A.N Now I am very sorry for the massive wait between chapters, I have recently gone to uni and life has been roller coaster, I will continue to work on chapters but well they will probably be spaced around when I get any free time. Now onto a more interesting note, I am thinking of trying to get some kind of concept art for Deagora, as the ring and for Tatsumi in his armoured state, if any of you want to help direct message me, now anyway review time.
To Ultor thank you for your constant support
To NinjaFang thanks as well for the constant support
And now a big thanks to Tripletronicle for beta reading the story...well on with the story.
Chapter 15
A small cottage on the outskirts of the capital.
"Honey be careful please, I have heard about the new emergence of danger beasts popping up, all over the country." A husband said to his wife as he polished a double barrel shotgun. He sat inside the cottage at a oak chair, while his wife was washing dishes.
"I know dear, don't worry." She replied smiling before the door of the cottage burst open to reveal humanoid monsters, with grotesque faces and metallic shoulder guards. They were hulking beasts taller than 6ft and had mouths filled with sharp teeth. The husband lifted his weapon firing both barrels in seconds between one and other. However it was to no avail, the monsters charged through it and ripped his head off, with a fountain of crimson blood spouting into the air. The wife screamed in fear before falling to her knees shaking in fear, she begged for her life, "Please, No….no" Yet the creatures lumbered towards her and devoured her whole.
The imperial palace.
"You have done a marvelous job general Esdeath, crime has dropped and night raid has gone into hiding most probably in fear of yourself and the jaegers." The emperor stated sat atop his throne smiling at the kneeling general.
"I thank you, your highness." Esdeath replied quietly
"But still I am disappointed we could not find a suitor for you….If the prime minister is out the question what about his son, I hear that he is quite an impressive individual." The emperor continued despite the pleading look from the prime minister.
"Your highness I have already found the one my heart belongs to." Esdeath replied.
"Ahh yes but didn't that young individual disappear?" The emperor asked.
"I believe in my heart that I shall see him soon." Esdeath answered.
Later in the royal dining hall. The table was made from an dark oak and was in front of a large window, lighting the entire room, the table had a large red cloth covering the length of it.
"It seems you have made an impression on the young king, talking about love and whatnot. Soon I shall tempt him with wine and women, making him fall into decadence." Honest stated with a cruel smile. Esdeath simply hummed in reply her mind was too busy being preoccupied with Tatsumi, plaguing her mind and dreams.
"Also general have you heard about these new furiosus danger beasts, I hear they look human." The general asked. This however peaked Esdeath's interests.
"I have indeed, I am planning on capturing a few." Esdeath said with a sadistic smile.
"Ahh about that could you bring some back to the palace? Make sure that they are lively ones." The prime minister asked matching Esdeath's sadistic grin.
"Of course Minister, send my reward to the soldiers still holding up in the northern border." Esdeath said calmly.
"Always thinking of your men." Honest replied.
"As long as I nurture their loyalty they will be prepared to die for me, that is one of the many reasons my army is the elite." Esdeath replied with pride as she walked out of the room.
In the open fields in front of the capital, a merchant wagon rushed with all haste trying.
"I don't want to be out here any longer than necessary with those danger beasts around, move it" A merchant said to his partner as they traveled along the dirt road. The other merchant urging the brown horse to move with all haste when they heard the roar of the humanoid danger beasts burst out of the tree lines mouths wide open and fangs barred to dine on their prey.
"Th...th...there here." They said in fear as the beasts descended. Yet before they got close the jaeger Bols jumped onto the roof of the wagon and punched the closet beast away from the merchants.
"Just in time." He muttered before he unslung Rubricate and incinerated the first punch of beasts scaring the rest away, into the icy clutches of Esdeath who froze them in seconds.
Night Raid HQ
Tatsumi stood in shallow river in front of a small waterfall, Susanoo sat on the edge of the river bank watching Tatsumi. Tatsumi wore his white jacket with the yellow shirt and trousers. He looked up to see a large boulder be pushed off the edge heading straight into him. Tatsumi smiled as flames wrapped themselves around his right hand, covering from his hand to his elbow in a dark crimson gauntlet with a large red diamond in the back of the hand. He smashed his fist into the boulder breaking it into a halo of pebbles.
"Tatsumi simply don't apply strength to deal with an obstacle." Susanoo stated as he took two steps forward.
"KID how many times DO I NEED TO TELL YOU TO USE YOUR HEAD!" Deagora roared in annoyance.
"Oww why did you have to shout?"Tatsumi moaned as Susanoo took a fighting stance as an even bigger boulder than before flowed over the river. Susanoo stared at the boulder as it fell of the edge, he identified a small crack in the boulder and smashed wolf fang mace into the boulder breaking it with half the amount of effort that Tatsumi put into his strike.
"SEE THIS KID, SEE HE JUST MADE YOU LOOK LIKE A IDIOT...AN IDIOT….We ARE TRAINING FROM NOW TILL BLOODY SUNSET...TILL YOU START USING YOUR GODDAMN HEAD!" Deagora ranted on. While Tatsumi waved off the gauntlet and laughed at the ranting ring.
"Wow that was impressive." Tatsumi said despite the anger coming from the red ring.
"Usually there is a weak spot so try to find it, as it will make the situation easier on yourself." Su stated calmly.
"Maybe so but I doubt I will be able to do so during a battle situation." Tatsumi said as he walked through the shallow water.
"Hmm Well I can't help but do so, as I was built for the very purpose of protecting my master." Su said with a calm expression.
"Well with your help I know we'll make through this, all of us." Tatsumi said with a smile.
"I am but a tool, there is no reason to include me." Su said as he turned to face Tatsumi.
"Na, Su you are our comrade!" Tatsumi said with a bright smile across his face.
"Hmm Comrade, that implies us as partners am I correct?" Su asked as he sat down looking at Tatsumi.
"Well yeah of course...I know Su your handsome, when this is all over will you help Lubb and myself out picking up chicks?" Tatsumi said with a smile as he put his fist forward.
"Hmm I don't quite understand but if it is what you want then I shall help." Su said with a smile.
"KID YOU DO NOT NEED HELP, god just yesterday you quite literally had THREE beautiful women in a GODDAM ONSEN with you, seriously how can you ask Su for help when you froze at the DREAM scenario, wait do you umm go the other way?" Deagora asked quietly.
"What do you mean?" Tatsumi asked as he raised the ring to his eye level.
"Oh nothing, nothing at all." Deagora said with a smile.
"Tatsumi, Susanoo come back to base quickly the boss has called an emergency meeting." Akame said as she jumped down a rocky pathway towards Tatsumi and Susanoo.
"Akame what's wrong?" Tatsumi asked
"New danger beasts are appearing all over the capital and are killing civilians in droves, we have been ordered to wipe them out." Akame stated.
'The capital..huh? Well kid we are nearing your beloved again.' Deagora joked inside Tatsumi's mind.
"Ummm HOW IS THIS A NEW BASE!" roared the dragon as Tatsumi and party stared at a very familiar structure in a very familiar location. Tatsumi smiled at the metal dragon stamping it's feet around him.
"Aww you look like a b…"
"Finish that sentence and the stuff I SHALL DO WITH YOUR BODY WILL BE TOO GRAPHIC FOR EVEN ESDEATH." Deagora replied with an evil voice shutting Tatsumi up in a heart beat.
"Well we sought a easy to flee, hard to find base and well there is nothing better than this really." Akame replied sheepishly.
"Well we have onsens." Mine stated with a smile.
"I know we should all meet up once, work is done later!" Leone said with a smile.
"Sounds good." Chelsie said smiling.
"Najenda-san I have finished setting up an detection barrier around the base." Lubb shouted smiling as he ran towards the boss.
"Good work." She replied calmly.
"And I have finished digging us an emergency escape tunnel." Su said calmly as he walked forward a shovel resting on his right shoulder.
"Wow well done Susanoo." Najenda replied smiling much to the dismay of lub who instantly ran to susanoo saying "You haven't one just yet." While pointing his finger at Susanoo.
"What are you talking about?" Su asked plainly.
Night Raid gathered in the main hall of their base, the boss sat on her throne underneath the Night Raid flag, her signature cigarette in hand.
"I know we have just moved in but we've been tasked with eliminating the new danger beasts. They seem to possess general intelligence and act in packs. Physically they are quite strong, and all the martial arts masters seeking to test their skills have lost. They've also attacked people and livestock in the forests and mines to the south. I have been informed that both the Jaegers and the imperial army have been culling them daily, however their numbers don't appear to be dropping and the casualties are mounting. " Boss informed to the gathered members of Night Raid.
"With the empire having this much trouble it is hardly a trap." Mine stated.
"Well simply put we and the empire will end up working towards the same goal. Got it?" The boss stated.
"Of Course! This is just how things turned out this time." Tatsumi exclaimed while Kurome and Akame stood either side of him smiling.
"With what we have just heard it is best we deal with these beasts as soon as possible." Kurome stated proudly.
"Yes but I for one would like to avoid bumping heads with the soldiers." Leone stated carelessly while everyone stared at her dumbfounded.
"We are night raid, we can move at night." The boss said calmly.
"Oh yeah , I forgot." Leone said.
"Hmm This is risky, taking on dangerous monsters while the empire is fighting them, we should just leave this to the jaeger. I knew it you guys really are soft." Chelsie stated. While Mine and Sheele wanted to say something but couldn't find the words Tatsumi stepped forward saying "I understand what you are saying, yes it is a risk but even now, those beasts might be killing more people as we speak. Though we may be assassins, we are fighting for the people. We need to wipe out these beasts quickly as possible, to save more lives!" Tatsumi stated.
"That's exactly what I expected you to say, oh well can't be helped." Chelsie said with a smile ,Su turned to smile at Tatsumi but he exclaimed in horror as he saw something which aggravated his OCD.
"Tatsumi there is something of great importance that I need to tell you." Su exclaimed.
"Huuh what is it?" Tatsumi asked.
"Your…" Su trailed of as the metallic dragon pounced in between his master and the horned warrior, wings spread left and right covering Tatsumi's lower body, he raised onto his two back legs almost standing bipedal. "That we are going to wipe out all these monsters and ensure the safety of the people we are fighting for!" Deagora shouted, which got many of the Night Raid members to shout along side him, however during this speech his metallic tail moved quietly behind him and zipped up Tatsumi, when Tatsumi noticed what he was doing he almost jumped back in shock and embarrassment.
"Twice now kid." Deagora stated in his mind with a smile, the dragon then turned serious "Everyone I want to state something, you are all aware what I once was yes? Well danger beasts usually don't change, with a few expectations, however the description of these beasts lead me to believe they are artificial. In other words I believe they were made by a certain insano doctor that we killed recently."
"That would make sense, and also give us an idea that there should be a limit to them." The boss said with a smile.
Along the rocky mountains just south of the capital Tatsumi and Chelsie were patrolling the area looking for danger beasts.
"Umm Chelsie I don't want to um be mean here but you have almost zero combat skills, as you stated yourself Gaia foundation is purely cosmetic. Why do you want to be out hunting them with me?" Tatsumi asked as the walked slowly up the mountain.
"Well I wanted to spend some more quality time with you." She joked taking a step forward while Tatsumi paused.
"HOW DID YOU NOT SCREW THIS ALL UP DURING THE ONSEN INCIDENT?" Deagora question loudly inside Tatsumi's mind.
"And to answer your other question, I am very confident in yours and Deagora's skills in keeping me alive." She teased.
"Yes my lady I shall not fail you." The ring beamed much to the displeasure of Tatsumi.
"Well we should check the summit, I'll carry you." Tatsumi stated as fire wrapped around him and was covered in the winged armour of Deagora.
"Why what a gentlemen." Chelsie said with a smile as she took Tatsumi's hand and he carried her bridal style all the way up the summit in a few seconds.
"Wow it looks really serene and peaceful here." Chelsie said as she took a few steps into the centre of the summit while Tatsumi, deactivated the armour.
"Hmm why am i getting a really bad feeling here almost like…..OH SH.." Deagora was cut off by the sound of something colliding into the ground.
Esdeath rode a dragon type danger beast staring into the moon.
"I am suppose to be on Night patrol, but here I find myself admiring the moon. This isn't like me at all. And all my strange behavior is because of you...Tatsumi." Esdeath whispered quietly to herself. Till she noticed to silhouettes of a human. "People's shadow? Or a danger beast" She questioned. "Oh well whoever they are, they're rather unlucky." She said with excitement as she drew her cutlass. "I am in a rather gloomy mood." She said as she jumped of the dragon.
Tatsumi and Chelsie jumped back in fear, Chelsie hiding behind Tatsumi at the sudden explosion.
"Tonight I shall be your opponent, I look forward to try out some of my…..HUH?!" Esdeath paused in surprise as she saw Tatsumi and a red headed girl. First anger and immense jealousy roared through her as she saw the redhead cower behind Tatsumi but she also felt extreme joy to be reunited with Tatsumi.
"Tatsumi I am so happy to see you...BUT why are you with another WOMEN." She growled violently.
"Pstt say she is your set sister from your village. Might stop her from gutting poor Chelsie." Deagora popped in Tatsumi's mind.
"Oh she's my stepsister from my village." Tatsumi stated in fear shaking at the murderous intent coming from Esdeath.
"REALLY Oh I was so worried there for a sec." Esdeath said as her rage simmering down. "But why are you two here then she asked.
"Well I was told going over the mountains would be safer so I suggested we go this way really." Chelsie whispered.
"Hmm well then. I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU TATSUMI!" Esdeath exclaimed as she hugged him.