A.N . I am so sorry for taking so long to release this chapter have had zero free time to work on this, but still I shall try my best to get the next one out asap.
Review answer time:
To Orca3553, Well I hope this is interesting enough, and thank you for the constant support
To Dark Master, Well I was making these interactions because I am still kinda indecisive on the pairing, I have an idea but for now, well I cannot promise anything I am sorry.
To DeadMenPlaying, Ahh well that is a secret what the third is, all I will say is that it will be revealed soon
To MakkuroX, I am happy you find this story interesting and yes I have separated the Kurome Wave paring but there could be hope..
AND NOW A BIG THANK YOU TO MY BETA READER TRIPLETRONICLE, without this guys constant help and addings I doubt I would have a set plan and ideas to keep this story going!
Chapter 16
Esdeath clung to Tatsumi like it was the last time she could see him, While Tatsumi's face held the sheer face of fear, as if he had just seen the reaper. Chelsea was conflicted a part of her wanted to laugh at Tatsumi and the other half was scared to death, there right in front of her was the most dangerous person in the empire and she was hugging Tatsumi.
"Kid sorry to interrupt the reunion but we have incoming ugly and deadly." Deagora informed as Tatsumi looked to the side to see the a group of the new breed of danger beasts and these ones looked the strongest yet.
"OH THANK GOD WE'RE….crap!" Tatsumi thought as Esdeath obliterated them all in a single heart beat.
"I will not stand for any distractions or nuisances!" Esdeath said balefully as she slammed her heel into the only still living danger beast. Her eyes glared with hatred at the creature.
"WHAT?! AND ALSO WHY IS SHE STILL TORTURING THE POOR THING!" Tatsumi thought as he watched Esdeath push her foot deeper into the creature's wound finally putting it out of its misery.
"Why did you run away Tatsumi? I was so very lonely, that was mean of you!" Esdeath said softly as she returned to clutch him tightly.
"Uhhh can you let me go? I get uncomfortable when you are so close to me!" Tatsumi pleaded.
"I won't!" Esdeath replied sternly.
"Please?"
"No." Esdeath stated. "Still I can't believe how much stronger you've gotten, you have clearly leveled up in such short time and you still can go so far!" Esdeath said happily patting Tatsumi's head as his cheeks go red. "Aww really thanks." He replied.
"KID STOP BEING SMOOTH TALKED EMPEROR'S SAKES!" Deagora screamed in Tatsumi's mind
"Hmm they dealt with Stylish's Legacy so easily! Hmm oh well my fun had to end. I'm home imperial capital hehe!" A robed man thought as he sprinted up the mountain.
"Kid we've got incoming, I can sense another relic user!" Deagora informed Tatsumi as he and Esdeath turned in unison to a small rock crevice covered in shadow.
"Why is there so many distractions on a deserted mountain?! Come out now, I will not hold back!" Esdeath roared.
"Shit!" A male voiced echoed as a figure stepped out of the shadows. "I thought my sneak up was flawless then again, they don't call you the strongest in the capital for nothing." He said with a cruel smile. "Well all my toys are gone now it seems."
"Hmm it seems you know why these danger beasts have been attacking allow me to personally escort you to the torture chamber!" Esdeath replied as she aimed her cutlass at the robed figure.
"Sorry madam that is not my thing but if you are still looking for some excitement then here you go! Shambhala activate!" He roared.
"CRAP KID GRAB CHELSEA!" Deagora roared as Tatsumi moved as quickly as possible grabbing Chelsea. A purple ray of energy warped the ground around them, a glyph quickly grew around them in the shape of a ying and yang, and in a blinding purple light they were gone.
"WHERE ARE WE!?" Tatsumi screamed as he, Chelsea and Esdeath stood on a sandy beach with a bright blue ocean in front of them, with a lush forest behind them. "Kid relax shambhala is a relic which controls space, bends space which allows for teleportation. Kind of similar to how Incursio and Grand Chariot works." Deagora informed.
"Hmm a relic that controls space….clearly a very powerful tool." Esdeath said calmly as she pondered.
"Uhh Tatsumi?" Chelsea said slowly her face a mirror of pure fear, she was nervous Esdeath was literally right in front of them, how long could they keep up this facade.
"We should be careful, he said that we would 'play with some of his toys. Umm better get to a higher point." Esdeath said loudly as she placed her right hand on the sandy beach, a layer of ice formed quickly and burst into the air with Tatsumi and Chelsea both of whom screamed loudly. They climbed altitudes quickly until they were on a pillar of ice high in the sky, overlooking a beautiful blue ocean in front of them.
"Hmm we must be really far out, there is nothing as far as the eye can see. Hmm it feels we're on a date!" Esdeath said joyfully as she jumped on Tatsumi.
"Not comfortable.." Chelsea mumbled under her breath.
"Oh I forgot about your darling sister." Esdeath said as she turned to face Chelsea. "I haven't introduced myself, I am General Esdeath of the Empire."
"Chel…." Chelsea barely able to speak.
"Well nice to meet you Chel. Hmm if I had to guess I would say we are south of the empire, we probably the only humans on this island." Esdeath said as she looked at Tatsumi, desire in her eyes.
"Th-the-there is no time for that!" He said in a panic, backing away from Esdeath.
"Kid remember..'Play with some of my toys'..that psycho things danger beasts are toys for him to set loose on people." Deagora stated freeing Tatsumi from his panic.
Later, the sun was just begging to set.
The rest of the day was full of exploring, Tatsumi, Esdeath and Chelsea killed a wild boar for the dinner, as well as gather berries for their food.
"Hmm been almost a full day and there has been no sight of those 'toys' he threatened us with." Esdeath said calmly as she drew in a notepad, trying to draw a picture of herself hugging Tatsumi. Chelsea and Tatsumi sat opposite her, both of them were as silent as the grave.
"You two are awfully nervous aren't you? Hmm that reminds me, Tatsumi what happened to the sword I gave you?" Esdeath asked.
"Hmm Ahh I broke it fighting those danger beasts." Tatsumi lied, he forgot where he had left that blade. Then the ground began to rumble as hulking beasts burst out of the sea, three of them in total, they looked like the monstrosity that Dr Stylish had turned himself into, during the battle at Night Raid HQ. They had trapped the trio, they stood in a triangular shape each one a hulking monster.
"Oh they big ones." Esdeath said calmly with a smile slowly spreading across her face.
Chelsea looked at Tatsumi, it had taken all of Night Raid to take down one, could they really deal with three of them. Tatsumi cursed himself, he couldn't even fight, he had to hide the fact he is the fire wielder, Chelsea looked at Tatsumi, she knew already that Tatsumi was handicapped.
The closests creature roared balefully at them and charged towards them, knocking down trees and launching rocks out of the way.
"Whoa, here he comes!" Tatsumi said as he stood in front of Chelsea.
"I have no mercy for nuisances. An ugly hunk of meat like you deserves a good skewering! Weisschanabel!" Esdeath roared as hundreds of giant ice shards burst into existence in the air as she put her hand together, and launched them at the first giant.
"Amazing in an instant she put it down." Tatsumi thought in disbelief.
"Kid pulls yourself together. There are still two...nope three alive." Deagora said as the giant picked itself back up.
"Hmm tougher than I thought. This is getting interesting." Esdeath said, her smile getting bigger and bigger.
"Umm, that spot in the middle of his forehead, looks pretty fragile doesn't it?" Tatsumi pointed out.
"My thoughts exactly. We really are meant for each other!" Esdeath said as she knelt in the sand, ice forming around her. "Grauhorn!" She roared and a spike of ice burst from the ground heading straight for the beast's head, it reacted to slow and the spike connected with the middle of beast's head punching clean through, pulping bone, muscle and brain, in a fine red juice from the other side.
However, during the fight with the first giant danger beast no one payed attention to the other two whom had ran toward the trio and where charging towards Chelsea. Tatsumi looked up in fear as one of the beasts were going to grab Chelsea, it's mouth dribbling with anticipation.
"DEAGORA, we need to fight, we have to protect Chelsea!" Tatsumi thought as he ran to Chelsea as the beast picked her up.
"TATSUMI!" She screamed in fear!" The creature brought her closer and closer to it's gaping mouth.
"Kid you know what that means?" Deagora asked as Tatsumi was meter from the beast. Esdeath turned seeing the two beasts and charged the one closest to her, she caught a glimpse of Chelsea's 'Hmm weakling.' she thought as she launched herself in the air, her mad grin widening.
"DEAGORA!" Tatsumi roared loudly as fire erupted around him, in a split second he burst out of the flames in the armour of Deagora, wings spread wide. Esdeath's breath was taken away as she gently glided in the air.
"No way…..Kill this beast first!" She thought as she turned towards the beast under her as she flew towards earth, a calm smile spread across her face as she clicked her fingers and a massive ice boulder beamed into existence behind her.
"Hagelsprung!" She roared as she flattened the beast under the great weight of the boulder.
Tatsumi was oblivious to how the second beast died his only concern was rescuing Chelsea, in as the beast got ready to munch on it's meal Tatsumi flew past Chelsea, aiming for the creatures upper jaw, his fist a blaze of red flame.
"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" He roared as he slammed his fist into the soft flesh of the beast mouth, in a blinding light fire burst from the beast skull at the back of it's head roaring into the night sky, lighting up the entire island in a burning rage. Chelsea looked in disbelief, Tatsumi had never shown that kinda of power before. Esdeath's breath was taken away again, she had a look of anger and excitement. The beast's corpse let go of Chelsea as she fell back down to the earth, Tatsumi looked around from the ruined cave that was once a mouth, he saw Chelsea fall and burst towards her shockwaves knocking the beast backwards. He caught her mid air and gently landed down in the sands where Esdeath waited for them.
"So...you're with Night Raid, Your the powerful fire wielder I've heard so much about?" Esdeath asked bluntly. With a whiff of flames Tatsumi stood in front of Esdeath, calmly he nodded.
"EEEEEEHHHHHH!" Esdeath screeched loudly as she hopped on the spot bouncing from one toe to the other. "OH I knew you were strong but this strong oh we are just perfect for each other. I also heard that opposites attract but I didn't know you were suppose to take it literally...OHHH you are so strong you are getting me excited!" Esdeath said with lust and happiness, the sudden outburst scared Tatsumi he took two steps back, Chelsea still clung to his back for protection.
"Yet there is the problem that you are with Night Raid, and I can assume so is she, yet she has zero combat skills so it is unlikely. So how about this, you give me a good fight and if you manage to beat me I will consider joining the revolutionary army with my Jaegers and if I win, which is more likely, you come back to the capital with me, I won't press you for any information about Night Raid and I will let the young women behind you go." Esdeath said calmly.
"Tatsumi don't do it. You are not strong enough to beat her!" Chelsea pleaded.
"Before I accept may I ask you a few questions, in return you can ask questions." Tatsumi replied calmly.
"You are handling this remarkably well, considering we are going to die!." Deagora stated with horrified scream.
"Fine with me, I'll ask first where did you learn your skills?" Esdeath asked with a smile as the night sky filled the island in a dark hue.
"There was an old retired soldier at my village and he taught me everything I knew. He is also the one who taught me how to blacksmith. I thought I could get a job having multiple skills once I reached the capital." Tatsumi replied.
"My how determined you are!" Esdeath praised Tatsumi with a smile.
"It seems though you are very skilled yourself Esdeath." Tatsumi replied.
"Hmm not entirely, I lack what some people refer to as the fine arts. When Nyat played his flute, found it rather annoying, couldn't see what all the fuss was." Esdeath said with a smile."And now what is your relic?" Esdeath asked.
"This." Tatsumi said calmly as he raised the ring on his finger in front of Esdeath.
"WHY ARE YOU SHOWING HER ME!" Deagora screamed loudly.
"Now, my question. What was your childhood like?" Tatsumi asked, still breathing slowly, a part of him was desperate to find out why Esdeath was the way she was. A part of him still believed he could turn her to his side fight for the revolutionary forces.
"Well since you answered me, I will do the same for you." Esdeath replied. "Have you ever heard of the Paltas Clan?"
"No I haven't." Tatsumi replied.
"That is not surprising, they were a clan of danger beast hunters far close to the northern border. I grew up as the chief's daughter."
Years ago
A younger Esdeath ran along a rocky ridge in a frozen tundra, as she hunted a small batch of lizard danger beasts. She jumped onto one and in quick fluid motion slit the creature's throat.
"Father, I caught my prey!" She exclaimed happily as she dragged her catch back across a clear field of frozen tundra, with small white huts stood in a tribal pattern.
"Wow, good job! That one's quite impressive for your age!" her father replied. "But mine is even bigger!" He said with a smile, as he turned to a large green lizard danger beasts, Esdeath exclaimed in surprise. "We're just about to dissect it for materials. Lend us a hand."
"Okay!" Esdeath replied.
"Weakened and bound as it is, it won't be able to struggle much. We'll do this bold and quickly." Her father said as he readied his knife, Esdeath mirroring his every movement.
The creature howled in pain as they did their grisly work, Esdeath put her hands to her ears as her father extracted a glowing green orb.
"We need to remove the lizard orb while it's still alive, or it won't be as valuable. I am sure it causes great pain, but that is how it goes. These beasts attack and eat people. This time around, we were the stronger ones, so it wound up dead instead. That's just what happens to the weak. Alright Esdeath, you remove the eyes and crest." Her father explained.
"Okay father! I'll do it cleanly." Esdeath replied happily.
'Esdeath can land the final blow on any prey without hesitation, even if it is weakened or running away. She is a natural hunter. But she seems to be lacking something. Well I guess it is not a problem.' Her father thought, as he watched Esdeath dissect the eyes.
"Eat or be eaten…That's the glorious environment I was brought up in. The danger beasts and us…It was fun living in a world where both sides tried their hardest to survive." Esdeath said. "And then well my father taught me many lessons."
"Oh are the ants at war?" Her father asked as little Esdeath knelt in front of two warring factions of ants.
"Yeah."
"It looks like the winner's already been decided. Look, the queen is being dragged out and lynched by the enemy soldiers. I know this is sad but this is the way the world works, it is just like your mother. She was killed by that danger beast because she was weak." Her father stated.
"Weak huh…"
"It may be sad but your mother died because she was weak."
'The strong survive, the weak become prey'
"The most important lesson I was given was from my father was when he took his last breaths." Esdeath stated. "It is the reason I am who I am today."
"Ha Camping at the top of the mountain paid off!" The young Esdeath said with glee as she held in her arms a massive evil bird danger beast. "I tamed my first danger beast father will be so proud of me!" Yet to her horror she found her village a burning blaze. She ran to one of her clan members bleading near her.
"WHAT HAPPENED?" She cried.
"The northern race attacked us. The chief killed about a dozen of them but in the end the bastards overwhelmed us!" He said as the warrior took his dying breaths.
"FATHER?!" Esdeath screamed as she ran to her dying father as he had various spears protruding from his body.
"Don't cry Esdeath we were weaker, that is the way the world works, but promise me one thing. Never be the prey!" He said as he took his last breaths.
"And that was it. For a long time I hunted danger beasts but I quickly ran out of prey, so I joined the empire and quickly adjusted from hunting beasts to hunting humans." Esdeath stated calmly as she looked back to Tatsumi her mind returning from the sea of memory.
"So that is why you buried the northern race? You wanted revenge." Tatsumi asked.
"Hmm I suppose it would seem that way but I merely did that because it was the quickest and most efficient method of doing so." Esdeath replied.
"Umm okay and the second question then, what is your relic?" Tatsumi asked as fear crept into his mind, she didn't do it because she was angry she did it because she wanted to.
"Oh that…..well my relic is here." Esdeath said with a smile as she grabbed Tatsumi's hand, which held the ring of Deagora, she pointed it to a dark red tattoo in the centre of her chest, in between her two collar bones.
"NOO NOT THE CLEAVAGE AGAIN!" Deagora began to chant.
"What do you mean?" Tatsumi asked ignoring the screaming ring in his mind.
"Well…."
Several years ago inside the royal palace, the prime minister had gathered an array of powerful relics to offer to Esdeath.
"I have offered plenty of weapons but your affinity does not seem to match with any of them." The prime minister grumbled.
"I am impressed by the sheer savagery of this axe." Esdeath stated as she lifted a large twin bladed axe with a dark handle. "But it does not seem right. Hmm Is that a relic too inside that urn?" She asked pointing to a urn at the back of the room surrounded by iron bars.
"Yes the demons extract, the blood of an S class danger beast. Apparently it was one of the mightiest danger beasts to be slain in order to create the imperial arms. The S class beast lived high in the northern mountains. It is said that if you drink the extract and your affinity is right, you will gain the beast's dominion over ice, but unfortunately no one has ever survived as they have all gone mad." The prime minister answered her.
"A blood type weapon. That all sounds rather fascinating." Esdeath said with a smile as she walked towards the urn.
"You are not seriously going to try it are you? You may have an dangerous reputation but that does not mean it will bond with you." The prime minister asked in disbelief.
"I feel so drawn to it, it is as if it is calling me itself, to drink it." Esdeath said.
"Hmm that is a good sign, perhaps the extract is right for you." The Prime minister said calmly.
"Maybe.." Esdeath replied as Esdeath reached for the urn, the bars moving aside allowing her to grab it. "For some reason I feel drawn to this. I honed my intuition outside in the wild and if I am wrong I deserve to die." She said as she took the lid of the bubbling blood hissing as steam escaped.
"It should only take a single taste to be sure." The prime minister stated.
"No reason not to drink it all. I bet that will make me even stronger" Esdeath said with a smile as she lifted the urn to her lips.
"I guess it can't drive you insane if you already are.." The Prime minister said in disbelief, as he watched her drink the entire urn.
"My that tasted so good, uhh!" She fell to the floor, dropping the urn.
"KILL. MURDER. DESTROY. PILLAGE. ENSLAVE. WIPE OUT. KILL"
Over and over did this voice echo inside Esdeath's mind, yet she smiled. "The urge to destroy is overwhelming. Now I understand why so many lost their minds. HOW TAME. I WILL NOT LOSE MY MIND. THIS IS NOTHING. I WON'T BE BESTED BY A MERE GOBLET OF BLOOD. I WILL ALWAYS BE ON TOP. I WILL ALWAYS BE THE VICTOR. NO MATTER WHAT GETS IN MY WAY AND I WILL ANSWER TO NO ONE EXCEPT MYSELF!" Esdeath roared through as torrents of red energy lashed around her, until she stood up as the dark red tatoo formed. "I am feeling truly delightful minister. The power is surging through my very veins."
"You seem to have already emerged...To the birth of the world's most powerful warrior.
"So after all this time that monster's blood is inside your body?" Tatsumi asked.
"That's correct, but I mastered it long ago you need not worry." Esdeath said smiling.
"...hmpph yeah you've mastered her in your dreams" Deagora whispered to quite for Tatsumi to make out.
"So that is what made you like to torture people?" Tatsumi asked clinging onto one last hope.
"What? No I have always had a fancy for that." Esdeath replied with a smile.
'I thought if she was angry and wanted revenge and that the beast warped her mind, that I was okay with but this, she is genuinely a monster' Tatsumi thought in disbelief.
"I see now why they got along…." Deagora mumbled.
"So now the questions are finished….I think you know what time it is?" Esdeath asked as she drew her cutlass.
"Indeed.." Tatsumi said calmly a fight was his only way out, he had to find an escape for him and Chelsea, there was no way he'd let her take him to the empire but there was little he could do against such a powerful individual. His back was against the wall and he knew it, Esdeath most likely knew it as well. "Chelsea hide in the forest and keep yourself down." Tatsumi ordered as Chelsea ran into the woods, fire wrapped themselves around Tatsumi and he was wearing his lighter armour without the wings. 'I need to be fast and quick, those wings will slow me down in this instance. D I am gonna need every advantage, if I am acting to slow forcefully move my body, understood?' Tatsumi thought
"Roger!" Deagora answered.
"So let's begin!" Tatsumi roared as two short swords burst out of flames as he launched himself at Esdeath. She mirrored his movements as a long sword made out of ice appeared in her free hand.
The clash was loud, as the fire blade and ice blade struck first, Esdeath was smiling at the helmeted face of Tatsumi but her smile quickly disappeared as both of the blades shattered, knocking both of them back. The Ice blade had started to melt and burst. While the fire blade had turned brittle and shattered. Esdeath threw away the handle of the broken blade bringing her cutlass onto Tatsumi who raised his second fire blade. Tatsumi's short sword cut through the cutlass catching Esdeath of guard as he sliced into the flesh of her left shoulder. The wound was instantly cauterized. Esdeath laughed loudly as she looked at the wound. "MAGNIFICENT!" She said smiling. "I underestimated you. I should take this a little more seriously…" She said smiling as two ice blades appeared in her hands. Tatsumi mirrored her as two fire blades appeared.
"He managed to cut her?!" Chelsea said in disbelief as she watched the fight from her vantage point up a tree.
They both threw themselves at each other, their weapons shattering as the connected. Both of them quickly replacing the weapon they lost with another, as a halo of shattered ice and brittle dark red rock was thrown into the air. Yet the fight as going badly, Esdeath was pushing Tatsumi back.
"Kid parry, explode the weapon. Jump back." Deagora was firing orders and at several point moved Tatsumi's body out of harm's way.
"You are doing extremely well, I am having such a blast!" Esdeath said with a smile as she caught Tatsumi's chest striking from the right in a downward arc breaking his armour and knocking him backwards.
"Kid we should run!" Deagora pleaded.
"We can't..Chelsea is here…..we need…..to protect her…" Tatsumi said weakly as blood dripped from his head and from the top of his right shoulder.
"Please stop Tatsumi I do not want to hurt you.." Esdeath pleaded.
"I am sorry but I will never fight for an empire that causes thousands of innocents to die and suffer. I will fight for them!" Tatsumi roared as an inferno burst around him. 'I have to put everything into this!' Tatsumi thought as he raised his ring hand and a fiery orb bust into existence. The look of grim determination in his face. Esdeath looked at Tatsumi amazed by the sheer determination and power. She smiled as she mirrored him, as a blizzard burst around her and an icy orb in her hand.
"You are putting everything into this, then I can honour that by doing the same." She said as the tattoo began to glow a bright blue and Deagora began to glow a bright red. Both Tatsumi and Esdeath felt something, was it a memory or a hallucination they were unsure but both launched at each other. The sand behind Tatsumi blistering and the sand behind Esdeath freezing solid. The very ground shook as a ball of fire and a ball of frost launched at each other. Tatsumi moved with the very fires of hell themselves and Esdeath brought with her a chill so cold Death itself would freeze. Chelsea look in fear and awe as two elements were about to collide. It reminded her of the tales of gods waging war on one and other. As if the god of fire and the god of frost had collided.
They clashed with enough force to launch sand in every direction and blast the sea away from each other in a blinding white light.