(Hhnnn…what happened?...)
Tatsumi's mind was blank. He knew he was still alive, but everything around him was a blur.
All his senses were mixed and fucked up. It was similar to the state that followed a perfect night of sleep ; you had troubles to remember who you were, where you were and what was going on.
(Ah…yeah. An explosion…but who?)
Slowly, Tatsumi emerged from the deeps of unconsciousness.
Suddenly, he opened the eyes and breathed out, coughing. He realized he was lying on the back, but when he tried to get up, a sharp pain made him groan and moan.
A quick look to his body sufficed. His top was badly burnt and the pain shattering his sides indicated he had several broken ribs.
The explosion had destroyed the entire façade, destabilizing the building. Tatsumi had been ejected to the other side of the corridor, luckily for him ; otherwise, some debris could have stumbled upon him.
(What was that? A device thrown by somebody?... I have to check if the women and children are okay.)
Weakened by the pain caused by his injuries, Tatsumi had to lean against the wall in order to move. Right before the angle of the corridor which was leading to the classroom, he saw a body and recognized the teacher.
"Hey…are you good?" he asked, poking his shoulder.
The body sagged down, revealing a crushed face that looked like a tomato mash.
That sight almost made Tatsumi vomit. There was nothing left of the benevolent and jovial face, excepted some teeth mixed among the flesh and blood.
(Someone or something with a monstrous strength hit him again and again…)
His heartbeat began to race. Fear took over his mind.
Tatsumi, still limping, passed the angle of the corridor and froze. The latter was littered of corpses and dead people. Some had, like the teacher, their heads crushed ; others, holes in their abdomens.
The one who did this was bare-handed.
Tatsumi had to fight with himself not to cry or spew.
Everyone was dead. And he didn't do anything to prevent that from happening.
Suddenly, he noticed something. Not all the villagers were dead. In fact, all the bodies here were women's. After a closer inspection, it was clear that there were no children amongst the corpses.
(Maybe…maybe they hid somewhere? It is possible they sacrificed themselves to protect the children…)
Full of hope, Tatsumi resumed his difficult walk.
(Where…where could they hide?)
In the teacher's office? No, not enough place. The classroom had some storages, but again, not sufficient.
Did they run away, or found a way? If they did…
"Huuuh…huuuuh…."
"Haaaaa…Haaaaa…"
"Someone…help…help…help…"
Tatsumi heard moans, sobs, grunts of satisfaction and calls for help.
(It came from the classroom…)
As he approached closer and closer, the noises and voices became louder and louder.
He feared what he was going to see. But…some of the voices were children's ones.
With a last effort, Tatsumi opened the classroom door.
And fell on his knees.
In front of him, amongst the overthrown offices and chairs, lied the bodies of almost all the children he knew.
The different states of the corpses were the most shocking part : stripped, naked, ravaged, neck broken, arms severed, legs mauled…
And, as if the carnage didn't bother him at all, a panting fat clown was riding a child just in the center of the classroom.
Tatsumi could not move nor speak.
He wanted to shriek, to cry, to vomit, to butcher this man, responsible of the rampage.
But he could not. His brain refused to accept what his eyes were seeing.
For several seconds, he stayed there, unable to do anything. The clown didn't notice him, too busy raping the kid.
"Big bro…Big bro…"
A voice called Tatsumi.
In the corner of the dark room were six children. They were crying, but seemed too afraid to move.
Or maybe, they saw what happened to the ones who tried to run away and did not want to meet the same fate.
"Big bro…Help…" cried one.
"Big bro…"
Ruca. Ruca was alive. Tatsumi immediately recognized her.
The will of protecting her allowed him to move.
But the clown noticed the call and turned back.
The instant he saw Tatsumi, his fat, made up and ugly face flared.
With a somewhat surprising agility, he stood up, releasing the child, and put on his pants.
"We'll continue later, my angel", he said. "Daddy Champ has just one thing to do before."
He touched him with his feet, but he did not respond. Intrigued, he turned him over, and saw that he was dead.
"What a shame…" he shrugged. "You were suuuuch a good angel. And now, you're gone, forever pure and forever young…"
He licked his lips and stared at the other children.
"Thanks God, there are still weddings to celebrate! So, who will be the next lucky one to become an angel? ~"
"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH THEM, SICK BASTARD!" screamed Tatsumi.
He tried to punch him, but lacked the strength. His fist sank into the fat flesh of the clown, whose face contorted.
The blow Tatsumi received caused him to collapse on the floor, his hands pressed on his stomach.
"YOU DARE TO TOUCH ME, YOU FILTHY SCUMBAG?! YOU'RE DISGUSTING, DISGUSTING, DISGUSTING!" the clown shrieked, panting violently.
"Don't…touch…" Tatsumi stuttered, trying to get up.
The clown's knee hit Tatsumi's chin, sending him back to the ground on the back, trembling and convulsing.
(He's too strong…in my state, I–)
In his state,Tatsumi did not see the next blow coming, and the clown's fist tore apart his stomach once again.
Then, Champ kept hitting him, again and again, each blow making him spit blood.
"SCUM! SCUM! SCUM! YOU TURNED ME OFF, FUCKING SCUM! FILTHY, DIRTY, DUNGY SHIT!"
"Big bro!" screamed a child.
"Tatsumi!" cried Ruca.
The pain was so overwhelming that at a certain point, Tatsumi did not feel anything excepted the regular shocks on his body.
Finally, Champ stopped. Tatsumi was somehow still alive. Without looking at it, he knew his torso and tummy were gravely injured for the simple reason that a pool of blood was forming all over him.
For a strange reason, he could still see and hear despite his state.
His nemesis wiped the sweat on his forehead, and turned to the children.
"My, my, I'm sorry for getting carried away because of that scumbag, my angels. Now, we can go back to business. Shhh, shhh, don't cry. Or no, continue, so I can lick your tears, your beautiful angel tears…"
The children started to cry and sob again.
Tatsumi could barely breathe.
(Is this how am I gonna die?)
"So, who will be the first to become an angel? Ooooh, I can't decide, you're all so fucking cuuuuute! ~" said Champ with a high pitched voice.
Champ tilted his head.
"Since I can't decide, it'll be…lottery!"
He cleared his throat, and began to sing, pointing each child one by one.
"Eenie meenie miney moe… come on, sing with me! All together!"
But the children only cried louder, which pissed him off.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP NOW OR I'LL…Noooo, forgive me, my angels, but you have to staaaay caaaalm! ~ Come, on, if you don't want to sing, it's okay! So…"
Champ calmed himself.
"Eennie meenie miney moe, catch a tiger by the toe…"
Despite the state of his body, Tatsumi's heart raced faster, causing him to bleed more. He wanted to get up, and stop him.
He wanted to kill him. To protect the children the ones he could still protect.
But there was no use. He was too badly injured to even lift his head. And unluckily for him, because of his position he was still able to see Champ and the children.
"…if he hollers let him go…"
Champ kept singing.
(Where are the others? Tatsumi thought, despaired. I don't care if I die, but if they arrive and save them, it will be alright…)
"…eennie, meenie, miney…"
(Someone…Help…)
"…Moe. You're the lucky one, my young angel!" Champ said, pointing his finger to…
Ruca.
"No…no…please…help…big bro…Tatsumi…" Ruca wept.
"Shhh, shhh, it's okay. I will take care of you, and we will have a wonderful wedding ceremony, in front of all your friends! And then, you will stay an angel forever, and not become a filthy adult. I'm almost jealous, you know!"
"No…NO! NOOOOOO!"
Ruca tried to resist Champ's grip, in vain.
"SOMEONE! HELP! MOTHER! FATHER! TEACHER! HELP!" she screamed.
"Stay still or it will be painful, my angel…"
Champ became impatient, and forcefully put his hands on her, making her struggling even more.
"NOOOOOO! STOOOP! SOMEONE HELP! TATSUMI! HELP!"
Tatsumi's heart was being shattered apart. He already knew what he was going to see, and it was so painful he wished to die at the moment.
He could not bear it. But the despair let place to anger, and an overwhelming feeling of weakness, powerlessness.
(In the end, I could not protect anyone nor anything.)
"I told you to stay still!" Champ grunted.
(I wanted to protect them and I failed. Even in my previous life, I failed.)
His eyes met with Ruca's. She was imploring him to help, but he couldn't do anything.
In a futile effort, she raised her hand in his direction as to reach him.
(No…I have to protect them, even if I die…)
Gathering his last forces, he extended his hand too.
And suddenly, Champ, bored, broke Ruca's neck with a single move.
Her eyes and mouth still open, her arm dropped, and she did not move anymore.
"Aaahh, shit…rest in peace, my little angel...wait. Should I bless her body while I still can?..."
While Champ was considering necrophilia, Tatsumi watched Ruca's limp body in silence.
An avalanche of feelings surged in his mind.
(I could not protect her. I could not protect anyone…again.)
Suddenly, fragments of memories came back to him. It was not the first time people died because of his weakness.
(I only if were stronger…if only…but I'm weak. So weak…)
His spirit began to crumble. He felt..something.
(If only I had power. Power to overcome the strength of the ones who want to destroy people's lives. If only… IF ONLY!)
Champ made his decision and started to rip off Ruca's clothes.
That sight made Tatsumi cry in anger and despair.
Suddenly, a raw, primitive voice spoke to him. The voice came from inside his head.
"Do you want power, weakling?"
"Yes", Tatsumi instinctively thought. "I want power to protect everyone. "
"Is that so? Liar. If you admit the true reason behind your lust for power, I shall maybe give you what you seek", laughed the voice.
"…I want power to butcher that bastard. To make him regret being born, to make him atone all his sins, to crush him, to kill him, to erase his very existence."
"Do you truly want power? It does have a cost. Everything does have a cost."
"Whatever the price, I consent. I want power."
"Very well",answered the voice with a satisfied tone. "If you want power, then you shall have power!"
The moment it said that, Tatsumi felt energy running through his whole body.
Energy healing his wounds, restoring his stamina and giving him strength. A lot of strength.
And before he knew it, a familiar armor covered him from head to toe.
He stood up, a deadly and cold aura emanating from him.
(Power overwhelming.)
"The town's on fire", Esdeath stated.
"I have my eyes to tell me so, thanks", Akame responded coldly.
"Don't land now. We have to figure what is going on", Ran said.
They had reached the Joyou, too late. It was obvious the bandits had already attacked it. Still, the villagers were still putting a fight, judging from the movements and the noises.
Esdeath maneuvered Goliath to fly in circles, allowing them to observe the confrontation.
"I spotted them. Around the governor's house", Akame said.
In truth, the villagers were in a bad position. They had less men, weapons and moral than the opponents.
"Wave and Kurome are fighting at the entrance", Ran noticed. "Against Teigu users, it seems. But they have some issues. Their opponents use zone attacks to block them, and they're fighting two against three."
Esdeath came up with a simple plan.
"You two, go help them. You should not have any problem."
"What about you, General?" asked Ran.
"I'll have some fun with the bandits. I want to try new tricks."
"Roger that. Akame, I'll carry you with Mastema", Ran declared.
He activated his Teigu, and, flying with grace, gently took Akame to battle.
Esdeath prepared to jump from her dragon.
"I know you like fresh meat, Goliath, but you can't land here. You'd destroy the houses that aren't already on fire. Go and feed yourself."
Right after saying that, she let herself fall towards the town.
The bandits did not expect a beautiful woman to land in front of them, as they were about to slaughter what was left of the despaired population.
They were two hundreds strong. There was no reason to fear a single woman, even if she fell from the sky.
Naturally, they began to laugh and say obscenities.
"I wonder if you'll smile like this after a good gangbang!"
"Look at these clothes! She's the S type, or what?!"
"I don't care, I'd gladly lick her boots!"
"I'm first!"
Esdeath's smile grew larger.
Silently, she materialized an ice axe, threw it and beheaded three bandits within two seconds.
The crowd fell silent. Gone was the confidence.
"…ice…is that…no, it can't be…they said that she disappeared from the surface, why would she be here?" a bandit muttered.
"Oh, did someone recognize me?" laughed Esdeath.
She glared at her opponents.
"These are good faces, filled with fear, despair and…hmm…is that hope? Some of you think you can beat me? Well, come and entertain me!"
"RAAAAAAH!"
The bandits cried in unison and rushed towards her, each one watching that the others were following.
(A bunch of cowards, moved by the energy of despair. But still, they will suffice.)
Basically, Esdeath's Teigu allowed her to create ice and to make it move. It was not a sophisticated power, but it allowed almost infinite possibilities if you had imagination, intelligence, skill and guts.
Esdeath lacked none.
Her ranged attacks were often made of icicles. Since she was able to create an infinite amount of them, it was usually effective against every enemy because of the number.
But she found a default to that. The icicles were big ; they had a good penetration power, but their size made them easy targets.
She experimented this with skilled opponents of Night Raid ; even with a blade or a gun, they had been able to slice her icicles rows.
She needed faster, smaller projectiles, but as deadly as the previous ones ; so she thought of bullets. It was not difficult to create ice bullets ; it was even less tiresome.
Esdeath reached out with her right arm, concentrating.
With a surgical precision, she created thirty big caliber ice bullets around her hand and threw them in a straight line.
And she repeated the same operation a hundred times within one second for ten seconds, sending a hail of bullets upon her enemies.
She gave her bullets a spinning effect while throwing them to make sure they would pierce conventional armors.
The first rows of bandits immediately collapsed, their bodies filled with bloody holes, unable to stop the deadly rain.
However, some of them understood what was going on, and sheltered themselves behind a wall of shields.
As they believed themselves safe, more bullets came from the sky and the flanks, getting around the shields and killing their wielders.
"WHAT THE FUCK? HOW CAN THESE THINGS COME FROM HERE WHILE SHE'S IN FRONT OF US?!"
The answer was easy. Esdeath programmed the paths of her bullets while firing them to make them avoid the shields.
You could tell they were intelligent bullets, but every one of them was guided by Esdeath's will.
Controlling such an amount of objects in such a short amount of time was an impossible task for any human brain.
But to Esdeath, it was a piece of cake.
(It's working better than I thought. But I have to be careful not to kill them all right now, or I won't be able to try my other moves…)
During that time, Akame and Ran had met with Kurome and Wave.
"Need a hand over here?"
"Ran? What are you doing here?!" exclaimed Wave.
They both dodged an aerial blade.
"We can talk about that later, I ghink", replied Ran. "For now, let's get rid of these guys."
"More drink for Kousetsu…" whispered the samurai.
"Heeeeeyyy, the winged-one is pretty handsome! Cosmina and him will have a lot of fun together! ~" smiled the bunnygirl.
"Look at this beauty", said the lean one, pointing at Akame. "Your hands are not meant to wield a katana but to serve me."
"They talk a lot."
Akame looked unconcerned.
"Kurome, we'll take care of him together."
"Alright, big sis'!"
"If I'm alone against this guy, I don't need help", Wave said, designing the samurai.
"So I guess I'll have to handle this girl", Ran sighed. "Be careful, all of you."
They moved together to separate their opponents.
"I have the two girls for me alone? That's good, that's good!" sneered the man wielding a curved blade.
"You. The one with a long tongue and who overuses it. What is your name?" calmly asked Akame.
"The name's Enshin, beauty. Remember it, because soon, you'll be screaming it with both pain and pleasure!"
"Right. Enshin. Surrender now, and you'll have a clean death."
"You dare to speak like that to me, bitch?! I'll teach you your place!"
He stormed attacks on Akame, launching several aerial blades.
Without an inch of panic, Akame dodged them all, waiting for an opening. The blades themselves were quite impressive to the eyes, but they were easy to dodge ; you just had to consider them like normal hits.
They did not have any special power ; they were just large wind blades that cut in straight lines. The only things they touched were the burning houses of the town.
"Don't forget me!"
Kurome tried to attack Enshin in the back, but he saw her coming.
"Too bad for you, it's the full moon!"
He spun on himself, wielding his Teigu, creating a sphere of wind blades ; an offensive defense.
Kurome had no choice but to quickly retreat and barely avoided the technique.
"I called it the Full Moon Wheel", Enshin boasted. "I can only use it when it's the full moon!"
Akame attacked him as well, but like Kurome, was forced to step back because of his attack.
However, Enshin's blows were unable to hit both of the sisters. They were already able to read his moves.
"Kurome. His movements are very linear. He did not work his swordsmanship enough to be able to modify his style in battle", Akame stated.
"Copy that."
They exchanged only one glare to come up with a plan.
Dashing forward, Kurome rushed in an attempt to overcome Enshin's defense.
"Useless, useless!" he laughed as he began his Full Moon Wheel.
Suddenly, his sword met Akame's one.
"What?!"
The next instant, Kurome's blade pierced his throat.
A flood of blood came out as he dropped his Teigu and fell on his knees, vainly trying to stop the bleeding.
"How?..." he managed to spill.
Akame took his blade, making sure he was not a danger anymore.
"You special move can look unpredictable and impressive, but the two times you performed it, you started it the same manner. All I had to do was to block your blade."
She didn't tell him she lowered her movement speed on purpose until now to make him lower his guard.
But that was Akame for you. A perfect assassin : every one of her actions aimed to one thing, kill the enemy with the highest success rate.
Enshin choked with his own blood and died.
Ran found a way to lure his opponent, the girl who talked at the third person and called herself Cosmina outside the town.
Since she was running after him like a fangirl, it took him no effort.
He decided to face her in the nearby meadow. As he was still flying away, he suddenly turned back and fired several feathers.
Ran's feathers were homing explosives bullets. Alas, Cosmina had no trouble to deflect them with her ultrasonic waves.
(I only need to hit her once. She does not wear any kind of armor, but has a surprising agility…)
"Myyyy, you're quite the playboy, aren't youu? I met a loooot of guys before, but never one like you ~ I can't wait for you to be inside me! ~"
(Oh, so she's that type) Ran thought with a sigh.
"Too bad", he said while performing a looping in order to avoid another sonic wave. "I prefer calm and reserved women."
"C'moon, don't be shyyy! Play with me, play with me! It hurts at first but it feels reallyyy good then!"
In response, Ran delivered more feathers.
But again, Cosmina blocked the attack, and most of the feathers met the ground around the bunnygirl.
"I'll force you to come down, my little angel!" she happily cried.
She pressed a button on her micro, which started to vibrate.
"Trump Card : Nasty Voice! ~~"
An ultrasonic wave thrice times larger and ten times stronger went to meet Ran.
(I won't be able to avoid it!)
"Trump Card : God's Wings!"
Ran's wings suddenly turned into two grand yellowish ones, bigger and nobler.
With an ample movement, they bend only to release a powerful wind flapping which sent back the ultrasonic wave.
Loudly screaming of panic, Cosmina barely and clumsily dodged her own attack.
"Uaaaaah! That was close! But too bad you showed me your trump card, I know it now! I know it! ~"
(Does she realize she did the same thing?) Ran thought, stunned by the idiocy of his enemy.
"It doesn't matter. The fight is already over", he announced.
Cosmina made an interrogative face.
"Huh?"
"Look at your feet."
Cosmina lowered her eyes only to see that she had stepped in the middle of a bunch of feathers, result of 'missed' Ran's assaults.
"Wh-"
DOM. DOM. DOM. DOM. DOM. DOM. DOM.
Ran detonated the feathers, causing a chain reaction to occur. He waited for the dust cloud to dissipate before landing.
"The point wasn't to touch you, but to place a maximum of my feathers on the terrain", he explained.
Cosmina, down, a leg missing, her bunnysuit half burnt, tried to implore mercy.
"N-nooo…"
"I'm sorry. Nothing personal."
A feather pierced Cosmina's head, putting an end to both her life and pain.
"I hope for Tatsumi the General is not like that with him…"
"Thou have been a worthy opponent…"
Izou, the mad swordsman, collapsed with a last smile.
He had put a good fight, but was simply no match for Wave alone.
The reason why the latter did not kill him before was because he had to constantly avoid the attacks of the others.
Let alone, Wave was far stronger than Izou.
At first, Izou thought he could win ; he was able to read Wave's movements and attacks.
But that was all. Even if his eyes and his experience told him what Wave would do, he wasn't strong or speed enough to counter him.
From there, his skill was useless. What was the point of seeing an assault without any possibility to counter it?
And so, blow by blow, Wave defeated Izou, who never gave up and died like a warrior. A mad and fearless one, but still.
(They should be done by now…I'm pretty certain the General is already waiting for us), Wave thought as the moon was still high.
Everyone thought that Incursio had been destroyed during the battle in the Capital, and for a good reason ; there was no trace of the armor itself or of the small sword.
The truth was that Tyrant, the draconic Danger Beast used to create the armor, was still living in the Teigu.
Some time before the final assault on the Empire, Tyrant aka Incursio had begun to feed over Tatsumi's feelings and regained power.
As a consequence, the Teigu slowly fused with Tatsumi each time he used it.
But when Tatsumi fought the ultimate Teigu, Shikoutazer, Incursio had been heavily damaged and, on the verge of being destroyed, totally fused with Tatsumi as a way to survive.
However, Tyrant, as weak as Tatsumi after his near death experience, hadn't been able to take control, and by the time he recovered, Tatsumi had already awoken.
Tyrant's only chance to gain influence over Tatsumi's body was to control his mind and draw power from his emotions.
And finally, this chance presented itself when Tatsumi needed power to take revenge of the clown. He asked for Tyrant's strength, but little did he know that he just made pact with the devil.
Accepting Tyrant's power equaled to accepting Tyrant itself.
But Tatsumi had no idea what he just had done.
Tatsumi felt awfully good. It was the first time he felt that way and could not find a good comparison to describe it.
(Did I become a dragon?...)
A strange question crossed his mind, but as weird as it was he knew his armor was dragon-shaped.
When he looked at his hands, he noticed they were almost claws now.
(So…this is the Teigu I previously wielded, if I recall what Akame told me. But her description doesn't match…)
Something else arose inside of him. A burning desire…of killing. An urging bloodlust.
He wanted to tear apart this clown. Crush every one of his bones, make sausages with his guts and flay him.
The voice he heard before resounded again.
"That's it. Kill him. Make him pay. Butcher him. Use my power. NOW!"
Champ was now looking at him with an annoyed look.
"Filthy scums like you should stay DOWN!" he screamed, raising his fist.
(He wants to hit me? But he's so slow.)
Effortlessly, Tatsumi dodged the blow and delivered the clown a direct strike in the stomach. He savored the moment where his claws ditched in Champ's flesh.
"Gwooooh!"
The clown get away and despite his injury, pulled off his jacket several orbs. He picked one, took a pitcher posture and threw it to Tatsumi.
"TAKE THIS, SCUM! LIGHTNING ORB!"
When the orb touched him, a violent electric shock ran through him, illuminating the dark classroom with lightning.
"Was it supposed to hurt me?" asked Tatsumi with a deep, animal voice.
None of them was aware of the fact that Incursio gained lightning resistance during the fight against the Great General Budou.
Compared to Adrammelech 's power, Champ's Lightning Orb was a mere joke.
With an impressive kick, Tatsumi send Champ flying through the building. The clown's imposing body left a big hole in the wall he went through. A muffled sound indicated that he landed in the grass, outside.
Tatsumi slowly walked in his direction. His vision was dull, everything was a blur, but he still discerned the forms around him.
Above all, the voice in his head.
"Killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill."
Outside, the night was still dark and the moon high in the sky. Farther, Champ lied in the grass.
"Unforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivableunforgivable."
The fat clown finally get up, a panicked look on his sweating face. His makeup was starting to melt.
"DON'T COME NEAR ME, YOU FREAK!"
With ample and nervous moves, he started to throw all his orbs.
Ice, fire, lightning, wind and explosion. None of those elements inflicted damages to Tatsumi.
And inexorably, he continued his walking towards his enemy.
"TAKE THAT! ROT ORB!"
He threw a pale green orb, but Tatsumi caught it with his right hand and crushed it.
"How…aaackkk–"
Champ tried to express his disbelief, but Tatsumi, too fast for him, grabbed him by the throat.
"Do not kill him now. He has to suffer. He deserves to suffer, to feel the pain he inflicted. Make him feel your wrath!" the voice urged Tatsumi.
As his mind was almost entirely blank, he obeyed his primal bloodlust.
Tatsumi lifted up the clown with his right hand. His left one grabbed Champ's crotch.
Understanding what was coming for him, the man tired to speak, but with his trachea crushed, no sound came out. He vigorously shook his head.
Tatsumi's claws clenched tightly, reducing Champ's personal orbs to a bloody and disgusting mash.
Despite his intense suffering, no sound came out of his throat, but Tatsumi read the pain on every trait of his face as his body was convulsing. He smiled and dropped him.
The man immediately fell down, and, trying to grasp what was left of his masculinity, sobbed and moaned in agony.
An armored and clawed fist chased out the air out of his lungs.
"Khhhh!"
Standing in front of him, Tatsumi, who looked like a hybrid between a dragon and a human.
"Kill."
His fist hit the exact same point.
When Champ tried to get away, Tatsumi simply broke his legs, making sure he would not escape.
"Kill."
Again, his fist hammered the same spot.
Again and again. The disgusting noise repeated again and again on the silent night.
Champ's thoracic cage was entirely crushed, making him look like a big rotten tomato with leftovers of makeup.
His mouth was still wide open in a scream of agony.
With his objective completed, Tatsumi regained some consciousness.
(What…my head…so dizzy…)
His vision was terribly clouded. It was like being in an immense fog. His mind too was confused, and he had troubles to think.
(He…dead. Damn, I feel like I'll pass out any second now…)
Tatsumi made some uneasy steps, still wearing his dragon skin. Yes, it was a part of him. He could sense the flesh was still alive.
(The children. I have to check on the children…)
He moved like in dream, hardly, at a slow and uneasy pace. Not because he was weak…it was as someone else was trying to take control of his movements.
After what seemed an eternity, Tatsumi eventually reached the classroom. The kids were still here. Even with his blurred vision, he saw their small silhouettes, in the corner of the room.
"It's okay now…" he said, offering his hand to the scared children.
Obviously, they didn't recognized him under this appearance. They screamed loudly, scared by the monster that was extending its claws upon them.
He suspended his move, trying to find the good words to comfort them.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps.
"DON'T TOUCH THEM!"
Tatsumi turned his head and the second later, received several sharp projectiles his armor parried.
"They die way too fast", Esdeath complained.
The bandits did not last five minutes, to her displeasure.
(Well, I guess I'll try my other moves later.)
Minutes later, as she was waiting, Akame, Kurome, Wave and Ran showed up.
(They took longer than I expected.)
"Went it smoothly?" she asked.
"Yep. Piece of cake", Wave smiled.
He wasn't wearing Grand Chariot anymore.
"If that's the case, we're done here. I suggest we search for survivors and gather the villagers still alive", Ran started. "My troops should be here soon, they'll be a welcomed help here".
"Someone should go and warn Tatsumi and the others that it is over", Akame said.
She had not finished her sentence that they saw a light coming from the school.
"What was that?"
"Like a fire…wait, look, another one! Blue, that is!"
"Was it a whirlwind, right now?"
"And an explosion?"
"What is the meaning of this?" Wave asked. "It's like someone is using elemental attacks over there…"
Ran's face stiffened. He deployed his wings and dashed off without any word.
"Go and follow him", Esdeath told to Kurome and Akame. "Wave and I will make sure the town is secured, then we'll join you."
"Copy that, General", Kurome answered. "See you later."
"What happened here?" Akame whispered.
The façade of the school was gone, the building a ruin. The air reeked of blood, and death.
"Big sis, over here!"
Akame rejoined her sister and Ran, who were staring at a corpse in the grass.
The man had been fat, was clothed like a clown. But normal clowns did not have their balls crushed and their chest burst.
"That was one of a painful death", Kurome murmured.
"Be careful. We don't know what happened here–"
Suddenly, coming from the school, children screams resounded.
Ran immediately hurried into the building, followed by the two sisters.
The inside was a slaughterhouse. The first body they encountered was the professor's one. And then, countless women corpses in the corridor.
(Who did this?...) Akame thought, horrified. (And…where is Tatsumi? Is he…)
When they entered the classroom, the horror struck them.
Lifeless little bodies lying on the ground, naked, broken, their mouths opened in shrieking of pain and their last tears still in the eyes.
And in the corner, a draconic-humanoid creature, standing on its legs, who was about to grasp the few survivors, its claws sharp as razorblades. It looked like familiar to Akame, but before she could do anything, Ran deployed his Mastema.
"DON'T TOUCH THEM!" he exploded, immediately firing feathers to the creature.
They met its scaled flesh, but did not pierce through it and did not seem to cause it apparent damages.
(I can't detonate my feathers now or I will harm the children. We have to drive that thing out!)
He was about to give instructions to Akame and Kurome, but in a light, the creature was right before him.
(He's fast!) he thought as his enemy was arming a blow. Fortunately for him, the sisters had him covered and blocked the attack.
"What is it? It broke my sword!" Kurome complained, looking at the leftovers of her weapon.
"He must be very tough", Akame said. "And powerful."
The creature suddenly roared.
"GWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"
This voice was not human. It was a beast's one. Still, Akame sensed something.
(What is this feeling? As if I knew this thing…)
"We have to lure him outside! We're not at our advantage in a closed space with the children right here!" Ran shouted.
The creature charged him the instant he spoke.
Flapping his wings violently, Ran managed to dodge the assault from a scratch ; his opponent, carried away by his momentum, broke through the wall and went outside.
"Well, this solves the matter", Ran declared. "After him, quickly!"
The draconic humanoid was standing up in the field, not moving at all. The moonlight was bathing him, giving him some aura.
"Incursio?!"
Akame could barely believe it. It was not the Incursio she knew. It was a more…living version. However, it kept the same shape.
But it didn't look like armor anymore. It was as it had fused with its wielder. And Incursio's wielder was…
"…Tatsumi?! Is…is that you?!"
"What?"
Ran and Kurome were astonished. They both knew Tatsumi too, and him being that thing over there was puzzling.
"What are you talking about, big sis? This creature is Tatsumi? So…is he the one who butchered the women and the children?"
"…no. It can't be…something must have happened."
Akame firmly believed that Tatsumi would never harm the children. But…right before, he was about to…
She shook her head to regain her mind. She was almost certain that it was really Tatsumi. However, she also felt that something was up.
Ran's head was full of questions, but he managed to keep his head cool despite the situation and the murdered children.
(…don't let your past catch you now. Deal with the current situation), he ordered himself.
He analyzed his current data.
(If this thing is Tatsumi…and if Tatsumi would never do that…does that mean we're mistaking, and the real enemy is somewhere else?)
He spoke up and put his hands up, showing that he would not attack.
"Tatsumi! Who did all of this?! What happened here?!"
When Ran attacked him, Tatsumi thought of new bandits or enemies. Because of that, he let his wrath take over him, and assaulted the new arrived ones.
His vision was so dark he could only see silhouettes now. And Tyrant's voice was now occupying his entire mind.
"Kill them. Slaughter them. Rip them apart. Erase them. I shall grant you my power, and you shall grant me your body!"
Tatsumi couldn't do anything but obey. He was totally under Tyrant's harmful influence.
With a new roar, he rushed into Ran, who, taken aback by this new change of behavior, did not react in time.
Again, Kurome saved him by interposing herself between them, trying to absorb the blow with her bare hands, but she was no match for Tatsumi's explosive strength.
"Kuuh!"
With a groan, she found herself down, her hands trembling.
Without losing a second, Ran took some distance and, flying, tempted to distract Tatsumi by firing feathers again.
In response, Tatsumi grabbed Kurome and violently threw her into Ran, who managed to seize her. Both brutally landed, temporarily out of combat.
Akame could not find herself to attack Tatsumi. She did not want to kill him, and Murasame did not allow to capture people alive.
(If I don't do anything…he will attack me. Kill me, probably. But if I strike…Tatsumi will die. And given his armor, I don't see a possibility to neutralize him…)
Kill or being killed. The same choice, again and again.
It was one of the laws of the nature. But the one she had to kill was not a stranger.
He was the one she loved, the only one she ever loved in her life.
Killing him was...
(I don't even want to consider this option. He made me a promise. I will trust him…or die.)
With soft gestures, Akame pulled back Murasame in its sheet, and looked at the thing that was Tatsumi.
Even when he charged her, she did not move nor averted her gaze. When he raised his fist, she whispered two words.
"You promised…"
Tatsumi stopped his motion, his 'face' less than ten centimeters from Akame's.
"A..ka…me…" he muttered.
Tatsumi, wearing his usual clothes, was in some kind of blank space. He was there, his image was there, but he didn't feel his body. Like a dream.
All his surroundings were blank, excepted a golden, liquid sky above.
Tatsumi turned back, and found himself in front of a gigantic, white armored dragon with cruel yellow eyes.
"Why don't you kill her?" the beast asked.
Tatsumi's memories were fading, but still, he remembered why he forcefully stopped himself from attacking her.
"Because I know her. She's a friend…maybe more…"
"She is not you. What is not you must be destroyed. What is not you shall be destroyed", the dragon decreed.
His willpower invaded the space. Tatsumi had the feeling he could not resist to its power. And when he would fall to it, he would attack his friend.
He tried to counter the mental invasion, but he was weaker.
(Why…why do I fight for her? If only I knew why she's so important to me…) he desperately thought.
Someone poked his shoulder.
It was he. Tatsumi.
What?!
A second Tatsumi was standing behind him, smiling.
"You?!" grunted Tyrant. "How?!"
The second Tatsumi grinned and ignored it.
"I didn't think I'd meet myself like that", he said. "Long things short, I'm you…but the old you, if I dare to say."
"What? What is going on?"
"You see…I'm you. I'm Tatsumi, too, but the difference is I have my entire memory, not like you. I have been observing you the whole time. Our friends told you what happened, but you don't remember, so you can't really grasp them."
"No…but even without that, I…want to protect them. To be with them. And at the same time, I doubt. I think that I don't deserve them, since I'm not the one they knew…" Tatsumi sighed.
"Yes, I know. But now, we can fix that. We'll fuse, and you will get all your memories back. We'll become one again. You made promises, you know, and you will have to hold them!"
"Hey, don't push the responsibility on me! You're the one who made them!"
The two Tatsumi laughed.
"And what about him?" the first Tatsumi asked, designing Tyrant, who was now silent and powerless. "I made a mistake by trusting him, didn't I?"
"Indeed. But don't worry. Together, we will have the strength to contain him. As long as we don't lust for power, it should be okay."
"Okay. And you? Will you disappear?"
"Nah. I told you, we'll become one. I will always be here, and so will you. In fact, you could say that we both will disappear to give birth to a new Tatsumi."
"Kinda scary. It can't be helped, I guess. What do I have to do?"
"Just take my hand. Oh and by the way, the first thing you'll have to do once back is to apologize to Akame and the others!"
"Hard time in perspective, but okay…"
They laughed, and took each other's hand.
"Thanks for the dream, me. But, one last question. Is this scene in my head, or is it real?"
"Well, it's in your head for sure. But why could it not be real, after all?"
As everything disappeared, Tatsumi heard a rough voice one last time.
"Do not forget me. The instant you will weaken, I shall take over control. That is a promise."
Akame hoped for a miracle. And this miracle came true.
Incursio's envelop slowly disappeared, like that time in the Capital.
But under the armor was not a dying Tatsumi.
This one was healthy, smiling with tears in the eyes.
His voice was back to normal, too.
"Akame."
Tatsumi pronounced her name with joy and relief.
"Akame…I'm so sorry…I…I remember everything. I…I'm back, Akame."
Akame was amazed, puzzled, but over everything…happy. She began to cry too, but managed to give him a warm smile.
"Welcome back, Tatsumi."
Out of words, he embraced her gently. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his body leaning against hers.
"Akame…I love you. I truly do."
These words made her heart go faster, and a wave of tenderness invaded her.
"Tatsumi…I love you too."
Timidly, she went for his lips. He did not resist, and their tongues met in unison, as they exchanged both their saliva and love.
Eventually breathless, they separated. Her red eyes dived into his green eyes, like they had done before.
Both of them were blushing, too moved to talk ; words were powerless to express their feelings.
Eventually, Tatsumi broke the silence.
"Akame… There is something I must tell you."
His voice was embarrassed. Akame tilted her head, encouraging him to speak, smiling.
"I…"
In a brutal movement, he pushed her away. Completely surprised, she couldn't help but fall on her back.
"Why did you do that?!" she exclaimed.
Tatsumi did not respond.
"Hey, Tatsum–"
She called him while lifting her head towards him, and she choked on his name.
There was no reply.
That was to be expected. Tatsumi's body was pierced with four icicles. Two in the lungs, one in his right shoulder, and the last one in his heart.
Akame's brain did not understand what her eyes saw.
Tatsumi, abundantly spilling blood, unable to stand, fell on his knees. With a desperate move, he tried to reach Akame with his hand.
"A…ka…me…"
Tatsumi's hard breathing stopped as he coughed more blood, and his body tumbled in the grass.
Akame could only watch her beloved one watering the ground with his blood.