for themselves for the time being while she confronted the mastermind. It was just far more productive than her approach from the last timeline, which was to simply regroup and rely on strength in numbers. Perhaps the tactic would have been effective against other opponents, but when facing someone as manipulative as Dr. Stylish, it would only make them a bigger target to hit. She couldn't risk getting paralyzed again, particularly since none in the group had immunity against the underhanded play.

"Fu, fu... I do look forward in seeing General Hidou's face once I've captured all of the members of Night Raid. Who needs his schemes when I have my stylish soldiers?"

Entering into Akame's ears where miniature explosions and shots being fired. Even so, she overheard everything that Dr. Stylish was saying.

In the cover of the trees closest to the cliff, the raven-haired assassin spied on the man who had his back turned towards her. Her gaze then momentarily drifted towards her right and beyond the cliff's side, to where her acute red eyes distinguished the black silhouettes below as her comrades and the modified soldiers.

As skilled as the Night Raiders were, there were at a complete disadvantage. At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers.

Under normal circumstances, Akame would have crept up and taken immediate action. It would take one cut. However, she doubted that she could get any closer without being detected. The three people standing behind Dr. Stylish served as the ultimate obstacle and security against assassins like her. Each one had a peculiar trait that distinguished them from normal humans. The bulkiest man had round bulgy eyes that provided excellent vision. The skinnier man with revealing clothing and a beak-like nose possessed a highly-refined sense of smell. The woman with rat-like ears replacing her ordinary ones was blessed with super hearing. With all those features combined, it was no wonder that Dr. Stylish was able to discover the hideout.

'I must eliminate those three first before my target.' Frankly, Akame held little recollections about the three, save for the fact that their eventual fate was to become nourishment. While others might've felt pity, the red-eyed killer spared them no compassion. Mercy and reluctance were not something that should ever be associated with assassins.

"But still…" Her ears carefully picked up on Dr. Stylish's heavy sigh. "The amount of resistance they're putting up is astonishing. Kaku and Trooma are both dead and countless infantry have fallen. Oh, I guess I was mistaken. I suppose there's no other choice left, huh? We'll have to use my trump—"

Akame took initiative and sprung out from her hiding spot.

"Behind us! Some—!" One of Stylish's subordinates, the man with enhanced eyes, gave an alarmed shout of warning.

However, it was too late for anyone to react before Akame ended three lives with Murasame. Three slashes with unrivaled precision were all it took before bodies toppled onto the ground.

In the time interval it took for Dr. Stylish to whirl his body around, Akame had managed to perform three kills. But before he could even get a clear view of the assaulter, he found himself staring at a poisonous katana aiming for his neck.

There was a rapid snap of the fingers, muffled by the Perfector.

Murasame was a millimeter away from contact.

"Elimin—!"

BOOM!

A loud explosion caught Akame's attention. Startled, she pulled her eyes towards the sight of the detonation. She was just in time to catch her teammates being engulfed by a fiery blast, followed by the rising pillar of smoke.

Her eyes widened. Fear took grip as rapidly as her assassin's instinct spiked. In a matter of seconds, Dr. Stylish had whipped out a flask and hurled it at her. She cut it down out of pure reflex. The condensed gas spread into the air around her. Holding onto her breath, she leaped back in an attempt to distance herself.

However, she got no more than five steps when her vision blurred and her feet wobbled like jelly. Whatever was in the glass instrument was already having its intended effect on her. The color was drained from her face and she found her body unresponsive. None of her muscles moved accordingly and it wasn't before long she found herself lying flat on her stomach, her body trembling uncontrollably with the symptom of someone with a high fever.

"Fu, fu… trump card #2. A stylishly mixed ultra-powerful paralyzing poisonous gas! Note this for the future, Akame; I never leave myself defenseless. Absolutely never! A backup plan is always essential." Convinced that he had rendered Akame defenseless, Dr. Stylish took a moment to savor his joy and spun around in a theatrical manner before assessing the assassin on the ground. Since this was the first real use of the poison, he took extra note of her condition and it was her quivering body and ragged breathing that were apparent to him. "Well, isn't this interesting? Since I'm up against trained killers, I didn't think that just any poison would work. I took caution and used the strongest stuff I owned. Yet, you're still conscious. How fascinatingly stylish. Well, before you do fall unconscious, mind telling me how you're feeling right now? I'll need this feedback for further research."

Akame gave little effort to formulate a response. Her heavy eyelids were still opened under his evaluation, and despite her feeble state, she managed to give the doctor a defiant and murderous stare.

The intensity she had from before was completely lost. Nonetheless, Dr. Stylish applauded her effort. "Bravo, bravo. You're stylishly strong. But General Hidou is correct… yet again, unfortunately. He specifically told me that blowing up my men near your comrades will distract you. Even supposing I had lost valuable test subjects and most of my troops, the bright side is that I'm not returning empty-handed. Hehehehahaha!"

Akame bit the inside of her cheek. 'This isn't good… My body is not moving the way I want it.'

While the assassin made futile attempts to regain control over her body, Dr. Stylish had turned his interest to the site of the early explosion. The ground was scorched as tendrils of smoke slithered upwards.

'Hmmm, I wonder if one or two assassins got lucky and survived the blast. If so, then I could—huh? What's this?!' Before the idea could fully form inside his head, the doctor noticed something in the center of the blackened earth. A dome constructed entirely of rocks was left charred but otherwise intact from the powerful explosion. Under his watchful gaze, it crumbled into pieces and the outlines of five people became apparent.

With a mixture of surprise and awe, Dr. Stylish gave a high cackle before mentally confirming the need to unleash another one of his secret weapons. But before he could do so, an unexpected voice rang out.

"Evil descends upon the base. The divination Teigu is as fearsome as ever. Right on the mark." As the words traveled into the ears of everyone nearby, all heads concurrently looked up. At that moment, a looming shape of a Danger Beast, Air Mantas, made itself known as it hovered in midair. On its large back were its four passengers.

Since he was on higher grounds, Dr. Stylish didn't need to use a sniper's scope like Mine to distinguish the newcomers. Aside from the three cloaked figures, the one that caught his immediate attention was donned in a flailing black coat that hung loosely on her shoulders.

"It's you… The former general, Najenda! How superbly stylish! To tame and use an exotic species as a form of transportation!" Dr. Stylish spread his arms wide and openly complimented, his eyes shimmering with admiration and excitement. If such a talented individual could be added to his team, then his army of enhanced soldiers would become unstoppable. He could already imagine the glory that would await him, the praises that would shower upon him, and the envy that would be plastered on General Hidou's face.

'This is a sorry state of affairs but it looks like the casualties are one-sided.' Najenda didn't share the doctor's enthusiasm as she cast her gaze on Akame. An elegant brow ascended towards her hairline in a display of incredulity before she turned her head around to her new subordinates. "Considering the unknowns in the current situation, it seems reckless for us to drop down. For now, we'll observe from here."

"Roger." On behalf of the receivers, a single feminine voice responded. The single word was slightly difficult to interpret due to the speaker having a lollypop in her mouth, though the saluting gesture was an adequate signal.

"Now, Susanoo!" Najenda commanded while pointing towards the cliff side. "The final enemy is over there! Exterminate him and retrieve my subordinate."

"Understood." There was only a single utterance of acknowledgment in a deep voice before one of the three robed figures descended from his ride and landed on the ground between Akame and Dr. Stylish. Despite the great height and the clamorous thud, the figure was uninjured as he stretched to his full height. In one clear motion, he removed the cloak that kept his face shrouded in darkness.

'Su!' Although she had anticipated his arrival from her scattered memories, seeing the biological Teigu again brought a miniature smile to the corner of Akame's lips. A nostalgic sensation stirred from the depths of her heart as she took in his comforting form.

When uncloaked, Susanoo gave the appearance of a tall middle-aged man donned in a traditional white robe that one might see in a shrine. A circular disk-like crest was attached to the middle of his chest and bull-like horns came from his tuft of unruly blue hair. At present, he was wielding a stave-like weapon, which only made him look all the more formidable… At least that should've been the case, until he decided to stare at Akame in a rather bemused manner.

Just when Akame was going to make the effort to question the Teigu's behavior, Susanoo bent down on his knees and placed his cloak over her body.

"…There, or you'll catch a cold!" he announced, seeming rather pleased with his charity.

"…Thank you, Su." Familiar with Susanoo's unusual quirks for perfection, Akame spoke softly to show her appreciation for his, perhaps random, display of concern.

"Su? That's an odd way to address someone you've never met." The man blinked in confusion but passed on the chance to inquire further upon noticing Dr. Stylish pulling out a syringe from his pocket. The action instantly placed him on guard and he retained his stance, all the while tightening his hold on his weapon.

"When it comes to this… prepare yourself for the worst! Trump card #3, Danger Beast one dose! This is all I've got!" With sufficient vigor that acted as a stabbing motion, Dr. Stylish injected himself with the syringe. Just as the poison was quick to take root in Akame's system, the dosage that the doctor used immediately took effect as his veins could be seen bulging from where the punctuated wound was. A sinister laugh was emitted from the back of his throat, timed perfectly with the enlargement of his body. "Here it issssss! This is the ultimate in stylishness!"

New tissues and appendages grew from Dr. Stylish and levitated his body until a bigger mass of flesh sprouted out from his lower torso. As repulsive as it was, his transformation only lasted a few seconds before his new colossal body was assembled. What was his original body was half submerged with tubes connecting from his back to his new one. In terms of his actual appearance, there were minor changes, though his spiky hair had been dyed white and his upper torso was bared.

The sudden gain of mass was too much for the cliff to bear. There was a rumbling sound as the ground collapsed underneath Susanoo and Akame. The former reacted instantly and scooped up the female assassin. He carried her bridal-styled, all the while using the falling wreckages as stepping stones.

Apparently, Dr. Stylish's confidence grew with his size. Not in the least threatened by the assassins anymore, he ignored Susanoo and Akame in favor of devouring the corpses of his three subordinates.

"I can't let my precious sustenance go to waste! Let's become one!" Having found the ground with his bare feet, the mad scientist picked up the bodies and swallowed them whole with a new mouth that was on his chest. A gleeful laughter echoed into the vicinity as he felt the immediate effect, with a newfound power welling up from within. "Yes, wonderful! Here it is! A hearty meal of nutritious meat and I level up!"

Location: Outside of Night Raid's Hideout. Time: Morning (Past Midnight). Year: 1024 (Day 108).

It was most likely unfitting for a prince, though Yukio could hardly care about his disheveled appearance at present; he had never truly cared in the first place. From what he could see, his surrounding teammates were caked in dirt but were otherwise unharmed. Like him, their eyes were all glued to the bulk of destruction.

"What in the world is that thing?" From his position with the other Night Raiders, Ieyasu gawked in a mixture of concern and alarm. In all his life, he had never seen something as colossal as the creature that was the doctor.

"It's a monster!" exclaimed Sheele, holding onto the rim of her glasses with a trembling hand.

"Gross." That was the only adjective Mine could use to describe the giant.

"Looks like it gets bigger the more it feasts. We better take it down fast," Leone noted, her beast-like eyes narrowing into slits.

Out of the four Night Raiders, Yukio was the only one who made no comments about the predicament. Instead, his mind was overtaken with concern as he cupped his hand around his mouth and forcefully projected his voice. "Heed my call, Susanoo! Over here!"

Amongst the clamor, there was a modulated voice that evoked Susanoo's memories. It sounded so familiar to him that he obeyed the command without a second thought. He landed beside the blond and handed the raven-haired girl over in a cautious manner.

His blue eyes scrutinized the young man who secured the girl around the waist. Recognition soon arrived and he took a step back before bowing out of both respect and habit. "Yukio-dono, it's been a long time. I didn't think I'll see you again."

"…Yukio-dono?" Although Akame was disorientated, she didn't miss the unusual honorific that was attached. In her search for an answer to sate the sudden wave of curiosity, she glanced up and was met with a pair of emerald orbs coated in distress.

"A-Akame, are you alright? What happened?" In his anxiousness, Yukio could barely just manage a nod of acknowledgment to Susanoo before looking at his mentor up and down. His apprehension was like worms crawling their way into his entire being. This was the first time he had ever seen Akame being reduced to a complete state of vulnerability. Even back when she was injured when fighting Zank the Executioner, she had displayed ample strength and willpower that were currently non-existent. At present, she was so frail that he had to support her staggering form. 'I can't see any physical wounds. And there's no bleeding either. So what's wrong? Is it something internal?'

"I'll… be fine. The poison won't kill me. But I'll need some time… to recuperate." As reassuring as it sounded, it wasn't a lie that she fabricated in order to comfort the young man. Dosages of poison were like nothing to someone of her ilk because she had been put through the rigors of an elite assassin team. In particular, she had survived the cureless poison of the cursed Murasame in the last timeline. Surely there wasn't anything left in the world that could possibly rival her Teigu's lethality.

Nonetheless, there was a part of her that was producing alarm bells. Something terrible was going to happen. Truth be told, her body should have adjusted to the scientist's poison by now. It was unusual for her to still feel its full effects. And worse, she knew that the acute pain that bit into her right arm was unnatural. 'The right side of my body feels really heavy. It's like invincible chains are wrapping themselves around my arm and dragging me down.'

"B—" As expected of Yukio, he didn't fail to notice what she was trying to hide. Yet, not a word could leave his mouth before a disdainful voice cut straight into his eardrums, productively dragging his focus back to the issue on hand.

"I'm still not big enough. I'm not even close to the power of the ultimate Imperial Arms. Well then, I'll just have to get even bigger! And I'll do that by consuming all of you." The strident monologue acted as a motivation for the doctor, who closed the great distance between him and the assassins with one and a half bounding steps.

The charging giant was a horrendous sight, even in the eyes of a Danger Beast. The Air Manta panicked and swayed in the air. Maintaining her balance, Najenda forcefully steered the creature upward and they rapidly climbed altitude. Taking a glance at the two passengers behind her, who had managed to hold on, the Leader of Night Raid then turned her sight to the chaos below.

"Incoming!"

"Dodge!"

Simultaneous shouts of warning came from Mine and Leone as the former drove into the bushes for cover with Sheele and Ieyasu following after her. The latter didn't miss a beat and utilized her supreme strength to snatch both Akame and Yukio up in her paws. She darted away, scarcely missing the shockwaves produced from the ground-breaking impact.

Shielding his new teammates from the flying debris of soil, Susanoo spun his weapon around thrice before ramming the tip into the giant's leg. The rebound was filled with impetus, yet not a dent could be created on the rock-like limb. Seeing the ineffectiveness of his attack, Susanoo traced Leone's steps before attaining a protective stance in front.

"Be careful. It's hard," he warned.

"Looks that way to me. It's gonna be a tough nut to crack," said Leone as she lowered her two friends onto the ground. She flexed her claws, enjoying the sensation as her knuckles made a satisfying noise.

'Seems like Leone and the new guy are going in. Fine, I'll provide support then. Let's see how the ugly handles my Pumpkin's firepower!' From her squatted position, Mine ripped away and branches sticking out of her unbound hair and hoisted her Teigu. As a sniper, she was not only in tune with her vision but also her hearing as well. Susanoo's warning registered into her brain, though her self-assurance in Pumpkin's ability prompted her to discharge her weapon. She was certain that the pinch would be a sufficient amplifier.

The yellow beam cut its way through the bushes before smashing into the giant's chest. True to her reputation, Mine's shot was dead on center. Still, she wasn't proud of it. The target was enormous, so large that his form towered over their side of the forest. As such, even amateurs with little experience could hit it.

'Got him…!' The glimmer of triumph vanished soon after, along with her grin. Her pink orbs enlarged in utter shock when the scientist merely recoiled and took two steps back. With the tradeoff of having her hiding spot exposed, she had anticipated much more damage than the barely scorched parts of the hardened skin.

"Y-you've got to be kidding me!" Mine stuttered and nearly bit her tongue. It could be said that Pumpkin was of a greater dependability the more perilous the circumstances were. She was confident that her Teigu was preeminent amongst her teammates' when it came to power output. Thus, it was shocking to realize that even Pumpkin was ineffective.

"Come on, Mine. What the hell was that? He's still alive and kicking!" Leone called out from her position, her voice filled with disbelief. Even as she took the moment to criticize, she leaped into the fray the moment Susanoo charged in again.

"It's not my fault that the freak is tougher than reinforcement steel," retorted Mine, and clicked her tongue when she realized that Leone hadn't heard her. The blonde was far too preoccupied with the foe that was trying to swatter her. Had it not been for her agility, then surely Dr. Stylish would've had his way.

"If only I still have Extase with me," Sheele said softly, taking a somewhat reproachful glance at the kitchen knife she was holding onto. The woman didn't even bother trying to attempt a cut with the weapon, knowing all too well what the outcome would be for such recklessness.

"Don't lament what's in the past, Sheele. We don't have time for that!" Absentmindedly, Mine reprimanded her partner with a touch of impatience. If the woman had the time to lament, then perchance it could've been spent on something far more productive.

Keeping a constant watch with her foe, Mine waited for an opening. Although it was still dark, her eyes managed to follow the high-speed movements of her two teammates. Despite being in sync and covering for each other, the combined attacks from Leone and Susanoo were doing little to no damage. Mine's jaws clutched so tight that her teeth gritted against each other. 'Damn, that thick skin of his is annoying as hell. Nothing is getting through so far. Should I try the Cut-Down Shot? Wait… I've left my case back in my room. Dammit!'

"Actually, I have it here with me!" As if reading her mind, Ieyasu made an abrupt announcement that instantly pulled both Sheele and Mine's attention towards him. However, one glimpse and the latter realized that the teen wasn't referring to her inner thoughts but was rather commenting on what Sheele had said.

Strapped onto his back along with his twin axes, was an all-too-familiar pair of scissors. The sight evoked a faint recollection. Being half asleep at that time, Mine could vaguely remember seeing a bulky man barge into her room and responding on reflex by grabbing the weapon resting beside her bed. Now that she dwelled on the visuals in her mind, wasn't the guy who called himself Kaku trying to pull out something big from behind his back just before he was blasted away?

"Oh…" she muttered, feeling the urge to roll her eyes. "So that's what it was."

"Yukio and I ran into this guy who was on his last breath. I don't know how he got his hands on Extase but it was underneath his heavy body when Yukio moved in to give him a swift death," said Ieyasu, sounding somewhat dissatisfied when he mentioned how the man had died. Apparently, he believed it was a wasted effort going for a kill when death was already ensured with time.

'Tsk, that pervert got it easy after busting into a lady's room like that. Doesn't he know how to knock?!' The explanation confirmed Mine's suspicion. Like Ieyasu however, the feminine side of her was not satisfied with how Yukio handled it, even if she did acknowledge how he was being cautious rather than generous. Or was it both? The possibility was there, given the young man's naïve personality.

"There's nothing Extase can't cut," said Sheele as she reached out for her old Teigu. Although Leone and Susanoo were doing a spectacular job at keeping the mad scientist at bay, the purple-haired woman knew that it was only temporary. Therefore, it was up to her to finish the large target off before the battle could transform into a test of endurance.

The fact that Extase possessed the ability to cleave through anything was so enticing that Mine was about to urge her partner to promptly use it. Nonetheless, a sudden realization clicked into her head and she shook her head with a frantic note, knocking away her partner's hand in the process. "Wait! You can't use it right now. Sheele, you still have Hirasaki on you and its healing abilities are still in effect. If you grab Extase now, you'll be violating the one Teigu per person rule!"

The momentary confusion on Sheele's face was replaced with surprise as the sniper's words set in. Mine was right. In spite of the fact that the wounds she sustained had closed, her body was still convalescing from the immense damage and was therefore still dependent on Hirasaki and the life forces that it took from the other Night Raiders.

"So now what?" Ieyasu cut in with a question for his senior. As well founded as his inquiry was, neither Mine nor Sheele could provide him with an immediate answer.

While Mine's group was left deliberating on their course of attack, Leone and Susanoo persisted with their assaults. Nevertheless, they were like mere flies to Dr. Stylish, their attacks seemingly tickling the giant more than inflicting actual damage. Undiscouraged, the two continued to circle around the mad scientist and gathered all of his focus on themselves.

"That was close!" Leaping away from the hand that tried to grab her, Leone's movements were like lightning. With a feral battle cry, she wrapped her arms around a fallen tree and swung. She twisted her hips for more momentum. The trunk flew into Dr. Stylish like a baseball bat connecting the ball for a home-run.

The impact sent bits of splinters into the air, all of which Susanoo evaded. He took the opportunity to ram his wolf fang mace into the opponent's big toe. The giant howled and stumbled backward but was otherwise unharmed.

"We're not dealing much damage," the Imperial Arms stated matter-of-factly as he landed next to Leone.

"We'll keep it going for as long as it takes. 'Cause no one else can recover from taking a direct blow from that massive fist." With a grim look, Leone tossed away the now useless tree to the side. Their initial plan was to act as decoys to cover for Yukio and Akame's withdrawal. In that aspect, they had achieved their objective. Nevertheless, now that they were the ones fanning Dr. Stylish's irritation, they wouldn't be able to retreat.

Just when she couldn't see a way out of the predicament, Najenda's order descended from above like a ray of hope. "Susanoo! Leone! Aim for the actual body. That has to be the weakest spot!"

"Understood."

"Roger that!"

Speaking in unison, they took instant action.

"Hahaha! As if I'll let you do as you please!" Dr. Stylish announced, determined to make their job extremely challenging.

Najenda observed carefully as her two subordinates rushed in. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the task was easier said than done. As skillful as they were, they were attempting to scale a vertical surface while Dr. Stylish made moves to obstruct their advances. While dodging the large hands was attainable, the same couldn't be said about the tube-like wires that suddenly flung out from behind Dr. Stylish's back. Much to Najenda's growing concern, Leone and Susanoo were caught off guard. The former was swept off her feet and was hurled into the sky while the latter was forced to abandon the climb.

"Leone! Dammit!" Mine watched with widened eyes as Leone dived into a tree head first. She didn't have the time to confirm the blonde's state as apprehension clawed into her. Her own safety became the main priority when Dr. Stylish's hand whipped out in her, Sheele, and Ieyasu's direction.

"Newbie! Do something! Hurry!" she shouted on instincts, realizing that it was too late to run.

"Haaaaaah!" A battle roar answered Mine as Ieyasu charged forward. He ran Senpu across one of the giant's arm with a great might. However, much like Pumpkin, the results proved to be disappointing.

"You little rats annoy me! Now die before you can become a threat!" Dr. Stylish swung his other arm down with sufficient strength to rival that of a wrecking ball on a crane.

An attempt was made to block the momentous arm that could flatten a tree effortlessly. Ieyasu crossed his arms to block with Senpu, only to be swatted away. With a pained yelp, he crashed into Mine and both of them went sprawling through the air before slamming into a half-demolished tree.

"Mine! Ieyasu-kun!" Sheele's anxious cry sounded but was drowned out by an insane laughter from Dr. Stylish.

Location: Outside of Night Raid's Hideout (In the Forest). Time: Morning (Past Midnight). Year: 1024 (Day 108).

From his hiding spot, Yukio felt helpless frustration welling up from within. It was too dark for him to identify each of his teammates, though he could see several silhouettes engaging the giant, only to be knocked away. His jaw tightened when he heard the screams from his seniors. There was a part of him that wanted to answer their calls. Yet, the only outward manifestation of his concern was being displayed through his stiffening body.

Regardless, he supposed it wasn't him to be so brave and reckless to run straight to their aid. Call it cowardice, but he doubted he could do much as this point.

Having dragged Akame as far away as he could, the two were now a safe distance away. Although it probably wouldn't take Dr. Stylish anymore than two big steps to reach them, they were at least away from his direct line of attack at the moment.

"Akame…" Deeming that he could momentarily take his eyes off the battle, Yukio found precedence in examining Akame's condition more than anything else. His emeralds drifted to the raven-haired, who was leaning her weight against him with an arm looped around his shoulder. "Do you have any idea what's wrong?"

"N-no…" Akame groaned as she placed her free hand on her head, covering half of her face as she did so. But even that gesture couldn't conceal how pallid her skin had become and how there were droplets of sweat that trailed down from the side.

Her unwavering honesty would've been welcoming if he wasn't as consumed by his emotions. The condensed mixture of frustration, fear, and panic was enough to drive anyone into a frenzy. It was only his concern for Akame that triumphed over everything else and kept his logic intact.

'Calm down… Logic is panic's prey. Don't lose focus on what's important. Calm down and find out what's wrong with Akame.' Mentally encouraging himself, he took deep breaths to gather some of his scattered composure. 'And to do that, I can go up to Sheele for a proper diagnosis or the Boss for her insight…H-huh?'

Even his returning judgment couldn't have prepared him for what happened next. With strength that didn't match her small and fragile-looking form, Akame shoved him away and he collided with the ground on his rear.

At any other times, Yukio would've been confused and hurt. But at present, there was only a developing sensing of apprehension. He climbed back onto his feet, with his first instinct being to take steps back away from the raven-haired assassin. Even before the signs became apparent to him, he was already swallowed by the impulse to take flight.

'Run. Get away as fast as possible.' Such thought consumed his entire head as he forcefully grounded his feet. The shock and unmistakable fear were visible in his emerald orbs as he glued them to Akame.

Without his support, she was crouched down on the ground. Her dark bangs hid her face from the rest of the world but the suffering that she was going through was clearly projected in her angst-filled cry. It started off as a resonating grunt that soon morphed into a feral roar-like howl that gave a sense of insufferable pain, something that could only ever be possible after experiencing hell. The indiscernible cry of torment cut straight through Yukio's eardrums. But at this point, the fearsome aura that suddenly engulfed the area was more precedent. Abyss—it was the only world that could describe the interminable dark energy that was seeping out.

"A-Akame!" The young man grew frantic. He had known after joining Night Raid that every killer was bound to have an aura that was murderous in nature. It was just a matter how much there was. For a professional like Akame, who spent years honing her assassination skills, hers was tightly restricted and completely masked. It was unprecedented that her aura was breaking free of its usually dormant state, as though suddenly gaining a mind of its own.

His attention was redirected again and his eyes dilated in sheer terror when he saw familiar black inscriptions materializing on Akame's pallid skin, flashing in dull black as they did so. But no sooner had he noticed did he swiftly back away. Something inside him screamed out danger and he extended the distance between him and his mentor. 'I'll be killed! Move! Move! Move!'

As he pulled back with trembling feet, his eyes continued to absorb the sight before him with undiluted terror. An eerie purple fog had begun to encircle around the raven-haired assassin. It twirled in a way that resembled dancers on the dance floor. The performance should've inspired awe but it was simply too sinister to instill any sensation other than fear.

'W-what is this?!' But what caused him to gulp was the realization that the flora around Akame was dying; the grass within the fog's reach shriveled and turned brown while the neighboring flowers wilted in an instant, completely poisoned from the exposure to the smog-like haze. When all life was sapped away from the plants, the black aura intensified tremendously, causing the air current within the area to circulate around in an irregular and fear-provoking manner. The fog reclined a little before expanding its circumference, compelling him to pull back even more.

Then Akame rose to her feet. The agony that should've been on her expression was gone. In the place of her usual stoic persona was a look that craved for blood. Her eyes revealed themselves from underneath the opening lids. They were glowering with crimson, surrounded by the sclera that was a layer of black. Smaller, but similar markings to the ones that were crawling on her skin danced around her red irises, giving off a demonic exterior.

Bloodthirsty. Truly, that was the only word that could describe the assassin as she glared daggers at the giant figure. Although Yukio was not the recipient, he couldn't prevent the bones in his knees from shaking.

Only one notion filtered through the hoard of negative emotions that had gathered inside his head.

This was the birth of a devil from hell.

The kind mentor he had grown to like had disappeared, replaced by a being that shared her appearance but not her essence.

Location: Outside of Night Raid's Hideout (In the Forest). Time: Morning (Past Midnight). Year: 1024 (Day 108).

Looking at the scattered assassins, he felt like a god viewing upon a couple of feeble ants.

"Ohhhhh! This much power! It's brimming inside of—" The insane laughter that rumbled from the back of Dr. Stylish's throat was jammed in his windpipe the moment he felt an intimidating gaze on him. Trying to match its maliciousness, he snarled as he returned the glower. A second was all it took for all his bravery to falter. He hastily took a small step back, bowled over by the ominous aura that tried to engulf him.

Like all the others nearby, he was left rooted to the ground out of uncertainty and anxiety. The dangerous killing intent that radiated from the red-eyed assassin screamed menace and promised demise.

However, it was no understatement that the doctor was one most terrified. Because of his enhanced vision granted by doping, he could see what the others near him could not.

With several trees stretching the distance between them, his overbearing form allowed him the view of the girl—no, the devil—who stared at him unblinkingly. The long black hair that framed her slender body was now slightly parted into two long streaks towards the end. The separated strands flowed like they were blessed with a life of their own. Black markings were engraved onto her skin, almost like tattoos. It was something that Dr. Stylish had seen before, but only on the victims of Murasame.

Then before he could blink, not that he would have done so here, the devil disappeared in a flash. The speed demonstrated was so phenomenal that it seemed like she had teleported. The only thing that could be left to trail her movement was the wisp of black mist that forged a trail.

And the trail was heading towards him!

The members of Night Raid watched, aghast, as Akame reached Dr. Stylish as a blurred figure. The assassin scaled the gigantic body with little effort, almost like she was running on a horizontal surface instead of a vertical one. She effortlessly avoided anything that the scientist tried to attack her with. The arms and tube-like wires that had been troublesome for even the beast-like Leone proved to be no obstacles for the red-eyed killer.

No catchphrase was uttered once she reached Dr. Stylish's real body. The deed was gruesome, somehow even more than usual. She didn't stop after plunging the blade into her enemy's chest. She also ran countless diagonal slashes before delivering the final blow in a way that mimicked the role of a guillotine.

Dr. Stylish was as helpless as fish on a chopping board. He never got his last words out, nor was it necessary for Murasame's signature poison to take effect.

The vicious execution was completed in seconds. The thunderous sound of large body parts crashing onto the forest ground did nothing to divert Yukio's attention, which lingered on the outline of the female assassin standing on top of the carnage. Even though he was too far to see it, he instinctively knew what kind of an expression she would be wearing. He couldn't help but shudder at the thought of a bellicose smirk appearing on the beautiful countenance; it was what he had gotten a glimpse of before she took off.

Never would he associate such horrifying expression with the Akame he knew. There were no words he had at disposal that could describe it.

Impassiveness was often the prime emotion displayed on Akame, even after flipping her switch. He knew that she saw it as a duty and necessity to kill the corrupted. Thus, she would and could never express any form of joy when taking a life.

The sarcastic and callous look was definitely not something the young man could envision on her at all. It was like she had become an entirely different person altogether. It was a sight that was engraved into his mind, one that was impossible to forget or ignore.

Horror and repulsion slipped through as he forcefully kept his eyes on the female assassin.

Alone, Akame accomplished what should've required the combined effort from Night Raid with her inhuman display. Dr. Stylish died once more by her hands. But this time, the scientist's body was not intact. Instead, it was in tattered pieces that piled the ground as droplets of red fell down. The natural reaction would be to steer clear of the crimson shower, though Akame merely stood on a pile of bloody flesh and allowed the blood to soak her garments.

At a snail's pace, she tilted her head up towards the heavens that were beginning to be lit by the morning sun. Her eyes squinted, before moving towards the Air Mantas that hovered in the air.

To anyone else, it would seem that Akame was staring intensely at the Danger Beast. Although nothing could be further away from the truth. Her line of sight was repositioned with a small jerk of her head until her pair of crimson orbs met the lone silver that scrutinized her.

An inexplicable frown came to substitute her devious smirk as the tattoo-bearing assassin watched the woman. Her teeth gritted together as if suppressing a low inaudible growl. She kept her eyes glued in position, her body tensed as if faced with an immediate threat.

"Akame," Najenda called out. Her tone was a mountain of composure even when she should've been as baffled as her subordinates were. Slowly, she held out a hand to indicate the needed silence from her other subordinates. With the same hand, she then pointed at Murasame, which was currently in Akame's right hand. As expected, that observation didn't escape her notice and she inwardly made a note of it. "Sheath your sword, Akame. The battle is over and your mission is completed."

For the briefest of seconds, Akame seemed to have obliged. But just when she was about to return her weapon back to its dormant position did her crimson pools alit with a renewed murderous glint. As if sensing something lurking in the bushes, she took off in a blur, leaving the rest of her teammates at a complete loss.

Location: Near Night Raid's Hideout (Near a cliff and river). Time: Morning. Year: 1024 (Day 108).

Even long after Akame's sudden departure, the poisonous fog hung around like a plague. Aware of its origin, none of the Night Raiders dared to test the smog's lethality and could only wait until it dispersed. But by then, Akame was long gone. Too late to rely on sight to track down the female assassin, Yukio and the rest of his teammates resorted to Leone's sense of smell. Unfortunately, the search proved to be more challenge than expected, as the enhanced woman was nearly led astray. If she had to describe the peculiarity, then it was as if every scent was distorted and mingled together.

With little time to spare, in the event that Dr. Stylish had reinforcements, Najenda divided the group into two. While the majority of the Night Raid members packed the essentials from their base, Yukio, Susanoo, and Leone were tasked with locating Akame.

It took much longer than Yukio would've liked, but they eventually found their target. The young man was quick to rush to the side of the unconscious girl, who was on the ground in a supine position. Due to instincts, his first few steps faltered somewhat, until he noticed that the plants around her were perfectly fine. As the sense of danger ebbed away, his concern for Akame grew tenfold and he accelerated, beating his companions to the goal.

Crouching down and supporting the upper half of her body with an arm, Yukio's fingers shot up to her neck. A relieved sigh left his lips when he felt the steady pulse. However, the emotion was short-lived as his brain registered what could only be described as eerie. With Akame's breathing and the dangerous fog as the priorities, it took him longer to notice how the markings that painted parts of her skin black had vanished without a trace.

His body stiffened and his eyes reflected a mixture of uncertainty and bewilderment. 'They're all gone… What happened back then? Calm down, Yukio. Don't panic. Think rationally... That's right, her right arm!'

"This… this isn't an act of indecency, right…?" Halting his hand on top of her blood-stained jacket, he murmured and quickly let his words die off upon hearing the grass behind him crunched beneath the pressure of two sets of footfalls.

Approaching Yukio with an even pacing, Susanoo appeared pensive. He viewed his surroundings with critical eyes. A touch of confusion flashed on his features as he tilted his head to regard what was behind his shoulder. The forest behind him stretched for many miles before finally reaching Night Raid's hideout. In all honesty, the fact that Akame had managed to travel such distance in the short amount of time could be described as a few things, depending on the standpoint. Had Susanoo been granted the ability to be insouciant, then he would've marveled at how phenomenal such feat was. However, programmed with logic as he was, he could only feel wariness coursing through.

Hence, his steps were filled with caution, the complete opposite to Leone's quick pace.

"What's the matter, Yukio-kun? How's Akame?" Questions were bombarded as Leone as she raced over. Her eyes roamed all over the unconscious girl and expulsed a mouthful of air. "She's unconscious but it looks like she's back to normal now. You had me worried for a sec. Jeez, I thought something bad had happened."

However, Yukio wasn't paying his friend much attention. His head swiveled to regard Susanoo, who was standing soundlessly at the right of the woman. His pair of troubled emeralds found a pair of deep and undisturbed sapphires. It was taking every ounce of his self-control to suppress the distraught from manifesting in his voice. "Susanoo, what was it that we saw earlier? Tell me what you know about it. Anything! And the markings that look like they're from Murasame's curse… are they the reason why father was so apprehensive?"

Leone blinked twice, with the notion that she was being left in the dark growing all the more apparent the second.

Being a biological Imperial Arms, Susanoo was less susceptible to fluctuating emotions that humans possessed. Therefore, while he understood the urgency in the young man's voice, he could not—and did not—mimic his tone. Instead, his was cadence and uttered with precise articulation. "I can't say for certain yet. Has she started to get a grasp on Ennoodzuno?"

"She has already used it." There was an abrupt pause as the young man stared at Akame's right arm, frowning in a way that condemned what was captured in his vision. "In a way, at least she has. Although you can also say that this body hasn't."

"Hmmm, I don' quite get what you're talking about," admitted Susanoo, rubbing his chin in thought.

"Er… It's a complicated story. It has to do with Baransu's trump card."

"That does explain your unchanged presence in this era," the Imperial Arms nodded, his expression grave. "Regardless, this isn't the most suitable place for further discussion, Yukio-dono. Let's agree that we'll both divulge what we know once we fulfill Najenda's order and secure another hiding place."

To Leone's surprise, Yukio seemed satisfied with the suggestion and nodded. Seeing that he didn't persist with the topic, she was overtaken by a sense of curiosity that was laced with a tingle of irritation. Her eyes darted back and forth between her two companions as she scratched the back of her head with a paw. "Now, I don't know if it's your intention but I have no idea what you two were rambling on about. What Muramasa? What Ennoo—whatever it was? What repercussions? Can you speak my language?"

"Nee-san, we'll explain everything after we get Akame back. I think that should be our precedence. Even though we don't see any wounds, we should get her to Sheele-san to check for any internal injuries with her Hirasaki." Passing a pleading look at Leone, Yukio spoke softly as he looped his arms around Akame's body.

"Besides, Najenda and the others should be informed of what we are dealing with. So we should explain once everyone involved has gathered," Susanoo added.

Yukio's jaw clenched upon noticing a particular word choice, though he refrained from saying anything.

Although not entirely contented, Leone had to concede that they had a point. She dropped her arm to the side and reluctantly nodded, "Fine, I won't ask any more for now. But you two better answer all my questions later on, okay?"

"Understood. Alright, let's go." With that, the young man picked Akame up bridal-style. Before, the task would've been extremely difficult for his scrawny built. However, intense training had strengthened him physically, giving him the impression of permanence as he kept the raven-haired girl cuddled and protected.

As reliable and impressive as the outward stance appeared, only he was aware how much of a pretense it was. In truth, he was terrified by Akame's transformation and could only pray that the devil from within had decided to return to its dormant sleep.

His eyes scanned Akame's features once more for whatever reassurance he could obtain from her tranquil expression. But even now, he could see those bloodthirsty eyes and bellicose smirk overlapping with the sight of the sleeping girl. He shook his head, a vain effort to rid himself of the terrible memory.

The arm wrapped around Akame's back unconsciously tightened as his gaze beheld the sky. A memory of a few months ago was evoked, back when he had first joined Night Raid. That was a time when he, despite not possessing much courage, could naively make an unspoken vow about helping Akame reach and touch the light with the heavens as the onlooker. At present though, he didn't have the same outlook to make such a foolish claim. So instead, he grasped onto the glimmer of hope from deep within his heart, a feeling that flickered in and out of existence amongst the sea of uncertainty.

'Akame… I'm still not strong enough to protect you… both physically and mentally. I'm not much of a use in battle against other Teigu users. And now, I cannot help you fend off the darkness that seeks to consume you. But I can still hope, right? That by the end of everything, you'll still be you and I'll still be me. Or is even that too much to hope for…?'

In a world inundated with never-ending distrust, jealousy, sorrow, anger, and grief, a young assassin continues to trek down the winding path of carnage.

Would his unannounced wish ever be heard? Perhaps… only because to guarantee certitude would limit the endless viabilities that would become a part of his life.

At the end of the final crossroad, is it heaven or hell that awaits him?

"I will surely gain the power to face ahead.

I will take complete control of what is right.

Become darkness, enter darkness,

Find the reason for it all.

Simply so that you can still be you and I can still be me. "

-Answer (G-Senjou no Maou OP)

Night Raid Members Remaining: 10

Mission: Defeat the Intruders

Participating Members: All

Result: Eliminated

Rewards: Glorious Hands of God: Perfector and Cutter of Creation: Extase

The Four Present in the Capital: 4

The Jaegers Members Remaining: 6

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

-Najenda's punctual arrival is due to the warning she received back in chapter 23.

-The first fired shot that alerted Sheele and Yukio was actually done in Mine's own room. Kaku had barged in with Extase because he wasn't given a specific target (as Incursio is with Tatsumi) and was immediately sent flying by Pumpkin's shot. Ieyasu and Yukio ran into him later on outside and the latter took the weakened him down.

-The cause for Akame's strange transformation is still a mystery to Yukio and the others.

Author's Notes (part 2): With the completion of this chapter comes the conclusion of this arc. I'm in the progress of drafting the next major plot points. As such (as well as the intent to concentrate on other stories first), I've decided to put this story on a short hiatus and any further changes will be on my profile page.

So I will kindly ask for your patience and until next time!