Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter for you ^^ I got nothing important to say except 'Thanks for your support, guys!'

... So, yeah, enjoy ^^'


Soul in the Dream

CHAPTER 17

(Hitomi's POV)

The next morning, I felt someone shaking me awake. Who would do such a thing...? I was having such a nice dream... I think? I slowly opened my eyes and saw Akame standing in front of me, staring at my outstretched form. Realising I only slept in boxers, I silently yelped and quickly put the covers over my body. Yeah, I sometime sleep without the covers, by the way.

"What are you doing here!?", I hissed. Sighing, I managed to crack my usual teasing smile. "Didn't think you of all people would be a creeper..." She shook her head in response.

"You said you wanted me to train you, right?", she asked me, to which I slowly nodded. "I'm preparing to go on my morning run, and I want you to come with me.", she told me in an impassive tone. "Running is an important step in training speed.", she added. She really wanted me to come, didn't she...

"Yeah, yeah, sure...", I sighed. "Just... let me change. Please?" My friend nodded and went outside my room, telling me that she would wait for me outside the hideout. I quickly put my pants on, followed by my shirt and hoodie. I finished my look by putting Spectator on my forehead. While putting my shirt on, my finger brushed against the scar on my chest, the result of my clash with Zank the Executioner.

"Well that's not going anywhere...", I sighed, referring to the scar. I then quietly went out of my room, taking a quick peak in everyone's room with my Teigu to see if I woke someone up. It was, like, five in the morning, and if I woke someone like Leone or Mine, I'd be in a world of pain... I made my way to the hideout's entrance to see Akame waiting for me.

"Good, you came.", she gave me a small smile. She was doing some stretches while waiting for me to join her. I gave her a smile as well.

"Well, I couldn't possibly leave you alone outside, now would I?", I teased.

"I would've dealt with any intruder who would've come here, don't worry.", she shrugged, apparently having missed my point.

"Better luck next time...", I mumbled to myself. "So, what's the plan?", I asked her.

"We'll run two laps around the forest, followed by a basic training regimen in the yard.", Akame explained. "After that, we'll train in combat until it's time to make breakfast." I already felt tired just by hearing her say our morning plans...

"... Do you do that every morning...?"

"Hm-hm.", she nodded. Holy hell, no wonder she's so fit...

"Ooh boy...", I sighed as I took off my hoodie. "All right, let's do this! If this training doesn't kill me, the Capital will!"


I can't believe I actually survived this... We have trained for almost three hours and I quickly realised Akame's training was way harder than my own training back home...

I yelped as I dodged a slash from Akame. We were fighting using wooden swords and, well, let's just say I've been on the defensive for a while. I had Spectator activated with the Precognition ability, which allowed me to detect the smallest muscle movement for a convenient evasion. I figured it could be more useful in training like this, and I was right! I barely had any scratches on me, and considering I was fighting Akame, that was something to be very proud of. Of course, she was way faster than me, but I could see I was improving!

"I see you've improved a lot in evading and predicting attacks.", Akame complimented. But?"But all of this is in vain if you can't land an attack." And there it is.

"I'm just taking my time, that's all.", I smirked. I then dashed towards her, but I stopped in my tracks to duck as I saw Bulat's powerful punch pass right over me. Thank you, Spectator...

"Holy-! Yo, Bulat, was that really necessary!?", I yelled at the older man who laughed.

"Hahaha! Sorry, Hitomi, I wanted to see if you were able to react to an unsuspected attack." He continued to laugh as I pouted at him for 'ruining' the practice match I had with Akame.

"Is everyone up?", Akame asked as she approached us. Bulat shook his head in response.

"No, Leone and Mine are still asleep.", he said. "I came outside to help train Tatsumi." He pointed to said brown-haired boy, who was behind him. "I'll be taking him in the mountains."

"Good idea.", Akame nodded. She put her wooden sword away and turned around to face me. "Come with me, Hitomi. We'll go prepare breakfast in the meantime."

"Did I just replace Tatsumi as your assistant or what...?", I sweatdropped. I sighed and nonetheless followed her obediently into the kitchen.


(Normal POV)

In a small village in the outskirts of the Capital, a carriage followed by numerous armored guards was heading towards the enormous city. Inside the wooden carriage, an old man was watching the pitiful state of the citizens. A lot of people slept outside in the cold, despair present on everybody's face.

"How terrible, this village as well, huh...", the man muttered to himself. "A nation is said to be made up of it's people, and yet it's come to this."

"These poor people.", agreed a young woman seated beside him. "I think you are heading into a nest of vipers by returning to the Capital, father."

"I can't just stay in retirement when there are people living like this. The country will be doomed..." The older man sighed. He was the former Prime Minister of the Capital, Chouri. He gave his position a few years ago, but it seemed he regretted his decision. "If it's like this, I will have to fight that Minister to the bitter end!"

"And I'll protect you!", chirped the woman, brandishing a well-crafted spear.

"You've grown to be such a fine woman.", Chouri smiled. "I guess that gallantry is the reason you have yet to become a bride...?"

"Ah! Th-That doesn't matter right now, does it?!", she stammered in embarrassment. "Besides, I'm not really gallant, I can just use the spear pretty well. Also, if a good person did appear, even I would get married."

"Sorry I asked..."

The young woman stopped her ranting when she saw three figure standing in the middle of the road. It looked like they were waiting for the former Minister. "What's this...?", she questioned.

The figure at the left was a man of large muscular build with long, spiky blond hair and white, pupil-less eyes. He wore a headdress similar to horns. The one in the center was a young man of small build with blond hair and golden eyes. He wore shorts and had horn-like accessories in his hair and a demon-like fake tail. The last figure was a tall man with grey hair worn in a long ponytail. He had blue eyes and a mustache. Each of them wore a similar, jacket-like uniform.

"Bandits again?!", Chouri yelled. "Public order has fallen so far!"

"We will deal with them the same way as the last ones!", announced his daughter as she got out of the carriage. "Prepare yourselves!" She then positioned herself in front of the vehicle, the other guards taking a combat stance as well.

"Daidara.", the tall, grey-haired man spoke to the muscular, blond man.

"Yeah?" He understood what his comrade wanted him to do. He reached his hand behind his back, where a giant, double-edged axe rested. In a quick but powerful motion, he took the weapon and swung it, managing to cut in half the entirety of the guards charging him. The only one who survived the attack was the former Minister's daughter. However, she was on her knees, panting. She looked up as she saw the smaller boy crouch down to her level.

"Heh... Not bad, onee-chan.", he said with a smile. "You're pretty skilled to have escaped a killing blow from Daidara's attack. But..." As he said those words, he slowly drew a knife from his uniform. "Considering what I'm going to do to you, I'm pretty sure you'll wish you'd been cut in half."

Meanwhile, the big man, Daidara, roughly pushed Chouri to the ground. As he attempted to lift himself up, he noticed the grey-haired man's face.

"Y-You're soldiers and officers of the Empire...!"

"Correct.", the man bowed slightly in respect. "I am a great admirer of your political works, sir."

"Th-Then why are you coming after me?!"

"Because, above all..." With a slice of his arm, he cleanly cut Chouri's head off in a swift motion. "our master's orders are absolute!"

"Fifteen people defeated, is it?", Daidara counted. "All right! The value of this experience will lead me to become stronger!"

"Spread out the leaflets!", the gray-haired man cut. "Help me out, Daidara!"

"We're being used as the hand of the Minister, eh...", Daidara spoke as he threw fliers around. "Well, he has always been accused of getting rid of his political opponents."

"However, the hand in this will appear to lead to the officials under the protection of Grand-General Budo."

"Ohhh, that's right! That's why it's our turn to act, right?"

"Didn't we explain this to you before...?"

"Hey, hey! Liver, check it out, look!" They were interrupted by the younger man, who came back with a smile. "Ta-dah~!" He brandished something in his hands, which was revealed to be the face of the poor woman who survived Daidara's attack. "My collection has increased!", he added with a gleeful smile.

"... Nyau has such a disgusting habit." Daidara looked genuinely disgusted by the face in the younger man's hands.

"You made sure to properly kill her, right?", the older man, Liver, asked Nyau.

"Ahahahaha! She died halfway through from shock!", Nyau laughed.

"Good. Let's head home.", Liver announced. "To celebrate this success, I'll cook dinner!"

"P-Please, you really don't need to, do you?!", Nyau shivered.

"Your cooking has the same destructive power as the average Teigu!", Daidara added. "Come on! It even caused Esdeath-sama to pass out for a few minutes!"

"It'll be fine, this time.", Liver insisted. "I'll use a subtle seasoning with the saliva of the evil-bird."

"We don't need that sort of thing in our food!"

On the ground, where the three men stood minutes ago, laid several fliers with Night Raid's symbol on it. It read: 'Heaven's judgement, delivered by Night Raid.'


(Hitomi's POV)

Four days has passed and I think I'm in a need of sleep... I usually go to bed late to wake up in time for breakfast, but Akame keeps waking me up at 5 a.m. to go train. She even forces me every time to make breakfast with her... Yeah, I'm her slave, now...

"So... Hitomi...", Leone started as we ate. Everyone was here, except the Boss, for some reason. "You've been getting closer to Akame, I've noticed. Got anything to say~?", she asked me with a teasing smirk.

"Well, we've been training together so..." I gave her a smirk as well. "I mean, when trying to beat someone up with a wooden sword, it's better to be close to your opponent, right?"

"Training, huh..." She was clearly disappointed that her attempt to embarrass me backfired, but she tried something else. "The kind of training you do when alone with a girl~?"

"Well, clearly not the type of 'training' you want to do with Tatsumi.", I replied before taking a bacon strip to my mouth. I noticed Akame didn't say anything to retort what Leone said. I guess she just trusted me to take care of it. Tatsumi, on the other hand...

"Hey! I don't want any part in this!"

"I still don't get why you idiots are here in the first place...", Mine sighed. She was recovering at a phenomenal speed. Baths with special herbs did wonders on the body... She was able to eat by herself, by now, but she still had bandages all over.

"I already told you, Pinks.", I smirked. "Pure skill."

"Says the guy who nearly got killed by a single cut."

"Says the girl who lost to a dog."

"It was a Teigu!"

"Still a dog!"

While we were still squabbling, the Boss entered the dining room, telling us to regroup in the meeting room. By the look on her face, it was important.


(Normal POV)

"Everyone is here.", Najenda noticed as she saw each Night Raid member present. "I have three pieces of bad news to relay... Listen carefully." The assassins looked at each other in confusion, wondering what their leader was going to tell them. "First, I can no longer contact the local team.", she announced. Needless to say, everyone was surprised. Communication with the local team was important. Losing said communication could pose problem.

"Local team?", Tatsumi asked.

"The Empire is vast.", Akame replied. "We specialise in carrying out assassinations in the Capital, but there is another team that handles the areas around it."

"It's currently being investigated,", Najenda nodded. "but the likelihood that they are dead is high. So be prepared for that."

"Shit...", Hitomi muttered. "If they're dead, that means whoever attacked them knew of their hideout's location, right?", he asked. Najenda nodded at his deduction.

"You're right. Not to take any chances, I think it may be necessary to strengthen security around the hideout."

"Yeah, I'll increase the range of my threads.", Lubbock proposed. Najenda nodded in agreement but diverted her eyes to the ground, having another bad new to share.

"Secondly... Esdeath has finished conquering the North. She has returned to the Capital."

...

"Shit."


Shit indeed... It's bad news after bad news, right...? Anyway, hoped you enjoyed ^^ I'll see you next time!