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: Alright everyone, I'm here to bring you guys the next installment of Fate's Second Chance. In this chapter, Night Raid will be getting back with their work and we'll be delving deeper into not only the characters but more importantly, the little strange mysteries that is currently related to Akame's amnesia and condition. I'm sure many of you have noticed the clues being slotted into various chapters (as far back as chapter 21). But I must say that I'm very pleased to see people coming up with theories relating to this, as it shows that the story is interesting enough for it to be engaging.

Also, thank you to Ultimatrix bearer, Wacko12, Dracus6, and SeihoTheNeko for leaving some feedbacks for the last chapter. Your support is what continues to motivate me.

Ultimatrix bearer: Yep. Esdeath nearly went into a rampage from that one dream, something that poor Tatsumi would fervently wish that it will not ever be happening again. Although, I'll give a little hint and say that there is a reason (not a random one) that Esdeath has been getting these vision from the other timeline.

Ah, and thank you for telling me that you liked how I'm handling Akame's amnesia. I know it's a cliché trope so I'm trying to be innovative with how the characters are responding to it. I'm trying to factor it in without making anyone OOC. As assassins, I would think that Night Raid would be able to adapt to this situation quickly and knows not to stress too much about it since there really isn't much that can be done. I also threw in Yukio's insecurities in there to make a comparison between him and the more experienced members of the group like Sheele.

Wacko12: After some serious considerations and a few votes coming from the readers, it has been officially decided that Akame is paired up with Yukio. That's why there're moments being focused on Yukio's thoughts on their relationship. Additionally, Wave will be paired up with Kurome as in the original; this will not be changed as it is my favorite shipping in the series. Any other characters' pairings are left undecided, though Tatsumi's will be locked in place after this arc (the final decision, which will be voted on in a poll later on, will have a huge impact on how this tale will end for everyone).

Dracus6: Hi there, that's a good question. Unfortunately, I know even less about the English dubbed voice actors as I prefer watching anime subbed. So I'm going to place my faith that the people in charge of the English dubbing knows which cast is appropriate for the character since I'm going to say that whoever voices Yukine in the dub could be Yukio's voice.

SeihoTheNeko: Glad that you're continuing to speculate and I hope that this chapter will give you more insight as to what is going on. Thus far, it is known that Akame recalls barely anything upon joining Night Raid, yet her time in the Elite Seven is fresh in her head. There is also nothing about the parallel universe either so unfortunately, her memories of Yukio are non-existent. And wow, you've picked up on how I've been avoiding leaving Akame's perspective for quite a while. Please keep that in mind as it is relevant. ;D

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(Unfortunately, this chapter has yet to be betaread due to our trusty beatareader, Revan the Edgelord, being busy.)

Chapter 33— Kill the Skilled

"In a world that's filled with illusions,

Who on Earth decided what's right and wrong?

Even the truth before our eyes might be a fake.

In the end, no one really knows.

If that's the case, I want to believe."

- Error (Beatless OP1)

Location: On the Outer Parameters of the Capital. Time: Morning. Year: 1024 (Day 117).

"Mine looks pissed," whistled Leone, her facial expression dancing with amusement as she watched the said person from on top of the opened flat rooftop. It was apparent to anyone that the sniper was looking anything but pleased as she waited on the side of the street; her arms were crossed in front of her chest and the continuous tapping on the ground with a foot illustrated her irritation plainly. The few people strolling on the street spared her strange looks, presumably finding her cloaked presence peculiar. Mine responded with low growls. Nothing too intimidating for the experienced warrior or assassin, though it was definitely enough to discourage any citizens from going near her.

"Isn't she always like this? I don't see any difference." Ieyasu shrugged, turning Senpu's handles in his hands to admire the sheen that was the result of his polishing.

"Don't let her catch that unless you're looking for trouble," Yukio said halfheartedly, having dedicated his attention to doing tricks with Baransu. The yo-yo like Teigu spun and traced the silvery thread back to his hand before the sequence was repeated by flinging the relic in a downward arc.

"I can understand why she feels restless. She is on a mission and Pumpkin is not with her." Sheele spoke up from her seated position, her legs dangling off the roof's edge. Resting on her lap was Pumpkin, to which she flipped it around to finish cleaning. When that was done, she placed the towel beside her and embraced the now spotless weapon. "A genius sniper like her probably dislikes the idea of getting very close to her targets. It makes her feel vulnerable."

"You mean self-proclaimed genius sniper." A growing smirk was plastered on Chelsea's face as she twirled the lollypop stick between her index finger and thumb. Her other hand was at the side, holding onto a piece of document that contained the details of her mission; it was something she would have to burn later to ensure it remained confidential. "But yeah, she does have it rough. I'm the one best suited for that kind of jobs. Disguise and blending in are my fortes. I can tell it's not hers though, especially with all that pink she likes to wear."

"You're not that toned down on fashion either," Ieyasu retorted, to which Chelsea responded by sticking out her tongue before pinching the teen's apricot-colored coat provocatively.

"Now, now. How about we'll all go on a shopping spree for some new clothes afterward? All of you could use some tips on what real fashion is all about. Nee-san here is the real expert." Stretching both arms above her head, Leone made an intentional showcase of her revealing choice of attire and curvaceous figure.

The thought of them all prancing around in a skimpy outfit prompted Yukio to try to scavenge whatever he could about the exchange prior. "Um… but the thing to focus on at current is our mission. There's so much we have to do before the deadline tonight."

"It can't be helped. We're shorthanded and the list of jobs have stacked in the past few weeks. Tonight is our opportunity, while Esdeath and her Jaegers are out hunting those Danger Beasts." Being the adept assassin she was, Akame had flipped her switch and was wearing her typical emotionless mask. Even though she was gulping down the last bit of the drumstick in one hand and passing Sheele the sheet of information with the other, no one doubted her degree of seriousness. This was the red-eyed elite assassin, the wielder of the demon blade Murasame. If the situation called for it, she could kill someone with that chicken bone.

"Speaking of which… Leone, can you please clarify the specifics?" Sheele requested, having finished skimming through the details of her target. Known for being an airhead, she wasn't so confident that she could commit everything into memory right away. Forgetfulness was a big part of her nature after all, so she needed the repetition.

"Of course. Knowing the gist of what everyone is doing may come in handy if things turn awry. Well, let's hope it doesn't though." With an optimistic grin manifesting on her fair features, Leone rested both hands behind her head and began to summarize everything she knew. "Sitting on the top of our big 'must kill' list is the mercenary group who's been calling itself the White Brows Association. They're in the same line of work as us but they'll kill anyone as long as it gets cash in their hands. There're times when they'll target random people on the streets and kill for fun too. Our latest informant told us their current hideout is somewhere close to the outskirt of the Capital, a temple deep in the mountains. There're four in total, each with ample experience and reputation so they won't go down easy."

"So that's why Boss sent out Aniki and Susanoo," Yukio said with a small nod, his fingers fiddling with the string of his Imperial Arms. When it came to combat prowess, the One Hundred Man Slayer and the Biological Teigu were the best that Night Raid had to offer; honestly, they would make quite the unstoppable duo. The thought steered the young man to glance at Akame. In comparison, while she would be overwhelmed in strength, there was no refuting that she was a key player in any assassinations. Against the powerful organization, the optimal strategy would have been to have her join the duo. Yet, Najenda had instead placed Akame with the rest of the group heading to the Capital. Was it so that Yukio could keep a close eye on her?

"Yeah, Boss has it all planned out so that we can get as much done as possible in the shortest span of time," said Leone as she pointed at the paper in Chelsea's hand. "Chelsea is in charge of Gebaze, the Head of Public Finance. He is a pig who loves exploiting the poor and buying alcohol from tax money. Hey, you know that his security will be a pain in the ass, right?"

"Won't make much of a difference to me after a bit of makeup with Gaea Foundation." Brushing off Leone's concern with a nonchalant reassurance befitting of a professional like herself, the auburn-haired woman's index finger roamed on the illustration supplied on her sheet of paper. Her countenance was thoughtful as she traced the dark hair and small mustache on the plump face. 'The guy lives in a mansion full of maids, over a hundred of them so that he won't get bored with the same one each day. I really doubt he remembers all of their faces. Yep, this is gonna be a piece of cake.'

"Great! So we can leave him all to ya. Next up is Sheele, Ieyasu-kun, and Yukio-kun. You three will handle Tonto from a curio shop. He's supposedly a reputable popular shop master who even donates his money to others. He arrived at the Capital about a year ago and his business is doing well. No corruption whatsoever. But then it turns out that his startup fund came from robberies across the country," Leone paused momentarily, her eyebrows pulled together in a frown. "This case is kinda in the grey area for us. There ain't any hard evidence but he's a target the Revolutionary Army specified. So—"

"—We have to do it. We cannot ignore a direct order. Night Raid exists as a covert division for the Revolutionary Army, working in the shadows. Because of this, Night Raid has more freedom compared to the other division monitored by the army..." Akame drew a quick conclusion, her eyes flashing darkly in a way that brought an unsettled chill down Yukio's spine.

"We'll do a proper investigation once we sneak into the target's house. We did get up early so we'll have plenty of time," said Ieyasu as let out a loud yawn. Even though he did not directly voice his complaint, it was apparent from the dark circles gathering under his eyes that he was not a morning riser and thus wasn't too thrilled about having to endure the chilling morning air when everyone else was still tucked in bed.

"You got your part now, Sheele?" At the purple-haired woman's nod, Leone's lip curved upward and she pulled out the piece of paper that was tucked inside her black tube top. Her smile quickly morphed into a mischievous grin upon noticing the two different responses from the males. Whereas Yukio turned a tinge of pink and had his eyes darting everywhere else, Ieyasu had his mouth opened and couldn't avert his gaze. "Now, as for me. I'm going to be working with Akame and Mine, who is under the guise a young girl being sold as a slave because her village can't afford the ridiculously high taxes. From the info we received, our target is a group of enthusiasts. They're freaks who love to take girls sold as slaves under their wings, giving them an illusion of a happy life before breaking them both physically and mentally once they see their happiest faces."

"Damn those bastards. Bastards! They're all bastards! All of them! We will eliminate them all today." A low and dangerous growl emitted from Ieyasu's throat, his brows knitted together and his knuckles white from the pressure on his Senpu. The White Browns Association, Gebaze, Tonto, and The Enthusiasts – he resented them so much that he wanted to strangle them with his bare hands. The past few months of exposure to the depths of the Capital's corruption hadn't made him immune to the thought of people suffering, and he doubted that he would anytime soon. He had learned quickly to restrain the raging wrath within him, having been drilled into his head by several seniors that getting too emotional was extremely perilous for an assassin. Yet, he couldn't hold back his rage any longer, especially not after hearing about the last case. "Taking advantage of villages that are poor and starving. Taking advantage of a girl's hope of having a happy life even it is to serve someone. Those girls who are made the victims because they sacrificed themselves for the sake of their village… Nee-san and Akame, make sure you save the girls who are going to be taken in today. I know there's nothing we can do for the past victims, but at least the ones today… save them."

"Too soft and far too emotional." Neither the blonde or the raven-haired could respond before Chelsea's cold voice cut through without any reservation. The auburn-haired woman looked unperturbed by the frown that the boy in a white headband pitted her with. "Ieyasu-kun, you're putting unnecessary pressure on Leone and Akame. We're under no obligation to ensure someone else's safety. That's not our job. We run at a higher risk of endangering ourselves if you do things your way. Maybe it's a favorable action for the conscience but for assassins, that's just a display of incompetence. You should do something about your naiveté. Or else from here on, it may not be enough no matter how many lives you have."

"Hell no! I don't know about the others but I ain't gonna give up on those girls. Not without trying my hardest first." There was a steel-like resolve burning in Ieyasu's heart, at the spot where he was wearing his childhood friend's brooch. Filled to the brim with determination, his usually brown eyes appeared to shift towards a darker tone of amber as he met Chelsea's gaze head on. "I'm not gonna let those girls die horribly like what happened to a precious friend of mine. I'll never let myself live if I just sit around and do nothing!"

"Ah! What's with all of you guys and your comebacks? None of them makes any sense but you somehow get to sound cool and make me look like a fool. Well, I figure you're not the type to yield," Chelsea sighed, her head shaking in exasperation before she muttered under her breath. "These guys are so downright stubborn that it's like they're characters that popped out from a shounen manga."

Despite not having transformed yet, Leone's hearing was still sharper than an average human and was able to catch the other woman's mumble. "And that's why you're here and are a part of us. Come on, we all know you love and care for us. There's no need to be shy."

When Leone threw her a playful but meaningful wink, Chelsea burst into laughter and had to grab her lollypop to prevent it from falling out of her mouth. "So that's your game, Leone? Fine. Fine. I'll stick around to see how far Night Raid can go with the current philosophy but when push comes to shove, don't expect anything from me. I'll be ditching everything and everyone behind. I did it before so I can do it anytime. Again and again."

'She'll flip the switch and abandon all attachments, huh? Chelsea-san…' Although Yukio could guess her reasons for wanting to leave the final part of the bridge uncrossed – to keep the last step of distance between her and the rest of the group – he found his eyebrows narrowing by a margin. There was nothing he could say or do to change the current situation. To desire companionship yet be so terrified by the prospect of losing it again. It was a feeling that could stimulate immense fear if he pondered too much on it, which was why he did not dwell on the matter. Chelsea, on the other hand, couldn't help but consider the dark possibilities whenever she was surrounded by her teammates. The pitiful sad truth was that she was afraid of taking that final step and no one here had the power for absolute reassurance. Who were they to guarantee that they would not die in the next mission? They could not; that was why the gap existed.

With a soundless sigh, the young man dropped Baransu for one last spin before wrapping his fingers around its cool surface. He supposed he ought to redirect his focus before he could succumb to pessimistic thoughts. His emerald orbs wandered until they spotted the irritated Mine down at the street. "… Um, everyone. Mine looks absolutely livid, like she wants to punch the target's face the minute she sees him. Are you sure it's alright to let things play out? Someone else could take her role. I mean, we could um… say, for example, have Ieyasu crossdressing. That way, we can kill two birds with one stone. He can switch with Mine and save those girls personally while she can have her trusty Pumpkin back for another job like eliminating Tonto."

Turning away from Leone to look at the young man with a disapproving frown on her face, Chelsea was about to comment that letting an emotionally riled Ieyasu attempt an infiltration was going to end in a disaster when the boy in question opened his mouth first and objected hotly.

"Hey, Yukio. I may have no problem switching jobs with Mine but there's no way in hell I'm going in there dressed up as a girl! That's so not cool!" Ieyasu's arms flung in a wild motion that resembled a child in a tantrum, bringing Senpu along with him. The polished edges of the axes cut through the air with a swoosh. Akame, who was standing the closest to the headband-wearing teen, wisely took a large step back to get out of his swinging range.

"Calm down, Ieyasu." Yukio attempted to ease the boy into lowering his weapon with some comforting gestures and was immensely relieved when the double axes were brought to the sides. "Don't take it personally. Since I thought you're around the same age as Mine, you can pull off acting as a child better than someone like nee-san and Sheele-san."

"Yeah, maybe I can pull off with the act but there's no way I'm going to look convincing as a girl. In fact, you would make a way better girl than I ever could. Well, not that I'm gonna be trying that anytime soon. Point is, you're not that tall and your size is much more suited."

Yukio ran frustrated fingers through his hair. "I'm an adult! And please don't drag my height into this."

"Uh, em. Akame is also Mine's age and she's a girl." Sheele cut into the conversation, effectively preventing any more arguments from the two boys.

"Oooh! Yeah, that's right. There's Akame!" As if he had found the missing piece for a jigsaw puzzle, Ieyasu bumped his fist into his opened palm and nodded. "Her not having any memories of Night Raid shouldn't affect her ability to infiltrate if she's already got that skill mastered beforehand. Yes, that'll work. Akame can replace Mine without any crossdressing. Problem solved."

"…No, that's not going to work." Yukio shook his head. Naturally, there was no way he could've forgotten about Akame. He had deliberately left her out of the equation because he was well aware of how ill-suited the raven-haired assassin would be for a job that would require good communicational skills. 'Should I say it out loud that Akame lacks the common sense to appease the 'master'? She told me she did something similar once but that was going in under the guise of an orphan performing for a circus. She also had a company at that time. This is different. She's far too socially awkward to get information from a group of enthusiasts without raising any suspicion. Granted, Mine isn't very subtle either… but she's far better at socializing when she wants to be. Not to mention she has the emotional fuse of a typical young girl…'

"Yukio-kun is right. Here, let me demonstrate why." As if reading the young man's mind, Chelsea approached Akame's side and grabbed the red-eyed assassin's skirt by the hem. She lifted the clothing, exposing some of the girl's well-toned thigh. A devious grin materialized and threatened to split her face in half as she gradually continued with her motion. "Oh, so close!"

With his complexion turning bright red, the wielder of Baransu was about to cover his eyes with his hands when Akame saved him from needing to do so. Using the hand that was not holding onto the drumstick bone, the raven-haired assassin dropped a karate chop on the older woman's head, effectively getting her to release her skirt.

"Ah, good," Chelsea beamed, even as she was rubbing the sore spot on her head. "You're a lot slower than an average girl, but at least you got mad."

"Damn, and it was so close too." Ieyasu's mumble earned him a not so elusive frown from Yukio.

"Ooh, I'm sure you would've loved to see more. Right, Ieyasu-kun?" Leone laughed as she playfully slapped the boy's shoulder.

"What was that for?" Somewhat peeved, Akame pursed her lips into a what appeared to be a semblance of a pout before supplying Chelsea with a stare that illustrated her discontent. Still, there was no sign of real vexation, which only enlarged the shape shifter's mischievous grin.

"Haha. That's really cute, Akame-chan. But I was testing to see if you had any kind of shyness as a girl. I got worried for a second."

Hearing that seemed to have triggered something inside Akame. She made a melodramatic movement with her hand before her palm formed a fist in level with her chest. "Of course I do! I've been taught all forms of common sense!"

'Don't tell me this is what she is like when she was with the Elite Seven… Also, Akame. What's with that reply…?' Yukio felt the corner of his lips twitched at an odd angle and was nearly overcome with the urge to facepalm.

"That kind of non-generic response is exactly what I would expect from Akame." Even though she was trying hard not to crack up, Leone found herself failing to stifle her silvery laughter in less than a second. It was just fortunate that she was out of earshot from the people on the streets below. She wiped a tear away from her left eye. "But really, everything is fine as it is. We really don't need Ieyasu-kun in a wig and a dress, Yukio-kun in a pair of high heels or Akame with a script down there. Just leave it to Mine. That girl may not look a part right now but she knows when to hide her true intention under a façade. Let's not underestimate how good of an assassin she really is."

If Mine had heard the blonde, then surely she would've pranced around with a greater show of arrogance. However, the sniper had no idea what was happening on top of the rooftop as she continued to stand at the side of the path. By the time there were more than half a dozens of people walking past her doing their daily business, Mine realized that she had waited for over an hour.

"I can sense someone watching me. Are they still there? When are those lazy asses going to head off to work?" she muttered to no one in particular. Although she could neither see nor hear them, she could feel the occasional gazes that were directed at her from an angle that would only make sense if the people were standing on higher ground. 'I know that our deadline is tonight but aren't they a little too relaxed about this. Damn, this is why I was so against Leone taking charge of this operation. And why I prefer having Akame as the second in command. Does Boss really think she's not suitable now because she's missing some of the more recent memories?'

"Hello there. You're the one they sent me, yes?" The voice of a young man dragged Mine from her musings. The pink-eyed girl quickly placed the mask on her countenance and feigned a shy nod.

"Good. I'm Bach. What's your name?" Fixing up his tie, the man with light brown hair and amber eyes truly did appear like a professional merchant with a refined attire that consisted of a form suit completed with an orange jacket, a pinstripe shirt, and black pants with suspenders.

"M-my name is Yukari, sir." Swallowing, Mine removed the hood on the brown cloak she had on and allowed her temporarily dyed brown mane to trail down her back without the restraints of the two ribbons she usually wore.

"Yukari-chan. That's a nice name," Bach said, smiling warmly.

"T-thank you very much." Anyone else might've been fooled by his friendliness, but Mine had seen far too many insincerities in her life to know a fake smile when she saw one. She forced herself to return the affectionate greeting by envisioning herself strolling down a shopping district. The imagination was what helped her retain her sanity as she conversed with the man. 'Ugh, I want to puke. Why the hell did they all put me up for this? I should've protested more when Leone gave the call. I'm so going to kill her afterward. Okay, Mine. Bear it for now… bear it… endure it… I can do this.'

"Alright, Yukari-chan. We better get going now. Get aboard." Bach gestured at the carriage a few feet behind him, simultaneously taking Mine away from her inner monologue. With a timid nod, she followed the man to their means of transport. There was a small puddle of water next to the carriage, so she took a short moment to check her reflection. Her makeup was perfectly intact and despite her initial concerns, Chelsea had fulfilled her role as the cosmetologist. As much as the sniper did not want to give the woman any credit, she had to begrudgingly admit that the makeover was superb. There was no way anyone could proclaim that she looked the same as what was on the wanted poster. Mine of Night Raid was not showing up on the reflection. Instead, there was Yukari, a poor girl who had sacrificed herself for her village by selling her future out to rich people. 'That's right, I'm Yukari right now. I need to play the part.'

Wary of the man who would be Yukari's master, Mine watched him from the corner of her eyes as she grabbed onto the handle near the carriage door. Unaware of her gaze, Bach headed to the front of the transport and talked to the driver. Finding no appropriate excuse for eavesdropping, lest she would be found suspicious, she decided to trust Akame and Leone with finding out where their destination would be. Hurling herself up and using her free hand to push open the door, she was greeted by the sight of three little girls.

"Yo! Welcome aboard! The name's Fal. What's yours?" The girl who greeted her with a gallant grin that was quite similar to Leone's was the one with golden hair and amber eyes. Dressed in an orange raincoat and a pair of matching boots, she had her legs crossed and arms resting on the back of her seat. She was giving off an impression that she was the owner of the place, though perhaps a little too hard from Mine's perspective.

Able to guess the terror that awaited them, the Night Raider felt a twinge of sympathy gnaw at her heart. Doing her best to ignore it, she passed the girls a small smile that portrayed shyness. "Ah, my name is Yukari."

"I am Air." This time, the girl with long pink hair in a raincoat of the same hue and matching hat and boots spoke, immediately capturing Mine's attention. Two pairs of pink orbs met and seared into each other, one noticeably more cordial than the other. Eventually, the younger girl averted her gaze timidly and smiled, "It's nice to meet you… um, Yukari-nee."

"Yeah," Mine responded as placidly as she could while concealing the sudden perk of interest she had. Never would she have imagined meeting another who had the westerner's blood running in her veins in the Capital of all places. Even with her half foreign blood, Mine had inherited the combination of pink hair and eyes distinctive to their race. Looking at Air brought a sense of comforting familiarity. Like her, the young girl even had a penchant for the color pink, judging by her choice of attire. Pulling her attention away from the girl forcefully, she inspected her companions. 'As far as I can tell, those two aren't westerners. But all of them supposedly came from the same village. So someone was able to look past her heritage and adopt her? But then… how did she land herself here? I guess either the family didn't care anymore or they died.'

"And I'm Luna." Mistaking Mine's scrutiny as a sign that she ought to introduce herself, the last girl with dark blue hair said. Donned in a similar fashion as her friends but with a blue-colored theme, it was apparent from her flat voice that she didn't share their optimism whatsoever. "Please tell me that you agree with me that this Master Bach of ours is not what he seems. We shouldn't let our guard down. Can't forget that all men are wolves."

"Hah! Don't worry too much about it, Luna. If he tries anything funny, I'll hit him where it hurts the most and we'll run," Fal reassured.

"Hit him where it hurts the most?" Question marks appeared around Air as she parroted back in a tone that was stripped off the boldness that Fal had.

"You sound confident. Are you that good?" Mine – no, Yukari – noted, her body shifting forward slightly as the carriage began to move. Since Bach hadn't come in, she concluded he must be at the front with the driver. But even so, she didn't drop her guise; it wasn't a good idea to reveal her true self in front of these girls right after introducing herself as the soft-spoken Yukari.

"I'm the best there is. You won't find anyone in my village who can match me." Fal's impish visage quickly morphed into a dreamily look as she continued. Once again, Mine felt like she was conversing with a younger version of Leone. "Listen to me. We, unlike the other village girls who've been sold off somewhere, are the best out of everyone else out there. We've been chosen to become the young master's apprentice in the Capital. The young master said so himself. We're going to work hard, find a good man, and start a great life in the Capital!"

"I think you're being too positive, Fal," remarked Luna.

'You're not wrong about that.' At that Mine had to bit her tongue to refrain from making a comment that could potentially give things away. There was a nagging thought deep inside her conscience that wanted to warn the oblivious girls about the corrupted nature of the Capital. Everything that Fal desired from their future was nothing more than an illusion, as Ieyasu found out the hard way. But to tell the girls now would jeopardize her mission and more importantly, meant that she would be left babysitting three hysterical kids. Thus, she chose to say nothing as they all drew closer to The Enthusiasts' hideout like lambs preparing to be butchered.

Location: The Modus Operandi. Time: Night. Year: 1024 (Day 117).

"Bastards!" Forgoing her fake personality, Mine growled as she struggled against the bear-like grip of her captor. One of Bach's lackeys had managed to close in on her and restrained her from behind, holding her in place with his arms.

To her right, Air and Luna were in a similar position. Fal, on the other hand, laid on the ground with her legs sticking out at an unnatural angle. Mine knew that the poor girl wouldn't be getting up soon. She had been the first to fight back once they realized Bach's ulterior motive, though stood no chance against the bulkier and well-trained opponent. Like it was the simplest natural thing in the world to do, the man mercilessly broke both her legs, making Mine briefly wonder in horror if Fal would ever be able to walk again.

A cruel smirk was left plastered on Bach's face as he observed Fal squirm in agony. There was no trace of the kind-hearted man as he sat like royalty on the couch in the center of the room, the place where he brought the girls after taking their shopping spree. It was only when he believed that he had gained their trust and gratitude that he showed them his true colors and introduced The Enthusiasts to them.

"Country dwellers like you guys should know your place. You should never try to hit those who are superior and you should never speak foully of us." Bach jabbed a finger at both Fal and Mine before turning to look at a middle-aged man to his left. "Ahh, come to think of it. Suka, you're the one who accepted these troublesome girls, right?"

"Yes," the man with black hair replied as he readjusted the collar of his kimono. "It's fun to cut down girls bit by bit."

His other two companies, who guarded the couch, snickered in agreement.

"Well, you're freaks no doubt. But it is thanks to you freaks that I'm getting the cash. So, what's your order? We've taught the blonde one a lesson. I'm suggesting that you enjoy the brown-haired one next. Hmmm, her tongue looks like a good place to start. We could rip it out."

"Tsk, try and do your worst. I'll make sure you will regret it." So much venom was left dripping in Mine's tone that it startled the four men nearest to the couch. Her gaze was fixed unblinkingly on her tormentors, almost daring them to do something. They were deterred somewhat, though Bach managed to recover enough to gesture for a man in black to commit the deed.

Holding a menacing knife in one hand, the man tapped his sunglasses once and approached Mine like a hunter stalking a wounded prey. Any other would be trembling in fear but the sniper held her ground and prohibited any sign of nervousness from appearing. 'Not yet… don't break free yet. Wait for it. Endure it, endure it. I need to divert their attention so that Akame and Leone can act and get those three out of here.' Her pink orbs scanned the ceiling above her, feeling somewhat relieved that it would not be her against all of the men here.

The man loomed before her, stretching out an arm. Mine's courage held firm. Yet, Air's did not; she screamed in a high pitch that would've shattered all the windows in the vicinity had there been some. Mine inwardly cursed both the girl and the fact that she couldn't cover her ears. 'What now? Don't draw attention to yourself! Dammit! I'm supposed to be the one doing that!'

"Noooooo! Wh-why are you doing such terrible things?! Why, what have we ever done to you? You hurt Fal and now you want to hurt Yukari-nee. Tell me, why are you doing this?" Tears welled up in pink-haired girl's eyes and began rolling down her cheeks like rivulets. It was a truly pitiful sight that spoiled her natural beauty, though it was the last thing she cared about at this point. If ruining her look could guarantee that all of this was just a nightmare, then she would gladly cry her tears dry.

"Like I said, it gets me money. And there are always substitutes for country dwellers." Crossing his legs and placing his clasped hands on top, Bach was like the judge giving the defendant a final guilty verdict. While not officially a part of the group, it was clear to anyone that he was enjoying this as much as The Enthusiasts were. "But if you really can't handle it, I suppose I can gouge your eyes out so that you don't have to bear witness."

"Yes, the eyes would be nice. I'm in love with licking girls like that," said another one of the four men as he licked his lips, his saliva dribbling down his plump chin and onto the ground.

'Scrap the plan! I'm going for it!' Seeing Bach gesture another one of his lackeys to advance towards Air was the last straw that broke Mine's tolerance. Close combat was never her strong suit but she knew she had sufficient training to deal with these thugs. With strength atypical of a girl with her small stature, she tore free from her captor. There was a satisfying crack as she made her hatred public by stomping on the man's foot. Spinning on her heels, she then delivered a ferocious punch in the jaw that had the man howling in pain.

What happened next was expected, though Mine could not help but grit her teeth as she found herself being outnumbered. Bach and The Enthusiasts were screaming for her to be detained, all the while being shielded from her view by the charging men. She snorted; it was too bad that the ones cornering her were not the ones she wanted to kill first.

She spared a glance at Luna and Air, who were left alone now that the men were in favor of dealing with her first. Although visibly terrified, Luna managed to usher the tearful Air to the corner and half-pulled and half-dragged the groaning Fal with her, obviously not wanting to get in Mine's way. Whether or not she believed Mine could emerge victoriously was dubious —even the sniper herself was tentative — though at least she maintained enough common sense to avoid being a burden.

The Night Raider's opponents came for her, faster than she predicted. A hand shot forth and she was seized by a vicious grip around the arm. She snarled but improvised, using the hold as a fulcrum to swing her leg up. Her foot smashed his crotch's weak spot and she felt the man's grasp slacken. Taking the opportunity, she freed herself and ducked just in time before another man could tackle her onto the ground.

Suddenly, the ceiling above her collapsed and an all too familiar shape fell. She threw herself at the object, ignoring the tiny splinters that rained down. The cool metallic texture of her Teigu came into contact with her outstretched arms. A smirk emerged from her face. Without wasting another second, she planted her both feet firmly on the ground and pulled the trigger. A whip-like laser leaped out from the barrel and with a quick swipe of her arm, five men were dismembered.

"Should've done this way earlier," she called out, her gaze briefly moving up to regard the woman who had made a large hole in the ceiling.

"Yeah, but gotta at least wait until they babble out their crimes like all traditional villains do. Now we have all the proof we need to cave these bastards' skulls in," Leone replied with a predatory gleam in her eyes and threw herself down onto the ground. Somersaulting in the air twice, she found the floor in a crouched position before pouncing at the nearest target. In a fraction of a second, she delivered a ferocious punch in the side of his face. The sound of a cracked neck curled her lips upward. The man went flying and was dead before he smashed into the wall headfirst.

"Who-who are you freaks?!" Fear must've consumed Bach for his complexion was as pale as a ghost as he frantically utilized the cover of his men to take flight through a secret escape route underneath the straw mats.

Suka scurried to follow and was within the final stretch to his refuge when Akame landed between the opened hatch and him. There wasn't even the time for surprise to appear on his face before his head was detached from the rest of his body.

Having made quick work of Suka, Akame twisted the top half of her body to avoid the pocket knife that aimed for her throat. Emotionless rubies found two men in black suits intending to get past her.

"Targets confirmed. Eliminate." Pushing off with bent knees, she used the impetus to zigzag through the targets. She gave a quick flick of her arm and blood spurted like rain as more body parts joined the mess that was already on the ground.

Three more charged with desperate snarls on their twisted features but Leone proved to be faster and intercepted them. The blonde slammed a bone-crushing fist into the chest of the first man. Her heels rotated, giving her additional momentum as she pounded the second in the back of the head. The man stood no chance against her advanced strength and instantly slipped into eternal oblivion.

"Akame. Go after Bach! We'll handle the rest here," Leone said, giving the raven-haired the opportunity for pursuit. Her boots scraping the ground, she managed to catch an impending punch in her paw. Simultaneous to her breaking her foe's arm was the series of rapid fires. Several bodies toppled onto the ground, each with a trail of smoke emitting from the hole on their forehead.

Now there was only one left, the guy who was wailing from the pain of his broken limb. Deciding that she had enough of his voice, she shot one fast punch to his jaw, which prompted his head to whip back. Eager to conclude this with an impactful attack, she gripped the man by the collar and shoved his entire back into the ground.

In less than a few minutes, the group that called themselves The Enthusiasts were nothing more than a bloody mess of limbs and flesh that littered the entire room. With her exhilaration settling down after the heated brawl, Leone stood up to her full height and rolled her shoulder blades until she heard a satisfying pop. "Phew, that was a great workout. Makes me wish we get to do this kind of mission m— Oh, crap…"

With the room no longer in chaos, the beast-like woman could now distinguish the quiet sniffling that came from the corner. The reminder set in to replace adrenaline and her golden orbs darkened upon landing their sight on the three trembling figures. Air and Luna huddled together, cradling their wounded and unconscious friend. Fear was apparent in every fiber of their being. Sadly, their reaction was expected, having to witness violence and corruption that no children their age should have seen.

Consolation wouldn't do much at this point but at the very least, Leone could try to ease their mind and distract them from the traumatic experience. Comprehending that this was not an easy matter, the blonde contemplated on the best means to accomplish her objective. She did not get very far when Mine stepped in, crouching beside the three girls. Sorrow filled the typically haughty sniper's pink orbs, her attention so fixated to the children that she had failed to notice the hem of her dress was soaking up the pool of blood on the ground.

Leone watched passively while Mine attempted to rekindle the girls' spirits and calm their nerves. Awkwardly, the sniper supplied gentle words as she examined Fal's wounds. Neither of the Night Raiders was specialized in healing and they lacked the proper equipment to make a cast. Still, they knew the basics to stabilize the patient. Panicking was never the right move to make after all.

Since there was nothing she could do, Leone decided to check on Akame. There really shouldn't be any problems; the raven-haired assassin had retained her skills as a killer even with parts of her memories missing. That much the woman was assured of after a few friendly spars. Yet, a part of her urged her to search for the girl. Call it the beast's instinct, but the blonde felt that it was imperative she heeded the call instead of ignoring it.

'Well, it's not like I have anything better to do at the minute.' As she took a bounding leap into the escape hatch, she made certain that Mine would catch a glimpse of her overly dramatic waving arms as she jumped down. In return, the sniper rolled her eyes in exasperation, which the blonde saw just before she found herself surrounded by cement walls. Forgoing the ladder that was attached to the vertical surface, Leone relied on her well-trained body to find balance upon landing on the hard ground with a clatter from her boots.

Without any form of lighting, the darkness overtook the tunnel. The lack of light would've temporarily rendered anyone's sight useless. But Leone was the exception; she did not need the time to adjust. Her sharp golden eyes seemed to gleam in the dark as she took in her rather dull surrounding. The path ahead was a narrow one and without any divergence. So she didn't even need her sense of smell to track Akame down.

She hadn't gone too far down the tunnel when she found the remains of Bach, dumped on the ground and left to rot in the darkness like the filth that he was. His limbs were the first things she noticed, detached from a torso that had a circular mark branded from where the skin was exposed from the loosened jacket. The mark of a slave, she realized. No doubt he had attempted to gain sympathy from Akame with tales of his past, only to be cut down without any remorse.

Bach's head was a little distance away from the rest of the body parts, having rolled over so that it was closer to where Leone stood. Looking at the object next to her boots, she found herself staring at a face that was permanently etched with utter terror, an expression that he had condemned his victims to show in the final moments of their lives.

'A fitting end for a scum like him. Akame did a great job, even if it's a bit more gruesome than the usual… Hmm? Where did she go?' Looking around, the beast-like woman saw no sign of her friend. Puzzled, she decided to head in deeper. Since the path had no divergence, she concluded that the girl must still be up ahead, having chosen to continue forward for some reason.

The passage opened up to the newer parts of the underwater sewage system, a region that Night Raid hadn't explored fully to feel comfortable using it for emergencies. Leone couldn't deny Bach's cunningness to use a similar approach for absconding. The complicated underground system and the putrid smell would've deterred many pursuers. Nonetheless, Leone endured the disgusting stench with a scrunched up nose and flattened ears.

Finding the nearest exit, the Night Raider climbed up the metallic ladder two footholds at a time. Unsure as to what she would find on the surface forced caution out of her system and she slowly pushed the lid aside. She perked her head out, only to have her ears straightened in complete surprise when a loud clamor resonated in the Capital. She instinctively leaped out from the hole with a speed that synchronized with her thundering heartrate and was just in time to witness the last remnants of a burst of firework exploding in the night sky, illuminating the darkness in a golden glow.

Before Leone could recover from her astonishment, a shadow seemingly materialized before her. The smell of fire powder and the ringing in her ears dulled her senses and the assassin hadn't detected the approach. Her instincts saved her in the nick of time, guiding her body to make a desperate dive to the right. The slash meant to sever her torso from waist down nicked the exposed skin on her abdomen. Growling like an angry beast, Leone landed on all fours before pressing a paw on the deep cut that was seeping out a warm crimson liquid.

"You—what!?" The insult she planned on hurling was rapidly replaced by a bewildered cry. Her pupils dilated at the sight of the attacker lurking in the shadows cast by the walls of the alleyway. The darkness served to conceal most of her form well, with the majority of her long raven locks and black attire merging with the background. But the prominent feature of the attacker was daunting. The pair of emotionless rubies stared at Leone, projecting a dangerous intent that made the fur on the cat woman's tail rise in alarm.

"A-Akame? What're you doing?" Leone stuttered, having finally found her voice in her utter disbelief. Although the name came out as a befuddled gasp, there was no way for the blonde to have mistaken her friend for someone else. This was undoubtedly Akame… and it was Akame who attacked her with Murasame.

'Hold on… Murasame cut me! So how am I—' Her train of thought was cut short when Akame charged at her with a velocity that would've outpaced a leopard. She flung her sword at her neck and Leone barely ducked in time. She crouched low but lost her footing when Akame swept her leg at her. The woman rolled along the ground like a dirty mop to avoid the consecutive blows she knew would come. The sharp scrape of metal stabbing the ground chilled her spine. Unwilling to take the risk of running into something in the narrow alleyway, the blonde pushed her body upward and back onto her feet. Immediate pain flared in her stomach and she grimaced.

"Eliminate." That was the deadly opening her opponent needed. Akame closed in the distance, swinging her weapon in a broad hissing arc. The steel flashed before Leone with the impending terror of death. Everything in her entire world was filled with silver except a corner where a flattering brown cloak entered.

Leone was shoved to the side. Katana locked with another katana in sparks of friction. Lash raven tresses spilled out from a hood that was pulled back as Leone's savior appeared before the reach of the moonlight. Much to her bafflement, the gentle ray cast a silvery glow on a visage that was identical to her attacker.

Leone let out the loudest gasp that she had in a long while. "W-wait! What!? Akame… There're two Akames?!"

3 days left until Tatsumi and Esdeath's wedding!

Night Raid Members Remaining: 10

Missions:

- 1. Eliminate Gebaze, the Head of Public Finance - Chelsea

- 2. Eliminate Tonto, the owner of a curio shop - Sheele, Ieyasu, and Yukio

- 3. Eliminate the Group of Enthusiasts - Akame, Leone, and Mine

- 4. Eliminate the White Brows Association - Bulat, and Susanoo

Results:

- 1. Targets Eliminated (off screen)

- 2. Ongoing

- 3. Targets Eliminated

- 4. Targets Eliminated (off screen)

Rewards: Unknown

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:

-Initially, I had planned on showing each mission instead of just giving an outline of them. However, that would take too long and stray away from the focus of this arc. Thus, some of the teams would have their targets eliminated off screen.

-The alias that Mine took comes from her seiyuu, Yukari Tamura (who voiced a lot of great characters from various anime).

-Air, Fal and Luna are three characters featured in a special chapter exclusive in the manga; they did make a brief cameo at the end of the anime, however. The same goes for Tonto (in extra chapter 1), The While Brows Association (in extra chapter 2) and the group of Enthusiasts (in chapter 23.5), who are all manga exclusive. The chapters of appearance are listed in the brackets for anyone interested and haven't read the manga.

-Note that a signal flare has been fired towards the end of the chapter.

-It has now been revealed that there are two Akames, the first one being the one who attacked Leone, and the second one who saved Leone. Just what is going on here? Where did the duplicate come from?

More Author's Notes: Although this chapter has just been freshly made, I'm already super excited to get the next one started. With any luck, the next one should give the big reveal that I'm dying to give. Nevertheless, along with this comes several action scenes, which admittedly, are one of my weak points. What I'm trying to say is that the next chapter may or may not suffer from delay. So I ask that you will all be patient and feel free to check my profile to see my progress.

Also, there will be no preview for the next chapter since I don't want to risk spoiling what's coming. The only upcoming announcement I will make however is that the title of the next chapter is called Kill the Doppelganger. I hope that you'll look forward to it and I encourage all to continue with your wonderful speculations. Of course, any form of feedback (even if they are not theories) is very much welcomed.

Until next time!